Dear Oak Middle School Families,

I hope you all enjoyed the recent snow day (Thursday) and are enjoying the snow today!

This week, we began the PBIS “Passport Week” at OMS! PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) is a program students have been actively involved in. Last month, they shared feedback on the school-wide behavior expectations at Oak. Now, they are watching videos made by their teachers that demonstrate expected behaviors, and they are visiting different areas of Oak and reviewing the expectations in-person. As they visit each location and review the expectations, they get a stamp on their PBIS passport. Once their passport is fully stamped, it will be entered into a raffle, and your student will have the chance to earn a prize!

Additionally, Student Council has launched a fundraiser called “Coins for Cali,” where they are raising funds for California wildfire victims. Donations are also counted toward the ongoing Color Cup competition! As the fundraiser continues, your student may ask you for some funds to donate to the cause.

This week is Spirit Week! Here are the dates for the dress-up days:

2/12 (Wednesday): Students Dress as Teachers

2/13 (Thursday): Favorite Sports Jersey

2/14 (Friday): Show Your Heart - Dress in Pink or Red

Important Note: Monday and Tuesday are undercover staff spirit days, so there is no dress-up component for students. Instead, students will guess what our theme is on each of those days!

Important Updates for 8th Grade Families: Please note the following updates regarding SHS (Shrewsbury High School) course registration:

Week of 2/10: SHS Course Registration Presentations on Teams

High school guidance counselors will be coming to Oak to present information to the 8th-grade teams:

Monday, 2/10: 8 Teal 1-2, 8 Gold 2-3

Tuesday, 2/11: 8 Blue 10:25-11:25

Wednesday, 2/12: 8 Red 11:45-12:45, 8 Green 1-2

2/11 (Tuesday): Incoming Freshman Info Night for Parents @ SHS, starting at 6:30 PM

On January 8, 2025 the following documents were unanimously approved by the School Committee:

An updated School Committee policy on bullying prevention and intervention

An updated district bullying prevention and intervention plan

These are aligned with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 71, Section 37O.

For more information on how to report suspected bullying and a summary of the district’s bullying prevention and intervention plan, please open this link. We have also shared the form with students on the Oak Middle School Schoology page, and we encourage you to review it with your child.

I hope everyone has a happy, healthy, and restful break. My next newsletter will be on Sunday, February 23rd.

Please reach out with any questions or concerns. We are committed to working together to ensure a successful year for all our students.

In partnership,

Hallie Burak
Principal
508-841-1210
hburak@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us

Michelle Dillon
Assistant Principal Grade 7
mdillon@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
508-841-1205

Scott Yonker
Assistant Principal Grade 8
508-841-1213
syonker@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us

Congratulations to Aindri Roy, Oak Middle School’s 2024-2025 Project 351 Ambassador! Aindri is an exceptional student and role model whose kindness, humility, and leadership inspire everyone around her. She excels academically, participates in Model UN and Math Olympiad, and is an accomplished dancer and Indian classical singer. Her resilience, gratitude, and strength shine through in all she does, embodying the values of excellence, respect, and service—making her the perfect representative for Oak Middle School.

This week guidance counselors from Shrewsbury High School will be coming to each 8th grade team to talk and answer questions about Course Registration, which will take place here at school during the week of 3/10.

Below is a general timeline of what to expect with Course Registration:

2/3: SHS Program of Studies available to students & families (see below link)

https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/high/schoolcounseling/program-of-studies

Week of 2/10: SHS Course Registration Presentations on Team

2/11: Incoming Freshman Info Night for Parents @ SHS on Tuesday, 2/11/23 at 6:30

2/24-3/7: Teachers begin making placement recommendations in PowerSchool

Week of 3/10-3/14: Students register (in school) for SHS

Band

Bissonnette, Ethan

Boulay, Joceline

Heisen, Thomas

Kim, Chong-Hyun

Martin, Ara

Peng, Caleb

Sadavarte, Nirav

Shea, Halina

Swaminathan, Keerthi

Teuscher, Kaylani

Zheng, Jacky

Chorus

Acquah, Dyra

Avellaneda, Maya

Bharath, Sana

Chhabra, Suveer

Emmydisetty, Ahaan

Ganesh, Sai

Griswold, Ethan

Higgins, Connor

Inavolu, Hansi

Kadu, Vedika

Macomber, Devin

Mujumdar, Saina

Mulryan, Corwin

Parry-Cruwys, Finnian

Pillai, Sonakshi

Pratt, Jacob

Shenoy, Shriram

Siebels, Charlotte

Vidyaprakash, Vibhashini

Wu, Ivana

Orchestra

Fan, Leonard

Huang, Chloe

Lee, Seongeon

Li, Aaron

Ma, Joanna

Raghu, Nishta

Veedgav, Varsha

Vignesh, Reyansh

Wang, Elena

Yang, Emma

Zhang, Katherine

Zhang, William

This is great, thank you!

