OMS Friday Knight Live

1. Green Team Challenge
2. Durham Text Caster Bus Notifications
3. OMS Counseling Corner
4. Social Worker Resources
5. PTO News
6. OMS Fall Conferences

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!

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!

Click HERE for the OMS Student Made Recycling Video

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

Counselors talked with all students this week (Grades 6-8) talking about how our brains respond to anxiety and shared strategies on managing stress and anxiety. We have been seeing an increase in the number of students who express issues regarding stress and anxiety in the past couple of weeks at school.

This lesson is part of our Blue Valley K-12 Counseling Curriculum and focuses on the standard of Stress Management and Coping Skills for Emotional Regulation.

Here are some prevention and intervention strategies to utilize when dealing with stress or anxiety:

--Focus on the positive: Utilize a gratitude journal and record 3 positive things each day, take time to laugh and enjoy a funny cartoon or video, use positive self-talk to reinforce your strengths.

--BREATHE: Use 4-7-8 breathing to calm your anxiety.

--Put together a Calming Toolkit: Include items that give you joy or help you to relax. Pictures, fidgets, jokes, stuffed animals, etc.

--Think about things that are outside of yourself to alleviate your anxiety: Count by 3's to 100, name 7 objects that start with a certain letter, name a food item that starts with each letter of the alphabet. You can't focus on your anxiety when your brain is busy thinking of other things.

--Get a cold drink or splash some cold water on your face to disrupt your anxiety.

--Write down your schedule or your "to dos" so you can remember them.

--Take a screen vacation and get outdoors! Exercise, socialize, enjoy nature!

--Use Grounding to connect to your senses: Name 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, 1 thing you taste.​

--Do something old or learn something new.

--Talk to a trusted adult if you need help.

In October, we will be talking our with students about bullying prevention and also focusing on drug and alcohol prevention with Red Ribbon Week! Thank you for your support of our OMS Counseling Program!

The Strengthening Families Program is a family skill building program found to significantly improve parenting skills and family relationships, reduce problem behaviors, delinquency and alcohol and drug abuse in children and to improve social competencies and school performance.

Click HERE for Strengthening Families Information

Thank you to those who have signed up! We still have remaining events this semester that need volunteers.

We can’t offer concessions without volunteers to run them. Please consider signing up for one of our events.

Sign up here to be a concession volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044FAAAD28A57-51004840-weneed#/

If you have questions, please contact Debra Burgess at dhburgesskc@gmail.com Thank you!

OMS Yard signs for sale. $20 each and delivered to your front door! Order online at OMS PTO Yard Sign

OMS Conferences are Wednesday, October 23rd & Thursday, October 24th.

We value the partnership between our teachers and parents and guardians as we work together to help our students be successful. Middle school has a few types of conferences to meet individual student and family needs.

Walk-ins: Walk-in conferences are an opportunity for families to visit any or all teachers their student has. These conferences are 5-7 minutes in length. Walk-ins are first come, first served. If there is a line for one class, we encourage families to visit other teachers and return when the line has gone down. Students may attend.

Zoom conferences: We host scheduled zoom conferences for families who want to reserve a time to meet with teachers via zoom. These conferences are 5 minutes in length similar to in-person walk-ins. Students may attend.

Scheduled Team Conferences: Teachers may reach out to families to schedule team conferences throughout the day Thursday. Students may attend.

Wednesday, 10/23

3:15-6:45 p.m. Walk-In Conferences @ OMS

7:15-8:30 p.m. Zoom Conferences

Thursday, 10/24

7:30-10:00 a.m. Walk-In Conferences @ OMS

10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Teacher Initiated Scheduled Conferences & Zoom Conferences *Available slots for zoom conferences will vary by teacher in ParentVue

Zoom Conference Signups through ParentVue will be available mid-October. Please read the newsletter for detailed information when signups will be available. Zoom Conference Links will be published in the newsletter as conferences get closer.

Some October Celebrations & Observances:

• Down Syndrome Awareness Month - celebrates those with Down syndrome and raises awareness of their abilities and accomplishments. The colors blue and yellow symbolize support for the Down syndrome community.

• National Bullying Prevention Month and Bullying Prevention Day (October 2nd) raise awareness about the harmful effects of bullying and promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.

