Community Soar Report
To SOAR with eagles all you need is to BELIEVE you can fly
October 2020
Mid-Term Reflections
Greetings Eagle Families,
We have already reached mid-term for the first quarter and are wrapping up our fifth week of virtual learning. I am incredibly proud of our students, staff, and parents/guardians for continually demonstrating the power of grit and perseverance. It is important for us to acknowledge and celebrate the successes of these first few weeks. However, in my opinion, the true celebrations lie with your determination to continue pushing even when things were challenging and complicated. The first few weeks presented us with systemic technology issues, scheduling conflicts, and complexities with virtual learning. However, our students, staff, and parents/guardians didn’t allow these challenges to deter them from learning, teaching, and growing and for that I am grateful.
As we move through the next several weeks, I ask that we continue working together to ensure that our students are successful. I greatly appreciate the feedback, reflections, suggestions, and celebrations that I have received from you and hope that you will continue to communicate them with me. Please take some time over the next few days to reflect with your child on the first half of the term. You may consider reflecting on the following questions:
- What has gone well?
- What has been the greatest frustration?
- How will you ensure that you are even more successful in the second half of the term?
Parents/Guardians, thanks again for all that you are doing to support your child in this virtual learning environment; I know that it has been challenging and at times very frustrating. Without your partnership the first five weeks would not have been as successful as they were. Thanks to your efforts, we continue to demonstrate that we truly are #OMSBetterTogether!
Thanks,
Daniel L. Enck
Principal
Important Information
Attendance - Students should make every possible attempt to attend each synchronous session of their daily schedule. However, there will be times during the year in which a student is unable to attend due to connectivity issues, appointments, illness, etc. If your child misses a session or sessions for any of these reasons, please email a note to our attendance secretary, Ms. Nancy Sanders at oms.attendance@fcps.org. Please include your child's first and last name, grade, date of absence, and reason for absence. If Ms. Sanders has any questions, she will reach out for clarification.
Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) - ELO is a new program for OMS and is accessible for ALL of our students. ELO provides students with an opportunity to seek guidance/clarification/help from an OMS staff member after school hours. ELO will utilize a "drop-in" model in which students will have access to a unique Google Meet link for our ELO staff. We are offering ELO on the following days/times:
- Monday: 4:00PM - 5:00PM and 5:00PM - 6:00PM
- Tuesday: 4:00PM - 5:00PM and 5:00PM - 6:00PM
- Wednesday: 4:00PM - 5:00PM and 5:00PM - 6:00PM
- Thursday: 4:00PM - 5:00PM and 5:00PM - 6:00PM
- Friday: 4:00PM - 5:00PM
Students can access the ELO Google Meet links by joining the Oakdale Middle School ELO Schoology Group with the following group code: RRMP-2M9S-VX69F
Google Meet - In the virtual learning environment, Google Meet serves as the primary tool in which teachers are delivering direct instruction. While in the Google Meet, students are not required to have their cameras on, but are expected to be fully present and engaged. While performing informal observations over the past several weeks, I have observed students who were in the Google Meet, but were clearly not present or engaged. This was evident as some students were non-responsive to questions from the teacher or were not actively working on assignments/activities. I am asking for your help in reiterating the importance and expectation that during the assigned class times, students should be fully present, engaged, and able to respond to questions either verbally or via the chat box feature. Having students be actively engaged during the direct instruction will greatly increase their ability to be academically successful.
Library Media Updates -
- Are you a spelling whiz, or do you enjoy a challenge? Consider joining the OMS Spelling Club. The club will meet on Mondays @ 2:30 pm in the Google meet omsweberelo. Click here to sign up.
- Book clubs begin October 26 for 6th grade, October 27 for 7th grade, and October 28 for 8th grade. The club is during lunch from 12-12:30 pm, once a week until November 19. Pick up your own copy during curbside pick up October 19-23. Click here to sign up.
- Curbside pick up will be Monday October 19-Friday October 23 from 8 am- 5pm? Use the following links to put holds on specific book titles or use the Google form to receive a fall book bundle.
