TMS Community ROAR Report

Email: janine.smith@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/tms/
Location: 408 East Main Street, Thurmont, MD, United States
Phone: (227)-203-2500
Twitter: @JanineSmithFCPS

Greetings Families,

As we move into the final stretch of the school year, it’s essential for our middle school students to stay focused and finish strong. We encourage all students to continue putting forth their best effort in their academics, as well as in their behavior, by adhering to the FCPS Student Code of Conduct. Upholding these expectations helps create a positive and respectful learning environment for everyone, ensuring that all students are able to thrive and succeed as we approach the end of the year.

To reinforce these important guidelines, the administrative team will conduct a school-wide virtual Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, April 9th during their Gateway class period. During this presentation, we will review school-wide rules and expectations to ensure all students are aligned as we finish the year. We truly appreciate the ongoing support of our families in helping us maintain a safe, productive, and respectful school community. Together, we can ensure a positive conclusion to the school year for all students.

Be the Change,

Janine Smith-Principal

Chris Bittner-Assistant Principal

Anita Shank-Assistant Principal

Important Calendar Date Reminders

• Thursday, April 3rd-Community Food Drop 3:30-4:30
• Thursday, April 3rd-Final Day to Order TMS Yearbook
• Tuesday, April 8th-Leo Club 3:30-4:30
• Wednesday, April 9th-Term 3 Report Cards Issued
• Monday, April14th-April 21st-No School-Spring Break
• Saturday, April 26th-Band/Chorus Hershey Park Trip
• Monday, April 28th-MCAP Testing
• Tuesday, April 29th-MCAP Testing
• Wednesday, April 30th-MCAP Testing
• Thursday, May 1st-MCAP Testing
• Friday, May 2nd-MCAP Testing

Dear TMS Families-

We are in the process of bringing our school lunch account to a $0 balance. This account is separate from your student’s account which you can view online however, you cannot view the school account. Student accounts will only allow each student to charge up to $11.60. We do not deny any student a lunch regardless if they have a negative balance which means, any amount charged over the $11.60 will automatically get charged to the school account. If you receive a phone call or email about this and have any questions, please contact Kristin Steigmeier with Food and Nutrition at 240-586-8163.

We also encourage all to fill out the free and reduced meal form using this link https://linqconnect.com/public/meal-application/new

Link: https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/thurmontmiddleschool

Soft Yearbook Cost $20.00 plus Tax and Conv. Fee

Hard Yearbook Cost $25.00 plus Tax and Conv. Fee

Additional Options Offered
Personalization $3.00

GET YOUR COPY TODAY - WE WILL NOT BE ORDERING EXTRA COPIES

STORE CLOSES ON 04/03/2025 - NO EXCEPTIONS

​​​​​​​ALL SALES MUST BE PURCHASED THROUGH THE LINK ABOVE.

Dear TMS Families,

The MSDE Parental Involvement Survey creates opportunities for feedback and engagement. This is your chance to share feedback regarding Special Education Services for your child!

Share how we can better support your family and child with Special Education services. You can complete the short survey at www.mdparentsurvey.com.

The survey will be available February 14, 2025 through May 30, 2025.

Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences and ideas! Together, we can continue to improve Special Education Services and Programs in FCPS.

Camp Jamie- Grief Camp. A free overnight camp is available May 16-18 through Hospice to provide support for students who have experienced the death of someone special. Please use this link for more details.

Behavior Support- We welcome Brittany Rust to our counseling team! She is temporarily serving in the role of Behavior Support Specialist following Debbie Wivell’s retirement. Please see below for her contact information.

Additional Support:

Therapy Pet Visits to TMS- April 22 During All Lunch Shifts

If you prefer your child not interact with the pets, please contact your child’s school counselor.

TMS Peer Tutoring Program

Tutoring sessions are currently being scheduled for interested students. If you would like your child to participate in this program, please contact your child’s school counselor.

