Silver Creek Weekly Newsletter
September 25- September 29
Dear Silver Creek Families
We look forward to another great week of school. As a reminder, there is no school tomorrow, Monday, September 25 for students and teachers in recognition of Yom Kippur. To learn more about the history and significance of Yom Kippur please read here.
It was great to see so many of our families at Back to School Night last week. If you were not able to join us, please see below for teacher recordings.
As a reminder, Q1 Interims are scheduled for this week, Thursday, September 28. Please continue to check ParentVue for your child's academic progress and reach out with any questions you may have. Also, encourage your child to seek help from their teacher and/or make up any missing assignments so they can maintain good standing in their classes. They can use their advisory period during academic support time to complete their homework/assignments. We are here to help support students' efforts and to make sure they are successful.
In the newsletter, the section with an * has been updated with new information OR is a new section in the newsletter. Please make sure to review. As always, thank you for your continued partnership.
Let's make it a great week Huskies!
Bell Schedule
*Silver Creek News (SCN) News
Did you miss the latest Husky news. You may access the link below from Thursday, September 21, 2023 to hear upcoming news & events. https://youtube.com/live/F_8vEI7YneY?feature=share
You may access the following document for the daily links to the Silver Creek News Show (SCN). SCN began September 11, 2023.
*Back to School Night Recordings
We had a very successful Back to School Night last week. The attendance was great and it was exciting to see all of our families join us. If you were not able to join us, we have linked the video recordings for teachers below. This can also be found on our school's website.
Presentation Recordings_SCMS Back to School Night, 2023-2024 (storage.googleapis.com)
Also, we appreciate your time with completing our BTSN feedback survey. If you have not done so, you may do so HERE. The survey will close on Tuesday, September 26. We will follow up with responses to any of the questions you may have had in the survey and share responses with you in next week's newsletter.
Thank you for your continued partnership.
*Finance Park- 7th Grade Field Trip, October 30 & October 31st
Permission forms: Permission forms were sent home with students last week. You may see the letter that accompanied the permission form located here. All permission slips are due to your child's World Studies teacher no later than October 13th, 2023. You may view the video for more information.
Volunteers Needed: Our need for volunteers is immense, as we need 17 volunteers for each day. It is a great opportunity to create a rich learning opportunity for our students. We would like to request support from our parents/caregivers for this event. If you are interested in being a volunteer, you may register through the Junior Achievement - Finance Park registration portal. The directions for doing this are available here.
If you have any questions please email the World Studies Content Specialist, Mr. Matthew Myers at Matthew_P_Myers@Mcpsmd.org or the 7th Grade Team Leader, Ms. Leah Taylor at Leah_R_Taylor@Mcpsmd.org.”
*Counseling Department News & Updates
A few updates from the counseling department.
Counselors visits: Counselors visited your child's science class this month to share information about the role of the counselor and other important information.
- 6th graders learned how to come see their counselor and facts about the counseling department.
- 7th graders reviewed what confidentiality is and learned about the different types of supports the school counselor can provide.
- 8th graders learned about confidentiality and counseling supports as well as explored high school options and the application & lottery programs that are available to them.
All students played a game of jeopardy to review what they had learned from our visit. Please ask your child about their experience.
Therapy Dogs: Good news! We have therapy dogs coming to Silver Creek beginning October 23, 2023. Ms. MacHarrie, our social worker, has arranged for therapy dogs to visit SCMS once a month. More information will be provided on the morning announcements as well as the weekly newsletter for families. Please stay tuned.
Mental Health Awareness Week (MHA): MHA week will be celebrated by MCPS the week of October 30 - November 4. At Silver Creek, we will celebrate this week with activities at lunch, theme days and morning announcements. If you have an idea for MHA week, email Susan Levine at susan_a_levine@mcpsmd.org
The October newsletter will be out next week. The September Counseling Newsletter is available here : https://www.smore.com/jcp0w. You may also check out resources about middle school children on the Counseling Website. If your family needs help with school supplies, food for the weekend, winter coats or other needs, we would like to help! Please fill out the following form below: https://forms.gle/gdTDMCSSgmU5pVQp9
If you have questions related to registration/enrollment or transcripts, please contact Latonya Abrom at Latonya_N_Abrom@mcpsmd.org
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)
Hispanic Heritage Month takes place September 15 to October 15 every year. This is a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American Latino community.
During this month, students will have opportunities to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month by acquiring knowledge about ways to respectfully celebrate and appreciate Hispanic Heritage & Culture. Additional information about National Hispanic Heritage Month can be found at US Department of Education:
https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/national-hispanic-heritage-month/
MAP TESTING: This week, September 26 & September 27
Students will take the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) Assessment on Tuesday September 26 (Reading) and Wednesday September 27 (Mathematics) in the morning through their homeroom classes. *Please Note: Homeroom classes are different from Husky PAWS (Connect Time) and are listed as Homeroom in their schedules.
Students with testing accommodations may have a separate testing location. These students will receive passes to their testing locations. Students may bring a bottle of water and a pencil to testing. We do encourage that your child attend school on this day so that they do not miss this important test. Students who are absent will be invited to a makeup session on September 29 and October 2 during their first period class.
- Please click here to view the MAP Testing Schedule.
- Please click here for more information on the Measure of Academic Progress test.
If you have any questions, please email Ms. Rachel Mannheimer, English Content Specialist, at rachel_j_mannheimer@mcpsmd.org or Mr. David O'Shell, Assistant Principal, at David_O'Shell@mcpsmd.org.
Intramurals: Attention all 6th-8th grade students
Intramural sports are designed to promote participation in sports to all eligible middle school students of all grade levels. There are no try-outs, no paper work and students don’t need much experience to participate. Intramurals take place after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and/or Thursdays from 3:05-4:30. Activity buses are available after every intramural session. Sample sports can include: basketball, football, soccer, badminton, tennis, volleyball, cross country, dance, weight training, track and field, kickball, capture the flag, etc.
