Silver Creek MS Weekly Newsletter
March 20- March 24
Dear Silver Creek Families
Spring arrives tomorrow, Monday, March 20. It's also March Madness for all those basketball enthusiast! This is definitely an exciting time of year. Looking forward to another great week of school for our Huskies! We only have two more weeks in Quarter 3- hang in there! Spring Break is quickly approaching.
The sections marked with an * have 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!
*Silver Creek News (SCN)
Did you miss the latest Husky news. You may access the link below from Friday, March 17 to hear the latest news & events: Silver Creek News - YouTube
*Latest MCPS Message: Things to Know from 3/16/23
Here are five things to know for Thursday Mar.16. Get information about the next fentanyl forum, prekindergarten and head start registration, the long running Rock 'n' Roll Revival at Sherwood HS, and a grand prize winning documentary by two Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. middle school students.
*Screenagers Next Chapter at SCMS
This Thursday, March 23, from 7:00-9:00 PM, the SCMS PTSA is hosting a screening of Screenagers Next Chapter: Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience. The documentary explores how we can help our kids thrive in a screen and stress-filled world. Following the documentary, there will be a moderated discussion.
Students (5th grade and up) are encouraged to join the screening and discussion with their parent(s) or caregiver (the children featured in this film are in middle school and high school). If you aren't familiar with Screenagers, please check out the Trailer on YouTube.
Seating is limited, so please sign up. We hope you’ll be able to attend!
Media Moment: Library Media Center News and Notes
MARCH BOOK MADNESS IS ON!: Head over the Library Media Center website HERE and encourage your students to predict the winners. Our battles will begin this Tuesday, and we can't stand the suspense. Our students have selected some great contenders, and voting for our favorites won't be easy, but it will be FUN! If students haven't yet read the battling books, they can vote based on book previews.
THIS WEEK IN THE LMC: Science 7 students have been working hard in the LMC this week researching genetic diseases and learning about website credibility, source citation, and paraphrasing. Our Digital Literacy students are also practicing these skills as they research current issues such as school reform, deforestation, teens and screens, and more. To communicate their new knowledge, students are creating infographics, debating, and delivering original speeches.
No Place for Hate School
Silver Creek Middle school is a No Place for Hate School. Our goal with NPFH is to actively challenge and interrupt hateful and discriminatory language, attitudes, and behaviors that discriminate against personal characteristics that include, race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, and language. We integrate NPFH lessons through P.A.W.S (advisory) to engage students in being upstanders against hate. By interrupting hate and bias, we create a safer environment where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and valued.
You may review the most recent town hall slides we shared with students from March 3 here: Town Hall Google Slides.
I am honored to serve as the principal of Silver Creek and my priority is and will always be the psychological and physical safety of all children at Silver Creek. By working together, schools and families can create a united front against hate and bias behaviors and promote a culture of respect, diversity, and inclusion. We appreciate our families supporting the school's efforts by reinforcing these expectations at home and actively engaging in discussions about the harm caused by hate and bias.
Celebrate Women's History Month: March 1-March 31.
Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. Since 1987, the United States has formally recognized March as National Women’s History Month. It has been annually observed in the United States and other countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia. March is selected as the month for observing Women’s History Month to correspond with International Women’s Day on March 8, and Canada observes it in October in correspondence with Persons Day on October 18. Check out this great resource for more information.
Spring Testing
The table below highlights the dates of our spring testing. Please Click here for more information on the MCAP assessment.
All 8th grade students completed their Science MCAP last week. If any student needs to make up the assessment, students will receive a communication. If you have any questions about testing, please contact Mr. David O'Shell, assistant principal, at David_O'Shell@mcpsmd.org
Reminder- 6th Grade Outdoor Education Permission Forms.
Have you returned your Outdoor Education permission slip? Outdoor Education is approaching quickly: April 12 - 14 and April 17 - 19!
Outdoor Education is an important part of the 6th grade curriculum for all 6th grade students in MCPS. Please return your permission slip to your child's English teacher as soon as possible. Information about the trip is contained in the parent information packet, but please feel free to contact Ms. Cornell (sandra_cornell@mcpsmd.org) or Ms. Miller (Kelly_M_Miller@mcpsmd.org) if you have any questions or concerns.
Financial assistance is available as needed - please contact Ms. Cornell or counseling at Susan_A_Levine@mcpsmd.org. We look forward to having all 6th grade students participate in this exciting learning experience!
PARENT RESOURCES
*Principal Coffee
We are excited to have monthly principal coffees once a month. We will not have a scheduled principal coffee in the Month of April. Our next virtual principal coffee is scheduled for Friday, May 5, 2023 at 8:30 AM. This is a great time to hear about school-wide happenings and events related to students' academic and social well-being. The topic for May will be announced soon.
If you missed the March 17th principal coffee, you may find the recording in the parent handbook along with all presentations. https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/silver-creek-parent-handbook/meetings-and-presentations
Counselor News & Updates
If you have questions related to registration/enrollment or transcripts, please contact Latonya Abrom at Latonya_N_Abrom@mcpsmd.org
For Mental Health Supports, check out this link below:
https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/scmsmcpscounseling/mental-health-supports
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
Bullying, Harassment & Intimidation
Our goal at Silver Creek Middle School is to foster a school climate that promotes empathy, embraces diversity, and ensures all students feel a sense of belonging. In addition to giving consequences for bullying, harassment & intimidation behaviors aligned with the Student Code of Conduct, we also engage in restorative conversations in an effort to sustain anti-bullying behaviors. Consequences alone may not always address the root causes of bullying or help to repair the harm caused by these behaviors. By repairing harm and building relationships, restorative conversations can help prevent future incidents where all students can thrive.
If your child experiences any form of Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation, please inform Dr. Awkard, principal; your child's administrator, or counselor. You may also report Bullying, Harassment, and Intimidation by using the following form below:
Ways to Report: English: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1areawDK08nMCq-2z3wW0PctPntog0eVX/view?usp=sharingSpanish: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZVC11h8vBYrzL1yyJgMYLRyE-SLmbDFg/view?usp=sharing
You may also use the following Hate-Bias Reporting Form to report:
Upcoming Dates to Remember
March 22 - 6th Grade Outdoor Education Chaperone Training. 6:00 p.m. in the media center.
March 31- End of Quarter 3; No School for Students
April 3- April 10- Spring Break
April 11- Quarter 4 Begins
April 21- Professional Day. No School for Students
Early dismissal reminder
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- 4:00 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