Good afternoon, Jaguar parents and families,
This is Brandon Koger, principal at Hobbs Middle School, with a very important message regarding student safety.
Today, during each lunch period, we reviewed with every student the procedures we have in place to keep them safe at school. The most important point: your student is safe at Hobbs Middle School. Every adult on campus is trained in emergency response. Classroom doors remain closed and locked. Exterior doors are monitored and controlled through visitor access protocols. We have a full-time Sheriff’s Deputy on campus during school hours, and all staff understand that our first responsibility is keeping students safe.
Because emergencies, unfortunately, do happen, please review the following procedures with your student:
Hide, Run, Fight: Stranger Danger
1. Hide: In the event of a lockdown, students will hide in classrooms. All classrooms are ALWAYS secured, and teachers will keep students safe.
2. Hide at lunch: In the event of a lockdown at lunch, we will HIDE.
3. Hide during class change: Students will enter the nearest classroom.
4. Run: Sometimes we must RUN. If you can’t get back to your classroom (e.g., you’re in the hallway going to the bathroom when the lockdown is called), RUN. Find an exterior door and RUN.
5. Run outdoors: During PE or outdoor activities, coaches will evacuate students from campus.
6. Fight: This is an adult response. The Sheriff’s Deputy and staff are trained to respond if needed.
Stranger Danger: Also, please reinforce with your students that they should NEVER open doors at school. I know it’s habit and polite to answer a knock at the door. But the ADULTS should be the ones to answer the doors. Unless you are given permission by an adult who has cleared the door, students should NOT open doors.
Reporting Safety Concerns
Please reinforce with your students the GOOD ways to report information, and the BAD ways that lead to misinformation and rumor.
• Avoid social media, which can spread misinformation.
• Good: Use the Quick Links on our website to email administration.
• Better: Use FORTIFYFL on our website to submit a report.
• Best: Report directly to a trusted adult, such as a teacher or parent.
While no school can guarantee 100% safety, I assure you that Hobbs Middle School has systems, procedures, and trained staff in place. We practice these procedures regularly, and they are effective.
If you have any questions or concerns about safety, please contact me directly. Otherwise, now that safety has been reinforced, we will continue focusing on teaching and learning. 😊
-Mr. Koger
That’s why we’re partnering with Pace Assembly Ministries and Convoy of Hope to provide free bags of food for children ages 4–18 in need. Each bag contains enough food to help feed one child for about a week.
📄 To request a bag, complete the application and return it to the Hobbs Middle front office. Only one application per family is needed.
💡 While this is a one-time offering, we are working to partner again with Feeding the Gulf Coast to provide more regular food support for students experiencing food insecurity — more info to come on that.
🚨 Parents & Family Members — We Need You!
Your voice matters! We invite you to serve on one of two important district advisory councils that help guide and improve our schools.
We’re seeking nominations for parents and family members to join the District Parent Advisory Council or the District Title I Parent Advisory Council and help shape our schools!
🗓️ DPAC Meetings: Oct 6, Jan 13, Apr 14 | 5–7 PM
🗓️ Title I Meetings: Oct 14, Jan 20, Apr 7 | 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 Both at 6032 Hwy 90, Milton, FL
Sign up now:
DPAC ➡️ https://forms.office.com/r/EzCPV4LVTU
Title I ➡️ https://forms.office.com/r/3kC33jSGgk
Your voice matters — join us! 🙌
#ParentVoice #CommunityMatters #GetInvolved
HMS School Advisory Council (SAC) – Parent Nominations for 2025–26
Hobbs Middle School is now accepting nominations for Parent/Family representatives to serve on our School Advisory Council (SAC) for the 2025–26 school year.
The SAC is made up of parents, teachers, students, administrators, support staff, business/industry leaders, and other community members. Together, this team:
Helps develop and evaluate our School Improvement Plan
Advises the principal on the annual school budget
Provides input on our Title I programs and expenditures (HMS is a Title I school, meaning we receive federal funding to help ensure all students meet challenging academic standards. Parent and family engagement is a key part of this work.)
Details:
Parents serve a two-year term
SAC meets five times a year
First meeting: Thursday, August 28th at 3:00 PM in the HMS Media Center
Nomination & Selection Timeline:
Nominations: Now through Friday, August 15th
Voting (if needed): Monday, August 18th – Friday, August 22nd
Parent Notification: Monday, August 25th
Nominate a Parent (including yourself if eligible):
Please provide the nominee’s first and last name, plus a brief explanation of qualifications, at the link below:
Good afternoon, Jaguar families!
