Dear Patuxent Valley Families and Community,
Last Monday was the Veterans’ Day and I want to echo what we shared both with our staff and student body on Monday that we are grateful for the service of all who have served our nation. There are more than 30 military connected families here at Patuxent Valley and we hope that all of them feel connected and supported through our school. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to better honor and serve those who give so much for our nation.
This week was also National School Psychologist week. We are so grateful for the work that our School Psychologist Laurie Downin does here at Patuxent Valley. She is an advocate for young people and families and a support for staff members. Thank you Laurie for all you do!
Next week is American Education Week. We’d love to see you on Friday for our Honor Roll Celebrations and on Wednesday for Coffee with the Principal and class visits from 7:50am to 11:00am. See below for more information and a survey to complete so that we know who to expect on each day and can prepare seating, and schedules, so that you can get the most out of your visit.
On Tuesday of this week 12 future educators from Delaware State visited Patuxent Valley and saw some of our classrooms in action and met with a group of students to talk about their experiences of school. It was an honor to host part of this event and we are hoping that we’ll see some of them in HCPSS classrooms, just like other Delaware State alums like our very own Alternative Education teacher, Ms. Whye!
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:
11/18-11/22 - American Education Week
11/21 - Parent/Teacher Conference scheduling window closes
11/25 Schools close 3 hours early, Parent/Teacher Conferences, in person
11/26 Schools close 3 hours early Parent/Teacher Conferences, virtually
11/27 Schools closed for students
11/28 Schools and offices closed, Holiday
11/29 Schools and offices closed, Holiday
12/5 - Orchestra Winter Concert, 7pm @HaHS
12/9, 2024 - Band Winter Concert, 7pm @HaHS
12/11, 2024 - Chorus Winter Concert, 7pm @HaHS
PVMS Updates (Priority and New this week)
American Education Week is 11/18-11/22.
American Education Week is an exciting opportunity for our students and staff to show off all the great things happening here at Patuxent Valley. While you are welcome to visit any time during the week, specifically between the hours of 7:50 am and 2:35 pm, we have chosen Wednesday, November 20 and Friday, November 22 to highlight a variety of opportunities our students have here at PVMS.
On Wednesday, November 20 we will be hosting a number of activities to highlight learning and student experiences at PVMS.
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There will be Coffee and Pastries with the principal from 7:50am to 8:20am in the Library.
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Staff will be expecting parents in classes during periods 1-3
On Friday, November 22 we are holding our quarter 1 Honor Roll Celebrations. Parents are welcome to join us in the Cafeteria and take photos with our students!
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Report cards will list students from the Honor Roll who are being celebrated
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The Grade 8 Celebration will be at 8:55am
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The Grade 7 Celebration will be at 9:50am
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The Grade 6 Celebration will be at 1:00pm
Important Procedures:
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Please fill out this survey to let us know if you are attending any of the activities during the week to help us to prepare seating, schedules, and coffee and snacks.
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Please make sure your Family File is updated. Only those on the emergency card will be allowed to visit students/classrooms.
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Limited parking available, please park in any available spaces.
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Please check-in with the main office to sign in on Lobby Guard and sign a visitor's confidentiality form. Please remember to bring your identification.
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While in the building please wear your visitors badge at all times and ensure it is visible for staff to see.
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While in the building, please put your phone away and/or on silent and no photography/videography is allowed.
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Please sign-out prior to leaving. Should there be an emergency we need to account for all visitors in the building.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: November 25, 26, & 27
The PVMS PTSA partnered with 2nd Ave to bring you a fundraiser that costs you nothing. 2nd Ave will give money to PVMS based on the weight of your items, so bring us whatever you have! Contact the PTSA if you need any help getting bags or boxes.
We Are Collecting:
Clothes
men's, women's, & children's clothes, coats, shoes, scarves, handbags, wallets, fashion accessories, belts, backpacks, etc.
Household Textiles
bedding, comforters, blankets, sheets, towels, linen, tablecloths, curtains, pillows, etc.
Small Household Goods
kitchen items (such as pots/pans, dishes, silverware, glasses, serving pieces and hand-held appliances), home decorative items, knick-knacks, toys, games, and small electronics
Books
paperback, hard cover - all genres
*no encyclopedias or text books
Please use bags for clothes and textiles and tightly pack boxes of small household goods.
Since we have limited space at the school to store these items, we are asking that you use the sign up to list approximately how many bags/boxes you plan to donate. This will also help us prepare the amount of transportation needed to deliver all the donations to 2nd Avenue.
You may drop off your items on three different days: December 12th & 13th at the front office of PVMS from 8:00am - 2:00pm, or Saturday, December 14th 10:30am — 2:30pm at the parking lot of PVMS.
For more info on our FunDrive Fundraiser click HERE!
To signup for approximately how much you will be donating click HERE!
