Silver Creek Weekly Newsletter
May 9-May13
Dear Silver Creek Families
Happy Mother's Day to all our Silver Creek Families. We have a full week of school this week. Interims will be posted this week, Thursday, May 12. As always, we encourage students to continue to use Husky Connect to complete any missing assignments and/or receive support for their work.
Here is the most recent MCPS Community Update (5/5). The update shares information about teacher appreciation, celebration in MCPS, mental health and awareness resources, community engagement event with Interim Superintendent, Dr. McKnight, summer school programs, and Gaithersburg Book Festival.
As always, please use this reporting FORM, if your child does test positive for COVID-19. You may review Silver Creek Middle School's reported COVID-19 cases here.
The sections marked with an * have 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 for this Week
As a reminder, Husky connect time on Mondays and Tuesdays will provide an opportunity for students to work on assignments; students will have an additional day of the week (Wednesday- Friday) for a study hall period during their Husky Connect Homeroom. This is an opportunity for students to work on any assignments and/or work with their assigned homeroom teacher for any support. Students will still have outside time one of the days ( Wednesday-Friday) and will participate in either an MYP lesson or No Place for Hate lesson the other day.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Please check out our SCMS Counseling Newsletter with additional information & resources.
*Silver Creek News- Morning Announcements!
Did you miss the latest Husky news. You may access the link below from Friday, May 6, 2022 to hear upcoming news & events.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14OXqv99erFUQOjiHoi3AqeIkfwR159yF/view?usp=sharing
*Spring Fling Dance
There will be music, dancing, refreshments, fun, and a photobooth with one souvenir photo! Activity buses will also be provided. Face coverings are encouraged, but not mandatory.
Additional facemasks and hand sanitizer will be available. Students with COVID-19 symptoms should not attend. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Lacy (ashley_e_lacy@mcpsmd.org), or Mr. Kavanaugh (william_h_kavanaugh@mcpsmd.org).
*MCAP Make-Up testing: Continues this week
If your child missed any sections of the MCAP test last week, there will be make-up testing this week in the morning. All make-up testing will occur in the cafeteria.
Parents/guardians & students should have received an email indicating the test they are scheduled to make up. The mathematics make-up testing occurred on Friday May 6. The English Language Arts (ELA) is scheduled for Monday May 9. Students with testing accommodations will test in the cafeteria on Wednesday May 11.
If you have any questions about testing, please contact Mr. David O'Shell, assistant principal, at David_O'Shell@mcpsmd.org
Summer School Information: Registration is Now Open!
Registration is now open! Silver Creek Middle School will offer a free, in-person summer school program this summer. The summer school program will help address learning loss with a focus on mathematics and literacy to help students prepare for the next grade level. We may also offer an elective class depending on enrollment. Our summer school program for our rising 6th, 7th or 8th graders will be held in person at Silver Creek Middle School from 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. beginning July 6, 2022 through July 29, 2022. All rising 9th grade students will need to register with the high school they will attend.
If interested, please click the following link to open our Summer School Flyer. To register, please click the following LINK. More information about summer school offerings is available here. If you have any questions about summer school, please contact Mr. Bingaman at Ryan_H_Bingaman@mcpsmd.org
*Parent Grade Level Town Hall Meetings this Week!
We will have parent grade-level town hall meetings this week. All meetings will now be held virtually (via zoom). Parent town hall meetings are informal discussions to provide grade-level specific updates and to share any specific activities and/or programs at Silver Creek. The team leader, counselor(s) and administrators for each grade level will be available during this time. We look forward to seeing you there!
Save the Dates. All meetings will be from 8:30-9:15 am VIRTUALLY ONLY
Grade 6- Monday, May 9
Grade 7-Tuesday, May 10
Grade 8- Wednesday, May 11
Zoom Link:
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/84938268598?pwd=K0Nid2ZYK2lNRWpWbDRGaHdwYTJ4dz09
Meeting ID: 849 3826 8598
Passcode: Husky
One tap mobile
+13017158592
*8th Grade Promotion Ceremony & Six Flags America- Payment Due this Friday, May 13
8th Grade Promotion. We are so excited to announce that our 8th grade students will have their traditional 8th grade promotion ceremony this school year. The 8th grade promotion is scheduled for Friday, June 10 at 6-8 PM at Silver Creek Middle School.
Six Flags America. In celebration of our 8th Grade students for the successful completion of their middle school years, students will attend Six Flags America in Bowie, MD on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. Information about the field trip was sent to students prior to Spring Break. Students also participated in a town hall meeting on Thursday, April 7 to review behavioral expectations prior to the trip and while at Six Flags. You may view the google slide presentation here. Please make sure your child returns their signed agreement and permission slip to their English teacher by this Friday, May 13, 2022. Here you may read more details about the Six Flags trip.
We look forward to celebrating our 8th grade students in a very special way this school year!
*8th Grade Promotion Tickets
The Silver Creek Middle School (SCMS) Promotion Ceremony will take place on Friday June 10 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at SCMS outside on the bus loop. We are excited to celebrate and promote all of our 8th grade students during this special ceremony. Space is limited; therefore each student will receive two (2) promotion tickets for their family. This also includes siblings (ex: one family with two children in 8th grade will get a total of 4 tickets.).
