TMS Community ROAR Report
December Newsletter
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
Be the Change
Greetings Families,
We are excited to share that with the support and collaboration of our TMS PTA, we are working on finalizing a switch of the Thurmont Middle School mascot from a Panther to a Cougar. Every Thurmont Middle School student will eventually attend Catoctin High School, where the CHS school mascot is the Cougar, and by changing the TMS mascot from a Panther to a Cougar, would foster a stronger connection between the middle school and the high school. The update of our school mascot at Thurmont Middle School would align our vision to Catoctin High School by allowing students to envision themselves as middle school Cougars and eventually as Cougars walking across the stage at high school graduation. We are confident at TMS that this change will help our feeder community to grow, evolve, and will create a stronger bond between our middle school and high school students and the community that they represent.
Together with our PTA we are working on our new school logo to incorporate the new cougar mascot, once we have this finalized, we will be sure to advertise our relase date of our new TMS mascot; we are excited for this change to occur in 2024!. More information to come once we have a finalized TMS logo!
Be the Change,
Janine Smith-Principal
Chris Bittner-Assistant Principal
Anita Shank-Assistant Principal
TMS Martin Luther King Jr. Award
Each year, Frederick County Public Schools celebrates the leadership qualities of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by hosting a winter celebration. A representative from each school is chosen to represent the student body and must possess and demonstrate leadership characteristics both in and out of the classroom. This year Thurmont Middle School is pleased to announce 8th grader, David Ofori as our Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award recipient.
We are extremely proud of David and his leadership here at TMS! Please join us in congratulating David for this great honor!
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
- Monday, December 4th-Wyld Life-2:30om-4:30pm Ms. Thomson's Room
- Thursday, December 7th-Community Food Drop 3:30-4:30pm
- Thursday, December 7th-3:00-5:00 Joe Corbi Fundraiser Pick-up
- Friday, December 8th-PTA Movie Night @ TMS Cafeteria 6:00pm-8:00pm
- Tuesday, December 12th-Leo Club 2:30-3:30pm TMS Media Center
- Wednesday, December 13th-Vision & Hearing Screenings
- Thursday, December 14th- Vision & Hearing Screenings
- Thursday, December 14th-Winter Chorus Concert @ 6:00pm
- Friday, December 15th- Vision & Hearing Screenings
- Friday, December 15th-6th Grade Field Trip-A Christmas Carol
- Monday, December 18th-i-Ready Assessment for E/LA
- Monday, December 18th- -Wyld Life-2:30om-4:30pm Ms. Thomson's Room
- Tuesday, December 19th-Winter Band Concert @ 6:00pm
- Monday, December 25th-January 1st-School Closed-Winter Break
- Wednesday, January 3rd-SGA Meeting 2:30-3:30pm-Ms.Thomson's Room
- Thursday, January 4th-Community Food Drop 3:30-4:30pm
TMS SGA December News
Thurmont Middle School is holding the first annual “10 Days of Random Acts of Elfness” to spread cheer this holiday season and help out our community. Please encourage your student(s) to participate in each day’s activities to collect all TEN elves and be entered into drawings for prizes. (Students must “check in” with a SGA representative in the gym or cafeteria each morning and/or at lunch to be given an elf and a raffle ticket.) See below for a list of the dates and activities. *Guidelines regarding acceptable attire that adheres to the FCPS Dress Policy are noted on each day. We will be enforcing code violations. Monday, December 11th–“Flannel Day” - A day dedicated to one of the most popular pieces of fabric. Tuesday, December 12th-“Holiday Canned Food Drive” - Bring in a canned food item to donate to the local Food Bank. Wednesday, December 13th-“Send an ELF GRAM!” - Students have the opportunity to create a FREE Elf-Gram in the morning or at lunch to send to a teacher or a friend. *Elf-Grams will be delivered on Friday, December 15th during 7th period. Thursday, December 14th-“A Furry Friends Fundraiser” - Donate pet food and/or a pet toy to be donated to a local animal shelter. Friday, December 15th-“Find a Buddy the Elf - Twin Day” *Elf-Grams will be handed out in 7th period Monday, December 18th-Holiday Morning-Relax in your most comfortable pajamas (holiday ones if you have them!) –No slippers. (Unless they have a hard, sneaker-type sole) Tuesday, December 19th-“Holiday Vacation Day” - Dress like you’re going on a Hawaiian vacation - sunglasses, flip flops, shorts, etc. - No face or body paint; no bathing suits or other revealing clothing. Wednesday, December 20th-“WHOVILLE DAY-aka Crazy Hair Day” – no hair paint/color allowed to be brought to school; all hair coloring must be done at home
Counselor Corner
TMS Counseling Team Contact Information:
Sherry Bueso- Grade 6 School Counselor 240-236-5107/ sherry.bueso@fcps.org
Stacie Varanyak- Grade 7 School Counselor 240-236-5113/ stacie.varanyak@fcps.org
Rebecca Krauss- Grade 8 School Counselor 240-236-5108/ rebecca.krauss@fcps.org
Debbie Wivell- Behavior Support Specialist 240-236-5155/debbie.wivell@fcps.org
Jane Nicholson- Registrar 240-236-5106/ jane.nicholson@fcps.org
Diana Merritt- Career Coach 240-236-5163 /diana.merritt@fcps.org
Assistant Principal Caseload
Ms. Shank: 8th Grade & 7th Grade M-Z
Service Learning
Have you volunteered outside of the school day to a non-profit organization?
If so, please return this form to Ms. Desonier
I will keep track of your service learning hours.
If you have 25 hours by May of your 8th grade year, you can earn an award.
All hours will transfer to high school.
