Takoma Park MS Community Newsletter
Week of September 5th
Dear TPMS Families,
We concluded this week with our first fire drill of the year and grade level Town Hall meeting with their Assistant Principal. Our students demonstrated excellence in both our drill and the Town Hall meeting.
In middle school, students will continue to enhance and sharpen their self management and critical thinking skills. In each grade, teachers will be focusing more explicitly on teaching, reinforcing, and supporting students' self-management skills such as organizing their physical materials, navigating their day, organizing their homework and assessments and utilizing resources to assist with their affective skills. At the middle school level, we also work with students to develop their critical thinking skills to be able to work through problems.
Finally, I'd like to thank the PTSA for their strong support this year! As part of our wellness plan, we continue to provide students with the opportunity to eat lunch inside or outside. For our outside diners, we have found that our students really enjoy engaging in activities such as kicking a soccer ball, playing four square, jumping roping, etc. Thanks to our PTSA, we have received many donations of equipment that our students can use. On Thursday, the PTSA hosted a 6th Grade Barbecue which was a blast!! Check out some of our pictures below. We are looking forward to seeing our 7th and 8th grade families for the 7th Grade Social and 8th Grade Social on September 29th. These two events will be held at new times:
- 5:30-6:30pm 7th Grade Family Social
- 6:45-7:45pm 8th Grade Family Social
Have a wonderful long weekend and we will see you next week!
Sincerely,
Erin L. Martin
Quick Announcements
- Mr. Williams, our "locker doctor," has been busily repairing broken lockers. He is on the home stretch and anticipates all lockers will be completed by Wednesday.
Back to School Night
Back-to-School Night is an opportunity for all parents/caregivers to meet their child's teachers and hear a general overview of how each class is structured and what students will be learning. It is not a time to engage in individual conversations about your child's progress. If you have questions or concerns, please connect with your child's teacher or counselor to schedule a meeting time.
Free and Reduced Meals Applications
Students may qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on household size and income. They may also qualify if they are receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), or Medicaid benefits. Families may apply for meal benefits by completing an Application for Free and Reduced-Price Meals for the current school year. Beginning school year 2022-2023, students who qualify for reduced-price meals will not be charged that cost - meaning that reduced-price students will eat for free!
Apply online NOW at MySchoolApps.com (Translations available) Click here for an English video tutorial.
Vea aquí un vídeo paso a paso en español sobre cómo completar la solicitud de FARMS.
Federal eligibility guidelines change each school year; therefore a new application must be submitted each school year. All students in the family should be listed on one household application. A notice will be mailed home to each student if you are approved for meal benefits or do not qualify for meal benefits. Please keep this important document for your records and use throughout the school year. Families may apply for meal benefits at any time during the school year.
Households that are unable to apply online should contact their school or the Division of Food and Nutrition Services at 240-740-7400.
Please click here to apply online.
Online Lunch Account/Payments
MySchoolBucks instructions in PDF format:
English | español | 中文 | français | tiếng Việt | 한국어 | አማርኛ
MySchoolBucks is an optional service for parents to view recent purchases and make prepayments to your child's cafeteria account for breakfast, lunch and a la carte meals via the Internet with a credit/debit card. This service is offered as a convenience for interested families. By creating a secure online account, parents can manage their child's account.
Student Home Use Chromebook
Students, parents, and MCPS staff can use this formLinks to an external site. to request a home use Chromebook for MCPS students who do not have access to a personal or home device and are attending a school, and grade level, returning to a classroom Chromebook cart model. When a request for a device is fulfilled, it will be pre-assigned in the inventory system, and the device will be delivered to the school for distribution to the student. The home use device is to be kept at home. Requesting the device implies consent of use in accordance with MCPS policy (IGT-RA) and acknowledgement that the Chromebook, software, and issued peripherals are owned by MCPS.
Los estudiantes, los padres y el personal de MCPS pueden usar este formularioLinks to an external site. para solicitar un Chromebook de uso doméstico para los estudiantes de MCPS que no tengan acceso a un dispositivo personal o doméstico y vienen asistiendo a una escuela y nivel de grado, volviendo a un modelo de carro de Chromebooks del salón de clases. Cuando se completa una solicitud de un dispositivo, se se asignará con anticipación en el sistema de inventario y el dispositivo se entregará a la escuela para que se distribuya al estudiante. El dispositivo de uso en el hogar deberá mantenerse en el hogar. Solicitar el dispositivo implica el consentimiento de su uso, de acuerdo con la política de MCPS (IGT-RA), y el reconocimiento de que el Chromebook, el software y los periféricos emitidos son de propiedad de MCPS.
Attendance 2022-2023
My name is Elizabeth Hoyt, and I am excited to be your new Attendance Secretary. Being present and on-time is essential for academic success, and promotes social skills, work skills, and connection to our school community.
Our school attendance policy aligns with MCPS attendance policy. If your student must arrive late, leave early, or be absent, this must be reported to the office by a parent, guardian, or with a doctor’s note. Parents and guardians can Report an Absence electronically, email me at Elizabeth_Hoyt@mcpsmd.org, or submit a note on paper. Details can be found in our Attendance Policy.
6th Grade Outdoor Education
Dear Parents,
All 6th graders in MCPS are invited to participate in Outdoor Education (OE). TPMS will participate in three OE sessions from Oct 10th - 19th. Students have been assigned to ONE session and will spend TWO Nights at Camp Letts. OE fees are $85 and are paid using School Cash Online. Contact Brian Baker if you would like to inquire about financial assistance. We want everyone to attend😊.
Estimados padres,
Sitio web de TPMS
Todos los 6 grado de MCPS están invitados a participar en la Educación al aire libre (OE, por sus siglas en inglés). TPMS participará en tres sesiones de OE del 10 al 19 de octubre. Los estudiantes han sido asignados a UNA sesión y pasarán DOS Noches en Camp Letts. Las tarifas de OE son de $85 y se pagan con School Cash Online. Comuníquese con Brian Baker si desea consultar acerca de la asistencia financiera. Queremos que todos asistan😊.
Here's a sneak peek into Opening Week!
PTSA Corner
September Events:
September is going to be a great first month of school for our community and the TPMS PTSA is planning lots of opportunities for community engagement and fun. Here's a rundown of what's happening in September:
- September 8: Back to School Night - Come find the PTSA table for more information on how you can get involved this year
- September 13: First TPMS PTSA Meeting - Please join us for our first in-person meeting of the year at TPMS in the cafeteria from 7-8:30 PM! We will be introducing the new Board, presenting and voting on our budget, and talking about fun events in store and great opportunities for community involvement this year. More information on the event and virtual link for the meeting will be shared for those who cannot attend closer to the date. PTSA meetings are always the second Tuesday of the month, usually 7-8:30 PM.
- September 29: Grade Level Ice Cream Socials for 7th and 8th Graders!!! We can't let our school year start without showing some love for the 7th and 8th grade classes too! Mark your calendars for this fun event, which will be that evening. More on this in the coming weeks.
Join the PTSA and Donations:
There's no charge to join the PTSA and we welcome TPMS parents and other caregivers, students and teachers! Also, we welcome and encourage any donations you can make to help us fund all the fun events we are planning this year. Did you know the PTA can accept donations electronically?! Take a moment to show your love for the PTSA and join today at the links below!
- Membership: https://www.tpmspta.org/join-the-pta/
- Donations: https://www.tpmspta.org/support-the-pta/