The Mustang Minutes

Welcome Home, Mustang Families: There's No Place Like OLHMS!

Dear OLHMS Families,

I am thrilled to welcome both our returning families and those who are joining our Mustang community for the first time as we celebrate our theme for this year: "No Place Like OLHMS!"

OLHMS is an incredible place for our scholars to flourish, serving as the vibrant, welcoming hub of our community. Just as our new theme suggests, we want our school to feel like a second home—a place that gives our scholars the opportunity to take responsibility for their love of learning and creates an educational experience that motivates our young leaders, preparing them to positively impact the world.

Our Mustang staff is a passionate, positive, and hard-working team! Thank you to all of our school stakeholders for entrusting us with your most precious gifts—our children. We realize the significance of these years, and our partnership is not taken lightly. I know this staff is dedicated and committed to allowing the dreams of our scholars to become their reality.

In District 123, we are committed to our belief that 100% of our scholars can achieve their academic goals. I look forward to watching them grow and creating meaningful opportunities for reflection across our student body and staff. Here’s to an amazing school year ahead!"

Madalyn Laureto

Proud Principal, OLHMS

We are a little bit away from welcoming our scholars for our first day of the this 2026-2027 school year! We hope everyone enjoyed this restful and restorative summer while preparing for an amazing year! Included in this communication you will find additional information to best support a successful start on Wednesday, August 19th at 8:30am! Please do not forget this is a half day of school and scholars will be dismissed at 11:30am.

We are very excited to welcome and introduce our new Associate Principal, Mrs. Jenny Daly to our Mustang Family!

Best,

Mrs. Laureto, Mrs. Grabarek, Mrs. Tlusty & Mrs. Daly.

Teacher Assignments, Schedules and Transportation

Advisory assignments, schedules and bus routes will be posted in Skyward Family Access at Noon on August 12th. Please note that there could be additional adjustments made to assignments, schedules and bus routes prior to or after the 19th. We appreciate everyone’s understanding and cooperation with any future adjustments. We plan to have all course secured at the end of our first full week of school.

Student Portal: Our Mustangs utilize the this site to access their Google Classrooms, Google Drive, Gmail, Skyward and student apps. This is also where daily announcements are posted for students.

Grade level supply lists are linked below if you planned some shopping excitement between now and supply drop off on the 18th! Schoolkidz purchased at the end of the 2026-2027 school year will be ready in student’s advisory classrooms. OLHMS Grade Level Supply List Link

Student Lockers: All students will be assigned a locker at the beginning of the school year. Please reassure our new scholars that they will be fine! Here is a locker support doc as well!

"The This and That of 6th Grade:" Helpful hints for a successful 6th grade beginning!

The day starts at 8:30 am sharp! Doors open at 8:25am.

The school day ends at 3:20PM

Student attendance is critically important to our success! Please ensure our scholars are here daily and on time! Student tardies and overall attendance will be recorded and may impact student privileges! We look forward to working with our Mustangs daily!

Student Schedules (8:30am to 3:20pm)

Scholars follow a specific grade-level schedule. Each student will have a unique 10 period schedule consistent with their grade-level peer. All grade levels have grade specific Encore and lunch periods.

• Core Classes: All students have 4 Core class
• Math (80 mins), ELA (80 mins), Science (40 mins ) & Social Studies (40 mins)
• Daily PE (40 mins): All student have a PE period (Student must wear gym shoes)
• Spanish: Optional 3 year program
• Encore Classes (All 40 mins): All Encore are randomly assigned during Encore periods
• Global Studies, Connections, Communications, Art, Health, Music, Journalism, Multimedia Productions, Family Consumer Science and Financial Literacy.

As we prepare for a focused and successful school year, we want to share a few details regarding our scholar technology policy and why these expectations are essential for your child’s academic and personal growth.

Our fundamental rule regarding personal devices is simple: Cell phones, iPads, and smartwatches are strictly prohibited from the learning environment. We ask that our scholars keep their personal devices turned off and stored in their lockers throughout the school day.

To support this expectation, here is how our cell phone and device policy helps foster a thriving school community:

• Protecting Academic Focus: Personal technology is designed to capture attention, creating a constant stream of notifications, messages, and media. By requiring devices to remain in lockers from arrival until dismissal, we ensure scholars can fully engage in classroom discussions, complete collaborative group work, and absorb daily instruction without distraction.

• Encouraging Social Connection: Middle school years are crucial for developing real-world interpersonal skills. When scholars step away from their screens during lunch and passing periods, they build meaningful face-to-face friendships, practice effective communication, and participate actively in our school community.

• Supporting Mental Health and Well-being: Constant digital connectivity can contribute to social pressure, anxiety, and online conflict. Storing devices away during the school day provides scholars with a necessary, healthy break from social media and digital stress, allowing them to focus on learning in a supportive environment.

• Maintaining Fair and Consistent Environment: A uniform policy ensures that all scholars operate under the same clear standards, removing the burden from teachers to constantly monitor screens during class time.

What this means for parents: We understand that parents may occasionally need to reach their child during the school day. To support our policy while keeping lines of communication open, if you have an urgent message or emergency, please contact the main office directly, and our staff will ensure your child receives the message promptly. If a scholar needs to contact home during the day, they may request permission to use an office or classroom phone.

Thank you for your partnership in reinforcing these expectations at home. By keeping personal technology in lockers, together we create a learning environment where scholars can learn deeply, connect authentically, and thrive without digital distractions.

Parents and families dropping off and walkers enter the building in the back of the school on Oak Center Dr. Parents please be patient, follow guidance from support staff and do not block the driveways of our neighbors on Oak Center Dr.

