The Howler: October 3, 2025

Dear OQS families,

Remember, on Wednesday, we will walk to school from the Quechee Green! All students should be dropped off at the Quechee Green between 7:30-7:45 (the bus will drop off there, too). The walk begins at 7:50am, and the last departures will be at 8:00. Any late parent/guardian drop-offs should go to the school instead, please. Comfortable, sturdy shoes are encouraged! There is a short steep and slippery section as we enter the school yard. If your child has mobility limitations, please contact the main office or their teacher for alternate arrangements by Monday.

Also, our Late Start day in October is Monday, October 20. Please mark your calendar for a 10:00am start time that day (drop off begins at 9:45am) and no school for PreK.

Yours in learning,

Amelia Donahey

Principal

10/3: Family P.E. Week begins!

10/6 - 10/9: Family P.E. Week

10/8: Walk to School Day!

10/10: No school (teacher inservice)

10/13: No school (Indigenous People's Day)

10/20: Late Start for students; all staff begin at 8:00am; students arrive 9:45-10am

10/22: SPARK! Community Science Night 5:00-6:30

10/31: Pajama Day

11/3: Early release (12:45) for student-led conferences

11/4: No school; Student-led conferences.

12/9: Winter Concert

We are delighted to announce that Ms. Barbara Woickelman will be starting full time in 3M on October 20, until Ms. McDougall returns. Ms. Woickelman will also be shadowing in the classroom October 7-9 to get to know the students and their current routines. Here's Ms. Woickelman in her own words:

I grew up in Wethersfield CT where I taught and subbed for 20 years. I have taught K, 1, 5, 6 and subbed in all grades K-6. I have my teaching degree from Central CT State University with a minor in psychology and a BS degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Hartford. I now live in VT with my husband Scott and puppy Finley in the vacation home we purchased in 2001. I enjoy teaching, gardening, photography, and cooking family recipes. I have subbed in the first and fifth grades the past 2 years at Dothan Brook School which has rekindled my desire to continue teaching after a 5 year hiatus.

I love creating a positive classroom environment by establishing clear expectations for behavior and fostering a supportive community of learners. I highly regard analyzing assessment data to identify student areas of improvement and differentiate instruction to meet the needs of students with varying academic skills/levels.

Lastly I encourage and motivate students to take responsibility for their own learning by promoting a Growth Mindset” not a “Fixed Mindset “. I am looking forward to meeting the children and families.

Congratulations, and welcome, Ms. Woickelman!

If you missed ordering photos from Picture Day on 9/25/25, don't worry! You can still place your order on mylifetouch.com using our Picture Day ID: EVT4PZ4F4.

Vermont leaders are working on ways to strengthen our public education system, manage costs, and improve opportunities for all students. To do this well, they want to hear directly from you. We invite you to take 8–10 minutes to complete this survey and share your perspective. Your input will provide critical guidance as the Legislature, the Commission on the Future of Public Education, and the School District Redistricting Task Force consider the best path forward. [Take the Survey Here]

At OQS, we prevent bullying in a variety of ways and address it at the earliest warning signs. Our school counselor teaches bullying awareness, prevention and Upstander skills to all students as one of the units in her weekly Class Council lessons. We reinforce all the related social skills through Second Step curriculum taught in all PK-5th grade classrooms, through our Wolf Way traits, and through our everyday language and supervision of students.

What is bullying?

In the school environment, “bullying” means any overt act or combination of acts (including those conducted electronically) directed against a student by another student (or group of students) that:

• is repeated over time;
• is intended to ridicule, humiliate, or intimidate the student; and
• either occurs during the school day on school property; before, during or after school on a school bus or at a school-sponsored activity; or does not occur during the school day on school property, on a school bus or at a school sponsored activity but can be shown to pose a clear and substantial interference with another student’s right to access educational programs

What can you do at home?

• Talk with your children about respect and kindness. Point out kindness in them and in people around you.
• Encourage your children to use the 3 R's: Recognize, Refuse, and Report.
• Recognize means using awareness to notice if someone is being unkind in a way that is intended to make fun of, embarrass, or scare someone.
• Refuse means to walk away, use their words to say, "Stop," or, "That's unkind," or something similar, and/or to help the person being bullied to leave the situation (e.g., "Come on, let's go play somewhere else.")
• Report means to tell an adult, especially if another child continues overtly unkind words or actions after being asked to stop.
• If you are hearing about behavior that sounds like the definition above, and your child hasn't reported it to an adult at school, please contact their teacher and the school counselor.

Week 5: Bringing our Vision of a Graduate to Life with Link Crew

Link Crew helps bring our Vision of a Graduate to life by fostering a strong sense of belonging for our newest students. Through regular social and academic check-ins, 11th- and 12th-grade Link Leaders support 9th graders as they transition into high school, building connections that strengthen community and confidence. By creating a space where every student feels seen, supported, and included, Link Crew empowers students to grow not only as learners but also as caring, engaged members of our school community. The Link Leaders get a chance to shine, hone their leadership skills, and see the value of inclusion at play in every 9th grade smile that passes them in the hallways. Building these positive habits in the students involved in Link Crew has a positive effect on every classroom and every student, even those not directly participating.

