Silver Creek Weekly Newsletter
October 23- October 27
Dear Silver Creek Families
We look forward to a great week of school. We have less than two weeks remaining in the first marking period. The end of the quarter is October 31, 2023. Please encourage your child to submit any outstanding work they have and to take advantage of the after school homework support on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We want our students to finish the marking period strong!
In the newsletter, the section with an * has been updated with new information OR is a new section in the newsletter. Please make sure to review. As always, thank you for your continued partnership.
Let's make it a great week Huskies!
Bell Schedule
*Silver Creek News (SCN) News
Did you miss the latest Husky news. You may access the link below from Friday, October 20, 2023 to hear upcoming news & events https://youtube.com/live/YNGAnkwy9Q8?feature=share
You may also access the following document for the daily links to the Silver Creek News Show (SCN).
*Student Government Association (SGA)
We are excited to announce that we have a teacher sponsor for SGA. As such we are inviting students to become a member of SGA and be a student leader within the school.
The SGA is a student-led group representing the interest of all students in the decision-making process. Students help develop Silver Creek Middle School’s individuality through fundraisers, dances, spirit week events, and more! The group meets every Wednesday & Thursday from 3:15 - 4:20 in room 315.
If interested, please fill out the following google form. https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/silver-creek-parent-handbook/after-school-activities
*Recording- High School Regional/Countywide Application Programs- 8th Grade ONLY
The deadline to apply for any one of the High School Regional/Countywide Programs is November 3, 2023. You may also visit the High School Programs At-A-Glance at MCPS website for additional information: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms/high/
If you do choose to apply to one of the programs, you will be notified of the results the first week of February 2024. The deadline to accept a program invitation is February 16, 2024.
If you missed the information session offered by Silver Creek last week, you may view the Slide Presentation below:
*Winter Athletics Registration: Basketball
Winter registration opens October 30, 2023, at 12:00 noon. 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 child's physical, as part of the registration process. All students must be registered on ParentVue and have a valid SR-8.
You may find important Middle School Winter Athletics Information here: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/athletics/programs/default/564092/
The first basketball game will be held on January 9, 2024. Information related to tryouts will come out soon. Please email Sean Brennan at Sean_P_Brennan@mcpsmd.org if you have any questions.
*Husky Drama T'Shirt Sales
Would you like to support Husky Drama's Fall Play Still Life with Iris and purchase a shirt to wear on our opening night Friday December 1st?
Great news! Husky Drama T'shirts are now on sale until October 31st. You may order at the link below:
Library Media Center Update
Our Latine & Hispanic Heritage Month Open Mic is now rescheduled for this week, Tuesday, October 24. Sign ups are first-come, first-served, on our LMC website. Students can perform or recite original or published work that celebrates or centers Latin American culture, history, and stories. Or, they can be part of our supportive audience.
Please visit our Library Media Program website HERE for online resources, book catalog and recommendations, events, and much more.
Counseling Department News & Updates
Therapy Dogs: Good news! We have therapy dogs coming to Silver Creek on Mondays beginning this week, October 23, 2023. Ms. MacHarrie, our social worker, has arranged for therapy dogs to visit SCMS once a month. More information will be provided on the morning announcements as well as the weekly newsletter for families. Please stay tuned.
Mental Health Awareness Week (MHA): MHA week will be celebrated by MCPS the week of October 30 - November 4. At Silver Creek, we will celebrate this week with activities at lunch, theme days and morning announcements. If you have an idea for MHA week, email Susan Levine at susan_a_levine@mcpsmd.org
The October newsletter is available here: https://www.smore.com/ukb6p. You may also check out resources about middle school children on the Counseling Website. If your family needs help with school supplies, food for the weekend, winter coats or other needs, we would like to help! Please fill out the following form below: https://forms.gle/gdTDMCSSgmU5pVQp9
If you have questions related to registration/enrollment or transcripts, please contact Latonya Abrom at Latonya_N_Abrom@mcpsmd.org
No Place for Hate (NPFH) Advisory Council
Parents/caretakers and community members, we are always looking for adults who would like to participate as well. If you are interested in joining the advisory council, please fill out this quick No Place for Hate Advisory Council interest form: No Place for Hate Advisory Council Interest Form (google.com) the committee meets every other Wednesday beginning at 3:20PM. We will contact you about our first full meeting, which will take place this Wednesday, October 25.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Matthew Okun at Matthew_Okun@mcpsmd.org. I look forward to a great school year as we continue our work to make Silver Creek a "No Place for Hate" school.
Finance Park- 7th Grade Field Trip: October 30 & October 31st
Permission forms: Permission forms were sent home with students last week. You may see the letter that accompanied the permission form located here. All permission slips are due to your child's World Studies teacher no later than October 13th, 2023. You may view the video for more information.
