OMS Friday Knight Live

1. End of Quarter Information
2. ASK- Get Caught Up Before End of Quarter!
3. OMS Food Drive for local families in need 2/27-3/13
4. Parent Guardian Presentation March 4: Sunflower House Online Safety
5. PTO News: Stock the Coffee Bar and Restaurant Nights (March 4th Raising Cane's!)
6. Green Team Challenge
7. 7th & 8th Grade Students: Track & Field Information
8. 8th Grade: Deadline to sign up for career ready programs field trips March 3rd
9. Student Hygiene Drive: Giving the Basics March 3-12!
10. Coming Up @ OMS

At the end of each quarter, courses in Canvas will conclude and will no longer be visible on the Canvas app. However, a concluded course remains visible through the Canvas website by selecting ALL COURSES and then PAST ENROLLMENTS.

How do I view my child’s report card?

• Log in on ParentVue.

• Select the student’s name

• In the left navigation bar, choose Report Card

Each new quarter, classroom teachers will publish the next quarter’s Canvas course. As courses are published, students and families will again be able to see current courses on the Canvas app and Canvas website. For Canvas parent resources, visit www.bluevalleyk12.org/canvas.

Third quarter has been crazy with so many inclimate weather days. If your student needs help getting back into a routine, please encourage them to attend ASK, our after-school homework help program. ASK is available Monday-Thursday from 3-4 p.m.

The OMS PTO needs your help collecting food for local families in need. We will be collecting the following items from 2/27 through 3/13:

canned vegetables

canned fruit

rice

beans

crackers

peanut butter

mac & cheese

All donations can be placed in the collection bin in the front entry of the school. If you prefer to donate funds so that these items can be purchased, please venmo @Oxford-MiddleSchoolPTO (make sure to look for the OMS Knight image), and note that the funds are for food donations. You may also send a check to the school office, please make it payable to OMS PTO.

Parents and guardians coming to school for conferences on 2/27 or the Sunflower House e-Safety presentation 3/4 are invited to bring in donations during those events.

FOR ALL OMS PARENTS: Sunflower House Child Advocacy Center in KC will also host a parent information night at OMS to share valuable information about on-line safety and how to support your students and set guidelines for them when they are online.

Date: Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Time: 6:30-7:30PM

Location: Oxford Middle School Commons

Topic: Keeping Kids Safe Online

Learn more about the possible dangers of internet usage, practical safety tips & tools, and the cybercrime reporting process.

There is no software that is 100% effective with keeping our kids safe online. There is no software that replaces having age-appropriate conversations with your child, reassuring them you will help if they encounter a problem. We are here to help when you have concerns or questions.

If you would like to attend, PLEASE RSVP through this link so we can plan for seating. We look forward to seeing you!

Coffee Bar Donations!

The OMS PTO needs your help stocking the staff coffee bar. Please click the link to sign up. All items can be dropped off at the school office next week. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4FAFAC2AAAF85-55263372-omsstaff

Restaurant Fundraisers - Save the Dates!

The OMS PTO has planned three more restaurant fundraisers, please save the following dates and help support the PTO! All proceeds will be used for staff support and end of year student activities.

· Cane's Chicken, 7501 W. 135th Street, March 4th.

· Chipotle, 7040 W. 135th Street, April 8th.

· Tropical Smoothie Cafe, 7592 W. 119th Street, May 6th.

Our Green Team is sponsoring a challenge to collect 1,000 pounds of plastic film to keep it out of our landfills and oceans. What is plastic film? Plastic grocery bags, soda case plastic wrap, bread bags, ziploc bags, newspaper sleeves, dry cleaning bags, and so much more!

Once the 1,000lb limit has been collected, it will be recycled into an outdoor bench for our courtyard!

Current Plastic Weight Turned In: 599 Pounds 2.28.25

Pull Tabs/Pop Tabs are being collected to help raise money for the local Ronald McDonald House. Pull those tabs from soda, vegetable, soup, fruit, tomato sauce cans and so many more!

Current Pop Tab Weight Turn In: 50 pounds 2.28.25

Click HERE for the OMS Student Made Recycling Video

Any 7th or 8th grade student interested in Track & Field should come to an informational meeting on Tuesday March 11th in the 6th grade pod.

Meet Coach Reid and Coach Alexander and receive a Track & Field handbook that describes what is expected to be part of the team. A practice and meet schedule will also be passed out at that time.

Practices begins Wednesday March 26 after school. All participants must have accounts on rSchool and a valid physical on file.

TheTrack & Field Track Gear store is open! Click HERE to order now.