- Schoology Group Code: S6ZM-8SNT-53NST
Mid-Term Grade - Friday, October 2 is mid-term. Teachers will be working on updating and finalizing all mid-term grades between Friday, October 2 and Thursday, October 8. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to check grades in Schoology on Friday, October 9. The grades that will be posted on October 9 will represent the "mid-term" grade. Additionally, OMS will be printing and mailing interims for students who have earned a "D" or "F" in any class at mid-term. Please reach out to your child's teacher(s) if you have specific grading questions.
Parent-Teacher Conferences - Parent-teacher conferences will take place on October 21, 22, and 23. All parent-teacher conferences will be held virtually via Google Meet. Each teacher will email/share their unique parent-teacher conference Google Meet link with parents/guardians prior to your scheduled conference time. Each scheduled conference will last 10 minutes. OMS will send the digital "Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Up" document via a Find-Out-First message on Monday, October 5. All conference time slots will be available on a first come, first serve basis. The "Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Up" document will remain open through Monday, October 12. If all of the time slots for a specific teacher are filled, please contact the teacher to set up a conference. Conferences will be offered during the following times on each day:
- Wednesday, October 21: Evening conferences 3:15 - 7:30
- Thursday, October 22: Evening Conferences 3:45 - 7:30
- Friday, October 23: Afternoon Conferences 12:30 -3:30
Construction Update
Construction update from Keller Brothers Inc.:
September Progress:
- Remaining floor slab poured.
- Mobilized and installed all Structural Steel/Joist and roof decking. Including Inspections.
- Completed install of gas line extension for the new addition.
- Replaced the schools main breaker for added power needed for the addition.
- Performed interior and exterior wall layout.
- Started exterior wall framing.
- Started above ceiling storm and vent piping to the roof.
- Poured steel column bases, locker bases, and equipment housekeeping pads.
October look ahead key milestones:
- Complete exterior framing and Sheathing.
- Complete storm and vent piping to the roof.
- Install roof blocking and roof curbs.
- Start roofing installation by the end of the month.
- Start duct work and water piping above ceiling.
- Install brick ties and flashing on exterior walls.
- Start air barrier and spray foam installation at exterior walls by the end of the month.
Steel Install
Interior Concrete Infill
Exterior Framing
Important Dates/Upcoming Events
Friday, October 2nd - Mid-Term: Two Hour Early Dismissal
Monday, October 5th - Parent-Teacher Conference sign-ups sent via Find Out First
Friday, October 9th - Interims Issued to any student with a "D" or "F" (Schoology grades represent the mid-term grade)
Monday, October 12th - Last day to sign-up for Parent-Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, October 14th - Virtual PTSA Meeting @ 6:30
Friday, October 16th - Schools Closed
Wednesday, October 21st - 4 hour delayed opening - Evening Parent-Teacher Conferences
Thursday, October 22nd - 4 hour delayed opening - Evening Parent-Teacher Conferences
Friday, October 23rd - 3.5 hour early dismissal - Afternoon Parent-Teacher Conferences
Tuesday, November 3rd - Schools Closed
2020 Reflections Program
PTSA Updates
Hebba Hassanein - President
Joyce Hamba - Vice President
Jonathan Munemo - Vice President
Lisa Nelson - Secretary
Suzanne Trotter - Treasurer
Message from the OMS PTSA:
Please stay tuned for some fun activities that we are planning for this month including a pumpkin decorating contest, membership drive, and the launch of the new OMS PTSA website!
Upcoming Meetings and Events:
Wednesday, October 14th - Virtual PTSA board meeting @ 6:30
PTSA Social Media Links:
Facebook - @OakdaleMSPTSA
Instagram - @schoolOakdalemiddle
Twitter - @MiddleOakdale
Contact Us:
Oakdale Middle School
Email: daniel.enck@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/oms/
Location: 5810 Oakdale School Rd, Ijamsville, MD, USA
Phone: 240-236-5500
Twitter: @FCPS_OakdaleMS