Hello from the PTSA!

• April 15-26 - Casey Cares Pajama Drive
• April 27 - Medication and Sharps Drive-Thru Collection (Wilde Lake)
• May 6-10 - Staff Appreciation Week

Casey Cares Pajama Drive - April 15 to 26. FQMS will be collecting pajamas for Casey Cares from April 15 to April 26.  Casey Cares is a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of critically ill children and their families by providing opportunities for family fun and engagement outside of the doctor appointments and hospital stays.   One of the major needs for Casey Cares is donations of New Pajamas for infants through young adult sizes.  They provide fun pajamas to children on their birthdays, in the hospital and during in-home treatments to cheer them. They work with regional hospitals to provide pajamas throughout the year and give out over 60,000 pairs each year.  Thank you for your kindness and generosity in helping this worthy cause.  Students should turn the pajamas into their homeroom teacher.   To make shopping easier, visit our Amazon wishlist:  https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2C7K23TXFN41J?ref_=wl_share

Calling all Artists!

The MCSS 2024 Art Showcase theme is 'Safe Spaces'.   Capture the essence of security within the school environment through your unique perspective. From the physical to the emotional, express what makes you feel safe. Showcase the collaborative efforts that contribute to school safety, and let your artwork be a powerful testament to the strength of Maryland learning communities.  Submission deadline is June 7, 2024.  Download the flyer here.  

PTSA 2024-2025 Nominations - PTSA is still accepting nominations for the 2024-2025 board.  In order to keep FQMS PTSA going at our school, we need a president and a treasurer.  Please consider volunteering.  The current board is happy to answer any questions you have about the positions,  and are willing and able to assist you next year to help make the transition easier.  PTSA provides a valuable service to our community, let's keep it going to benefit our kids.   If you are interested or have questions, please email fqmspta.president@gmail.com.   Voting will take place at the May meeting and nominations will be accepted from the floor. 

Message from PTSA - PTSA has a lot of great things planned for the remainder of the school year, but we cannot do it without you!  

• Join - First and foremost, we invite everyone to join the PTSA. Stop over to our website Follyquarterpta.org and join today.  Look for the Join button at the bottom of the homepage. 
• Donate - PTSA cannot do all the fantastic things planned without the support of our community.  Please consider donating and if your company matches donations, Folly Quarter Middle School PTSA is a 501c3.  Thank you for your generosity and support!
• Get Involved - Volunteers needed!  Looking to make a difference, gain new friends and connect with the community?  Getting involved is a great way to do it.  We have lots of opportunities, big and small, to make a difference at FQMS.   See our Signup Genius for opportunities coming up during the year.  PTSA also asks for donations of items periodically throughout the school year as well as parental volunteers for events.
• New Ideas - Have a passion for something?  Let's chat!  Email:  FQMSpta.president@gmail.com

New Sign - Please help us meet our fundraising goal of $25,000 for a new sign, any amount is helpful.  In honor of FQMS celebrating 20 years serving this community, PTSA is fundraising to replace the worn and damaged sign at the main entrance.  The funding has to come solely from donations.  Please consider donating to this fundraiser, and be assured any amount is greatly appreciated to reach our goal of $25k.  Click here to donate.  Thank you!

Spiritwear:

• FQMS Spiritwear - Start this spring with some new Folly gear!  Check out our spirit wear for the latest deals.  https://www.follyquarterspiritwear.com/
• Glenelg High School Spiritwear -  8th grade families, get your Glenelg High Spiritwear here.  
• River Hill High School Spiritwear - 8th grade families, get your River Hill Spiritwear here.

Summer Camps:

• Glenelg Summer Camps - All camps are open to incoming 6th -9th graders.    You can find all of the details here:  https://www.glenelgboosters.com/summer-sport-camps/
• River Hill Summer Camps - Camps are open for ages 8 to 17.  You can find all of the details here: https://riverhill.membershiptoolkit.com/camp2024

HCPSS Budget - Attention Parents:  HELP STILL NEEDED - Please keep writing Calvin Ball, County Council and State Delegates, be an advocate for our kids.

Our kids need your help!  HCPSS is currently in the process of establishing the operating budget for next school year, and we are in danger of having significant cuts to include:

• Increased class sizes at all levels
• Reduction of Elementary GT programs
• Loss of 3rd grade Orchestra
• Reduction of summer school programs
• Loss of Media positions and programming
• Combining High School science paraeducator position with testing assistant into one position
• Reduction in curricular field trips and sixth grade team building activities
• Decrease in custodial positions

We need parents to advocate for more funding for our school system!  What can I do?

1. E-mail the BOE at boe@hcpss.org and ask them to request more money from the county so that we can continue to be a world class school system.  In addition, you can let the Board know what programs are most important to you and ask them NOT to increase class sizes.
2. Contact the County Executive, Dr. Calvin Ball at cball@HowardCountyMD.gov, BudgetTestimony@HowardCountyMD.gov and the County Council at councilmail@howardcountymd.gov to request that the county increase the money being allocated to HCPSS.  Let them know more money is needed to avoid cutting necessary services. 
3. Reach out to our state delegates and the governor to ask the state to increase the funding for schools so we can afford the new initiatives put forth by the Blueprint mandates. Let them know that without additional state funding positions and services critical to the operation of our schools and education of our students will be cut. Contact information and more details on advocating for the budget including sample emails can be found in the following document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tSBW3lrFhFOVzIB3wP2AckqtkKPE4UiV-JOeoiYkRSA/edit
4. Show up to the Budget meetings, bring friends and neighbors, and testify in person if you can.  We need to demonstrate that our school system is important to us!  
5. Write the State Delegates, Chao Wu,  chao.wu@house.state.md.us  , Natalie Ziegler,   natalie.ziegler@house.state.md.us, and Courtney Watson,  courtney.watson@house.state.md.us.

Medication and Sharps Drive-Thru Collection - Saturday, April 27 from 10:00am to 2:00pm at Wilde Lake Village Center Parking lot.  

Donation Shed - Just a reminder that the donation shed is located in the school parking lot and only accepts clothing donations.  No mattresses, toys, rags, fabric scraps, pillows, toys or household items.   Please refrain from putting items in there that clearly do not belong.  If you have any doubt, leave it out.  Please take the time to read the signs on the outside of the shed to see what is acceptable.

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