ADMINISTRATIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Welcome back to our students, parents & guardians, and community members! UMS opened our doors to over 1000 students and our students are reviewing expectations for the upcoming school year. Our opening week with staff was outstanding! Special thanks to our PTSA for supporting our opening luncheon; this was a HUGE success with our staff!
Our “Open House” and “Back To School” events were well attended; it was so nice to meet everyone and hear our students were excited for the new school year! At each event, students & families located their new classrooms, spoke with friends, and the presentations allowed everyone to review expectations. Many students expressed “I’m ready to come back.” The energy of the first week of school is always exciting as staff return and students arrive to our campus, meet new friends & teachers, and catch up from the summer. Classroom routines and expectations have been reviewed and our rigorous instruction has begun! Students are already engaged in classes and enthusiastically participating in a variety of lessons.
Students have been meeting in Advisory/HawkTalk groups this week to receive school handouts, learn routines for and practice safety drills, and discuss other school related topics such as care/responsibility for chromebooks. This week our staff and students practiced our first Fire Evacuation Drill. (see additional info in the Safety section below) Our Town Hall meetings for each grade level will be held next week; these meetings are conducted with Administration to review goals and expectations for the school year so students can strive to “SOAR” to Success. UMS staff and Administration is looking forward to a very successful year!
Our first PBIS activity was a school wide Spirit day and students were asked to wear their favorite jersey! Stay tuned to see which class demonstrated the most school spirit the first week of school!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION & UPDATES: RESPONSIBLE USE OF DIGITAL DEVICES & BOOKBAGS:
Our students have done an excellent job complying with our expectations for cell phones and bookbags. UMS utilizes the “Electronic devices are off and away” unless given teacher permission for instruction. Our focus is on instruction during the day and this expectation assists us in reducing the amount of disruption in the building. There may be times where staff members will permit students to use personal devices/cell phones for educational purposes; UMS will clearly communicate this information in advance for students.
UMS CELL PHONE EXPECTATIONS:
As UMS is a 1:1 school, the same exact technology that students use on their phones for educational/instructional purposes can also be accessed via the chromebooks.
All students are expected to have the technology forms completed in the event their chrome book is forgotten or stops working. This includes the BYOB form for students who bring a personal device on property, including cell phones. Students are not permitted to use cell phones or personal devices for non-instructional purposes once on property and throughout the school day. If a student violates this expectation, the device will be confiscated, stored securely in the front office, and students will be permitted to sign for it at the end of the school day. For repeated offenses, disciplinary action will be issued and parents/guardians will be contacted.
BOOKBAGS: Bookbags are to be placed in lockers during the school day. Students are permitted to carry a small drawstring bag to secure personal belongings, but all book bags, even small ones, must be secured in lockers during the day. With increased enrollment and lack of storage space in classrooms and other locations, book bags were causing safety issues as they were being placed on the floor, creating a tripping hazard. All belongings are stored in lockers during lunch. Students also have the option of dropping off materials in the class scheduled after lunch.
REQUIRED NOTICES: Term 1
Front Entrance:
UMS has a secure Front Entrance. All visitors to the building must enter through our main office. We have the buzzer system and our front office staff will greet you upon arrival. We appreciate your cooperation as we do have a required FCPS protocol we follow when meeting visitors for the first time. To ensure the safety of our students and staff, please be prepared to show identification and state the purpose of your visit if we have not met you yet. This protocol is part of our security for the building and we thank everyone for their cooperation in helping us maintain this security for our school community.
At the middle school level, we are often asked “How can I support my child in middle school?” We always encourage parent involvement and this assists students with their learning. Encourage reading and writing; consider reading the same book as your child. Always encourage your child to do their best and to set realistic goals for the school year. We value our positive and collaborative parent partnerships and appreciate your support of our school expectations and goals. We encourage two-way, open communication with teachers/staff as soon as there is a problem so we can respond promptly to your concern(s).
If there is anything we can do to assist you and your child, please let us know! We look forward to a great year with our students and families!
