TMS Community ROAR Report
Be the Change at TMS
Email: janine.smith@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/tms/
Location: 408 East Main Street, Thurmont, MD, United States
Phone: (240)-236-5100
Twitter: @JanineSmithFCPS
April Newsletter
Be the Change
It is hard to believe that we are in our final term of instruction for this school year. Below are some updates and reminders as we approach the end of the 2022-23 school year:
- As we close out our final quarter of learning, it is equally important to ensure our students are attending daily. Please ensure that your child is here at school before 7:25am as that sets the tone for a positive and productive day.
- State testing will begin the week we return from Spring Break. See the section below for specific dates, times and ways to support your child.
- As we approach the end of the year, I wanted to remind you of our FCPS Emergency Management Procedures linked here.
The remaining school year will be busy with important and exciting activities for our students. Thank you for your continuous support this school year; we are delighted for the many enriching opportunities still ahead of us for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year.
Janine Smith~Principal
Christopher Bittner~Assistant Principal
Anita Shank~Assistant Principal
8th Grade Families
We are in need of your assistance in order to have the 8th grade celebration/dance on Friday, May 19th from 6:00-8:00pm. In order to plan for and implement this event for our 8th graders, we need volunteers. Please consider signing-up for assistance with the 8th grade dance by completing the following interest form. If we do not have volunteers to assist, we will not be able to hold this event for our 8th grade students. Thanks in advance for your willingness to assist!
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
Important Calendar Date Reminders
- Monday, April 17th-Campus Life Meeting @ 2:30-Ms. Thomson's Room
- Tuesday, April 18th-MCAP-Reading
- Wednesday, April 19th-MCAP-Reading
- Wednesday, April 19th-Leo Club @ 2:30-Media Center
- Wednesday, April 19th-SGA Meeting @ 2:30-Ms. Thomson's Room
- Thursday, April 20th-MCAP-Reading
- Friday, April 21st-MCAP-Reading
- Monday, April 24th-Campus Life Meeting @ 2:30-Ms. Thomson's Room
- Tuesday, April 25th-MCAP-Math
- Wednesday, April 26th-MCAP-Math
- Thursday, April 27th-Leo Club Family Game Night @ 5:00pm
- Friday, April 28th-7th Grade Career Day
- Friday, April 28th-Midterm: 2-Hour Early Dismissal
- Saturday, April 29th-Band and Chorus Trip to Hershey
- Monday, May 1st-MCAP-Social Studies-8th Grade ONLY
- Monday, May1st-Campus Life Meeting @ 2:30-Ms. Thomson's Room
- Tuesday, May 2nd-MCAP-Social Studies-8th Grade ONLY
- Tuesday, May 2nd-Band Chorus Spring Concert @ 6:00pm
- Wednesday, May 3rd-MCAP-Social Studies-8th Grade ONLY
- Wednesday, May 3rd-SGA Meeting @ 2:30pm
- Thursday, May 4th-MCAP-Social Studies-8th Grade ONLY
- Thursday, May 4th-Community Food Drop 3:30-4:30pm
- Monday, May 8th-Campus Life Meeting @ 2:30-Ms. Thomson's Room
- Friday, May 19th-8th Grade Dance-6:00pm-8:00pm
Upcoming MCAP Testing
MCAP Testing
Students are encouraged to get a good night's sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive on time in order to perform their best.
Students should bring a charged FCPS Chromebook, their charging cord, a positive attitude, and a bottle of water.
Upcoming Testing Schedule
MCAP ELA: Grades 6, 7, & 8 - April 18, 19, 20, 21 - Start Time 7:25 a.m
MCPA Math: Grades 6, 7, & 8 - April 25 & 26 - Start Time 7:25 a.m.
Grade 8 Social Studies - May 1, 2, 3, 4 - Start Time - Class Period
Algebra 1: Students taking the course - May 8 & 9 - Start Time 7:25 a.m.
Thank you for your support of your student's academic success.
FCPS announces last day of the school year: Friday, June 2
Frederick County Public Schools announces that the last day of school for students this year is Friday, June 2, 2023.* FCPS closed one day due to inclement weather in the 2022-2023 school year. Schools will dismiss students two hours early on June 2 for a teacher work session.
The last day of the school year for teachers is Monday, June 5.
The school system's 12-month employees will begin four-day work weeks the week of Monday, June 12. Employees on 12-month schedules will work extended hours four days each week to make up for the fifth day off. The five-day workweek is scheduled to resume the week of Monday, August 7.
