OMS Friday Knight Live
October 20, 2023
New Information In This Newsletter:
- Coming Up @ OMS
- 1st Quarter Grade Cards in ParentVue
- Red Ribbon Week Oct. 23-27
- Spirit Days next week
- Chipotle Fundraiser for OMS Oct. 25!
- Hearing & Vision Screenings Oct. 25
- Thank You PTO
- OMS Yard Signs for Sale by the PTO
Coming Up @ OMS
November 1- No School for Students
Interested in always knowing what is going on? Check out the OMS Website: Oxford Middle School / Homepage (bluevalleyk12.org)
First Quarter Grade Cards
Now is a great time to help your student get organized and set goals for 2nd quarter. ASK, our after school homework help program, is a great way for students to get help and complete work after school. See the ASK schedule in repeated information below!
RED RIBBON WEEK Oct. 23-27
Next week (Oct. 23-27) is Red Ribbon Week at OMS! Red Ribbon Week is part of our drug and alcohol prevention programming at OMS. The OMS Counseling Department, in partnership with our Student Council, have planned a number of activities that will focus on this year's Red Ribbon theme:
“Be Kind to Your Mind: Live Drug Free.” Our focus for the week will be on promoting a drug-free and healthy lifestyle.
Did you Know? Children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs and alcohol are 42% less likely to use drugs than those who don't, yet only 25% of teens report having these conversations with family at home. Please partner with us and discuss this message with your student(s) at home—over dinner, in the car, whenever you have a few minutes to talk together. For more information about Red Ribbon Week or for tips on talking to your student about drugs, please visit the Red Ribbon website at www.redribbon.org.
SPIRIT DAYS NEXT WEEK!
The OMS Student Council will also be sponsoring OMS Spirit Week next week!! Check out the daily themes:
Monday: Barbie vs. Ken Day
Tuesday: Summer vs. Winter Day
Wednesday: Taylor Swift vs. Travis Kelce Day
Thursday: Country vs. Country Club Day
Friday: RED OUT Day for Red Ribbon Week
Eat Chipotle and the OMS PTO Earns $$
No cooking on Wednesday October 25th! The Chipotle on College & Hwy 69 will donate a portion of purchases Wednesday between 4:00pm - 8:00pm. Eat in, carry out, or online ordering!! See the flier for online ordering code and show the flier (printed or electronic) the Oxford PTO at the cash register!
Wednesday October 25 is Hearing/Vision Screening
All 7th grade students and all new students will have their hearing and vision screened during the morning hours of Wednesday October 25. Parents/Guardian, please ensure students who wear glasses or contact lenses have them on or in. We also encourage students not to wear large earrings that would prevent them properly wearing headphones.
Thank you from the Oxford Staff
Thank you PTO members for the wonderful meals during Parent Teacher conferences. We appreciate you taking care of us on the long days!
YARD SIGNS FOR SALE
OMS yard signs are for sale for $20 each! They are made from corrugated cardboard and come with a yard stake. Proceeds go toward OMS PTO teacher and student supplies/events. Payment can be made through Venmo @Oxford-MiddleSchoolPTO, or by cash/check when picking up the sign. Porch pick up is located at 9519 W 116th St, Overland Park, KS 66210 (grey house with yellow front door). Signs will be on the porch available for pick up today through 10/29 or until they are sold out - whichever comes first! Inquiries can be sent to Janie Snider, jmlogansnider@gmail.com.
Helpful Repeated Information
ASK- After-School Homework Help
6th Grade
McBride rm. 12 WEDNESDAY
Mullin-Mall rm. 6 THURSDAY
7th Grade
Brown rm. 27 TUESDAY
Rindom rm. 20 THURSDAY
8th Grade
Savage rm. 39 MONDAY
Evans rm. 40 WEDNESDAY
Spanish
Harris rm. 26 WEDNESDAY
Some October Celebrations and Observances
Down’s Syndrome Awareness Month - celebrates those with Down syndrome and raises awareness of their abilities and accomplishments. The colors blue and yellow symbolize support for the Down syndrome community.
Learning Disabilities / Dyslexia / Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Month - raises awareness and encourages the sharing of resources to support students who experience learning disabilities and attention issues.
Filipino-American Month - celebrates the heritage and achievements of the second-largest Asian American population in the U.S.
World Blindness Awareness Month - educates and raises awareness of the realities of living without sight and advocates for what is needed to live equitably.
International Day of the Girl - October 11. Adopted by the United Nations in 2011, this day promotes girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.
Parents Still Matter - October 2023 Newsletter
There are great articles this month on self-reliance and persistence, key areas for writing, activities and stress, effective study habits, and so much more!
