Community SOAR Report
To SOAR with eagles all you need is to BELIEVE you can fly
December 2021
Greetings Eagle Families,
I hope you and your family had an enjoyable, relaxing, and safe Thanksgiving Break. I want to thank all of our students, parents/guardians, and community members who took time to complete the OMS PTSA Giving Tree and throw thanks to our amazing staff members who were very appreciative for all of the messages. As we move through the holiday season I hope that we will all continue to take time to pause, reflect, and reach out to those we are thankful for.
The next few weeks of the school year are always a whirlwind. December is packed with a variety of school events and important dates including a parent information night on internet safety (Tuesday, December 7 at NMMS), OMS Winter Band Concert (Wednesday, December 8th at OMS), OMS Winter Orchestra and Chorus Concert (Thursday, December 8 at OMS), and mid-term (Monday, December 6th). I hope that you will be able to join us for some of the planned events/activities as our students and staff have been working so hard and have done a tremendous job preparing.
As we move through the final few weeks of 2021, please do not hesitate to reach out if you need anything. Again, I can’t thank you enough for your continued support. I am so incredibly proud to serve our amazing community and look forward to seeing what we will accomplish in the coming weeks and through the new year. We have been and will continue to be #OMSBetterTogether!
Sincerely,
Daniel L. Enck
Principal
OMS Giving Tree
Important Information
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures - As the weather begins to turn colder and more walkers become car riders, please review the OMS arrival and dismissal procedures. We ask for your continued patience as the amount of traffic may increase over the next few months. Additionally, OMS continues to receive concerns from members/home owners in Oakdale Village regarding parents/guardians picking-up and dropping-off students along Beerse Street. All OMS families should be using the OMS arrival and dismissal procedures which were shared at the beginning of the year and also included in the following letter from early September:
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.
Cell Phone Policy - 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.
Internet Safety - Parent Information Night - New Market Middle School and Oakdale Middle School are hosting an Internet Safety: Parent Information Night on Tuesday, December 7 from 6:00PM-7:30PM in the NMMS cafeteria. Doors open at 5:40 and all participants are required to wear a mask/face covering. Mr. Vincent DeVivo from the US States Attorney's Office will present on the topic of Innocence Stolen: Protecting our Children Online.
PTSA Frisky's Wildlife Sanctuary and Frederick County Animal Control Supply Drive - The OMS PTSA is doing an animal supply drive for Friskys Wildlife Sanctuary (where much of the injured and orphaned wildlife from this area goes) as well as Frederick County Animal Control on Rosemont. We have received their wish lists and are collecting items until December 20th. Drop off locations:
- OMS just inside the front door there is a big box
- 6729 Oakridge Road, Pinehurst leave on porch
- 6572 Nyasa Bend, Coldstream leave on porch (Dec 3rd-10th, Lake Linganore HOA office will have a box)
Whish list items include: Cleaning and general supplies, bleach, tide with beach laundry soap, Dawn dish soap, baby wipes, paper towels, Simple Green, Ziplocks (gallon and 2 gallon), batteries for flashlights, new battery operated smoke detectors, heavy duty trash bags, green scouring pads. New or used but clean towels, sheets, wash cloths, blankets (no pillows or stuffed comforters please). Clean out those closets everyone! Pet food and treats for dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, chinchillas, rats, mice, ferrets etc, milk replacement liquid or powder (KMR & Esbilac Brand), shelled or not shelled nuts (no salt please), canned fruits and vegetables, Timothy or meadow grass hay, pedialyte (unflavored), bottled water. Pet supplies, litter, clean cages, pet toys, pet shampoo (used and samples ok), stainless steel bowls, leashes, collars, harnesses. Gift cards for Walmart, Petco, Petsmart, Pet Value, grocery stores, feed stores, office supplies etc. Please contact Mindi Valuckas (PTSA Treasurer) with any questions at 410-916-5517 or mindiv@hotmail.com
Spirit Days - OMS is hosting five spirit days at the end of this month. All students and staff are welcomed to participate and show their spirit as we approach Winter Break.
- Thursday, December 16th - Spirit Day - Holiday/Winter Socks
Friday, December 17th - Spirit Day - Twin Day
- Monday, December 20th - Spirit Day - Flannel Day
- Tuesday, December 21st - Spirit Day - Holiday Hat Day
- Wednesday, December 22nd - Spirit Day - Ugly Sweater Day
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.
Important Dates/Upcoming Events
Tuesday, December 7th - Internet Safety: Parent Information Night @ NMMS 6:00-7:30
Wednesday, December 8th - Winter Band Concert @ OMS 6:00PM in the Cafeteria
Thursday, December 9th - Winter Orchestra and Chorus Concert @ OMS 6:00PM in the Cafeteria
Tuesday, December 14th - Interims Issued
Thursday, December 16th - Spirit Day - Holiday/Winter Socks
Friday, December 17th - Spirit Day - Twin Day
Monday, December 20th - Spirit Day - Flannel Day
Tuesday, December 21st - Spirit Day - Holiday Hat Day
Wednesday, December 22nd - Spirit Day - Ugly Sweater Day
Thursday, December 23rd through Friday, December 31st - Schools Closed: Winter Break
Thursday, January 13th - Two Hour Early Dismissal: End of Term Two and First Semester
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
PTSA Updates
President - Dora Alfaro
Vice President - Jonathan Munemo
Vice President - Joyce Hamba
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