TMS Counseling Team Contact Information:

Jane Nicholson- Registrar- jane.nicholson@fcps.org/ 227-203-2500 X45015

Rebecca Krauss- Grade 6 Counselor- rebecca.krauss@fcps.org/ 227-203-2500 X45017

Sherry Bueso- Grade 7 School Counselor- sherry.bueso@fcps.org/ 227-203-2500 X45016

Stacie Varanyak- Grade 8 Counselor- stacie.varanyak@fcps.org/ 227-203-2500 X45019

Brittany Rust- Behavior Support Specialist- brittany.rust@fcps.org/ 227-203-2500 X45060

Diana Merritt- Career Coach- diana.merritt@fcps.org/ 227-203-2500 X45042

Please have your child take some time to look in Schoology for any assignments they can complete. Let's get off to a great start in term 4 with zero missing assignments!

Also, please encourage your child to complete topics on their ALEKS pie to ensure they will earn full credit each week for the assignment. Since the ALEKS topics are assigned every week there will only be a due date and not a deadline date. We also have incentives, awards and certificates in place at Thurmont Middle School to reward students for making progress on their ALEKS pie. Thank you, in advance, for any support and encouragement you are providing at home! Please reach out to Lindsey Lowe at lindsey.lowe@fcps.org with any questions.

How to Get to ALEKS on your Child's Device:

1. Open up a new tab or Google Chrome tab on your computer.

2. Click on “FCPS Bookmarks”

3. Click on “Clever Portal”

4. Click on “McGraw Hill”

April has arrived, bringing with it two exciting events for our Language Arts students—National Poetry Month and the MCAP testing! These occasions offer students a chance to demonstrate their critical thinking and writing skills in meaningful ways.

The MCAP (Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program) English Language Arts and Literacy assessments focus on the skills and content taught throughout the year. Students will read literary and informational passages, and engage with multimedia elements such as videos or audio. Through text-based questions and writing prompts, students will showcase their reading comprehension and ability to analyze and respond to what they’ve learned. The ELA MCAP assessment will take place after Spring Break. Please start reminding your student that they will need a charged chromebook, a good breakfast, and a postive attitude for each day of testing. We are excited for all students to show us what they know!

April is also a special time to explore the world of poetry in class. National Poetry Month, first launched by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, celebrates the important role poets play in our literary history. Over the years, this celebration has grown into the largest literary event in the world, with millions of people—from students and teachers to families and poets—honoring the power of poetry in our lives.

Did you know that April is School Library Month? Of course Mrs. Hunter celebrates reading and learning all year long in the media center!

Book Bingo: Students can pick up Bingo Cards from the media center each month and read four in a row to earn a prize. If you have new or very gently used items that could be used as prizes, Mrs. Hunter appreciates donations!

FCPL Partnership: TMS and FCPL work closely together to offer recources and also programming during Cougar Time each month.

Databases and eBooks: Students have access to award-winning books and databases to help with projects, all on our TMS Media Center Website!

https://edu.fcps.org/tms/media Be sure to click on the password link for access from home. If you need assistance, please reach out to Mrs. Hunter becky.hunter@fcps.org. She loves to help!

As we move into Term 4 of school year, it's important for parents to be in the know with their child's grades, class expectations, and short and long term assignments. If you have not created a parent account or logged in recently to your child's Schoology Platform, follow the steps below or for more information, view the district website.

Parent Connectivity and Support

1. Connect to your students in Schoology. Make sure you have your child’s unique 12-digit code Parent Access Code available to set up your account. You only need to do this one time for each child.
   
   How to Create a Parent Account: Video Directions Written Directions
   
   Registrase somo padres para obtener una cuenta de Schoology nueva. Use el código de acceso para quedar automáticamente asociado a su hijo. (Video- Registrase Como Padres)
   
   Note: Parent Access Codes are sent via email to parents of new enrollments and any student who does not have a parent connection in Schoology. Students must have an FCPS username and password for parents to receive a Parent Access Code.
   
