Dear Patuxent Valley Families and Community,

The highlight of my week this week was the Patuxent Valley Latino Bulldog town halls where we celebrated the diverse Latino and Hispanic cultures of our school and asked students to share with us what they want staff to know about the experience of Latino and Hispanic students at Patuxent Valley.  Each of these events made me feel both proud and challenged as a faculty member at Patuxent Valley - I’m so thankful for Sra. Arbelo, our Hispanic Achievement Liaison for organizing the events and to Sra. Flores, our School Social Worker for her contributions.

This year we will continue to recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and will be conducting our fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness to donate to St. Jude’s Hospital. I’ve promised to dress up if we raise enough money - look out for the photos at the end of the month, and see below for how to participate!

I also, wanted to share how encouraged I am by the amazing parents who attend our PTSA meetings.  Last night both the library and the online zoom call were filled with people and there were so many great ideas to connect our community and support our student and student programs.  Don’t forget to join if you have not done so already - your membership supports our students, and your involvement helps us to be more connected to our community!  https://pvmspta.weebly.com/ 

October is National Bullying Prevention Month! We are spending time this month and throughout the year reminding our staff and students about the importance of preventing and reporting bullying. The role of our parents, guardians, and families is essential in addressing this issue with our students. StopBullying.gov has many great resources for adults and children related to preventing and responding to bullying. Please remember to reach out to your child’s administrator or counseling if you’d like to discuss anything further, and any acts of bullying can be reported through this form Report an Instance of Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation | Stop Bullying | Howard County Public Schools (hcpss.org).  Thank you for helping to ensure our school is a safe place for all students!  This week we use our Flextime to talk about Bullying Awareness and next week we are celebrating a Unity Spirit Week.  Check out the graphic below for more information.

Check out the information below for items we’ve been sending out this week and some new things to help us all be prepared for the new school year!  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:

10/17 - Influenza Vaccination Clinic

10/18 - Schools closed for students

10/22 - Hearing and Vision Clinic 

10/31 - No School Professional Learning and Work Day

PVMS Updates (Priority and New this week)

PVMS 8th Period Clubs will begin on October 15th and run through January 16th.  If your child is interested in participating in any of the Fall 2024 8th Period Activities (see description list), please complete the permission form by October 9th.  Some of the clubs are by invitation or application only.  Your child will bring home information from that sponsor if they are interested in participating in one of those clubs.

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.

Treat or Treat at GPHS on October 26 from 2-4pm
Join GPHS for an afternoon of Trick or Treating. All community members - big and small, are invited to join for this fun, free, family friendly event.

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/

LGBTQIA+ History Month Resources: October is LGBTQIA+ History Month. Let’s celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of the LGBTQIA+ community! Click here for the LGBTQIA+ History Month Resource

Immunizations at PVMS on 10/17 and Hearing and Vision Screening on 10/22
Hearing and Vision screening will be taking place on Oct 22nd 2024.

Hearing and Vision Screening Letter for Parents

Each year, the Howard County Public School System partners with the Maryland Partnership for Prevention to bring flu immunizations into our schools for students. This year, they will also be offering the latest Covid vaccine if it is available at the time of the clinics. The clinic at PVMS will be held on October 17th, during school hours. If you would like your child to be vaccinated against the flu and/or Covid at this clinic, please register at this link:  

https://www.marylandvax.org/appointment/en/reg/2257912062 

You are not required to provide your child's insurance information. If you have any concerns about the new Covid vaccine, you are advised to speak with your child's pediatrician. All in-school clinics will be closed to registration one week before the clinic date to allow me to review and prepare the consents and make sure enough vaccine is ordered. If you have any questions, please call me at 410-880-5880.

Russell Smith, School Nurse

PVMS Updates (recurring from previous newsletters)

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:

• Student First and Last Name

• Grade 

• 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:

• 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.