HOPE – Yerger Middle School students will need to mark two dates for back to school and Open House activities this year.

YMS Principal Mike Radebaugh said the double schedule is necessary to accommodate safety in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

YMS will post a short welcome back video on social media and its website which can be accessed at www.hpsdistrict.org online under the Yerger Middle School tab in the campus selections at the bottom of the page. The video is also available on the YMS Facebook page.

All YMS students will receive back to school backpacks with supplies, Chromebook, schedule, and YMS forms during a “drive through” distribution Aug. 18.

“Students will drive through and pick up backpacks during the day and evening,” Radebaugh said. “Backpacks will be distributed on the bus circle at the rear of the campus.”

All YMS students will have Open House meetings with teachers via ZOOM link between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Aug. 19.

“All teachers will send a Zoom link for the time slot to ‘YMS All Students,’” Radebaugh said. “Families will join each meeting at their leisure to ask specific questions.”

He said three computer stations will be available in the YMS main office for families without “wifi” service in order to log in via Zoom and ask questions of teachers.

Classes begin Aug. 24 both on campus and through the Hope from Home Virtual Academy of the Hope Public Schools.