Welcome back to Owings Mills Elementary School!
It is the time of year again, when our school hallways fill with the excitement of reuniting with friends and engaging in new learning. We are excited to welcome all returning and new students back to our OMES family. This year promises to be a great one filled with lots of learning and fun! Here's to an amazing year!
**Select the translate button at the top for other languages.**
**Seleccione el botón de traducción en la parte superior para otros idiomas.**
September Important Dates
- Monday, September 2- Schools Closed for Labor Day
- Wednesday, September 18 from 4:00-5:00- Food Distribution- see details below
- Wednesday, September 25 at 6:00- Magnet Application Information Meeting at Milford Mill Academy- see details below
- Saturday, September 28 from 9:30-12:00- Magnet Expo- see details below
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Arrival
Arrival time for students is 8:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Students arriving after 9:00 a.m. are marked late. If you arrive after 9:00, you will need to park on the side of the building and walk your students inside to sign them in. Please do not park in the bus loop.
Dismissal
To support a safe and orderly dismissal, there are no early dismissals or changes to student dismissal after 3:15 p.m. When your child does have a change to the regular dismissal schedule, it should be communicated to the front office as early in the school day as possible. Please do your best to limit changes.
Car Rider Tags
If your student is a car rider, please make sure his/her car rider tag is displayed everyday at pick-up in the car rider line.
As a reminder, there is NO LEFT TURN out of the car rider loop at arrival or dismissal.
Bus Riders
All students at OMES are assigned a bus. If your student does not ride a bus, please consider having him/her become a bus rider.
BCPS Bus Locator App for Families
BCPS is pleased to announce the countywide implementation of BusWhere, a location-tracking software that allows subscribers to see bus locations in real time on a mobile phone or computer. Via the BusWhere app, subscribers may receive notifications as the bus approaches a designated bus stop or if there are significant delays.
For more information, check out the BusWhere information sheet- BusWhere information.pdf. If you have additional questions please get in touch with the BCPS Office of Transportation at 443-809-4321 or utilize the BusWhere Assistance Request Form- https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=3cPDSRs_g0GOdLONSDpa_bVjgy6GIuVGmGJmus4Mp_NUNllMSjRYWExBNVlQSEUwRFZFNlcyWExBRyQlQCN0PWcu
Attendance Matters- OMES SOARS to 94
Research shows that attendance is one of the leading predictors of academic achievement and adult success. Our school attendance goal for students this year is to maintain an attendance rate of at least 94%. Check out this flyer for more information about the importance of having good attendance at school.
Parent Attendance Tips-Elementary.pdf
Parent Attendance Tips-Elementary (SPANISH).pdf
Data from the 2023-2024 school year:
Attendance Rate for all students- 92.02%
Kindergarten- 90.72%
1st grade- 90.93%
2nd grade- 91.64%
3rd grade- 93.64%
4th grade- 92.34%
5th grade- 93.08%
What does it mean to be chronically absent?
A student is considered chronically absent if they have missed 10% of the total number of school days. Last year at OMES there were 203 students or 27.47% of students were chronically absent from school. This was a decrease from the year before but we can do better!
Did You Know?
Brining your child to school late or taking your child out before the end of the school day counts as time missed from school per the Maryland State Department of Education. All students participate in learning from bell to bell. When they arrive late or leave early, they miss opportunities for learning, small group instruction, and application of newly learned skills. Minutes add quickly to hours and days! Arriving late and leaving early from school should not be a regularly occurring practice. Help your student SOAR to 94 with bell-to-bell instruction! If there is a barrier to regular and timely attendance, contact our Attendance Committee Lead, Ms. Phillips, assistant principal, at kphillips3@bcps.org.
How can you help your child SOAR to 94?
- Establish a bedtime routine that includes a bedtime (students in elementary school need 9-11 hours of sleep a day)
- Pick out clothes the night before
- Pack backpack with homework the night before
- Establish a morning routine
- Schedule appointments around school hours
- Use the attendance tracker to help you track days absent from school
OMES Attendance Incentive
Will your class "kick it"? Will your child SOAR to 94?
Classes with 100% attendance will score 3 goals for the day.
Classes with 94% or better attendance will score 2 goals for the day.
Classes with 90% or better attendance will score 1 goal for the day.
The class in each grade level with the most goals at the end of the week will earn 10 extra minutes of recess or 10 extra minutes of computer time the following Monday. The grade level with the highest attendance percentage for the month of September will earn a grade level spirit day and popsicle treat. The class with the highest attendance percentage for the first quarter will earn popcorn and a movie.
