Principal Rubino's Newsletter

In the black box at the top of the newsletter, select Translate Newsletter to pick the desired language.

· Portuguese: Na caixa preta na parte superior do boletim, selecione Traduzir Boletim informativo para escolher o idioma desejado.

· Spanish: En el cuadro de Negro en la parte superior del boletín de noticias, seleccione Traducir Boletín de escoger el idioma deseado.

· Arabic : في المربع الأسود في أعلى النشرة الإخبارية، حدد ترجمة الرسالة الإخبارية لاختيار اللغة المطلوبة.

· Vietnamese: Trong hộp đen ở phía trên cùng của bản tin, chọn dịch ký nhận để chọn ngôn ngữ mong muốn.

· Swahili: Katika sanduku nyeusi juu ya jarida, chagua Jarida la Tafsiri ili kuchagua lugha taka.

This week we begin ELA MCAS testing. Tuesday and Wednesday, 7th grade students will complete the assessment and Thursday and Friday, 8th grade students will complete the assessment. The MCAS provides insight into academic progress and helps guide future learning opportunities. While it’s just one measure of success, we encourage every student to take it seriously and try their best.

To set yourself up for success:
✔️ Get a good night’s sleep before testing days.
✔️ Eat a healthy breakfast to fuel your brain.
✔️ Arrive on time, prepared, and ready to focus.

To all our students, we know you’ve been working hard, and we believe in you! Take your time, do your best, and show what you know.

Date change: The METCO Bridging Two Communities Walk has been postponed to next Sunday due to today's rainy forecast.

As always, please remember our core values: Engage, Empower, Excel: We work hard; we are kind, we speak our truth. Have a great week!

Please read on for important information for this week and beyond.

This Week:

• Tuesday, April 1
• School Council Meeting: 7:30 a.m. to 8:15
• ELA MCAS - Grade 7
• Executive Functioning Workshop
• Strategies for families of busy middle school students
• 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. at OMS
• SPACE Workshop - 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• SPACE is designed for families who find themselves struggling to navigate and support their child's anxiety.
• Wednesday, April 2
• ELA MCAS - Grade 7
• Thursday, April 3
• ELA MCAS - Grade 8
• Friday, April 4
• ELA MCAS - Grade 8

Looking Ahead:

• Monday, April 7
• World Language Food Festival - After school in the cafeteria
• Bring a donation to support Arlington Eats
• Tuesday, April 8
• SPACE Workshop - 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• SPACE is designed for families who find themselves struggling to navigate and support their child's anxiety.

• Thursday, April 10th

• Ottoson Earth Day Celebration; 3:00-4:30pm
• Screen printing shirts and bags and other items available for purchase to raise funds for protecting our oceans; bake sale starting at 3:30pm
• Front Lobby
• Wednesday, June 18
• 8th Grade Moving on Ceremony (during school day; more info coming soon!)
• 8th Grade Dance - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at OMS

Arlington Public Schools District Calendar

It's time to place your order for the OMS 2024/2025 Yearbook!

• Yearbook orders will take place from Monday, March 31st through Tuesday, April 8th via ASPIRE classes.

• This will be the only time to order a yearbook. They will not be available for purchase in June. Yearbooks will be distributed the last week of school to those students who have pre-ordered one.

• Yearbooks cost $12.00 cash or check made out to Arlington Public Schools. If you are in need of financial assistance, reach out to Principal Rubino

Arlington EATS will be offering free pre-packed bags of groceries to any family with kids in Arlington schools who could use extra food support over April break. Vacation lunch bags packed with with nutritious, easy to prepare, kid-friendly foods will be available to pick up on Thursday, April 17 and Friday, April 18 at Arlington EATS, 117 Broadway. Sign up here by April 14 or call 339-707-6757 ext. 6 to find out more.

Visit Arlington EATS at arlingtoneats.org to learn more about getting help with food, how to volunteer, and other ways to address food insecurity in Arlington.

2025 - 2026 Agenda Cover Contest!

Calling all artists! Design next year’s agenda cover!

REQUIREMENTS:

• Designs due by Friday, Apr 17, 2025

• Submit your design with this Google Form:

• Your design should fit on a 8 ½ x 11” paper

• Limit of 2 color design

• Design can be any 2-d material including digital art

• Designs should incorporate the following theme:

• Celebrating a new school year!

