Good afternoon OHS families,

I hope this newsletter finds you well.

There are 21 school days left and there is still lots to do.

Grade 4 Math MCAS will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Grade 5 will wrap up the Spring 24 season on Thursday and Friday.

Our final week for our Food Drive! Students have done an amazing job at bringing in food items to be donated to local food banks. We had a representative from Damien's Food Pantry visit Center School. They will be at OHS this week. Scholastic Book Fairs are coming! In the Spring the PTA is pleased to bring back: Buy One Get One! Perfect to stock up for summer reading!

• The Center School Book Fair will be May 13 - May 17. Please check this out to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0E49A4A623A6FB6-49516869-center

• The OHS Book Fair will be May 20 - May 24. VolunteerSignup - Online volunteer signup sheets - Book Fair OHS 5/20 through 5/24/24 signup sheet

Reminder: If you want to volunteer at the Bookfair or Field Day
you must have an updated CORI on file. Please contact the
office with any questions.

Have a great week.

Kevin Tavares

This book fair is Buy One Get One - so stock up for summer reading!

Public shopping: Parents, guardians, and family members are welcome to shop at the book fair. Enter through the school front door and sign in at the office.

Classroom visits: Students will visit the book fair during their Specialist Library time. Students can purchase books at this time too.

Times: Family shopping hours

8:00 - 8:40 am

8:40 - 9:10

9:30 - 10:00

10:20 - 10:50

2:45 - 3:45pm

Monday

5/20

Letendre

Barrows

Sunde

Tuesday

5/21

Open to Parents and Students 2:45 - 3:45

Wednesday

5/22

Open to Parents and Students 8:00 - 8:40

Letourneau

Casi

Mare

Thursday

5/23

Jacobsen

Trudell

Casi

Open to Parents and Students 2:45 - 3:45

Friday

5/24

Open to Parents and Students 8:00 - 8:40

Payment: There are several ways to make purchases at the book fair:

• Cash

• Check (payable to: Mattapoisett PTA)

• Credit Card

Online Ordering: Online shopping is available:

• Scholastic Book Fair

• Click on “Find a Fair” and type in “02739”

• Online shopping dates: 5/20 through 5/24/24

• Free shipping at certain ordering levels

Gift certificates: You can purchase gift certificates for your teachers!

• Purchase gift certificates for your child’s classroom teacher or specialist in $5 increments ($5, $10, $15, $20, and up)

• Send cash or check in an envelope marked “Mattapoisett PTA – Book Fair Gift Certificate” with your child’s name, teacher name, and payment method

• PTA will deliver the gift certificate to the teacher that day

All questions can be directed to: ptamattapoisett@gmail.com.

Thank you for supporting the OHS Book Fair and Library,

Mattapoisett PTA & Ms. Mirabito, Librarian

In September, our Districts will begin the transition to the new IEP form from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Our Student Services team has been attending trainings and preparing for this upcoming transition. IEP forms will be converted during the 2024-2025 school year. On May 14th, in collaboration with SMEC (Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative), we invite you to join us remotely for a presentation from Allan Blume regarding the new document. Mr. Blume has dedicated his career to enhancing the educational experiences of children with special needs. Register here.

The Mr. T Food Drive to Reduce Food Insecurities Campaign continues!

Mr. T is challenging OHS and Center School students to bring in non-perishible items and win school rewards! Items brought in will benefit our neighbors at Damien's Food Pantry, the Sheperd's Pantry, and the Marion Council on Aging Food Pantry. Each week grades are asked to bring in items (check out the flier for suggested items and make sure they have not expired). The more items that come in the better the chances for students to win!

--April 29 - May 3: Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 4 --May 6 - May 10: Project Grow, Grade 2 and Grade 5 --May 13 - May 17: Grade 3 and Grade 6 Students will be able to track progress towards the goal at each school to see how close they are to WINNING! -

The PTA is pleased to bring you our 3rd Annual Spring Fling Auction; the Auction starts April 29 (8 am) and ends May 10 (8 pm) and takes place entirely on online - bid from the comfort of your couch! Check out the auction at https://www.32auctions.com/PTA_2024_Auction. Funds raised in this auction will provide additional access to science, math, and arts programs for our students, and give general support to our schools. Also, a portion of the funds will help defray costs associated with Field Day and end of the year programs. Winners will be notified by email after the auction closes. Will require local pickup unless item is digital (check listing information).

The PTA provided funding to have the Button Wood Zoo visit Kindergartners on April 29. Teacher Appreciation Week (TAW) is coming soon, May 6 - May 10! We take this week to celebrate all teachers and staff who are at Center School and OHS. They make every day special! Appreciation Breakfast sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4BADAB28A5F85-48910069-teacher Appreciation Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3B6LZXQR2KM3A?ref_=wl_share (For delivery, if you select Erin Cortes it will get shipped to school directly) -

Join us for our final meeting May 9, 2024 at 7pm. Email us at ptamattapoisett@gmail.com for access to join the meeting.

Thank you!

-Bridget, Mackenzie, Amanda, and Andrea

The next PTA meeting will be on May 9, 2024 @ 7 PM by Zoom. Please email Mr. T if you would like to participate in the meeting and the link will be sent to you.

