White Oak Middle School

December 2024

December Calendar

December Events

Winter MAP (Grade 6 Only) 12/16-1/28

TBD EZ Pass Days

December 5- Basketball Interest Meeting

December 6 -Winter Dance Concert

December 9- PTSA Meeting

December 9-13 Book Fair

December 10- Basketball Tryouts

December 12- Winter Chorus Concert, 6 pm & Instrumental Music Concert, 7pm

December 14- Cafecito

December 17-19 Holiday Gift Shop

December 23-31 Winter Break - No School

Holiday Gift Shop

Hello Families!!

We need your help to make this year’s Holiday Shop a success for our students! 🎄 Every year, our students use their LifeSchool points to “buy” gifts for their families, and it’s truly heartwarming to see their excitement as they shop.

This year, we are running low on items, and we’re asking for donations of new or gently used items to stock the shop. Some ideas include:

Unopened nail polish, skincare, or beauty items
Jewelry sets or accessories you no longer wear
Toys your kids have outgrown
Small home goods, books, or other giftable treasures

We’ll take almost anything that could bring joy to a family member—just no junk, please! 😊

We’re collecting items until Friday. If you’d like to contribute, please drop your donations off at our front office!

Thank you so much for helping us spread some holiday cheer!

Book Fair December 9-13

Our PTSA is sponsoring a Scholastic Book Fair. It will be a great opportunity for our students to buy books as well as fun knick knacks. Also, parents can purchase holiday gifts. The fair will be open during our PTSA meeting on Wednesday and during our music concert on Thursday.

Winter Season Basketball Game Schedule

Athletics Pre-Participation Physical Form

New White Oak Middle School Counseling Website

School Year Calendar

(NEW) 2nd Morning Routine Rotation

Regular Morning Routines- We have 3 morning routine rotations for arrival throughout the school year. Students will need to report to their holding areas until it is time to go to their 1st period class. Students will pick up breakfast on their way to class.

6th graders will report directly to the gymnasium.
7th graders will report to the cafeteria or the media center
8th graders will report to their first period classes.

Advisories- We will have advisory following 1st period as we did last school year. Here is the focus for each advisory day.

Mondays- Drop Everything and Read, IXL, or Study (Make-up Work)
Tuesdays- Drop Everything and Read, IXL, or Study (Make-up Work)
Wednesdays- Community Circles
Thursdays- check grades and make up assignments; organize notebooks; independent study.
Fridays- Drop Everything and Read, IXL, or Study (Make-up Work)

With kind hearts, fierce minds, and brave spirits, our school community will thrive!

Title 1 Presentation

Bus Routes

Bus Routes for Immersion Program

December Menus

All Students Get Free Breakfast and Lunch!

All students at White Oak will get free breakfast and lunch. White Oak students will not have to complete lunch applications to get free lunch. Every morning, we have our. cafeteria workers in three locations allowing students to pick up their breakfast on their way to class. Students will need to pick up their breakfast on their way to class. Once students enter class, they will not be allowed to go back out to get breakfast. This will ensure all students are in class ready to learn at the beginning of class.

Cell Phone Update for 6th Grade Students

We want all students focused on learning and free of cell phone and social media distractions. As a result, students in the 6th grade will not be permitted to use their cell phones during lunch time or recess. Students in the 7th and 8th grade will be allowed to use their devices during lunch time as long as they are responsible and do not distract others from learning due to engaging in social media or group text conflicts and or breaking school rules. All students will need to turn off their devices and and put them away when the bell rings to begin classes.

Repeating Updates

SSL- Learn more about the required SSL documentation and find SSL opportunities ahead of the summer months. For more information please email Smahir_H_Abdelazis@MCPSMD.Org or call her at 301-288-8200.

Math MCAP and IXL- Please read this link to learn ways to practice and prepare for the Math MCAP- IXL Practice Opportunities. The summer is a great time to get more practice at your own pace.

Traffic on New Hampshire Avenue-

In order to keep students safe, they are not allowed to take the metro to and from school in areas where buses are provided. New Hampshire Avenue is a very busy thruway. Cars are traveling at high speeds and we do not have crossing guards.
Please pick up and drop off in front of the school. Do not encourage students to meet you or drop them off on New Hampshire Avenue.
Driving out of the school after the student drop off area (near cafeteria) to go north we have a right turn only sign. Cars that wait to make left turns slow down traffic and cause safety risks. Please make right turns only driving out of the school to New Hampshire Avenue from the student drop off area.

Math MCAP and IXL Specially Important Topics

MCPS Things to Know

IXL Math Support at School and at Home!

Learn with IXL at home!

We’re using IXL to support our math curriculum this year, and your child has access to this

online program at home. With thousands of skills that match what we’re learning, as well

as insights into student progress, IXL is a great resource to help your child excel. Learn with IXL at home!

IXL

IXL in Spanish

Our Media Center

Media Center Staff

Media Specialist: Olivia Larson - Olivia.N.Larson@MCPSMD.Net

Media Assistant: Brett Barrera

Media Center Phone Number- 301-288-8270

After School Activities

Dear Students & Families,

We are excited to have students extend their days with us to engage in the activities they enjoy most. Please click the link below for activity descriptions, days, locations and activity bus information. If you have questions about the activities offered, please reach out to the sponsor directly for more information.

After School Activities

Here are a few reminders about after school activities:

Students should report to the cafeteria once they are dismissed for the day. Students should refrain from going outside to the bus loading area if they are staying for an activity.
Supper will be served in the cafeteria at 3:00 and activities will begin promptly at 3:15.
Students should remain with their after school sponsors until 4:30.
After school activities end at 4:30. Activity buses arrive at approximately 4:30. Students who are walkers or car riders will be asked to exit the building at 4:30.
Students should communicate with their families if they are staying after school for an activity

Middle School Sports Registration

Registraton for middle school athletics will be conducted through the ParentVUE Portal. The ParentVUE online registration portal, available in English and Spanish, incorporates all required paper forms and documents into an internet-based platform that can be accessed using a secure ParentVUE Portal login. Parents/guardians are also able to scan and upload their student's physical, as part of the registraton process.

Fall registration for coed cross country or boys' and girls' softball opens August 12, 2024, at 12:00 noon.
Winter registration for boys' or girls' basketball opens October 28, 2024, at 12:00 noon
Spring registration for boys' or girls' soccer opens January 27, 2025, at 12:00 noon

Participation Requirements

Students should complete their pre-participation physical (MCPS Form SR-8) so that the medical eligibility form (the last page) is ready for online submission via the ParentVue Portal or for email submission to the local school athletic coordinator , prior to tryouts/practices. This form is valid for two years from the date of the exam and covers participation for all sports within that time period.