A Note From The Principal
Dear MHMS Families,
I would just like to take a moment to wish all of you a fantastic Winter Break. I hope that you have the opportunity to spend time with family, friends, and loved ones. And, I hope that our students have the chance to relax and rejuvenate, and return to school ready for a successful beginning to the 2020 year!
Sincerely,
Lisa R. Smithson
Principal
Murray Hill Middle School
Important Dates:
December 23rd – January 1st
Schools Closed- Winter Break
January 8th @ 6:00 p.m.
8th Grade Parent Scheduling Information Night
January 13th @ 6:30 p.m.
Middle School Parent Information Night
January 14th @ 7:00 p.m.
MHMS PTA Meeting
January 15th @ 7:00 p.m.
Winter Band Concert 2- Concert Band, Beginning Band, Big Band
January 16th @ 6:00 p.m.
MHMS Spelling Bee
January 20th
Schools Closed- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 23rd
MHMS PTA Restaurant Night- Chick-Fil-A
January 24th
End of Quarter 2
January 27th
No School For Students- Professional Work Day
News From The Hill
School News
Did You Know???: Did you know that the MHMS daily bell schedules can be found on the MHMS Website (http://mhms.hcpss.org/about/school-schedule and in the student agenda books? As possible inclement weather may impact us during the winter months, there may be times when HCPSS schools have a two-hour delay, you can easily review how our schedule is adjusted by checking out these two resources.
Middle School Parent Information Night: The MHMS Middle School Parent Information Night is scheduled for Monday, January 13th at 6:30 p.m. This informational session is intended for the parents of students who will be new to MHMS during the 2020-2021 school year. For those families who are being redistricted to Hammond Middle School, please note that their Middle School Parent Information Night is scheduled for Wednesday, January 15th at 6:00 p.m.
8th Grade Parent Scheduling Information Night: 8th grade students will register for their high school courses during ELA classes on January 9th and 10th. We will host an 8th Grade Parent Scheduling Information Night on January 8th at 6:00 p.m. The purpose of this event is to share information that has been reviewed with your 8th grade student regarding high school course selection options. Following the Information Night, we encourage you to discuss courses that you wish for your student to register for, so that they are prepared to make the appropriate choices when they register for their classes in their ELA classes on the 9th and 10th.
Art Room Donations: Ms. Robinson is seeking donations for the art room of newspaper, yarn, cereal boxes, masking tape, packing tape and more. See the attached flyer for details: MHMS Art Room Donations.pdf
HCPSS Calendar Change: A change has been made to the 2019-2020 HCPSS School Calendar. Schools and offices will now be closed on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, due to the special election to fill the 7th congressional district seat vacated following the passing Representative Elijah Cummings.
MHMS RISE Program: In partnership with Howard County Recreation and Parks and the Horizon Foundation, we are pleased to offer a new after-school sports program called RISE. Registration and payment are due by January 27th. Please see the attached documents for detailed information RISE _flier_Murray Hill MS_19.pdf
Yankee Candle Fundraiser: If you missed out on the paper sale IT’S NOT TOO LATE. ONLINE ORDERS CAN BE MADE THROUGH JANUARY 8, 2020! Visit www.yankeecandlefundraising.com, and enter the MHMS Group Number: 990033454. Thanks for the support.
Clothing To Cash Recycling Program: MHMS is a part of the Clothing To Cash Recycling Program. The program not only supports environmental efforts, it also serves as a fundraiser for our school. MHMS earns a cash payment for every pound of collected items; for the month of November, MHMS earned nearly $100.00! Please, bring your used clothing, shoes and other items in plastic bags, and place them in our collection bin located at the entrance of our parking lot. Please see the attached flyer to learn about all of the different items that can be donated. MHMSClothingToCash.jpg
8th Grade News
There are a lot of exciting things happening to help prepare your 8th graders for high school. Last month, an overview of high school requirements and course selection process was shared with all 8th grade students.
On Monday, December 9th, representatives from Atholton High School and Reservoir High School will be visit all 8th graders at MHMS. They will reiterate the same information regarding high school requirements and the course selection process, as well as tell students more about opportunities in 9th grade. Students will be divided based on their current districted high school for next year; even if they will not be attending one of those schools, they will still attend the presentation.
Below are some important dates to be aware of
Date(s)
Activity
Time/Location
December 2nd - January 3rd
Open date for parents to call schools with JROTC programs to request an interview, if desired.
Scheduled interview time
December 9th
Atholton and Reservoir High Schools will visit MHMS 8th grade students
1st Period @ MHMS
December 10th
Career Academy Information Night
7:00-9:00 pm ARL
January 8th-17th
Course Selection OPENS!
January 9th & 10th
MHMS School Counselor will discuss high school registration
Through ELA Classes @ MHMS
January 8th
6:00-7:30
High School Night
Assistance with High School Schedules
MHMS
January 9th
Reservoir High School Parent Orientation
Snow Date: TBD
RHS
January 14th
Atholton High School Parent Orientation
Snow Date: TBD
AHS
January 17th
All Course Selections
due in Canvas
8:00 a.m.
Canvas
June 3rd
8th graders visit High Schools
Morning
RHS and AHS
If you have questions or concerns related to the high school process please reach out to me, Jodi Svoboda @ Jodi_svoboda@hcpss.org
PTA News
PTA Membership: Sign up for the PTA while visiting the Murray Hill Middle School PTA website https://mhms.ptboard.com/home
PTA Meeting: The January PTA Meeting date is TBD.
BSAP News
Saturday Math Academy: Saturday Math Academy registration begins on January 11th. Visit the following link for detailed information: https://www.hcpss.org/schools/bsap/saturday-math-academy/
STAY CONNECTED
Communication is an essential component of a successful school experience for both students and parents. There are many ways to stay connected to MHMS and to HCPSS. Please consider the following ways to stay connected:
- Visit the MHMS website often at: http://mhms.hcpss.org/
- Follow MHMS on Twitter at: @hcpss_mhms
- Visit Canvas often
- Visit the HCPSS website often at: www.hcpss.org
- Download the HCPSS app on your mobile device (search Howard County Public School System)
Community News
RISE Program Job Opportunity: Are you interested in part-time after school employment? Do you have coaching or recreation experience and enjoy working with middle-school students? Apply to work with the RISE (Recreation-Inspired Sports for Everyone) program at Murray Hill Middle School. This is a shared initiative between the Howard County Public School System, Howard County Recreation and Parks and the Horizon Foundation for students to participate after school two days a week for two separate 6-week sessions of coed mixed sports and recreation at a reduced fee. If you have no coaching experience, but have played a sport in the past - we can train you to coach! For full job descriptions and application instructions, please see attached flyer! This is an excellent opportunity for at home college students or fresh out of college students looking to get their foot in the door. RISE Job Description.pdf
For more Community News visit the Community News and Programs page http://www.hcpss.org/community-news-and-programs/ on the HCPSS website for announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.
Murray Hill Middle School | 9989 Winter Sun Road, Laurel, MD 20723 | 410-880-5897 | mhms.hcpss.org