Friday Highlights

• October 23: PSAT Exam - Early Dismissal, 11:00 a.m.

• November 4: Picture Retake Day for Underclassmen
  

• November 5: NO SCHOOL

• November 13: Parent/Teacher Conferences-Early Dismissal, 11:00 a.m. (6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.)

• November 14: Parent/Teacher Conferences-Early Dismissal, 11:00 a.m. (12:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m.)

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

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

Monday: Periods 1 - 4, A Day

Tuesday: Periods 1 - 4, B Day

Wednesday: PSAT Exam - Early Dismissal, 11:00 a.m.

Thursday: Periods 1 - 4, B Day

Friday: Periods 1 - 4, A Day

Pam Aldrich and the Hope Club are hosting Dining with our Military on Friday, November 8th at Oxford High School in the cafeteria. Military veterans and their families are invited to join us for a free ziti dinner and dessert. There will be two seatings to choose from. The first seating is from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and the second seating is from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Please use the following link to reserve your seating by Friday, November 1:

docs.google.com/forms/d/1jhR4KXT9FyGZHKtzE3023_Ms3xs2Sf6umWGQbokKSas/edit?ts=67091702

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.

Jersey Mike’s Players of the Week: Congratulations to the following athletes for being selected as players of the week for their sport:

Girls Cross Country:

• Casandra Frazier
• Sparrow Lampron

Boys Cross Country:

• Ryan Faillace
• Cameron Salem

As a friendly reminder from Nurse Dani, please log into your student’s PowerSchool account and sign off on the use of Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen and Tums if needed while in school. When you log into PowerSchool, go to forms and check off the boxes if you would like your child to receive any of these medications when in need. These medications may only be administered if the forms are completed on PowerSchool. Verbal permission is not accepted. Lastly, please forward your student’s Medication Administration and Asthma Action Plans. Connecticut does not allow medication to be administered with an outdated form.

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 and Freshman Conferences: Seniors and Freshman are encouraged to set up a conference with their School Counselor through our appointment calendar links. Seniors should select the 40 minute Post-Secondary planning meeting option and Freshman should select the 15 minute meeting option.

Testing Information: Advanced Placement exam registration information was sent out to families last week and provided to students that are currently enrolled in AP courses. Exam registration deadline is Friday, November 1 and payment is through My School Bucks.

Fall Testing Day: On Wednesday, October 23rd Oxford High School will be operating on a special testing day schedule with an 11:00 a.m. dismissal. All Juniors and Sophomores will be taking the PSAT/NMSQT and all Freshman will be taking the PSAT 8/9 through College Board services. Seniors will be provided Capstone and College Application support. Alternately Seniors may use this day to work with their Capstone mentor (provided that their mentor agreement form was submitted) or visit a college. Please note that follow up documentation must be provided for accurate attendance.

College Visits:

Off Campus Visits: All Juniors and Seniors are allowed 3 Verified Excused absences a school year to visit Colleges and Universities. Documentation must be submitted to the main office following the visit.

On Campus Visits: OHS offers College Representative visits throughout the fall for Juniors and Seniors. Students can view the list of schools and register through their Naviance Accounts.

Senior/College Application Information:

Common Application Support: The Counselors visited senior Capstone classrooms last week to provide support. Additional help will be available in the LMC during the Flex period throughout the month.

College Free Application Day: College Free Application Day is Wednesday, November 1st for Connecticut State Schools.

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

ADHD Awareness Month is celebrated every October. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting close to 11% of school aged children. It is one of the most common childhood disorders and can have lasting impact into adolescence and adults. Teens with ADHD have many strengths including: creativity, hyperfocus, resilience, great conversationalists, and persistence. In high school as demands increase, teens with ADHD may struggle and have difficulty managing executive functioning skills. Executive function and regulation skills are those mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. When children have opportunities to develop executive function and self-regulation skills, there are lifelong benefits. Below please find a link to the article 10 Ways to Support Your Teen’s Executive Skills.

https://www.additudemag.com/executive-skills-teens-with-adhd/

Yearbooks are on Sale! Purchase your yearbook now while books are only $70. Prices will increase on October 25th and again on December 1st.

Attention Senior Parents: Parent ads are available to purchase! 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 OHS Music Department is holding their annual fundraiser, Boo your Favorite Ghoul at School. The music department needs your help with this fundraiser, and they are looking to collect candy donations from Monday, October 7th through Thursday, October 24th. Your candy donation will be used to fill Boo Bag orders and can be dropped off in the main office or brought directly to the Music Room, 127. Be sure to label the bag “Music Department”. A flyer/order form is attached with the requested candy. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jen Crooks (crooksj@oxfordpublicschools.org) or Emily Marquardt (marquardte@oxfordpublicschools.org).

