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EMS Weekly Update

September 30, 2024

EMS WeeklyUpdateSeptember 30, 2024

September Students of the Month

Congratulations to the first set of students of the month for the 2024-2025 school year!


6th Grade:

Arshia A.

Brooklyn B.

GraceAnne C.

Serenity K.

Kendall M.

Maci N.

Kavya S.

Caleb T.


7th Grade:

Ryan A.

Kellan D.

Londyn H.

Jordyn (Jay) P.

Chrysette S.

Ainsley W.


8th Grade:

Kristy A.

Macie B.

Grace D.

Alexander E.

Bryce E.
Keerthana M.

Tabari N.
Emma-Alejandra (Cloe) R.

Kevin W.

EMS Absence Reporting
Please use this website to report your child's absence for Esperanza Middle School.

Important Information

Monday, September 30th will be an A day.


6th Grade Laptop Refresh - This will take place on Thursday, October 3rd, during math classes. Students must bring their chargers and charged laptops to school for this laptop refresh. Students will incur a fine if equipment is damaged or if chargers or laptops are missing or lost.


Vision and Hearing Screenings - Based on Maryland State Law, the school nurses perform vision and hearing screenings on students new to SMCPS and 8th grade students each year. The nurses will begin screening students on Monday, October 7th. If your student wears glasses or contact lenses, please remind them to bring/wear them to school. Please contact the nurses, Ms. Krum or Ms. Hall, for any questions or concerns. emsnurses@smcps.org


Online Emergency Information Update Messaging: Effective communication is critical to the success of St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS). This will be crucial not only for emergencies but for our ability to communicate with families in general. Online Emergency Information Update Forms are now available through the student’s Home Access Center (HAC). Once logged in, directions to access the online form can be found HERE. A video with instructions is available HERE. It is vital that all information is updated in eSchool. The deadline for the online submission of Emergency Information Update forms is October 31st, 2024. Please click here for the Blank Emergency Form. If you have any questions, please contact The Department of Student Services at 301-475-5511 ext.32150.

EMS Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Hola Amigos!! The Equity and Diversity Committee will highlight pictures of our EMS Hispanic staff, students, and family in the hallway by the small gym for Hispanic Heritage Month 2024. Please feel free to share any photos of family and friends of Hispanic ancestry to add to our bulletin board. Students can bring the pictures to the media center, and Dr. Johnson will carefully label and safeguard them for safekeeping, ensuring they are returned at the end of the display. With parents' permission to photograph, Dr. Johnson can also take a picture of your student at school to go on the bulletin board by emailing her your parental consent at wnjohnson@smcps.org. Gracias!! (Photos Due by Friday, October 11th)

After School Activities

All after-school activities end at 3:30 pm. Two or more late pickups will result in removal from after-school activities.

Monday - Math Counts, SCA, Wiffle Ball, and Tennis

Tuesday - Symphonic Band, Optional All-County Chorus Prep, Field Hockey, and Running Club

Wednesday - Honors Chorus, Yearbook, Jazz Band, Wiffle Ball, and Tennis

Thursday - Civil Air Patrol, Optional All-County Chorus Prep, Field Hockey, and Running Club

Friday - None

Career Advisor Corner - Ms. McGhee

In September, the 8th graders toured the USMSM Matrix Lab, which included electrical and mechanical engineering labs, the hydrology lab, and the drone room. In addition to seeing the lab, they were told about the 2+2 program (2 years at CSM + 2 years at USMSM = 4-year degree) and summer STEM camps available to 8-12 grade students at the facility.


In homeroom, the 6th graders were introduced to Mrs. McGhee (EMS Career Advisor) and played a career version of Would You Rather. 7th grade homeroom visits have started, where students are learning about the 16 Career Clusters.

