OMS The Middle Matters

September 21, 2026

Hello OMS Students and Families,

We have had a great start to the school year here at OMS! The first few weeks of the year are spent helping students get into their new routines, learning the rules and expectations of middle school, and getting to know their peers and teachers. Now that we have had several rotations, most of our students are feeling comfortable with the A/B Day schedule, their locker combinations, and navigating the building. It’s a big learning curve for our 6th graders, but they are doing great!

Over the summer, our student enrollment at OMS increased by more than 60 students. We are now at nearly 1,100 students at OMS this school year. While that is great news for our district, you may hear your student talk about having a lot of kids in their classes—and it’s true! Due to last year’s budget reductions, we had to reduce some of our elective offerings at OMS, which means our remaining elective classes are especially full.

As we adjust to larger class sizes, I want to thank you for your patience and understanding. Our staff want to be responsive and answer your emails and messages in a timely manner, but our first priority is—and always will be—teaching and working with our students. We appreciate your understanding when it takes us a little extra time to respond and update grades.

This week, our students are participating in fall benchmark testing using FastBridge. Testing gives us important information about what students know and are able to do and helps us identify areas where students may need additional support or additional challenge. We encourage students to do their best, take their time, and remember that a test score is just one piece of the larger picture of who they are as learners. We know that testing can be a little stressful, and we appreciate your help in reminding students to get a good night’s sleep, eat breakfast, and come to school ready to give it their best!

And then, next week, it’s time for Homecoming! We have some fun events and activities planned for our Huskies, and we’re excited to see our students get into the spirit and enjoy some time together. A reminder that next Friday is an early-release day for the Homecoming parade. Please make sure you check the district calendar for dismissal times and transportation information. There is a lot happening at OMS, and we’re looking forward to a great few weeks ahead!

Monday, September 21

🟨A Day

FastBridge Testing

Tuesday, September 22

🟦B Day

FastBridge Testing

Wednesday, September 23

🟨A Day

FastBridge Testing

Thursday, September 24

🟦B Day

Picture Retakes

Friday, September 25

🟨A Day

FastBridge Testing

🍧Kona Ice Visit During ALL Lunches - 11:02-12:54pm

Monday, September 28

🟦B Day

Dress Up Day: PJ Day

Tuesday, September 29

🟨A Day

Dress Up Day: Black Out (wear all black)

Wednesday, September 30

🟦B Day

Capti Testing

Dress Up Day: Hat Day

Thursday, October 1

🟨A Day

Capti Testing

Dress Up Day: Color by Grade (see below)

🚌6th Grade Rendezvous Field Trip - 8:15-1:15 pm

Friday, October 2 - 2 Hr Early Release - Homecoming

🟦B Day

Dress Up Day: Husky Gear

OMS releases at 12:20 pm

🎉Homecoming Parade - Downtown - 1:30 pm

🏈Homecoming Game - OHS - 7:00 pm

Students need to bring cash to school if they would like to purchase Kona Ice during their lunch period.

Volunteers are always needed for each Activity Night and for an occasional field trip throughout the year. If you are interested in helping out at OMS, please feel free to fill out this Volunteer Form. Each person that works with students in our building or on field trips must have an up-to-date background check on file with the Owatonna Public Schools. We thank you in advance for your willingness to help!

With the fall sports season coming up soon at our secondary schools, we want to communicate some expectations of those who plan to attend to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

● Tickets can be purchased in advance using the Bound app (NEW in 26-27). Credit cards are accepted at the gate. NO cash.

● All elementary students in attendance for a sporting event must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver who must remain with their student for the entirety of the game.

● OMS students should sit in the OMS section at varsity football games or with their parents/caregiver.

● If students are found with prohibited items, they will be asked to leave, and disciplinary action may be taken.

● No backpacks or large bags are allowed into the stadium or gym.

● No footballs can be brought into the stadium.

● No reentry to varsity football games.

● Fans will not be allowed onto the field after the game. Students and fans must vacate the premises following the game.

● There will be no supervision extended beyond the games.

Additional information regarding Bound ticketing and pricing can be found at owatonnaactivities.com

We have an amazing year ahead of us at Owatonna Middle School, and our yearbook will capture all the big events of the school year. Don’t let your students miss out on our yearbook designed by our students, for our students.

Order now before the price goes up. Now through mid September for $32. Order today and save!

You can place your order for the yearbook at jostensyearbooks.com.

Thanks for being a part of our yearbook tradition!

Bus route and schedule details are available on the Owatonna Bus Company Parent Portal using the credentials below:

• Username: Student ID # (found in Infinite Campus)

• Password: Student Birthday formatted as MMDDYYYY (e.g., 03052012 for March 5, 2012)

New to Infinite Campus? Follow the setup instructions [insert link here].

Campus Parent

Logging in from a Web Browser

1. Visit www.isd761.org, and under ‘Parents’ select Infinite Campus Portal

2. Select Campus Parent

3. Enter username and password

a. New User? Request an Activation Key from mjewison@isd761.org

4. Click Log In

Logging in to the App

- The Campus Parent app provides the same tools as the browser version, with the benefit of the option to Stay Logged In and receive push notifications.

1. Download the app from the App Store or Google Play

2. Search for your District Name and State, entering at least 3 characters of your district’s name to

search. Select your district from the list.

3. Enter your username and password

4. Is using a secure, private device, mark Stay Logged In to receive mobile push notifications

5. Click Log In!

General Navigation

1. Navigate between tools in the menu on the left.

a. On mobile devices, this menu shrinks to a “hamburger” or “three bars”

2. If a tool is specific to a single student, such as Grades or Schedule, a student dropdown list displays in the top right corner. This dropdown list does not display for tools that are not student specific, like Announcements

How do I get notifications?

1. Before you log in, mark Stay Logged In to receive notifications

2. After logging in, click the user menu in the top right and then click Settings and Notification Settings

3. From there, indicate which types of notifications. For example, indicate you only want to receive Assignment notifications if the score is below 70%

4. Click Save

Need Help? Contact Meghan Jewison a mjewison@isd761.org

Complete yearly back-to-school requirements, verify contact information the district has on file, and review annual notices in a (mostly) pre-filled form accessed through your Infinite Campus Parent portal account.

Click here for instructions and more information.

If you need assistance with accessing or setting up your account, please contact Infinite Campus Support.

( campushelp@isd761.org | 507-444-8650)

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