Silver Creek Weekly Newsletter

Welcome Back Huskies! On behalf of the Silver Creek Staff, welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! I would like to extend a special welcome to our new students and families. We are so excited to start a new school year with each of you! I hope everyone had an enjoyable, restful and safe summer. It was great to see many of our families at the Back to School Bash last week. It's hard to believe that the first day of school is tomorrow, Monday, August 26.

The weekly newsletter will be sent out every Sunday evening at 7PM and posted on our website. The newsletter serves as a comprehensive communication tool that will provide updated school news and information. Families can also use the translation tool on the side bar to translate to other languages. If you have not had the opportunity to read the welcome back letter sent out on August 16, you may do so here: Welcome Back to School Letter (English).Welcome Back to School Letter (Spanish). The letter has all the back to school information you will need to know.

I would like to thank our staff for all of their hard work last week preparing to welcome our students back to school and look forward to seeing all of our students tomorrow.

I continue to feel fortunate to serve as the principal of Silver Creek. As we approach the start of a new school year, I want to express my gratitude for your ongoing support and partnership. Our school community thrives because of the collaborative effort among our dedicated educators, students, and families. Your involvement in your child's education makes a significant difference, and we are thankful to have you as a part of our school family. Together, we will make this a great school year.

Let's make it an awesome week, Huskies!

The bell schedule for the first week of school has been modified to have a homeroom period this week for students to receive important school information. The first week of school schedule is located HERE.

A few reminders:

• School hours- First period begins at 8:15 a.m. School ends at 3:00 p.m. Students can enter the building beginning at 7:50 am and will report to their grade-level designated areas. The 6th grade students report to the cafeteria, 7th grade students report to the tennis courts, and 8th grade students report to the basketball courts.

• Students who ride the bus: Typically bus arrival to school is between 7:40-7:55 AM. Once students arrive, they go to their grade level reporting areas above.

• Parent Drop Off: Parents please drop off at the main entrance of the building and not the bus loop in the back of the school. School staff will monitor student drop off and dismissal areas. Parents, thank you for your cooperation with following directions of school staff to keep the flow of traffic moving.

• Parent Pick up: Parents may begin to pick up their child at 3:00 pm. Please follow the driveway up to the front/main entrance and follow the directions of the staff.

Advisory is a 30-minute support period three times per week called Husky P.A.W.S (Providing Academic and Wellness Supports). The purpose of the support period is to create a learning space that responds to the needs of our students' academic, social, and emotional needs. During this time, students will have opportunities for academic support, social/emotional and well-being activities.

Students will also participate in advisory lessons dedicated to academic support, restorative approaches (including lessons on conflict resolution & developing empathy), wellness, ATL skills, and D.E.A.R . All of these lessons support our School Improvement Plan goals (Literacy, Math, Well-Being, and Culture and Climate). The lessons cultivate a sense of belonging and unity, fostering a school environment where every student feels valued and heard.

Please see Regular Bell Schedule with Husky PAWS

This school year, SCMS will be moving to a cell phone-free school. This means that phones are prohibited the entire school day (8:05 - 3:00 PM) The policy will take effect the first day of school, Monday, August 26. Please make sure you and your child review our new cell phone policy to ensure a smooth transition to the school year.

All students will have access to chromebooks in each of their classrooms again this year.

• If you would like to request a chromebook to keep and use at home, please click here to request one. You will be contacted once the chromebook is ready to be picked up.
  
• Students are expected to use their chromebook appropriately as outlined in our Chromebook Policy document.

As a reminder, all entering 7th grade students must provide documentation that they have received one dose of Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) and one dose of Meningococcal (MCV4) vaccination.

• If your child has already received the required immunizations but you have not submitted documentation, parents/guardians may contact their healthcare provider for a copy of their children’s vaccination records to verify which vaccinations have been received to date.
• Parents/guardians can also access their child’s vaccination record online at no cost on the Maryland Department of Health’s web portal (https://myirmobile.com/). Users can view and print official copies of vaccination records without a request to their health care provider.
• If you have not already had your child’s vaccinations updated and submitted documentation to Silver Creek, please make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician.

If you have any questions regarding how to submit updated immunization records, please contact

our health room staff at Desiree_G_Speicher@mcpsmd.org (school nurse) or Tigest_Teshome@mcpsmd.org (health tech).

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year. As your dedicated school counselors, we are thrilled to be a part of your child's life and to support their overall academic, social and emotional wellness every step of the way.

• You may find the counseling website located here. Throughout the year, we will provide resources, tools and workshops to support our families with navigating through the middle school years.
• 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: Sign up for Husky Help 24-25 (google.com)
  

If you have questions related to registration/enrollment or transcripts, please contact Ms. Susan Levine, resource counselor at Susan_A_Levine@mcpsmd.org

Middle School Athletics for the 2024-2025 school year is open to all 7th & 8th grade students. All athletes MUST be registered on ParentVue. Physicals (form SR-8) must be filled out by a medical professional prior to any type of participation. Physicals are valid for up to two years. Copies of the SR-8 form can be found HERE.

• Practices/Games occur every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday after school from 3:10-4:30 or later on game days.

• Registration for the upcoming middle school athletics Fall season (boys’ and girls’ softball and cross country) will be submitted through the ParentVue Portal, which opened on August 12, 2024.

• Tryouts will be held on September 10th, 11th, and 12th. Complete the Middle School Spring Athletics Online Registration located on ParentVue. Click here for helpful tips on accessing the registration form.

If you have any questions, please email Mr. Sean Brennan, Athletic Coordinator, at sean_p_brennan@mcpsmd.org

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.

• Apply here
• Learn more about the program

On behalf of Silver Creek, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our PTSA:

• Daphne Frydman, Diana Embry, Kimberly Boer, Cecily Baskir & the PTSA for planning our Back-to-School Bash. We had a very nice turnout and it was exciting to see so many of our new and returning families.
• Amy Lerman, Michelle Levine & the PTSA for providing our staff with a delicious lunch on Friday. It was certainly a great treat for everyone!

We are grateful for such an amazing PTSA and appreciate your commitment to our students, staff, and school community.

September 2- Labor Day Holiday- Schools and Offices Closed

September 19- Back to School Night- 6:30 PM; FLHS Meeting- 6 PM

September 27- Early Release day for students

October 3- No school for students

Link to MCPS Calendar

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

Please find our school directory located on our School's Website with important contact information: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/silvercreekms/staff/directory/

Principal: Dr. Tiffany N. Awkard

Assistant Principal: Mrs. Kimberly P. Heidler

Assistant Principal: Ms. Justine Pfeiffer

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
X: @SCMSDrAwkard