Dear Patuxent Valley Families and Community,
We have had yet another great week at Patuxent Valley and I’m thankful for all the ways that students, staff and families have contributed to our transition to our new school start times. All of our buses have been in before 7:42 am Wednesday through Friday and we have begun home room on time each day. None of that could have been accomplished without the support of our whole community.
I wanted to share some information about our arrival process both so our community knows our practices and to uplift some important procedures moving forward.
Our buses are scheduled to arrive between 7:30am and 7:40am. At this time we have staff on duty in the bus loop, the drop off loops and outside each of the three grade level entrances to support and supervise students during arrival.
At 7:40am the grade level doors open and students enter and go directly to their home room unless they have to drop off an instrument or use their locker.
At 7:50am the grade level doors close and homeroom officially begins, including morning announcements and breakfast.
At 8:00am period 1 begins and instruction for the day commences.
If we experience inclement weather we will open doors at 7:30am and students will go directly to their home rooms. This will be a decision made that morning.
Students who arrive after 7:50am are late to school and will check in at the late table at the Bulldog Blvd Entrance from the main parking lot.
It is important that students are in their home room so that they can easily get breakfast and hear the important school announcements. Please let us know if we can help solve any issues with bus transportation, car riding or walking if your student has not been able to get to school by 7:50am. We are here to help.
At Patuxent Valley we believe that our diversity is our strength and we want to recognize that September 15 marked the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month! During this time, we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month by appreciating the rich history, culture, heritage, and contributions of individuals and their family members who came from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and South and Central America.
Additionally, last Friday the two-day holiday known as Rosh Hashanah kicked off the beginning of the Jewish "High Holidays," a ten-day period of repentance and reflection that culminates with Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. “Shana Tova” and "G'mar Tov," to those who participate!
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.
Regards,
Richard Smart, Principal (richard_smart@hcpss.org)
UPCOMING DATES:
09/25/2023: Schools and offices closed for holiday
10/9/2023: Professional Learning Day - No School
10/13/2023: PVMS Hispanic Family Night, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
10/20/2023: Professional Learning Day - No School
10/27, 10/28, 10/29: PVMS Fall Play - The Wizard of Oz Gone Wrong
10/31: End Quarter 1
PVMS Vision and Hearing Screening
PVMS's Vision and Hearing Screening will be held on Monday October 16th; the re-screening date is scheduled for November 9. 2023. Please contact our school nurse, Russell Smith (RN) with any questions, russell_smith@hcpss.org. Read more
For Families of students taking High School Credit Courses
Please note, if your student is currently taking a high school credited course, you should review important information about the withdrawal date of October 4th. Please find the letter for families linked here for further information. Read more
Lockers:
Students have begun receiving lockers this week. If students did not get a form they can ask their homeroom teacher or come to the office. Students may use lockers before and after school and before and after lunch.
PVMS Spirit Wear
The PTA's first Spirit Wear sale is open until Friday, September 29. You will want your student to be ready to show their School Spirit. There are t-shirts, sweatshirts, performance shirts, flannel pants and sweat pants - something for everyone! Orders must be placed online at: http://bit.ly/pvmsspirit
PVMS Attendance Procedures 23-24
Please review for comprehensive attendance procedures.Read more
Black Student Achievement Program (BSAP) Saturday Math Academy Fall 2023 Program
Registration for HCPSS’ BSAP Saturday Math Academy will offer an in-person enrichment program for HCPSS students in all levels of math for grades 3 through 12 based on course availability. Registration will take place online Saturday, September 16, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. until capacity is reached. Class space is limited.
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.
NEW 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 RESOURCE NEWSLETTER
Click here to see a comprehensive list of resources and support available to our community. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need help navigating any of these opportunities.
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.