Dear Patuxent Valley Families and Community,
Welcome back from Spring Break!  This week we received confirmation that the last day of school is June 14, 2024 and we are committed to making every day count as we finish up the school year.

Next Tuesday is the last day of the quarter and I know that there will be many conversations in families this weekend about grades for quarter 3.  Encourage your young people to finish the quarter strong and communicate with their teacher if they need anything as the quarter is ending.

This week our Chorus students participated in their Choral Assessments at Howard High School and I truly impressed by the 7/8 Grade Chorus that I got to see in person and I heard that the 6th grade chorus also did great work.  Thank you to Ms. Francis and her intern, Mr. Margarita for their hard work supporting our students.

Today at Patuxent Valley we took time to recognize the efforts of our April Students of the Month!  Each of these young people demonstrated our #BulldogStrong values through their hard work, caring and excellence.  Please take time to congratulate them if and when you see them!

6th grade: Morolayo D., Nahom T., Zoey B.-B., Sofia P. T., Jeremiah H., Emery W., Evin D. H., Anastasia B., Farid C.C., Martina E.
7th grade: Kevin W.,Nathan I., Robel B., Riley R., Alec M., Luke B., Ryan V., Tram T., Janel H., David O., Zahra U.
8th Grade: Ayanna R., Aniya S., Jason G., Eli A., Saanvi V., Carlos R.L., Anthony H., Burhan B., Anna V., Roselyn M

You may have noticed last summer that we added large decals to our grade level doors and more Bulldog Decals within our building to add to the decals in the Cafeteria and Gymnasium.  It's now time for Patuxent Valley to update the quotes on Bulldog Boulevard as a part of our continued efforts in Building Beautification, and we need your help.

Over Spring Break we added banners to our grade level hallways and made a plan for updating Bulldog Boulevard by updating the four motivational quotes posted on cross beams visible to everyone who walks down our main hallways.

We'd like to put up quotes that are motivational and representative of the diversity of our school community.  We'd love for there to be quotes from individuals who represent different genders, races, communities, languages, abilities and cultures.

During April we want to collect quotes from students, staff and the community.  In May we will put out a short list of quotes to identify which ones resonate with us, and then the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team with input from student leaders will finalize the four quotes.

Please complete this survey to submit your quotes to include them in the process: https://forms.gle/8uE8SgtLhULBDEZH8 

Check out the information below for items we’ve been sending out this week, and a number of new items. Let us know if you have any questions or if there is something you’d like to see in the newsletter.  All of this information is also posted on our website at http://pvms.hcpss.org/ .

There is nothing too big or too small for us to work on together, so don’t hesitate to reach out.https://forms.gle/8uE8SgtLhULBDEZH8

Regards,
Richard Smart, Principal (richard_smart@hcpss.org)

UPCOMING DATES:

4/9- End of third Marking Period

4/10- Professional Work Day- Schools closed for students

4/11 - Grade 6 Music Trip to the Kennedy Center

4/12 - Spring Picture Day

4/17- Reports cards issued via Synergy

4/27 - PTA Spring Social 5:30pm to 7:30pm

 

PVMS Updates (Priority and New this week)

8th Grade 2023-2024 Yearbook Dedications
Submissions due by MONDAY, April 8th, 2024
LAST & FINAL CALL!

Family and friends can purchase space in the yearbook this year for a special message wishing their 8th grade students lots of luck and success as they move onto high school. Limit of 2 DEDICATIONS PER STUDENT. 

Space is limited so purchase your dedications early. Please either print clearly in the space provided or attach a stapled typed submission with this form along with your payment in an envelope to your ELA teacher or directly to Mrs. Salik. Please make the check or money order out to PVMS. If paying by cash, please submit the EXACT amount if possible. Form is attached. There is an online option at Patuxent Valley Middle School (https://osp.osmsinc.com/) under Online Payments. Please submit both form and payment NO LATER THAN MONDAY, April 8th, 2024. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Salik at kandyce_salik@hcpss.org. Due to the time constraints of the yearbook submission, no late dedications can be accepted. 

Spring Picture Day on April 12 - Check out all the information here.

PTA Spring Social on Saturday April 27th

All PVMS Students are invited to attend the Spring Social on Saturday April 27th from 5:30 - 7:30 pm!

