OLHMS Update (2/17/26)

Did you know that Family Conference Scheduler will open on February 4th?

All District 123 families can log in to Skyward/Qmlativ Family Access starting February 4 at 10:00 AM to select their family conference time and date. Online conference closed on February 16 at 11:59 PM. Conferences must be scheduled through our main office if time slots are available.

Did you know that the Annual 5 Essential Parent Survey is open?

We would love your input! Help us get more that the required 50% participations rate! Here is the survey Link: https://link.d123.org/fivestart

Did you know our amazing Counseling Department is once again organizing our Annual Career Fair on March 13th?

If you would like to share your profession/ career with our scholars please reach out to our Mrs. Vanessa Follmar (vfollmar@d123.org), Mrs. Farnan (mfarnan@d123.org ), or Mrs. Hoeksema (choeksema@d123.org ).

Did you know that our scholars do not need toys at school?

We have seen an increase of gel toys like Needoh and Tech Decks coming to school and distracting the learning environment. These have also caused large messes around the building as they are breaking. We are reevaluating school issued fidgets and students with individual plans will be maintained.

We have had a staff and scholars almost hit by cars driving through the parking lot during arrival and dismissal. Please help keep our school community safe!

The main parking lot is CLOSED from 8:15-8:45am and 3:15-3:45pm daily while buses are present.

• 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 8:35am 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!

Mustang Families,

We hope everyone enjoyed the extended weekend as District 123 observed Presidents Day and had time to relax and recharge! We could not have asked for better weather in February!

It was an exciting and joy-filled week at OLHMS, packed with pride, connection, and celebration! We kicked things off with Mustang Monday, as scholars and staff proudly wore our new OLHMS gear showcasing this year’s Level Up theme. The energy continued all week during Kindness Week, and it was incredible to see our halls filled with positivity, encouragement, and a true Mustang KIND of pride!

We are so grateful for the passion and dedication of our educators and for the strong partnership we share with our families. Together, we are building a school community grounded in academic excellence, character, and resilience- a place where every scholar is inspired to Level Up academically, socially, and emotionally. That momentum makes this the perfect time to connect and celebrate growth during Family Conferences later this week.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make Kindness Week so meaningful. The acts of kindness, positive messages, and school spirit truly reflected what makes OLHMS such a special place.

We also want to celebrate our talented musicians, who performed for a packed audience at last week’s Mid-Winter Band Concert before taking their talents to the IGSMA Solo & Ensemble Festival. Their hard work, courage, and dedication continue to make us proud!

Congrats to our musicians earning 30 Division 1 medals, and 6 Division 2 medals.

Perfect scores earned by the following: Amazing!

Maddy M.: Vocal solo

Lukas K.: Snare drum solo

Vivienne G.: Clarinet solo

Kayla S.: Clarinet duet

Nora S., Emma A., Sofia D.: Flute trio

Our scholars also demonstrated outstanding engagement during the Internet Safety presentations, strengthening their understanding of responsible digital citizenship. In addition, our Principal Advisory Committee showed impressive leadership by facilitating a school-wide Waste Audit. What an excellent example of students taking ownership and making a positive impact on our community.

Thank you for your continued support, partnership, and Mustang pride. Together, we are making OLHMS a place where everyone belongs and everyone continues to Level Up!

Spring 2026 Family Conferences will be held on:

• February 19 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM &
• February 20 from 11:30 AM - 6:30 PM

Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 Family Conferences will be completely scheduled online via Skyward/Qmlativ.

• K-5 families will have the opportunity to schedule conferences with their student's grade-level teacher, encore staff, and specialists.
• 6-8 families will have the opportunity to schedule conferences with their student's advisory teacher, encore staff, and specialists.

• Pre-K families at the Early Learning Center will have the opportunity to schedule conferences with their student's homeroom teacher.

All District 123 families can log in to Skyward/Qmlativ Family Access starting February 4 at 10:00 AM to select their family conference time and date. Online conference scheduling closes on February 16. Please call our office to schedule.

