On Thursday, May 19th the OMS Student Council is excited to offer an afternoon of activities for students and staff! From 3:30-5:30, students and staff can sign-up to participate in a 45 minute outdoor yoga class taught by The Yoga Lab out of Bloomington, followed by snacks and a choice between kickball, wiffle ball, a movie, or karaoke. Get signed-up in your Advisory's Google Classroom by Monday, May 16th to participate! See Mrs. Hembra with any questions. Hope to see you there, Spartans!
Today is National School Nurse Day. At OHMS, we are so thankful for Nurse Pfeffer and Nurse Witzig!
Thank You School Lunch Heroes!
Today we recognize the amazing School Lunch Heroes of who hustle every day to feed our students tasty, breakfast and lunch meals. It takes creativity, skill, and passion for feeding kids to do what you guys do - and you guys rock at it!
Signing up for accounts on the web can be as simple as clicking one button. But if that website or service does not have a written data privacy agreement with Olympia, you may be giving away your personal information with a single click! Parents, talk to your kids about where they have created accounts. Remind them that the Student Acceptable Use Policy for Olympia states that they will not create an account with their district email address unless directed to do so by a teacher. By working together as a community we can drastically reduce the amount of data that we unnecessarily share with companies who look to sell that data to advertisers. #StrongerTogether
See more at https://www.olympia.org/page/student-data-privacy
OMS had the opportunity to team up with OHS for our first annual “The Great Spartan Changeover: 8th Grade Transition Day''. The 8th graders visited OHS classrooms, played a Kahoot where they got to know OHS Teachers/Staff, competed in a scavenger hunt, participated in an activity with OHS student leaders, learned about how they can experience success in high school, and went on a tour of the school. Thank you to everyone who helped make this transition experience meaningful for our students!
Washington DC 2022
Parents and kids going to DC we are going to have a info
meeting. If you can't make it that's ok. Just let Ms Williams know so she can get you the information.
May 10th
6:00 PM
OMS Cafeteria
Rewarding Relationships
Video Link: bit.ly/olyRCv2
"It's complicated" can describe many of our relationships with others, both romantic and otherwise. Add digital devices and social media to the mix, and things get complicated even further. Help students take the first step toward building healthy and rewarding friendships and romantic relationships, both online and off.
Students listen to other teens' thoughts and feelings about having and maintaining boundaries in friendships online, in a world of being constantly connected.
Develop Their Instincts
Help kids learn to trust their guts so they can suss out creepy, risky, or otherwise unsafe online situations. Playact a few scenarios: What if someone asks to take a conversation private? What if someone asks for your phone number? What if someone invites you to a private chat room? Be aware that some kids (even "good" kids) will explore iffy stuff online out of curiosity. But the minute they feel uncomfortable, they need to shut things down.
Sexting and Relationships
Video Link: bit.ly/olyRCv5
It's natural for teens to be curious about their emerging sexuality. But most children aren't prepared for the risks of exploring this in the digital age. Help your kids think critically about self-disclosure in relationships and practice how they'd respond to a situation where sexting -- or a request for sexting -- might happen.
In this video, kids can hear other teens' honest -- and sometimes frank -- thoughts about the pressures and risks that come with sexting, then consider how they might react in similar situations.
Check out these Mathematicians writing equations from word problems and then solving for the variable!
Empathize with the Pressure to Overshare
Tweens and teens might feel pushed into sharing a sexy photo for different reasons: a dare, fear of damaging a relationship, or just because "everyone else is doing it." But this one is nonnegotiable. Tell them that you understand how bad it can feel to disappoint a friend. Then help them imagine how much worse it would feel if a private picture were shared with their whole school.
Olympia Middle School was named a Horizon School to Watch! Check out the story here: https://bit.ly/3uY7GIG
My Social Media Life
Video Link: bit.ly/olyRCv6
For most middle schoolers, being on social media can mean connecting with friends, sharing pictures, and keeping up-to-date. But it can also mean big-time distractions, social pressures, and more. Help your kids navigate the different feelings they may already be experiencing on social media.
In this video, kids hear what other teens have to say about using social media to connect with friends, consider the complications and distractions that can happen, and think critically about how social media affects their own relationships.
Learn About Their Worlds
Teens have unique communication styles, especially online. As much as possible, keep an eye on what they're saying and doing online to understand the norm in their worlds. Don't police everything they say, but keep an ear out for aggressive trash-talking, hate speech, rude images, or anything hurtful. If you see stuff that crosses the line, speak up. Kids need to understand that their words have consequences.
The Olympia Middle School 6th Grade Team and Administration are visiting each Oly Elementary building to introduce themselves to the current 5th grade students. This is a great opportunity for students to meet the 6th grade teachers, Administrators, and ask important questions about what to expect at OMS next year.
Chatting Safely Online
Video Link: bit.ly/olyRCv3
Games, social media, and other online spaces give kids opportunities to meet and chat with others outside the confines of their real-life communities. But how well do kids actually know the people they're meeting and interacting with? Help students consider whom they're talking to and the types of information they're sharing online.
Students hear from teens about the benefits and drawbacks of presenting themselves differently (or even anonymously) to others online, and consider what it means to "be yourself" in digital spaces.
Video Lesson Activity: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UOkBAabgQthEAxHAMmu_H_7ZE6pHXeNEqrS7nDi-hCs/edit
Civil Discourse Online
When we talk about our personal beliefs and politics, passions can run high -- especially when we're online. These intense moments can often lead to tit-for-tat insults, or worse. But, if addressed calmly and coolly, they can be an opportunity to find common ground and deeper understanding. Teach your children to keep disagreements civil so their ideas will be heard and so they can advocate for positive change.
In this video, you will hear from Cameron Kasky, Parkland school shooting survivor and March for Our Lives activist, on what he learned about civil discourse online and how to foster common ground with others, even in disagreement.
Video Link: bit.ly/olyRCv7
Video Discussion Activity: bit.ly/olyRCda2
**Give Them the Right Words**
Kids learn about appropriate verbal and physical communication from watching you. But online conversations can be invisible. Occasionally, narrate as you're writing texts or social media comments when your kids are in earshot.
**Help Kids Make Friends and Interact Safely Online**
So much of kids' social lives happens online. Whether they're texting with their study group, flirting on social media, or voice-chatting on game platforms, middle and high schoolers can learn to communicate in safe and healthy ways. These skills will help kids -- and the people they're communicating with -- have positive experiences online.
- Give them the right words.
- Learn about their worlds.
- Empathize with the pressure to overshare.
- Develop their instincts.
