EMS Weekly Update

This will be our final SMORE for the 2023-2024 school year! Thank you for a great school year! We hope everyone has a safe and relaxing summer break! Monday, June 3rd will be an A day. Friday, June 7th is the last day of school for all students. Thursday, June 6th and Friday, June 7th are two-hour early dismissals for students.

Congratulations to our final group of Students of the Month for May.

6th-grade

Afra A.

Arthur B.

James C.

Janae D.

Brooke E.

Kendal P.

Scarlett P.

Chrysette S.

7th-grade

Josie B.

Talie D.

Ali P.

Eddie M.

Tucker N.

Reagen R.

Logan R.

Andres "Felipe" R.

8th-grade

Autumn H.

William L.

Noah L.

Dillon R.

Braelynn T.

Coby T.

Zoe T.

Destyni W.

Congratulations to Ms. Ryan, the May Staff Member of the Month. One of her nominations from a parent said, "Ms. Ryan has been a wonderful addition to Esperanza! My 7th grader loves having her for Art this year; she always comes home talking about new techniques they learn and the artwork they look at. She also shares how she can tell that Ms. Ryan cares about her students, and really loves art. It all sounds very inspiring and I wish I was in Ms. Ryan's art class!"

Every child is eligible for free meals this summer! The SMCPS Food & Nutrition Services Department will be providing a 5-day pickup for summer meals. These meal bags will include five breakfasts, five lunches, a half-gallon of white milk, and two cartons of chocolate milk for each child.

Meal pickups will be on Mondays from 11 am - 1pm or 4pm - 6pm. The schools offering pickup are:

• Chopticon HS
• Leonardtown HS
• Oakville ES
• Spring Ridge MS

Parents/Caregivers must either have signed up ahead of time using this form with their children's information or have the children in-person for meal pickup.

Please signup here -Summer Meals/Parent Signup. Contact the Food Services Office with any questions at foodservice@smcps.org or 301-475-4256 x5

6th and 7th grade field day will take place on Tuesday, June 4th. Please make sure students are dressed appropriately. Students are encouraged to bring water bottles and put on sunscreen for the day.

Please see the summer reading information below for acclerated rising 6th, 7th, and 8th grade below. Additionally, the Pre-AP Freshman English summer reading information is below.

Friday, May 17th, was the last day for students to check out an independent library book from the EMS library for SY 2023-24. Therefore, students and parents will start to receive emails more frequently about what is checked out and overdue on students' Destiny accounts leading up to the last day of school on Friday, June 7th. Destiny notices will also include all fines for lost/missing books and technology repairs.

Library Books

Please ensure that your student has returned all library books by Friday, June 7th. Anything not returned by that date will be marked as a LOST book and a fine notice will be emailed.

Books, novels, and textbook questions? Email Dr. Johnson at wnjohnson@smcps.org.

Technology Repair

If you have a question about a technology repair fine, please email helpdesk@smcps.org. However, if you have received a fine notice and have spoken with an administrator at EMS about your student's tech repair and the issue has not been resolved, please click on the following SMCPS Tech Repair Appeal Form to appeal the fine.

School Laptops and Chargers for End of School Year

All students must take laptops and chargers home over the summer. Esperanza Middle School is not responsible for laptops and chargers left on-site in classrooms, the library, or the front office at the end of the school year unless the device is in for repair with Mr. Gray.

Here are the guidelines for care.

1. Keep your laptop in a secure place. You are responsible if a laptop is stolen or lost.
2. Please review the procedures in our Accountability Document for "Care of Laptops Offsite"
3. If you need help with your device please submit a helpdesk ticket using these directions.
4. All students are issued a school laptop.
5. It is your responsibility for the care and upkeep of your device.
6. A school laptop costs 350.00.
7. Laptop charger replacements cost 40.00.

Students will be held accountable for laptops all year, including summer. If your student's laptop is damaged over the summer, please have your student report the damage to their homeroom teacher on the first week of school in August 2024.

Students LEAVING SMCPS - Student Withdrawal at End of Year and Summer

If you know your student is leaving SMCPS at the end of the year or moving out of the district during the summer, the following items must be returned to Esperanza Middle School prior to withdrawing.

• All textbooks and resources

• All technology (laptops, chargers, iPad/charger, hot spots)

• All Media Center books and resources. Consumables DO NOT need to be returned.

• If anything is not returned a fine will be assessed for the cost of the materials and technology.

Students Transferring IN COUNTY

If your student is transferring schools within the county next year or going to high school next year in SMCPS, here are the procedures you need to follow:

• EMS Media Center Books: These books stay at Esperanza Middle School. These resources will need to be returned to the EMS library by Friday, June 10th.
• TEXTBOOKS and Consumables: All student are to take their consumables home at the end of the school year. Consumables DO NOT need to be returned. However, all textbooks are returned to the EMS library.
• Laptops and chargers: Students are to keep laptops and chargers over the summer for use next year at their new school or high school.

Website: https://schools.smcps.org/ems/
Location: 22790 Maple Road, Lexington Park, MD, USA
Phone: 301(863)4016
Twitter: @ems_smcps