Co-Curricular Activities

Music & Performing Arts

Extracurricular Activities

Intramural Calendar

What's Happening After School at
Henry James

Get Involved Now * Meet New Friends * Discover New Interests

[Please note that all activities listed below are subject to change. Updates to this webpage will be posted as soon as possible.]

ART WORKSHOPS Mr. P. Kulikowski, Mrs. L. Archambault, Ms Lauretano (TBA)
A variety of projects will be explored throughout the school year. Art workshops are generally held once or twice a month as announced. Students may sign up for any one or all, of the workshops in areas such as pottery on the wheel, plastic jewelry, ceramics, drawing, sculpture, painting and crafts. Pottery wheel workshops have very limited space, but are offered frequently.

BALLROOM DANCE CLUB Ms G. Aponte (Thursday)
Are you interested in dancing? Do you enjoy meeting lots of new people? Do you like having fun? Then come and try our ballroom dance club. It is a great way to learn something new and different while having fun and making new friends. We are looking for any dancer or aspiring dancer with or without experience looking to enhance their dancing skills. Here are some facts about us: Lessons are free, No previous experience is required. We teach both standard/smooth (tango, waltz, foxtrot, and Viennese Waltz) and Latin/rhythm (salsa, samba, rumba and cha cha, jive, swing). Free inter-district workshops and activities are offered throughout the year. Overview: When? Once a week - after school - September to May. How long are classes? 1 Hour, Where? at HJMS, Who? Members of the high school dance team will teach all classes, Why? Meet great people from HJMS and Simsbury High.

BOOKSHARES Mrs. M. Lucca-Speiser, Mrs. S. Round (Wednesday)
Do you enjoy reading books and fraternizing with other students? Join our book club, “Bookshares”, where you can meet old friends, make new friends, and discuss a book read by all members in a relaxed, fun-filled atmosphere. Plan to join this stimulating group, which meets approximately every 4 weeks.

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS Mrs. T. McConnell 2nd (Wednesday) of each month
A club dedicated to creating new friendships, supporting students with special needs and learning social skills. You are invited to work with students with special needs in your classes and theirs. During the school week you will be invited to visit with, be a study-buddy or conversation partner, or have lunch with a student or students with special needs. These invitations can occur before school, during your study halls or compatible classes or during lunch. This club will meet once a month to celebrate these new friendships with crafts, activities or games. There may be opportunities for social activities outside of school (SHS sports games, bowling, pizza, etc.)

COMMUNITY CONNECTION Mrs. J. Black, Mrs. S. Maher (Thursday)
This is a service club for our students. Members will participate in a variety of programs which create opportunities to serve their community as they discover the joy of helping others and learning that they can make a difference. Monthly projects will occur either during homeroom or after school.

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS Mr. J. Schrank (Monday and Wednesday)
DnD is a fun board game which includes role playing and strategy. You use your imagination to create a variety of scenarios. Player’s characters must then react to the scenario. It takes no skill to play DnD but it does take some knowledge of math.

FRENCH CLUB/LE CERCLE FRANÇAIS Ms. Bruhl (Tuesday)
The Cercle français is a French club for any 7th or 8th grader interested in French culture. The Club meets on alternate Tuesdays starting on October 13. A schedule will be given to members at the first meeting. Knowledge of French is not necessary. Students will work on hands-on activities and typical activities will include papier maché projects, making of crêpes, and watching French film. Membership is limited to fifteen students. Members must commit to attend all scheduled meetings.

GOLF Fall/ Spring Mr. Carrier, Mr. Forman, Mr. Haddad (Mon./Thurs.)
In the fall students can golf after school at Simsbury Farms, one day a week for four weeks. Bus transportation is provided to Simsbury Farms. Students must provide their own clubs and arrange for transportation home. Students are responsible for green’s fees.

HELPING PAWS Mrs. S. Raye (every other Thursday)
This club is for helping animals in need. You don’t need to adopt an animal to help. We will have days when we make cards for soldiers. We will be making dog and cat toys and we will be raising money to help local organizations.