This is Brandon Koger, principal at Hobbs Middle School, welcoming you to the 2025–26 school year!
Just a reminder: the first day of school is tomorrow, Monday, August 11th. Doors open at 7:45 AM. Upon arrival, students should report either to the cafeteria for breakfast or to the multipurpose room until 8:10. The tardy bell rings at 8:15 to start first period, and dismissal is at 2:29 PM.
If your student has not yet received their schedule, they should visit the media center to pick it up.
Please know it may take a few days to settle into our routines. Lunch lines will be long, but every student will have enough time to eat—even if they need to stay a bit longer. Parent pick-up and bus lines may also be slower during the first week, especially with afternoon buses running late. Students riding the bus in the afternoon, especially, will be late coming home the first few days.
Thank you for your patience as we get everything running smoothly. We’re excited for a fantastic school year and look forward to partnering with you. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. Otherwise, we’ll see you tomorrow!
Good afternoon, Jaguar students and families!
A few important notes about student schedules:
1. Schedules in Focus – If your student hasn’t picked up their schedule yet, it’s now available digitally in Focus.
2. No Focus access / No schedule – If your student cannot access Focus and doesn’t have a schedule, they should report to the Media Center upon arriving at school on Monday.
3. Schedule change requests – We are reviewing all requests and doing our best to say “yes” whenever possible. However, for a variety of reasons, some requests will need to be denied. Please know that every request is being considered.
4. Changes requested at pick-up – If your student submitted a change request Thursday at schedule pick-up, please have them check Focus Sunday evening. If the schedule is unchanged, we were unable to make the adjustment.
5. Requesting a change next week – Students who would like to request a schedule change next week should pick up a Schedule Change Request Form during their lunch.
6. After Week 1 – Any schedule change requests after the first week must be made through the Guidance Office.
We can’t wait to welcome everyone on Monday—this is going to be an amazing school year! 😊
Hello Jaguar students and families!
Just a reminder — Schedule Pick-Up is tomorrow, Thursday, August 7th. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Medication Check-In
Our school health tech, Ms. O’Sullivan, will be on campus to check in medication during schedule pick-up. She will also be available Friday, 8 AM – 2 PM for anyone who can’t make it tomorrow.
2. Teacher Availability
Some teachers may not be available during schedule pick-up. You’ll still be able to get your schedule and walk the campus, but many teachers will be with their own children for their schools’ schedule pick-up events.
3. Dropping Off Supplies
You may bring your “for your first period teacher” supplies tomorrow. If your teacher isn’t available, you can place them in the box outside their classroom.
4. If You Can’t Attend
No problem! Just have your student report to the library on Monday to pick up their schedule.
5. Helpful Files
You can access important resources like the campus map, bell schedule, and more here: https://aptg.co/ZbY-B5
6. School Supply Lists
Our Hobbs supply lists are here: https://aptg.co/0jLv_Z
Note: The three-ring binder and colored page dividers are essential this year — they’re part of our schoolwide AVID initiative.
We can’t wait to see you tomorrow! 🐆💛
We know you’ve been eagerly awaiting that famous first-day paperwork your students bring home each year. 📝 This year, you don’t have to wait — it’s ready for you to preview online!
📌 Must-Return Forms – These need to be completed and sent back to school:
https://aptg.co/7mFxNx
📌 Informational/Optional Items – Most of these are just for your reference, and a few are optional programs you can choose to participate in:
https://aptg.co/8HmhtC
Every student will receive a First Day Folder on Monday with all of this paperwork. If you’d like to get a head start, feel free to print and complete the required forms now. Then, just send the folder back Tuesday, August 12th with your completed documents.
We can’t wait to see everyone back on Monday! 💙🐆
Good afternoon, Jaguar families! There are three ways this year that you can get your student’s bus stop information!
1. Transportation is mailing postcards with this year's bus route information - be on the lookout for that information coming soon! 📫
2. Additionally, we will have transportation at our schedule pick-up Thursday to give out bus stops!
3. Or, you can use the My Ride K-12 app!
NEW APP: We are excited to introduce our new bus tracking app, My Ride K-12, a new tool that makes it easier than ever to find your child's bus stop and route information, as well as receive notifications about bus delays and other route changes, right in the palm of your hand.
