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.

Don't forget that today is the day to sign up for January conferences. The platform opens at 5 p.m.! Reminder below on the booking process:

To book a conference, please do the following:

1. Login to the APS PowerSchool Parent Portal (https://aps.powerschool.com)
2. Click the PowerSchool application launch icon (box with arrow in top right of screen), followed by the Conference Manger menu option. Illustrated directions accessing the Conference Manager can be accessed using the following link: https://www.schoolsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/PowerSchool-CM-Login-Directions-.pdf
3. Select the date desired. You should see either a full list of teachers or an abbreviated list of the teachers of your child. Select the teacher(s) with whom you want to book an appointment and then a time from available time slots. Complete the booking form for each teacher and time block you select.

As a reminder, please only sign up for one conference. In order to accommodate all requests for conferences, if you already had a conference in November, then you cannot sign up for a conference in January. You are always welcome to reach out to your child's teacher via email if you have questions about your child's progress and/or academic growth.

As in November, caregivers will have an opportunity to select to meet with either their child's English and science teacher or their child's math and social studies teacher. Conferences are scheduled for a 10-minute chunk of time and the teachers from the learning community will be able to comment on your child's progress in all four subjects - English, math, science and social studies. Additionally, you will be able to sign up for a five minute conference with your child's world language and specials (i.e. art, music, P.E., etc.) teachers.

A few things of note...

Early Release on Wednesday:

This Wednesday students will be released at 1:20 p.m. for staff professional development.

Upcoming school vacation:

As we will be off for December break next week, I will not be publishing a newsletter next Sunday. My next newsletter will be on Sunday, Jan. 5. If there are reminders or messages that need to be sent between now and that point in time, I will certainly send an email!

December school vacation is Dec. 23 - Jan. 1. We return to school on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025!

This first part of the school year sure did fly by. As I've said many times already, it's been wonderful returning to the Arlington community. It feels like home and I'm enjoying getting to know everyone in the community. I hope everyone enjoys the upcoming holidays and has some time to rest and rejuvenate over the school vacation. I look forward to 2025 and all this is yet to come!

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:

• Sunday, Dec. 15
• Conference signups open at 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 17
• Jewish Club - Festive Party after school in room 230. All welcome!

• Wednesday, Dec. 18
• Early Release at 1:20 p.m.
• Chorus Concert at 6:30 p.m. at AHS

Looking Ahead:

• Dec. 23 - Jan. 1
• School Vacation Week - Happy 2025!
• Monday, Jan. 6
• Artwork for MLK Day Celebration due to social studies teacher (see more below)
• Wednesday, Jan. 15
• Early Release at 11:45 a.m.
• Conferences (in-person): 12:15 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 16
• Conferences (via-Zoom/Google Meet): 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Monday, Jan. 20
• No School: MLK Day
• Tuesday, Jan. 28
• Last Day of Q2
• Wednesday, Jan. 29
• First Day of Q3

Arlington Public Schools District Calendar

8th grade Latin students navigate a choose your own adventure story about the destruction of Pompeii in Latin.

Each group gets to choose what route to take to save themselves and their fictional families. Regardless of the outcome, they got to write and share the final scene themselves in Latin.

Ms. Lauchlan set the library up to be the city of Pompeii, complete with a projected erupting volcano!

We had an incredible amount of food donated to Arlington Eats as part of the collaborative food drive efforts of the OMS Peer Leaders and an AHS senior. Thank you to all who contributed! The photos below are only some of the items collected.

Congratulations to student performers in the OMS band and orchestra who performed for families on Tuesday evening.

We extend a special congratulations and well-wishes to Ms. Paula Demetrio, who will be retiring in January. This past week’s concert marked her final performance as the director of the OMS band and jazz band. We are deeply grateful for her countless years of service and dedication to the students of Arlington Public Schools. We wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.

In Ms. Keyes' seventh-grade global studies classes, student participated in a silent dialogue activity, using chart paper and markers. Students responded to critical questions to help them synthesize their learning.

This week in Ms. Harte's eighth-grade English classes, students participated in an inquiry based Socratic Seminar, engaging in text-based dialogue around emerging themes in paired texts.

Thunder Students attended a field trip on Friday, Nov. 15.

Students visited Long Wharf in Boston and viewed the flooding due to a super high spring tide and rising sea levels. Students then followed the High Tide Trail to Dock Square at Faneuil Hall.

Every year Arlington celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King with an event at Town Hall. In 2025 this will include musical performances and artwork by Arlington Public School students. For this year’s theme, we are calling on our young artists to make 2D artwork responding to the following quote from Dr. King’s 1963 collection of sermons, Strength to Love:

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."

Possible Themes: Your artwork can be about nearly anything this quote inspires. It can show events from the life of Dr. King and the Modern Civil Rights Movement (1947-1968), or it could focus on recent and current events, and other people and leaders who fought for civil and human rights. Your response can also focus on social issues, politics, and your own life and our community. Lastly, your artwork can be illustrative, and represent real life, or it can be made up entirely of abstract, non-representational colors and shapes that show what this quote makes you think and feel.

Media Requirements: Your artwork can be in any two-dimensional medium (sorry, no sculptures or films), including drawing, painting, collage, digital art, printmaking, mixed media, and photography.

Dimensions: Your artwork must be 30” or less in one of its dimensions.

Statement: Please also submit a title and an artist statement explaining your artwork and the choices you made. This should be at least 50-150 words.

Submission Instructions: Please use this form to submit:

• An image of your artwork

• Title

• List of materials

• Artist statement

Also please hand in a physical copy of your artwork to your art or social studies teacher. Winning entries will be announced by Monday, January 13.

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!

There is still time for students to join the OMS History Day club and compete in the MA History Day district competition in March. To compete in the contest, students must contact Mr. Levy (jlevy@arlington.k12.ma) by Friday 12/20.

The Chess Club meets Monday and Thursday mornings from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m.. The chess club is more of a social club that also plays chess. The chess club is for all levels of chess players and includes lessons, tournaments, team chess, and chess variants. The Chess Club runs through AM/PM programming. Please click here to register.

Arlington Scout Troop 306 is running our 12th Annual Troop 306 for Teens Holiday Gift Drive and YOU can help! We are working with the Department of Children & Families to serve 250 local teens in need.

Please consider dropping off new, unwrapped items such as hats, gloves, scarves, socks, art supplies, journals, water bottles, gift cards, or small games at the following locations anytime through December 8th:

• Arlington Police Department (112 Mystic St) - Arlington Center
  

• First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church (630 Massachusetts Ave) – Arlington Center
  

• Leader Bank (141 Massachusetts Ave) – East Arlington
  

• Leader Bank (1201 Massachusetts Ave) – Arlington Heights
  

• LivFit (471 Massachusetts Ave) – Arlington Center
  

• Mill Café (14 Mill Street) – Arlington Center
  

• The Roasted Granola (1346 Massachusetts Ave) – Arlington Heights
  

You can also donate via our Amazon wishlist!

(Order before December 3rd for in-time delivery!)

https://bit.ly/2024Troop306Amazon

Or, consider a donation to our gift card fund!

Gift cards are a popular choice, as they give teens the excitement of shopping for themselves!

https://bit.ly/2024Troop306giftcards

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.