Timberwolf Connection

Dear Tilden Middle School Community!

As autumn paints our surroundings with vibrant colors, we are thrilled to announce our inaugural Wellness and Fun Day on October 17th! This special event will feature a half-day of classes followed by three exciting rotations designed to foster inclusivity, teamwork, and community spirit:

1. 🎨 Door Decorating Contest: Homerooms will showcase their creativity and P.A.C.K.S. values.

2. ⚽ Outdoor Sports & Fun: Students will engage in team-building activities and friendly competition.

3. ✂️ Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament: A playful inter-grade challenge promoting respect and positivity.

Together, we will celebrate unity and wellness, reaffirming that there's "No Place for Hate" at TMS. (Rain date: October 24th; decision by October 16th afternoon)

Looking ahead, our Media Center is brewing up some spine-tingling fun with events like the Haunted House and Pumpkin Chunkin. Check the Announcements section for details on these spook-tacular activities!

Lastly, a heartfelt shout-out to our Fall Athletics program. Congratulations to Coach J. Miller on your first game at the helm, and to Coach Petruccelli for masterfully managing our first HOME meet. Your dedication and organizational skills are truly commendable. We're excited to see what the rest of the season holds!

Here's to a fantastic fall season filled with learning, growth, and community spirit!

Warmly,

Sapna Hopkins

We are thrilled to invite you to experience a day in the life of your student at Tilden Middle

School's Annual Open House on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. This event offers a wonderful

opportunity to immerse yourself in your child's educational journey and gain insights into their

daily school experience.

Event Highlights

• Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2024
• Time: 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM
• Special Meet and Greet: Join administrators and counselors in the Media Center during

Visiting Schedule - To ensure a smooth experience for all, we've organized class visits by grade level:

• Grade 6 Periods 1-2 (8:30 - 9:46), Period 3 (10:30-11:13), and Periods 4-7 (11:53-2:30)
• Grade 7 Periods 1-2 (8:30 - 9:46), Periods 3-4 (10:30-12:01), and Periods 5-7 (12:41-2:30)
• Grade 8 Periods 1-2 (8:30 - 9:46), Periods 3-5 (10:30-12:49), and Periods 6-7 (1:29-2:30)

Please note: During Academic Support Time (AST) from 9:51 AM to 10:25 AM, all visitors

should gather in the Cafeteria. Classrooms will not be accessible during this period.

How to Make the Most of Your Visit

• Come Prepared: Bring your student's schedule with teacher names and room numbers

• Respect Our Learning Environment: Please silence your devices and refrain from

• Plan Your Visit: Consider focusing on one to three classes to avoid overcrowding.

Check-In Process:

• Pre-register using THIS link for quick access.
• If not pre-registered, bring your license to check in via our Visitor Management system.

• Enter through the main entrance to receive your visitor badge.

Parking:

• The bus loop will be available for parent parking from 8:25 AM to 2:30 PM.

Important Notes

• Due to space constraints, we kindly request only one parent/guardian per student.
• For logistical and safety reasons, students should remain at school during lunch.
• The staff parking lot is reserved for employees only.
• For questions about this year’s Open House, please contact, Mrs. Dixon-Settles, assistant principal and 8th-grade administrator, at Teresa_A_Dixon-Settles@mcpsmd.org.

We're excited to welcome you to Tilden Middle School and offer this glimpse into your child's

educational world. Your participation strengthens our school community and supports your

student's success.

We look forward to seeing you on October 15th!

6th, 7th, and 8th grade English classes are all working on their Extended Writing Projects.

• 6th grade will be writing a story in which the main character faces an unexpected challenge on what was supposed to be a normal day.

• 7th grade will be writing a story in which a major conflict arises from minor differences or misunderstandings.

• 8th grade will be writing a suspenseful narrative. For all grades, this will be the largest grade of the quarter.

6th - Students are finishing the watershed unit with their SSL project the intent to act. After we finish looking at the health of the watershed we will start learning about the dynamic world of weather! We will begin by looking at how differences in heating cause differences in air pressure by doing a bunch of cool air pressure labs!

7th - Students will be investigating the flow of matter and energy through a cell. They will conduct experiments using chemical indicators to gather evidence that photosynthesis and cellular respiration occur. Students will construct models of photosythesis and cellular respiration.

8th - Students will be investigating gravity and dropping spheres to test a "well known" fact. We will be investigating mass' effect on forces with cars and rockets testing Newton's Laws, and ultimately building a Rocket using what we have learned throughout the unit.

In ELD 3 for Grade 6, students have been reading texts on how characters respond to hardship. They will be introduced to their Extended Writing Project (EWP) and begin their narrative writing.

In ELD 3 Grade 8, students are reading mysteries, identifying narrative elements and recognizing allusions and word connotations.

In ELD Levels 1 and 2 for Grades 7 and 8, students are building academic vocabulary, such as narrative elements and parts of speech through speaking, reading, listening and writing activities.

In ELD 1 and 2 for Grade 6, students have been reading fiction and non-fiction texts about hardships and resilience as part of the first unit of study. Students have learned how to write a claim in response to a question. Students are focusing on sentence-level responses, paying special attention to punctuation and capitalization.