• Filipino-American Month - celebrates the heritage and achievements of the second-largest Asian American population in the U.S.

• Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year. The observance begins at sundown on Wednesday, October 2, and continues through the evening of October 4. Some families will attend synagogue services, eat apples and honey for a sweet new year, and/or abstain from work, school, activities, and technology use.

• Yom Kippur - the Jewish day of Atonement (Forgiveness). The holiest day of the year starts at sundown on October 11. For some, families may fast for 24 hours, attend services at synagogue, and/or abstain from work, school, activities, and technology use.

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.

Nurse Piper is in need of 6 volunteers to help with Hearing and Vision screenings on Wednesday October 9. See the 2024 Hearing Vision Volunteer sign up genius for specific times. Thank you OMS families!

OMS families are invited to the Howlin’ Husky Marching Band Glow Show on Saturday October 19th at the Switzer DAC. Join the marching band for costumed trick-or-treating, raffles, and performances by the Drum Line and Howlin’ Husky Marching Band. Click HERE for more Information

School pictures taken at OXFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL on 09/04/2024 and 08/05/2024 are now available for parents to view and order online.

School Pictures are Ready!

View and order at https://shop.jostenspix.com/login

• OXFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL

• Event Code: FE136424

• Also Needed: Synergy Student ID

If you have a question or concerns, we want to help! Many times by starting at the building level, you will work with the person who is closest to the situation and will usually have the most information. If you feel further discussion is warranted, the following chart can be used as a guide for whom to call when questions arise on the most common topics.

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

Some September Celebrations & Observances:

• National Hispanic Heritage Month - September 15 to October 15 celebrates the history, diverse cultures, and contributions of those with Hispanic and Latinx heritage.

• Hunger Action Month - dedicated to taking action to end hunger. The BV Food Pantry, located at Hilltop Conference Center, is available to all Blue Valley community members.

• Suicide Prevention Month - recognized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Raises awareness of mental health and resources available to discuss suicide prevention and seek help. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 immediately or chat with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988lifeline.org.

• Labor Day - September 2 celebrates the achievements and contributions of workers to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.

• Constitution Day - The United States commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787.

OMS families, please make sure your child knows their home address and a parent/guardian phone number. Yes really! Over half the students who come to the office or nurse do not know a home/parent/guardian phone number. In a class project using home addresses, almost half the students did not know their home address. This is a safety issue and we want all our students to be safe!

A Blue Valley Scouting informational meeting will be held Monday September 30 at Ironwoods Park (143rd and Mission). Drop in from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. All students aged 11 - 17 are welcome!

Meet the Troop Information

As we begin the school year, we would like to remind you to review the updated Blue Valley Student Code of Conduct. It can be found on our www.bluevalleyk12.org under the “Student Quick Links” section at the bottom main home page. It can also be found on our school website home page.

Student Code of Conduct

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

Upcoming Starting Dates:

• October 2 - Minecraft Club

• October 18 - Anime & Japanese culture

Click HERE for 24 25 Club Listing by Day

All students are welcome to attend any Academically Successful Knights (ASK) session Monday through Thursday. Students may go to any available session for a quiet place to work, for group projects, or homework help. Students should not leave the building and come back for ASK and must stay until 4:00pm.

Mr. Isbell and Ms. Alexander are planning an outdoor “Yard Games” unit for OMS students. They are looking for donations of yard games your family has outgrown or no longer use. Games need to be in working order and include all pieces. Send any donations into the front office by Sept 13th. Thank you!

Students who had their yearbook photos taken on August 5th may view and order photos online. Please use the following link and the event code to access the photos.

School Pictures are Ready!

View and order at https://shop.jostenspix.com/login

• OXFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL

• Event Code: FE136424

• Also Needed: Synergy Student ID

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!

Please follow the OMS traffic loop, entering at the south entrance, looping around and exiting at the south entrance. OMS has received concerns about safety when cars are dropping students off in nearby neighborhoods.

Blue Valley families,

We are excited to have your families come to support our high school activities and athletics. It is great to see the entire community at these events. It is imperative that our parent community partner with us as we work to encourage positive elementary and middle school behavior at high school games or events.