Online Free and Reduced Meal Application
The Free and Reduced Meal application is now online. Families can apply online and the approval process is faster because the information is submitted directly to FCPS. All students received a paper application the first day of school and applicants must reapply each school year.
Important Announcements:
This week, I am sharing the required annual announcements to parents and students. Below, please find important information related to our school campus and normal operating procedures. If at any time you have questions regarding this information, please don’t hesitate to contact Administration with your concern.
FCPS Policy Updates and FYI:
Books/Materials/Equipment
Students are responsible for the careful use and protection of any books, materials, and equipment loaned or assigned to them. Students are responsible for returning these items in good condition, allowing for normal usage, at the end of the year or end of classroom use. If students do not comply with this procedure, the individual will be assessed a fee to cover the loss or damage. Our students have traditionally done an excellent job in this area and I anticipate the same this year.
Smoking:
Please be aware that there is a 24 hour/7 days a week smoking ban on all school property.
Home Access Center: Grades
All students received their Home Access Center (HAC) password and information on Tuesday, September 4th. The Home Access Center (HAC) allows you to monitor your child's attendance, class grades on line, and other student information. If you need an additional copy, please contact your child's counselor. In advance, please understand we are unable to provide this information via phone or email due to student privacy and confidential information. We will be glad to provide another copy to your child to bring home.
Weapons/Pagers/Laser Pointers:
Please remind your children that knives, firearms, and any other weapons or “look alikes”, portable pagers, as well as laser pointers are forbidden on school property at all times. Per FCPS Regulation # 200-29: It is unlawful for students to possess or use any weapon on school property. Students who have or use a weapon on school property will be suspended from school, and the police will be notified of the incident. A weapon is any object designed to harm another physically or an object which is used in a way that can physically harm another. This school is committed to providing each of you with a safe environment, and we will do all we can to carry out that responsibility including, if necessary, conducting searches of student lockers.
Safety:
Our school has monthly evacuation/fire drills to prepare our students and staff for an emergency situation. Not all of these fire drills occur on warm sunny days. If you are in the building during a fire drill, we ask that you evacuate the building promptly. In addition to fire drills, we also have severe weather drills, alternate drills such as lock down drills, as well as bus evacuation drills twice a year to familiarize the students with a bus emergency and an alternative exit. The bus drills and severe weather drills are held in the fall and spring. Please see the FCPS Calendar Handbook for complete details on school policies and regulations.
Traffic & Safety (7:30 – 8:00 am & 3:00 – 3:15 pm) As a school community, our # 1 priority is maintaining student safety. Each day, we have many cars that come onto our property to either drop off or pick up students. We acknowledge that everyone has busy lives and places to go, but we are asking everyone to assist us in preventing a tragedy.
Here are some guidelines and procedures on which we need everyone’s cooperation:
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I have lunch with my child?
Absolutely! We always welcome parent visitors who wish to have lunch with their child. Please buzz in at the front door, sign in, and we can have you meet up with your child. Mrs. Byrne, Mrs. Bellafiore, and/or Mrs. Disler will be very happy to assist you during your visit!
Friendly reminder: For health and safety reasons, parents/visitors are only permitted to bring in food that is intended for consumption by their individual student. For health and safety reasons, students are only permitted to bring in food for personal consumption. For more information, please refer to the Wellness Regulation 400-82.
Bus transportation
We’ve received some questions about bus transportation so I wanted to offer some additional information. Our bus arrival and departure times are improving each day. The beginning of the school year usually takes more time as drivers are learning their routes and pickup/drop off stops. The routes will become more regular over the next few weeks. If you have questions regarding your child’s bus transportation, please visit our FCPS website (www.FCPS.org). Under “Quicklinks” on the right hand side, there is a “Bus stop information” icon. This icon will take you to the FCPS transportation page. On the right hand side, there is another icon “Online Bus information – About bus stops”. The next page has a blue link “Click here for bus stop information” and will take you to the page where you can enter your address information to determine transportation eligibility, bus route number and pickup/drop off times. As always, if you need additional information or still have questions, please feel free to contact us at school.
