Friday Highlights

• November 27: Early Dismissal, 11:00 a.m.

• November 28/29: Thanksgiving Break - No School for Staff/Students

• December 11: OHS Winter Concert, 6:30 p.m., Auditorium

• December 13: Professional Development Day - Early Dismissal, 11:00 a.m.

Monday: Periods 1 - 4, A Day

Tuesday: Periods 1 - 4, B Day

Wednesday: Periods 1 - 4, A Day - Early Dismissal, 11:00 a.m.

Thursday: Thanksgiving Break - No School for Staff/Students

Friday: Thanksgiving Break - No School for Staff/Students

A reminder that OHS winter sports begins soon! In order to try-out, students must be registered on Final Forms, all parent forms and athlete forms must be completed and an updated physical (within 13 months) must be on file with our school nurse. Winter sport registration will close on Monday, November 25th to allow our athletic department enough time to medically clear athletes prior to the first day of try-outs. Please use the following link to register if you haven't already done so: https://oxford-ct.finalforms.com/

To view the list of athletic schedules, go to the OHS Website and select the tab for Athletics. Use the drop-down arrow and you will find schedules for each sport that is offered.

As a reminder from Nurse Dani, students are NOT allowed to carry medication with them. Please fill out forms on PowerSchool if you would like your student to have Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen or Tums in school. When you log on to PowerSchool, go to forms and check off the boxes if you would like your child to receive any of these medications when in need.

Please be aware that these medications may only be administered if the forms are completed on PowerSchool. Verbal permission is not accepted.

CT State law requires that all students in 10th grade have a physical assessment. This assessment serves to document adequate immunizations and any health issues that may impact your child while they attend school. The physical exam must be dated after January 01, 2024. The front of the HAR form must be completed and signed by a parent/guardian. The second page must have all *asterisks areas completed.

As a friendly reminder your child must be fever free (without medication) and has not vomited within 24 hours before returning to school.

As we start the new school year, we want to remind you of the procedure for early dismissals:

1 - Early Dismissal Note: If your student needs to leave school early, please send them in with an early dismissal note. This allows us to give your student a dismissal pass, enabling them to sign out on their own. There is no need for you to come into the school.

2 - In-Person Pick-Up: If you need to pick up your student in person, please bring your driver’s license. You will need to complete the dismissal process through Securly Visitor for security purposes.

3 - Contact Information: Ensure that your contact information is up-to-date, including who is permitted to pick up your child.

We appreciate your cooperation in making the early dismissal process smooth and secure.

Senior Parents: The 2025-2026 FAFSA is now open during their current beta testing period. We encourage students to apply as soon as possible to maximize their financial aid opportunities. Completing the FAFSA is a critical step in accessing grants, loans, and work-study funds for college or technical school. Visit FAFSA.gov for more information and to get started today!

Financial Aid Resource:

www.nasfaa.org: Consumer tips for students and parents as well as financial aid tools for completing required applications and avoiding common errors.

Fall PSAT Scores: October 2024 PSAT Scores are now accessible through student’s College Board accounts.

Career Speaker Spotlight: We are thrilled to launch our Career Speaker Spotlight, where professionals from a variety of fields will share insights about their careers with our students during the FLEX period. Students interested in attending can sign up via Google forms, which will be accessible in their grade-level Google Classrooms. Our first guest speaker will introduce the diverse and exciting opportunities available in Connecticut’s manufacturing sector on December 5th.

Parent Career Speaker Series: Parents, if you are interested in speaking to a group of students about your career path, please email Alicia Mancinone at mancinonea@oxfordpublicschools.org. We are looking for a variety of professions. Speakers will be virtually interviewed about their line of work by an OHS school counselor for 10-15 minutes around 10:15 A.M on a selected Tuesday. Presenters could opt to come into the building and have a table outside of the lunch waves after their interview to answer individual student questions.

College Panel: The school counseling department will host OHS alumni for a college panel on Wednesday, November 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. They will answer student questions and share their first year experiences with current 11th and 12th grade students.

Mancinone:

Grade 9: A - C

Grade 10: A - C

Grade 11: A - C

Grade 12: A - C

Angeley:

Grade 9: D - L

Grade 10: D - M

Grade 11: D - M

Grade 12: D - L

McRae:

Grade 9: M - Z

Grade 10: N - Z

Grade 11: N - Z

Grade 12 M - Z

The counseling caseload by grade level (above) and links to book appointments (below).

Mancinone - https://appt.link/mancinonea

Angeley - https://appt.link/sarah-angeley

McRae - https://appt.link/mcraea

The Thanksgiving season can serve as a reminder to give thanks. As we enter this year’s hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it can be difficult to keep this mindset. During this time, practicing gratitude can help us cope with life’s challenges or stressors. Gratitude is more than saying “thank you”, it is the practice of pausing and acknowledging the goodness we experience, no matter how small. Practicing gratitude has been shown to have long term benefits such as improved mental health and physical health, and improved interpersonal relationships. For teens and kids, building a gratitude mindset allows them to feel positive emotions which eventually leads to more positive actions and choices. Below, please find an article that highlights the practice of gratitude and how we can encourage teens to engage in this process.

https://www.mindful.org/an-introduction-to-mindful-gratitude/

Yearbooks are on Sale! Purchase your yearbook now while books are only $75. Prices will increase on December 1st.

Attention Senior Parents: Please remind your senior to check Google Classroom for important yearbook submission deadlines. Senior baby photos, pet photos, and sibling photos are due by December 1st. Detailed information can be found in Google Classroom.