Upcoming Events

SMCPS Event - On October 10, 2024, Frank Kros will present, ‘A New View of ADHD for Parents: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why’ from 6 pm- 8 pm at the Forrest Career & Technology Center, Dohrman A. The workshop is free but registration is required via email to parnersforsucess@smcps.org

Maryland State Department of Education’s Comprehensive Health Education Framework

6th and 7th-grade students will participate in a unit of study entitled Family Life and Human Sexuality during their assigned marking period of health. Please see the letter below that was passed out during open houses and posted in Schoology. This letter contains information and allows for the option to opt-out. Students with 1st marking period health will begin this unit on Tuesday, October 15th.


Parents wishing to examine all materials and ask questions can do so on October 14th between 12:00 and 2:00 pm at Esperanza Middle School. If you cannot visit the school but have questions regarding the unit or the materials, please contact Bill Plotner at wpplotner@smcps.org. Approved materials that may be used by staff may also be viewed on the SMCPS School Health Council Google Site.

EMS Spring Musical - Disney's Beauty and the Beast Jr.

Event Information

MOD Pizza Fundraiser for EMS MTSS

Eat at MOD Pizza to support the EMS MTSS (Multi-Teared System of Supports) team. The MTSS team will use the funds to reward positive student behavior and academic success. Mention and show them the flyer below or use code MODGIVES20 when ordering online at modpizza.com or with the MOD app! This is an all day fundraiser!

When?

Monday, Oct 14, 2024, 10:30 AM

Where?

MOD Pizza, Saint Andrews Church Road, California, MD, USA

location_on Open maps
Event Information

7th Grade Dance

This dance will take place right after school for 7th-grade students ONLY; students must be picked up at 4:00 p.m. Parents will not need to come inside to pick up students. Students will be released to the parking lot at 4:00 p.m. to go home. The permission slip to attend the dance will be in the October 6th SMORE and available in the cafeteria starting Monday, October 7th. The cost to attend the dance is $5.00. Students must have their $5.00 and signed permission slip during homeroom on Friday, October 11th, to get their dance wristband. No dance wristbands will be sold after homeroom, and no students can call home to get permission to attend the dance.

When?

Friday, Oct 11, 2024, 02:00 PM

Where?

Esperanza Middle School, Maple Road, Lexington Park, MD, USA

Event Information

8th Grade Dance

This dance will take place right after school for 8th-grade students ONLY; students must be picked up at 4:00 p.m. Parents will not need to come inside to pick up students. Students will be released to the parking lot at 4:00 p.m. to go home. The permission slip to attend the dance will be in the November 10th SMORE and available in the cafeteria starting Tuesday, November 12th. The cost to attend the dance is $5.00. Students must have their $5.00 and signed permission slip during homeroom on Friday, November 15th , to get their dance wristband. No dance wristbands will be sold after homeroom, and no students can call home to get permission to attend the dance.

When?

Friday, Nov 15, 2024, 02:00 PM

Where?

Esperanza Middle School, Maple Road, Lexington Park, MD, USA

EMS Staff Member of the Month Nomination Form

Link your Harris Teeter VIC Card!

If you shop at Harris Teeter, please link your VIC card online or tell your cashier during your checkout that you want to link to the Esperanza Middle School account. The account number is 4621. Once the account number is linked, every time you shop 5% of your Harris Teeter brand purchases will be contributed by Harris Teeter to the Esperanza account. It is that easy!

SMCPS Student Mental Health & Wellness

Use this link to visit the SMCPS Student Mental Health & Wellness resource page.

Student Lunch Accounts

Use this link to put money on your child's lunch account.
EMS Fundraisers SY25
As stated in our back-to-school letter, fundraisers throughout the school year will always be publicized in the SMORE before they occur. Please click the link above for the most up-to-date EMS Fundraiser information.
My School Bucks and the EMS Library in SMCPS
Families can pay for lost or damaged resources in My School Bucks. Resources include library books, laptops, chargers, textbooks, consumables, etc. My School Bucks is also used to put lunch money on your child's account.
Jennifer Consalvo
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