8/20 Student Item Drop-off 8AM - 3PM
9/3 New Student and Family Orientation/Open House (Virtual) 1:00
9/7 Schools and offices closed - Labor Day
9/8 First day of school for students
9/16 PTA general assembly meeting (outside) 5:30PM
9/17 Back to School kNight (Virtual)
9/28: Schools and offices closed - Yom Kippur
Dear Patapsco families and community:
I hope this email finds you and your family safe and healthy. I cannot believe that the start of the 2020-2021 school year is almost here. I know this year may look different but I can tell you that our staff has been working extremely hard to prepare for this school year.
We are updating our website frequently and will continue to share information through school messenger. I encourage you to review these messages, our website, and the HCPSS website for the most up to date information. The school system calendar has been adjusted and the first day of school will be Tuesday, September 8. Please review the calendar for the entire school year as you make plans.
I cannot wait to start in a few weeks and I am excited to see our students this year. Just a reminder that there is a student item drop-off tomorrow from 8am-3pm. Please take a look around to see if there are any textbooks, media center books, instruments (if they belong to Patapsco and your student is no longer playing), Patapsco musical bow ties, or anything else that belongs to Patapsco MIddle. I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow at the item drop-off.
Let’s continue our #OnePatapsco spirit in our commUNITY and have a fantastic start of the school year.
Take care and be well,
Mike Babe
Proud Principal of Patapsco Middle
HCPSS PLANS FULLY VIRTUAL MODEL FOR THE FIRST SEMESTER OF THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR
HCPSS will begin the school year in a fully virtual format through the first academic semester, which begins on Tuesday, September 8 and ends on Thursday, January 28, 2021. Highlights of the middle school instructional model are as follows:
The virtual instructional model will be significantly more rigorous than the spring “continuity of learning” program. Students will engage in four days of teacher-led synchronous (live) instruction each week, and complete asynchronous assignments on the fifth day (Wednesdays).
In addition to core classes, sectionals and GT seminars will consist of live, teacher-led virtual instruction.
Dedicated times are included in the daily schedule when students may receive additional support and access to meal distribution sites.
Students’ schedules are a 4x4 model. Students have four, teacher-led courses each semester, for a total of eight courses during the year. Related Arts courses such as: PE, health, FACs, General Music, Art, and Tech Ed will be taken only for a quarter (9 weeks) and students will rotate to another Related Arts class the next quarter for two Related Arts courses per semester. Sample schedules are included in the Howard County Public School System Reopening Plan. A sample and downloadable schedule that your child can use to fill-in classes and google meet codes can be found on our website here.
When student schedules are available and released in Canvas, we will send a notification out through school messenger.
UPDATE YOUR FAMILY FILE
Regardless of virtual or in-person learning, parents/guardians must verify and/or update information for each child. Parents/guardians can complete Family File by logging in to HCPSS Connect.
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
6th grade students and families – and NEW to Patapsco 7th and 8th graders - are invited to join us on Thursday, September 3, at 1:00 p.m. for orientation. More information will be provided by newsletter and on our website.
IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS – 7TH GRADE STUDENTS
Reminder to parents of incoming 7th grade students: All children must have the required State of Maryland immunizations in order to attend school, including in districts utilizing virtual instruction. The following are required by the state of Maryland for all students entering Grade 7:
1 dose of Tdap vaccine
1 dose of Meningococcal (MCV4) vaccine
Although we are not starting the year in the school building, these immunizations are required within 20 calendar days of the first day of school.
Click here for more information about this requirement.
Many students may have already received these immunizations, but the Health Room may not have the updated immunization record. Please contact your child’s doctor and send/fax us an updated copy of your child’s immunizations to the Health Room. Our fax # is 410-313-2852 or you may email a copy to megan_blouse@hcpss.org.
WELCOME NEW STAFF!
We are pleased to welcome the following new staff members to our Patapsco Middle community:
Ashley Anderson Teachers' Secretary
Jennifer Doughlass Data Clerk
Autumn Smith Reading Specialist
Georgia Whyte Special Education Teacher
STUDENT SERVICES
Our Student Services Team is a wonderful group of amazing professionals. Please feel free to contact them if you have any questions or if you need assistance.
Kendra Lee, School Counselor for A-L: kendra_lee@hcpss.org
Morgan Kempthorn, School Counselor M-Z: morgan_kempthorn@hcpss.org
Lindsey Miles, Student Services Secretary: lindsey_miles@hcpss.org
Antionette Goldthrite, School Psychologist: antionette_goldthrite@hcpss.org
Catherine Chapman, Pupil Personnel Worker: catherine_chapman@hcpss.org
Jamie Kim, International Liaison: jamie_kim@hcpss.org
Michelle Whelan (Castillo), Special Education Team Leader: michelle_castillo@hcpss.org
Back to School Supplies
Here is an updated list to reflect the first semester being virtual
SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL AND JOIN THE PTA!
Our Patapsco PTA is an active, supportive and dedicated group of individuals. We would love for you to join and support our school and community by joining the PTA for the 2020-2021 school year. We could not be #OnePatapsco without our PTA. Also please join us for our first general assembly meeting on 9/16/2020 at 5:30 PM outside at school.
Click here for more information.
Chromebook Request
As previously announced, through grants and additional funds, HCPSS is able to purchase a sufficient amount of devices necessary to eventually achieve a 1:1 student-to-device ratio for all students in grades pre-K through 12. Due to vendor delays, order fulfillment will not arrive as expected and HCPSS is adjusting its device distribution plan.
HCPSS will provide a Chromebook to every student in middle school within the first quarter. While devices are being procured, parents/guardians of middle school students currently in need of a device may request one. Requests will be prioritized based on students’ access to personal devices meeting the minimum requirements.
In addition to Chromebooks, any family without access to the internet should notify the school system using the directions below. HCPSS is working with the Bright Minds Foundation and Comcast to support families who may be eligible to participate in the Comcast Internet Essentials program (copy and paste this link: https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19). Additionally, HCPSS will prioritize distribution of a limited number of hot spots to families who cannot obtain access to the internet.
To identify your need for a Chromebook or internet:
Parents/guardians should log in to.https://www.hcpss.org/connect/
From the left menu, last choice, select “More Options” then choose “Student Technology” from the center of the screen.
On the HCPSS Student Technology screen, use the drop down arrows to indicate the Technology Requested for each student. Changes are saved immediately.
If a device has already been issued, it will appear in the inventory list. If a student already has a device issued, a new request will not be processed.
Families will receive a confirmation email with necessary information, including pickup location, date, and time.