This li

On January 8, 2025 the following documents were unanimously approved by the School Committee:

1. An updated School Committee policy on bullying prevention and intervention
2. An updated district bullying prevention and intervention plan

These are aligned with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 71, Section 37O.

Open this link for more information regarding how to report suspected bullying and for a summary of the district’s bullying prevention and intervention plan. Please also review this form with your child. We have shared the form with them in Schoology as well.

This week’s Lunch and Learn is Ms. Adrienne Graham who works in Human Resources (or "Talent Acquisition”). Her job is to help people find the right job for them. If you enjoy meeting new people, asking thoughtful questions, and coming up with creative ways to help others discover meaningful career opportunities, this could be an excellent career path for you! The best part is that you don’t need a specific degree or certification to get started in Talent Acquisition. While some people choose to go to college first, others jump right in and gain experience on the job. This field offers plenty of opportunities for growth, so if you’re curious, people-focused, and love helping others succeed, Talent Acquisition could be a rewarding career to pursue! Students can meet with Ms. Graham during their lunch period on Friday, February 14th.

Dear Families,

One of the three commitments in the Shrewsbury Public Schools Strategic Priorities includes Enhanced Well-Being of All, "Shrewsbury Public Schools prioritizes the social, emotional, behavioral, mental, and physical health of all students and staff by creating safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments. This is accomplished by intentionally providing learning opportunities where all Shrewsbury Public Schools students and staff feel valued, supported, and empowered." As part of this ongoing work, the district gathers student feedback from students in grades 3-12 about the degree to which they experience belonging, equity, and inclusion in our schools. Student feedback informs the work in which we engage each day-at school and at home. Panorama is the survey tool that the district uses to accomplish this goal. Panorama's data tools help to ensure that we collect valid and reliable information.

Panorama’s student survey is brief. Students complete the survey in 10-15 minutes during the school day. School leaders and educators receive a significant amount of data that informs teaching and learning across the district. Panorama's survey tool components and related question sets can be reviewed in their entirety below:

• SEL survey topics

• Equity and Inclusion survey topics

• Click here to read an FAQ document that the company developed

Opt Out Option

While we seek to obtain feedback from as many students as possible, families may opt out if you do not want your child(ren) to participate in the survey. Students who opt out will be provided with an alternative task during the survey administration. To opt your student(s) out of the fall administration of the Panorama survey, please send an email to surveyoptout@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 14th.

Thank you for your ongoing support!

POISE, a parent support group for Shrewsbury Speech and Debate, is excited to announce an incredible opportunity for your middle schooler this winter break!

With POISE: Becoming a Confident Public Speaker
Looking to build confidence and master the art of public speaking? Join our Public Speaking Camp from February 18 to February 20, where students will have a blast learning how to:

• Express themselves clearly

• Captivate an audience

• Share ideas with confidence

Through engaging activities, interactive coaching, and expert tips, participants will gain skills to become confident speakers while having fun and making new friends!

Bonus: Campers will be coached by members of Shrewsbury High School's award-winning, nationally ranked Speech and Debate team, which is recognized among the top 20 teams in the country!

Sign Up Now: https://www.shrewsburysd.org/poise/wintercamp

Oak PTO News | 2.9.25

Get Pumped! The Harlem Wizards are coming to town.

Do you have another child in a Shrewsbury elementary school? Ask their school leaders or PTO members about the upcoming Harlem Wizards game on April 1. The Sherwood/Oak PTO would like all elementary schools to get in on the fun and have a chance to raise money for their school. The more tickets sold, the more their school can earn. Tickets will be going on sale soon, so stay tuned!

Want to get involved or just share your ideas? We’re all ears.

Fill out this quick 2024-2025 Sherwood/Oak PTO survey.

Join the PTO on Zoom Whether you just want to listen in and ask questions or want to get involved, join the monthly PTO Zoom meeting to get all the info you need.

Next meeting: Thursday, March 6 at 7:00pm.