We have noticed an uptick in student cell phone and smart watch usage during school hours. As a reminder, we do have very simple cell phone policy. All scholars should be turning cell phones off and leaving them locked in their lockers during the day. Smart watches will be treated the same if students are using these devices to do anything other than check the time. We have also noticed student wearing headphones, these should also be left in lockers. Students needing headphones for school use should have wired headphones.

Student are given a warning on the first offense with documentation in skyward. Students will receive consequences for subsequent violations.

On behalf of the Oak Lawn Hometown School District 123 PTA Council, we would like to share the Helen Whalen Scholarship is available for application! This scholarship is designed to support and recognize outstanding D123 alumni as they pursue their educational goals.

Attached, you will find a flyer with all pertinent information about the scholarship, including eligibility requirements and application details.

Important Information:

• Applications Link: https://forms.gle/kpHYzGq6BCEmKj849
• Deadline: February 27, 2026, at 4:00 PM
• All components of the scholarship application must be submitted by the deadline to be considered (please reiterate this to your students as last year we had quite a few incomplete).
• Applicants will be notified of the winners by April 2, 2026.
• Scholarship recipients will be invited to attend an awards dinner on April 20, 2026, at Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School (OLMHS).

We kindly ask that you share this opportunity with any D123 alumni who may be eligible and encourage them to apply.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at ptacouncild123.scholarship@gmail.com.

Thank you for your support in helping us reach deserving students and celebrating the achievements of our alumni.

Graduate Yard Signs: Place your orders by April 17th.

Plant some school spirit on your lawn with a OLHMS Mustang Pride lawn sign! Cost is $10 and can be purchased online at: https://olhmsptsa.givebacks.com/shop/items/2fd003152f

Graduation Fees: The online system is OPEN! The document link below has the updated information.

Class of 2026: The LINK is the updated letter with the reminder expectations, future dates, and now graduation fees.

SELECT 123:SELECT 123: In partnership with our D123 Ed Foundation, SELECT 123 is a prestigious group of scholars who embody aspects of our D123 mission and vision. This is our fourth year to acknowledge twenty three scholars who have not only demonstrated academic excellence, service and contributed to our community- they have each modeled expressions of perseverance, drive and integrity. These 23 leaders will be featured on our “Wall of Fame” for the 2026/ 2027 school year! More than being featured on a wall, we will expect this prestigious and unique group of alumni to remain connected to D123 and provide valuable insight for years to come! Applications went live on 1/23!

We expect and desire to have 100% of our scholars earn the opportunity to walk the stage with their graduating 2026 Class!

Dates:

May 28, 2026: 8th-Grade Trip

May 29, 2026: 8th-Grade Dance

June 2, 2026: SELECT 123 Breakfast(7:30am) & 8th-Grade Awards(9:00am)

June 2, 2026: Elementary Grad Walk(1:30pm)

June 3, 2026: 8th Grade Commencement Ceremony (7:00pm)

GRADUATION FEES:

Great America Trip* $75.00 (Tickets and Picnic Lunch)

Graduation Items $85.00 (Not Optional)(Gown, Stole, Diploma, Program, Tickets, etc.)

T-Shirt $10.00 (Not Optional)

Yearbook $30.00 (Not Optional)

TOTAL FEES $200.00

NOTE: *Students with a Season Pass:

• The Season Pass must be brought to the office before paying for the trip for verification purposes. The student must then remember to carry his/her Season Pass on the day of the trip for park admittance.

• Students with a Season Pass will only be required to pay $30.00 for the picnic lunch.
• The total amount for graduation fees for a student with a Season Pass is $155.00.

NO REFUND will be given for season passes purchased after the 8th-grade fees have been paid.

Payments for Graduation Fees can be made in the following ways:

• Credit cards online via the Skyward System will be accepted for the full amount of $200.00 and the discounted Season Pass fee of $155.00. Please log onto your Skyward account for options.
• Checks must be made payable to Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School.
• Cash must be submitted for the exact amount.

