OLHMS Update (1/6/26)

McTeacher Night Fundraiser

Marquette Bank Adopt a Classroom Winner

January 14, 2026

Did you know that our OLHMS PTSA will be hosting a McTeacher Night Fundraiser?

We are excited to share a small portion of food sales and 100% of the pie sales on January 14th! Mark your calendars for a perfect night to eat out and take advantage of extra fun and some desert!

Did you know that Marquette Bank Adopt a classroom winner?

Congratulations to Mrs. Orloff's class who was given this award for her class!

Did you know the Oak Lawn Hometown School District 123 PTA Council has opened the annual Helen Whelan Scholarship?

Additional information is below, the deadline is 2/27/26 to apply!

Did you know that OLHMS was annual Feed 6 event this Saturday?

Prior to break, Oak Lawn–Hometown School District 123 proudly hosted its 12th Annual Meal Packaging Event, bringing together students, staff, families, D123 alumni, and community members in a powerful show of service and compassion. Nearly 200 volunteers rolled up their sleeves and worked side by side to packaging over 50,000 nutritious pasta meals in basil marinara sauce for neighbors facing food insecurity. Check out the Feed 6 Article from Southwest Regional Publishing or use this LINK from Feed Six for another publication!

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.

Welcome Back & Happy New Year, Mustang Families!

We hope you enjoyed a restful and joyful Winter Break and are ready for an exciting start to 2026! As we return to school, we do so with renewed energy, optimism, and a shared commitment to our students’ success.

This is our moment to Level Up, to bring our best for every child, every day. Together, we are 100% all in as we work to help every student meet or exceed their growth goals in reading and math while continuing to grow socially, emotionally, and academically. With high expectations, strong support, and a caring school community, we know our Mustangs will continue to thrive.

Thank you for being such important partners in your child’s education. Your support, encouragement, and trust make a powerful difference. Let’s make 2026 a year of growth, confidence, and momentum as we Level Up together!

To comply with both District 123 policy and state law, you are asked to call the school before 8:00am if your child is going to be absent. You may leave a message with office staff at 708-499-6400. Please leave your child’s name. Grade level and reason for absence. If the office does not receive a call then the office staff will attempt to reach you at home or work to verify absence, however, please remember that the responsibility for reporting absences remains with parents/guardians. If a student absence is not called in, and office staff is unable to contact the parent/guardian, then the absence will be recorded as unexcused.

Students are expected to be in school except in cases of emergency or for reasons stated below, which according to School Code, are the only legal excuses for absences from a school.

Illness (the school may require a note from a doctor)
Observance of a religious holiday
Death in the immediate family
Family emergency
Other circumstances outside of the student’s control as identified by the Board of Education in each district
Other circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent for the safety or health of the student

Absences and Extracurricular Activities

A student who misses a full day of school may not participate in any extracurricular activities on that day.
Students who report to school before 11:30 am may participate in any extracurricular activities on that day.
Students who leave school during the school day, due to illness , may not participate in after school extra curricular activities.

Graduation Fees: The online system will open in March!

Class of 2026: Here is the LINK to the letter sent home with the reminder expectations and future dates.

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! Our Class of 2026 will began brainstorming their opportunity to apply as applications went live last week 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!

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)

For current 7th or 8th grade scholars

Meeting will be Monday, January 12, 7:30 AM in Cafetorium

Community Service Hours - minimum of 15 hours -Due April 6th.
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.
Creating and maintaining a Digital Portfolio which highlights examples of the five NJHS pillars (scholarship, citizenship, leadership, character, and service) -Due February 2nd
Completion of a Capstone Project focusing on service on Service Learning Day April 25th
Regular attendance at NJHS meetings before school at 7:30 am in the cafetorium

Monday, February 2

Monday, March 9

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

As part of our ongoing transition to the new Skyward Qmlativ student information system, District 123 will begin sending automatic email notifications to families whenever a staff member submits a disciplinary referral for their child. These notices will include your child’s name, the date and time of the incident, an incident number, a brief description of what occurred, and the general type of offense. After a referral is entered, the staff member who submitted it will contact you as soon as possible; however, because their first responsibility is classroom instruction, they may not be immediately available by phone or email. In keeping with our District 123 family communication guidelines, school staff strive to respond to parent and guardian messages within one school day whenever possible and will let you know if a reply will take longer.

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 our students’ daily lives, we encourage families to stay actively engaged in monitoring phone and device use. Research continues to show that excessive screen time and social media use can impact adolescents’ social and emotional health, leading to increased anxiety, disrupted sleep, and challenges with peer relationships.

We know that online interactions often extend beyond “after-school hours” and can sometimes affect students’ focus, well-being, and relationships during the school day. That’s why our partnership with families is so important. By setting healthy boundaries, fostering open conversations, and supporting positive digital habits, we can help ensure all Mustangs feel safe, connected, and ready to learn.

We’ve recently noticed elevated challenges on social media, so please take a few moments to talk with your child and check their online activity. Your ongoing support and proactiveness make a tremendous difference!

Here’s a helpful resource for families on preventing cyberbullying.

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.

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- January 12, 2026 at 6:00pm
Reach out to Delecta Harris, our PTSA President for more information (olhmsd123ptsa@gmail.com)
PTSA Facebook