Create a Parent FOCUS Account
Creating a parent FOCUS account is a great way to stay connected to what your child is doing in school. You can monitor your child's grades and attendance throughout the year. Click the link to create your account- https://baltimore.focusschoolsoftware.com/focus/auth/
Curriculum Resources
Math Matters!
In the coming school year, students will embark on another exciting journey through the world of math! This year, we are diving into a range of engaging and challenging topics that will spark curiosity and build a strong foundation for future learning.
Throughout the year, our math curriculum will be enriched with workplace games, group activities, and projects designed to make learning math an enjoyable and rewarding experience. We are excited to see our students grow and thrive as they discover the many ways math connects to the world around them.
Parent/Guardian Corner: Tips for Supporting Math Learning at Home
Promote a Growth Mindset:
Encourage a growth mindset by emphasizing that learning math is about practice and persistence! Remind your child that mistakes are opportunities to learn and improve.
Click this link for grade level specific math newsletters- September
ELA News
Welcome back to school, families! Now is the best time to begin setting up routines with your children that help get them excited about reading and help keep you connected with what they are learning in the classroom. Take a look at the upcoming month's reading modules for your children to explore what topics they will be reading about, what skills they will be learning, and what will inspire their writing. Engage with your children by asking questions about the subjects, seeking their opinions, and sharing your own perspectives. Don't forget to encourage reading at home, too! Have a great time exploring, reading, and connecting with your child!
Click this link for grade level specific ELA newsletters- September
School Wide Testing Updates
During the month of September into the beginning of October students in grades 2-5 will be completing their MAP Growth Assessment. The MAP Growth Assessment is the most trusted and innovative assessment for measuring achievement and growth in Kindergarten-12th grade English Language Arts and Reading. This assessment provides teachers with accurate, actionable evidence to help inform instructional strategies regardless of where students are academically. Students will be working hard to complete the assessment and will take the assessment again in January to view their progress.
Community Schools bring staff, students, families, community members, organizations, and businesses together to promote student achievement, create safe and welcoming conditions for learning, and support the health and well-being of families and the community. Community Schools are unique because they use a combination of integrated student supports, expanded and enriched learning time and opportunities, active family and community engagement, and collaborative learnership and practices to create conditions where students can thrive. For more information about Community Schools, please access this link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dTXujuJRc0
Nurse's Corner
Welcome back for a New and Healthy School Year
I hope you had a safe and relaxing summer. My name is Mrs. Rosenfeld, RN and I am pleased to be returning as the School Nurse. I am looking forward to working again with all the children and families at Owings Mills Elementary School. The Health Suite is open during school hours. Please feel free to contact me at any time regarding your child’s health. Janel Perry, CNA is the school Health Assistant and will be here on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can reach us at 443-809-1607. The Health Suite fax number is 443-809-1606.
Your child's teacher will provide you with the form Consent for Administration of Approved Discretionary Medications and Health Contact Information. This year the form is blue (English) or purple (Spanish). It is very important that the Health Suite has current contact information in the case of emergencies. PLEASE NOTIFY THE SCHOOL IF ANY OF THESE NUMBERS CHANGE.
Medication Administration
All medications given on a regular basis, both prescription and non-prescription, must be accompanied by a written order signed by a health care provider. Additionally, a parent/guardian must sign the Parent’s Request to Administer Medication in School form giving their permission for the medication to be administered at school. All medication must be delivered/picked up by a parent/guardian or other responsible adult. Please provide any medications with the orders at the same time.
All prescription medication must be supplied in their original container with the original pharmacy label including:
- Name of student
- Name of medication
- Strength of medication
- Prescribed dosage
- Directions for use, including time of administration
- Name of health care provider
- Date of prescription
- Expiration date, as indicated by the pharmacist
Non-prescription (over-the-counter) medications must be supplied in their original packaging. The student’s name should be written on the box/container.
Recess Safety
Students must wear tennis shoes/sneakers that tie or have velcro straps for playing at recess. Crocs, flip flops, slippers, water shoes, boots, and open toe sandals are not safe for active participation in recess. Helpful Hint: Students can leave an extra pair of tennis shoes in their locker or cubby.
Maryland Children's Health Program (MCHP)
Information from the Baltimore County Department of Health about help with applying for the Maryland Children's Health Program (MCHP). Check out the flyer for more information.
