Ola Middle School
Parent Newsletter - October 2018
From the Principal's Desk......
You can help at home by having conversation with your child about what they are learning each day here at school.
What is going on in our classrooms this year?
- All students are goal setting (some by unit and some by leaning target). We want to move all students towards goal setting by Learning Target this year.
- All classrooms are working towards putting student goals into the Learner Profile. Our goal is to have 100% of our classes using the Learner Profile for goal setting
- Planning to host our first Student Led Conference Night in the spring. Teachers will guide students through the process this year.
Henry Teaching and Learning Standards
While focusing on improving literacy learning for all OMS students and embedding the personalized learning best practice of student agency into what we do here at OMS we are focused on strengthening to core business of what we do as educators. We are committed to strengthening what we teach and what our students learn. The link below provides clarity on the standards and learning expectations for all Henry County Students.
How to use Google Calendar as an agenda
Help your Ola Mustang stay organized by using Google Calendar as an agenda. They can post upcoming test dates, homework assignments, and more.
Media Center News
Thanks to everyone who supported our Fall Book Fair! We were able to raise funds that will be used on books and special programs for our students.
Did you know that students have a book goal for reading? Check with their Language Arts teachers. Most of the Language Arts classes have a goal of reading a certain amount and genre of books to work towards reading for their class. This is an ongoing goal that lasts all year. This goal is linked to the media center’s 25 Book Cookout which will be in May. To attend the cookout, students must read 25 Books (150 pages counts as one book) by the end of April. Reading makes you smarter, increases your vocabulary and comprehension skills, and helps raise your Lexile!
All students were trained on how to use Overdrive in September. Overdrive is a website (and app) where students can listen to audiobooks or read electronic books.
Did you know students can now print from their chromebooks? The cost of printing is .10 for black and white and .25 for color pages. Students must first put money on their Papercut accounts by coming to the media center and seeing Ms. Harp or Ms. Whitaker. Once students put money on their accounts, they can print from anywhere in the school and pick the pages up in the media center. We recommend students start by putting $1 on their Papercut accounts.
6th Grade students will have an in-school field trip on October 26. Chad Crews, a storyteller and magician, will make works of literature come to life in this session. He will focus on the works of Poe, Shelley, and other spooky tales. The cost to attend this in-school field trip is $3. More information will be coming home from the Language Arts teachers.
Book Club/Reading Bowl Update
Our next meeting of the OMS Book Club is on Tuesday, 10/16 at 8:00 a.m. in the media center. We will discuss the book We Will Not Be Silent. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Chess Club
Chess Club meets every Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. in the media center. This is a club for students who like to play chess or want to learn to play chess. Everyone is welcome to attend!
OMS Chess Club
Does your student like to play chess? Would they like to learn to play chess? The chess club meets every Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. in the media center. Every student is welcome to attend. The OMS Chess Club is seeking donations of new or used chess boards and sets. Email Ms. Harp for more information at christi.harp@henry.k12.ga.us
Please check the OMS Website for updated information throughout the month!
October 2
- 7th Grade Football @ OMS
- Softball game @ OMS
October 3
- C. Anderson participates in county "Shadow a Student Challenge Day"
- OMS Fall Chorus Concert
- 8th grade football @ LMS
October 4
- Softball game @ OMS
October 5
- End of Grading Period
October 8
- Student Holiday - Staff Professional Development Day
October 9
- 7th grade football @ ARMS
- Softball game @ OMS
- Orchestra Fall Concert
October 10
- 8th grade football @ OMS - Pep Band Performs
October 11
- 7th and 8th grade Concert Band Rehearsal 4-5:45 pm
October 13
- OMS Cheer Team Competition @ OHS
October 16
- 7th grade football game @ HCMS
October 17
- 8th grade football @ OMS - Pep Band Performs
October 18
- 7th and 8th grade Band Fall Concert
- FFA Meeting
October 20
- OMS Cheer Team Competition @ UGHS
October 26
- Pink Out Day @ OMS
Start With Hello
October is Bullying Prevention Month. In an effort to increase connectedness at Ola Middle School, we will observe a program created by Sandy Hook Promise called Start with Hello Week. Start with Hello will take place next week, October 1st-5th. By the end of the week, we hope our students will see someone alone, reach out and help, and start with hello.
School refusal behavior usually occurs in students who have higher levels of anxiety or depression. Below are a few warning signs for school refusal behavior and a few tips on how to help. For more information about school refusal behavior, please email our school social worker at Rebekah.ross@henry.k12.ga.us
Common Warning Signs How to Help
· Physical complaints: headaches and stomachaches · Set up predictable routines in the evening and morning to help prepare for the day
· Avoiding significant days: testing days, projects, class speeches, etc. · Communicate concerns with teacher, counselor, assistant principal, or social worker early and often
· Frequent visits to the clinic at school · Seek mental health services to address underlying issues with anxiety or depression
· Frequent requests to call home or texts from your child throughout the day · Remember that “practice makes better, not perfect.” Encourage your child’s efforts especially on difficult days.
· Increased anxiety about returning to school after a weekend or break
Thank you....
PTO would like to thank those families that have given their support and joined PTO. Also thank you for all of the wonderful donations for the staff ice cream social. We have lots of event and volunteer opportunities available. Stay informed - join our Ola Middle School PTO Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PTOOLAMS
PTO would like to thank our platinum sponsors:
A platinum sponsor gives a donation of $250 or more, either monetary or service/product.