Volunteers Needed: Our need for volunteers is immense, as we need 17 volunteers for each day. It is a great opportunity to create a rich learning opportunity for our students. We would like to request support from our parents/caregivers for this event. If you are interested in being a volunteer, you may register through the Junior Achievement - Finance Park registration portal. The directions for doing this are available here.
If you have any questions please email the World Studies Content Specialist, Mr. Matthew Myers at Matthew_P_Myers@Mcpsmd.org or the 7th Grade Team Leader, Ms. Leah Taylor at Leah_R_Taylor@Mcpsmd.org.”
Intramurals: Attention all 6th-8th grade students
Intramural sports are designed to promote participation in sports to all eligible middle school students of all grade levels. There are no try-outs, no paper work and students don’t need much experience to participate. Intramurals take place after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and/or Thursdays from 3:05-4:30. Activity buses are available after every intramural session. Sample sports can include: basketball, football, soccer, badminton, tennis, volleyball, cross country, dance, weight training, track and field, kickball, capture the flag, etc.
Intramurals began last week, September 18. Currently, we have available 5 on 5 Basketball on Tuesdays for 7th & 8th graders & Wednesdays for 6th graders.
As new classes come available, your child's PE and Health teacher will make announcements to their classes. It will also be posted on our school’s website and the intramural bulletin board in the PE hallway.
After School Activities
After school Activities have started. We have a range of after school activities. Please click the link below to view our After School Activities Brochure which includes a description of each activity, the staff member who is sponsoring, the location, and the day of the week the activity begins.
Please note that some clubs will begin later in the school year. We do ask that students register for their activity so that sponsors are aware of the number of students attending. Scroll down further in the link to view the After School Activities Bus Schedule. Buses will depart Silver Creek at approximately 4:20 p.m. to take students home. Each bus will take students to their regular bus stop or to a stop nearby. You may also choose to pick your child up from their activity. Please pick your child up at the front of the school by 4:20 p.m.
We look forward to seeing your child at one of our great clubs!
PARENT RESOURCES
*Principal Coffee
We are excited to have principal coffees once a month on Fridays from 8:30-9:10 am. The next principal coffee is scheduled for Friday, December 1 over zoom. This is a great time to hear about school-wide happenings and events related to students' academic and social well being.
Thank you to those who joined us last Friday, 10/20 for the principal coffee. Here, you may find a copy of the Slide deck and Recording.
Parent Handbook
Please locate the parent handbook on our website. All the information you need is located here for your convenience.
https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/silver-creek-parent-handbook/home
*Latest MCPS Updates from Thursday, October 19
Here are things to know from Thursday Oct. 19. Get information about the virtual budget forum and upcoming dates, applications to high school programs, opportunity to sign up for Board public comments, bright spots this week and more!
October is LGBTQ+ History Month
LGBTQ+ History Month provides role models, builds community, and represents a civil rights statement about the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. To learn more, you may READ here.
National PTA School of Excellence Award
Congratulations to the Silver Creek PTSA for receiving the National PTA School of Excellence award. The National PTA School of Excellence Program is a recognition program that supports and celebrates the partnership between families and the school to enrich the educational experience and overall well being of all students. You may read more about the program here.
We would like to thank Ms. Kimberly Clarkson, former SCMS PTSA president, for all of her hard work and efforts with applying for this designation last school year.
Way to go SCMS PTSA! Thank you for all you do for our school community.
Free and Reduced Meals
The application is now open for parents and guardians to complete and submit for assistance with the cost of school meals. Families of students who may qualify for free or reduced-price meals can apply for this service. Eligibility is based on family size and gross income. Beginning this year, students in Maryland who qualify for reduced-price meals will not be charged for breakfast or lunch meals.
Upcoming Dates to Remember
October 30 & October 31- Finance Park- 7th Grade Field Trip
October 30- November 4- MCPS Mental Health Awareness Week
October 31- End of Marking Period 1
November 1- No school for students
Link to MCPS Calendar
Student Absence
If a student is going to be absent, the parent/guardian is asked to call the attendance line at 240-740-2201 the morning of the absence. In your message, please include the information listed below:
1. Parent/Guardian name
2. Full name of your student (First & Last); student ID#
3. Date(s)of absence
4. Reason for absence
If you have any questions regarding attendance procedures, parents may email a note to Ms. Pamela Carroll-Sykes, attendance secretary, at Pamela_M_Carroll-Sykes@mcpsmd.org
Important Contacts
Silver Creek Middle School
Principal: Dr. Tiffany N. Awkard
Assistant Principal: Mrs. Kimberly Heidler
Assistant Principal: Mr. David O'Shell
School Hours: 7:30 am- 4:00 pm
Main Office: 240-740-2200
Registration & Counseling: 240-740-2211
Attendance Line: 240-740-2201
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/silvercreekms/
Location: 3701 Saul Road, Kensington, MD, USA
Phone: 240 740 2200
Twitter: @SCMSDrAwkard