PTSA Help with the Teacher Luncheon
The PVMS PTSA will host a luncheon on November, 25th for all our hardworking PVMS staff during parent/teacher conferences. We are catering the main meal from Pepperjacks but are asking that parents help by donating a side, dessert or drinks.
Please click the link below to sign up to donate. All donations need to be dropped off on November, 25th 7:00am - 10:00am.
Thank you so much for your continued support!!!
A Conversation and Book Signing with Dr. Kathy Evans
Part of the vision of Guilford Park HS is building a community rooted in a restorative justice culture that benefits staff, students, and families. To ensure everyone has the same understanding, our staff have been involved in a book study on The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education. On December 5 from 6-8pm, we want to invite our families and community members to learn more about restorative justice and hear what it looks like at GPHS, as one of the book’s coauthors, Dr. Kathy Evans, will join GPHS staff and students in conversation. If you are interested in attending, please register here.
PVMS Updates (recurring from previous newsletters)
Ben Carson Scholarship Nominations:
Patuxent Valley Middle School can submit one student to be nominated for the chance to win a Ben Carson Scholarship Award. To be considered, students must have at least a 3.75 GPA, have completed community service, and submit an essay. The nomination is not a guarantee of an award. Please see this link for more information.
If your child would like to be considered for this scholarship award, please have them write an essay of no more than 500 words, and a list of community service activities that they have participated in.
Essay Questions (between 450 and 500 words). Students choose one to respond to for consideration of the Carson Scholarship.
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Imagine you have the opportunity to create a new club or organization in your school or community. What would it focus on, and how would it benefit others?
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Think of someone who inspires you to reach for the stars. How has that person influenced you to achieve more?
Student Essays will be evaluated on the following criteria by our committee.
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CONTENT: An essay with ample information, including supporting details.
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ORGANIZATION: An organized essay with a well-developed beginning, middle and end.
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STYLE/MECHANICS & USAGE: Interesting, varied, imaginative and age-appropriate vocabulary. Correct punctuation, capitalization, spelling and paragraph distinction.
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FOCUS: Appropriate information to make the reader clearly understand the ideas being presented.
Interested students should submit their essay and list of community service to Mrs. Chelidona, mchelidona@hcpss.org by December 1st, 8PM. Title the document: “(Your Last name) Ben Carson Essay Entry”.
College and Career Readiness Monthly Newsletter
November 2024 Read more
MAP Score Reports in ParentVue
Student Progress reports are available in ParentVue. Visit the link below for helpful directions:
https://help.hcpss.org/how-can-i-access-my-childs-map-test-results
WINTER COAT GIVEAWAY
November 25 and 26 at Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia. See flyer for more information.
ARL OPEN HOUSE: Current 8th-11th grade students and their parents/guardians are invited to attend in-person information sessions on HCPSS career academies on Tuesday, Nov. 12 or Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 at the Applications and Research Laboratory, 10920 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD. The evening will include two 15-minute information sessions beginning at 6:45 p.m.
Participants will learn how Career and Technical Education (CTE) career academies provide high school students with opportunities to earn college credit, scholarships, and industry-recognized credentials, participate in worksite and mentorship experiences, and become creative problem solvers by participating in hands-on project-based learning.
HCPSS Food and Nutrition Service First-Ever Taste Test Event
The HCPSS Food and Nutrition Service is holding their 1st Regional Food Taste Test Event at the Guilford Park High School cafeteria on November 14 from 6:00-7:00 pm The food taste test would be an exciting opportunity for parents and students to try new and currently prepared foods and share their opinions. In those ways, parent and student voices and choices would be strongly represented as the food service program improves the quality of meals and services provided to students. This event is an authentic method to engage our school community to support and celebrate the value of being willing to try healthy school meals. In addition to tasting samples of food, the event will also be an opportunity to provide participants with relevant information and literature about school food service. Participants are asked to register for the event by November 7 at https://forms.gle/Fypx58DtXWf5vhA7A since capacity is limited to a maximum of 450 persons.
From PTSA: Spirit Wear is now available to order online!
Show your school spirit and be prepared for our upcoming spirit wear days by ordering your PVMS spirit wear today!
ORDER HERE : https://www.selectspiritwear.com/v5store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=1751
PVMS 8th Period Clubs will begin on October 15th and run through January 16th. All registrations closed on October 9.
NOTE: We will not have transportation during this session. Your child will need to be picked up at 4:15 if they are not walking home.
If you have any questions, please contact LaVerne Porter via email at lporter@hcpss.org or via phone at 410-880-5840.
