TMS Community ROAR Report
March 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,
We are excited to have our official mascot and logo change to occur on March 25th. As many of you are aware, we have been collaborating with our TMS PTA to update these changes. On March 21st, every TMS student will receive their free Cougar t-shirt. Please make sure that they wear their Cougar t-shirt to school on Monday, March 25th. On this day, students will take part in our Cougar Connection Time where they will have time to connect and interact with each other and staff. We are excited for our school community to end the 2023-24 school year as Cougars.
We would also like to extend a special thank you to local businesses who donated money towards the purchase of the t-shirts for each student: Wing Stop, Groft’s Custom Carpentry, Howdy Ya’ll Boutique, Grimes Masonry and Construction, Insurance Brokers of Maryland, Tracy’s TNT Title N Tags, Thurmont PTA, Kuhn Family, and Ace Hardware.
Be the Change,
Janine Smith-Principal
Chris Bittner-Assistant Principal
Anita Shank-Assistant Principal
Congratulations to TMS Teacher of the Year-Ms. Regnier!
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
- Wednesday, March 6th-8th Grade MISA Testing
- Thursday, March 7th- 8th Grade MISA Testing
- Thursday, March 7th-Community Food Distribution 3:30-4:30pm
- Friday, March 8th- 8th Grade MISA Testing
- Monday, March 11th- 8th Grade MISA Testing
- Tuesday, March 12th-Leo Club 2:30-3:30pm
- Wednesday, March 13th-SGA Meeting 2:30-3:30pm
- Wednesday, March 13th-Roy Roger's Fundraiser @ 5:00pm
- Thursday, March 14th-PTA Meeting @ 6:00pm
- Tuesday, March 19th-Leo Game Night @ 5:00-7:00pm
- Tuesday, March 19th-FCPS Career & Technology Fair 5:00-7:00pm @ Frederick High School
- Wednesday, March 20th-Book Club TMS Media Center 2:30-3:30pm
- Thursday, March 21st-End of Term 3
- Thursday, March 21st-TMS PTA Movie Night @ 5:00pm
- Friday, March 22nd-Schools Closed-Teacher Work Day-End of Term
- Monday, March 25th-Cougar Day-Students Wear Your Cougar Shirt to School
- Wednesday, March 27th-SGA Meeting 2:30-3:30pm
- Friday, March 29th-April 5th-Schools Closed-Spring Break
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. If you would like to submit a love letter to your child, you must submit PRIOR to March 1, 2024. Please click on link below for more information.
Counselor Corner
- The TMS School Counseling Department is offering an 8 week group for students who are grieving a loss (recent or past). Frederick Health Hospice Bereavement Counselor will be facilitating this group. Please contact your student's grade level school counselor or BSS for more information.
- Please see the flyer below pertaining to upcoming information night for the Milton Hershey School.
- 6th Grade Spring Support Group Opportunities
- Grief/Loss
- Managing Stress and Anxiety
- Social Skills
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
Milton Hershey School Information Night
Camp Jamie Opportunity
TMS Parks and Recreation Opportunity
Career and Technology Fair
Frederick County Public Schools is excited to host the 31st Annual Career and Tech Fair from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19 at Frederick High School. This event is a cornerstone of efforts to highlight Career and Technical Education in FCPS.
This year, FCPS is excited to provide the community an opportunity to learn about CTE throughout the county while cheering on students at the fair. FCPS Career Coaches from all middle and high schools will be in attendance to showcase CTE student opportunities.
Doors open at 4:45 at Frederick High, located at 650 Carroll Parkway in Frederick. Local food trucks will be available for guests to enjoy while they attend the fair. One of our CTE sponsors, Tire World, will be attending and helping promote CTE.
Additionally, high school CTE teachers, partners and organizations will be present to share about CTE pathways and extracurricular opportunities such as FBLA, FFA, SkillsUSA, FCPS Robotics Clubs and ACE Mentoring. All students, parents, staff and community members are welcome to attend to learn about CTE and cheer on middle school students in the competitions!
Leading up to the Fair during February, designated as National CTE Month, middle school students are expanding their skills and knowledge for the competitions listed below that are tied to their related CTE course curriculum.
