Welcome to "The Streak"
OTMS October 2026 Parent Newsletter
Dear OTMS Families,
We are excited to welcome October at Oregon Trail! Our Tigers have been doing a great job demonstrating our CORE Values—Community, Ownership, Respect, and Empowerment—and we are so proud of the way they are growing and learning each day.
October is going to be a special month as we celebrate 50 Years of Tradition and a Future of Greatness! We hope you’ll join us for our 50th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, October 10, from 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. We can’t wait to celebrate our amazing school and community with you!
As we head into October, please continue to support your student by helping them come to school every day, ready to learn. This includes having their device charged, updated, and ready to go each morning.
Thank you for partnering with us and supporting our Tigers! We appreciate you more than you know!
Be Great, Be a Tiger!
Mrs. Herman
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
We are set up with counselor/administrator teams when working with students. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us:
Last Names Beginning with A-L
Counselor: Mrs. Ashley Rodden (amrodden@olatheschools.org)
Administrator: Mrs. Jennifer Rippee (jjrippee@olatheschools.org)
Last Names Beginning with M-Z
Counselor: Mrs. Amy Brown (ajbrown@olatheschools.org)
Administrator: Mr. Bryan Kindle (bwkindle@olatheschools.org)
📸 Say Cheese…Again! Picture Re-Take Day Is Coming!
This is a friendly reminder that Picture Re-Take Day will be held on Thursday, October 1, 2026!
📍 Location: OTMS Library
⏰ Time: 7:45 AM–1:30 PM
📷 Photographer: Lifetouch
New to OTMS since August 26 or absent on our first Picture Day?
Welcome to OT! Be sure to stop by the library to have your first school picture taken.
Not thrilled with your first picture?
No problem! Come by anytime between 7:45 AM and 1:45 PM for a do-over. If you previously ordered a picture package and would like to return it, please bring the package with you to school and give it to the photographer on Picture Re-Take Day.
Want to order pictures?
Individual pictures and picture packages can be ordered at mylifetouch.com using code EVTKNVCBT.
🎉 8th Grade Class Picture Is Back!
Our 8th graders will also have the opportunity to take their 8th Grade Class Picture in the Main Gym during “I” of Tiger Time on October 1.
Flyers with ordering information will be distributed on Tuesday, September 29.
Don't miss your chance to capture this special year with your classmates for just $10!
8th Grade will want to wear something blue or Tiger spirit wear that day as it's also the Career Pathways Fair!
Class picture orders can also be placed at mylifetouch.com using code EVTG3XVDK.
Spirit Week at OTMS--September 28 through October 2nd
Dear OTMS Families,
We’re excited to announce our first full Spirit Week of the year, happening Monday, September 28th – Friday, October 2nd! Spirit Week is a fun way for our school to come together and celebrate our fall sports and activities.
Please see the daily themes below and encourage your student to join in the fun:
Monday, 9/28--Welcome to the Jungle
Wear Animal Print to blend in
Tuesday, 9/29--Seeing Double
Find a friend and MATCH from head to toe
Wednesday, 9/30--Bump, Set, Spike!
Wear OT Gear to support OT Volleyball @ their Home game
Thursday, 10/1--Spooky, Scary Skeleton
Welcome to October! Let's celebrate with your favorite scary/Halloween inspired attire (no costumes or masks)
Note: 8th Grade is asked to wear OT spirit wear for their 8th Grade Class Picture and Career Pathways Fair that day!
Friday, 10/2--Red Friday
Wear RED and/or dress like your favorite football player
We will conclude the week with a Pep Assembly on Friday, October 2nd during "I" of the Tiger Time.
🎀 8th Grade Night Football Game — PINK OUT! 🎀
Tiger Community,
Mark your calendars! One of the most exciting traditions of the football season is almost here—our annual 8th Grade Night Football Game!
