Friday Highlights

Mark your Calendar:

December 24-31: Winter Recess
January 1-2: Winter Recess
January 16: Early Dismissal 11am - Professional Development
January 19: Martin Luther King Day - No School

Next Week’s Schedule at OHS:

Monday: A Day

Tuesday: B Day

Wednesday: A Day

Thursday: B Day

Friday: A Day

🎁🎄Hope Club Giving Tree

The Hope Club is collecting items for their annual Giving Tree! Hats, Gloves, Toys and Toiletries are all needed! Please consider donating as each item will help support our local communities. All donations can be dropped off in the main office: Attention Hope Club. 🎁🎄

📘🧑‍🎓 Yearbook is collecting important Senior information:

A Parent Ad for your graduating Senior can be purchased through Jostens.com when you order your yearbook. Ads are available to purchase through 1/31!

Yearbooks are on sale for $75 through 12/31. After that, the price increases to $80. Pre-orders close on 2/20, and availability is not guaranteed after that date. Click Here to order a yearbook!

OHS Athletics:

To view the list of athletic schedules, go to the OHS Website and select the tab for Athletics. Use the drop-down arrow and you will find schedules for each sport that is offered.

OHS Health Office:

As a friendly reminder from Nurse Dani, please log into your student’s PowerSchool account and sign off on the use of Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen and Tums if needed while in school. When you log into PowerSchool, go to forms and check off the boxes if you would like your child to receive any of these medications when in need. These medications may only be administered if the forms are completed on PowerSchool. Verbal permission is not accepted. Lastly, please forward your student’s Medication Administration and Asthma Action Plans. Connecticut does not allow medication to be administered with an outdated form.

CT State law requires that all students in 10th grade have a physical assessment. This assessment serves to document adequate immunizations and any health issues that may impact your child while they attend school. The physical exam must be dated after January 01, 2025. The front of the HAR form must be completed and signed by a parent/guardian. The second page must have all *asterisks areas completed.

As a friendly reminder your child must be fever free (without medication) and has not vomited within 24 hours before returning to school.

Early Dismissal Procedure:

A friendly reminder of our procedure for early dismissals:

1 - Early Dismissal Note: If your student needs to leave school early, please send them in with an early dismissal note. This allows us to give your student a dismissal pass, enabling them to sign out on their own. There is no need for you to come into the school.

2 - In-Person Pick-Up: If you need to pick up your student in person, please bring your driver’s license. You will need to complete the dismissal process through Securely Visitor for security purposes.

3 - Contact Information: Ensure that your contact information in Powerschool is up-to-date, including who is permitted to pick up your child.

We appreciate your cooperation in making the early dismissal process smooth and secure.

Juniors:

Save the Date: February 4th for our Parent College Information Evening

Please join the School Counseling Department for our College Information Session at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium. We strongly encourage students to attend with their parents/guardians if possible. During this session, we will review our program’s procedures, policies, strategies, and resources to help make the college application process as smooth and successful as possible.

Junior Conferences:
Formal 40-minute post-secondary planning conferences will open next semester, and parents are encouraged to attend. Students will be prompted to schedule these meetings through our online calendar links.

Standardized Testing:

All Connecticut juniors will take the SAT during the school day on March 24, 2026. Only this test administration is FREE. No registration is required. Students who wish to take an additional Saturday SAT or an ACT exam can register directly through collegeboard.org or act.org. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school counselor.

Seniors:

Scholarships: All scholarships received by the OHS Counseling Department will be listed in SchooLinks. Students should check their SchooLinks accounts weekly throughout the winter and early spring for new opportunities. The counseling department reviewed the scholarship application process with the Senior class this week.

All Grades:

Fall PSAT Scores:

October 2025 PSAT Scores are now accessible through student’s College Board accounts.

SchooLinks:

SchooLinks is a web-based program for college and career planning (replaced Naviance). Students can log into SchooLinks using their OHS google account. A password is not required. Students in all grade levels have been working on SchooLinks activities and tasks through our Advisory program. Parents, if you would like your own parent account, please ask your child to share your unique parent access code.

Career Speaker Spotlight:

Parents, if you are interested in sharing your career journey with a small group of students, please email Alicia Mancinone at mancinonea@opsct.org. We are seeking speakers from a wide range of professions. These small-group sessions will take place during FLEX periods on either Mondays, Thursdays, or Fridays from 10:15–10:45 a.m. Students will be able to sign up for sessions through their SchooLinks accounts.

*Please follow us on instagram @OXFORDHIGHSCHOOL_COUNSELING

Mancinone:

Grade 9: A - C

Grade 10: A - C

Grade 11: A - C

Grade 12: A - C

Angeley:

Grade 9: D - L

Grade 10: D - M

Grade 11: D - M

Grade 12: D - L

McRae:

Grade 9: M - Z

Grade 10: N - Z

Grade 11: N - Z

Grade 12 M - Z

The counseling caseload by grade level (above) and links to book appointments (below).