Questions: email campbellb@oxfordpublicschools.org

Attention Senior Parents: Parent ads are available to purchase! The deadline to purchase an ad for the yearbook is January 31, 2025. Prices vary based on the size of the ad. See the links below to place an order:

Yearbooks: https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01100339

Ads: https://www.jostens.com/apps/jcom/router.mvc?affiliateId=1673572

If you have any questions, please contact our yearbook advisors; Ms. Aldrich or Mrs. Campbell. Their email address is listed below:

aldrichp@oxfordpublicschools.org

campbellb@oxfordpublicschools.org

A flyer is attached with information from the Seymour/Oxford Food Bank.

The Booster Club is excited to welcome everyone back for another fantastic school year. Whether you are returning or joining us for the first time, we are thrilled to have you as part of our amazing community.

• Who We Are: The Booster Club is a non-profit organization committed to enhancing the experiences of our students, teachers and school programs through a variety of initiatives, events and fundraising efforts. Our mission is to support Oxford High School’s activities, arts and athletic programs that directly benefit the students. We are focused on enriching the school environment and building a strong sense of community among OHS families.

• Upcoming Meeting Dates: We invite you to join us at our upcoming Booster Club meetings, where you will have the opportunity to share ideas, get involved and stay informed about what is happening at OHS. Listed below are the meeting dates for this semester:

• Tuesday, December 3, 7:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 8, 7:00 p.m.

All meetings will be held in the OHS cafeteria. We encourage all parents, guardians and staff to attend.

Cheer Fundraiser: The OHS Cheer Team is hosting a Dine-In/Take-Out fundraiser on Tuesday, December 3rd from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. at The Oxford House Tavern. Be sure to tell your server that you are there to support the OHS Cheer Team and a portion of the bill will be donated to the team.

Pizza with Santa and Friends: Kick off the Festival of Trees on Friday, December 13th with a delightful evening at our cherished Pizza with Friends event! Enjoy delicious pizza, festive cheer and holiday fun. While you are there, don’t miss the opportunity to take pictures with Santa!

Be sure to explore the Festival of Trees, where you can purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win beautifully decorated trees, wreaths, inflatables and carefully curated baskets. All proceeds support local charities, spreading joy and goodwill throughout the community this holiday season!

There will be musical performances by students of the OHS Music Department in the auditorium from 6:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. with a brief intermission at 6:45 p.m. Stop by to support the arts and get into the holiday spirit!

The cost for pizza is $5 per person or $30 for a family of 5 or more. Enjoy the cookies and cocoa while listening to a story told by Mrs. Claus. Please be aware that registration closes on Wednesday, December 11th. Registration is required by clicking the following link:

https://bit.ly/2024OHSBCPizzawithSantaFriends

Questions can be emailed to: ohsboosterclubpresident@gmail.com

Festival of Trees: The Festival of Trees will be held on Saturday, December 14th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will include the Holiday Market and holiday entertainment in the auditorium.

Mid-term and Final Goody Bags: Goody Bags are back and are very popular with the students. The bags are a special way to show support for your child during midterm and final exams. Each bag features a personal message from you and contains a variety of items/treats. All bags are gluten free, nut free and braces safe. If your child has any other allergy, please note that on your order. Once your order is received with payment, the Goody Bag committee members will prepare the bags and deliver them to the recipient’s locker the evening before exams. Seniors will receive a special graduation surprise in their final bag.

Please use the following link to place your order: bit.ly/24-25BoosterClubGoodyBag

Babysitting Course: The OHS Booster Club is offering Adventures in Babysitting where you can get certified in first aid and receive CPR training. The classes will be held on Saturday, January 18 and Saturday, January 25, 2025 at Oxford High School from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. The cost of the class is $95. Space is limited to 15 people. You can register for the course by using the following link: https://bit.ly/BCBabysittingCourseJan2025

Get Involved: We are always looking for volunteers and new ideas to help make our school even better. If you are interested in getting involved, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Your participation, no matter how big or small, makes a huge difference. Our next meeting is Tuesday, December 3rd at 7:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. Let’s work together to make this school year the best one yet! Sign up to be a member today at: https://bit.ly/2024OHSBCMembership

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Dance Team Poinsettia Fundraiser: The OHS Dance Team is holding a holiday Poinsettia sale. Please help support the team by purchasing these beautiful plants for the holiday season. An order form is attached with more information.

From the Principal's Office:

Our primary goal at Oxford High School is to create a focused and productive learning environment for all students. Studies show that cell phone use during class can lead to distractions, reduce academic performance, and limit meaningful face-to-face interactions. Consequently, effective on Monday, December 2, Oxford High School will begin implementing a new cell phone practice. All students will be required to place their silent/muted cell phones in the teacher-provided cell phone caddy for the duration of the class period. All other electronics need to be off and away. This is currently an expectation across most of our classrooms; however, moving forward, we want to make this a uniform expectation across all academic settings. Students will still be able to use their devices before/after school, during passing time, and during lunch. By limiting phone use, we aim to create an atmosphere that fosters engagement, focus, and academic success. Please click HERE for a letter that was shared yesterday with families detailing the specifics of our cell phone practice.

On Thursday, December 5, OHS will welcome Aric Jackson, a top-rated keynote speaker who will speak to the student body about empowering our next generation of student leaders. For over a decade, people have been inspired and motivated by the words of Mr. Jackson. His mission is to Teach, Inspire, and Encourage all those who hear him, and to take the challenge of helping others pursue their goals and dreams. We are excited to welcome him back to Oxford High School.

Finally, as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to express my gratitude to the OHS community for your continued support and encouragement. The kindness shared by students, families, staff, and community members have made my transition to Oxford incredibly rewarding, and I am truly honored to serve this school community. Together, we will continue to create a positive and supportive environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Enjoy the weekend, Wolverines, and Happy Thanksgiving,

Heather