The week of March 3-7, the OMS Counseling Department will be presenting lessons about personal safety to our 6-8th grade students. 6th graders will have a lesson about taking care of themselves when they are home alone, when they interact with others at school, when they are online, or when they are out in the community with friends. We will talk about respecting rules at home and at school, navigating safely online, dealing with peer pressure and identifying safe adults that they can go to if they have concerns.

7th graders will have a lesson from Sunflower House about on-line safety. A trained Sunflower House educator will present the program, E-Safety: Online and Technology Safety. This presentation is focused on safety topics such as cyberbullying, sexting, child exploitation, social networking and staying safe online. Sunflower House staff will present current electronic safety information including age- appropriate examples, videos and necessary information regarding educational, legal and social consequences students can face while using electronic devices to communicate. Sunflower House has presented safety presentations for students for over 40 years and has been a great resource for our OMS students.

8th graders will have a lesson about personal safety in friendships and dating relationships. We will talk about setting boundaries in relationships, define what consent means, discuss strategies on dealing with peer pressure, identify warning signs of unhealthy relationships, and discuss suggestions on how to promote healthy relationships.

Please follow up with your student about these lessons and we hope that you can continue these conversations at home. If you have questions, please contact your student's counselor.

Click HERE for a Sunflower House Flier: What to do if a child tells you about abuse

Jill Gouger (A-K) jgouger@bluevalleyk12.org

Allyson DiNitto (L-Z) adinitto@bluevalleyk12.org

Blue Valley has developed a partnership with Johnson County Community College (JCCC) to offer options for career ready certifications in a variety of fields. The Career Ready Programs currently available for students on the campus of JCCC are Automation Engineer, Automotive Technology, Culinary and Hospitality, Cybersecurity, Electrical Technology, Electronics Technology, Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning, Plumbing Technology, and Welding and Metal Fabrication.

Blue Valley has also partnered with the Overland Park Fire Department and JCCC to offer a pathway for students to earn certifications toward being a firefighter/paramedic. We will be offering opportunities for students to visit JCCC and the OPFD Fire Training Center to see the programs in action, speak with faculty and students, and learn even more about these exciting programs!

OPFD trip: April 1st (12:30-2:00 @ OPFD FTC)

JCCC trip: April 2nd (12:30-2:00 @ JCCC)

To sign your student up for these trips, please complete this FORM by 8:00 am on Monday, March 3rd. Transportation will be provided to JCCC and the OPFD FTC and back to student’s home schools.

The OMS Community Service Club and Student Council are hosting a hygiene drive for Giving the Basics from March 3-12 at OMS! Giving the Basics provides hygiene products to families in need in the KC area—reaching over 400,000 people each year!

We ask each grade level to donate different types of hygiene items:

• 6th grade—body care products such as soap, shower gel, deodorant;

• 7th grade—oral hygiene items such as toothpaste/toothbrushes, dental floss, mouth wash; and

• 8th grade—hair care products such as shampoo, conditioner, styling products, and combs/brushes.

We will be having a Flex class competition during this drive, and the Flex class at each grade level that contributes the greatest number of items will have a Flex party after spring break, courtesy of the OMS StuCo and Community Service Club!

Thank you for your support of our Giving the Basics Hygiene Drive!!!

Friday, 3/14- End of 3rd Quarter; No School for Students

March 15-24- Spring Break; No School

Tuesday, 3/25- School Resumes; Beginning of 4th Quarter

Community Celebrations and Observances - to promote awareness and appreciation of our Blue Valley families.

• Some March Celebrations & Observances:

  
  

  • The Nineteen Day Fast - March 1-19 - a time of prayer, meditation, and fasting, some adult members of the Baháʼí faith refrain from food and water from sunrise to sunset each day. This practice might include prayers of spiritual preparation for the new year.

  • Ramadan - evening of March 1-30 - the holy month of fasting for the Islamic faith. For some Muslim families, it is a time for introspection, communal prayer, reading the Qur’an, and fasting between sunrise and sunset.

  • Ash Wednesday - March 5 - a Christian holiday signifying the first day of the Lenten season, the 40 days (excluding Sundays) leading to Easter. Some families will attend religious services and receive ashes in the shape of a cross on their forehead.

  • Holi - March 14 - known as the Hindu festival of colors, Holi honors the triumph of good over evil and marks the beginning of Spring. Some families will light bonfires, throw colorful powder called gulal, eat sweets, and dance to traditional music.

  Eid al Fitr - March 31 - marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting. Some families will celebrate the “Festival of Breaking the Fast” by joining in communal prayer and meals, visiting family, gift-giving, and charity.