This year, Oregon Trail Middle School is excited to join forces with Prairie Trail Middle School for a special evening as the Tigers take on the Huskies on:
📅 Wednesday, October 7
📍 College Boulevard Activity Center (CBAC)
⏰ Kick-Off: 6:00 PM
🚪 Gates Open: 5:15 PM
🎀 PINK OUT CBAC! 🎀
This year's game will have a special PINK OUT theme as we proudly partner with Allison’s Allies to help support their fight against breast cancer.
We have created a special Pink Out Night Game T-shirt, with proceeds benefiting Allison’s Allies. It's a great way to show your Tiger Pride, support an incredible cause, and help us pack the stands in PINK!
You can also simply wear pink to the game to participate in the Pink Out—a shirt is not required!
👉 Order Your Pink Out Shirt or Make a Donation
The deadline to order is Sunday, September 27.
🐯 8th Grade Night Details
This is a special night for our 8th graders, and we want to see as many Tiger families as possible in the stands cheering them on!
- 🚌 Pep Bus: We will offer a Pep Bus for students who register. More information about registration will be shared soon. See attached Night Game poster and permission slip with details.
- 🎀 Pink Out: Students and families are encouraged to wear pink!
- 📣 Student Section: A special student section will be reserved on one side of the bleachers. Students are expected to sit in the student section unless they are sitting with their parents.
- 🐯 Spirit Gear: Beads, rub-on tattoos, and other spirit items will be handed out to students in the student section to help us cheer on the Tigers!
- 📣 Performances: Our Cheerleaders and Tigerettes will be performing throughout the evening.
- 🕗 Pick-Up: Students riding the Pep Bus to the game will still need a parent to pick them up at CBAC as the Pep Bus is a one-way ride to the event. Please plan to pick up your student at 7:30 PM at CBAC (on the West Side, which is S. Valley Parkway entrance and home side), following a full A game.
We can't wait to see our Tiger and Husky communities come together, pack CBAC in pink, cheer on our 8th graders, and support Allison's Allies!
Thank you for helping us make this night about something bigger than football. 💗
Let's pack the stands in PINK and show our Tiger Pride!
Go Tigers! 🐯💗
Dear OTMS Families,
Get ready! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Oregon Trail Middle School, and we are excited to fill our library with books for students to browse, discover, and hopefully find a few new favorites to take home.
The easiest way for your child to shop independently is by setting up a Scholastic eWallet. It only takes a few minutes to create, and family members or friends can easily add money to it so your child can shop without needing to bring cash or a card to school.
When you create an eWallet, you can also choose to contribute to Share the Fair, Scholastic's giving program that helps provide books for students who may need a little extra help making a purchase. If you are able, consider contributing so that every student has the opportunity to leave the Book Fair with a book.
Book Fair Details
- October 8-14: The Book Fair will be open during school hours. Students will have the opportunity to visit with their English Language Arts class during the school day.
- Saturday, October 10: The Book Fair will also be open during our 50-Year Celebration from 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
- Family Shopping During Conferences:
- Monday and Tuesday evenings: OT Library
- Wednesday evening: Commons
For full details, to view the Book Fair, or to create an eWallet, visit our school's Book Fair homepage: OTMS Scholastic Book Fair Homepage
More than ever, we want to encourage our students to read and make reading a regular part of their lives. Having books available at home gives kids more opportunities to find books they enjoy, build their reading skills, and develop a lifelong love of reading.
We hope you'll stop by the Book Fair and help your student find something great to read!
Happy reading,
Mrs. Nemechek
Oregon Trail Library Media Specialist
8th Grade Families--Mark Your Calendars!
Our 8th-grade students and their families are invited to a special 8th Grade Movie Screening Night at Glenwood Arts Theatre on Friday, October 9, at 7:00 p.m.
This FREE event is a wonderful opportunity for students to experience the creativity and talent of students in the e-Communication Academy. The evening will feature a selection of outstanding student films and animations, followed by a Q&A with current and former e-Communication students.
Students will get a behind-the-scenes look at what their peers are creating and have the opportunity to imagine themselves being part of the e-Communication Academy in the future!
🎟️ Admission is FREE, but families are asked to reserve their tickets in advance.
