Dear Patuxent Valley Families and Community,
I had the best time at the grade 6 field trip on Monday and Tuesday of this week.  Thanks to the support of the Board of Education, our staff members, and so many parent and community chaperones, we were able to take all grade 6 students on a team building trip to Terrapin Adventures.  All HCPSS middle school students are taking this trip but it was especially poignant for me as it was in our community.  We have an amazing community, with great opportunities for our young people - if you have a grade 6 student please ask them about the trip and let us know what they thought!

The quarter ends on October 31 and there are only a few days left.  We encourage you take time to review grades with your young person (they can show you on their canvas page or you can login through http://hcpss.org/connect/).  If you have any questions reach out to their teacher first, and to their counselor or admin if needed.

We continue to recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and continue to collect donations.  It was awesome to see so many at school yesterday wearing pink and supporting this important cause.  We are still collecting donations and I’ve promised to dress up if we raise enough money - look out for the photos at the end of this coming week, and see below for how to participate!

8th period began this past week and there is a new energy in our building at the end of the school day - check out the information on the student resources page and encouage your young person to come to the front office if they want to sign up.

Last night I stopped by the PTA Board Games night here in the Cafeteria at PVMS.  There was pizza, concessions and a truly eclectic  set of board and card games.  The best part though was to see the fun had and the way that our school was hosting our community - more please PTA, we are so grateful for you!

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:

10/27, 10/28, 10/29: PVMS Fall Play - The Wizard of Oz Gone Wrong

10/31: End Quarter 1

11/13-17: American Education Week

11/20: Schools Close 3 Hours Early/Parent Teacher Conferences

11/21: Schools Close 3 Hours Early/Parent Teacher Conferences

11/22: Schools Closed for Students/Parent Teacher Conferences

11/23 & 24: Schools and Office Closed

PVMS Updates (New this week)

HCASC Listen and Learn Session, Tuesday, October 24

The Howard County Association of Student Councils will host its first Listen and Learn session of the school year on Oct. 24 from 7-8 p.m. at Centennial High School. Open to all middle and high school students, the session will provide opportunities to share actionable and knowledge-based feedback with HCPSS leaders. Students may attend in person or virtually. 

Bus Evacuation Drill, 10/19/2023

Yesterday, a bus evacuation drill was conducted, in compliance with county regulations and to help celebrate Bus Safety Week.  Please talk to your child about bus safety such as, staying seated while in assigned seats, keeping hands in the bus and not out open windows, and keeping noise to a minimum so that the driver can concentrate on the road. Thanks for helping us keep Lime Kiln Middle School a safe environment for learnning. 

MLK Jr. Holiday Commission Contest

On behalf of the Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity and the Howard County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission, we are inviting your students, their families, and staff to participate in several exciting contests. Please click here for the contest application.

Each year the MLK Holiday Commission recognized students, individuals and organizations with several contests and awards, including a Poster, Essay, and Oratory competition for grades K-12 and the “Living the Dream Award for individuals and organizations whose outreach efforts align with Dr. King’s message and vision. The theme for the year is “Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.” The closing date for all contests is October 31st, 2023.

Contest winners will be recognized at the Celebration on January 14, 2024, at Howard Community College Horowitz Visual & Performing Arts Center.

Please join us January 15, 2024, at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center for our Day of Service activities. 

Please click here to view the flier. 

Carson Scholars Fund

The Carson Scholars Fund awards $1,000 college scholarships to students who excel academically and are dedicated to serving their communities.  Any interested student must be nominated by the principal at his or her school to be able to compete for a Carson Scholarship. Only one student from each school can be nominated. Carson Scholars must have a GPA of 3.75 or higher and display humanitarian qualities through community service. Scholarships are awarded solely on the basis of academic achievement and humanitarian qualities. Please review this information if you are interested in participating in this year’s process.  

PVMS Updates (recurring from previous newsletters)

Wizard of Oz Goes Wrong:

Tickets are now on sale at hcpss.booktix.com for our fall show Wizard of Oz Goes Wrong. This play is a comedic look at what might go wrong when a theater company only has two weeks to rehearse a show. We invite everyone, not just relatives of the actors, to enjoy the show and support our PVMS students. The performances are Friday (Oct. 27) and Saturday (Oct. 28) at 7 pm, and Sunday (Oct. 29) at 3 pm. Cash only tickets can also be purchased at the door 30 minutes before the show. Credit cards can only be used online at hcpss.booktix.com. Please join us!

Alpha Kappa Alpha Annual Coat Day: Alpha Kappa Alpha is giving away new coats, hats, scarves and gloves for men, women and children. (All sizes)

9:30 am to 12:00 pm

October 14, 2023

The Wilde Lake Interfaith Center

10431 Twin Rivers Road

Columbia, MD 21044

 

Fan Behavior and Safety at HCPSS Athletics Events

High school athletic events serve as a wonderful opportunity for students, friends, families, staff and community members to come together in support of their favorite teams. To ensure these games are able to be safely enjoyed by all in attendance, it is imperative that everyone adheres to the rules, expectations and laws in place to ensure safety.

All children who are in 8th grade or younger must be accompanied by an adult or will be turned away from entry.

Athletic contests are considered extensions of the school day, and behaviors that violate the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct or Board of Education policies are subject to the same disciplinary measures as those that occur during the school day. Any students found to engage in inappropriate, illegal or dangerous behavior, including verbal and physical abuse at games, are subject to discipline up to the forfeiture of the game itself. Non-student spectators who violate event rules may be asked to leave the premises and may be banned for the remainder of the season. Additionally, the Howard County Police Department maintains a presence at games and will be sure all applicable laws are adhered to.

Please note that substances such as tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol are illegal to have on school grounds. Furthermore, no spectators are permitted to be under the influence of these substances upon entering school grounds.

HCPSS schools are welcoming environments for our friends around the county and state. All spectators are expected to display good sportsmanship to the athletes, coaches officials, members of the marching band, cheerleaders and poms, dance teams, opposing fans, and anyone in attendance. Please show respect for all those around you.

National Bullying Prevention Month

October is the start of National Bullying Prevention Month! We wanted to use this opportunity to share with our students, parents, guardians, and families some information and definitions to better help you understand bullying. It is important that you understand what bullying is to ensure you are able to report it when you see it or are told about it. Thank you for helping to ensure our school a safe place for all students! Read more

Transportation Updates: The morning bus drop off time has been changed to 7:35am beginning on October 2.  Pick up times have been adjusted in bus locator.  See HCPSS Transportation Page for more bus locator information: https://www.hcpss.org/schools/transportation/ 

HC Drug Free Updates

Free parenting class and Medication and Sharps Disposal Take Back Day Read more

 

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.

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 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.