My Ride K-12 Directions to Create Account
1. Download the app and begin by creating an account
2. Link your student to your account using his/her student ID (57#)
3. Select your child's grade level and school for the 2025-2026 school year
4. Once linked, go to "My Students" and find the student you are looking for
5. Click "Details"
6. Click "Schedule"
7. Route information will be available here on the morning of Tuesday, August 5.
If you have questions or concerns regarding any of the route information, please submit a transportation 411 request at the link below. Our transportation staff will be actively monitoring and reviewing these requests and following up with families.
https://www.santarosaschools.org/o/srcds/page/transportation-411
Hobbs families & community partners—we need your help! 🙏 We’re planning a Back to School Breakfast for 60+ amazing staff. So far, we haven’t received any food or financial donations. 💔
Our goal is $300 for biscuits, coffee & other treats and surprises! This may seem like a lot, but it pales in comparison to all the ❤️ love and investment our staff will give our students this year. Help us start them right so they can give back for the next 180 days! 😊
You can donate food or drink items via Meal Train: 🍽 mealtrain.com/n4mmo7.
You can give financially directly to the account:💵 tinyurl.com/39xw6sz2.
Please help! Donate or share now! 💚💛
Florida law requires all students entering 7th grade and up to have updated immunizations before starting school.
⛔ If your 7th or 8th grade student does not have the required immunizations, they will not receive a class schedule and will not be allowed to start school.
✅ FREE Immunization Clinics will be held in Milton on August 7th and 8th.
Don’t wait—make sure your student is ready for Day 1!
Thanks to generous donations from our amazing community, Hobbs has a variety of school supplies available for our students! If you're facing a hardship that’s making it difficult to get supplies for your child, we’re here to help.
📝 Need to see what’s required? View our school supply lists here:
🔗 https://aptg.co/0jLv_Z
To request school supplies from Hobbs, fill out this quick form:
🔗 https://forms.office.com/r/st0XDzFP5u
Here’s how it works:
📅 Sign up by 2 PM on Tuesday, August 5: Supplies will be available for pick-up in the cafeteria during schedule pick-up on Thursday.
📦 Sign up after 2 PM on Tuesday, August 5 (or can’t attend schedule pick-up): Supplies will be delivered directly to your student on the first day of school.
Let us support you—no questions asked.
Help us kick off the new school year by showing our amazing teachers and staff how much they’re appreciated! We’re organizing a Back-to-School Breakfast to welcome them on their first day back—and we’d love your support.
They’ll pour their hearts into our kids for the next 180 days—let’s make their first day special. 💛
✅ Sign up to donate items via Meal Train: https://mealtrain.com/n4mmo7
💵 Prefer to give a cash donation? Contribute here: https://tinyurl.com/39xw6sz2
📦 Items can be dropped off anytime this week, but no later than 6:45 AM on Monday, August 4th.
If you’re unable to donate, no problem at all—just help us spread the word!
Thank you in advance for your generosity and support!
Jaguar students and families, don’t forget! Schedule pick-up will take place on Thursday, August 7th. This is your chance to:
✅ Pick up your class schedule
✅ Walk your schedule and find your classrooms
✅ Purchase spirit wear
✅ Take care of any last-minute paperwork or registration
⏰ Time: see flyer for your assigned times
We can’t wait to see you there and kick off an amazing school year!
Dear Families,
We hope you are enjoying your summer and looking forward to the start of a successful new school year.
We are writing to inform you about an important update to our school’s cell phone policy, in accordance with a new state-mandated requirement. Beginning this school year, students will not be permitted to use cell phones during school hours—including class time, transitions, and lunch. Phones must be turned off and stored in their backpacks throughout the school day.
This policy is designed to help create a more focused and respectful learning environment. It also aligns with growing research—and direct classroom experience—showing that limiting cell phone use improves academic engagement, reduces distractions, and supports students’ overall well-being.
We understand that phones are often used as a tool for staying in contact with family. If you need to reach your child during the day, please contact the school office. Likewise, students needing to reach a parent or guardian may do so through a staff member or from the front office.
Disciplinary Measures for Violations:
Students who repeatedly violate the cell phone policy will face official disciplinary consequences, which will escalate quickly. When violations continue, staff will confiscate the phone, and it will be held by staff until a parent or guardian is able to retrieve it in person.
Important Notice:
Please note that neither the School Board nor any Board employee is responsible for any lost, damaged, or stolen personal property, including cell phones or other devices brought to school, onto school transportation, or to school-sponsored events.
