OMS Friday Knight Live
November 18, 2022
In This Newsletter:
- Fall Break! No School November 21-25
- Final Makeup/Retake Opportunity for Yearbook Pictures
- BV Bond Information
- Sign Up for e-Sports Tourney!
- Winter Testing Information
- 22-23 Yearbook Info: Make sure to order now
Final Makeup/Retake Opportunity for Yearbook Pictures
Students who have not had the opportunity to have their photo taken for the yearbook have one final opportunity. You MUST have a reservation!!
Saturday December 10. 2022
9:00am - 2:00pm
SCH Photo
6224 Merriam Drive
Merriam KS 66203
This session is for:
• Students who were NOT yet photographed this school year.
• Retakes of any students needed.
• Any students who want to be photographed and place an order.
You may also have your pictures retaken. To be retaken, please fill out the retake form on the back side of your picture envelope and return your portrait package to the photographer on Makeup/Retake day.
Click HERE to make your photo makeup/retake reservation with SCH.
Return of the eSports Fortnite Duo Tournament
Back by popular demand! Mark your calendars for Saturday December 3 from 10:00am - 1:00pm. Start forming your teams now! You can also sign up as an individual and we will pair you with someone to form a team. Cost is $35 per player and the event will take place in the eSports arena inside the WalMart on 151st street. There will be a prize for the 1st place team.
Opportunities to learn more about Bond 2023
All registered Blue Valley voters will have an opportunity to vote in a no tax rate increase bond election in January 2023. Bond projects include investments in facilities, safety and technology that will benefit staff and students for years to come.
Here are a few ways to learn more about Bond 2023.
Listen to a podcast: Take time to listen to two 15-minute podcasts about Bond 2023 & Facilities and Bond 2023 & Safety.
Watch a video: Watch a short video that breaks down how bond funds can be used. Want to learn more? Watch an informational video that highlights the opportunity to invest in facilities, safety and technology projects through Bond 2023.
Review the Bond 2023 website: The Bond 2023 website includes information about voting, answers to frequently asked questions and more.
Register to vote: All registered Blue Valley voters will automatically receive a mail ballot around January 11. Not a registered voter? Register online.
Winter Testing Schedule
OMS Parents & Guardians,
I just wanted to share a quick piece of information regarding the Winter testing schedule. In the annual assessment notice from the beginning of the year, we mentioned that we would complete MAP testing during the fall, winter, and spring.
However, we have an alteration applicable to this Winter only. For students in grades 2-8 (8th grade Algebra 1 excluded), we will not conduct Winter MAP testing for math. Our iReady math diagnostic will provide teachers with comparable results to instruct students this Winter.
Best,
Courtney Domoney, OMS Principal
* 22-23 Yearbook Information * MAKE SURE TO ORDER NOW
Please purchase your 22-23 yearbook as you pay fees for the coming school year. Yearbooks MUST be ordered in advance and extra copies are not available at the end of the year. Families may purchase yearbooks by logging into ParentVue and going to the Fee page. The yearbook will be listed under “Optional Fees” and will show as “YRBOOK Yearbook 22-23 OMS”. Yearbook orders will close in January 2023 and additional orders will not be taken. Please avoid end of the year tears and confusion and order today.
If you have multiple children at Oxford and are ordering a yearbook for each of them, please purchase one yearbook separately in each student's account (not 2 yearbooks in one student's account). Yearbooks are passed out on the last day of school in class and if a sibling has one child's yearbook it cannot be signed by friends.
Helpful Repeated Information
** 3:00pm messages saying AB Undetermined Absence **
OMS families, there is district-wide problem with the attendance computer system sending messages at 3:00pm if your student had an AB Undetermined Absence at any time during the school day. The attendance office clears all AB codes by 3:00pm. We update these codes as soon as we hear from parents regarding medical appointments, illness, vacation, etc. This is a known problem and the IT department is working with the vendor to fix it.
Please check your child’s attendance in ParentVue before contacting us regarding AB messages received after 3:00pm. We realize this is frustrating as the message system is automatic and OMS has no control over the problem. Thank you for your patience as we all wait for the fix.
OMS PTO Holiday Spiritwear Sale
The Oxford Middle School PTO holiday SPIRIT WEAR sale begins on Monday November 7th! Save 20% for the rest of November on everything in the store! Choose from hundreds of spirit wear designs and garments, including gift ideas for parents and grandparents and loads of new cold-weather products. Guaranteed delivery by Dec 23rd! Visit https://1stplace.sale/36566.