We are asking that all elementary and middle school students enter the game with an adult and sit with that adult throughout the game. Please do not drop your child off at a district event without supervision as they will not be allowed to enter. It is challenging to monitor and keep all students safe without the help of our parent community. Thanks for your help with this protocol to make district events a great experience for all who attend. We hope to see your family cheering for our Blue Valley teams this school year.

Matt Ortman

Director of School Administration, Athletics and Activities

Blue Valley School District

This important message is for any family or staff that will travel out of the United States during the school year. Please click here to read the restrictions and recommendations for Out of the Country travel. Blue Valley resources such as Canvas, Classlink, and school email are not accessible out of the country unless you have a personal device with a VPN on it.

Thanks to all of our families for attending Back to School Night Thursday evening. We loved seeing you and look forward to a great school year!

Here are slideshows presented at Back to School Night:

6th Grade

7th Grade

8th Grade

Elective Team

Administrator Presentation

Back Snack Program- A variety of food items are provided weekly for the student to take home.

Giving the Basics- Personal care items such as deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, etc. are available in the school social worker’s office.

These programs are voluntary, confidential, and offered at no cost to participants. If interested, please contact the school social worker, Sue Ellen Jayne at 913-239-5528, sejaynecolbert@bluevalleyk12.org

Health Partnership Clinic offers a range of medical, dental and behavioral health services through four clinics and at sites throughout the community. You are welcome at any age, with or without insurance.

https://hpcks.org/who-we-are/

Are you passionate about your job? Do you wish you knew more about what kinds of skills, knowledge, and duties your job required before you were looking to start a career? We are excited to offer Career Café once a month where a small group of students can meet with you, learn about your profession, and be able to ask questions about what it’s really like to be in the workforce. All professions welcome! If you are interested in being a participant, please fill out the following Google form and we will contact you for specifics. Thank you for your consideration!

CLICK HERE for the Career Café Interest Form

OMS yard signs are for sale for $20! They can be purchased online at (https://omspto.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/130602735). Signs will be delivered to your front porch.

Online Purchase for OMS yard signs: https://omspto.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/130602735

Families who live near 119th St. and 69 Highway should be aware that there will be closures due to the 69 Expressway construction project. This will begin in mid to late August and last for approximately 60 days. Please open the attached map for alternate routes to Oxford Middle.

Please help your student be successful by reviewing OMS expectations prior to the beginning of the school year.

OMS Student Handbook

Two items to note:

Personal Technology Devices are not used during the school day (7:51-3:00 p.m.). This includes cell phones, airpods or earbuds, and smart watches. These items must be put away during the school day to allow our students to focus on learning.

Backpacks are not used throughout the school day to allow our classes ample space for students to comfortably move around and learn. Backpacks are stored in lockers during the school day.

Thank you for reviewing our expectations at home so we can have a great school year!

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!

The 2024-25 school year is an exciting time in Blue Valley Schools as we have the opportunity to look to the future while refreshing our strategic plan.

Your input is invaluable as we prioritize the goals and initiatives that will guide us through 2030. This survey is your chance to voice what you believe should be our top priorities, ensuring that our plan reflects the needs and aspirations of our community.

💻 2025-30 Strategic Plan Survey (3-5 minute survey)

The survey will remain open through Aug. 21. For more information about the strategic planning process, visit www.bluevalleyk12.org/strategicplan.

We are looking forward to having you and your student at OMS this year. Need a place to start for Oxford information? Click here for more information:

Oxford FAQ 2024-2025

The OMS student planner includes school schedules and student expectations. This would be a great resource to look at prior to the school year: 2- 2023-2024 Student Planner - Body.pdf - Google Drive

We have created a Parent Reference Sheet and QR Codes for your reference during the school year. Scan the QR codes for links to reporting absences, adding money to lunch accounts, school day bell schedules, ParentVue, Canvas, bus company, and so much more!

Click HERE to download the 24-25 Parent Reference Sheet

The school supply lists for the 2024-25 school year are available on the OMS Website under the Families tab. Click HERE for the School Supply page.

The OMS website has most of the information you will need for and during the school year. You can find the school calendar, class and lunch schedules, links to the lunch payment system, staff lists (including email addresses), rules about cell phones, how to notify us of a student absence, candid student and event photos, sports schedules, clubs and activities, and so much more! Our website is updated multiple times a week so check here for current updates! OMS Website

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

OMS Phone Number: 913-239-5500

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