The 2023-2024 school year is scheduled to begin Wednesday, August 23, 2023. Fall sports begin Wednesday, August 9, 2023. FCPS will post additional information online at www.fcps.org/calendar.
*This assumes there are no further days schools need to close due to inclement weather.
Please Continue to Reinforce with Your Student our TMS Norms.
22-23 School Year Updates
Term 4 Mid-Term Information: Mid-Term for term 4 is on Friday, April 28th.
If your child has missing assignments or needs to complete a re-assessment, please encourage them to do so as soon as possible.
The deadline to submit missing assignments and re-dos/reassessment for the first half of term 4 is Friday, April 21st, one week prior to the end of term 4 date.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact your child's teacher.
All students also have access to free online tutors 24 hours a day using the TutorMe link in Schoology.
Safe Schools and Students
Keeping schools safe is everyone’s responsibility. To help, FCPS has a supervisor of Security and Emergency Management, each school has at least one school counselor, and there are school psychologists assigned to every school. A School Resource Officer (SRO) Program places a deputy sheriff in each high school to assist in maintaining a safe environment. The deputies also respond to needs in the corresponding middle and elementary feeder schools. In addition to their role as law enforcement officers, SROs serve as mentors and positive role models.
To report safety concerns, escalate your issue according to the following:
- contact the school's administration, counselor, or SRO;
- contact FCPS at the Central Office (301-696-6806 or security.team@fcps.org)
- contact the appropriate local law enforcement agency at their non-emergency number listed below.
FCPS investigates all reported threats. We remind the community: If you See Something, Say Something, and when it comes to social media, please Report It, Don’t Repeat It.
Digital Citizenship Matters: As students use photos or other media online, you need to be aware of copyright law and the appropriate ways to use original work responsibly with fair use. When you use someone else's photo, video, music or other original work from the internet, it is important that you give credit to the original creator of the material. Just like you would not want someone to use your hard work and claim it as their own, people who have material posted online deserve the same respect and recognition. Follow the guidance in this video when using material you find online.
Technology Fees: Students are responsible for damaged or loss of devices and may be charged for repairs.
1st Repair - $30
2nd Repair - $60
3rd Repair - $120
Lost Chargers - $30
Attendance Matters: The Thurmont Middle School Staff wants students to attend school every day. Absences mean that a student misses skills and concepts essential to academic success. Please take a moment to view our TMS Attendance Brochure.
What Can You Do:
- Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.
- Help your student maintain daily routines.
- Seek out help for any issues that may be interfering with your student’s attendance at school, such as mental health, physical health, or peer issues.
- Work with school personnel to develop a plan to improve your student’s attendance.
- Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties.
- Check on your child’s attendance to be sure absences are not adding up.
No amount of make-up work can replace the quality of learning achieved in the classroom from direct instruction and interactions with the teacher and classmates.
Attendance Information:
If your child is unable to attend school due to an illness or doctor's appointment, or any other reason, please email a note to our attendance secretary, Ms. Shannon Ingram at tms.attendance@fcps.org.
FCPS Bus Delay Information:
A quick and easy resource to check if your child's bus is delayed is to visit https://apps.fcps.org/transdelay/ This site is updated in real-time to reflect any bus delays.
Volunteering at TMS:
Are you interested in volunteering at TMS? If so, all volunteers must complete the virtual training linked here. Please note this must be completed to chaperone field trips. Please reach out to Shannon Ingram with questions/concerns.
Tutor Me
TutorMe.com, a new, free student online tutoring and homework help service, is now available in any subject for students in grades 6-12.
TutorMe.com is a secure, online resource easily accessible through the FCPS Clever Portal and offers on-demand assistance. The TutorMe.com service provides assistance that aligns with the FCPS curriculum, including knowledge of new curriculum tools being implemented. The service maintains rigorous standards, providing high-quality, diverse tutors, screened for excellence (including a criminal background check). The service is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. More information is available at the vendor website, www.tutorme.com and this Student Support Document.
FCPS Regulation Review
All schools are required to share the following FCPS Regulations:
Regulation 500 - 32: Replacement of Lost or Damaged Instructional Materials
Regulation 400 - 73: Responsible Use of Digital Technology
Regulation 400 - 48: Bullying, Harassment, Intimidation Complaint Process for Students
Regulation 500 - 05: Grading, Reporting, and Intervention-Secondary
TMS PTA Needs YOU!
2022-23 PTA Board of Directors:
Christy Donnelly-President
Danielle Bloxham-Treasurer
Amanda Knott-Secretary
PTA Meetings 5:00-6:00pm
May 4 Board Meeting
Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/kwp-hdkz-new