If you pay online, please return the permission slip to the office.

GRADUATION FEES ARE DUE BACK TO OLHMS BY 04/10/2026.

For current 7th or 8th grade scholars

Meeting will be Monday, March 9, 7:30 AM in Cafetorium

1. Community Service Hours - minimum of 15 hours -Due April 6th.

2. Grading - A majority of A’s and B’s (Every C needs to be balanced with an “A”) during Trimesters 1-3 of the petitioning year in both Core and Encore classes. No overall “D” or “F” are allowed in any trimester.

3. Creating and maintaining a Digital Portfolio which highlights examples of the five NJHS pillars (scholarship, citizenship, leadership, character, and service) -Due February 2nd

4. Completion of a Capstone Project focusing on service on Service Learning Day April 25th

5. Regular attendance at NJHS meetings before school at 7:30 am in the cafetorium

Monday, April 13

Thursday, May 7- Mandatory Induction Ceremony Rehearsals (7:30 AM) & Ceremony (7:00 PM)

NJHS Sponsors Contact: Ms. Jen DiSalvo jdisalvo@d123.org

Mrs. Maggie Omiecinski mmomiecinski@d123.org

Mrs. Alyssa Zajack azajack@d123.org

Our main entrance vestibule will serve as the visitor reception and waiting area. Guests will continue to be warmly welcomed, greeted by the staff member hosting them, and escorted to their meeting location. This update is part of our continued effort to strengthen safety and streamline visitor check-in procedures.

As we continue partnering with our local safety agencies, we remain committed to refining our practices and keeping safety at the heart of all we do. Ensuring a secure environment for our students, staff, and families is always our top priority.

To support this shared goal:

• Please bring a valid driver’s license or photo ID when picking up a student during the school day.

• For everyone’s safety, visitors may not leave the main office without a staff escort.

• All students, staff, and guests are expected to wear their designated ID badges while on campus.

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our Mustang community safe, connected, and thriving.

We love having fans here to support our Mustang Athletes. Here is the LINK for our Spectator Permission Form and Code of Conduct for student spectators. Student fans unaccompanied by parents, must have an electronic or paper form on file to attend home games. Students cannot stay in the building for games unless they are part of a club or activity.

• 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!

• We are looking for candidates for PTSA officers for the 2026-2027 school year. If you are interested or know someone who is, you can nominate them by emailing us at olhmsd123ptsa@gmail.com. (flyer attached)

• The application for the Helen Whalen Scholarship is now open offering a $1,000 scholarship to three deserving students. Click here to apply: https://www.d123.org/about-us/helen-whalen-scholarship (Flyer attached)
• Plant some school spirit on your lawn with a OLHMS Mustang Pride lawn sign! Cost is $10 and can be purchased online at: https://olhmsptsa.givebacks.com/shop/items/2fd003152f

• Membership(Click Here) is $7.00 per student and $10.00 per adult

• PTSA Meetings are at 6:00pm monthly

• PTSA Meeting- March 9, 2026 at 6:00pm
• Reach out to Delecta Harris, our PTSA President for more information (olhmsd123ptsa@gmail.com)
  
• PTSA Facebook
  

Oak Lawn Community High School

Hope you are doing well. Our Superintendent reached out to me to see if we could share this to our feeder schools. This is our new community newsletter called “The Spartan Standard” and highlights events and news that have happened in the past 3 months.

H. L. Richards High School

Brother Rice High School

Chicago Christian High School

De La Salle Institute

IMSA

Marist High School

Mother McAuley High School

• Movie with the Macs Sing-Along: KPop Demon Hunters

• Saturday, February 21 from 1-3pm

• All ages welcome!

• Click here to get your tickets!

• Morning Math Placement Test

• Saturday, March 7 at 8am

• 7th Grade Girls

• Click here to register for the test!

Morgan Park Academy

Mt. Carmel High School

Providence Catholic High School

St. Ignatius High School

St. Laurence High School

St. Rita High School

HFS Chicago Scholars