OPR Weekly Update
November 17, 2023
Dear OPR Families,
It's been a great week of learning for all students across all grades. In fifth grade, students shared their digital escape room projects with the third grade students. The fifth graders worked in teams under the diection of their classroom teachers and our Digital Learning Coach, Mrs. Milnamow. The skills learned and used to create the digital escape rooms are impressive. Part of the process of creating digital content was to have peers review the projects. Students checked each other's projects for quality, functionality, along with other factors and provided feedback. It was nice to see the student engagement and pride in their finished escape rooms. See the pictures below.
Coming up next week will be some PAC sponsored school progams. On Monday, kindergarten and grade 1 students will see the Pumpernickel Puppet Show and on Tuesday, the very popular Brain Show will hold three assemblies so all students may particpate.
Click this link to watch this week's OPR Video News!
Have a great weekend!
David N. Barner, Principal
Email: dbarner@walpole.k12.ma.us
Instagram: OLDPOSTROADSCHOOL_WALPOLE
Twitter: @oprschool
Dates to Remember
NOVEMBER
20 PAC sponsored Pumpernickel Puppets for Kindergarten and Grade 1 Students
21 PAC sponsored school assembly: The Brain Show!
21 Student Council Spirit Day: World Hello Day
22 Kindergarten Friendsgiving from 10:30-11:30
22 Grade 1 Celebrating Our Uniqueness event from 9:00-10:30
22 Early Release at 11:55 AM. Dismissal begins at 11:49
23 No School - Happy Thanksgiving!
24 No School
28 School Council Meeting in the STEM Lab at 3:05
DECEMBER
1 Neponset Valley Watershed Presentation for Grade 5 Students (2 Classes)
8 Student Council Spirit Day: Silly Hair, Hat and/or Sock Day!
8 Early Release at 11:55 AM. Dismissal begins at 11:49.
8 PAC sponsored Stay on the Half Day
15 Neponset Valley Watershed Presentation for Grade 5 Students (2 Classes)
20 PAC sponsored Grade 5 High Touch High Tech Matter Matters STEM Program
21 PAC sponsored School Assembly for Students: Amazing Hero Art
OPR SCHOOL HOURS
Arrival: 8:15-8:25 AM
Tardy Bell is at 8:25 AM. (Students must be signed in at the office by an adult if tardy.)
Early Release Dismissal: 11:55 (Dismissal begins at 11:49)
Dismissal: 2:55 PM (Dismissal begins at 2:49)
If your child is going to be absent or tardy, please call the OPR office before school (508-660-7219) and press 1 for the absence line. The automated attendance verification system is in use. Those students marked absent and who have not called in will receive an automated phone call.
OPR Student Council School Spirit Day!
Tuesday, November 21st
Student Council Spirit Day: World Hello Day
Greet everyone you meet with a hello, a friendly smile, a wave and witness the power of communication to build bridges and bring about peace.
Music with Ms. Yee
Grade K -
Singing and Instruments: We warm up our voices by placing high and low pitches on our bodies. We learned a seasonal song called “Thankful for You”. We also learned a Native American song called “Ecka Moda”. The words translate as “Red Pony". We enjoyed keeping the beat using drums and rattles.
Movement: We learned a new game song called "Dark and Windy Night". We talked about opposites. We had fun moving fast and slow while singing this song! We learned that musical opposites can make music more interesting.
Literacy: We reviewed the song “Five Fat Turkeys” and played the game that accompanies it. We used a beat chart and learned that the song was16 beats long.
Grade 1 -
Singing and Movement: We continue to warm- up our voices by echoing short melodic patterns. We learned two seasonal songs called “Skin and Bones” and “Thankful for You”. Both songs are in call and response style.
Instruments: We added classroom instruments to an Iroquois lullaby called “Ho, Ho Watanay”. The words translate as “Sleep, Sleep Little One”.
Literacy: We read iconic notation in a game called "Autumn Trail". Iconic notation is a great tool for beginning music reading. We learned that some words have one syllable to a beat (quarter note) and some have two (eighth notes).
Grade 2 -
Singing: We learned two seasonal songs called “Thank You, Thank You, Thank You” and “Albuquerque Turkey”. Both songs were fun to sing and were in AB form.
Movement: We learned a partner game called “Pilgrim, Pilgrim”. We will write the rhythm to the rhyme next week.
Literacy: We wrote the rhythm of "Miss White" using stick notation (quarter notes and eighth notes).
Picture Books/Composers: We learned about Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg (1843-1907). Grieg was famous for composing music for a story called “In the Hall of the Mountain King”. The music describes a young boy being chased by trolls in the castle of the Mountain King. The composer's use of rhythm, tempo and dynamics make the story exciting.
Grade 3 -
Singing and Movement: We warmed-up our voices with a fun alliteration called “Mashing M & M’s”. We learned a song from England called “Stop the Train ''. It was fun adding movements and increasing the tempo while singing. We will sing the song in a round later this year.
Recorder and Literacy: We continue to learn to read different BAG patterns on the staff. We received our recorder books for at home practice. We are playing and reading quarter, half and whole notes.
Grade 4 -
Singing: We warmed-up our voices with an alliteration called "Many Mumbling Mice". We learned a Native American song called "Canoe Song". Later in the year we will sing the song in a round.
