Important Calendar Date Reminders

• Saturday, February 3rd-All County Chorus Concert @ 4:00pm GTJHS
• Monday, February 6th-17th-7th Grade Fundraiser: Country Meat Sticks
• Tuesday, February 7th-Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night @ 6:00pm TMS
• Wednesday, February 8th-PBIS Fundraiser @ Roy Rogers
• Wednesday, February 15th-2-hour early dismissal-Mid-Term
• Friday, February 17th-All Money and Orders due for 7th Grade Fundraiser
• Monday, February 20th-Schools Closed-President's Day
• Wednesday, February 22nd-SGA Meeting @ 2:30
• Friday, February 24th-Interims Issued
• Friday, February 24th-PTA Candy Bingo @ 2:30-3:30 TMS
• Thursday, March 2nd-TMS PTA Meeting @ 5:00
• Monday, March 6th-MISA Testing for 8th Grade
• Tuesday, March 7th-MISA Testing for 8th Grade
• Wednesday, March 8th-MISA Testing for 8th Grade
• Thursday, March 9th-MISA Testing for 8th Grade

2022-2023 TMS YEARBOOKS ARE ON SALE NOW

Get your pre-sale yearbook for $25 (soft cover) and $30 (hard cover) ONLINE SALES ONLY

Please click here to order your 2022-2023 TMS Yearbook

http://yearbooks.classic-photo.com/ThurmontMiddle/home3/Bookstore.jsp

Get your copy now at the Pre-sale price. Sale Ends on April 9, 2023.

Any extra copies after the sale ends will be $35 and on a first come, first serve basis. We will NOT hold or reserve any orders.

Please contact Ms. Coposky, Allison.Coposky@fcps.org, if you have any questions or concerns.

As you may know, Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) has been approved by the Maryland State Department of Education to implement up to three virtual instructional days in lieu of systemwide closure during inclement weather. While not necessarily the first option, the Learning @ Home days provide FCPS flexibility in responding to various weather emergencies. In developing the FCPS plan, our goal is to: mitigate disruption to learning mid-year; minimize additional days that often need to be added at the end of the school year; and keep students connected to learning in the event of an extended closure. Additional information can be found here.

As a result, our school has been engaged in planning and preparation for this possibility, to ensure full readiness if a virtual instruction day were to be implemented. Here’s what you need to know and how you can help your child prepare:

• Instructional Activities: All assignments will be independent and self-paced (asynchronous). You can expect approximately 20-30 minutes per subject area, that students can complete at a time that works for them or the household. Assignments and activities will be review and practice, not new content. In many cases, students will have choice in selecting the instructional activity. Please note that the design of these instructional days does not require students to follow a typical school or “live” virtual schedule. Assignments will include instructional activities aligned to the curriculum, as provided by FCPS or assigned by your child’s teacher. All assignments will be posted in Schoology, for digital access or for a copy of printed packet that will also be available.

• Middle and High School: All assignments will be posted in Schoology, as provided by FCPS or assigned by your child’s teachers. Print options will be available if requested by the student or parent/guardian.

• Attendance: Students will be counted as “present” by logging into Schoology on the virtual learning day or turning in assignments upon return to school. Students who were unable to access the instructional activities during the virtual learning day will be provided with additional time.

• Support: During a Learning @ Home Day, our staff will be available to provide “live” support to students during the day via Google Meet, in an Office Hours format. This is optional for students and not required. A schedule of support and Google Meet links will be provided if/when we have a Learn @ Home Day.

In addition, students needing support can also send a Schoology message to their teachers. Anyone having trouble reaching staff via Schoology and/or Google Meet during the assigned times can call the TMS office number (240-236-5100) between 7 AM and 3 PM for assistance.

Please note that in the event of a virtual instructional day, FCPS will provide communication and notice well in advance of any predicted inclement weather to ensure that schools, students, and families are aware of this possibility and are fully prepared. Again, this communication is to assist in planning and preparation for this possibility that may be utilized in the future based on a multitude of factors. I will keep you fully informed as we move forward in planning.

I’m sure you know an FCPS teacher who not only has had a significant impact on young people, but has also been an outstanding representative of the teaching profession! It’s that time of the year to nominate that person for the Charles E. Tressler Distinguished Teacher Award.