In FACS 8, students are learning about the history of chocolate, how it is made, and then will use that knowledge to have a gourmet brownie competition.

In FACS 7, students are learning different cooking methods and will use different cooking methods to compete for the best potato dish. Students will also learn about dishes from various Hispanic countries to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

This athletic year, Tilden MS introduced a carpooling initiative that has proven to be a resounding success. We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the dedicated parent drivers who have made this possible through their sacrifice and commitment to student success. Thank you!!

Parent Drivers:

• Boys Softball: Mrs. Mann, Mrs. Marti, Mr. Lieberson (8th grade parents), and Mrs. Chernoff (7th grade parent)
• Cross Country: Mrs. Reiter, Mr. Ghezzi (8th grade parents), Mrs. Darnell (7th grade parent), and Mr. and Mrs. Pardo (8th grade parents)

Season Overview:

The fall season began with challenging weather conditions, resulting in numerous game cancellations and reschedulings. Despite these setbacks, our teams have shown remarkable resilience and performance.

Cross Country:

The boys' team has had an exceptional start, securing victories in both of their meets:

• Against Silver Creek MS
• Against North Bethesda MS

Current record: 2 wins, 0 losses

The girls' team has also demonstrated outstanding talent:

• One athlete set a new course record and claimed first place at the Silver Creek MS meet, followed by another first-place finish against North Bethesda MS.
• Another athlete secured fifth place at Silver Creek and improved to third place at North Bethesda.

Boys Softball:

The team faced a challenging start with a 6-0 loss against North Bethesda MS in their season opener. They are looking to rebound in their upcoming league game against Westland MS.

Girls Softball:

The program is eagerly anticipating their upcoming games next week.

As we approach the mid-season mark, stay tuned for more updates on Tilden MS Athletics. We're proud of our student-athletes' achievements and grateful for the continued support from our school community.

Tilden welcomes students to participate in this year's National PTA Reflections Program! Students are invited to reflect on a common theme, "Accepting Imperfection," and use their imagination to create original works of art in any of the following categories: dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. To sign up and learn more about the program, please click here. If you have a background in the arts and are interested in serving as a judge, please contact TildenReflections@gmail.com.

• October 15: Open House (8:30am - 2:20pm)
• October 15: Boys Softball vs Westland MS @3:15pm
• October 16: Girls Softball vs Pyle MS @3:15pm
• October 16: Cross Country vs Pyle MS @3:15pm
• October 17: Fall "No Place for Hate" Fun & Wellness Day
• October 18: Professional Development (No school for Students)
• October 23: Boys Softball vs Herbert MS @3:15pm
• October 24: Student Voice Forum 6
• October 24: Boys Softball vs Silver Creek MS @3:15pm
• October 25: Student Voice Forum 7/8
• October 31: Tilden's Fall Party (3pm - 4pm)
• October 31: Girls Softball vs NBMS @3:15pm

From the TMS Media Center: As the fall season settles in, we’re excited to offer some spook-tacular and fun-filled activities for your child in the Media Center! We’re planning a series of events that are sure to bring plenty of seasonal spirit and excitement. Here’s what we have lined up:

🍂 Haunted House: Get ready for a slightly spooky, family-friendly haunted house experience! It’s the perfect way for students to enjoy a little thrill in a safe and playful environment. Our Media Center will be transformed into a spooky setting with fun frights that will be suitable for all ages. No need to be scared—just lots of laughs and memories!

🎃 Pumpkin Chunkin: Ever wondered what happens when you launch a pumpkin through the air? Now's your chance to find out! Our Pumpkin Chunkin event will let students get creative with catapults to send pumpkins flying. It's the ultimate fall challenge that combines science, engineering, and a lot of fun!

These activities will take place throughout October and November and are designed to foster creativity, teamwork, and, of course, plenty of fall-time fun. We encourage you to get involved, share these experiences with your children, and enjoy all the festive moments the season has to offer.

Stay tuned for more updates, and we hope to see your child participate in these amazing fall events!

Middle School Maker Night is on Friday, October 18 from 5-8 pm at our 3 Bethesda Metro Center location. Participants will take over the museum as they get to try activities such as screen printing, light painting and a variety of maker challenges using a wide array of tools and materials.

• Tickets are $10 per student but we also offer scholarships if cost is a barrier. Scholarship information is on our website.

• Pizza and drinks will be provided to everyone who attends.

• Students will need to provide their own transportation to the museum.

MCPS families, students, and staff are invited to provide input to the development of the 2025-26 school calendar by completing form below. All decisions about the school calendar would be made after consideration to educational interests, operational needs, mandated school closures by state law, compliance with minimum instructional days and credit hour requirements, contingencies for inclement weather and other emergencies, staff professional days and early release days, alignment with assessment schedules, etc. MCPS provides a school year calendar that allows for effective use of time for teaching and learning, for professional growth opportunities, and planning instructional strategies focused on improving student achievement, while maintaining our lens of equity for all students and commitment to community engagement. Please limit to one response per person. Please see the Policy IDA, School Year Calendar for more information about the School Year Calendar for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).