Principal Rubino's Newsletter

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This week we celebrate Thanksgiving and enjoy a short week due to the upcoming holiday. I wanted to start by thanking the Ottoson community. I enjoy serving as your school's building principal and am truly honored and grateful to a part of this wonderful community of learners.

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, there will not be a newsletter published next Sunday, Dec. 1. You can expect the next newsletter to hit inboxes on Sunday, Dec. 8. If there is information to share in between those dates, I will send it via email.

Eighth-grade families, on Friday, I sent an email about the upcoming visit/tour of AHS happening on Friday, Dec. 13. This event is for students only. Students should go straight to AHS that morning rather than OMS. OMS eighth-grade teachers will meet students at AHS and take attendance at the high school. Students will board buses to head back to OMS around 11:30 a.m. The letter mentioned an event in January in the evening for parents, but did not include a date. The January date is TBD as the high school is still confirming schedules. As soon as the official date is confirmed, I will notify families. Apologies for any confusion.

Please remind your students about Spirit Week! See below for an overview of each day's event. After school, we will have a photo booth area set up where students can take pictures and enter themselves into the friendly competition. Students will be allowed to use their cell phone during the after school photo booth activity.

Also, please see below for more information on the OMS Food Drive happening now through Dec. 13.

Mark your calendar!

The second meeting of the OMS Caregiver Book Club will take place on Monday, Dec. 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. We are discussing “Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times” by Phyllis L. Fagell. We will choose the next book to read at this event.

This is directly before the APS Responsible Technology Forum. Consider coming to the book club and staying for the forum!

Arlington Community Resources is a list of organizations available in the community to support your family.

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:

• Monday, Nov. 25
• SPIRIT WEEK - Pajama Day
• Tuesday, Nov. 26
• SPIRIT WEEK - Twin Day
• Wednesday, Nov. 27
• SPIRIT WEEK - Anything But a Backpack
• Early Release at 12 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 28 - Friday, Nov. 29
• No School; Thanksgiving Break

Looking Ahead:

• Monday, Dec. 2
• Caregiver Book Club - 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• APS Responsible Technology Use Forum - 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 3
• PTO Meeting; 6 p.m. at Gibbs
• Sand field trip to Boda Borg
• Thursday, Dec. 5
• Storm and Sky field trip to Boda Borg
• Tuesday, Dec. 10
• Coffee & Conversation with Principal Rubino via Zoom
• Topic: Meet Interim Assistant Principal Christopher Mahoney
• 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
• Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82016907168?pwd=OKaqamZxVukvCsoVKxjH8eYasaUmPg.1
• Winter Concert; 6:30 p.m. at OMS
• Friday, Dec. 13
• 8th grade visit to AHS
• Wednesday, Dec. 18
• Early Release at 1:30 p.m.
• Chorus Concert at 6:30 p.m. at AHS
• Dec. 23 - Jan. 1
• School Vacation Week - Happy 2025!

Arlington Public Schools District Calendar

The photo booth will be available starting at 3 p.m. in the entrance of the OMS cafeteria. The photo booth will be available before school starting at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday due to the early release.

As we head into the winter months, please keep the school nurses informed of any respiratory and/or other illnesses that your student may experience. It is important information to share so that we can monitor any illness trends in our school community.

No medication should be brought to school by the students. In order to protect all students, the following procedure is used when a student must take medication during school hours. Please find the full medication policy here.

We are excited that all caregivers of Ottoson students are now able to access the SNAP Health Portal. The portal is a fast and easy way for you to communicate health information for your child to the school nurse and receive information from the school nurse. Please sign in to your SNAP Health Portal and update the standing order medications permissions for this school year so that the nurses can provide your student with necessary medications if needed when they visit the health office.

If you have any questions please reach out to the Ottoson School Nurses at ottoson.nurse@arlington.k12.ma.us.

Our best,

Sarah Barker (8th grade) and Jillian Gomes (7th Grade)

Ottoson Middle School Nurses

Students plan, design, print, and build 3-D animals during technology class this past week.

Knitwits, the after school knitting and crochet club, provides students with a way to express their creativity, connect with peers, and relax at the end of a week. They meet every Friday in room 302. Stop by! You do not need to know how to knit or crochet; they will teach you!

Please click the photo for more information on the OMS Food Drive and see how your student can support Arlington Eats.

Are you concerned about your child’s screen time? Looking for effective strategies to promote healthy technology habits? Join us for a series of engaging discussions designed for parents and caregivers!

In this forum, we’ll explore practical ways to reduce screen time, delve into parental controls for various devices, and examine the research on how excessive screen use impacts student learning. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other parents, share experiences, and learn from experts and each other.

Meetings will be held throughout the year, fostering a supportive community focused on nurturing our children’s well-being in a digital age. Together, we can make informed choices about technology use and create a balanced environment for our kids. Don’t miss out—let’s navigate this journey together!

Interested? Please join us at the Ottoson Middle Cafeteria on Monday, December 2nd from 6:30pm-7:30pm.

RSVP today using the following link:

Join the APS Responsible Tech Use Forum!

For more information, please contact Dan Hammond M.Ed at dhammond@arlington.k12.ma.us.

Mr. Hammond will be leading these workshops as part of his Educational Leadership Masters Program.

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. Everything remaining will be donated after Thanksgiving!

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.

The staff list will be available on the website at the start of school. We are in the process of updating it to reflect the new learning community assignments and new OMS staff. I will feature our new staff, including photos, in a future newsletter.