Dr. Liliana Mejia Orthodontics
Harding Plumbing
JSA Dental Associates
Ola Athletic Association
Pilgreens
Snapping Shoals EMC
*Also, if you haven't already done so, please consider 'Liking' the
official Ola Middle School Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ola-Middle-School/147597838635982*
It's a Mustang Pink Out - October 26th
- OMS Trucker Hats $20
- Pink Out T-Shirts available starting October 3 - $15 each - a portion of the profits go to support our OMS Relay for Life OMS Donation.
Personalized Learning Corner
Our Personalized Learning Vision:
At Ola Middle School we promote student agency through learning experiences that are: Student-driven, Real world applicable, Engaging, Relevant, Challenging, Supportive, Collaborative, Iterative, Tech-enabled
What is going on in our classrooms this year?
- All classrooms are goal setting (some by unit, and some by Learning Target
- We want to move all classrooms this year towards setting goals by Learning Target
- All classrooms are working towards putting goals into the Learner Profile
- Our goal is to have 100% of our classes using the Learner Profile for goal setting
- Student-led conferences by Spring
- Teachers will guide students through the process this year
What will change next year?
- Classrooms will use the design thinking process to incorporate real world problems into the learning experience - making it more relevant and engaging
- We will start out next year doing mini, week long design thinking activities mostly derived by the teacher
- Teachers will provide students with choices of learning resources
Thank you to all the parents who participated in our latest Parent Advisory Meeting. We were absolutely thrilled with the turnout and support that we received that night. We received a lot of very valuable feedback and suggestions from our parents on how we can increase the effectiveness of the partnership between the teachers, the parents, and the students to ensure the greatest success of our students. Based on the feedback we received, we are currently in the process of putting practices in place to help strengthen the communication and collaboration between home and school in order to unify our school and community. If you were unable to attend last month's meeting, please consider joining us for our next Parent Advisory Meeting, which will be held on Monday, December 17, 2018 at 5:30 PM in the media center at OMS. We are "Better Together"!
I look forward to meeting with you all soon. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about Personalized Learning at OMS. You may reach me by email at lreed@henry.k12.ga.us
Thanks,
Lois Reed
Personalized Learning Lead
Thanks,
Lois Reed, Personalized Learning Lead
Shout Outs.....
- Attendance: From the beginning of the year last year(2017) until Fall Break compared to the beginning of the year this year (2018) until Fall Break, students missing more than 2 days is down -14%. Yeh!!
- Thank you to our PTO Board for hosting our Spirit Link Contest during Spirit/Homecoming Week.
- Shout out to Mr. Fowler, Ms. Lindsey and Mr.Bull! These teachers were the winners of the spirit link contest.
Our mini-relay raised $6350.00 this year. Thanks for the donations and the help of our parent volunteers.
Athletics:
All athletes that are planning on playing a sport during the 18-19 school year must have a current physical uploaded to our PlanetHS digital platform. All physical forms are available to be downloaded from our Athletic Forms page on the school website: www.schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/domain/5280 along with step by step instructions on how to set up your PlanetHS account. No athlete will be permitted to tryout for any sport without a current physical and clearance form that are signed and dated by a physician and uploaded to PlanetHS. Physicals are only good for one calendar year.
Please check our athletic websites for up to date information regarding schedules. Come join us for a game and support our student athletes!
Technology
Hey Parents did you know:
Chromebooks are the single most used school resource your students have? It’s used for classwork, homework, projects and testing.
We have had 197 broken Chromebooks sent for repair since we deployed them the 2nd week of school? Of that 197, 117 were broken screens which are about $32 a piece (117 X $32 = $3,744) and 80 were broken keyboards which are about $20 each (80 X $20 = $1,600).
Your student can simply do the “Chromebook Swipe” to clear anything (pens, pencils, earbuds, etc.) that might cause damage before they close up their Chromebooks thereby avoiding future damages?
Please help us make sure that students are not placing papers, pens/pencils, or earbuds in the Chromebook case. Nothing in the case, just the Chromebook alone.
Parent Communication:
· Please sign up for the OMS 18-19 Parent Remind texts. Enter this number – 81010, Text this message - @d4gd94
· All OMS students have Infinite Campus Parent Portal accounts. This account provides you information regarding your child’s attendance and grades. Nine week report cards are posted for access through this parent portal account. If you do not have access or do not know how to access this account please contact the counseling office for assistance.
- Check out our Twitter page @OMS_HCS and the Ola Middle School Facebook page.
OMS School Council
The purpose of the school council is to bring communities and schools closer together in a spirit of cooperation to provide support for teachers, administrators, students and families. We focus on issues related to student achievement, school improvement, and school safety. Information in regards to school and county initiatives and activities is also shared in an effort to keep parents and the community informed. The council is strictly advisory in nature, providing the school with additional insight and suggestions.
The following will be parent representatives on the OMS School Council during the 2018-19 school year:
Natalie Sledge
Belgicia Howell-Cowart
Emily Mangual
John Wood
Kim Johnson (Ad-hoc representing the OMS PTO)
The school council meets September, October, November, December, January, February, March and May on the last Wednesday (except for May) of each month at 8:45 a.m. in the front office conference room.
Our next School Council Meeting will take place on October 31st at 8:45 am in the front office conference room.
Ola Middle School
Website: https://schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/oms
Location: 353 North Ola Road, McDonough, GA, USA
Phone: 770 288 2108
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ola-Middle-School
Twitter: @OMS_HCS