SUN Bucks, also known as Summer EBT, is a program to help families buy food for their school-aged children during the summer. Families will get a one-time benefit of $120 per year for each eligible child to help buy groceries during the summer months.

For more information, visit https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/Food/sunbucks.aspx

Have you ever wondered how to monitor your child’s usage on their Blue Valley device? We have parent tools that allow you to receive notifications to ensure your child is using their device safely. School staff members monitor these devices during the school day and intervene, when necessary. However, parents can receive alerts if concerns arise when students use devices after school hours–including weekends and school breaks. Check out the Securly Home Parent Portal App here.

Students will begin making slides to be included in the 8th grade celebration video. Your students will work on these in their flex class. Please make sure your student has digital copies of a baby/young child picture and current picture for the video. All pictures must be school appropriate.

Please refer to the OMS website for the 2nd Semester Clubs and Activities. In addition ASK, after school homework sessions, have also changed. ASK takes place Monday-Thursday from 3-4 p.m.

Middle school course fee payment for the second semester is open and online now. Your ParentVUE login and password are required to pay course fees.

• Course fees are assigned based on your student’s enrollment. Some seventh and eighth grade exploratory/elective classes include course fees.

• Course fees are assigned for the first semester only.

Questions regarding fee payment should be directed to OMS bookkeeper, Andrea da Valinha Lopes.

adavalinhalopes@bluevalleyk12.org

913-239-5508

Parents/Guardians please do not bring in restaurant or fast food for your student for lunch. If your student is coming in late or returning from an appointment please have them eat lunch before they return to OMS. Restaurant/fast food is not allowed in the cafeteria.

OMS families, every school has procedures in place for the safety of our students and to provide the best learning environment for everyone. Each year we check and update our procedures on everything from forgotten lunches,no outside restaurant food, to visitors in the building. Please refer to our 2024 2025 Student Planner, our School Information or Families tabs on the OMS Website, or our Parent Reference Sheet for our How-To’s including:

• Reporting an Absence

• Dropping off forgotten homework, shoes,lunches, etc

• No outside restaurant food

• Visitors in the building

• Sports eligibility

• Lunch money accounts

• So much more!

Families of bus riders, please sign up for Durham Bus Services notifications. Get the information if your student’s bus is late or going to be in a different numbered bus. Click HERE for Durham’s Website and Textcaster Link

Blue Valley Schools is committed to promoting and fostering a safe environment in and around all our schools. We are continuously working to prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover from a wide range of situations. Please check out available ways to report safety concerns.

OMS Families, please share any candid photos you take during the school year This is for the yearbook so:

• No blurry or out of focus shots

• Upload a few shots (but no duplicates please)

• Please put in folder associated with your grade or event

• OMS events only

• .jpg or .png ONLY (no .HEIC)

Click HERE to upload photos for the 2024 2025 Yearbook

OMS has many clubs and activities before and after school. Look at our Activities page for clubs starting next week and check back often for updates. Click HERE for OMS Activities page

Click HERE for 24 25 Club Listing by Day

OMS families, every school has procedures in place for the safety of our students and to provide the best learning environment for everyone. Each year we check and update our procedures on everything from forgotten lunches to visitors in the building. Please refer to our 2024 2025 Student Planner, our School Information or Families tabs on the OMS Website for everything including:

• Reporting an Absence

• Dropping off forgotten homework, shoes, etc

• Visitors in the building

• Outside/restaurant food

• Sports eligibility

• Lunch money accounts

• So much more!

For students who do not receive bus transportation, families may fill out this form to see if other families near them are interested in arranging a carpool. Anyone who fills the form out will want to check regularly for new additions. Families who use this form will reach out to other parents and guardians on this form to arrange any carpools.

OMS Carpool Interest Form

Please help our OMS carline move smoothly by following the OMS traffic loop. All cars enter the parking lot through the south entrance and exit through the south entrance.

Parents/Guardians may NOT drop kids off in our south parking lot. This creates a safety hazard for staff entering and exiting the parking lot before and after school. Thank you for keeping our community safe!

Bell Schedules & Calendar / Bell/Class Schedules (bluevalleyk12.org)

OMS FAQs: student handbook, lockers, etc.

Building & Traffic Flow Map

OMS Staff Directory

Want to keep up on the latest OMS announcements and information? Check out the NEWS section on the OMS website. NEWS is located under the About Us tab.

Click HERE for OMS NEWS

Attendance Number: 913-239-5505

Mrs. Domoney, Principal: cdomoney@bluevalleyk12.org

Mr. Holsapple, Assistant Principal: jholsapple03@bluevalleyk12.org

OMS Calendar

OMS School Website

OMS Library Homepage