Overlook Monthly News
September/August 2023
New beginnings!
Dear Parents and Students,
As the summer sun begins to set, we find ourselves eagerly anticipating the dawn of a new school year filled with endless possibilities. It is with great excitement and joy that we extend our warmest welcome to all our incredible students and their families. The hallways may have been silent for a while, but soon they will be buzzing with laughter, friendship, and the pursuit of knowledge.
The upcoming year promises to be a journey of discovery, growth, and boundless opportunities. Our dedicated faculty and staff have been working tirelessly to create an enriching and nurturing environment where each student can flourish academically, socially, and personally. From captivating lessons to engaging extracurricular activities, we are committed to fostering a holistic learning experience that will empower our students to reach for the stars.
So, here's to new beginnings, to reuniting with old friends and making new ones, and to embracing the challenges and triumphs that lie ahead. We can't wait to embark on this remarkable journey with all of you.
Welcome or welcome back to Overlook where curiosity knows no bounds, and the adventure of learning never ends!
Warmest regards,
Kristina Bogosh
Welcome Night for New Students and Incoming Grade 6
Our Welcome Night was a huge success! A huge thanks to the PTO volunteers and teachers who attended and made the night a great success!
Notice From Nurse Taylor's Office
In order to play fall sports, you must have an up-to-date physical in the last 13 months and must go to the Athletic website page and complete the online registration. Any questions please contact Athletic Director edawley@awrsd.org.
If your child received any immunizations over the summer, please send documentation to the health office. Incoming grade 7 students will typically receive TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) and meningitis vaccine at this age.
Dates to Remember
June 2023
August/September Dates to Remember
Monday, August 21 6th grade & New Student Welcome Night/4-6pm
Wednesday, August 23 First Day for Staff - Professional Development
Thursday, August 24 Staff - Professional Development
Monday, August 28 🚸First Day of School🚸
Tuesday, August 29 6th grade Parent Orientation 6:30-8pm
Friday, September 1 No School
Monday, September 4 No School, Labor Day
Wednesday, September 6 7th & 8th grade Parent Orientation, 6:30-8pm
Wednesday, September 13 School Picture Day
Wednesday, September 13 Sidewalk Chalk Art Show with Ms. Bennett and Mr. Szalay 2-3:30pm
Friday, September 15 Back to School Dance, 2-3:30pm
Tuesday, September 19 Drama Club Auditions
Wednesday, September 20 Drama Club Auditions
Thursday, September 21 Drama Club Auditions
Wednesday, September 20 Half Day, Professional Development, dismissal @ 10:59am
Fall Athletic Info
Tryout Schedule & Coach Contact
Fall Sports 2023
Field Hockey
Coach: Gina McCullin ginerm@aol.com
Tuesday, 9/5, Tryouts 2:15-3:45
Wednesday, 9/6, Tryouts 2:15-3:45
Cross Country
Coach: Jason Young, jyoung@awrsd.org; Seth Desilets sdesilets@awrsd.org
Tuesday, 9/5, first practice 2-3:15, p/up by 3:30pm
Boys Soccer
Boys coach: Marc Theriault mtheriault@awrsd.org
Tuesday, 9/5, tryouts 2-3:30
Wednesday, 9/6, tryouts 2-3:30
Girls Soccer
Coach: Kevin Horgan khorgan@awrsd.org
Wednesday, 8/30 2-3:30
Thursday, 8/31 2-3:30
JV girls soccer/8th grade girls only
Coach: Jen Groncki jgroncki@awrsd.org
Tuesday, 8/29 2:30 at Oakmont
📚SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENTS🌞🎧
ALL GRADE LEVELS
Overlook Summer Literacy Program 2023-2024
Overlook Middle School’s required summer literacy program will build background knowledge in preparation for grade-level literacy units by reading, listening, and writing.