More information can be found here on the FCPS website.
There are also forms located in Ms. Desonier’s room (250) in the office and in the Media Center.
Attendance = Opportunity
Good attendance requires a strong partnership between home, school, and students; communication is an important component of that partnership. To that end, parents/guardians and students will hear from the school when there are concerns about attendance. We may do any/all of the following:
- Meet with the student (to understand what is impacting their attendance and offer supports to help).
- Call and/or meet with a parent/guardian (also to understand what is impacting their child’s attendance and collaborate on solutions),
- Send letters to notify families of attendance.
We understand that a student’s attendance at school can be impacted (positively or negatively) by many factors; it is our goal to understand what is affecting it and work with the family to affect positive change. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the school if you are struggling with your child’s attendance - we are here to help!
Bullying, Harassment or Intimidation
Children need a trusted adult to turn to when they feel threatened. It is important that your child is encouraged to contact their school counselor, administrator or teacher to report bullying because it may not stop without help. If your child feels uncomfortable reporting bullying and harassing behaviors, parents are encouraged to report it to FCPS staff.
To report bullying, use the FCPS Bullying, Harassment or Intimidation Reporting Form, available on the FCPS.org website.
If bullying happens outside of school, families can call:
- 211 for community resource information
- Law enforcement if threats or physical harm occur
Learn more about bullying, harassment, and intimidation in the FCPS Students and Families Tab, found at www.fcps.org. Information is also available in Bullying - Harassment - Intimidation Complaint Process for Students linked here.
School Meals
FCPS is using a new portal for school meal related information. Go to the parent portal at http://linqconnect.com/ where you can:
- Apply for meal benefits (FARM)
- View menus, meal prices and a la carte prices
- Add money to student accounts
- Transfer funds between students
- View student meal transactions
- Set low-balance notifications
Breakfast is FREE to ALL TMS Students this year!
Free Mental Health Crisis Care Center Now Open 24/7
23-24 School Updates
End of Term 2:
Term 2 ends on January 12th. If your child has missing assignments or needs to complete a re-assessment, please encourage them to speak with their teacher(s) as soon as possible. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher(s). All students also have access to free online tutors 24 hours a day using the TutorMe link.
Essay Contests for TMS Students:
- Young Authors Contest: Students can submit a short story or a poem written about a subject of their choice. Poems must be 25-300 words and short stories should be 600 – 1600 words. Winners will be invited to the local FCPS celebration and will go on to compete at the state level competition. Entries are due to Ms. Portner by Friday, Dec 15.
- Thurmont Lions Club: Students are to write an essay responding to this topic: How do the actions of Francis Scott Key inspire you to serve others? Essays should not exceed 500 words. Winners will receive a $100 cash award and a USA Flag. Entries are due to Ms. Portner by Friday, Jan 5, 2024.
- American Legion: Students are to write an essay entitled, “What does Freedom mean to me?” Essays should be between 250 – 300 words for 6th graders and between 350 – 400 words for 7/8 graders. Winners will receive cash prizes of $25 and will be forwarded on to complete at the District level. Entries are due to Ms. Portner by Friday, Jan 26
Student Information Cards:
Important Reminder:
The school needs your child's updated Student and Health Information Cards to reach you when there is an emergency, question or concern.
FCPS requires The Health Information Card to be updated annually.
In addition, below are links to the fillable forms if you wish to print them off at home:
Health Information Card- English
Health Information Card- Spanish
Students may drop off completed Health Information Cards to the Front Office.
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.
Students Reporting Security Concerns:
"See Something, Say Something" and "Don't repost it. Report it" - Encourage students to report security concerns to a trusted adult (parent, school staff member, school administrator, SRO, or a local law enforcement agency). Students may also anonymously report concerns using the Safe Schools Maryland Tip Line at 833-MD-B-SAFE. In an emergency, call 911. Additional resources can be found on each school's website and the FCPS website.
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 each year linked here. Please note this must be completed to chaperone field trips. Please reach out to Shannon Ingram with questions/concerns.
Community Liaison: If you are in need of assistance with school supplies, hygiene products, food, or other community resources for housing, please reach out Crystal Mckenzie, our TMS Community Liason at Crystal.McKenzie@fcps.org. We are here to support and assist all of our families!
If you are in need of a new bed, please access the following link from Sleep Heavenly Peace.
Tutor Me
Our school is proud to announce that we’ve teamed up with TutorMe to offer 24/7 online tutoring to all students!
TutorMe is a place where our students can build the connections they need to learn and thrive. Through TutorMe, students connect with a tutor who’s an exact match for what they’re looking for – whether you’re stumped by an algebra equation, craving a confidence boost, or looking for an extra challenge. There’s more to TutorMe than live online tutoring. Through the TutorMe Writing Lab, you can submit drafts of any written assignment and receive detailed feedback from expert writing tutors in just a couple hours. Reference the TutorMe Support Guide to get started. TutorMe Student Support Guide (English) ESP. Guia de Apoyo- TutorMe (Spanish)
TMS PTA Needs YOU!
2023-24 PTA Board of Directors:
Christy Donnelly-President
Jennifer O’Connell-Secretary
Elizabeth Day-Treasurer
Meeting Dates:
January 11th NO MEETING
February 8th GENERAL MEETING
March 14th BOARD MEETING
April 11th GENERAL MEETING
May 9th – GENERAL MEETING- Voting of new board members
Digital Membership: https://fspta-00023696.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true
We need YOU to become a member of our PTA! Please be on the lookout for the online membership link for you to join. We are excited to grow our amazing TMS PTA!
PTA Spirit Wear
Principal - Thurmont Middle School