Community SOAR Report
To SOAR with eagles all you need is to BELIEVE you can fly
January 2022
Greetings Eagle Families,
As we move into the new year, there are staffing changes that I would like to share. Due to various promotions and retirements, effective Tuesday, January 18th, Mr. Hand will be serving Urbana Middle School as Assistant Principal. I would like to thank Mr. Hand for all of his work at OMS over the past five years and wish him nothing but the best as he transitions to UMS. I am happy to share that Mr. Heusser will be joining the OMS team as our new Assistant Principal. For the past six years, Mr. Heusser has served as the Equity Teacher Specialist for FCPS. Prior to this role, he taught at Valley and Lincoln Elementary Schools. You can learn more about Mr. Heusser by clicking HERE. I hope that you will join me in wishing Mr. Hand the best of luck at UMS and give a warm OMS welcome to Mr. Heusser!
Next week also marks the midpoint of the 2021-2022 school year. Term Three and the Second Semester officially kick-off on Tuesday, January 18th. This point of the year serves as a great time for students to reflect on how the first half of the year has gone. Please help your child in the reflection process by asking what has gone well, what they are proud of, and how they will ensure that they continue making growth towards attaining their goals. I continue to be impressed with our students dedication to learning, growing, and being their best. I greatly appreciate your unwavering support and collaboration. I am excited to see what our students, staff, and community will be able to achieve over the next several months.
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, feedback, or concerns. We have been and will continue to be #OMSBetterTogether!
Sincerely,
Daniel L. Enck
Principal
Important Information
2022-2023 Course Selection Information -
- Current 8th Grade Information: Mrs. McCracken met with all LA classes to discuss preparing for high school. All 8th grade students have access to the presentation as well as the handout in Schoology (Schoology – Groups – 8th Grade Bulletin Board). On January 26th OHS counselors will be coming to OMS. Students will attend a presentation during their PE/Health class time and will be given their 9th grade registration forms.
- Current 6th and 7th Grade Information: During Eagle Time on January 31st, current 6th and 7th graders will be presented with information about choosing electives for next school year. On February 7th, parents/guardians of current 6th and 7th grade students will be emailed a link to help their child select elective options for the 2022-2023 school year.
Parents/Guardians, please continue to monitor your email for Find Out First messages containing important information about course selection/registration for the 2022-2023 school year. Please reach out to your child's counselor with any specific questions.
Attendance - 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. Nancy Sanders at oms.attendance@fcps.org. Please include your child's first and last name, grade, date of absence, and reason for absence. If Ms. Sanders has any questions she will reach out for clarification.
- If Ms. Sanders does not hear from you before 9:00AM on the day of the absence, you receive a One Call Now Attendance Notification for your child.
- If your child has an appointment, please send them to school with a note which can be turned in to the front office in the morning. Your child will be given a pass and will be ready to go at the desired dismissal time without having to disrupt the classroom.
Bus 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.
Face Coverings/Masks - As we settle into the school year, it has been observed that some students have become more relaxed with the FCPS face covering/mask protocol. Face covering/masks need to be worn around the mouth and nose for proper use. Students, staff, and visitors are required to wear a face covering/mask at all times in the building. The only exception is while students are actively eating lunch or are outside for PE or recess. OMS staff will be following our established behavior steps for students who are not following or meeting this expectation. As a result, progressive discipline steps will be followed which could include: parent/guardian contact, lunch detention, after school detention, or suspension. Thanks for your continued support of the FCPS face covering/mask expectation as we continue to have the safety of our school community as our number one priority.
Media Center Info - OMS students are invited to a virtual author visit on Thursday, February 3rd from 9 to 10AM in the OMS Media Center. Aisha Saeed will discuss her latest middle grade novel, Omar Rising via Google Meet. This event is sponsored by Curious Iguana book store in Frederick.
Omar Rising publishes on February 1. To order a copy of the book, use this link: http://curiousiguana.com/product/oms/. Book orders must be placed by January 24 and will be delivered to students prior to the event. Any students who want to participate in this author visit can fill out this form or stop by and see Mrs. Flynn.