Intramurals began last week, September 18. Currently, we have available 5 on 5 Basketball on Tuesdays for 7th & 8th graders & Wednesdays for 6th graders.
As new classes come available, your child's PE and Health teacher will make announcements to their classes. It will also be posted on our school’s website and the intramural bulletin board in the PE hallway.
Library Media Center Update
Please encourage your students to participate in our Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month Open Mic on October 6. More details are on our website and in the Media Monthly above.
Thanks to all our families who have been supporting our makerspace this week! In the LMC, we know that making is learning, and we would love to keep up the momentum of this popular LMC program. WE are grateful for any donations of these items. Thank you in advance!
Family Life Parent/Caregiver Meeting- This Thursday, September 28
If you are not able to attend, the meeting will be recorded and posted in the parent handbook by Monday, October 2. Also, if you would like to review the materials, please call the school at 240-740-2200 to arrange a time to do so.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/85320437222?pwd=dGJxMld5ZFZIem5rQjFadnkzWVRJZz09
Meeting ID: 853 2043 7222
Passcode: HUSKY
You may access the parent/caregiver letters below:
FLHS 6th English
FLHS 6th Spanish
FLHS 7th English
FLHS 7th Spanish
FLHS 8th English
FLHS 8th Spanish
If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Lansing, PE/Health Content Specialist, at Michael_T_Lansing@mcpsmd.org
After School Activities
After school Activities have started. We have a range of after school activities. Please click the link below to view our After School Activities Brochure which includes a description of each activity, the staff member who is sponsoring, the location, and the day of the week the activity begins.
Please note that some clubs will begin later in the school year. We do ask that students register for their activity so that sponsors are aware of the number of students attending. Scroll down further in the link to view the After School Activities Bus Schedule. Buses will depart Silver Creek at approximately 4:20 p.m. to take students home. Each bus will take students to their regular bus stop or to a stop nearby. You may also choose to pick your child up from their activity. Please pick your child up at the front of the school by 4:20 p.m.
We look forward to seeing your child at one of our great clubs!
*Husky Drama- Cast List Posted.
Auditions for the Fall Play Still Life with Iris were held Tuesday 9/19 and Wednesday 9/20. We had over 50 students audition for the Fall Play. Everyone who auditioned will be in the play. The cast list is now posted on the Husky Drama Website.
There are two companies:
- 6th grade which will perform on December 2nd at 12:00 pm
- 7th & 8th grade which will perform on December 1st & December 2nd at 6:00pm.
Stage Crew will begin weekly on Thursdays starting September 28, 2023. Any student who wishes to join stage crew must fill out the stage crew interest form and have your parent/caregiver fill out the permission form found on the Husky Drama Website. https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/huskydrama/home
Any questions about Husky Drama, please email Ms. Alison Gee, Drama Director, at Alison_C_Gee@mcpsmd.org
Chromebooks
All students will have access to a chromebook at school. Chromebooks will be used in each class and returned after each class. If students do not have access to a chromebook, laptop, or computer at home, they may request a chromebook for home use. Please click here to request one.
You will be contacted once the chromebook is ready to be picked up. Please allow at least one week before the chromebook is ready. Only parents/caregivers are permitted to pick up their child's chromebook.
If you have any questions, please contact David_O'Shell@mcpsmd.org
PARENT RESOURCES
Principal Coffee
We are excited to have principal coffees once a month on Fridays from 8:30-9:10 am. Principal Coffees will begin Friday, October 20 and will all take place over zoom.
This is a great time to hear about school-wide happenings and events related to students' academic and social well being.
More information will come out soon.
Parent Handbook
Please locate the parent handbook on our website. All the information you need is located here for your convenience.
https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/silver-creek-parent-handbook/home
*Latest MCPS Updates from Thursday, September 21.
Dear MCPS Families,
Get information about the upcoming national college fair, the prestigious National Blue Ribbon awarded to an MCPS school, updating your information on ParentVue, SSL Hours, an actress and alum's visit to an MCPS school, and more good news this week.
Free and Reduced Meals
The application is now open for parents and guardians to complete and submit for assistance with the cost of school meals. Families of students who may qualify for free or reduced-price meals can apply for this service. Eligibility is based on family size and gross income. Beginning this year, students in Maryland who qualify for reduced-price meals will not be charged for breakfast or lunch meals.
Important Dates to Remember
September 25- Non-Instructional Day—No school for students
September 28- Quarter 1 Interims
September 28- Parent Information Meeting: Family Life & Human Sexuality Unit for Health Education, 6:00 PM (Via Zoom)
October 9- No school for students
Link to MCPS Calendar
Student Absence
If a student is going to be absent, the parent/guardian is asked to call the attendance line at 240-740-2201 the morning of the absence. In your message, please include the information listed below:
1. Parent/Guardian name
2. Full name of your student (First & Last); student ID#
3. Date(s)of absence
4. Reason for absence
If you have any questions regarding attendance procedures, parents may email a note to Ms. Pamela Carroll-Sykes, attendance secretary, at Pamela_M_Carroll-Sykes@mcpsmd.org
Important Contacts
Silver Creek Middle School
Principal: Dr. Tiffany N. Awkard
Assistant Principal: Mrs. Kimberly Heidler
Assistant Principal: Mr. David O'Shell
School Hours: 7:30 am- 4:00 pm
Main Office: 240-740-2200
Registration & Counseling: 240-740-2211
Attendance Line: 240-740-2201
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/silvercreekms/
Location: 3701 Saul Road, Kensington, MD, USA
Phone: 240 740 2200
Twitter: @SCMSDrAwkard