The Leopard's Tale - May 6

Thu, 05/05/2022 - 10:58am

LKMS Important Dates and News

   
   
    May 9-10-            ELA MCAP Testing
    May 11-               "Gotta Eat Day" - Kloby's Smokehouse (9am-10pm)
    May 12-               Rising 6th Grade Visits
    May 16-               Spring Band Concert
    May 18-               3 Hour Early Dismissal
    May 18-               Social Studies MCAP Testing - 8th Grade
    May 18-               PTA Virtual Meeting
   
    
 
Please view our full calendar for LKMS News and upcoming important dates to include:
  • 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony, 8th Grade Dance, 6th Grade - Main Event, Lime Time, and Rising 9th Grade High School visits

 

LKMS News

 

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Cheren Song, Tevin Son, and Jayen Tolia who placed second in states and will be moving on to represent Howard County at the National History Day national level competition in June:  
Tear Down This Wall:   The Role of Debate and Diplomacy in Germany's Reunification
 
Best of Luck to our students!  
 
Congratulations to Leilani Ryan, Phu Tran and Shriya Khosla who won a special award in Excellence in Women's History for their group website:   Roe vs. Wade:  The Debate that Changed History
 

Leopard Leaders of the Week

Congratulations to the following students who demonstrated their ability to “ROAR” this week by being responsible, respectful, and academically focused: 

  • Luke Abraham (7th)
  • Aiza Kazmi (7th)
  • Joseph Ha (8th)
  • Jonathan Norwood (8th)

We are so proud of you!

 

Spring Assessment Reminders

We are ready to start MCAP testing on Monday!
  • MCAP English Language Arts: 5/9 & 5/10
  • MCAP Social Studies: 5/18 (8th-grade, only)
  • MCAP Math: 5/24

Make sure your student gets plenty of rest, arrives at school on time, and remains at school for the duration of the test sessions.

Students should bring their charged HCPSS-assigned Chromebook, charger, and wired headphones.

 

Attention 8th Grade Students and Parents

Student Speakers for the 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony:  Eighth grade students have been invited to compete to be a speaker at their promotion ceremony on June 15.   A panel of teachers will listen to the contestants on Wednesday and Thursday, May 25 and 26, and will choose two students to represent the 8th Grade class of 2022 at the ceremony.  All eighth grade students have received the attached letter outlining the details and procedures for preparing their speech.

Order Your 8th Grade Yard Signs!  (A Message from our PTA)

The LKMS PTA is excited to announce that we have partnered with Spirit Hero to offer 8th Grade Promotion Yard Signs.  For more information and ordering details, please visit their website: https://spirithero.com/collections/lime?sort_by=price-ascending    All Yard Sign orders must be placed by Thursday, May 12, So Don't Delay!    The signs will be delivered to LKMS and distributed by our PTA.  You will be notified of the Pick-Up Date! 

 

6th Grade Student Service Learning

6th Grade Student Service Learning kicks off the week of March 28.  This year, we will be partnering with Read to Feed, an organization that helps meet basic needs in impoverished communities through generous giving. Students are being asked to read for 30 minutes a night (beyond their assigned reading for school) as part of this read-a-thon.  Students are also encouraged to locate friends and family to act as sponsors, donating financially for every book read, to help those in need. We are pleased to announce that to date, the 6th grade class has raised $1,735 for families in need.  Keep up the great work!  For more information, check out these two Google Slide presentations that explain more about Read to Feed, show how students will log their reading minutes, and how students can locate sponsors for this program.
 

 

LKMS - Environmental STEAM Seminar

Dear Lime Kiln Community,

The STEAM students and I are so excited to start mounting the bottle caps on our mural. We are in need of drills to complete our project. If you are able to send in your drill (labeled with your name) for a week or two, we will be so appreciative.  We currently have ten magnetic drill bits. The screws we are using are sharp point lath screws (labeled #2 Phillips on the box). The drills will be safely secured in my classroom.  If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at tracy_spillman@hcpss.org

Sincerely,
Tracy Spillman

 

Google Additional Services

Google Translate is now available in Google’s menu of additional services on HCPSS issued Chromebooks for students in grades 4-12.  Parent or guardian consent is required for students to access the tool/application.  If you have previously provided consent for Google’s menu of additional services, your child will automatically be given access to Google Translate, and no further action is needed.