👉 Reserve Your Free Tickets Here
We hope our OTMS 8th graders and their families will take advantage of this exciting opportunity for an evening of student creativity, filmmaking, and inspiration!
Oregon Trail is Turning 50!
For 50 years, Oregon Trail has been a place where excellence, tradition, and Tiger pride shine bright—and we want to celebrate with our entire community!
💛 Join us for our 50th Anniversary Open House
📅 Saturday, October 10, 2026
⏰ 10:30 AM–12:00 PM
Come back to Oregon Trail and experience the traditions and excellence that have made our school so special for five decades! Our celebration will include:
🎶 Performances
🌮 Food Trucks
📚 Oregon Trail History
🎨 Student & Alumni Artwork
🐯 Tiger Traditions
✨ And so much more!
Whether you are a current Tiger, former student, staff member, family member, or longtime friend of Oregon Trail, we hope you’ll come celebrate 50 years of memories, traditions, and excellence with us!
50 YEARS GOLDEN – OUR TIGERS SHINE BRIGHT!
Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences – Week of October 12–15, 2026
Oregon Trail Middle School will host Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences the week of October 12–15, 2026.
Monday, October 12 | Tuesday, October 13 | Thursday, October 15 – By Appointment Only
Staff will reach out via email to schedule appointments for these dates.Wednesday, October 14 – Arena-Style Conferences
All staff will be available in the main gym from 4:30–8:30 PM for drop-in conferences.
➤ Please bring a screenshot or copy of your student’s schedule so you know which teachers to visit.
➤ Parking is available on the east side of the building, and families should enter and exit through the Event Entrance.
Schedule for Students
- Monday and Tuesday, October 12 & 13 - students will follow a normal school day and schedule.
Wednesday, October 14 – Half-day for students, 8:20–11:35 AM (no lunch will be served).We will be doing our Quarter 1 QBA for Math on this morning, so students will need to bring their devices.
Thursday, October 15 – No school for students.
Friday, October 16 – No school for students.
We look forward to partnering with you to support your student’s success!
Olathe Families,
We are excited to have your families come to support our high school activities and athletics. It is great to see the entire community at these events. It is imperative that our parent community partner with us as we work to encourage positive middle school behavior at high school games or events.
In Olathe, we will require that all elementary and middle school students who attend our high school football games enter the game with an adult and sit with that adult throughout the game. Please do not drop your child off at a district complex without supervision as they will not be allowed to enter. It is challenging to monitor and keep all students safe without the help of our parent community. Thanks for your help with this protocol to make district events a great experience for all who attend. We hope to see your family cheering for our Olathe teams this school year.
Jay Novacek
Director of Athletics and Activities
Olathe Public Schools
Calling all OTMS Fathers...
We are excited to invite all fathers and father figures to join our OTMS Father’s Club! This is a great way to get involved, connect with other dads, and make a positive impact in the lives of our students. You can learn more about the organization at www.fathersclub.org.
One of our favorite traditions is Fist Bump Friday—a chance for dads to greet students as they arrive with a fist bump and a granola bar. It’s a fun way to build community and start the day with positivity!
Our next Fist Bump Friday will be on Friday, October 2nd. We’d love for you to join us at school between 7:30–8:20 a.m.
Ways you can help:
Show up! Come give fist bumps and encouragement to students.
Donate! Bring or send Smarties to the front office at OTMS prior to October 2nd for Fathers' Club!
Thank you for your support—we look forward to seeing you at OTMS and building an amazing Father’s Club together!
OTMS Families,
We have recently seen an increase in students bringing items such as Nee Dohs, stuffed animals, and other fidgets that are more toy-like in nature. While these items can be fun, they have also become a distraction to learning during the school day.
To help maintain a focused learning environment, we are asking that these types of items remain at home or stay in student backpacks during the school day. If they are visible or become a distraction, staff may confiscate them in accordance with school expectations.
We understand that some students benefit from fidgets to support focus and regulation. If your student has a need for a school-appropriate fidget, please have them connect with their school counselor. Our team is happy to work with you to ensure your student has appropriate supports in place.
