Olympia Middle School

#DigCit Family Tip 4: Encourage upstanding. Let kids know that supporting someone who is being bullied makes a difference. If they feel safe confronting the bully, they should. If not, a PM can help someone through a tough time. Speaking up against hate speech is important too!

Do you know your parenting style? You know that you are a good parent but want to be a better parent. Join us tonight to learn about being the best parent! Register to receive the Zoom link.

bit.ly/OlyCBV7 As humans, we thrive on social connections and group associations. But this tendency can also lead us to be suspicious of people outside our group. This fear -- xenophobia -- can be overcome by more exposure to people who are different from us. However, the internet can often make this more difficult. Help your kids recognize this challenge and find strategies for navigating content online.

bit.ly/OlyCBV6 Cyberbullying is something most families hope they never have to deal with. But if your kids are texting, sharing photos, and posting comments, it’s important to talk to them about how to deal with online harassment. Learn 5 ways to stop cyberbullies.

The sixth grade celebrated their successes of the first quarter with their first Team Day of the year on Friday, October 13th. The day included OMS trivia, choice activities, movies, and snacks. Ten students were rewarded by their peers for showing the qualities of strong Spartans. Thank you to the generous donors who helped make this day special!

Olympia Middle School Boy's Basketball tryouts will take place on October 16th (at OMS) and October 17th (at Oly West). Any interested athletes need to be registered on 8to18 and have an updated physical on file.

Spartan Fans - We are closely monitoring the weather. We anticipate that all Friday night events will proceed as scheduled. In the event of lightning or heavy rain /winds, fans will be asked to return to their cars OR to the OHMS cafeteria. Remaining in the stadium will not be an option.

#DigCit Family Tip 3: Role-play. If kids feel like they might have trouble removing themselves from digital drama, experiment with some different ways they can make a graceful exit. Talk through words they can use, ways they can steer conversations in positive directions, etc.

#DigCit Family Tip 2: Check in about online life. Just like you'd ask your kid about their sleep, exercise, and eating, stay on top of their online life. Who are they chatting with? How do people treat each other in the games and on the sites they're using?

Today is World Homeless Day. Did you know we have housing insecurity fact sheets in each of our buildings!

Families, we are just one week away from our second session "Helping Your Child Succeed". Be sure to register for the Zoom link to show up in your inbox. This is for anyone in our district! Last session on Anxiety is housed on the Spartan website under parent engagement.

#DigCit Family Tip 1: Define your terms. Make sure kids understand what cyberbullying is: repeated and unwanted mean or hurtful words or behavior that occur online (through texts, social media posts, online chat, etc.).

We are aware that the NFHS stream of the games in our middle school gym is currently not working. We are currently trying to fix the problem.

OMS students are exploring the sport of lacrosse the next few weeks in PE. Students got the opportunity to practice their shooting and passing today.

Parent Concerns: Cyberbullying. Once kids go online, their chances of finding cyberbullies, haters, and trolls is, sadly, quite high. Find age-specific guidelines, videos, and articles to help with tough conversations -- whether your kid is a bully or is being bullied. Explore answers to all your cyberbullying questions, age-appropriate advice, school resources, and more from parents and experts. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/cyberbullying

Today, OMS students participated in our school-wide PBIS celebration, the OMS Super Attendance Bowl. For the past four weeks, OMS advisories have been locked in a tight competition to see which OMS advisory could have the highest attendance. In the end, Ms. Schwarting's 6th grade advisory won the competition with an attendance rate of 97.1% over the past month. During our assembly, students competed in various football themed activities. Finally, we recognized our top 3 students in the "Get Your Selfie" to school video content.

Most kids will encounter mean behavior at some point in their digital lives. For some kids, this experience is a blip that's easily forgotten, while for others it can have deep, long-lasting effects. For parents, the key is staying involved in kids' lives -- both online and off -- so they can step in and offer help if necessary. With guidance from parents and educators, kids can learn how to dodge the drama and stand up for others.​ Throughout October we will be sharing 6 different tips for families to encourage best behavior when approaching the topics of Cyberbullying, Digital Drama, and Hate Speech with your families. 1. Define your terms 2. Check in about online life 3. Role-play 4. Encourage upstanding 5. Take breaks 6. Review worst-case steps

A growing trend is children using generative A.I. tools such at character.ai to connect with ​something​ in a way that they feel uncomfortable doing with another human. The areas below are areas that we hope you discuss with your children at home, and are concepts that may be brought up in Olympia classrooms throughout the year. - The role that AI will play in the areas of creative expression, human relationships, and mental well-being. - The impacts that AI might have on their identity formation and sense of self. - How AI companions might influence their expectations of genuine and complicated humans. Read the full article from Common Sense Education here: https://www.olympia.org/article/1271448

The 2nd session is October 17th 6-7 PM via Zoom. These sessons are free but you need to sign up for the zoom link.

Thank you to our OMS & OHS Principals for all they do for our students, staff, and families!