OLHMS Update (10/28/25)

Did you know our school community has the choice to participate in some additional fun wearing appropriate costumes on Halloween?

We enjoy adding some fun and school spirit on the half day of school this Friday! Halloween costumes are welcomed on the 31st! Here is the LINK for our guidelines.

Did you know that our candy collection is underway?

Annually, we collect candy to be shipped to our military overseas. As we approach and look forward to Halloween, please consider sharing your collection with our troops by donating candy. Our goal is 2,000 pounds of candy! We are so appreciative of Jacky's Soldiers for continuing to partner with us!

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.

Mustang Families,

The energy in our building is contagious, and we are so thankful for your continued support as we celebrate learning, community, and Mustang pride. This week brings several exciting opportunities to stay connected and engaged. On Friday, October 31, we will enjoy a Halloween half day. Students are encouraged to show their school spirit and enjoy a safe, celebratory morning before heading into the weekend.

We extend our sincere appreciation to our school counselors for organizing another wonderful High School Fair. Their efforts ensure that our eighth-grade students have the information and support they need as they prepare for this important next step. We are also grateful to our school community in advance for your generous candy donations as we work toward our goal of collecting 2,000 pounds for our troops a heartfelt way to share gratitude and bring smiles to those serving our country.

Our Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) will be meeting soon, providing families with an opportunity to share ideas, learn about school programs, and strengthen partnerships that support our multilingual learners. In addition, our annual D123 Leaf Raking event is right around the corner. This long-standing tradition brings students, families, and staff together to serve our community and demonstrate what Mustang pride is all about. We are also looking forward to one of our favorite events of the year, our Veterans Day celebration. We are honored to recognize and thank the brave individuals who have served our country. Details are below for our families and community members to participate in this special day of gratitude and remembrance.

Thank you, Mustang families, for your continued energy, support, and partnership. Together, we are building a strong, connected, and caring community—one event, one act of service, and one scholar at a time.

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.

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.

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!

Tell us what you think of our school nutrition program! Please take a quick survey and let us

know what you think. It is the goal of our Foodservice Management Company, Whitsons

Culinary Group, to Enhance Life One Meal At A Time,™ and they value your opinion and strive

to make continuous improvements to better serve the school community.

Either scan the QR Code or simply follow the web link below:

https://xmp.insight-surveys.com/s/ql9jfi

• 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!