OLHMS Update (10/14/25)

Did you know that across D123 we are celebrating Unity Week this week?

Unity Day is celebrated nationwide as a way for people to come together and show that bullying should never be a part of a student’s childhood. At Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123, the message of uniting for kindness, courage, and inclusion is extended for a whole week. Thank you for sharing in the spirit by wearing orange!

Did you know that we are wearing pink every Wednesday in October?

We invite all students and staff to wear pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This simple act unites us in showing support for those impacted by breast cancer and raises awareness about the importance of early detection, research, and hope.

Did you know that our annual 6K Walk for Literacy is taking place this Saturday?

The 6K Race will be held on Saturday at 9:00am. You can still sign up, but get your form into Mrs. McCarthy as soon as possible because with over 250 participants signed up, we are running out of t-shirts!

Did you know the Family Conference Scheduler has now closed?

The Family Conference scheduler was open and will closed on October 13th. Conferences can be scheduled for phone and in person and would need to be scheduled by calling the main office is time slots are available. We are looking forward to celebrating our scholar's initial success for the 2025/2026 school year on Thursday and Friday. We will also be hosting our Book Fair during conferences! Here is the eWallet link!

Mustang Families,

It’s an exciting time to be a Mustang! We have so much to celebrate and look forward to, from our much-anticipated Family Conferences to our annual Book Fair and 6K Walk for Literacy, supporting the creation of a new library in Africa!

We are so proud of the hard work and growth our scholars have shown this year. Your ongoing partnership helps make our community stronger as we celebrate every Mustang’s progress and success.

Family Conferences will take place on Thursday, October 16, from 5:00–8:00 p.m., and Friday, October 17, from 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Do not forget that Thursday morning is a half-day of school in the morning with dismissal at 11:30 am. Conferences are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate achievements, reflect on goals, and plan for continued growth. If you haven’t yet scheduled your conference, please contact the main office to reserve an available time slot.

While you’re here for the student-led conferences, don’t forget to visit our Book Fair in the Media Center. This is always a highlight for students and families alike! And, be sure to join us for our inspiring 6K Walk for Literacy, where every step helps bring books and opportunities to students around the world.

Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support as we work toward our District 123 goal, ensuring 100% of our scholars meet or exceed their growth targets in both math and English language arts. Together, we are making it happen!

Fall Family Conferences will be held on October 16th from 5:00 to 8:00 PM and October 17th from 11:30 AM to 6:30 PM. All District 123 families can log in to Skyward/Qmlativ Family Access starting October 1st at 10:00 AM to select their family conference time and date. Online conference scheduling will close on October 13th at 11:59 PM. For more information and resources on scheduling your family conferences, click here. If you did not get the chance to schedule online, you wil need to schedule through the main office.

OLHMS has returned to a Traditional Grading system. This decision was made after thoughtful consideration of feedback from teachers, parents, and students. We believe this change will help support our scholars by aligning more closely with the grading practices and expectations students will experience in high school, and allow for a smoother transition as students rise into the 9th grade.

Grading Scale (No plus or minus grades):

• A = 90–100

• B = 80–89

• C = 70–79

• D = 60–69

• F = 59 and below

• 70% of the trimester grade will be calculated from: Summative Assessments (i.e. unit tests, major projects, etc.)
• 30% of the trimester grade will be calculated from: Formative Assessments (i.e. quizzes, exit tickets, classwork, homework, etc.)

Please note: As a non-credit-bearing institution, OLHMS will not calculate GPAs or publish honor roll.

Additional Key Information:

• Traditional grades will be used across all subjects and grade levels at OLHMS.

• Qmlativ Family Access will currently serve as our platform for tracking progress and staying informed. Please check student grades weekly.

• Progress reports will be sent and distributed on October 3rd to provide consistent family-school communication.

Retakes will be available for scholars in the Summative Assessment category (70%). Retake procedures for the Summative Assessment category include:

• Students will complete a reflection form, which will include the corrected test.

• Students are to ensure all classwork/homework/independent work for that unit is completed before the retake date.

• Retake dates will be established within 10 days of the graded assessment.

• Retakes will not be allowed once the trimester has completed.

• Retakes will not be completed during regular instructional time.

It is great to see so many scholars taking advantage of the opportunity to come in early or stay after school for additional time and support with academics. Please remind our scholars that this time should not be treated as a social opportunity and our school expectations of being safe, responsible and respectful should be maintained at all times. We appreciate everyone's support and partnership. Parents can check out the available times for each grade level on the student portal page!

Beginning October 20th, 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.

We’ve also completed our first fire, severe weather, and lockdown drills of the school year. Please take a moment to talk with your scholar about the importance of these safety practices and how they help us all stay prepared in case of an emergency.

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

As technology continues to play a central role in students’ daily lives, we encourage families to stay actively involved in monitoring phone and device use. Recent research highlights the impact of excessive screen time and social media use on adolescents’ social and emotional health. Studies show that high daily screen time is associated with increased symptoms of anxiety and depression, disrupted sleep, and challenges with peer relationships.

We recognize that challenges arising from online interactions don’t always stay “outside school hours.” Incidents that occur on social media or other platforms can extend into the school day, affecting students’ focus, emotional well-being, and relationships with peers. This makes the partnership between families and the school essential—working together to set boundaries, foster open communication, and support healthy digital habits helps ensure that all of our scholars feel safe, connected, and ready to learn.

Thank you for partnering with us to support the well-being and safety of every student.

• 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!

• Thank you to our PTSA Board members, families and scholars for joining us last night for a wonderfully informative first meeting of the year.

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

• PTSA Meetings are at 6:00pm monthly

• PTSA Meeting- November 10, 2025 at 6:00pm
• Reach out to Delecta Harris, our PTSA President for more information (olhmsd123ptsa@gmail.com)
  
• PTSA Facebook
  

We want to remind families that OLHMS does not allow student lunch deliveries from outside services (such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, or other vendors). This practice minimizes disruptions and contributes to a safe and structured lunch experience for all students. On the note of lunches, if a student receives a lunch detention, a brown bagged lunch will be delivered to the student. Students are always welcome to bring their own lunch.

We’re glad to see our scholars taking pride in their hygiene and personal care! However, the use of cologne and perfume has become overwhelming at times and is occasionally being applied inappropriately during the school day. To ensure a comfortable learning environment for everyone, we kindly ask that students leave their scented products at home.

Please take a moment to discuss with your child the proper use and appropriate amounts of fragrance. While we appreciate the effort to smell nice, excessive scents can be distracting and overpowering in shared spaces. Thank you for your support in helping us maintain a pleasant and respectful atmosphere for all!

Health Examination and Immunization Requirements (October 15th)

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 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.

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