Counseling Corner for 6th & 7th Grades
OMS counselors will be coming into 6th and 7th grade classrooms the week of Nov. 14-18, to discuss suicide prevention with our students. We will be using the Signs of Suicide program to deliver this message. Through this program, we will discuss warning signs to watch for and discussing ways to support peers who might be at risk. When we talk to our students about suicide prevention, we teach our students to ACT: Acknowledge – Care – Tell, if they have concerns for a friend. In addition, we encourage our students to identify a trusted adult that they can talk to – both in school and outside of school – if they have a concern for themselves or for a friend.
If you have any questions about this lesson, please contact your student's counselor: Jill Gouger (students with last names A-K) or Allyson DiNitto (students with last names L-Z).
Student text “Come Get Me”?
Parents and guardians, we need your help. If your student texts or calls you from their cell phone saying they don’t feel well and want you to pick them up — please tell them to go to the nurse’s office. The school tracks contagious illnesses, number of students out due to illness, and Nurse Piper watches for illness trends. Your student should only be calling you from the nurse’s office if they are going home ill.
Families, it is flu and cold season. Please keep your students home if they have (or in the past 24 hours have had) a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea.
NEW Location and Time for December 6 Choir Concert
OMS Choir families, mark your calendars for a change in location for the December 6 concert. The concert has been moved from Oxford to the Performing Arts Center at Blue Valley Northwest High School. The concert starts at 6:00pm.
Watch for information from Mrs. Fromme about report time.
Holiday Resources
Social Worker Resource: Johnson County Christmas Bureau
The Holiday Shop will be available for Families December 2 - December 10. You must be a resident of Johnson County. Please see details and the application link below.
Click HERE for the flier and application link
OMS Traffic Line
Please follow the OMS traffic loop entering through the south entrance, going all the way through the loop and exiting through the south entrance. There are no left turns when the light is flashing. Cars must pull all the way down the line and students must exit on the building side of the car. Cars may not drop students off on Switzer or before they are on the building side of the line.
Thank you for your help in ensuring safety for all students and staff in our parking lot!
Safe Schools Reporting
Blue Valley Schools is committed to promoting and fostering a safe environment in and around all of our schools. Through the convergence of physical and intellectual security measures, we are continuously working to prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover from a wide range of emergencies. Please check out available ways to report safety concerns
Student Picture Gallery
The OMS website has a Student Picture Gallery showing everyday classroom activities, science labs, activities, clubs, athletics, and special events. Want to see the Pre-Engineering egg drop? 6th grade science project? Sept 22 Cross Country Meet?
Click HERE for the Student Picture Gallery and feel free to download your favorite shots!
Clubs and Activities
We have had requests for a listing of clubs and activities by day. We have had new clubs start (Welcome Anime Club!!) and several change days and times (Check Photography Club and Show Choir).
Click HERE for 1st Semester Club and Activity List by Day and Week
ASK Locations and Day Update
Our Academically Successful Knights (ASK) program is up and running for first semester! Students may come for homework help or a quiet place to work on assignments and projects. See the updated days and locations for ASK 1st semester.
Candid Photos for Yearbook and Website
OMS families we would love to have some candid photos of your student at games, meets, practices, etc..
Photos must be .jpg, .jpeg, or.png for inclusion on the website, the parent newsletter, and the yearbook.
Photos must be in focus
Please do not send multiple photos of the same pose, group, or action – we love variety!
Thank you for uploading photos directly to the yearbook google drive! Click HERE for the 22 23 Yearbook Photo Link
Securly at Home
Your child’s online safety, in the palm of your hand. The time to take action is now. We recognize that student safety and well-being in the online world is a shared responsibility between our schools and families, and with Securly - the district’s cloud-based filtering system - taking an active role in your child’s online safety has never been easier.
Click HERE to access the Securly Parent Toolkit to setup your parent portal and custom notifications.
OMS Building and Office Hours
Doors open in the morning for students at 7:15am – students will be waiting outside until the doors open. Students are to proceed to the Commons/Gym and they may not go to lockers or to classrooms. Students must be in their seats in their 1st period classroom by 7:51am. When the afternoon bell rings at 3:00pm students must leave the building unless they are at a supervised after school activity or practice. Office hours are 7:15am - 3:30pm.
For the Latest Announcements and Information
Want to keep up on the latest OMS announcements and information? Check out the NEWS section on the OMS website. NEWS is located under the About Us tab.
Upcoming Dates @ OMS
November 21-25- No School this week!
December 20- End of First Semester; 10:50 a.m. dismissal
Contact Us! We Are Here To Help!
Attendance Number: 913-239-5505
Mrs. Domoney, Principal: cdomoney@bluevalleyk12.org
Mr. Holsapple, Assistant Principal: jholsapple03@bluevalleyk12.org