If you desire to provide consent for your child to access Google’s additional services which include Google Translate, YouTube (grades 6-12), and CS First (grades K-5), please complete the following steps:

  1. Log in to HCPSS Connect.
  2. Select More Options from the left panel.
  3. Select HCPSS Google Menu from the middle of the page.
  4. Click the check box to provide consent. Changes are automatically saved.

The Google Additional services will include:

  • CS First for grades 4 and 5:   This is an authorized Supplementary Digital Tool for creating interactive stories, games, and animations using a programming language called Scratch during the Computational Thinker unit.
  • Google Translate grades 4-12:  This additional service or authorized Supplementary Digital Tool, offers free service to instantly translate words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages. Students will be informed when this service is allowable for use during classwork, independent assignments, and/or World Language assessments.
Please contact Stefanie Taylor, LKMS Media Specialist, Stefanie_Taylor@hcpss.org for more information. 

 

Indicators of Educational Equity Survey

All HCPSS schools will be asking for feedback from their students, staff, and communities to work on school improvement efforts.  As part of our LKMS school improvement process, we are asking families to provide input about their equity priorities for our school.  Please use the links below to complete the Indicators of Educational Equity Survey by Friday, June 17.  We are hoping for 100% participation. 

We will use your input, along with other school data, to refine our school improvement plan for next school year. The survey is anonymous and available in multiple languages. If you have children at more than one school, please complete one survey per school. 

Survey Links:

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Tammy Jones, Principal, Tammy_Jones@hcpss.org.

 

 

Early Dismissal Reminder

When picking up your child after 2:30pm, please utilize either the LKMS lower parking lot or the Cedar Lane School parking lot, as buses begin arriving and you may run the risk of being blocked between buses.

Thank you.

 

Media Center News

StickTogether

StickTogether is a unique, inclusive stress-free group activity for learners to work collaboratively while they share quality time interacting with each other, and celebrate success together. In these extraordinary times, both educators and students need more opportunities for positive shared experiences to build and nurture the sense of a learning community.

Lime Kiln Middle School is one of the five nationwide winners for a micro-grant from StickTogether that includes: 

  • 30 Standard Sticker Mosaic Poster kits - for use in the Library, Common Area, Classroom, Cafeteria, etc.
  • Classroom - 500 Virtual Stickerboard Codes - for use by classroom teachers for in class collaborative learning
  • Plus startup and ongoing support to ensure successful implementation.

StickTogether is a colorful sticker mosaic puzzle poster kit with a beautiful reward. Like paint-by-numbers but with stickers, the image is not revealed until the puzzle is completed. Each kit includes a coded poster, color key, and 3,996 stickers, enough to complete the image with extras. A standard StickTogether poster measures 40” by 36”. Our inclusive sticker activity is for all ages and abilities and creates a safe space for sharing and collaboration.  This  42 second video shows the creation of a StickTogether Poster.  Lime Kiln is very excited to have this opportunity to build our community through this program!

 

Student Services News

Student Withdrawals to Private or Other Schools for 2022-2023

If your child will be transferring to a private school or to a school that is not the current feeder school, please contact our Registrar for assistance with withdrawing and transferring your child's records their new school.  rhonda_hill@hcpss.org 

Moving before the end of the current school year? 

  • Contact your child’s current school to update your address

    • Every family has the option to complete the current school year at the school in which they are presently enrolled or transfer to the school associated with their new address.

Moving over the summer? 
For assistance you may contact Rhonda Hill, School Counseling Secretary/Registrar: rhonda_hill@hcpss.org
 
 

HC DrugFree Updates:

FREE Life Skills Classes for Students: HC DrugFree is providing a highly interactive skills-based program designed to promote positive health and personal development for youth in grades 6-9. For slightly younger or older students, please register and we will consider each request. We encourage siblings and friends to take these classes together! These skills have been shown to help students resist substance use, violence, and other high-risk behaviors. Our instructional team consists of dedicated adults and older students sharing situations they may face in high school, college, and beyond. The next series of classes will be held via Zoom Tuesdays and Thursdays May 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, 31 and June 2 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Registration is required. Please sign-up ASAP as space is extremely limited! For more information: Email LifeSkills@hcdrugfree.org, visit www.hc drugfree.org or view downloadable flier.
 