Students have been requesting a school dance and the PTA is delivering! There will be a dance in the Gym, board games & cards in the Media Center, and concessions in the Cafeteria - and lots of fun!  Tickets are free for students but parents must complete their online permission form: https://forms.gle/FPCw9knTXVtNAdiXA  This event is entirely sponsored by PTA Parent Volunteers & community help is needed to ensure a great experience; tickets will be released based on the number of adult volunteers signed up to chaperone. Volunteers can indicate that they will be there and select their preferred tasks here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4AA8AB2FA1FC1-48612160-pvmspring

NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award

The Patuxent Valley National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is proud to announce that, Aishwariya Sreethran, has been selected as an NJHS Outstanding Achievement Award recipient. Aishu will receive $500 in a 529 college savings account to be applied toward their higher education. Recipients are chosen based on their demonstrated work to support the five pillars of NJHS: scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. Join us in congratulating Aishu and their accomplishments!

NJHS Community Service Project for Grassroots:

Next week the National Junior Honor Society will be collecting hygiene products to support the Grassroots center in Howard County.

The list of items we are asking for are: 
shampoo/ conditioner
soap
toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss
deodorant

These items will benefit families that are transitioning out of Grassroots shelter. 

Mrs. Langan or Ms. Chelidona will come around each 1st period with a cart to collect and tally items.  There will be a reward for the home room that brings in the most items!

PVMS Testing Newsletter Spring 2024

Dear Families, 

We are in our state testing season which began in March.  Our students have been working hard all year and this is their opportunity to show what they know in regards to the standards they have been taught.  Please see the testing dates below for grades 6-8.

 

ELA	4 sessions	70 minutes each
Math	4 sessions	40 minutes each
Social Studies 8th grade ONLY	4 sessions	40 minutes each

 

Testing Dates	Test being taken
4/16 & 4/23	MCAP ELA   *Starting @ 7:55 am
5/7-5/10	MCAP Social Studies In SS Classes
5/21-5/24	MCAP Math In Math Classes

*In the event that testing dates need to be changed,  we will communicate that information to families.  

Just a few reminders:

• Please try to have students here and on time on testing days so they do not need to be pulled out of class instruction for make-up sessions.  

• Please avoid coming to sign students out early during testing sessions.  Once a student leaves, they are not able to restart that test session. 

• Personal electronic devices (cell phones, ipads, smart watches, etc.) are not permitted in the testing areas. 

• Headphones may be needed for grades 7 and 8.  Please allow your child to bring their plug-in headphones (Bluetooth headphones are not permitted). 

• Routine is important when calming any nerves when it comes to testing.  Keeping to normal routines both at home and at school will help students to do their best.  

• Students need plenty of sleep in order to maintain the stamina needed to do their best. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s homeroom teacher or Ms. Porter (Testing Coordinator).

Solar Eclipse Visible in Howard County

On Monday, April 8, 2024, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in Howard County, Maryland.  This partial eclipse will begin at 2:05 pm, with maximum coverage at 3:21 pm, and end around 4:35 pm. 

School dismissals will occur during the solar eclipse, with Tier 2 elementary and middle schools dismissing during the height of the eclipse. Some students will already be home by that time. 

Safety during a solar eclipse is important. Please review this information with your child(ren) to ensure safety at home:

• Never look directly at the Sun, especially during a solar eclipse.
• It is dangerous to look directly at the Sun and can cause permanent damage to the eyes. 
• Do not look at the Sun through sunglasses, telescope, or binoculars. 

We encourage you and your family to read more about solar eclipses and safety and enjoy experiencing this rare, exciting phenomenon.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL SCHEDULED
HCPSS used three inclement weather days this school year, and as such, the last day of school for students in full-day Pre-K through grade 11 is now scheduled to be Friday, June 14, with June 12-14 being three-hour early dismissals. The last day for half-day Pre-K/RECC students is currently Tuesday, June 11.

IMPORTANT BUS REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Parents/guardians whose children are eligible for bus transportation are asked to register to receive bus service each year to help the school system plan for student transportation needs. The transportation registration process will open at 9 a.m. Monday, April 8 through May 31, and will be completed online via HCPSS Connect Synergy. Registration must be done for each eligible child. 

