TPMS Community Newsletter 10/3
Reflect. Reconnect. Rebuild.
Dear TPMS Families,
As we move through October, we will be celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month for the first half of the month through our TAP classes. Additionally, we will continue to focus on our core values of Courtesy Safety and Integrity as we continue to re-establish our TPMS community.
On Friday, October 1st, MCPS sent out a message to all families to share information about the ongoing "Devious Licks" Challenges. If you didn't receive the message, please take a moment to review the message here. Each month has a different challenge which poses some significant concerns around the physical and emotional safety of our students and staff members. Some examples of these challenges are "Slap a Staff Member," "Trash and Inappropriate Graffiti," "Jab a Female," etc. Parents, I encourage you to have a conversation with your students, monitor their social media, and contact us with any concerns.
Sincerely,
Erin L. Martin
Acting Principal
Table of Contents
- Student Picture Day
- Dine at Spice Street
- PTA Meeting
- Counseling Website
- Invitation from the PTA
- Winter Athletics Requirement
- Reminders and Updates
- After School Meals to Go
- Bell Schedules
Student Picture Day - 10/11 & 10/12
Please click HERE and HERE for information on how to order pictures. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Tracy Mickens-Hundley, administrative secretary.
Dine at Spice Street This Thursday
PTA Meeting
The October PTA Meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 12th at 7pm.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/84501977828?pwd=ZlhleS9JRWhmRlcvdVlFbUg5SFBsUT09
Meeting ID: 845 0197 7828
Passcode: 875922
Counseling Website
- Bus Routes
- Bell Schedules
- Student Well-Being Team
- High School Choice
- After School Activities
- Community and Mental Health Resources
An Invitation from the PTA
An invitation from the TPMS PTA…
We would like to extend an invitation to you to join the Takoma Park Middle School PTA. The Takoma Park Middle School Parent Teacher Association (TPMS PTA) provides parents and teachers with a way to share our experience and knowledge, support our children’s education, and promote their health, safety and well-being. The mission of the PTA is “to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.” The PTA leadership and membership pledge to work together with teachers, school administrators, and the greater community to make sure every parent’s concerns are heard and every child’s right to a high quality education is realized.
The active involvement of parents, teachers and students is essential to the success of the PTA. So, please accept this invitation and join us. By joining the TPMS PTA, you will be provided with opportunities to network with other parents, teachers, and administrators to share ideas about how we can collectively enhance learning opportunities at TPMS, build community, and enrich the lives of all students at the school. By joining, you will not only be advocating for positive changes in every child’s education, health, and safety at TPMS, but will also at the county, state, and national level. These affiliated PTA organizations provide up-to-date information and practical next steps about local and national issues affecting the education of all children.
The TPMS PTA sponsors social activities (Books and Basketball, 6th Grade Picnic), provides staff appreciation treats during the year, funds mini-grants for training and educator-led initiatives within the school, organizes fundraisers for school purchases, brings in volunteers for school activities, supports the local food bank (Tommy's Pantry), runs email listserves, and produces a membership directory. Our meetings provide a communication link between school administrators, educators, and parents and regularly offer programming addressing issues of the day (social media, restorative justice).
Joining is free. If you choose to make a monetary donation, your money will contribute to our local school community and to our local, county, state, and nationwide organization whose primary goal is to advocate for the educational needs of our children.
We are encouraged by the activism in our local community over the past year and it is our sincere hope that we can harness this energy and work together to fulfill our organization’s mission. On behalf of the PTA board, I encourage you to please take a moment now to scan the QR code and fill out a membership form, or visit the website at www.tpmspta.org for more information.
We hope to see you at our next meeting on October 12, 2021 at 7PM!
Thanks,
Greg Swaluk
TPMS PTA Vice President, Membership
Winter Athletics Requirements
Please read this important information from Mr. Brian Baker, our PE Resource Teacher and our Athletics Coordinator.
1. Student-athlete vaccination requirement – beginning Monday, Nov. 15, the start of the winter sports season, all high school and eligible middle school student-athletes will be required to submit proof of full COVID-19 vaccination prior to participation. This requirement applies to the winter and spring sports seasons, as well as all out-of-season activities conducted through MCPS Athletics.
2. Coach & Athletic Department Personnel – vaccination update to align with the Board of Education’s action yesterday. Consistent with MCPS requirements for staff members, coaches and athletic department personnel must submit proof of vaccination. All staff employed by MCPS must provide verification that they have received at least the first COVID-19 shot by Sept. 30, 2021, and verification of the second shot by Oct. 29, 2021, unless staff request an exemption based on a medical reason documented by a medical doctor. If a medical exemption is granted, the employee must submit to regular COVID-19 testing as required by MCPS.
Reminders/Updates
- Testing Updates: We have completed MAP and MCAP testing. Make-up testing will take place the week of October 11th. If you have questions about make-up testing, please contact Ms. Patterson-Breese.
- Security Assistants: We would like to welcome Mr. Byron Orellana to the security team. Mr. Orellana will join Ms. Brenda Thornes. Please feel free to say hello to Mr. Orellana and Ms. Thornes during morning drop off and afternoon pick up.