SCMS Newsletter (Website Version)
Week of November 30-December 4
Dear SCMS Parents/Guardians
This is Dr. Awkard with your weekly message. Welcome Back Huskies! We hope you all enjoyed a relaxing and safe holiday break. I can't believe we are headed into December. As always, I am proud of our students and continue to encourage and support their tremendous efforts. Let's make a great start to December Huskies!
Weekly Assignments at A Glance
Adjusted Schedule: Week of November 23-November 27
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Lnu2Jcq13mxHYcLyJT1LyCStWt1H3HIGM-3JnJmX5d8/edit
Virtual Outdoor Education (6th Grade Students ONLY) starts this week!
Virtual Outdoor Education will begin this week November 30-December 4 for all sixth grade students. Students will participate in outdoor education activities in their science, mathematics, and world studies classes. Students will follow a regular schedule and report to all their classes at the regular times where they will participate in unique outdoor education lessons.
For additional information on activities, please see the Outdoor Education video here. You may also view the virtual outdoor education schedule here.
All information is also located in the Parent Handbook.
Questions, please contact:
Mr. David O'Shell, acting assistant principal, David_O'Shell@mcpsmd.org
Virtual Outdoor Education Coordinators
Ms. Kelly Miller, Kelly_M_Miller@mcpsmd.org
Ms. Alexandra Kommel, Alexandra_L_Kommel@mcpsmd.org
Personal Body Safety Lessons (PBSL) beginning this week
Beginning this week, counselors will visit PE classes to conduct PBSL for each grade level. The purpose of PBSL focuses on defining abuse and neglect, teaching students skills for self-protection with opportunities to practice reporting to a trusted adult, and promoting positive and appropriate interactions among children, adults, and peers.
The schedule can be found here.
Culture of Respect
Montgomery County Public Schools is committed to ensuring our students are equipped with the information needed to be able to recognize signs of bullying/cyber bullying, harassment (including sexual harassment), hate-bias incidents, hazing, intimidation, and student gender norms. An online student training lesson, entitled “Culture of Respect,” has been developed for students in grades 6 through 12.
The training should take approximately 30 minutes to complete and will be accessible to all students via their myMCPS Classroom homepage beginning Tuesday, December 1, 2020. Students are asked to complete the training by January 29, 2021. We will provide an opportunity for students to complete this training during Husky Huddle. Information will be shared with parents/guardians on when this will be scheduled. Please read the memo to parents/guardians here
Husky Huddle
This week, Husky Huddle will focus on our No Place for Hate Initiative (NPFH).
Tuesday, December 1
NPFH Lesson. You can view the lesson here
Friday, December 4
Fab Friday/Work on academic work
Also, during Husky Huddle on Friday, 12/4 &12/11 students will participate in Grade-level town hall meetings to reiterate virtual learning expectations and to answer any questions students may have.
Schedule:
- 6th & 7th grade on 12/4
- 8th grade on 12/11
Concert Against Hate
Silver Creek Intramurals Registration
SCMS is offering three "Virtual" Intramural programs during semester one. The programs and times are below. Parents must register students (link below) in order to access the program and zoom link. Intramural directors will send out zoom invites this coming week (November 30-December). Program registration is on-going.
- POMS: Dinger/Mannheimer-Tuesdays (4:00-5:00pm)
- FITNESS & SPORTS: Koroma-Wednesdays (3:30-4:30pm)
- RUNNING: Brodeur-Tuesdays (3:30-4:30pm)
SCMS Intramural registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8Zb0nA2nlWYbzDIPCw-apiSPzFh7i_hg-ijiI4hSG8RH8Lg/viewform?usp=sf_link
Husky Holiday Gifts- Limited Time ONLY
Want to purchase Silver Creek Wear as a gift for the holidays? The Husky Store is open now for a limited time only! Sales will be open until Wednesday, December 3, 2020 in order to deliver before the holidays. So hurry and act fast!
https://shop.whatsuppromotions.com/silver_creek_middle/shop/home
Library Media Book Holds
Remember, we have thousands of books in SORA and other digital platforms you can read anytime. Scroll down on our linked page above for access and how-tos. Any questions? Please email Ms. Diskin at trayce_r_diskin@mcpsmd.org.
Middle School Interscholastic Athletics Program Spring Season!
The middle school interscholastic athletics program is available for students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade and consists of three virtual sport seasons, including fall (cross country and softball), winter (basketball), and spring (soccer). The middle school virtual athletic seasons consists of two student-athlete and coach engagement sessions per week, for a total of six engagement sessions over the course of approximately three to four weeks. The spring virtual season is scheduled to occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays after-school, beginning THIS WEEK, Tuesday, December 1, 2020 to Thursday, December 17, 2020.
All students participating in the spring virtual season, must complete the online registration process. Registration is done electronically through the Silver Creek Athletics Registration form in English or Spanish, which is also posted on the school’s website. Students and parents/guardians who have difficulty with registration should contact the Mr. Ryan Bingaman at ryan_h_bingaman@mcpsmd.org.