2. Setup Your Notifications to customize your Schoology experience and receive updates about your child’s grades and activity in Schoology. Don’t forget to add your phone number to receive customized push notifications.
   
3. Get the Schoology App on your device.
   Download the Schoology App on your mobile device today.

What Should I Expect in Schoology?

If a teacher uses the Schoology gradebook, parents can expect the following:

• Access to digital assignment submissions in Schoology directly through the gradebook.
  • Note: Google Drive assignments are not viewable to parents because Google access is restricted to students and teachers

If a teacher uses Schoology as an instructional tool, parents can expect to view:

• The learning experience delivered through the platform
• Your child’s activity in the course, including but not limited to:
  • Submitted and missing assignments
  • Posts (text and media) your child created

If a teacher uses Schoology as a communication tool, parents can expect the following:

• Classroom communication such as announcements about assignments and classroom updates
• FCPS systemic communications such as school closings will still be shared through FindOutFirst

What to remember as you engage with Schoology:

• Students must be logged into Chrome with their FCPS username and password to have the best Schoology experience.
• FCPS usernames and passwords are distributed by the school

We want your rising 7th grader to be ready for school in August!

The state of Maryland mandates certain vaccination requirements for students entering 7th grade! Prior to the 2025 -26 school year, your rising 7th grade student must have the following:

· Single dose of Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) vaccine. *

· Single dose of Meningococcal vaccine (MCV)

*Tdap is not the same as the other Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis vaccines called DPT or DTaP. Even if your child has received DPT or DTaP in the past, they will still need a single dose of Tdap. *

We encourage you to make your child’s appointment now to avoid the summer rush. Please bring the vaccination documentation to school or email the health room at , as soon as possible.

If you have any questions about the new vaccination requirements, please contact your child’s health care provider or TMS - health room @ (227)-203-2500.

Children need a trusted adult to turn to when they feel threatened. It is important that your child is encouraged to contact their school counselor, administrator or teacher to report bullying because it may not stop without help. If your child feels uncomfortable reporting bullying and harassing behaviors, parents are encouraged to report it to FCPS staff.

To report bullying, use the FCPS Bullying, Harassment or Intimidation Reporting Form, available on the FCPS.org website.

If bullying happens outside of school, families can call:

• 211 for community resource information
• Law enforcement if threats or physical harm occur

Learn more about bullying, harassment, and intimidation in the FCPS Students and Families Tab, found at www.fcps.org. Information is also available in Bullying - Harassment - Intimidation Complaint Process for Students linked here.

Good attendance requires a strong partnership between home, school, and students; communication is an important component of that partnership. To that end, parents/guardians and students will hear from the school when there are concerns about attendance. We may do any/all of the following:

• Meet with the student (to understand what is impacting their attendance and offer supports to help).
• Call and/or meet with a parent/guardian (also to understand what is impacting their child’s attendance and collaborate on solutions),
• Send letters to notify families of attendance.

We understand that a student’s attendance at school can be impacted (positively or negatively) by many factors; it is our goal to understand what is affecting it and work with the family to affect positive change. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the school if you are struggling with your child’s attendance - we are here to help!

FCPS is using a new portal for school meal related information. Go to the parent portal at http://linqconnect.com/ where you can:

- Apply for meal benefits (FARM)

- View menus, meal prices and a la carte prices

- Add money to student accounts

- Transfer funds between students

- View student meal transactions

- Set low-balance notifications

Breakfast is FREE to ALL TMS Students this year!

Each year the Carson Scholars Fund honors an elite group of students from grades 4-11 who not only demonstrate exceptional academic achievements, maintaining at least a 3.75 GPA, but also embody significant humanitarian qualities. This year, 13 students from Frederick County received the prestigious honor of being named Carson Scholars. These scholars are awarded a $1,000 college scholarship, an Olympic-sized medal and a certificate. In addition, 20 students from Frederick County renewed their status as Carson Scholars. These scholars were previously awarded and have continued to uphold the rigorous standards of being named Carson Scholars.