Here’s how to join: https://app.zoom.us/wc

Meeting ID: 851 4598 4921

Let’s get social.

Follow the Sherwood/Oak PTO on Facebook @ShrewsburyMiddleSchoolPTO and Instagram @sherwood.oakpto for news and information.

We have recently given students the chance to recognize their teachers/staff members for going above and beyond, and now we would like to extend that same opportunity to families. If you would like to acknowledge a teacher or staff member for their amazing work, please fill out the form linked HERE. We will be sharing this recognition directly with the staff member(s) so they know how much their efforts are appreciated.

February

11- 8th Grade Parent Information Night at SHS

Spirit Week

2/12 Wednesday: Students Dress as Teachers

2/13 Thursday: Favorite Sports Jersey

2/14 Friday: Show your Heart dress in Pink or Red

13 -Community Meetings No BCOE

14 - No Homework Due Monday, Feb 24th no quizzes, tests or other assessments on Feb 24th

2/17-2/21: February Break- NO SCHOOL25 - Department Meeting

27 - Advisory Day

28 - MCAS Team Trial - Team TBD

A reminder to Sherwood Speech Team members that there are no meetings on February 13th or February 27th. Contact Ms. Manos with any questions.

If students are interested in joining a club or activity, they should check the Oak Middle School Schoology page. This is where all up-to-date information about dates, times, and advisors is posted. They can also check the club and activity wall in the main office or the cafeteria windows. Many clubs and activities will be starting soon, and we encourage students to get involved beyond the school day!

Below is a PDF of the different offerings.

Free late bus service will be available for students at Shrewsbury High, Oak Middle, and Sherwood Middle Schools on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Buses depart SHS at 3:50 PM and the middle schools at 4:20 PM.

This limited service has fixed routes (red, green, blue) with centralized stops, which may not cover all neighborhoods. Please review the schedule to choose the best route and stop. Families are responsible for pickup from the centralized stops.

Sign up using the school’s Google form.

More info: https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/transportation/late-bus.

Questions? Contact April Yu at transportation@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us or 508-841-8363.

Attendance:
Massachusetts law (G.L. c. 76, § 1) requires students aged 6-16 to attend school. Principals must meet with families if a student has 5 or more unexcused absences. You may receive a notification if your child’s attendance is concerning. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more school days, excused or not. Consistent attendance is critical, and we will support students trending toward absenteeism.

Child Safe Procedures:
If your child will be absent or late, please call 508-841-1200 (option 1 for Oak Attendance) the night before or the morning of the absence. Clearly spell your child’s first and last name. If we don't receive a call, we will contact parents or emergency contacts to ensure the child's safety. Remember, students absent from school cannot participate in after-school activities.

Early Dismissal:
Early dismissals should be rare as they disrupt learning and end-of-day routines. Notify the office (talvarez@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us) and your child's teachers via note or email. Students cannot arrange dismissals themselves.

The Food for Families Pantry at Oak Middle School is open and available to support any family, no matter the size or duration of the need. Families can choose between the Weekender Program, which provides individual meals for students to take home on Fridays, or the Biweekly Program, offering groceries and household items every other Friday. Both options are confidential, and no documentation is required. To access the pantry, contact the OMS nurses at 508-841-1204 or oaknurse@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us.

The Locker is a donation-based program at Oak, providing clothing and personal care items for families in need within our district. We strive to offer support in a discreet and confidential manner, ensuring your comfort throughout the process. If your child would like to help select items, they are welcome to visit our neatly organized closet to choose what they prefer. Alternatively, we can send items home with your student or arrange pick-up through the health office.

Please complete this form if you would like help:

https://forms.gle/tnuzo69hdmZXvNjA6

Please enter through the water tower entrance, drive up the hill, and pull up as far as possible—ideally to the second entrance. This helps ensure an efficient drop-off process and is considerate of other parents.

Students should exit the car on the Oak building side.

Grade 7

Last Names A-L: Laura Candelaria

LCandelaria@Shrewsbury.k12.ma.us

508-841-1240

Last Names M-Z:

Jennifer Lencioni

JLencioni@Shrewsbury.k12.ma.us

508-841-1214

Grade 8

Last Names A-L:

Amy Wallace

AWallace@Shrewsbury.k12.ma.us

508-841-8761

Last Names M-Z:

Kristen Minio

KMinio@Shrewsbury.k12.ma.us

508-841-1212