OLHMS Update (6/3/25)

Did you know that this is our final week of school?

The final day of the 2024-2025 school year is this Friday. Please keep in mind that Friday, June 6th is a half day for student attendance. Dismissal for students in 11:30am. We wish everyone a wonderful Summer vacation!

Did you know that OLHMS will use traditional letter grades next year?

OLHMS will return to a Traditional Grading system for the 2025-2026 school year. 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. Additional information is below.

Mustang Families,

What an incredible time to be a Mustang!

As we wrap up the 2024–2025 school year, we are overflowing with Mustang pride! These final days have been packed with moments that truly reflect the heart and spirit of our school community.

This morning, we had the honor of recognizing two amazing groups of 8th grade scholars! We kicked off the day by celebrating our SELECT 123 Scholars for the Class of 2025, 23 remarkable students who represent the very best of leadership, scholarship, and service. Congratulations to each of the 71 applicants who made this year’s selection process inspiring and incredibly difficult!

Immediately following, our school community gathered for the 8th Grade Awards Ceremony, where we honored academic excellence, character, and the many contributions of our graduating scholars. A heartfelt thank you to our talented Jazz Band, whose performances brought a perfect beginning and end to this special celebration. We would also like to apologize for the individual scholars who will be attending Mt. Carmel, St. Lawrence, and St. Rita and were not acknowledged during our morning awards.

We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to our incredibly active OLHMS PTSA, whose tireless support helped make this week of celebrations so memorable from the 6th and 7th Grade Awards Breakfasts to the show-stopping, Chicago-themed 8th Grade Dance! Your creativity, generosity, and care continue to elevate the Mustang experience for our entire community.

With just three days left, we’re focused on finishing strong. Please help us remind our scholars of the Mustang Musts: Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful. And, always, Choose Kindness.

Let’s close out this incredible year with pride, positivity, and Mustang energy!

Class of 2025: Here is the Commencement Livestream Link for this year's ceremony!

Friends and family of 2025 OLHMS graduates will gather at Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School on Thursday, June 5, 2025 to celebrate the District 123 Class of 2025. Those who would like to view the graduation ceremony from afar may do so by accessing the 2025 Graduation Live Stream.

The stream will be live at 6:55pm on June 5th, 2025.

June 4, 2025: Elementary Grad Walk(1:30pm): Gowns and grad tickets will be coming home tomorrow!

June 5, 2025: 8th Grade Commencement Ceremony (7:00pm)

FOR CURRENT OLHMS STUDENTS who will be attending Oak Lawn Community High School next year:

OLCHS is aware of the mandatory 8th grade graduation activities for current OLHMS students that conflict with the first two days of summer school. Although the summer school dates will remain the same, families impacted by this schedule conflict are offered flexibility:

• OLHMS students will receive excused absences for the two conflict days. Due to the accelerated nature of summer school, they should not be absent any other days in order to receive credit.
• Summer School staff will be available on Friday, June 6 from 9am to 12pm. Enrolled students should visit campus to receive their iPad, textbooks, and other materials so they can complete any needed assignments or activities prior to joining their classmates on Monday, June 9. Students should enter through the North drive, door 4 on the North end of the school. Students should plan to be on campus long enough to set-up their iPad, take their ID photo, receive textbooks, and meet with teachers.

Aine P., Ammer B., Antonio C., Brenna C., Calvin F., Charles W., Cyrus M., Danna S., Emily D., Evelyn S., Gabrielle C., Grace W., Harper A., Isabella A., Katelyn Z., Lillyann A., Maxwell L., Maya R., Nathan G., Nivea B., Reagan S., Ryan C., Sophia G.

Starting in the 2025–2026 school year, OLHMS will return 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.

Why This Change?

• To closely align with high school grading systems.

• To support efficiency and consistency in communicating student progress to OLHMS families.

• To respond positively to the preferences and feedback from the OLHMS learning community.While we transition to traditional letter grades, we remain committed to continuously monitor student progress toward grade-level standards through meaningful assessments and expanded opportunities for classroom feedback.