HUSKY DRAMA
The winter Drama Production Snow Angel by David Lindsay-Abaire is this week!
The performances will take place this: Friday, December 4th and Saturday, December 5th both performances will be virtual beginning at 7pm. Tickets are free but reservations are required. There will be a reservation form on the Husky Drama website and then a link to the performances will be sent prior to the performances via email.
We hope you all can join this very exciting event and see the amazing talent of our students.
Want to learn more about SSL Hours?
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/84382739363?pwd=NjNZMXp4Uit3eTNUZWhrNWd0Z3gyZz09
Meeting ID: 843 8273 9363
Passcode: 398986
Please check out our SSL website for more information.
The Library Media Center is calling all artists, designers, creatives, and tech experts. Earn SSL hours by creating promotional materials that celebrate a love of reading, inquiry learning, and great books. We're looking for videos, slideshows, digital posters, hyperslides, and other creative media. See our flyer HERE. Contact Ms. Diskin at Trayce_Diskin@mcpsmd.org for more information.
Yearbook Sales
Hurry and order your SCMS yearbook- prices increase this week! To take advantage of the low price, go to yearbookforever.com to purchase the yearbook today! Prices will go up December 1, 2020.
Please see the two videos below on how to upload pictures and purchase a yearbook.
Call for pictures: How to upload pictures
How to navigate yearbookforever.com: How to purchase & upload pictures on yearbookforever.com
Questions about the yearbook, please contact Ms. Jordan at: Cassandra-lee_E_Jordan@mcpsmd.org
PARENT RESOURCES
Thursday Tea Time: December 10 at 6:00-6:30 PM
Save the Date for the next Thursday Tea Time with Dr. Awkard. This will be an open session for parents/guardians to ask any questions they may have related to virtual learning, what's new and next steps. The zoom link will be forthcoming.
Parent Drop In Session- Wednesday, December 2 at 3PM
Please come join the counseling department on a discussion titled "Plugged in Parents" on Wednesday, December 2 at 3:00 pm. This session will provide a discussion and helpful tips on keeping up with a fast changing media landscape.
Please find information & zoom link on our Counseling Website at: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/scmsmcpscounseling/parent-resources
Parent Resource Handbook
Please locate the parent handbook on our website. All the information you need is located here for your convenience.
https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/silver-creek-parent-handbook/home
Silver Creek Virtual Book Fair Is Live!
A message from the PTSA:
The Silver Creek virtual 2020 Book Fair is now live and continues through Wednesday on the Child's Play website. The Silver Creek PTSA will receive 15% of book sales made with the discount code SILVER. You can support both Silver Creek and a great local business, Child's Play, at the same time.
You can also choose to contribute the value of a book or game that's on a teacher's wish list. You can find those wish lists here, and our donation page on the Child's Play website here, and those donations still qualify for our 15% return. (Remember to indicate on the wish list Google Doc that the value of a particular book or game has been donated).
For great book recommendations, see these selections from our great Silver Creek Media Specialist Ms. Trayce Diskin, and/or see this collection put together by our Silver Creek Book Wars participants. All of the books on these lists are known to have a lot of fans in the middle school age group!
Get that holiday shopping off to a strong start! And, again, don't forget to use the code SILVER.
Free and Reduced Meals Application Process
Free and Reduced Meals (FARMs).
The online application is now open for parents/guardians to complete and submit the 2020-2021 application for Free and Reduced Meals. https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/silvercreekms/news-index/farms/
Wear Silver Creek School Colors on Fridays
Important Dates to Remember & Coming Attractions
November 30- Costume Pick-up (11-1 pm) for students in the drama production
November 30-December 4- Virtual Outdoor Education for 6th grade students.
December 10- Thursday Tea Time- 6:00-6:30 pm
December 15- Q2 Interims
December 18- Library Media Books on Hold Distribution- 10-1 PM
December 24- January 1- Winter Break- NO school for students and teachers
January 18- MLK Holiday- NO school for students and staff
January 29- End of Quarter 2
Student Absence
If a student is going to be absent, the parent/guardian is asked to call the attendance line at 240-740-2201 in the morning of the absence. In your message, please include the information listed below:
1. Parent/Guardian name
2. Full name of your student (First & Last); student ID#
3. Date(s)of absence
4. Reason for absence
You can also email Ms. Rachel Distelhorst, attendance secretary, at Rachel_Distelhorst@mcpsmd.org.
Also, please use this form to document excused absences from live virtual lessons. The form must be completed for each day of absence from a live virtual lesson.
Important Contacts
https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/silvercreekms/staff/directory/
Silver Creek Middle School
Acting Principal: Dr. Tiffany Awkard
Assistant Principal: Mrs. Kimberly Heidler
Acting Assistant Principal: Mr. David O'Shell
School Hours: 8:15 am-3:45 pm
Main Office: 240-740-2200
Registration & Counseling: 240-740-2211
Attendance Line: 240-740-2201
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/silvercreekms/
Location: 3701 Saul Road, Kensington, MD, USA
Phone: 240 740 2200
Twitter: @SCMSDrAwkard