TMS Community ROAR Report
April 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
TMS Cougars
Greetings TMS Families,
As we enter the final stretch of the school year, I encourage you to stay focused and motivated to finish the year strong. Whether it is perseverance on upcoming MCAP assessments, working on projects, or simply striving to be your best in extra-curricular activities, remember that every effort you put in today leads the way to your future success.
For our eighth-grade Cougar students, this is an especially exciting time as you prepare to transition to high school. Embrace this time of transition with optimism and confidence, and know that we are here to support you every step of the way.
To our sixth and seventh graders, I encourage you to make the most of the time we have left together this school year. Cherish the relationships you've made, take advantage of every learning opportunity, and continue to challenge yourselves to grow and succeed. The dedication and partnership of our entire school community helps to create a positive and enriching learning environment for our students; we are truly grateful for the ongoing support and commitment to all our students! Thank you for embracing “Be the Change” every day! Together, we will continue to end the 2023-24 school year with positivity and success!
Be the Change,
Janine Smith-Principal
Chris Bittner-Assistant Principal
Anita Shank-Assistant Principal
TMS Cougar Day
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
- Tuesday, April 1st-Friday, April 5th-Schools Closed-Spring Break
- Tuesday, April 9th-Leo Club 2:30-3:30pm
- Wednesday, April 10th-Report Cards Issued
- Wednesday, April 10th-TAC Poster Contest w/ Leo Club 2:30-3:30pm
- Wednesday, April 10th-Roy Roger's Fundraiser @ 5:00pm
- Thursday, April 11th-PTA Meeting @ 6:00pm
- Wednesday, April 17th-Math MCAP
- Thursday, April 18th-Math MCAP
- Saturday, April 20th-Band & Chorus Hershey Park Field Trip
- Monday, April 22nd-Mobile Dentist
- Monday, April 22nd-E/LA MCAP
- Tuesday, April 23rd-E/LA MCAP
- Wednesday, April 24th-E/LA MCAP
- Wednesday, April 24th-SGA Meeting 2:30-3:30pm
- Thursday, April 25th-E/LA MCAP
- Thursday, May 2nd-2-Hour Early Dismissal-Term 4 Mid-Term
April 8th Solar Eclipse
When students and staff return from Spring Break, much of the nation will be engaged in activities in conjunction with the solar eclipse taking place in the afternoon of April 8, 2024. In Maryland, we will experience a partial eclipse, with peak timing at approximately 3:20 p.m. and coinciding with school dismissal time in Frederick County Public Schools. As a result, the timing does not lend itself to major viewing events across FCPS schools, other than the eclipse event hosted by the Earth and Space Science Lab (ESSL), which will be open to the public. FCPS will be operating on a normal schedule on April 8, 2024.
The solar eclipse is also a learning opportunity for students, so FCPS has distributed instructional resources for teachers, including an activity booklet provided to all elementary schools. In addition, it is important that all students, staff, and community members know that there are important safety considerations for viewing an eclipse, as it is not safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection. Below are additional resources that highlight the importance of eye safety during the eclipse.
Solar Eclipse Safety (NASA)
FCPS is asking our community to join us in reminding students about the importance of these safety precautions during the afternoon of April 8. If families are participating in eclipse activities with their children, these will be considered excused absences.
We know that the community joins us in our commitment in providing safe learning experiences for our students.
TMS Yearbooks for Sale!
Capture this year's school memories by ordering your yearbook TODAY! Get your yearbook ordered today. Sale ends on 04/05/2023. We will NOT order extra copies. All orders must be done through Classic Photography. Please click on link below for more information.
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!
Important Immunization Reminder!
We do not want to exclude your child from school in August!
The state of Maryland mandates certain vaccination requirements for students entering 7th grade! Prior to the 2024 -25 school year, your rising 7th grade student must have the following:
· Single dose of Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) vaccine. *
· Single dose of Meningococcal vaccine (MCV)
*Tdap is not the same as the other Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis vaccines called DPT or DTaP. Even if your child has received DPT or DTaP in the past they will still need a single dose of Tdap. *
We encourage you to make your child’s appointment now to avoid the summer rush. Please bring the vaccination documentation to school or email the health room at erinM.pickett@fcps.org, as soon as possible.
If you have any questions about the new vaccination requirements, please contact your child’s health care provider or TMS - health room @ (240) 236-5180.
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
TMS Parks and Recreation Opportunity
MSDE Special Education Survey
Does your child receive special education services including speech and language services? If so then please read the following:
The MSDE Parental Involvement Survey creates opportunities for feedback and engagement. This is your chance to share feedback regarding Special Education Services for your child!
Share how we can better support your family and child with Special Education services. You can complete the short survey at www.mdparentsurvey.com.
The survey will be available through May 24, 2024.
Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences and ideas! Together, we can continue to improve Special Education Services and Programs in FCPS.
Youth Teen Summit
In Frederick County, teens matter, feelings matter, you matter! Youths ages 13-19 are invited to attend our Teen Wellness Summit on Saturday, April 27, from noon-3 p.m. at Tuscarora High School, 5312 Ballenger Creek Pike in Frederick. Doors open at 11:30. Pre-register for a chance to win prizes: https://fcps-md.formstack.com/forms/teen_summit.
Service Learning
Have you volunteered outside of the school day to a non-profit organization?
If so, please return this form to Ms. Kehr
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. Kehr’s room (250) in the office and in the Media Center.
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
Mid-Term 4: Mid-term for term 4 is on May 2nd . 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 in Schoology or on our school’s website.
Water Bottles: Please remind your student that we encourage consumption of water throughout the day, however, we are seeing an increase of drinks other than water throughout the building that are not properly sealed and therefore creating spills throughout the building. Students should only bring water to school in a bottle that is resealable to prevent these types of situations. Thanks for your support of this!
Morning Arrival:
Reminder, TMS doors are not open to students until 7:00am, please do not drop off your student prior to this time as there is no supervision of students prior to 7:00am. Thank you for your attention to this.
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 Liaison 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.
Pear Deck Tutoring Formerly Known As Tutor Me
Pear Deck Tutoring Formerly Known As Tutor Me: Frederick County Public Schools partners with Pear Deck Tutor to provide 24/7 online tutoring to all students. The Pear Deck Tutor platform is easy to use and offered at no additional cost to you. With Pear Deck Tutor, students connect on-demand with a tutor who's an exact match for what they're looking for - whether they're stumped by a Calculus equation, craving a confidence boost, or looking for writing feedback.
The Pear Deck Tutor platform replicates all the best parts of in-person tutoring - including the ability to connect face-to-face through opt-in audio and video. The Lesson Space has all the tools a student may need for real-time collaboration with a tutor in even advanced subject matters.
No matter the field of study, writing skills are fundamental to academic and post-graduate success. Through Pear Deck Tutor's Writing Lab, students receive prompt feedback on their writing assignments to help them improve their written communication.
TMS PTA Needs YOU!
2023-24 PTA Board of Directors:
Christy Donnelly-President
Jennifer O’Connell-Secretary
Elizabeth Day-Treasurer
Meeting Dates:
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!
Principal - Thurmont Middle School