Silver Creek Weekly Newsletter
October 24-October 28
Dear Silver Creek Families
We look forward to another great week of school. As a reminder, there is no school tomorrow, Monday, October 24. We will see students on Tuesday, October 25. We have less than two weeks remaining in the first marking period. The end of the quarter is November 4, 2022. Please encourage your child to submit any outstanding work they have and to take advantage of tutoring after school as we approach the end of the marking period. Tutoring is offered after school on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. If interested, please fill out the google form, HERE.
We are excited to have Spirit Week next week, October 31- November 4. Be sure to check out each day below. Let's all get in the spirit & have some fun!
In the newsletter, the section with an * has 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!
*Latest MCPS Message: Things to Know
*SCMS Spirit Week- October 31- November 4
SGA will be hosting Spirit Week next week, October 31 - November 4. Here are the days:
Monday 10/31 -Costume Day- You may wear a costume as long as you can move, we can see your face, you do not disrespect any culture and you do not have anything related to violence or drugs.
Tuesday 11/1 - Matching Day- You can match with any person or any group of people!
Wednesday 11/2 - Pink Day- We are celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness. We love to wear pink on Wednesdays.
Thursday 11/3 -PJ Day- Come in your coziest outfit.
Friday 11/4 -Spirit Day- 6th grades wear white, 7th graders wear silver/gray and 8th graders wear blue! You can also rock your SCMS gear.
Appropriate school conduct and attire is expected throughout Spirit Week; our normal dress code still applies. We look forward to seeing your school spirit.
What if a bus route is canceled or delayed?
When a bus driver or attendant is unable to come to work due to illness or unexpected leave, it puts a strain on the system to keep that bus on the road. The MCPS Department of Transportation uses substitute drivers and multiple runs to ensure that it has as many buses as possible on the roads to deliver students to school every day. Canceling a bus route is a last resort.
- If your child’s route is delayed or canceled, here is how MCPS lets you know:
- Impacted routes are published the day before or the morning of by 6:15 a.m. Information is published on MCPS website and a ConnectEd message is sent to families.
- Bus route information dashboard is updated every half hour until 9:30 a.m.
- Updates for afternoon routes- Bus route information dashboard updated by 1:30 p.m.
In addition, Silver Creek will communicate these changes to you as soon as possible via email. Thank you so much for your understanding and patience during these challenging times.
*Silver Creek News (SCN)!
Did you miss the latest Husky news. You may access the link below from Friday, October 21 2022 to hear upcoming news & events. https://youtu.be/t6-k3L3cjcI
Huskies on the M.O.V.E. with IB
~Motivated Open-minded Visionaries for Excellence~
For the month of September, our IB Learner Profile Trait attribute was CARING. Click here to see the names of staff & students who were selected as the IB Caring Husky for the month of September. Our IB Learner Profile Attribute for the month of October is Open-minded. Click here to see a video by Elizabeth Moeller on what it means to be open-minded. After watching the video, discuss how you and your family already demonstrate being open-minded, and brainstorm ways to continue practicing this trait.
*Media Moment: Library Media Center News & Notes
SPOOKY SENTENCES: Our Spooky Sentence Reading Challenge is still going on! Please encourage your student to stop by during lunch to create a spooky sentence strip. Students will be voting on the spookiest sentences next week, and winners will receive prizes on Oct. 31, during Mr. Mabee's popular lunch trivia game.
SOAR with SORA: We continue to add ebooks and audiobooks to our SORA collection. Encourage your Husky readers to use these directions to access this fantastic resource that can be accessed and enjoyed on any device, including Chromebooks!
*Yearbook Sales
We are excited to announce that SCMS Yearbooks are on Sale NOW. We are getting a head start this year with our Yearbook sales as we sold out fairly quickly last school year. Ms. Boyle & Ms. Rivera Diaz are our Yearbook sponsors. They have been meeting after school on Tuesdays with the SCMS Yearbook club to start designing the 2022-2023 yearbook. Our theme is “Inspiring Each Other.”
How to Order
- Go to yearbookforever.com and order your yearbook now. You can also use Yearbook Snap to upload and submit your own photos for the yearbook.
- Access to Yearbook Snap can be found at the top of the order page.
- See the flyers below for cost information and easy access to order with the provided QR code:
Calling ALL Husky Artists
Want to see YOUR ARTWORK on the COVER of the 2022-2023 Yearbook?
- Click HERE for more details and a QR code to upload your artwork.
Questions? Please email our yearbook sponsors at Jennifer_K_Boyle@mcpsmd.org and Roxana_RiveraDiaz@mcpsmd.org.
Winter Athletics Registration: Basketball
Winter registration opens October 31, 2022, at 12:00 noon. The ParentVUE online registration portal, available in English and Spanish, incorporates all required paper forms and documents into an internet-based platform that can be accessed using a secure ParentVUE Portal login. Parents/guardians are also able to scan and upload their child's physical, as part of the registration process. All students must be registered on ParentVue and have a valid SR-8.
You may find important Middle School Winter Athletics Information here: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/athletics/programs/default/564092/
The first basketball game will be held on January 5, 2023. Information related to tryouts will come out soon. Please email Ms. Tara Whitney (tara_a_whitney@mcpsmd.org) if you have any questions.