Flyer in English- MCHP flyer.pdf
Flyer in Spanish- MCHP Are You Covered flyer_Spanish.pdf
Vaccine Information
Information from the Baltimore County Department of Health about required school vaccines that are offered at low to no cost at various Health Centers around Baltimore County.
Flyer in English- Summertime School Vaccine Flyer.pdf
Flyer in Spanish- Spanish Version_Summertime School Vaccine Flyer.pdf
Library Corner
Mrs. Fletcher and Mrs. Hetzer
Physical Education Corner
Dear OMES Families,
Welcome back to the 2024-2025 school year!! Here are a few reminders for P.E. class.
Mrs. Cohen and Mr. Reyda
- Wear tennis shoes/sneakers that tie or have velcro straps. Crocs, flip flops, slippers, water shoes, boots, and open toe sandals are not safe for active participation in P.E. class. Safe activities will be provided if students forget safe shoes. Students must also wear tennis shoes/sneakers that tie or have velcro straps for playing at recess. Helpful Hint: Students can leave an extra pair of tennis shoes in their locker or cubby.
- Girls should wear shorts under a skirt or dress. Comfortable play clothes are recommended for all students for class. Post earrings are safe for P.E. class. Large hoop earrings or earrings that hang below the ear lobe are not safe for P.E. class.
- Please send in a note to your child's homeroom teacher if your child will need to be excused from P.E. for a medical reason. The note will be copied for the P.E. teachers and the school nurse.
- See the schedule below for when your child has P.E. class.
Partner Spotlight
Need groceries? Want to support the school?
On Saturday, September 21 Grocery Outlet in Owings Mills will donate 5% of all sales to the school. You can also get a $5 off $25 coupon for a future visit. Grocery Outlet is located at 11120 Reisterstown Rd. and is open from 8 am - 9 pm.
Grocery Outlet has been an amazing partner to the school with providing food for our monthly food distributions. Please consider supporting this business as well as our school.
September Virtues of the Month
Each month our school will focus on a virtue throughout the month. Students will learn about the virtue during their class morning meetings. One day during the month students will participate in the monthly Family Reunion that will also focus on the virtue.
Our new OMES Code of Conduct has three virtues, respect, responsibility, and inclusivity which will be our virtues of the month for September. As a school we are using the following definitions for each virtue. Respect means proper acceptance or courtesy of others or things. Responsibility means the state or being of responsible; answerable or accountable, as for something within one's control, or management. Inclusivity means aiming to include all people and groups in activities.
Talk with your child about how he/she can exhibit respect, responsibility, and inclusivity in school, at home, with the environment, and in the community. This link provides different resources to incorporate respect, responsibility, and inclusivity at home- September virtues.pdf. Parents may email any pictures of their child showing respect, responsibility, or inclusivity to Rachel Mills, Community School Facilitator, at rmills@bcps.org.
Counselor's Corner
BCPS Magnet EXPO!
BCPS will hold The Magnet EXPO! on Saturday, September 28, 2024 at CCBC Essex Wellness and Athletic Center, 7201 Rossdale Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21237 from 9:30 am to 12 pm.
Application Information Meetings for parents will be held on Tuesday, September 17 at Kenwood High School (510 Stemmers Run Rd., Essex 21221) and Wednesday, September 25 at Milford Mill Academy (3800 Washington Ave., Windsor Mill 21244). Both meetings will be held in the school's auditorium and will start at 6 pm.
See flyer for more details- Magnet Flyer 25-26.pdf
If you have any questions, please contact our magnet liaison, Aileen Losin, at alosin@bcps.org.
BCPS Cell Phone Policy
BCPS policy states that cell phones should be turned off or set on silent and out of sight. At OMES, students should have their cell phone turned off and kept in their bookbag in their locker.
Check out this link for more information about social media and cell phones- Social Media & Cell Phones.pdf
Volunteer Training
If you would like to volunteer or attend a field trip, you must complete the BCPS Volunteer Training.
Step 1: Complete a BCPS Volunteer Application- https://cdnsm5-ss3.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_9046799/File/Updated%20Documents/Application%20for%20Volunteer%20Services%20ADA.pdf or get a paper copy from the school.
Step 2: Complete the Online Volunteer Orientation- https://bcpsvolunteers-md.safeschools.com/register/0c626573
Step 3: All Volunteer Applications and Certificate from the online training must be given to Rachel Mills or emailed to rmills@bcps.org.
For more information- https://www.bcps.org/cos/communications/FACE/b_c_p_s_volunteers