9th Grade Quotes:

Kaylin: “My favorite part was how it was all put together and they actually showed us where our classes are. It will be cool to have a group to talk to as things come up.”

Rai: “The orientation was well organized and the games were fun and entertaining.”

12th Grade Quotes:

Harper: "I wanted to become a Link Leader because I know what it's like to be a new kid and not know anyone around the school. So I wanted to be a good role model."

Marina: "My favorite part was when I was telling my high school journey and they could see that when I came here it wasn't easy and that it was fine and that it will work out."

See photos of Link Crew in Action here. Want more info about Link Crew? Contact Becky Whitney and Kara Garrow.

Hello OQS Families,

Walk to School Day is NEXT WEEK, Wednesday, Oct. 8, and VOLUNTEERS ARE STILL NEEDED! We need helpers to walk students safely from The Quechee Green/Post Office to OQS. Guides along the route are critical to make this event safe and fun!
Sign up here to volunteer

Check out the below for additional updates and ways you can support our students and school!

Fundraisers & Donations Needed

Playground Refresh
We’re helping Ms. Patty refresh the playground with some favorite recess items. Gently used donations can be dropped in bins by the front door. Prefer to buy new? Check out our Amazon wishlist and ship directly to school.

Needed items: Soccer Balls (Size 3 & Size 5); 2+ Basketballs (all sizes); Kickballs or Gaga Pit balls; Jump ropes; 1 Tetherball; Hula hoops; Cornhole Boards; Sandpit Toys; Sleds

Winterfest Raffle & Auction – Sat., Dec. 6
Winterfest is our biggest fundraiser of the year! We are seeking gift baskets or gift cards for the raffle/auction. Ideas: movie night, game night, snacks, cookie basket, or your own creative theme. Interested in donating a basket? Email OQSPTO@gmail.com.

Catalog Fundraiser – Ends Friday, Oct. 10
Our Meadowfarms catalog fundraiser wraps up next week. Check your student’s backpack to support OQS!

Volunteer Opportunities

• Fall Garden Club – Sept. 12 to Oct. 24
  There are still many slots open to help out or donate snacks! Sign up here to volunteer

• Walk to School Day- October 8th: Sign up here to volunteer

Reminders

• Next PTO Meeting – Thurs., Nov. 7, 6:00–7:00 PM
  School library or via Google Meet

• 
  

Click here for this year's handbook. All updates have been highlighted in yellow.

From PBS KIDS and your friends from Vermont Public, find resources from popular series like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Donkey Hodie, and Alma’s Way. This collection for PreK students offers a rich and engaging suite of full-episode videos and clips that prioritize accessibility for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students. Featuring an on-screen ASL interpreter, these resources foster language development, social-emotional learning, and cultural awareness, while normalizing visual language communication in everyday learning (PreK). Visit the Vermont Public Educators page for more recommendations for high-quality resources.

Are you a parent or legal guardian of a student(s) who received special education services or supports during the 2024-2025 school year? If you are, then the VT AOE wants to hear feedback on your experience from last school year! This completely confidential and brief survey provides valuable data on how we can improve special education collaboration with parents throughout Vermont. You can access the survey by clicking this link or scanning the QR code.

The parent involvement survey window is open until September 30th, 2025. Translated surveys are available by clicking on the survey link. Contact: Caitlin Chisholm by emailing Caitlin.Chisholm@Vermont.gov with any questions you have about this survey.

The federal government shut down at midnight Oct. 1, and there are no signs of it reopening any time soon. Here’s what this means for education:

• The Education Department immediately furloughed nearly 90% of its overall staff, pausing almost all activity around federal grants and civil rights enforcement. This means core functions like collecting and reporting data, monitoring and supporting grant recipients, and conducting civil rights investigations will pause.
• The department will continue to make Title I and IDEA grant funding available to schools. A large chunk of these formula funds was sent to states and school districts on Oct. 1 as planned.
• The department will cease any new education grantmaking activities, but the bulk of education grants were awarded over the summer, so grantees can continue to access that money. The department says the impact on schools and students should be minimal.
• Still, certain programs—like Impact Aid for thousands of school districts with non-taxable federal land within their boundaries—could see funding disruptions. Head Start, which provides early education services for children from low-income families, could also take a funding hit.
• If the shutdown drags on, schools across the country may have to revamp their field trip plans to visit federally funded museums, memorials, or national parks.

Meanwhile, at the Education Department, staffers’ out-of-office emails blame “Democrat Senators” for the shutdown. Staffers told Education Week that this messaging was changed without their knowledge or permission, and they fear it’s a violation of the Hatch Act, the law that prohibits federal employees from engaging in some forms of political activity and restricts the use of taxpayer money for partisan actions.

Read the rest of this story in Education Week.