HENRY JAMES MUSICAL Mrs. M. Boucher, Mrs. C. Thompson
Each year students audition to perform in a musical production. Lead and ensemble roles are performed by students in both grades seven and eight. Set design, backstage work, and costuming are only a few of the other aspects of theater production with which students can become involved. Parents, teachers and staff are encouraged to participate. A more intense final rehearsal schedule is announced later. Auditions and performance dates will be announced later in the year.

INTRAMURAL SPORTS Mrs. L. Phelps, Mr. B. Sickinger, Mr. C. Medve, Mr. B. Forman

Fall (Sept-Oct):

• Flag football
• Golf
• Cross Country
• Field hockey
• Tennis

Late Fall (Nov-Dec)

• Weight training
• Indoor soccer
• Team Handball
• Volleyball

Winter (Jan-Feb)

• Basketball
• Weight training
• Bowling
• Wrestling

Early Spring (March-April)

• Badminton
• Weight training
• Volleyball
• Dodgeball

Spring

• Weight Training
• Tennis
• Ultimate frisbee
• Golf

JAZZ ENSEMBLES Mr. Robarge (Thursday)
The jazz program at Henry James consists of a highly dedicated group of musicians in grades 7 and 8. Auditions for jazz are open to all students. Students who are selected will be placed in either the Wednesday Morning Jazz Band or Thursday Morning Jazz Band. Both groups provide an opportunity to learn and implement the techniques of improvisation, as well as complicated rhythms and tonal structures.

KNITTING CLUB Mrs. J. Downes (Monday)
If you are interested in learning to knit or if you want to continue on a project you have already started, join the knitting club. All are welcome!

MATHCOUNTS Mr. P. Smith (One day per week, Oct. - March)
MATHCOUNTS is an exciting program involving competitive math at the school, regional, state and national level. Students have an opportunity to play with their math skills, meet other students interested in math and be recognized for math achievement. All students interested in math are encouraged to join this club even if they are not interested in competing.

MEDIA CENTER Library Staff (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday)
The library media center is open after school three days a week from 2:20-3:30. Students must obtain an after school pass from a subject area teacher in order to use the library.

MUSIC COMPOSITION CLUB Mrs. M. Cannata (Wednesday, Nov through May)
Music Composition Club is open to any Henry James student interested in composing. Members work at stations using Sonar Home Studio 6, learning how to record, arrange and edit their music. Visiting composers work with students and discuss ideas and how to be effective composers. Regular members attend several field trips during the school year to University of Hartford, where they meet other student composers from Granby, Glastonbury and East Hartford. Transportation and lunch are provided.

PING-PONG CLUB Mr. A. Robarge, Sr. W. Hook (Wednesday)
Be the first to join this brand-new club where students will play a game that is making a big comeback in the United States! Do you love to play ping-pong? Or have you always wanted to learn? Do you want to work on your serve or your backhand? Learn from the pros – Mr. Robarge & Sr. Hook!! We will teach you everything you need to know! Single and double tournaments will be played – even challenge the teachers! This club is limited to 16 students. Due to the 16-student limit, please join only if you can make the commitment to come on Wednesdays about 1-2 times a month.

SCHOOL NEWSPAPER Ms K. Lester, Mrs. L. Worthen (Thursday)
Students will meet on a weekly basis. Ideas for upcoming publications will be discussed and time will be giving for writing, organizing and printing. Students will be able to take on roles such as editor, reporter, interviewer, photographer, and graphics layouts.

SCIENCE CLUB Mrs. S. Raye, Mrs. C. Carey (Thursdays as scheduled)
A series of high interest science activities will be offered throughout the year. We will meet about twice a month. Topics will vary according to the interests of participants, but will include microscopic analysis of pond water, finger-print analysis, science board games, secret codes, making slime, goop, and putty polymers, Cartesian divers, and optical illusions.