• 6th Grade scholars use Door 4

• 7th Grade scholars use Door 6

• 8th Grade scholars use Door 5

Parking lots are for staff parking only. All parent/student drop off and pick up takes place in the back of the school on Oak Center Dr.

• Main Entrance: Bus entrance only and will be closed from 8:15-8:45am and 3:15-3:45pm to guests!

• Oak Center Drive: One-Way moving West to East for morning and afternoon drop off and pick up.

Main Parking Lot, Circle Drive and 99th Street: Family drop off and pick up is done on Oak Center Dr. If family members are helping out, please let them know to use the rear of the building for drop off or pick up. Students should not be dropped off in the morning or picked up during dismissal via the main parking lot or 99th Street while buses are present. The main parking lot will be CLOSED from 8:15-8:45am and 3:15-3:45pm daily.

• Designating a pick up and drop off area/ location for our scholars to meet their ride has been extremely helpful and allows families to avoid the congestion.
• Please do not have students run across 99th street or Oak Center Dr. to be picked up without adult supervision. We want to make sure all of our students and families are kept safe.
• The rear doors (Oak Center Dr./ Circle Drive) will close at 8:30am during morning arrival and the rear doors will be closed at 3:30pm during afternoon dismissal.
  
• School tardies will be assigned after 8:30am.
• Please be patient and courteous

Sports Handbook - Here is the information you will need if your scholar plans to try out for one of many sports offered here at OLHMS.

Clubs and Activities: Our Mustangs use this quick LINK located on the student portal to stay up to speed with club options and registration each trimester. Located on this page is an example of club offerings last year!

Student Device Repair Program:

Your student's device is protected against accidental damage, theft, fire, flood, natural disasters, power surge and vandalism. If your child’s device needs repair, below are the costs associated with each incident during a school year:

• 1st incident - No Charge (one-time fee waiver)

• 2nd incident - $25.00

• 3rd incident - $50.00

Free & Reduced Breakfast & Lunch Reminder

The federal program allowing districts across the country to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of income has expired. At this time, the federal government has not extended the waivers for this school year to allow free meals for all students. As a result, schools across the nation will be reverting back to free and reduced-price meals based on income eligibility guidelines set by theU.S. Department of Agriculture. Families who do not qualify for free or reduced breakfast or lunch will have to pay for school meals. Students whose families are eligible for free or reduced-price breakfast or lunch will be able to access meals this school year at no cost or a discounted rate. If you would like to apply for free or reduced priced meals, please click here. Here is the form for the breakfast in the classroom.

Health Examination and Immunization Requirements

There are specific requirements for students entering preschool, kindergarten, second grade and sixth grade, as well as for all new students. Visit our Health Forms & Guidelines page for more information. Please note that these vaccinations and/or health examinations are required by state law.

• All forms due October 15, 2026
• All incoming 6th Graders must have a physical and dental report on file.
• All 6th, 7th and 8th Graders interested in sports will need a sports physical to try out for teams.

• You will receive more information and be able to log in to the new platform by Thursday, August 13th.

  
  

  Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 is excited to introduce a new way to unify communications across each building at D123. With SchoolStatus Connect, families will be able to receive communications (Email, Text Messages, Phone Calls) from the district, schools, and classrooms all in one place.

• Membership is $6.00 per student and $10.00 per adult

• PTSA Meetings are at 6:00pm monthly

• PTSA Meeting- September 8, 2026 at 6:00pm
  
• PTSA Spirit Gear- Order information coming soon!
  
• Reach out to Amanda Stone, our PTSA President for more information
  
• PTSA Facebook

• All parents/ guardians/ staff & students are highly encouraged to join the PTSA and attend meetings. This is an incredible opportunity, partnership and fun way to support our scholar’s experience at the middle school!

• If you are interested in supporting our school in a different capacity please reach out to our PTSA! Maybe you do not have the time to donate, but your contributions can still be made through your membership!

https://www.d123.org/schools/olhms/index

Friday, August 12, 2026

Student schedules will go live in Skyward Family Access at Noon today!

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

OLHMS School Supply Drop Off

2:00pm - 3:30pm & 6:00pm - 7:30pm (Evening is optional for staff attendance)

• The Supply Drop Off is a relaxed opportunity for scholars and families to walk our halls, check out Encore spaces, find their advisory classroom and begin learning or relearning how to open a locker. School Kidz orders will be placed in scholar’s advisory classrooms.

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

First Day of School (½ Day, Dismissal at 11:30am)

• School doors open at 8:25am

• Classes begin at 8:30am

• Dismissal at 11:30am

Thursday, August 20, 2026

Regular School Day (Dismissal at 3:20pm)

• School doors open at 8:25am

• Classes begin at 8:30am

• Dismissal at 3:20pm

• Picture Day

Friday, August 21, 2026

Regular School Day (Dismissal at 3:20pm)

• School doors open at 8:25am

• Classes begin at 8:30am

• Dismissal at 3:20pm

Saturday, August 22, 2026

D123 Back to School Extravaganza (11:00am-1:30pm)

• TIM...ProKids Shows @ 11:45 & 12:!5
• Traveling World of Reptiles @ 11:45 & 1:00
• Hot Dog Lunch : $3 for 1 or $5 for 2
• Inflatables, Face Painting & More
• Local Vendors

Monday, August 24, 2026

• Music Booster Association Meeting at 4:30
• Board of Education Meeting at 7:00

Thursday, September 17, 2026

OLHMS Open House. This is a wonderful opportunity to begin our learning partnership!

• Doors will open at 6:30