OPMS

I hope you are ready for another great week at OPMS. Please take a moment to review the information below.

I wanted to take a moment to address the lockdown that occurred yesterday and share some important reflections and updates. First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to our students and staff for their incredible response. Everyone acted quickly and appropriately, following the safety protocols we have in place. Their actions demonstrated a calm and focused commitment to ensuring safety in a challenging moment.

Today, our administrative team had the opportunity to meet with Chief Fitzgerald to debrief on the lockdown. During our conversation, we discussed the outstanding response of our students, staff, and the Orchard Park Police Department (OPPD). We are especially appreciative of the OPPD’s quick arrival to our building, despite the challenging driving conditions, to ensure everyone’s safety and provide critical support.

I understand that many of you may still have questions about the incident. For safety reasons, I am unable to share much more information beyond what has already been communicated. I want to reassure you that if there had been more critical information that parents and families needed to know, it would have been shared immediately. We are thankful that this was an inadvertent situation, and I appreciate your understanding as we continue to prioritize the safety of our school community.

I also want to address an issue with the PA system that occurred during the lockdown. Some of you may have heard from your student that "elevator" music was played over the loudspeakers immediately following the lockdown call. This was due to a technical issue with the PA system and was not intentional. We recognize that this added to the unsettling nature of the event, and we are working to resolve this issue to ensure it does not happen again.

Yesterday afternoon, I was fortunate enough to hear some students sharing their reflections in a classroom. They acknowledged feeling scared but shared how they sat quietly, thinking about how to keep themselves and their classmates safe. These moments remind us of the resilience and care our students bring to our community.

Events like these also provide opportunities for reflection. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to talk to your student about their experience during the lockdown. Open conversations about safety and emotions can help them process what happened and feel reassured about the steps we take to keep them safe.

As always, we remain committed to the safety and well-being of everyone in our building. Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we work together to maintain a safe and caring environment for our school community.

Attention 8th grade parents - The scheduling process will be explained at the 8th Grade Scheduling Night for Parents and Students in the high school auditorium on Thursday, February 6th. Here is the schedule for that evening:

6:30 PM - 7:00 PM: Electives Fair Session 1: Students last name A-L

7:00 PM - 7:45 PM: School Counselor Open House for 8th Grade students and their parents/guardians

7:45 PM - 8:15 PM: Elective Fair Session 2: Students last name M-Z

The OPMS Music Department is selling car magnets and decals! Check out the order form below to purchase. If you are interested in purchasing, you can have your student bring cash or a check (made out to OPMS Jr. Music) to their music teacher. Thank you for your support of the OPMS Music Department!

A huge congratulations to our 8th-grade Advanced Technology students and their teachers (Mrs. Costello, Mr. Gill, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Roland) for their incredible success at the Niagara County Community College (NCCC) Tech Wars, held on January 8! After months of hard work and dedication in their advanced technology classes, our students showcased their innovative projects and emerged as champions in this exciting competition.

Competing in a variety of challenges, our students demonstrated outstanding creativity, problem-solving skills, and teamwork. Their efforts truly highlight the innovative spirit and talent of Orchard Park Middle School. We are so proud of your accomplishments and the way you represented our school. Well done to all participants and their teachers for this remarkable achievement!

We are delighted to celebrate Adelynn Brown, one of our 8th-grade students, for her outstanding achievement in winning first place in the Greater Western District Creative Writing contest! Her award-winning short story, "The Courage to Rise," captivated the judges with its powerful narrative and creative brilliance.

This prestigious contest, sponsored by the New York State Federation of Women’s Clubs, encourages youth to express their unique voices through writing while fostering community spirit and personal growth. By showcasing exceptional talent in presentation, organization, word choice, and sentence fluency, Adelynn's work has now advanced to the state-level competition for further judging. Congratulations on this remarkable accomplishment, and best of luck as your story continues to inspire others at the next level!

We are thrilled to announce that one of our 8th-grade students, Nick Kasprowicz, has been named the winner of the local VFW #1419 Patriot’s Pen essay contest! This prestigious, nationwide competition encourages middle school students to reflect on patriotic themes and express their views on America’s history and society through writing. This year’s theme, “What is Patriotism to Me,” challenged students to explore their personal understanding of patriotism.

The Patriot’s Pen contest, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), provides students in grades 6–8 the opportunity to enhance their writing skills and compete for awards and prizes, with over $1.2 million distributed annually at various levels. We are incredibly proud of Nick's achievement and grateful to the VFW for providing such a meaningful opportunity for our young writers. Congratulations again on this outstanding accomplishment!

Students in Mr. Bischof's Advanced Math 7 created floor plans of their classroom using scale models. They did a great job working together to create their plans!

Are you looking for a quick and easy way to support our school?

Box Tops for Education has been around for over 25 years, and it really can make a difference. In fact, the Box Tops program has helped give almost one billion dollars to schools since 1996.

The Box Tops app gives participants the ability to earn for any school across the country with just the touch of a button. Plus, the Box Tops app allows you to search for schools that could use a little extra help, so you can help give students in low-income schools the opportunity to succeed.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS: Buy participating products and use the Box Tops app to scan your store receipt. The app identifies eligible products and earnings are credited to your designated school online. Even if you’re shopping online or doing grocery pickup, you can still submit your digital or email receipt with the Box Tops app and earn. Twice a year, our school gets a check!

See a list of participating products at BTFE.COM/PRODUCTS

Box Tops earnings really add up, and the more people that participate, the bigger the impact we can make. So let’s give our teachers the support they need and give more kids the opportunity to succeed. Together, we can help make a big difference!

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance. Our school office will be open, Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM to address any concerns you may have. Here's to another great week at Orchard Park Middle School. Go Quakers!

Thanks,

Mary Kate Graham

OPMS Principal

The OPMS Observer is my weekly newsletter to families. I will send The OPMS Observer out weekly, typically on Mondays. You will receive a text link and an email each week to the newsletter. This is the best source of receiving updated information weekly from the school. I do provide quite an abundance of information in these newsletters and I will remove information in which the deadline has past.

We are excited to share that families have the option to participate in the 8th-grade trip to Washington, D.C. in May 2025! This trip offers students a chance to explore our nation’s capital, visit historic landmarks, and engage in enriching experiences. For more details, including the itinerary and costs, please refer to the documents linked below. We encourage all families to consider this wonderful opportunity for their students! Stay tuned for more updates!

The OPMS PTO monthly meeting dates have been changed from Wednesdays to Mondays. The meetings will take place in the OPMS Library from 9 - 10 AM on the following dates:

• October 7, 2024
• November 4, 2024
• January 13, 2025
• February 10, 2025
• March 10, 2025
• April 7, 2025
• May 12, 2025

Monday, January 13, 2025

• OPMS PTO Meeting @ 9:00 AM

Monday, January 20, 2025

• No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

• No School - Lunar New Year

Thursday, February 6, 2025

• 8th Grade Parent and Student High School Scheduling Night