OLHMS Update (12/10/24)

Did you know we are seeking feedback with our math grading pilot?

We would love to hear our families thoughts as our first trimester has come to a close. Please use the link to complete Math Pilot Parent Survey.

Did you know we will be hosting a meal packing event on December 14th?

We are looking forward to our 11th Annual Feed Six event this Saturday! We are still accepting donations as we look to surpass 350,000 meals in 11 years! We are just under our goal and would greatly appreciate any donations! Here is the LINK for donations. Thank you to all of our volunteers and supporter thus far. Meal packing volunteers should plan to support the event from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. on Saturday!

Did you know that we collected, packed and are in the process of sending candy to the troops overseas in partnership with Jacky's Soldiers?

Huge thank you to our entire school community for supporting and making donations! Our goal was over 1,500 pounds and we collected just under 2,000 pounds, 1,989 pounds to be exact! Way to go Mustangs!

Here is an example of appreciation and the difference our efforts make!

Mrs. Jacky Connelly,

I've received care packages from Oak Lawn and I want to express my deepest gratitude to you and everyone else who pitched in.

Please extend my thanks to the teachers and students at OLHMS for their generous contribution of halloween candy. We didn't really have trick-or-treating here in Kuwait, and the guys are already tearing into it!

Additionally, I am grateful for the members of VFW Post 9773 and their letters of encouragement; it's good to know that we are remembered and rooted for by the people back home.

Finally, the Christmas decorations are very helpful to boost morale and personalize our living spaces-- I can confidently say that I now boast the most festive bunk in the entire barracks.

Thank you for your thoughtful package, and I pray that you have a comfortable Christmas in Oak Lawn. Stay warm!

Sincerely,

SPC Marshall

Mustang Families,

We are counting down the days to Winter break! Please remind our scholars to stay on top of their studies and work completion! We do not want our scholars to fall behind over the next eight days! Help them maintain a strong start to this second trimester by asking about the work they are doing in class and completing at home! You can always ask to see their Google Classroom for missing assignments or reach out to their incredible teachers.

Your support with social media is greatly appreciated! We are dealing with elevated challenges on social media platforms. Please remind our scholar's for the importance of responsible use and respectful posts. Check your child's phone activity and device goes a long way in supporting a positive impact on our educational environment! Your support and proactiveness is greatly appreciated!

Speaking of support and success, here is the Class of 2025 Graduate Expectation Letter. This letter has been distributed and discussed with our Class of 2025!

Erika's Lighthouse Teen Empowerment Club is a student-led club, and our students care so much for others. Club members want to help their community by having donation drives during the month of December! In the spirit of giving, we are sponsoring three opportunities to donate to a cause of your choice! This year, students chose to dedicate their efforts to supporting a food drive, an animal shelter drive, and a winter clothing drive.

This will begin in December and conclude before our Winter Break.

On December 18th, we will be having safety talks with each advisory class. Our teams will deliver a message safety focused lesson on what to do in case of an emergency during the school day, every class will have a story book read to them about safety followed by a short lesson. Our objective of the lesson is to teach district wide common language around the topic of safety. We will continue to revisit the topic through conversations, daily expectations, and safety drills, but we wanted to ensure the same message across our school district. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

We love having fans here to support our Mustang Athletes. Here is the LINK for our Spectator Permission Form and Code of Conduct for student spectators. Student fans unaccompanied by parents, must have an electronic or paper form on file to attend home games. Students cannot stay in the building for games unless they are part of a club or activity.

Attention all 7th and 8th grade students interested in joining the National Junior Honor Society! There will be a mandatory meeting for petitioning members on Wednesday, December 18th.

• During this meeting, we will review the requirements for induction, which include submitting a Trimester 1 report card with a majority of 3's in both Core and Encore classes.
• Additionally, you must demonstrate leadership qualities, participate in service activities, and exhibit good character. If you're serious about making a difference and joining NJHS, be sure to attend!

We will continue to be in constant communication with First Student Bus company about their timing and route efficiency.

Bus Behavior: Please remind bus riders that we must be following our Mustang Musts. We have been hearing about challenging, inappropriate and unsafe behavior on the bus riders to and from school. We do have the ability to request bus video footage. Students will be given consequences for their behavior which may include a suspension from the bus.

Bus Loading and Unloading: Families should not be passing buses in our parking lot. This is dangerous and almost caused an accident. Do not pass buses with their stop sign extended.

It is great to see so many scholars taking advantage of the opportunity to come in early or stay after school for additional time and support with academics. Please remind our scholars that this time should not be treated as a social opportunity and our school expectations of being safe, responsible and respectful should be maintained at all times. We appreciate everyone's support and partnership.

Student Device Repair Program:

Your student's device is protected against accidental damage, theft, fire, flood, natural disasters, power surge and vandalism. If your child’s device needs repair, below are the costs associated with each incident during a school year:

• 1st incident - No Charge (one-time fee waiver)

• 2nd incident - $25.00

• 3rd incident - $50.00

• Membership is $6.00 per student and $10.00 per adult

• PTSA Meetings are at 6:00pm monthly

• Next PTSA Meeting is January 7th at 6:00pm
• Reach out to Delecta Harris, our PTSA President for more information (olhmsd123ptsa@gmail.com )
  
• PTSA Facebook
  

• All parents/ guardians/ staff & students are highly encouraged to join the PTSA and attend meetings. This is an incredible opportunity, partnership and fun way to support our scholar’s experience at the middle school!

• If you are interested in supporting our school in a different capacity please reach out to our PTSA! Maybe you do not have the time to donate, but your contributions can still be made through your membership!

Dates to Remember:

12/14/24: Feed Six Event

12/16/24: Winter White Out (Wear White)

12/17/24: Feeling Frosty (Wear a Winter Hat and Scarf)

12/18/24: Channel Your Flannel (Wear Plaid or Flannel), NJHS Petitioning Meeting

12/19/24: Comfy and Cozy (Wear Appropriate Pajamas)

12/20/24: Sweater Weather (Wear a Festive, Sparkly or Tacky Sweater)

12/21/24 to 1/5/25: Winter Break

1/6/25: OLHMS Family Returns!

On Saturday, December 14th, Oak Lawn Hometown Middle School will be hosting its 11th annual

Feed 6 Meal Packaging Event. On this day, students, teachers, alumni, and the community will

come together to package fortified meals to be delivered to local food pantries. All participants

must raise a minimum of $20 to help cover the costs of food, materials, and delivery. After the

event, sponsors will sign community service paperwork for any participants.

Oak Lawn Community High School

H. L. Richards High School

Brother Rice High School

Chicago Christian High School

De La Salle Institute

IMSA

Marist High School

Mother McAuley High School

Morgan Park Academy

Mt. Carmel High School

Providence Catholic High School

St. Ignatius High School

St. Laurence High School

St. Rita High School

HFS Chicago Scholars

D123 4WARD: We have begun a new effort to engage our alumni!! From the classroom to the stage, the athletic field to the culinary club, and everywhere in between, we want to know what our graduates have been up to in "tomorrow's world."

Whether these alumni excelled in high school, found opportunities in college, or started a successful career, the stories, adventures, and triumphs shared will inspire us, current students, and future leaders. This program is an opportunity to celebrate these achievements together and keep the D123 community spirit alive long after middle school graduation.

Families of alumni and D123 graduates themselves are invited to fill out this form to submit for possible inclusion in our alumni spotlight E-Newsletter, "D123 4-WARD." The newsletter will be produced and sent semiannually in December and May. Participants will be notified if their story will be included in the publication.