OAKLAND MILLS SCHOOL HAPPENINGS DATE: November 27, 2019 ISSUE: 71

Hard to believe it's already time for the holidays! We are thankful for our OM family, including our OM schools and community, and hope that your Thanksgiving holiday is a happy one, filled with warm memories and lots of good food! Happy Thanksgiving! Sandy Cederbaum, Village Manager Amy Carpenter, Administrative Assistant

OAKLAND MILLS HIGH SCHOOL Website

Funds Raised for Grassroots Read the results of OMHS's wager against Long Reach and how the schools' fun competition helped fund Grassroots Crisis Intervention. 2019 Concert for Kids to Benefit the WBAL Radio Kids Campaign December 7th, 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. OMHS Auditorium Performances by Howard County school students and guest artists. Holiday Boutique open from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to half an hour after evening performance ends. For more info and tickets, click HERE. Winter Dance Concert December 14th, 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. OMHS Auditorium OMHS Food Pantry December 19th, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Enter through the right-hand set of double doors at the front of the building. The food pantry is open to all of the community. Please bring a form of identification. Donations for the food pantry needed! Drop off items at The Other Barn during regular business hours, and we will make sure they get to the high school. For more information, click HERE. Come out and cheer for our Scorps! Find schedules and scores at County Sports Zone.

OMHS PTSA

OMHS Boosters

OAKLAND MILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL Website

OMMS Winter Concerts Chorus: Dec. 16th, 6:30 p.m. Band/Orchestra: Dec. 17th, 6:30 p.m. OMHS auditorium OMMS Spirit Wear Order now through December 1st Click here to order. Contact the OMMS PTSA with any questions. Call for Donations! Supply Donations Want to donate supplies? OMMS is asking for monthly donations as well as art donations. Click here to see the wish list. Monetary Donations Please consider making Oakland Mills Middle School part of your charitable giving by making a donation to the school. Your generosity will assist the school in meeting the needs of students and providing valuable educational enrichment experiences. You may donate via check made out to Oakland Mills Middle School or via our online donation portal  here .

OMMS PTSA

STEVENS FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Website

PTA Movie Night December 6th, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. SFES Movie: The Grinch (2018) SFES Substitute Teachers Needed! For more information, click HERE.

SFES PTA

TALBOTT SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Website

PTA Craft Night December 5th, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. TSES Winter Concert December 19th, 6:30 p.m. OMHS Auditorium Blessings in a Backpack: DONATIONS NEEDED! Talbott Springs is in need of monetary donations to support an increase of over 100 students who receive Blessings in a Backpack for the 2019-20 school year. Monetary donations can be made at blessingsinabackpack.org. For more info, including instructions on how to make an online donation, click HERE.

TSES PTA

THUNDER HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Website

PTA Meeting December 4th, 6:30 p.m. THES Media Center From the THES PTA in their November 26th newsletter: Last week the Board of Education finalized and voted on the new redistricting plan, and the changes will affect Thunder Hill Elementary School. We are sad to be losing some of our families who will now be attending Phelps Luck next year, but we are happy to welcome new families from Stevens Forest. HCPSS will have resources available to families as they transition between schools, and the local PTAs have begun communicating with each other to also assist families. The effects of this redistricting plan and how we move forward will be a major item on the agenda for our [December 4th] PTA meeting...so please come join us if you have questions, comments, or concerns. While the redistricting may have changed lines on a map, our neighbors and friends will remain and we will make new friends and gain new neighbors. Students who have attended Thunder Hill will always be a part of our greater family, and the PTA will always be looking out for the children in our community.

THES PTA

HOWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM Website

School Closure Dates November 27th through 29th: schools closed for Thanksgiving holiday December 23rd through January 1st: Schools closed for winter holiday and will reopen January 2, 2020. Schools will also be closed February 4th for the special election. This is a change to the school calendar. More info Message from Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano Regarding Redistricting Every OM school has been impacted by redistricting. Links in the superintendent's message give information on which areas and families are affected. New Website and System for Emergency Closings Effective December 1, HCPSS is launching a color-coding notification system for emergency and other non-scheduled school closings, including for inclement weather.  Read more. School System Calendar Click HERE . Board of Education Meetings  December 5th, 4:00 & 7:00 p.m. – Regular Meeting December 12th, 4:00 p.m. – Work Session: Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Harassment Report December 17th, 4:00 p.m. – Regular Meeting and 7:00 p.m. – Presentation of Superintendent’s Proposed FY21 Operating Budget All meetings are held in the Boardroom of the Department of Education, 10910 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City.

RESTAURANT NIGHTS

TSES Night at Chipotle December 2nd, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. OMHS FAB Night at Pizzaman December 3rd, 11:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. 5810 Robert Oliver Place

THES Night at Modern Market December 11th 6181 Old Dobbin Lane, Columbia SFES Night at Chipotle December 16th, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. 6181 Old Dobbin Ln Ste 100, Columbia

OAKLAND MILLS EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Next meeting: December 10th, 6:00 p.m. at The Other Barn The Oakland Mills Community Association's Education Committee supports and advocates for all Oakland Mills schools and county-wide on a variety of issues. All interested individuals are welcome to join the conversation! For more information contact Oakland Mills Board of Directors Chair and Education Committee Chair, Jonathan Edelson at   jledelson.omca@gmail.com .

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Be sure to check out the volunteer opportunities at each individual school in the school boxes above! A-OK Mentoring   Make a difference! Help enhance the academic and social development of identified Howard County elementary school students in schools near you through a consistent, supportive relationship with a child. Volunteers must be available weekday, daytime hours to meet one-on-one with an assigned student during the school day or with students in small groups in afterschool programs. Website:  www.aokmentor.org Volunteer Training According to HCPSS Board Policy, all volunteers must complete a Confidentiality Training Course about protecting the privacy of our students, staff, and schools. View the Volunteer Certification Course  here .