Boo Bags: OHS students, parents and staff can complete an order form to Boo! your favorite student, friend or teacher with a bag of Halloween goodies for only $5. Each bag will include a variety of candy and a spooky message. Treat bags will be delivered during the week of October 28th during school hours. You can Boo! multiple people by completing a separate form for each order. Payment can be brought to your school’s main office labeled with your name and “Boo Bags”. Accepted forms of payment:

• Cash

• Venmo OHS Booster Club: @Bob-Sterclub

• Check made payable to “Oxford High School Booster Club”

Please be aware that the last day to submit orders is Friday, October 25th at 12:00 p.m.

Please use the following link to place an order for Boo Bags:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdRn8UOpQ-RmQmtv3GlAdeVo6EHJB1cCJzK1FMKCv1xjFqoPQ/viewform?

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:

• Wednesday, November 6, 7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 3, 7:00 p.m.

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

• Upcoming Events: Please mark your calendars to come out and support the groups and the Booster Club

• Boys Basketball Fall Clean-Up - See attached flyer

• OHS Booster Club Halloween Designer Bag Bingo - October 24: https://bit.ly/Booster-Bingo-2024

• Performing Arts - “Twelve Angry Jurors”: November 15 and November 16

• Pizza with Santa & Festival of Trees: December 13 and December 14

https://bit.ly/OHS-Holiday-Market-2024

These events are great opportunities to support our school and students, and meet fellow parents and have some fun!

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 Wednesday, November 6 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.

Boys Soccer Raffle: The OHS Boys Soccer Team is holding a raffle fundraiser. Tickets can be purchased through any boy’s soccer player. All Venmo purchases must be marked

“BOYSOC RAFFLE” and must include a cell phone number so a photo of the ticket can be provided to you. Venmo @Bob-Sterclub. Checks can be made payable to OHS Booster Club. Tickets are $5 each and you must specify a basket.

Halloween Designer Bag Bingo: Mark your calendar for Thursday, October 24th and plan on joining us for Halloween Designer Bag Bingo. You will have a chance to win some amazing designer handbags, and we will also have some special prizes for the guys. Your participation will contribute to supporting our Senior Lock-In and scholarships. Don’t forget to wear your favorite Halloween costume to be entered into a Lucky Round.

Join the fun on October 24th at the Riverside Firehouse located at 151 Coppermine Road in Oxford for an exciting evening featuring 10 rounds of Bingo! Doors open at 6:15 p.m., and the Bingo games kick-off at 7:00 p.m. Bring your favorite beverages and snacks. Enjoy the convenience of our available ice machine.

The cost per person is $40 which covers 10 rounds of Bingo and a dauber. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Suttile (203-217-0500 / lisasuttile@gmail.com)

Please use the following link to register: https://bit.ly/Booster-Bingo-2024

Baseball Fundraiser: The OHS Baseball Team is holding a Fall Clean-Up Fundraiser. Tickets are available to purchase and the winner will receive two hours of yard work at their home, courtesy of the baseball team. A flyer is attached with more information.

Baseball Shirt Fundraiser: The OHS Baseball Team is holding a baseball shirt fundraiser. Whether you are a proud parent, a dedicated fan or teammate, these shirts are the perfect way to cheer on our team. A flyer is attached with more information.

Girls Swim & Dive Fundraiser: The OHS Girls Swim and Dive team is holding a Wolverine Track fundraiser. The team will paint a white wolverine logo on your driveway. The cost is $20, and the logo should last up to a year depending on weather and traffic wear. A flyer is attached with more information.

From the Principal's Office:

A reminder that Oxford High School will administer the digital PSAT to all freshmen, sophomores, and juniors next Wednesday, October 23, 2024. The test will start promptly at 7:20 a.m., and conclude around 10:30 a.m. with an 11:00 a.m. dismissal. Students with extended College Board SSD accommodations will be dismissed at noon. Transportation will be provided for both dismissal times. Students: Please remember to charge your Chromebook on Tuesday evening as you must take the PSAT on your school-issued device. This letter provides more detailed information specific to the PSAT, including how our seniors can utilize this day for post-high school planning and/or capstone support.

It is hard to believe that we are almost one quarter through the 2024-2025 school year! Quarter 1 grades close on Monday, November 4, and finalized grades will be posted to PowerSchool the following week. To that end, we also want to invite parents to our Fall parent-teacher conferences which will take place on November 13 (6:00-8:00 p.m.) and November 14 (12:00-2:00 p.m.). More information on how and when to schedule conferences will be forthcoming.

Finally, I am looking for students across grades 9-12 to join School Council. This group will meet once per month after school and consist of staff, students, and building administrators. The goal of School Council is to increase communication across the building, share feedback on current happenings, and offer suggestions on ways to continue to build and strengthen our school community. If you are interested in becoming part of School Council, please email me directly at obrienh@oxfordpublicschools.org

Enjoy the weekend, Wolverines,

Heather