March 7, 2025 | Issue 161

Congratulations to the OMHS Girls Varsity Basketball Team on winning regionals! They beat River Hill 67-44. Next up, they play Howard High in the state quarterfinals. THE GAME IS TONIGHT AT 6:00 PM AT OMHS! Get tickets here.

It's springtime, and that means...spring musicals! Both OMHS and OMMS will be presenting musicals. Check their boxes below for details.

Also, a reminder that we will be holding our third Lively Arts for Little Ones concert with Tony M. Music on Friday, March 21 at 10:30 a.m. See flyer below, along with a link to purchase tickets online (or buy at the door).

Have a wonderful day!

Brigitta Warren, Village Manager

Amy Carpenter, Events & Administrative Coordinator

OMMS Musical: Matilda Jr.

March 19, 20, & 21, 6:30 p.m.

OMMS Cafeteria

Limited tickets available at the door or buy on Booktix.

OMMS Music in the Parks Fundraiser

Help OMMS music students participate in this year's Music in the Parks! Find out more and donate HERE!

Donate to the PTSA

Support the OMMS PTSA by visiting the OMMS PTSA Givebacks Store to make a direct cash donation.

OMMS School Store

At the OMMS school store, students use the Falcon Dollars they earned for good behavior to purchase items. OMMS is still looking for donations. Very popular items: cosmetics (they love the ELF brand ) and body care products; sporting equipment; small stuffed animals; small hand sanitizers (like from BBW); and snacks. If you'd like to donate, visit the store's Amazon wishlist.

SFES Judy Center

The SFES Judy Center will be housed within existing SFES facilities and is expected to officially begin serving families in fall 2025. In the months leading up to the SFES Judy Center’s opening, HCPSS will work with SFES to hire staff, begin to establish relationships with partners and stakeholder groups, and conduct outreach to families to help them understand the programs and services the Judy Center will offer.

Once it is open, the SFES Judy Center will offer a range of services, including adult education and parenting classes.

“As educators, we know how essential early learning is to students’ success in kindergarten and beyond. At the Judy Center, we aim to build awareness and understanding of the importance of early learning among our parents and caregivers, enlist them as partners, and teach them ways to help their child be ‘school ready,’” explains Carter.

The SFES Judy Center also will provide case management services, helping to connect families with programs and services needed to improve their overall well-being.

“Howard County has a wide range of services available to help families, but they are not always easy for families to navigate. By providing case management, the SFES Judy Center will help to ensure that families know where to go and how to access the services they need,” La Marca Lessner says.

In addition, SFES’s Judy Center will host weekly multigenerational playgroups, guided by evidence-based practices that align to the Maryland Early Learning Standards and help prepare children for kindergarten. Parents and caregivers of the participating children will have the opportunity to participate in family education events, where they may learn about such topics as the importance of school attendance and the role play has in building skills needed in school.

SFES also will partner with a variety of groups and organizations to provide early intervention identification, developmental and health screenings, parenting classes, and other services that support students and families.

The establishment of SFES’ Judy Center supports HCPSS’ efforts to fulfill the requirements of Pillar 1 of Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, which calls for investment in high-quality early childhood education and learning experiences, and more specifically, for the expansion of Judy Centers.

PTA Sneaker Ball

March 7, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

TSES Cafetorium

For TSES students and their families. Dress up and wear sneakers! Free admission, popcorn, fruit, & juice. Children must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. Volunteers also needed.

PTA Meeting

March 19, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

TSES Media center or online

Contact PTA for Google meet code.

PTA Restaurant Night at Nothing Bundt Cakes

March 12, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

10730 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Suite 102, Columbia

Be sure to mention THES PTA!

THES International Night

March 27, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

THES

School Closure Dates

March 14: 3-hour early dismissal

March 31: Full day of school (previously was a day off)

March 14 - 21: Spring Break

Change to Last Days of School:

• June 9 - 13: Full days of school
• June 16 - 17: 3-hour early dismissal
• June 18: Last day/3-hour early dismissal

Emergency/weather closings info

Change to HCPSS Policy on Student Personal Devices

Students are now required to keep personal technology devices put away and silenced during the school day. Read more.

2025-2026 Kindergarten Registration Now Open

Parents/guardians can now begin the kindergarten enrollment process online for the 2025-2026 school year. Parents/guardians of children who will be five on or before Sept. 1 must enroll their children in kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year.

Attention Parents of Rising Kindergarteners: Don't Wait for Summer to Address Developmental Concerns!

If you have concerns about your child's development—whether it's their speech, motor skills, social skills, or learning—it's important to act now. Waiting until the summer for a referral can delay crucial support that your child may need before starting kindergarten.

Contact HCPSS's Child Find to schedule a screening. Call 410-313-7046 or email ChildFind@hcpss.org.

Attorney General Guidance to the LGBTQIA+ Community

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown recently provided written guidance to the LGBTQIA+ community concerning protections under Maryland law that includes expectations for schools.

Support for Immigrant Students and Families

HCPSS has created this website as a resource. More information will be added as it becomes available.

Information for Families Regarding Visits by Representatives from State or Federal Agencies

Please see the Howard County Public School's message related to the Department of Homeland Security’s directive allowing immigration enforcement actions to occur in sensitive areas, including schools and bus stops, and the process school administrators take when schools are unexpectedly visited by representatives from State or Federal Agencies.

Student RFID Bus Cards

Effective February 2025, HCPSS will expand its pilot program for a student bus identification card to all elementary schools and several others that are serviced by Zum Services, Inc., which has the required hardware and software readily available. Read more.

Class of 2025 Graduation Window: May 19-30, 2025

No graduations will be held on weekends or on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26. Specific information regarding the dates and times of each graduation ceremony will be finalized in collaboration with Merriweather Post Pavilion and provided by mid-April. More Info.

FY26 HCPSS Budget Information

Please click here to find out updates regarding the FY26 Budget.

Board of Education Meetings

• March 13, 4:00 & 7:00 p.m. – Regularly Scheduled Meeting
• March 27, 4:00 p.m. – Regularly Scheduled Meeting

Board meetings may be viewed live or on-demand online, and during and after each meeting on Howard County Comcast channel 95 or Verizon channel 42. Upcoming Public Hearings can be found online.

Student volunteers needed for LakeFest 2025!

The Columbia Festival of the Arts (CFA) would like to invite your middle and high school students to support the artists and the festivalgoers at LakeFest 2025. Students must be at least 13 years old and, if under 16, must be accompanied by a parent. Volunteers may help visual artists load and unload their art & supplies and set up their booths or provide relief to artists who need to leave to get lunch or take a quick break. They will have the opportunity to network with artists and hear first-hand accounts of their journeys to becoming an artist and perfecting their craft. Additional info and registration is on the CFA website. 

HC DrugFree Upcoming Classes & Volunteer Opportunties

Guiding Good Choices Classes

Tuesdays & Fridays, March 18 - April 1, 1:30 p.m.

Held virtually on Zoom

For parents, grandparents, and guardians

More info & registration

Life Skills Classes for Middle & High Schoolers

Mondays, February 24 - May 5, 5:30 p.m.

Held virtually on Zoom

Registration

High School students: want to volunteer as a Life Skills instructor's assistant? Find our more HERE.

College students: want to work or volunteer as a Life Skills instructor? Find out more HERE.

Volunteers Needed to be Mentors

OhanaHC matches students from OMHS and three other Howard County high schools with adult mentors there to help them reach their chosen goals. More mentors are needed for OMHS students! Interested in helping? Click the button below to find out more.