What Will the Traditional Grading System Look Like?

• Grading Categories & Weights

• 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.)

• Grading Scale (No plus or minus grades):

• A = 90–100

• B = 80–89

• C = 70–79

• D = 60–69

• F = 59 and below

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.

• Skyward Family Access will currently serve as our platform for tracking progress and staying informed.

• Periodic progress reports will be provided to support consistent family-school communication.

• Retakes will be available for students in the Summative Assessment category. OLHMS leadership is currently drafting building-wide retake procedures to ensure growth and mastery throughout the learning process.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teachers or a member of our administrative team. We are here to support our scholars and families through this transition.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child’s educational journey.

Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 is excited to welcome Sara Tlusty to Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School as the Associate Principal for the 2025-26 school year. Mrs. Tlusty and our administrative team is excited to welcome a third Associate Principal to our middle school next year.

• Membership is $6.00 per student and $10.00 per adult

• PTSA Meetings are at 6:00pm monthly

• Next PTSA Meeting is next school year in September
• Reach out to Delecta Harris, our PTSA President for more information (olhmsd123ptsa@gmail.com )
  
• PTSA Facebook
  

• 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!

Is your child bursting with creativity? Are they really into sports (either the traditional or video kind)? Do they love the magical world of Harry Potter or the great outdoors? Do they need to “Launch” into reading and math to get ready for the next grade level? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then we have a great summer opportunity here at School District 123! Check out these exciting programs and many more hosted at Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School this summer.

• PreK-8th Grade Launch Programs: Get a head start on next year! These classes will reinforce last year’s lessons while preparing for what’s ahead in literacy, math, science, and social studies.

• Animal Art with Mr. Lutvi: Calling all animal lovers! Read about different animals and their habitats, then create them using crayons, markers, and paint.

• Open Art Studio - Junk Journal Edition with Mrs. Padilla: Experiment with art! Explore creativity with paints, markers, crayons, beads, and more to fill a junk journal with drawings, writings, and unique projects.

• Rhinestone Gem & Crafting with Ms. Heron: Add some razzle-dazzle! Create eye-catching designs on canvases, masks, and accessories with rhinestones and gems. Explore patterns, symmetry, and color while boosting artistic skills.

• Colorful Creations with Ms. Picman: Express creativity! Students will bring their imagination to life and develop their artistic skills by creating their own masterpieces.

• Hoop Dreams with Mrs. Reidl: Basketball lovers - team up! This camp focuses on improving dribbling, shooting, passing, and footwork skills while having fun. Great for all skill levels.

• E-Sports with Mr. Fanjoy: It’s game time! From JumboTron games to Xbox and arcade fun, students will compete in exciting sports-centered challenges.

• Harry Potter with Mrs. Devine: Experience magic! Wizards and witches will find their way to Hogwarts and learn magic through reader’s theatre, fun games, creative crafts, and house challenges.

• Experiment Express with Ms. O’Donnell: Invent, experiment, and build! Students will dive into exciting experiments and learn about famous inventors through videos and stories. Then, they’ll apply their knowledge by creating their own projects.

• Nature Navigators with Ms. Altenburg: Explore the great outdoors! Dive into weather, plants, and wildlife through hands-on activities both inside and outside. It’s all about sparking curiosity, critical thinking, and building a deeper connection with nature.

• Curious Scientists 2 with Ms. Lettiere: Come explore! We will use STEAM to answer all our curious questions, take on challenges, and create new things. We will do hands-on experiments such as exploding paint art and more.

• Fun with Friends with Ms. Cipriani: Let the games begin! From board games and card games to exciting role-playing and team challenges, this club is about making friends, having fun, and building awesome skills.

At D123, these programs are more than just “summer school.” We want to keep students engaged throughout the summer months by giving them opportunities to explore new activities, have fun with friends, and get a head start on the next year.

Program details:

15-Day Program - No Fridays

June 16 - 18 ~ June 23 - 26
July 7 - 10 ~ July 14 - 17

Pre-K to 8th Grade | All Are Welcome

Sign up today! Spaces are limited.

Register Now