A Sincere Request for Your Help:
We ask for your partnership in making this policy effective. Please do not call or text your child during the school day. Even a quick message—though well-intentioned—can result in your child violating the policy and facing consequences. If something is urgent, we are more than willing to help. Just call the front office, and we’ll make sure your child gets your message quickly and safely.
Thank you for your support in creating a learning environment that is calm, focused, and free of distractions. We are grateful for your continued partnership.
One of the MOST important things you can do to prepare your student for the school year is to ensure they have a plan to eat. We will help you do that, too! Please apply NOW for free or reduced lunch benefits!
If you or your family earn at or below certain Income Eligibility Guidelines, the Free and Reduced Lunch program can help cover some or all the cost of feeding your student!
To take advantage of this program, you must apply! Even if you’re not sure if you qualify, please apply!
The only way to apply this year is online at https://www.myschoolapps.com/.
It is so incredibly important that you apply for these benefits. This will allow us to better serve your student and their needs. If you don’t have computer or Internet access, come up to the school and we can help you apply!
Also, Hobbs Middle this year is a Title I school, and that designation is based upon our Free and Reduced lunch percentages. Title I is a federal program that allows us additional monetary support, to help support your students. If we don’t have enough students apply and qualify for Free or Reduced lunch supports, we will lose our Title I status.
So, please apply!!!
Finally, as a reminder, applications expire, and you must reapply each year. So, please apply now, don’t wait!
If you have any questions, you may contact me through phone (850-983-5630 ext 1046) or e-mail (kogerb@santarosa.k12.fl.us). You may also visit the district’s food service department at https://www.santarosaschools.org/o/srcds/page/food-services for more information.
🐾 ATTENTION INCOMING FRESHMEN 🐾
On Friday, July 25th MHS SGA will be hosting Freshmen Day! This an optional day of fun for incoming freshmen to get acquainted with our campus, learn about life as a Panther, meet new classmates, and participate in a pep rally.
The event cost is $25. This includes a pizza lunch and a Class of 2029 T-shirt.
The deadline to register is THIS Friday, July 18th. Registration forms with payment can be mailed to MHS (Attn: Freshmen Day) or turned in to the front office from 8am-2pm Monday-Friday.
If your incoming freshman did not receive a form in the mail, you can access one on the MHS website or in the front office.
Do you believe in the power of creativity to inspire, connect, and transform? Hobbs Middle School is searching for a passionate Art Teacher to join our team!
At Hobbs, we celebrate individuality, spark imagination, and cultivate a love for learning in everything we do. We’re looking for an educator who can bring the visual arts to life for our students — someone who sees art not just as a subject, but as a bridge to confidence, culture, and critical thinking.
What We're Looking For:
• A certified art educator (or eligible for certification in Florida)
• Someone who builds strong relationships with students and fosters a safe, welcoming space
• A creative mind ready to design engaging, standards-based lessons in drawing, painting, sculpture, and more
• A team player who contributes to our positive, upbeat school culture
If you're ready to make a difference in the lives of young artists and grow within a supportive, student-centered community — we want to hear from you!
📍 Apply now: https://santarosa.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5289549
💬 Questions? Reach out to Brandon Koger, principal, at KogerB@santarosa.k12.fl.us
Let’s create something beautiful together. 💛
🚨 We're Hiring! 🚨
Hobbs Middle School is seeking a passionate and dedicated Dean of Students to join our team. If you're ready to make a difference in students' lives and support a positive school culture, we’d love to hear from you!
👉 Apply here: https://santarosa.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5287723
📣 Not interested? Please help us spread the word by sharing this post!
1. The school supply lists for Hobbs can be accessed here: https://5il.co/3kwe6.
2. Please note, the three-ring binder and colored page dividers will be VERY important this year; they are part of our schoolwide AVID initiative!
3. Schedule pick-up for students will be on Thursday, August 7th:
• 6th grade students with last name of A – M will pick-up from 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
• 6th grade students with last name of N – Z will pick-up from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
• 7th and 8th grade students will pick-up from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
• Medication drop-off will be available during schedule pick-up. You may also drop medication off on Friday, August 8th (8 AM – 2 PM). Please have all medication dropped off before school starts, if possible. 😊
4. The first day of school for students will be Monday, August 11th! Our school hours for students are 8:15 AM – 2:29 PM. The doors open to students at 7:45 AM, and the first bell to report to class rings at 8:10 AM!
5. Please see https://5il.co/3lim2 for the most current school district calendar!
We are so excited for the start of the 2025-26 school year! Let us know if you have any questions or need any support preparing for the start of the school year!