This award is named for a former member of the Hood College faculty who encouraged young people to enter the profession of teaching. The college presents the award annually to honor distinguished teaching in the Frederick County public school system. The award was established by a gift from the late Samuel Eig of Gaithersburg.

A panel of FCPS judges will screen the nominations and select finalists before forwarding materials to Hood College. We welcome nominations from current and former students, teachers and support staff, parents, community members, administrators and supervisors. Hood College will recognize the winner this spring.

Complete eligibility, nomination criteria, process and selection guidelines are located online at www.fcps.org/awards. The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 17, 2023. Please contact Wanda.Ford@fcps.org or 301-696-6900 with any questions.

Term 3 Mid-Term Information: Mid-Term for term 3 is on Wednesday, February 15th.

If your child has missing assignments or needs to complete a re-assessment, please encourage them to do so as soon as possible.

The deadline to submit missing assignments and re-dos/reassessment for the first half of term 3 is Wednesday, February 8th, one week prior to the end of term 3 date.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact your child's teacher.

All students also have access to free online tutors 24 hours a day using the TutorMe link in Schoology.

Morning Arrival: Reminder, TMS doors are not open to students until 7:00 am, please do not drop off your student prior to this time as there is NO supervision of students prior to 7:00am. Thank you for your attention to this.

Morning Breakfast: Car riders and walkers need to be in their period 1 class by 7:25am. Breakfast will only be available until 7:20am (unless there is a late bus) since our school day begins at 7:25am. If your student wants to access breakfast at TMS in the morning, please make sure that they arrive before 7:20am.

Technology Fees: Students are responsible for damaged or loss of devices and may be charged for repairs.

• 1st Repair - $30

• 2nd Repair - $60

• 3rd Repair - $120

• Lost Chargers - $30

Attendance Matters: The Thurmont Middle School Staff wants students to attend school every day. Absences mean that a student misses skills and concepts essential to academic success. Please take a moment to view our TMS Attendance Brochure.

What Can You Do:

• Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.
• Help your student maintain daily routines.
• Seek out help for any issues that may be interfering with your student’s attendance at school, such as mental health, physical health, or peer issues.
• Work with school personnel to develop a plan to improve your student’s attendance.
• Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties.
• Check on your child’s attendance to be sure absences are not adding up.

No amount of make-up work can replace the quality of learning achieved in the classroom from direct instruction and interactions with the teacher and classmates.

Attendance Information:

If your child is unable to attend school due to an illness or doctor's appointment, or any other reason, please email a note to our attendance secretary, Ms. Shannon Ingram at tms.attendance@fcps.org.

For early dismissals:

• Parent/Guardian will come to the office to sign student out
• Please bring your ID
• Allow adequate time to locate student for an early dismissal
• If you allow someone else to sign your student out, please note the name you authorize in your note to the school. They will be required to show ID to pick up student.

Don’t forget, when going to a medical appointment, remember to get a doctor's note from their office. We will update your student's attendance accordingly.

FCPS Bus Delay Information:

A quick and easy resource to check if your child's bus is delayed is to visit https://apps.fcps.org/transdelay/ This site is updated in real-time to reflect any bus delays.

Volunteering at TMS:

Are you interested in volunteering at TMS? If so, all volunteers must complete the virtual training linked here. Please note this must be completed to chaperone field trips. Please reach out to Shannon Ingram with questions/concerns.

FREE DENTAL CARE FOR CHILDREN

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2023 8AM-4 PM

(LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

Lee Family Dentistry
604 Solarex Ct, Suite 200, Frederick, MD 21703

Free fillings, cleanings, and extractions for children ages 3-18.

Qualifications: Children from Low Income Families or Uninsured Children

MUST CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT - first come first serve
301-662-0300

All schools are required to share the following FCPS Regulations:

Regulation 500 - 32: Replacement of Lost or Damaged Instructional Materials

Regulation 400 - 73: Responsible Use of Digital Technology

Regulation 400 - 48: Bullying, Harassment, Intimidation Complaint Process for Students

Regulation 500 - 05: Grading, Reporting, and Intervention-Secondary

2022-23 PTA Board of Directors:
Christy Donnelly-President

Danielle Bloxham-Treasurer

Amanda Knott-Secretary

PTA Meetings 5:00-6:00pm

March 2 Board Meeting

April 6 General Meeting

May 4 Board Meeting

Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/kwp-hdkz-new