Click HERE for the October 2023 edition
UPDATED Directions to prevent game access on student chromebooks
Preventing Game Access from Student Chromebooks: Securly Filter Request
The number one complaint in past years from parents and teachers has been student access to game sites during the school day. Parents can now choose to place their 3-12th grade students in Seculy’s "High Restrictions Filter Group" by logging a BVCARE Technology ticket. *Educational Games sites used by curriculum will still be allowed.
To log a BVCARE Technology ticket, click here: Select your user type to login to BV CARE (bluevalleyk12.org)
Course Fees Now Applied
Course fees have been added to student accounts. Not all courses have a fee associated with them. Please check in ParentVue to see if a fee applies to your student’s classes. You must use a computer browser to log into ParentVue to pay with a credit card (payments will not work via cell phone access). Fees may be paid in cash or check (exact amount for cash and checks made out to Oxford Middle School) at Oxford. Any questions may be directed to Christina Fowles, OMS Bookkeeper, CLFowles@bluevalleyk12.org
Securly at Home
1st Semester Clubs and Activities
Want to know what clubs and activities are available first semester? You can Click HERE for 1st Semester 2023 Clubs spreadsheet or go to the Activities page on the OMS website. See start dates, sponsors, and schedules for each club on the Activities page.
Order Yearbooks NOW
If you want a 2023 2024 yearbook for your student please order it now. Go to ParentVue → Fees → Optional Fees and select the 23-34 YRBOOK for $25. Extra yearbooks are not available at the end of the year. Avoid end of the year tears and order today!
OMS Social Worker Provides Resource Information
Sue Ellen Jayne is Oxford’s social worker. She can assist with connecting OMS families with needed resources and services. Ms. Jayne has a resource page on the OMS website where we post community connections. Her page can be found under Families → Social Worker Resources OMS
School Day Access
Visitors, including parents and guardians, are not permitted in the building during the school day unless they have a scheduled appointment or meeting. Once the school day has begun at 7:50am visitors must ring the doorbell (located to the right of the main doors). Adults who are picking up a student early must wait outside for the student to exit the building. Please see the School Policies and FAQs page on the OMS website for more information about the door entry system, item drop off, and student absences.
Important Travel Outside of the USA Information
This important message is for any family or staff that will travel out of the United States during the school year. Please click here to read the restrictions and recommendations for Out of the Country travel. Blue Valley resources such as Canvas, Classlink, and school email are not accessible out of the country unless you have a personal device with a VPN on it.
School Hours
Students need to be in their first hour class by 7:51 a.m.
6th & 7th grade students report to the Commons before 7:45 a.m. when they may go to lockers and classrooms
8th grade students report to the GYM before 7:45 a.m.
Students who eat breakfast will eat in the commons and then report to the commons or gym
School is dismissed at 3:00 p.m. Students who are not staying for a club or activity exit the building by 3:10 p.m.
Interested in OMS Spiritwear?
The PTO has created an online store that is open year round. 1st Place Spiritwear has a wide variety of Oxford pride clothing and accessories. A portion of each sale goes back to Oxford PTO to support our school! Mind the sizing guide as sizes tend to run small.
Preventing Game Access from Student Chromebooks: Opt-In Option for Securly Filter
The number one complaint this past year from parents has been student access to game sites during the school day. Parents can now choose to place their 3-12th grade students in the High Restrictions Filter Group by signing up here. The link has detailed information about the differences between the Default and High Restrictions Policies. The Securly update will be effective September 1.
*Educational Games sites used by curriculum will still be allowed.
Interested in a carpool this year?
For students who do not receive bus transportation, families may fill out this form to see if other families near them are interested in arranging a carpool. Anyone who fills the form out will want to check regularly for new additions. Families who use this form will reach out to other parents and guardians on this form to arrange any carpools.
Parents/Guardians For Your Refrigerator
We have created a Parent Reference Sheet and QR Codes for your reference during the school year. Scan the QR codes for links to reporting absences, adding money to lunch accounts, school day bell schedules, ParentVue, Canvas, bus company, and so much more!
Click HERE to download the 23-24 Parent Reference Sheet
Looking for OMS Information? Try the Website!
The OMS website has most of the information you will need for and during the school year. You can find the school calendar, class and lunch schedules, links to the lunch payment system, staff lists (including email addresses), rules about cell phones, how to notify us of a student absence, candid student and event photos, sports schedules, clubs and activities, and so much more! Our website is updated multiple times a week so check here for current updates! OMS Website
For the Latest Announcements and Information
Want to keep up on the latest OMS announcements and information? Check out the NEWS section on the OMS website. NEWS is located under the About Us tab.
Contact Us! We Are Here To Help!
Attendance Number: 913-239-5505
Mrs. Domoney, Principal: cdomoney@bluevalleyk12.org
Mr. Holsapple, Assistant Principal: jholsapple03@bluevalleyk12.org