OMES SEPTEMBER NEWS
A Community School
Welcome back to Owings Mills Elementary School!
It is the time of year again, when our school hallways fill with the excitement of reuniting with friends and engaging in new learning. We are excited to welcome all returning and new students back to our OMES family. This year promises to be a great one filled with lots of learning and fun! Here's to an amazing year!
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September Important Dates
- Monday, September 7th-Labor Day- Schools & Offices Closed
- Wednesday, September 16th from 4:15 p.m. -5:00 p.m.- Food Distribution- see details below
- Saturday, September 19th from 9:30-12:00pm -see below for location and details
- Monday, September 21st - Professional Development Day for teachers, schools closed for students. No Caliday care.
- Tuesday, September 22nd- Magnet Application Info Meeting 6:00 p.m. at Milford Mill Academy
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
OMES Families,
Thank you for your support with making our arrival and dismissal much safer for students, parents, and staff!
Bus Riders
All students at OMES are assigned a bus. If your student does not ride a bus, please consider having him/her become a bus rider. Contact your student's teacher if you need bus information. This information can also be found in the Parent Focus Portal.
Arrival
Arrival time for students is 8:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Students arriving after 9:00 a.m. are marked late. If you arrive after 9:00, you will need to park on the side of the building and walk your students inside to sign them in. Please do not park in the bus loop.
Dismissal
To support a safe and orderly dismissal, there are no early dismissals or changes to student dismissal after 3:15 p.m. When your child does have a change to the regular dismissal schedule, it should be communicated to the front office as early in the school day as possible. Please do your best to limit changes.
Car Loop Reminders
- At arrival and dismissal, STAY in your vehicle. A staff member will assist your student in getting out of the car at arrival and getting into the car at dismissal.
- Car rider tags MUST be displayed on the front dash every day at pick-up in the car rider line.
- NO LEFT TURN out of the car rider loop at arrival (8:00a.m. -9:30 a.m.) or dismissal (3:00 p.m. -4:30 p.m.). See the sign with updated times at the exit of the car loop if you have questions.
- Form a SINGLE car loop line to enter and exit. No DOUBLE parking/standing in the car loop. There is to be one line of cars coming into the car loop and one line of cars leaving the car loop. Do not drive down the middle.
- Adjust your time arriving at the school as cars are arriving prior to dismissal. Do not arrive to school for pick-up prior to 3:30 p.m.
BCPS Bus Locator App for Families
BCPS is pleased to announce the countywide implementation of BusWhere, a location-tracking software that allows subscribers to see bus locations in real time on a mobile phone or computer. Via the BusWhere app, subscribers may receive notifications as the bus approaches a designated bus stop or if there are significant delays.
For more information, check out the BusWhere information sheet- BusWhere information.pdf. If you have additional questions please get in touch with the BCPS Office of Transportation at 443-809-4321 or utilize the BusWhere Assistance Request Form- https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=3cPDSRs_g0GOdLONSDpa_bVjgy6GIuVGmGJmus4Mp_NUNllMSjRYWExBNVlQSEUwRFZFNlcyWExBRyQlQCN0PWcu
Attendance Matters- OMES STRIVES to 95
Last year we reached our school attendance goal of 94% overall attendance for all students. We ended the school year at 94.04% attendance. This year we are looking to STRIVE to 95! Our goal is to end the year at a 95% attendance rate.
Studies show that students who are in regular attendance at school, perform better and are more likely to be successful adults. At OMES we strive for greatness and encourage all students to be here daily. Please refrain from being late daily and picking your student up early regularly. MSDE counts this as time missed in the classroom which will increase your student's absentee rate.
If there is an issue preventing your student from attending school. Please contact our attendance committee lead, Ms. Jenkins at the email address below.
OMES Attendance Incentives Continued!
Wise Owls Never Miss a Kick!
Classes with 100% attendance will score 2 goals for the day.
Classes with 94% or better attendance will score 1 goal for the day.
Each class that has scored 8 or more points each week will have the opportunity to move their soccer ball on the attendance board during lunch each Friday. These classes will earn 5 minutes of extra recess.
The class in each grade with the highest attendance rate for the month will earn new recess activities and equipment!
Individual Attendance Incentives
Each student will receive an attendance tracker that will be kept on their desk. Students who reach the given attendance goal for the week/month will earn a small prize!
Families of 5th graders, did you know that your student can learn to play an instrument, join a performing ensemble, and grow new skills right at school?? Don't have an instrument? No problem!! Mrs. Thamert, our Instrumental Music Educator, has oodles of instruments for students to use. Forms for sign up were given to students last week...AND it is not too late to join! Please reach out to Mrs. Thamert directly with any questions: Ethamert@bcps.org. Looking forward to a musical year at OMES!
Create a Parent FOCUS Account
Creating a parent FOCUS account is a great way to stay connected to what your child is doing in school. You can monitor your child's grades and attendance throughout the year. Click the link to create your account- https://baltimore.focusschoolsoftware.com/focus/auth/
Curriculum Resources
Math Matters!
In the coming school year, students will embark on another exciting journey through the world of math! This year, we are diving into a range of engaging and challenging topics that will spark curiosity and build a strong foundation for future learning.
Throughout the year, our math curriculum will be enriched with workplace games, group activities, and projects designed to make learning math an enjoyable and rewarding experience. We are excited to see our students grow and thrive as they discover the many ways math connects to the world around them.