From HC Drug Free:
Free Online Parenting Classes (Open to HoCo grandparents too) - HC DrugFree offers an evidence-based, interactive prevention program that helps parents, guardians and/or grandparents develop stronger relationships with their kids, while also providing skills proven to reduce the risk of youth engaging in substance use or other risky behaviors. These classes are for families with children 9-14 years old (slightly younger and older may register and will be considered) and held on Zoom on November 12, 15, 19, 22, and December 3 from 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. For more information and to register, go to https://hcdrugfree.org/currentevents/
Medication and Sharps Disposal Take Back Day - HC DrugFree will host another convenient drive-thru medication and sharps collection on Saturday, October 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Wilde Lake Village Center parking lot (near the CA Swim Center). Bring unwanted and expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medication, “sharps” (needles, syringes, and EpiPens), vapes without the batteries, inhalers, and more. Medication will be guarded and transported by the Howard County Police and DEA. For more information and to volunteer, go to https://hcdrugfree.org/currentevents/
Teen Advisory Council - The Teen Advisory Council (TAC) receives Community Service Hours for providing the youth perspective to HC DrugFree's staff and Board of Directors. Youth input increases the effectiveness of HC DrugFree's educational programs, newsletters, website and other services. TAC is open to Howard County students in grades 8 through 12 (public, private and homeschool) who meet monthly during the school year to discuss teen use of alcohol and other drugs and to develop educational messages that promote a vision of a county where youth are drug-free by choice. For more information and to register, go to https://hcdrugfree.org/currentevents/
Annual MLK Contest from Howard County Government MLK Commission:
We are approaching the time to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in our community. I am reaching out to invite you to share information about the upcoming Annual MLK Contests.
This year, we have several exciting opportunities for students to engage with Dr. King’s vision of equality, justice, and community service. Additionally, all the awards come with cash prizes.
The contests include:
Oratory Contest: Open to Middle and High School students, this contest challenges participants to express their understanding of Dr. King's message through the art of speech.
Essay Contest: Also, for Middle and High School students, this competition invites students to articulate their thoughts and reflections on Dr. King's impact and teachings in essay form.
Poster Contest: Open to Elementary, Middle, and High School students, participants can visually express their interpretation of Dr. King's dream through creative poster designs.
Additionally, they are hosting a Living the Dream Award Contest for individuals and organizations that have significantly contributed to making Howard County a better place, embodying the principles that Dr. King championed. We believe that these contests not only honor Dr. King's legacy but also inspire our students to think critically about their roles in serving the community. We encourage you to share
these opportunities widely with your students and families and to support their participation.
For more information, including deadlines and submission guidelines, please visit https://bit.ly/2025MLKContests
PVMS Attendance Procedures 24-25
If your student is absent or will be absent, please contact us at the following email address to explain the reason:pvmsabsence@hcpss.org. In the email please Include the following information:
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Student First and Last Name
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Grade
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Reason for absence (e.g., illness, bereavement, observance of a religious holiday, lack of transportation)
Late Arrivals Procedures
If your child is late to school, please either send in a note/email to pvmsabsence@hcpss.org explaining the reason for the lateness if you are unable to sign your child into school.
Early Dismissals
Please email on the day of your student's early dismissal, pvmsabsence@hcpss.org, and indicate the time they will be picked up and by whom. Please bring your ID to show the main office.
With the collaborative effort of HCPSS parents, staff and students, we are confident that all students can have successful attendance. This will improve student success in school and in future life!
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL MESSAGE FOR PVMS/BBES CAMPUS
We are excited to return to the school buildings and have been working hard to prepare for a safe and efficient arrival and dismissal from Bollman Bridge and Patuxent Valley. The administrations at both Bollman Bridge and Patuxent Valley Middle Schools have been collaborating this summer on a joint traffic pattern and arrival and dismissal plan. Read more
LIGHTSPEED PARENT NOTIFICATIONS
Parents/guardians can monitor their child’s HCPSS Chromebook internet usage by signing up for Lightspeed Parent Notifications to receive a weekly email summary of their child’s usage.
Once parents have signed up for Lightspeed Parent Notifications, the email summary delivered each Sunday will contain a link with access to the Lightspeed Parent Portal, which provides near real-time information on their child’s internet activity.
The Lightspeed Parent Portal offers additional details about internet usage and the ability to control a child’s online activities when they are not on the HCPSS network at school by allowing parents to pause the internet for 1 hour, 3 hours or until 6 a.m. the next morning. Frequently asked questions about Lightspeed and the Parent Portal can be found online.
HCPSS teachers will access Lightspeed in the classroom to monitor student Chromebook usage. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s teacher if they notice their child is regularly on non-academic websites during the day.
Find instructions on signing up for Lightspeed Parent Notifications online.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to review HCPSS Student Mobile Technology Duties and Obligations, which outlines the responsible use of technology in accordance with HCPSS Board Policy 8080 Responsible Use of Technology, Digital Tools, and Social Media.
SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR VISITORS
Please be aware of the following procedures for any visitor to a school/office:
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The front door is the only entrance point for all visitors.
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Please ring the bell and look into the camera.
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Be prepared to state your name and purpose for visiting.
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All visitors must walk directly into the front office with a valid photo I.D. and sign in using our LobbyGuard system.
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A visitor’s sticker will be given to visitors following the above procedures and must be worn and prominently visible.
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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.