Silver Creek Weekly Newsletter
May 2-May 6
Dear Silver Creek Families
Welcome to May! I can't believe we have only 7 weeks left of school. There is no school tomorrow, Monday, May 2 for students. This is a professional day for staff.
Here is the most recent MCPS Community Update (4/28). The update shares information about contact tracing, summer school, community engagement events by Interim Superintendent, Dr. Mcknight, Out-of- school time wellness for students, 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
The Husky Connect time is slightly modified for 8th grade students this week due to testing. 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.
*Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week (May 2-May 6)
In recognition of National Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week, May 2-May 6, we would like to recognize our wonderful Silver Creek teachers & staff for the tremendous work they do for our students daily. I am so grateful to work with such an amazing staff. I am impressed by their ingenuity, resilience and strength as they have navigated through this pandemic. I am honored to lead a school with such collective commitment towards empathy & excellence.
Please join me in celebrating our wonderful staff as we approach National Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week. Please take a moment to fill out the google form to share a shout out to a staff member. The message will automatically be sent to that staff member during the week of May 2-May 6.
You may give your shout out below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8V8rmLckRytXaLdTI3U9JeOSmYV8qcnJsL0jmSCWRlFPS0g/viewform
Thank you for being such a supportive school community.
*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 Thursday, April 28, 2022 to hear upcoming news & events.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tLqtWm7x4_m7C3ecnLiyYWd25CeRnyh2/view?usp=sharing
*Social Studies MCAP Testing is this week for 8th grade ONLY!
Social Studies MCAP will occur this week, Wednesday, May 4 & Thursday, May 5 for 8th grade ONLY. The bell schedule for MCAP testing is included here in the parent handbook.
Please ensure that your child is present and arrives to school on time for testing. It is important students bring a charged chromebook on each day of testing. You may Click here for more information about the MCAP assessment. 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
We will have parent grade-level town hall meetings next week. The town hall meetings will be hybrid. They will be held in person and virtual (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
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
*National Day of Silence
*SCMS PTSA Book Fair May 9- May 14
*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!
*Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Community Sports Day
If you have any questions, please contact, Mike Krawczel, Athletic Director at B-CC at Michael_R_Krawczel@mcpsmd.org
8th Grade Promotion Ceremony & Six Flags America
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. Please stay-tuned for additional details regarding the 8th Grade Promotion and ticket information.
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 no later than 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!
ExtraCurricular Activities
We have our afterschool, in-person extracurricular and co-curricular activity programs. As a reminder, in order to ensure that all participants are healthy and to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, all participants are required to complete the rapid test provided by the school and submit the results using the form below.
Students & families should self-report test results to MCPS using the form below:
MCPS COVID-19 Reporting Form (English)
MCPS COVID-19 Reporting Form (Spanish)
You may view the following slides that provide information on the process of testing and reporting.
Please click here to view the SCMS After School Activities and Brochure.
You may read the most recent MCPS communication here.
After School Activities & Intramural Sports
After school activities will run through May 16 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays only. The activities will meet on one of the three days from 3:15-4:30 pm. A list of activities can be found in our After School Brochure which is linked below. The link will also take you to a google registration form to be used to sign up for an after school activity. Registering for an activity will be on-going. After school buses are available and will depart by 4:30 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Students must be given a bus pass from their after school sponsor to ride the bus. After school Activity Brochure & Registration Form: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/silver-creek-parent-handbook/after-school-activities
Any questions related to after school activities, please contact Dr. Matthew Okun@Matthew_Okun@mcpsmd.org
INTRAMURAL SPORTS
Designed to promote participation in sports to all eligible middle school students of all grade levels. There are no try-outs, and students do not need experience to participate. Intramurals take place after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and/or Thursdays from 3:05-4:30. Students are required to turn in a signed “Covid” packet to participate. Students can get this packet from their PE/Health teacher, or from this link.
Mr. Bingaman is the intramural coordinator. Sample sports can include: basketball, football, soccer, badminton, tennis, volleyball, cross country, dance, weight training, track and field, kickball, capture the flag, etc. Any questions, please reach out to Mr. Bingaman at Ryan_H_Bingaman@mcpsmd.org.
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
Academic Supports for Students
SCMS Mathematics Tutoring
Does your child need help in math? Do they want to work with a current BCC high school student?
If so, you may sign up for tutoring on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and/or Thursdays from 3:20-4:20 pm every week. After school activity buses will be available on each of the three days.
If interested, please fill out the Tutoring Interest form to express your interest. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Okun at matthew_okun@mcpsmd.org
New Free, On-Demand Online/Virtual Tutoring Available for All Students, K-12
Tutoring - Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)
MCPS: George B Thomas Saturday School
The George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy, Inc. is pleased to offer academic support and/or acceleration on the 6th day of learning (Saturday mornings). Certified teachers are available to support your child with mitigating learning disruption.
Class sessions begin at 8:30 am each Saturday with a motivational session. To register, please see flyer here:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/mainstory/published/2018/2018-08/Program%20Flyer%20English%2018-19%20Final.pdf
The cost for Saturday School is $85. The cost for students who receive free and reduced meals is $40. This cost covers the entire school year through May and registration is open all year.
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. Topic: TBA
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 2- No school for students; Professional Day for teachers.
May 2-May 6- Teacher Appreciation Week
May 9, 10, 11 (Parent Grade Level Town Hall Meetings- 6th- 5/9; 7th- 5/10; 8th- 5/11).
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 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