Parent/Guardian Corner: Tips for Supporting Math Learning at Home
Promote a Growth Mindset:
Encourage a growth mindset by emphasizing that learning math is about practice and persistence! Remind your child that mistakes are opportunities to learn and improve.
Click this link for grade level specific math newsletters- September
ELA News
Welcome back to school, families! Now is the best time to begin setting up routines with your children that help get them excited about reading and help keep you connected with what they are learning in the classroom. Take a look at the upcoming month's reading modules for your children to explore what topics they will be reading about, what skills they will be learning, and what will inspire their writing. Engage with your children by asking questions about the subjects, seeking their opinions, and sharing your own perspectives. Don't forget to encourage reading at home, too! Have a great time exploring, reading, and connecting with your child!
Click this link for grade level specific ELA newsletters- September
School-Wide Testing Updates
During the month of September into the beginning of October students in grades KG-5 will be completing their STAR Assessment in reading and math.
Star tests are computer adaptive, which means they adjust in difficulty to each answer students provide. This helps teachers get the best data to help students in the shortest amount of testing time (about one-third of the time other tests require).
Star Assessments are not a “pass/fail” type of assessment, nor are they assessments for which students can study. Instead, Star assesses students’ early literacy, reading, and/or math ability, providing teachers with data and insights to determine which skills your child knows and which skills they are ready to learn next and identify which students may need additional support. Star data helps educators to personalize your child’s practice on the skills they need to keep them learning and growing.
The best way to prepare for Star is to simply encourage your child to do his or her best.
Check out this link to learn more! https://videos.renaissance.com/watch/25xSruV2D28uKPS1JPRNTD?
Nurse’s Corner
Message from BCPS Department of Health Services regarding the stock bronchodilator program:
In accordance with Maryland law and guidelines from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), BCPS will stock albuterol MDI (a "bronchodilator") in schools.
Trained staff (school nurses, certified athletic trainers, and certified nursing assistants) will administer albuterol to students who are experiencing symptoms of respiratory distress, such as wheezing, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing at school or during athletic practices or events.
What This Means for Your Child:
- If your child shows signs of respiratory distress and does not have their own prescribed inhaler at school, trained staff will administer the albuterol MDI as an emergency measure.
- If your child shows signs of respiratory distress and has an inhaler at school, the trained staff will use the medication you provide and follow your child's prescription.
- If your child shows signs of respiratory distress and has a health care provider's order for an inhaler but it is lost or expired, the trained staff will use the school system's albuterol MDI according to your child’s prescription.
- You will be notified immediately if your child receives this medication. Unless your child has a prescription for an inhaler at school, you will be asked to pick your child up from school and follow-up with a health care provider.
- This program is intended to improve safety and emergency response for all students.
- If your child has asthma or another respiratory condition, we encourage you to submit an Asthma Action Plan and provide a personal inhaler to the health room for your child’s individual use.
We are excited to welcome our new nurse, Nurse Sydney to join us at OMES! If you have any questions, she can be contacted at 443-809-1607
Counselor's Corner
BCPS Magnet EXPO!
BCPS will hold The Magnet EXPO! on Saturday, September 19th from 9:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. The event will be held at CCBC Catonsville Wellness and Athletic Center (800 Rolling Rd. Catonsville, MD 21228).
Application Information Meetings for parents will be held on Tuesday, September 22nd at Magnet Application Info Meeting 6:00 p.m. at Milford Mill Academy
See flyer for more details about the Magnet Showcase Schedule- Magnet Showcase Schedule
If you have any questions, please contact our magnet liaison, Aileen Losin, at alosin@bcps.org.
BCPS Cell Phone Policy
The updated BCPS cell phone policy states that all cell phones, smart watches, etc. should be OFF & AWAY EVERY DAY! At OMES, students should have their cell phone turned off and kept in their bookbag in their locker.
Off & Away – Every School, Every Day
Cell phone use is prohibited during the instructional day in all BCPS elementary and middle schools other than for school-sanctioned uses or times.
- All students should have phones OFF and AWAY during instructional time.
- Headphones/earbuds, smartwatches, or other similar wearable technology are prohibited unless used for a specific instructional purpose.
- Students who need personal devices for medical needs MUST have this documented in a 504 Plan, Individualized Education Plan (IEP), or Individualized Health Classroom Plan. Students may ONLY use their phone for the stated purpose in the plan.
- Students and/or their families assume all risk and liability for damage, theft, or loss of personal technology.
- Recording students or staff with cell phones or other recordable personal technology may be illegal and violates BCPS policy; students who use devices to record disruptions of any kind are subject to disciplinary action and may be referred to law enforcement.
Volunteer Training
If you would like to volunteer or attend a field trip, you must complete the BCPS Volunteer Training. This training must be done each school year. Your BCPS volunteer training completed during the previous school year has since expired. Please follow the link below to complete both the volunteer application and the volunteer certificate. You must upload a copy of the certificate to the application.
All online applications and trainings must be submitted at least 7 days (one week) before the day you plan to volunteer or attend a field trip. Please contact Ms. Jenkins at mailto:bjenkins3@bcps.org for assistance.
BCPS Volunteer application & training: https://www.bcps.org/cos/communications/face/b_c_p_s_volunteers