• things we look forward to at school

• the best parts of school!

• things you are excited to do/learn/play

• What you hope to see at OMS in the school year

The winning design will be the agenda cover for 2025 - 2026.

The winner will receive an OMS swag bag!

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce that our free Parenting Solutions Library is now available in Spanish. MPY is offering this valuable resource in partnership with Peace at Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit organization located in Mansfield, Connecticut. Through this partnership, MPY is providing proven resources to help students’ families thrive.

Peace At Home Parenting Solutions specializes in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children's mental well-being. The Parenting Solutions Library is easily accessed using the link on MPY’s home page. No log in or passcode is needed.

The Peace at Home Parenting Solutions Library is a free, valuable resource for PTOs, SEPACs, ELLPACs and other parent-oriented groups. We request your assistance sharing this valuable and free resource through school-based newsletters and school-based organizations. For your convenience, we have created this handout. Please contact MPY Executive Director Margie Daniels at margie@mpyinc.org with questions.

Ottoson's Literary and Art Magazine, Mirabile Scriptu is looking for original student work in:

• Poetry
• Short Stories
• Essays
• Visual Art (paintings, drawings)
• Photography

Our editorial team will select and present a diverse collection of student voices and perspectives, highlighting the talent within our school!

Editorial meetings will begin after Winter Break. To get involved, students can join our Google Classroom: 6yn2mot

Work can be submitted anytime! Literary and Art Magazine Submission Form

If students have questions or want more information, they can reach out to Ms. Harte by stopping by Room 305 or emailing kharte@arlington.k12.ma.us.

Thank you for your support!

If your family is in need of support, please complete the APS Family Support Request Form. Once you complete this form we will share your responses with the family engagement department and/or school social workers or counselors to support your family.

Lost & Found items can be retrieved from Ms. Duffy at the main office. Please take a look and see if anything you are missing has been found.

Photo Gallery Link :

• https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vBlZCVjwomB0pHxObTkPqovawPv5lqqL?usp=sharing

What is SEPAC? The Arlington Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is a volunteer group of parents, guardians, and caregivers that works to build a supportive community inclusive of all students, caregivers, educators, and stakeholders. It provides families with training and resources and collaborates directly with district administrators and the Arlington School Committee to promote effective family-district communications and appropriate service delivery and accommodations to students with disabilities. Learn more

Regular attendance is crucial for your child’s success. Please make every effort to ensure they are present and on time every day. This will be a focus of our administration and counseling team this year and you can expect to receive communication from the main office if your child is tardy or absent from school.

Please take the time to read through the handbook to review our policies regarding school attendance.

The best way to report any attendance issues (absence, tardy, or dismissal) for your child is by sending an email to the Ottoson absentee line – omsattendance@arlington.k12.ma.us

Please make sure to give us:

• Student Name

• a reason for the absence or tardy

• expected date of return

• for dismissal, the name of the person who will be dismissing your child

Students should arrive each day ready to learn, with all necessary materials and a positive mindset.

Ottoson does have AM/PM programming. Click here to register.

We encourage all students to stay hydrated throughout the day by bringing water bottles. Only water is permitted in the classrooms.

To maintain a focused and healthy environment, beverages such as coffee, energy drinks, or popular "pink drinks" from outside establishments like Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks are not allowed in the building.

At Ottoson Middle School, we are dedicated to providing an environment where every student feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their fullest potential. Our faculty and staff are passionate about teaching and are here to support your child every step of the way.

We are excited about the year ahead and the opportunities it holds for academic growth, personal development, and building strong, lasting connections. Together, we will create a supportive and vibrant school community.

We believe in open communication and encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns throughout the year. Our partnership with you is vital to your child’s success, and we are here to support you as well. Please reach out to your child’s teachers if you have any questions. You can expect communication from your child’s teachers and teaching team early on in the school year.

Your child’s grade-level assistant principal can help to provide communication and support. Ms. Lindsay Migliero will be working primarily with grade 8 students and families and Mr. Christopher Mahoney will be working primarily with grade 7 students and families.