Mancinone - https://calendar.app.google/EtkksyPUk4ZUaVKo7

Schwarz - Will be available next week

McRae - https://calendar.app.google/3mnufwcsCXqrgoL89

New Year’s Resolutions for Teens

As we approach 2026 it is important to look back at this past year and reflect upon what went well, what did not go so well, and also what we want to see happen in the year to come. The idea of making a “New Year’s Resolution” can be overwhelming to some. However, goals for the new year do not have to be huge, life changing goals. Most people abandon their New Year’s resolutions by mid-February because they’re either too overwhelming or they’re not specific enough.

It is difficult to find a teenager (or adult!) who is 100% content with every aspect of their life. That is why this is an opportune time to make small, positive changes to start the year off right. Encouraging your teen to make a New Year’s resolution is a great way to teach goal setting and healthy habits. Visit https://raisingteenstoday.com/realistic-news-years-resolutions-for-teens/ for examples of realistic and achievable goals for teens.

🎶 Important Updates for Choir, Band & Drama Families! 🎭

Please take a moment to review the attached calendar for important dates and details related to choir, band, and drama activities. It includes rehearsals, performances, and other key events you'll want to have on your radar.

Your support helps our students shine—thank you for staying informed!

❄️☃️The Music Department Winter Concert is Saturday, December 13th at 11:30am. Please join us for an afternoon of great performances by Concert Band, Jazz Band, Concert Choir and Chamber Choir. All friends, family and community members are invited to attend! See attached flyer!

Booster Club

🐾 OHS Families!

The Booster Club is excited to support our students, teachers, arts, activities, and athletics. Thanks for being part of the Wolverine family!

🗓 Booster Club Meetings
Join us at 7:00 PM in the OHS Café:

Jan 7th - Wed

🎉 Upcoming Events

Goody Bags Are Back at OHS!

Our Goody Bags were a huge hit last year, and we’re excited to bring them back! These personalized bags are a fun, encouraging way to support your student during midterms and finals. Once your order and payment are received, the Goody Bag Committee will prepare and deliver each bag to your student’s locker the night before exams. Seniors will also receive a special graduation surprise in their final bag!

Cost: $25 per student (covers two Goody Bags for the 2025–2026 school year)

Order by December 23, 2025.

Order here: https://forms.gle/gq5qAhbMd1vdXiHv8

Questions? Contact Susan O’Brien at suegobrien@gmail.com.
If financial hardship is a concern, please reach out confidentially to office staff—Megan Hogrefe at hogrefem@opsct.org , and all inquiries will remain private.

🎄Our biggest community celebration of the year—the Festival of Trees—is almost here! We kick things off with Pizza with Santa & Friends on Friday, December 12, followed by our festive Holiday Market on Saturday, December 13. See flyer for more details!

🎅Friday, December 12 – Pizza with Santa & Friends See flyer for more details!
Join us for a fun evening of pizza, holiday cheer, and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus!
🍕 Please note:

Tickets are required ONLY for the pizza portion of the event.
No ticket is needed to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus or to view the beautifully decorated trees, wreaths, baskets, and inflatables available for raffle.

👉Register for Pizza with Santa here:
https://bit.ly/2025PizzawithSanta

🎁Giving Back to the Community
All raffle proceeds support local charities. Over the past three years, the Festival of Trees has proudly raised more than $7,000 to benefit organizations chosen by our donors.

🎄Saturday, December 13 – Holiday Market (10 AM – 2 PM)
Shop from 40+ vendors offering homemade crafts, holiday décor, jewelry, pet treats, books from local authors, and more—perfect for holiday gifting!

The OHS Boys and Girls Basketball teams will also be collecting unwrapped toy donations on Saturday, 12/13 from 8 AM–2 PM to support the Yale Children’s Cancer Center.

A donation bin will be located in the foyer near the ticket table. See flyer for more details!

🎫Raffle Tickets Available Saturday!
Raffle tickets will be available during the Holiday Market, with winners drawn at 3 PM. Don’t miss your chance to take home a stunning tree, wreath, basket, or inflatable!

🎶FREE Holiday Concert – 11:30 AM
Celebrate the season with a performance by the OHS Music Department featuring the Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, Concert Band, and Jazz Band in the OHS Auditorium.

It’s a weekend full of joy, community, creativity, and holiday magic—and we can’t wait to celebrate with you! 💙🎄

💙 Get Involved
Volunteer, share ideas, or become a member today: 2025 Membership

Thank you for your continued support—together we’ll make this year the best one yet!

Go Wolverines! 🐾

From the Principal’s Office:

Oxford High School is pleased to announce that Emma Schwarz will be joining the School Counseling Department beginning Monday, December 15, through early spring. Emma will be filling in for Sarah Angeley, who is currently on maternity leave. In the coming days, Emma will reach out to the students and families on her caseload to introduce herself. Please join me in welcoming Emma to the team!

This weekend, OHS will host the annual Festival of Trees! Pizza with Santa & Friends takes place this evening, Friday, December 12, from 5:00–8:00 p.m. The Holiday Market will be held tomorrow, Saturday, December 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. While you’re here, please stop by the auditorium to enjoy the Winter Holiday Concert at 11:30 a.m., featuring performances by the Concert Band, Jazz Band, Concert Choir, and Chamber Choir.

Enjoy the weekend, Wolverines,

Heather