SCRAPBOOKING & STAMPING CLUB Mrs. S. Floryan (TBD)
This club will allow students to explore their creativity in many ways. We will gather in a relaxed atmosphere where we will work on creating or maintaining scrapbooks and notecards. Students need not have a scrapbook to join as there are other ways to get creative. Stamps and some basic scrapbooking materials will be provided. Students are also encouraged to bring in their own materials to share with the group. The club will meet every other Monday from 2:30 – 3:30.

SELECT CHORUS Mrs. Thompson (Monday)
Select Chorus is an auditioned group made up of 7th and 8th grade choral musicians. If selected, students rehearse Mondays after school. A complete schedule has been provided to all members. Select Chorus will perform at the HJMS choral concerts, as well as other community concerts and festivals.

STUDENT COUNCIL Ms A. Blewett, Mrs. A. Belmonte (Thursday)
Throughout the year, the student council sponsors dances, assemblies, and other spirit building events in our school. In addition, the council organizes various charitable drives and activities. There are elected positions, but volunteers to work on activities are encouraged to become involved with council activities.

UNIFIED SPORTS Mrs. T. McConnell (Thursday)
This is an athletic program that pairs special athletes with supporting partners in order to foster friendships, sportsmanship and healthy leisure habits. Each season ends in an off-site tournament with participating middle schools (soccer, basketball and volleyball).

VIDEO PRODUCTION CLUB Ms D. Anstett (Monday)
Henry James Video Production Club is an extension of the HJMS technology education curriculum incorporating creative writing with digital video production. Our activities will require students to use, manage, assess, evaluate, and understand technology. Through the use of information, media, tools, machinery, materials, and processes students develop new skills as well as apply knowledge from other disciplines to solve problems in completing their assignments. We will discuss various positions in television and film crews to include (but not limited to): writer, director, set designer, illustrator, grip, camera operator, sound, technician, gaffer, sound designer, foley artist and editor. We will be filming original student works as well as school functions. Students will not be required to film a school function, however it is requested that members help out with one after- school filming if possible.

WIND ENSEMBLE Mr. A. Robarge (Thursday)
Wind Ensemble is an auditioned group of band students in 7th and 8th grade. The ensemble includes all woodwind, brass and percussion instruments and performs high quality, challenging band music. Students who are selected will rehearse every Thursday afternoon. This ensemble will perform at concerts throughout the year, and will do several activities in conjunction with the Simsbury High School Band.

WRITER’S CLUB Ms A. Blewett, Ms M. Nelson (Every other Wednesday)
Enthusiastic writers of all ability levels will share and hopefully publish personal pieces of writing. The club will help sharpen fiction and poetry writing skills.

YEARBOOK Mr. B. Forman (Friday and TBD)
The Yearbook Staff produces “Highlights”, our Henry James yearbook. Students work on design, layout, content, editing, and photography through the end of March, preparing the book for publication. Delivery and distribution of the yearbook happens in June. The yearbook committee meets from 2:15 PM until 3:30PM every Friday after school plus one other day -TBD. Additional meetings will be scheduled as deadlines approach.

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES

GEOGRAPHY BEE Ms. K. Lester
Plans for the Annual National Geographic Society's Geography Bee are processing. The contest at Henry James will be held during the month of January. Our school winner will take a written examination prepared by the National Geographic Society. The top 100 state finalists will then compete in the state competition to be held at Central Connecticut State University in late March. State winners and their teacher escort will go to Washington, DC to participate in the national championship which is held in May. The national winner will receive a $25,000 scholarship. The past eight years Henry James has sent a finalist to the state championship round. Let's continue the tradition!

KNOWLEDGE MASTER OPEN Mr. J. Flynn
This is a world-wide competition done by a computerized quiz of 200 questions. A team of students works together to obtain the high score. Henry James has placed first in the state and in the top 200 nationally. Competitions are held in December and April.

During the year the above competitions will be held. Notification will be provided in classes and through the morning announcements.

WHAT IF YOU NEED A RIDE HOME AFTER AN ACTIVITY?

ACTIVITY BUS SERVICE Our school system provides an activity bus for transportation of our students who participate in after school activities or stay for extra help. It leaves Henry James daily at 4:00 PM and travels a route that leaves students only a short walk home.