Students may ride only the school bus to which they are assigned. Inviting friends to ride the bus home is not always possible as some busses are extremely crowded and over capacity. In an emergency situation only, both students are required to have a note. This note must be signed by parents and an Administrator will sign it so students can show it to the bus driver. Please note that some notes may not be approved due to overcrowding. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
FCPS Calendar Handbook
FCPS Calendar handbooks were sent home Tuesday. Please review this resource as it contains the school calendar as well as other important information about our school system, procedures, and expectations.
Custody
If there is a child custody situation regarding your child, please make sure you share that information with Administration and/or your child's Counselor. It is extremely important that a copy of the court document be delivered to the school and placed in the child’s permanent record folder. Should the school not have this documentation, we have no recourse but to release your child to either parent upon request.
Arrivals
Attendance is in the front office. Mrs. Bellafiore is our Attendance Secretary and can be reached at 240.566.9202. Please send in a note for all absences, late arrivals, and/or early dismissals as we must maintain these notes for our student attendance folders. Please include your child’s first and last name and the reason for the absence to ensure proper coding. For further information on attendance, please visit the FCPS website and/or the FCPS Calendar Handbook.
We will periodically make daily calls for students who show up on our attendance list. If you know your child will be absent, please call us and let us know so we don’t have to interrupt your day. If you would like to call us or email us regarding your child’s absence, we will sincerely appreciate it.
Proof of Residency
If you have had or will have an address change, please provide a new proof of residency so we can update your information and mailing address. Copies can include a property tax bill, gas bill, electric bill, water/sewer bill or a signed current lease/rental agreement.
Parent University & Coffee Chats:
UMS will be hosting Parent Universities and Coffee Chats again this year. Parent University is an evening where we offer “mini sessions” on a variety of topics. In the past, we have offered HAC training, BYOD apps and electronic sessions, content based topics, and much more. Coffee Chats are times where you can come in to chat with Administration and/or counselors. Stay tuned for upcoming events.
UMS Cafeteria & Breakfast/Lunch:
Urbana Middle (and all FCPS schools) offers nutritious breakfast, lunch and “a la carte” items approved by the US Department of Agriculture. To find out what’s on the menu, visit www.fcps.org, sign up for FindOutFirst email, download the mobile FCPS app or tune to FCPS TV on Comcast channel 18.
Breakfast is available to all students every day in the cafeteria. If mornings are hectic at your house, remember that breakfast is always available at school. Breakfast is served even when schools are on a delayed opening 1-2 hours.
Prepaying for meals is timesaving and easy. You can pay directly to your school cafeteria with cash or check or via www.myschoolbucks.com. Access allows you to track purchases and get convenient low-balance email alerts so you can add money before it runs out. You may deposit funds to your child’s account using a credit card, debit card or checking account at the website above. The cost for breakfast is $1.85. Student lunch cost is $2.90. Milk is available for 60 cents.
Free and reduced price meals are available to families with limited ability to pay. Applications are online at www.fcps.org and can be completed at any time. Please see the calendar handbook, pg 25, for more information.
CLOTHING EXPECTATIONS
The expectation is that students will not wear revealing clothing or clothing items that are offensive, derogatory, and/or disruptive to the learning environment in any way. Students who are in violation will be addressed privately by an administrator or staff member and may be asked to change into appropriate attire or may need to contact a parent to bring other clothing. Please assist us by monitoring clothing choices so the learning environment is not disrupted and your child is not missing instructional time. Thank you for your support in this sensitive matter. At UMS, students must adhere to the following clothing guidelines per Policy 439.
Students are expected to come to school appropriately dressed. Students are restricted from wearing clothing that:
Our PTSA membership is growing and we still need you as a member! Our PTSA provides incredible support to our families and feeder throughout the school year. Please consider joining the UMS PTSA this school year!
http://education.fcps.org/ums/
3511 Pontius Court Ijamsville, MD 21754 240-566-9200 Fax 240-566-9201