5/14 NO JAZZ BAND
5/15 Concert Band 7:30 am
5/15 Sportfit. Pickup 4:00 pm
5/16 Concert Band 7:30 am
5/16 Robotics pick up at 4:00 pm
5/17 Chorus 7:45 am

Monday, May 20 - Friday, May 24 OHS Bookfair

Tuesday, May 21 - 6th Grade Cuttyhunk Boat Trip –

Leave promptly at 8:30

Pick up at New Bedford Pier at 3:45

Friday, May 24, 2024 ORR Senior Walk Through

Monday, May 27, 2024 NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, May 29, 2024 Band & Chorus Spring Concert

1:15; and 5:30

Friday, May 31, 2024 OHS Field Day

Tuesday, June 4, 2024 3 rd Grade to visit 9:00-10:00

6th Grade to ORRJRHS 10:00-12:00

Wednesday, June 5, 2024 EARLY RELEASE 12:20

Friday, June 7, 2024 6th Grade Boat Dance Onset
Leave school at 9:30 and return at 1:30

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 LAST DAY-Early Release 12:20 PM

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 LAST DAY-Early Release 12:20 PM Dismissal
6th Grade Ceremony 10:30 AM
NO BREAKFAST OR LUNCH SERVED ON THE LAST DAY

https://cs.oldrochester.org/families-students/community

Phone: 508-758-6241

Main Office / Principal's Secretary: Mrs. Jennifer Janicki

School Nurse: Mrs. Amy Ripley

School Adjustment Counselor: Mrs. Bethanie Grant

If your child participates in instrumental music lessons and band, please be sure that they are prepared with their instruments and music folders. This will eliminate the need to call home. Thanks

Tuesday

• Jazz Band 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
  

Wednesday

• Concert Band Rehearsal @7:30 a.m.

Thursday

• Concert Band Rehearsal @ 7:30 a.m.
• 4th Grade Lessons: Please be sure they have their instruments. We will no longer call home for forgotten instruments.

Friday

• Chorus @7:45 a.m.
  

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has signed into law on August 09, 2023; all children in public schools will receive 1 FREE Breakfast and 1 FREE Lunch per day, permanently.

All schools participate in the National School Lunch Program, offering free or reduced-price meals to students who meet the state and federal income guidelines. Although all students will receive free school meals, if you believe your family meets these guidelines, we encourage you to complete the meal application online at www.orrschoolmeals.com. If you received free or reduced-price lunches last year, you must complete a new application each school year.

Click here for Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Please note if a students will need to purchase milk or water when they want to add them to a lunch brought from home. Milk is included with a free school meal.

The Feinstein Foundation is a registered 501(c) based in Cranston, RI that was founded by Alan Shawn Feinstein in 1991 to recognize and encourage youngsters to do good deeds and be kind whenever possible. There are now over 600,000 children who have participated in the Feinstein Leadership school program and are recognized as Feinstein Jr. Scholars for promising to do good deeds to make our world a better place. Each Jr. Scholar receives an identity card which provides them and their guest with complimentary admissions to prominent attractions throughout Southern New England. There are currently 200+ Feinstein Leadership Schools as well as The Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Education and Professional Studies at the University of Rhode Island, The Feinstein College of Arts and Sciences at Roger Williams College, The Feinstein School of Education and Human Development at Rhode Island College, The Feinstein International Famine Center at Tufts University, and the Feinstein Institute for Public Service at Providence College.

All health screenings conducted in school are required by Massachusetts Law. Screenings are ongoing throughout the school year. Parents and legal guardians shall be provided with an opportunity to request, in writing, that their child not participate in the program. This request must be written each year and be specific to which screening you do not wish your child to participate.

Spinal Screening
Postural screening is conducted for all grades 5 – 9. Parents are notified of concerns and referred to their physician for follow-up.

Vision Screening
Vision screening is conducted for all grades 1 – 5, 7 and 10. Parents are notified if the student does not pass for referral to their physician for follow-up.

Hearing Screening
Hearing screening is conducted for all grades K - 3, 7 and 10. Parents are notified if the student does not pass for referral to their physician for follow-up.

Growth Development Screening
Growth screening is conducted for students in grades 1, 4, 7 & 10. Heights and weights are measured.

Screenings will be conducted the week after February vacation.

Please update the Nurses Emergency Form in PowerSchool. This is valuable information in the event of an unexpected illness or emergency.

The fifth graders of Old Hammondtown School will participate in the human growth and
development aspect of the health/science curriculum on Friday, April 12th. This program
focuses on the changes our students go through during puberty. The school nurse, Mrs. Amy
Ripley, the health teacher, Mrs. Brittany Guertin, the sixth-grade science teacher, Mr. Squire,
and the physical education teacher, Mr. Chad Cabeceiras, will facilitate this portion of the
curriculum.
Program materials will be available upon request for parental review. If you have any questions
or concerns, please contact the OHS Health Office.
If you decide that you do not wish your child to participate in the human growth and
development portion of the curriculum, you have the right, as specified by the Mattapoisett
School Committee, to exclude your child. Should this be your desire please notify the school in
writing and we will assign an appropriate alternative activity for your child. Again, please feel
free to contact the school if you have any questions or concerns at (508) 758-6241.