The Mustang Minutes
Keeping Families Connected, One Stride at a Time.
Happy October! As we approach the halfway point of trimester one, we want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible progress our Mustangs have made already this school year. Routines are fully established, students are settling into their classes, and the energy across our halls reminds us every day that there truly is "No Place Like OLHMS."
The midway point of the trimester provides a great opportunity for you and your child to reflect on their goals, celebrate small wins, and identify areas where growth can continue. We encourage families to stay connected by checking grades regularly, reviewing teacher feedback, and reaching out whenever questions arise. Partnering with our families is what makes our school community so special!
Here are a few important updates and events for the month of October:
NWEA Benchmark Reports: At the end of September, we closed out our first NWEA benchmark of the school year. Families will receive their NWEA Family Reports during family conferences. This report details your child’s academic performance and growth in reading and math. We encourage you to review these reports together to highlight strengths and set goals. We are very proud of our students' effort and hard work during testing
National Bullying Prevention Month: Throughout October, our staff will educate students about kindness and moving from a bystander to an UPSTANDER. We look forward to helping students see how their words and actions build a positive school community.
As we move into the second half of trimester 1, we continue to carry our motto, "Create a Dream, Make it a Reality" in everything we do. Encouraging consistent, daily attendance keeps our students connected to classroom learning, helps them build strong relationships, and ensures every day counts.
Thank you for your continued partnership, support, and dedication to our Mustang family. When we work together to support our students, we show everyone why there's No Place Like OLHMS!
Best,
Madalyn LauretoPrincipal
Mark your calendars for these important events:
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
- D123 Late Start
- OLHMS Fall Sports Celebration
Thursday, October 8, 2026
- Family Conferences 4:00pm-8:00pm
- High School Fair 5:00pm-7:00pm
Friday, October 9, 2026
- Family Conferences 1:00pm-6:00pm
Monday, October 12, 2026
- No School
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- OLHMS PTSA @ 6:00pm
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
- Picture Retakes
Friday, October 16, 2026
- OLHMS Walk-a-Thon
- Board of Education Meeting 7pm
2026 Fall Family Conferences:
- October 8 from 4 PM - 8 PM (High School Fair 5:00-7:00pm)
- October 9 from 1 PM - 6 PM
Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 Family Conferences will be completely scheduled online via Skyward Qmlativ through October 5th.
- 6-8 families will have the opportunity to schedule conferences with their student's advisory teacher, encore staff, and specialists.
As always, you can contact your school office if you have any additional questions regarding family conferences.
Food Delivery for Students
For the safety and security of all students, fast food delivery services are not permitted for students during the school day. This includes deliveries from parents, restaurants and third-party services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub.
Students have two lunch options:
- Bring a lunch from home, or
- Purchase a hot lunch through Winston’s Food Service.
Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and secure school environment for all of our Mustangs!
Girls' Softball
Congratulations to our Girls’ Softball team on an incredible championship victory! The team defeated Evergreen Park, 6–4, and Palos, 3–1, to capture the championship title!
After finishing 2nd during the regular season, our hardworking and dedicated athletes continued to compete with determination and heart—and it paid off!
Congratulations to our Girls’ Softball team on a well-deserved championship! We are so proud of you!
Cross Country
Cross Country had a fantastic season. 88 student athletes made the commitment each week to train for the 2-mile race. Four practice meets and countless training miles prepared the 73 student athletes who then qualified for and competed in the Conference Final meet. In the Girls Open race, Reese, Maura, Alexia, and Mary Lou rapidly led the Girls Open team to a 2nd place team finish. In the Boys Open race, Joe, Brayton, Jeremy, Santiago, and Mason swiftly led the Boys Open team to a 1st place team finish. In the Girls Conference race, Brooklyn's strong finish made her the first female in OLHMS history to place in the Top 10 in the Girls Conference race. We are extremely proud of the entire team's effort, determination, perseverance, and sportsmanship demonstrated this season. It was a pleasure for us to coach a talented and focused group of student athletes this season. Thank you to all of the families who were there to cheer on our team; your support was noticed and appreciated all season long.
THE OLHMS PTSA: Parent, Teacher, Student, Association
OLHMS Families, WE NEED YOUR HELP! Parent/Family Conferences are this week! During this time, staff have very little time for breaks and meals. Our goal this year is to fill the staff lounge with grab and go snacks along with beverages. Even the smallest amount or item makes a difference!
The Amazon Wish List is available, items can be shipped directly to school or dropped off at the main office: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3P1CX6HRYTTO7... Monetary Donations Appreciated as well: https://olhmsptsa.givebacks.com/shop PTSA Open Gym Night: Wednesday 10/14/26 5:30pm-7pm Students are invited to OLHMS on Wed 10/14/26 from 5:30pm-7pm. Students will have access to the gyms for sports activities and there will be BINGO in the cafetorium. Must be a Student PTSA Member, no additional cost. Membership sign up online or at the door. We are also looking for adult volunteers to monitor the students. Sign up below or reach out by email. Thank you! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AFA82EA6FAC25-66511746-101426 Join our PTSA: Membership is $7.00 per student and $10.00 per adult PTSA Membership and Store: https://olhmsptsa.givebacks.com/shop Next PTSA Meeting- October 13, 2026 at 6:00pm in the OLHMS staff lounge. Join us, everyone is welcome! We encourage all parents, guardians, staff members, and scholars to become part of the OLHMS PTSA! Your membership and involvement directly support opportunities, events, and experiences for our Mustangs throughout the year. Open Board Position: There is an open position on the PTSA Board: Vice-President. Please fill out the interest sheet and return it to OLHMS. Contact us: Reach out to us by email: olhmsd123ptsa@gmail.com Follow us on Facebook: PTSA Facebook
Walk for Literacy — Friday, October 16
OLHMS students will have the opportunity to participate in our Walk for Literacy on Friday, October 16. Students who wish to participate are asked to raise a minimum of $20 to help build libraries in Zimbabwe.
All donations and completed fundraising forms must be turned in by Wednesday, September 30, in order for students to receive a Walk for Literacy T-shirt. If your donation is made online, students must still turn in their completed form to receive a T-shirt.
Thank you for helping our students turn their love of reading into an opportunity to make a difference for children around the world!
Questions? Please contact Mrs. McCarthy at hmccarthy@d123.org.
Health Requirements Due October 15
Communications have been sent out if your student is not in compliance with health requirements. If these requirements are not received by THURSDAY OCTOBER 15th, your student will be excluded from school on this day and will not be able to return to school until these requirements are met.
As a reminder, 6th grade Health Requirements include a 6th grade physical (Certificate of Child Health Examination) and updated 11 year old immunizations (Tdap and Meningococcal). If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Nurse's Office. 708-952-7997; bwalsh@d123.org; astone@d123.org
Friendly reminder- please make sure your student has an extra set of clothes in their locker! All kinds of accidents happen and a spare change of clothes is always helpful.