You may request up to two (2) additional tickets for your child, if available. Please complete the form below to let us know whether you need additional tickets.
If available, extra tickets will be distributed to families through a lottery process. Please complete this form by this Friday May 13 so we can plan accordingly. Please click here to open the form.
SCMS PTSA Book Fair this week: May 9- May 14
Our local vendor partner, Child's Play, offers a fantastic array of books for the middle school reader and the whole family. Support our school library, PTSA, and celebrate the joy of reading!
Husky Drama Presents: Honk Jr! May 13 & May 14
Join us Down on the Farm for Husky Drama's first Musical Production! Honk Jr! “Honk!” is a musical adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling Story” written by Anthony Drewe, with music by George Styles.
All Tickets are $5.00 cash at the door or online purchase through online school payments (OSP). Sales will begin soon.
Friday May 13th at 7pm
Saturday May 14th at 12:00 pm & 6:00pm
Great for the whole family!
*ExtraCurricular Activities end this week, Thursday, May 12.
All after school activities will officially end on Thursday, May 12. Tutoring, clubs, etc will meet for the last time on May 12. After that, there will be no activity busses, except as pre-arranged for intramurals and the SGA dance.
Intramurals will end Thursday, May 26.
COVID Pool Testing
One significant mitigation tactic Montgomery County Public Schools will use this fall is random COVID-19 screening tests for students. A random sample of students grades 6-8 who have a parent consent form on file will be selected to be tested.
Silver Creek is scheduled for COVID screen testing every Tuesday for those students who have consented to test. The vendor will communicate results to schools within 24-48 hours. Families will be contacted if there is a positive result.
Please read the process outlined from MCPS below:
Student Service Learning (SSL) opportunities
Any questions about SSL, please contact Ms. Renee Hill at Renee_S_Hill@mcpsmd.org
PARENT RESOURCES
Principal's Coffee
We are excited about our monthly principal coffees this school year. This is a great time to hear about school-wide happenings and events related to students' academic and social well being. Principal Coffee's will move back to a hybrid model.
Our next principal's coffee is scheduled for Thursday, May 19, 2022 from 8:30-9:15 am. The coffee will by hybrid (in person and via zoom). The zoom link is below. Please feel free to add any questions/topics for discussion HERE.
Zoom Link: https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/84440306298?pwd=YThYdmRNcFNKcnFWMHpMQVVuK2tqQT09
Meeting ID: 844 4030 6298
Passcode: Husky
One tap mobile: 13017158592
If you missed any of the principal coffees, you may access them in the parent handbook.
Counselor News & Updates
MAY is Mental Health Awareness Month. Check out the May Counseling Newsletter ! https://www.smore.com/y4w1x
Parent Handbook
Did you miss the parent grade-level town hall meetings? You may access meeting recordings in the 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
Yearbook Sales: SOLD OUT
Yearbooks are now sold out. Thank you to everyone who purchased a copy. Throughout this unique time of uncertainty, our students, staff, and community, as a whole, have truly made this a year to remember. We hope that this year's yearbook serves as a lasting reminder of the many positive memories and experiences shared this year at Silver Creek. Thank you to everyone for your part in helping our students and community have a successful school year.
Yearbooks will be distributed to students toward the end of the school year in June for those of you who purchased a copy. Once we have been notified of the shipping details and expected date of arrival, that information will be shared in the SCMS Newsletter. Be sure to remind the students to utilize the autograph pages at the end of the yearbook. There is plenty of space for them to fill it up with messages from their classmates or staff members.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email: sean_p_brennan@mcpsmd.org.
Cell Phone Use
The use of cell phones in the school has become a large distraction for our students. We will continue to reinforce our cell phone expectations that it must be out of sight during instructional time. Aligned with MCPS regulations, all personal mobile devices must be turned off and away at the start of school. Students may use their cell phones before school, at lunch, and after school ONLY. They should not have their cell phones out during transition times.
The absence of mobile devices will allow teachers to continue to create a conducive learning environment with fewer distractions for our students as well as lessen behavioral infractions related to cell phone use during hallway transitions and other learning spaces. If students are not able to follow the cell phone policy, consequences will be given based on the Student Code of Conduct.
*Important Dates to Remember
May 9, 10, 11 (Virtual Parent Grade Level Town Hall Meetings- 6th- 5/9; 7th- 5/10; 8th- 5/11).
May 12- Interims
May 13- Drama Production- 7PM
May 14- Drama Production- 12PM & 6 PM
May 18- Early Release for students
May 19- Principal's Coffee- 8:30 AM
May 19- 8th grade Panoramic Picture
May 30- Memorial Day Holiday- No school
June 10- 8th Grade Promotion- 6PM
June 14- 8th Grade End-of-Year Trip to Six Flags America
*Recently updated
Student Absence or Quarantine
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.
Please note: If a student needs to quarantine/isolate for 5 days due to a COVID 19 direct exposure or positive test, Silver Creek Middle School has established a plan for the virtual continuity of learning. A letter with the student's virtual continuity of learning plan will be communicated to families whose child has been identified to quarantine.
Important Contacts
https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/silvercreekms/staff/directory/
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