Questions? Please contact Kate Flynn, OMS Library Media Specialist at kathryn.flynn@fcps.org
OMS Isolation/Quarantine Synchronous Tutoring Schedule - OMS will continue to offer isolation/quarantine synchronous tutoring for any student who is unable to attend school due to testing positive for COVID-19 or who has been identified as a close contact. Parents/Guardians/Students can access the “OMS Isolation/Quarantine Synchronous Tutoring Schedule and Links” by clicking HERE. You can also access the schedule and links on the OMS School Website. Students who are accessing synchronous tutoring are asked to log in to the Google Meet within the first five (5) minutes of the scheduled tutoring/support time.
Student Cell Phone Use: In an effort to work together to ensure appropriate use of cell phones for students, we encourage parents/guardians to review safe cell phone usage frequently, maintain open communication, and utilize appropriate parental controls. You may also want to create a cell phone contract with your child outlining the privileges and responsibilities associated with cell phone use. For your convenience, a sample contract is provided here. Also, students are reminded of the school’s rules for having a cell phone at school, which is linked in case you wish to periodically review them with your child. Regulation 400-18 Electronic Devices – Student Use.
Finally, please reiterate with your child to not use their cell phone for unsanctioned purposes such as: cheating, harassing or bullying others, taking photos or videos of others without permission, checking personal social media accounts, or sexting. Some violations may have consequences not only related to student discipline, but victims have also pursued legal action against both the student and the parent/guardian. Those outcomes are best avoided when schools and parents partner together. We thank you for all that you do to help us reinforce good digital citizenship.
Oakdale Middle School has implemented the "Off, Away, and Out of Sight" cell phone policy for the last several years. While students are in the school building during the instructional day, they are to keep their cell phones, "Off, Away, and Out of Sight".
- Parents/Guardians - if you need to contact your child please call the front office at 240-236-5500 and we will get the message to your child as soon as possible.
Tutor Me - All Frederick County Public Schools middle and high school students have 24/7 access to virtual tutoring services for help on any subject. Students can receive assistance through audio/video chats or through a messaging system. Assistance/Support is available on virtually any subject matter. This includes getting feedback on written assignments and essays. Support is also available through Tutoring Me for students preparing for Advanced Placement exams. Students can access Tutor Me using the Clever portal. Details of how to do so can be accessed by clicking HERE.
Vote for the Student Member of the Board of Education
Each year the students of FCPS select a representative to serve as the Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB). The selected student is the voice of all students in FCPS on the Board. The voting poll is open now through 4 pm on Thursday, January 27th to select the SMOB for the 2022-2023 school year. All OMS students are eligible to cast a vote. Students must be signed into their FCPS account to access the Voting Ballot. On Thursday, February 3rd, the FCASC General Assembly will make the vote official through its Electoral College system.
There are 5 candidates from schools across the county. Their speeches and candidate information are available on the FCPS SMOB Webpage. The voting link can also be found on the FCPS webpage.
Please take this opportunity to vote and to help effectuate your influence on policy as we move forward into the 2022-2023 school year.
Important Dates/Upcoming Events
Friday, January 14th - Schools Closed for Students: Teacher Work Day
Monday, January 17th - Schools Closed: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday Observance
Tuesday, January 18th - Term Three and Second Semester begin
Thursday, February 3rd - Virtual Author Visit (see Media Center Info for more details)
Friday, February 4th - BoE Approved 2 Hour Early Dismissal
Friday, February 18th - Mid-Term: 2 Hour Early Dismissal
Monday, February 21st - Schools and Offices Closed: Presidents' Day
PTSA Updates
President - Dora Alfaro
Vice President - Vacant
Secretary - Lauren Drennan
Treasurer - Mindi Valukas
Membership Coordinator - Kara MacLean
PTSA Social Media Links and Website:
Facebook - @OakdaleMSPTSA
Instagram - @schoolOakdalemiddle
Twitter - @MiddleOakdale
Website - https://oakdalemsptsa.wixsite.com/mysite
Contact Us:
Oakdale Middle School
Email: daniel.enck@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/oms/
Location: 5810 Oakdale School Rd, Ijamsville, MD, USA
Phone: 240-236-5500
Twitter: @FCPS_OakdaleMS