Tutoring Available for Students
MCPS is offering expanded tutoring opportunities to every school as part of our learning recovery efforts. Tutoring and intervention opportunities will enhance strong first instruction and other supports already underway in classrooms to support learning for every student. You may review their website for all tutoring opportunities.
We are excited to offer local tutoring at Silver Creek Middle School. Tutoring has begun. Several staff will be available in Room 407 every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3:15- 4:15 to support with all subject areas. Please complete the following INTEREST FORM if you are interested in your child receiving tutoring. After school buses are available for students.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Okun at: Matthew_Okun@mcpsmd.org.
Student Service Learning (SSL) Information & Opportunity for our Huskies!
High School Regional/Countywide Application- 8th Grade ONLY- Recording
The application season for the High School Regional/Countywide Application Programs has opened. To learn more about which high school regional/countywide application programs your child is eligible, please review the personalized program eligibility report in both the StudentVUE and ParentVUE – in DOCUMENTS (located on the left navigation bar of Synergy). The deadline to apply is November 4, 2022. You may also visit the High School Programs At-A-Glance at MCPS website for additional information: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms/high/
If you missed the information session offered by Silver Creek last week, you may view the Slides and Recording below.
Slides: SCMS HS Programs Meeting Presentation
Recording: GMT20221013-230900_Recording_1920x1040.mp4 - Google Drive
Counseling Lessons
Counselors will be going through PE to do the PBSL lessons the week of October 19 - 28. The lessons are known as Personal Body Safety Lessons and their purpose is to help students to:
- Develop knowledge, decision making skills, and behaviors which promote safe living in the home, school, and community;
- Learn skills for self-protection and identifying child abuse and neglect;
- Learn skills for asking for help for self and others and practice reporting to a trusted adult; and
- Engage in positive and appropriate interactions with peers and adults.
After School Activities
After school activities have started! After school activities will run from Tuesday, September 13 through Thursday, May 25 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 is posted here in the Extracurricular Activities Brochure.
The date and times are listed under each activity. There is no need to register & students can register throughout the school year. Students may stay after school and meet in the location noted under the activity. 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 sponsor to ride the bus.
Any questions related to after school activities, please contact Ms. Carman at Claudia_Carman@mcpsmd.org.
PARENT RESOURCES
*Principal Coffee
We are excited to have monthly principal coffees once a month. Our next principal coffee is scheduled for Friday, December 2 from 8:30-9:10 am. This is a great time to hear about school-wide happenings and events related to students' academic and social well being. More information about the November topic will come out soon.
Thank you to those who joined us last Friday, 10/21 for the principal coffee. Here you may find a copy of the slide deck.
*Counselor News & Updates
Check out our Counseling Newsletter for the Month of October!
*Caring Matters November Program for grieving families. Please check out their website for more information. https://www.caringmatters.org/family-nights
Parents - Our wonderful PTSA has created a pantry for students to take food home over the weekend. If you would like your child to be a part of this program, you need to fill out the Husky Help form. If you did not see the Husky Help form last week, please send your student to counseling to get a form.
There are other programs you may also sign up for on that form including a winter coat, book fair coupon and winter holiday help. Please contact your student's counselor if you have additional questions.
You may find the counseling website located below: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/scmsmcpscounseling/school-counseling-team
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
Message from PTSA
PTSA Listserv The SCMS PTSA listserv is our best tool for communicating with parents, and we strongly encourage everyone to subscribe. Send an email to scmsptsa+subscribe@groups.io or email our moderator directly with your child’s name and grade at AbbyCallaway.ncr@gmail.com.
Lista de distribución de la PTSA La lista de distribución de la PTSA de SCMS es nuestra mejor herramienta para comunicarse con los padres, y recomendamos a todos que se suscriban. Envíe un correo electrónico a scmsptsa+subscribe@groups.io o envíe un email a nuestro moderador directamente con el nombre y el grado de su hijo/a a AbbyCallaway.ncr@gmail.com.
PTSA Listserver የ SCMS PTSA listserv ከወላጆች ጋር የምንገናኝበት ምርጥ መሳሪያችን ነው እና ሁሉም ሰው እንዲመዘገብ አጥብቀን እናበረታታለን። ለsmsptsa+subscribe@groups.io ኢሜል ይላኩ ወይም በቀጥታ በልጅዎ ስም እና ክፍል በ AbbyCallaway.ncr@gmail.com ለአወያይያችን ኢሜይል ያድርጉ።
Free and Reduced Meals
The application is open for parents and guardians to complete and submit for assistance with the cost of school meals. Families of students who may qualify for free or reduced-price meals can apply for this service. Eligibility is based on family size and gross income. Beginning this year, students in Maryland who qualify for reduced-price meals will not be charged for breakfast or lunch meals.
Important Dates to Remember
October 24- No school for students; professional day for teachers
November 4- End of Marking Period 1
November 7- No school for students. Professional Day for Teachers
November 8- Holiday. Schools and Offices Closed
November 21- Parent/Teacher Conferences- Information will come out soon.
November 21 & 22- Early Release days for students
November 23- Systemwide Closure. Schools and Offices Closed
November 24, 25- Thanksgiving. Schools and Offices Closed
Link to MCPS Calendar
Student Absence
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
Important Contacts
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- 3:30 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