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting a positive and productive learning environment for all students.
Please mark your calendars! Oregon Trail Middle School will honor and celebrate our veterans on Wednesday, November 11th, with a special Veterans Day Assembly from 8:45–9:15 a.m.
We are looking forward to giving our students an opportunity to recognize and thank the veterans in our community for their service and sacrifice.
Be on the lookout for more details coming soon! We will share additional information with families as we get closer to this special day.
We wanted to share the newly-updated rules for bikes, e-bikes and scooters from the City of Olathe.
Here are the key points for our students:
- All riders under 18 years old must wear a helmet when riding on an electric scooter or e-bike.
- Electric scooters cannot be ridden on the road unless the speed limit is 30 MPH or under and there’s no sidewalk.
- E-bikes may be ridden on roads with speed limits up to 40 MPH.
- Riders of bicycles or any motorized device must yield to pedestrians and warn them before passing (ring the bell, say “excuse me” or “on your left”, etc.)
- There is a 15 MPH limit for electric scooters and e-bikes on the sidewalk.
- It is illegal to ride a bicycle, e-bike, or electric scooter in a careless, reckless, or negligent manner or weaving in and out of traffic. Stay as close to the right side of the road as possible except when turning left.
An electric scooter or e-bike must have proper lighting and be visible in order to ride at dusk or at night.
- Electric powered “bikes” that cannot be pedaled are actually motorcycles or motor-driven cycles and require a license to ride.
If you get into an accident while riding on a bicycle, electric scooter, or e-bike where someone is injured or property is damaged, you must provide contact information to other parties involved and report the accident to the police.
Parents may not authorize or knowingly permit their children to violate any Olathe bicycle, e-bike, or electric scooter regulations.
We encourage families to have a conversation at home that will help keep everyone safe. Please read the complete list of updated rules by visiting OlatheKS.gov/RollSafe.
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Nuevas ordenanzas de Olathe sobre seguridad de bicicletas eléctricas y scooters
Estos son los puntos clave para nuestros estudiantes:
· Todos los conductores menores de 18 años deben usar casco al conducir un scooter eléctrico o una bicicleta eléctrica.
· Los scooters eléctricos no pueden circular por la calle a menos que el límite de velocidad sea de 30 mph o menos y no haya acera.
· Las bicicletas eléctricas pueden circular por calles con límites de velocidad de hasta 40 mph.
· Los ciclistas o conductores de cualquier dispositivo motorizado deben ceder el paso a los peatones y avisar antes de pasar (tocar el timbre, decir “permiso” o “a su izquierda”, etc.).
· Existe un límite de 15 mph para scooters eléctricos y bicicletas eléctricas en la acera.
· Es ilegal conducir una bicicleta, bicicleta eléctrica o scooter eléctrico de manera descuidada, imprudente o negligente, o zigzaguear entre el tráfico. Manténgase lo más cerca posible del lado derecho de la carretera, excepto al girar a la izquierda.
· Un scooter eléctrico o bicicleta eléctrica debe contar con la iluminación adecuada y ser visible para circular al anochecer o de noche.
· Las “bicicletas” eléctricas que no se pueden pedalear en realidad son motocicletas o ciclomotores y requieren licencia para conducir.
· Si ocurre un accidente mientras conduce una bicicleta, scooter eléctrico o bicicleta eléctrica y alguien resulta herido o hay daños materiales, debe proporcionar su información de contacto a las otras partes e informar el accidente a la policía.
· Los padres no pueden autorizar ni permitir conscientemente que sus hijos violen las regulaciones de bicicletas, bicicletas eléctricas o scooters eléctricos de Olathe.
Con el clima más cálido animando a más estudiantes a estar al aire libre, queremos compartir las reglas recientemente actualizadas de la Ciudad de Olathe para bicicletas, bicicletas eléctricas y scooters. Por favor, lea la lista completa de reglas actualizadas visitando OlatheKS.gov/RollSafe.
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