Directions for each grade level can be found at: https://sites.google.com/awrsd.org/overlooksummerliteracy/home Questions? Please contact Kristin Belkin
Parent Education & Resources Corner
Resources on the impact of cell phone and social media on the teen brain
- NIH Articles: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6449671/
- VIDEO: https://youtu.be/kGZvNbfrNag
- WEBSITE: https://www.humanetech.com/youth
- NYT Article: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PdtQZAuVsflH0SuM9E6BMNyDkq9NPcjq/view
- NYT Article: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zvHPmlIQios-a2llfLFyj6DbdMWB5h8S/view
- Guardian Article: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/05/smartphone-addiction-silicon-valley-dystopia
- PEW Research: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
- VIDEO: https://youtu.be/rv0g8TsnA6c
- TIME Article: https://time.com/5555737/smartphone-mental-health-teens/
- INFOGRAPHIC: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/technology-addiction-concern-controversy-and-finding-balance-infographic
Resources on talking to children about race and bias
- Smithsonian & NMAAHC WEBSITE (Race): https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race
- Anti-Defamation League WEBSITE: https://www.adl.org/resources/tools-and-strategies/talking-young-children-about-bias-and-prejudice
- Oakland Library Resources DOCUMENT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s0lCA3FlulVhK6DFE2d3uYCipc6ApY8Gn2rMwm6fYqw/edit
- PJ Library WEBSITE (Antisemitism): https://pjlibrary.org/beyond-books/pjblog/february-2022/how-to-talk-to-children-about-anti-semitism
- Nick Helps WEBSITE (Bullying Prevention): https://www.nick.com/nick-helps/bullying-prevention/
OMS Behavior Matrix
Be Respectful; Be Responsible; Be Ready to Learn
Please continually REVIEW expectations with you child.
We see the school and home as a partnership. We ask to review these expectations with your child in an effort to create unified expectations from both the school and home fronts. Please see the matrix attachment below to review with your child.
Important Notices & Reminders
SMART Watches
SMART watches are considered a personal device. Teachers have found that they can serve as a considerable distraction to students during class. They are also banned by the state during MCAS testing. We ask that all SMART watches be left at home or in the lockers during the school day. Please and thank you.
Student Drinks & Candy
Students are only allowed water for drinks in class. There have been some young business entrepreneurs at OMS that have been selling the popular "Prime" drinks (as well as other things such as candy). Students are not authorized nor allowed to sell anything at school. Moreover, these drinks are not allowed. Please ensure that your student is not bringing these drinks to school or buying or selling these drinks at school or on the bus.
Dress Code
Students should not be wearing pajamas or slippers to school. This is part of our dress code. We do on occasion have a spirit day where students are allowed to wear pajamas as a "treat" but appropriate, everyday school attire does not include pajamas or slippers. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for school. Thank you!
Parent Drop-Off / Pickup
Students cannot enter the building before 7:20am as there is no supervision.
Classes begin at 7:35am.
Dismissal is at 1:50pm.
Please be sure to not park in the general parking areas to let students off or pick them up. Use the line that goes behind the school. This is a safety concern with students running through parking lots and parents disrupting traffic patterns.
Also, please pay attention to staff members directing traffic. Do not drive-by when they ask you to stop.
Passing busses with flashing lights is a $250 traffic citation.
Club Info
Club info coming soon!
PTO Corner
Updates & News
Lots of PTO stuff.....
1. Thank to all our donors and volunteers who helped make Overlook's Teacher and Staff Back-to-School luncheon a success. It was a big hit with our staff. We couldn't have done this without all of your generous contributions. And on behalf of the Overlook Middle School PTO and the entire Overlook Middle School community, THANK YOU!
2.We invite YOU to become a MEMBER of the Overlook Middle School PTO.
We appreciate the support you’ve given over the years at your elementary school and hope you will consider becoming a member at Overlook to continue your Support of the teachers, staff, students and community at Overlook.
This past year was our first year of the new PTO at the middle school and we are proud of all we accomplished: Teacher appreciation week activities, Holiday Hot Cocoa, Concessions at Drama Club performances, and more. We have big plans for MORE this next school year and need your support to make it happen.
To become a 2023-2024 PTO member:
● Fill out the membership Google Doc: https://sites.google.com/awrsd.org/overlookmspto/home
● Pay the $5 dues with cash or check to “OMS PTO” and bring it to the office. Or Venmo @overlookmspto and comment “2023 membership for (your name).”
Take a look at our website https://sites.google.com/awrsd.org/overlookmspto/home or our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram OverlookMSPTO for all the latest information.
PlusPortals
Please check the Portal regularly. Google Classroom is not an accurate indicator of grades. Please reach out to the teacher directly if you have any questions.
SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council)
Get involved in SEPAC
General membership to the Ashburnham-Westminster Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is open to all AWRSD parents/guardians of children with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Section 504 Plans and other interested parties. We are in need of volunteers to help plan workshops, staff tables at local school and community events, become future leaders, assist other parents, and plan new activities and projects. We welcome you to learn more about SEPAC and our work on our website, https://sites.google.com/view/ashburnham-westminster-sepac. You can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ashwestsepac. Please contact Justine Muir if interested in SEPAC jmuir@awrsd.org.
Chartwells Newsletter (food service) 🌮🍕🧇🥪🥕🥗🥯🍝🧆🍇🥙🍐🥦
Community Offerings
Information Regarding MassHealth
See attachment below for more information on renewing MassHealth coverage.