To be eligible for bus service, your child’s home address must be outside of a school’s walk zones. You can verify address eligibility in the HCPSS School Attendance Area Locator. After inputting your address, a window will appear that will indicate either bus or walk for each school level. Please note, the attendance area locator also includes a link for the bus stop locator, which is set for the current school year. Bus stop information for the 2024-2025 school year will be available in August.

You do not need to take any action if:

• Your child is not eligible for bus transportation
• Your child receives transportation as part of their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan, or
• Your child is a graduating senior

Details on bus transportation registration, including a guide to register and scenarios families may see when registering, can be found online.

PVMS Updates (recurring from previous newsletters)

From the Health Room:

Spring time is around the corner and we are beginning to see a lot of children with full blown allergy symptoms in the health room. The health room staff is not allowed to administer medications without doctor's orders and therefore we suggest that parents treat their children at home before school to help them manage their allergies throughout the school day. 

Sincerely,

-PVMS Health room staff

Recognizing and Reporting Bullying

As we approach the second half of the school year, we wanted to remind you that HCPSS is dedicated to providing a safe and supportive environment that focuses on student well-being. We are taking this time to uplift the importance of reporting any type of bullying that has occurred. We will be reviewing this with our students and staff as we start the second half of the school year, and we hope that you, too, can uplift this at home. 

For children facing the emotional toll of bullying, a supportive individual can make all the difference. Please encourage your children to reach out to a trusted staff member at school should they need to report anything. As parents and guardians, you will use the same reporting form as students by following the steps outlined below. 

How do I report bullying?

1. When you believe bullying has taken place, you should report it through the Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment, and Intimidation (BCHI) reporting form.  Reporting can take place in one of three ways:
   1. Complete a BCHI online reporting form
   2. BCHI paper reporting form (available in the main office, staff workroom, school counseling office, media center, and health services office
   3. An oral report to a staff member 
2. It is important to note that the policy states “In the event the reporting party does not complete a BCHI Reporting Form, school administrators/supervisors will take the appropriate steps to address and document the incident.”  Therefore, if you or someone else makes an oral report, it then must be documented (i.e. through a BCHI reporting form) by the administrator.

Thank you for your partnership and attention to this important topic.

CELL PHONES - MIDDLE SCHOOL
This is a friendly reminder to our community that per HCPSS Policy 8080, middle school students “will not use personal technology devices during non-instructional time, to include but not limited to transition between classes, lunch, recess, or in bathrooms.”  Please remind your students that their cell phones should be off and away during the school day. Students are always welcome to use an office phone to reach out to a parent during the school day. If you need to contact your child at school, please call 410-880-5840.

PVMS Attendance Procedures 23-24

Please review for comprehensive attendance procedures.Read more

FAMILY FILE UPDATES

HCPSS utilizes Family File for parents/guardians to complete emergency information. All parents/guardians must verify and/or update information for each child each school year.  Parents/guardians can access their student's Family File by logging into HCPSS Connect, selecting the “More Options” tab on the left and then selecting “Family File” in the center column.

Please be sure to read each section carefully and answer all of the questions.  You can contact us here at school if you have any questions or concerns.

SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR VISITORS

Please be aware of the following procedures for any visitor to a school/office:

• The front door is the only entrance point for all visitors.

• Please ring the bell and look into the camera.

• Be prepared to state your name and purpose for visiting.

• All visitors must walk directly into the front office with a valid photo I.D. and sign in using our LobbyGuard system.

• A visitor’s sticker will be given to visitors following the above procedures and must be worn and prominently visible.

• Any visitor in the school without a visitor sticker will be escorted directly to the front office by a staff member.

SCHOOL MEALS AND PAYMENT INFO

HCPSS no longer will use Nutrislice for school menus or MySchoolBucks for meal payments. LINQ Connect is a secure, online portal that allows families to view breakfast and lunch menus, make online meal payments, monitor their child’s account, schedule automatic recurring payments, set up low balance alerts, submit a Free and Reduced Meals program application, and more. Details and information. are available online.

WELLNESS CENTER AT PVMS

The Patuxent Valley Middle School-Based Wellness Center is a partnership between Howard County Health Department and Howard County Public School System. School Wellness Centers do not replace students' regular health care providers in the community. By providing some health care at school we can help parents stay at work and help students stay at school or more quickly return to school. There is no co-pay or fee for visits at the Wellness Center. Read more

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please visit the Community News and Programs page on the HCPSS website for announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.