Find the full list of Frederick County Carson Scholars.

Late Arrival Procedures at TMS:

Common TMS Tardy Policy:

o 3 Lates: Detention- 15 minutes

o 6 Lates: Detention- 30 minutes

o 9 Lates: Referral- 30 minute After School

o 12 Lates: Referral- 60 minute After School

Camp Jamie - Teen Grief Camp

Frederick Health Hospice is sponsoring an overnight camp from May 16 -18, 2025, at the Skycroft Conference Center in Middletown, MD, for grieving teens in grades 1 - 8 to come together to talk about their feelings and learn coping skills for dealing with death. Transportation is provided, but there is an application to complete as space is limited. All applications are due April 25. For more information or to register, please contact 240-566-3030 or go to FrederickHealthHospice.org/CampJamie

Mid-Term 4:

Mid-Term for term 4 is on Friday, May 9th . If your child has missing assignments or needs to complete a re-assessment, please encourage them to speak with their teacher(s) prior to the mid-term date. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher(s).

Lost and Found Items:

The TMS Lost and Found table is overflowing with clothing, lunchboxes, and other items. Please have your child look on the Lost and Found table, in the cafeteria, for any of their missing items.

Attendance Information:

If your child is unable to attend school due to an illness or doctor's appointment, or any other reason, please email a note to our attendance secretary, Ms. Shannon Ingram at tms.attendance@fcps.org.

For early dismissals:

• Parent/Guardian will come to the office to sign student out
• Please bring your ID
• Allow adequate time to locate student for an early dismissal
• If you allow someone else to sign your student out, please note the name you authorize in your note to the school. They will be required to show ID to pick up student.

Don’t forget, when going to a medical appointment, remember to get a doctor's note from their office. We will update your student's attendance accordingly.

Students Reporting Security Concerns:

"See Something, Say Something" and "Don't repost it. Report it" - Encourage students to report security concerns to a trusted adult (parent, school staff member, school administrator, SRO, or a local law enforcement agency). Students may also anonymously report concerns using the Safe Schools Maryland Tip Line at 833-MD-B-SAFE. In an emergency, call 911. Additional resources can be found on each school's website and the FCPS website.

FCPS Bus Delay Information:

A quick and easy resource to check if your child's bus is delayed is to visit https://apps.fcps.org/transdelay/ This site is updated in real-time to reflect any bus delays.

Volunteering at TMS:

Are you interested in volunteering at TMS? If so, all volunteers must complete the virtual training each year linked here. Please note this must be completed to chaperone field trips. Please reach out to Shannon Ingram with questions/concerns.

Community Liaison: If you are in need of assistance with school supplies, hygiene products, food, or other community resources for housing, please reach out Crystal Mckenzie, our TMS Community Liason at Crystal.McKenzie@fcps.org. We are here to support and assist all of our families!

Online Tutoring Service for Students: The Frederick County Library has an online tutoring platform called Brainfuse HelpNow. This service can be used with a Frederick County Public Library Card Number. HelpNow is a resource designed for K-12 students and beyond. Live tutoring is available in English and Spanish from 2:00-11:00 p.m. to provide homework help for core subjects, including mathematics, science, and English language arts. Practice long division, improve reading comprehension, and learn other key skills. Practice for standardized tests. Students may submit papers to HelpNow’s Writing Lab for expert assistance and feedback, or collaborate with peers in virtual study spaces. More information is available at the FCPL website, https://www.fcpl.org/learn/brainfuse-helpnow.

2024-25 PTA Officers:
Elizabeth Day-President

Jennifer Clements

Jessica Moore

Michele Conrad

Carolina Lake

Digital Membership: https://fspta-00023696.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true

We need YOU to become a member of our PTA! Please be on the lookout for the online membership link for you to join. We are excited to grow our amazing TMS PTA!