Parents: If you are interested in learning more about what is happening in Howard County, the many free resources HC DrugFree and other organizations offer, or how your student can volunteer as they learn skills and receive more community service hours, then sign up for our free newsletter to get updates on events as well as information to keep your family safe and informed. Go to the bottom of our homepage at www.hcdrugfree.org.
 
Medication and Sharps Drive-thru Collection: HC DrugFree’s next drive-thru prescription and over-the-counter medication and sharps (needles, syringes and EpiPens) collection will be held on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Wilde Lake Village Center parking lot in Columbia. Medication will be guarded and transported by the Howard County Police and the DEA. For more information visit www.hcdrugfree.org or email Admin@hcdrugfree.org or view downloadable flier Adults, teens, youth groups, and medically-trained adults may volunteer at www.hcdrugfree.org/drug-take-back-day-1/

 

Health Room News

 

Mask Update

 

All students, staff and visitors will be able to choose if they wish to wear a mask in HCPSS buildings. While optional in buildings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health experts continue to recommend face masks as a precautionary measure.
Per the CDC, masks are required in healthcare settings, so students and staff must continue to wear a mask in school health rooms.
 
 

PTA News

Order Your 8th Grade Yard Signs!  (A Message from our PTA)

The LKMS PTA is excited to announce that we have partnered with Spirit Hero to offer 8th Grade Promotion Yard Signs.  For more information and ordering details, please visit their website: https://spirithero.com/collections/lime?sort_by=price-ascending    All Yard Sign orders must be placed by Thursday, May 12, So Don't Delay!    The signs will be delivered to LKMS and distributed by our PTA.  You will be notified of the Pick-Up Date!
 

Read the latest information in our PTA's newsletter and view our PTA’s website for upcoming events.

 
 
 

HCPSS News

HCASC Meeting

All middle and high school students are invited to participate in the Howard County Association of Student Councils May General Assembly meeting on Wednesday, May 11, 7:00pm at the Homewood Center.   Students may attend the meeting in-person or virtually by logging in with their HCPSS account. The meeting code will be shared via the Canvas Student Newsletter and on the HCASC website.

 

FREE Student Bus Passes:

HCPSS has partnered with Howard County Government and the Regional Transit Authority of Central Maryland (RTA) to provide free RTA bus passes to students. These can be used any time between now and September 12.  Please contact our LKMS Front Office at 410-880-5988 to request a pass.
 

The Council of Elders and the Howard County Public School System have partnered to sponsor a social studies workshops series, The Essence of US: Chronicling the Black American Experience. The series is open to any middle school or high school students who are interested. Sessions will be held virtually on the following Saturdays from 10-11 a.m.

  •     May 14 - Piecing Together the Bigger Picture

Additional details regarding each session are forthcoming. Students may express their interest in participating in any of the sessions via the online form.

 

Please visit the website for all the latest HCPSS News and Information to include HCPSS’ updated academic school calendar.

 

RESERVOIR HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER SUMMER CAMPS

Come out to sports camp the week of June 27 and/or July 18 at Reservoir High School. Camp is hosted by Lime Kiln teacher and Reservoir Coach Phil Ranker as well as other certified elementary and middle school teachers in the county and state.  The camp is open to current K-8th graders and features many different sports and activities every day.  If your child likes PE, they will love camp.  Campers are split into age and ability groups to ensure that everyone has a fun and productive time.  Full day and half day options available. For more information, please visit http://rankerssportscamp.weebly.com or email phillip_ranker@hcpss.org for questions!

RIVER HILL HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTERS SUMMER CAMPS

The River Hill High School Boosters are sponsoring summer camps at River Hill High School.  The camps are designed to help young athletes improve their fundamental athletic skills.  Over twenty different camps are offered this summer, including football, soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball, basketball, tennis, cheerleading, art, and weight training. Weekly camps begin on June 13th.  For more information and to register, visit https://riverhill.membershiptoolkit.com/camp.  
 

ATHOLTON HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS BOOSTERS

Atholton High School Athletics Boosters is hosting summer camps this year! Registration can be done via our website.  Summer camp information is located on the left side of the Home Page under Quick Links.