Winners of classroom-level competitions or judged to advance to school-level competitions will go on to represent and compete for their school in the county championships at the Career and Tech Fair.
Middle school student competitors must be pre-registered by their school's CTE teacher for the following competitions:
All Wound Up: Students from Technology Exposition classes construct rubber-band cars and adjust the specifications to travel the greatest distance.
Energy Bar: Students in Food Science embark on a multi-stage journey where they develop, market, and brand a healthy energy bar using readily available ingredients.
Movie Magic: Students in Computer Science Exploration recreate and animate a scene from a movie or TV show provided by the judges using Scratch.
Design Challenge: 6th and 7th grade Design challenges test a student's abilities to use the Design Process to solve a complex problem.
Games and Animations: Students will be asked to code "something" that builds off the skills they would have used in their CSI class. A game or animation prompt will be provided to students at the competition.
Budget Challenge: Students will complete a 3 month budget simulation using the Personal Finance Lab (60 minutes to complete). This engaging learning experience assesses their financial literacy skills with real-life scenarios and consequences.
Hovercraft: Teams of two 8th grade Pre-Engineering students put their designed and constructed hovercrafts through a timed trial across a specified distance; the fastest hovercraft wins.
Cupcake Wars: Teams of 2-4 eighth-graders from Life Skills in Society compete in a cupcake decorating competition based on a deliciously appealing theme of their choice.
Bridge Challenge: Students will build a bridge using limited materials and supplies to meet the criteria and constraints provided. Bridges will be tested to see how much they can hold.
Students or parents who want to know more about the classroom competitions should reach out to their student's middle school CTE Teacher.
For more information about the Career and Tech Fair please contact Career and Technical Education Coordinator, Norm McGaughey, or CTE Administrative Secretary, Haley Weldon, at 301-644-5188.
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.
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
End of Term 3: Term 3 ends on March 21st. 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 student’s teacher(s). All students also have access to free online tutors 24 hours a day using the TutorMe link.
Women's History Month: Women's History Month, observed annually in March, is a time dedicated to honoring and celebrating the invaluable contributions of women to society, culture, politics, science, and every other facet of human endeavor. This month-long celebration serves as a reminder of the remarkable achievements and resilience of women throughout history, as well as a call to action for gender equality and the empowerment of women worldwide.
One of the central themes of Women's History Month is recognizing the achievements of notable women who have broken barriers, defied expectations, and paved the way for future generations. These women come from diverse backgrounds and fields of expertise, but they share a common commitment to advancing the rights and opportunities of women everywhere.
One such figure is Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani education advocate who became the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate for her courageous activism in promoting girls' education. Despite facing threats and violence from the Taliban, Malala remained steadfast in her advocacy, inspiring millions around the globe with her unwavering commitment to education and equality.
In the realm of science, Marie Curie stands as a pioneering figure whose groundbreaking research on radioactivity earned her two Nobel Prizes and revolutionized our understanding of the physical world. Her tireless dedication to scientific discovery and her refusal to be constrained by gender norms continue to inspire aspiring scientists to this day.
Women's History Month is not only a time to celebrate the accomplishments of these remarkable individuals but also an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing struggle for gender equality and the work that remains to be done. By recognizing and honoring the contributions of women throughout history, we can inspire future generations.
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.
Tutor Me
Our school is proud to announce that we’ve teamed up with TutorMe to offer 24/7 online tutoring to all students!
TutorMe is a place where our students can build the connections they need to learn and thrive. Through TutorMe, students connect with a tutor who’s an exact match for what they’re looking for – whether you’re stumped by an algebra equation, craving a confidence boost, or looking for an extra challenge. There’s more to TutorMe than live online tutoring. Through the TutorMe Writing Lab, you can submit drafts of any written assignment and receive detailed feedback from expert writing tutors in just a couple hours. Reference the TutorMe Support Guide to get started. TutorMe Student Support Guide (English) ESP. Guia de Apoyo- TutorMe (Spanish)
TMS PTA Movie Night March 21st
TMS PTA Needs YOU!
2023-24 PTA Board of Directors:
Christy Donnelly-President
Jennifer O’Connell-Secretary
Elizabeth Day-Treasurer
Meeting Dates:
March 14th BOARD MEETING
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