Recorder: We continue to practice playing and reading notes BAG and E on the staff. We started playing a longer song using all four pitches called “Chinese Boat Song”.
Literacy/Seasonal Activity: We created "Jazzy Jack O'Lanterns" after reviewing a variety of different music symbols. It was great to see how creative we were with this art and music activity!
Grade 5 -
Singing and Instruments : We learned an Appalachian folk song called “Mighty Turkey”. We learned about instruments that accompany early folk songs from the United States. We also played a fun learning game using two concentric circles called "Turkey Trot". We added a xylophone accompaniment using a variety of four beat patterns.
Literacy and Composing: We continue to work on our small group “Candy Corn Compositions'' and look forward to sharing them in class next week. The compositions are sixteen beat long and include quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) with Ms. Bishop & Mrs. Murray
In October, our students dedicated themselves to embracing the theme "Liking and Caring for Myself." The month of November, our attention turns towards cultivating gratitude, encompassing acts of thankfulness, kindness, gratitude lists, and mindfulness.
In our Kindergarten sessions, we'll be delving into "Moody Cow Meditates" by Kerry MacLean, a book designed to help children manage their negative emotions while promoting mindfulness and meditation. Our mindfulness practice will involve engaging in a breathing exercise, and you can access it through this link.
Mindfulness Meditation for Kids | BREATHING EXERCISE | Guided Meditation for Children
Class will open with a visual meditation called “The bubble Pop.” This month grade 1 learners will be creating thankful turkeys! Our learners will be given the opportunity to practice sharing gratitude. The lesson is inspired by the book “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. “The Giving Tree” relays an important message about appreciating what we have and differentiates needs versus wants. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hmTc9rm8-o
During our second-grade sessions, we'll explore "Gratitude is My Superpower" by Alicia Ortega, a fantastic book that emphasizes giving thanks and embracing positivity. Following the reading, students will engage in a reflective writing activity, expressing what they're grateful for and sharing their thoughts with the class.
Grade 3 will be celebrating acts of kindness this month! Our 3rd grade learners will share ways they can sprinkle kindness around OPR and their communities. Students will be expected to engage in a classroom discussion about the power of kindness and how it can impact others' days. We will finish our lesson by creating sprinkle kindness donuts which will be displayed along the halls of OPR!
In the fourth-grade curriculum, students will focus on cultivating tranquility through an activity involving a short rhyme titled "The Tranquil Turtle." Following this, they will engage in a worksheet exercise aimed at brainstorming and identifying six effective coping strategies to promote a sense of calmness and emotional well-being.
This month, grade 5 will be working on a growth mindset. Students will understand how positive self talk impacts thoughts, behaviors, and self esteem. Grade 5 will have the opportunity to create positive self-talk flowers to challenge negative thoughts. Below I have posted a video below that will guide students. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytiF927W4E0
News from the Nurse
As we are approaching “the really germy” months, we ask for your assistance to reduce the spread of illnesses. Please also develop a sick day plan for when your child is home sick OR when they will go home from school sick.
Please have emergency contacts in place if you are unavailable to pick up your child from school. Students should be picked up within one hour after a phone call from the nurse.
Call your pediatrician with any questions or concerns regarding your child’s health and illness.
Please demonstrate and encourage proper handwashing technique. It takes a village!
Please demonstrate how to cough into your elbow to prevent the spray of germs.
Demonstrate how to properly blow their nose and dispose of tissues (and sanitizing their hands after!)
If your child needs a temporary medication during the school day, please consider a schedule outside of the school day. Do not send medication with your child to school, unless you confirmed this plan with Mrs Kowalsky or the covering school nurse. If your child needs medication administered, please ask the doctor for medication orders for school and sign the parental consent. A family member/adult can also schedule a time to come into school and administer the medication without doctor’s orders (and the nurse). The student CANNOT administer their own medication in the classroom for their own safety.
WPS Illness Protocol
Children who are ill with a temperature over 100, or who have diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, undiagnosed rashes, uncontrolled coughing, impetigo, or conjunctivitis should remain at home.
If your child is ill with a fever they must be "Fever Free" for 24 hours WITHOUT the use of TYLENOL, MOTRIN, or any other fever reducing medication before they can return to school.
If your child has a viral stomach illness with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, please keep them home for an additional 24 hours after symptoms have subsided.
If your child has been diagnosed with an infection requiring antibiotic treatment such as Strep Throat, Conjunctivitis, Impetigo, etc. they must be treated with the antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school. In addition, for Conjunctivitis, your child's eyes must be free of drainage. For Impetigo, lesions may not be oozing.
Now hiring Substitute School Nurses
We are urgently looking for RNs for the following shifts:
Field Trips
Office Coverages
Van Rides
If you are interested, please click here or contact Linda Anderson District Nurse Leader at landerson@walpole.k12.ma.us
Bonnie Kowalsky, M.ed. BSN RN
OPR School Nurse
99 Old Post Road
East Walpole, MA 02032
phone: 508-660-7219 ext 5804
fax: 866.809.6567
Here is a link to the WPS Health Services website. On this site you can find links to forms (i.e. medication administration, over the counter medication consent forms), medication policies, and information regarding illnesses, concussions and injuries.
PAC NEWS
Please join us for the OPR PAC Meeting on Wednesday, January 10th at 7:00 PM in the OPR STEM LAB or virtually. Link to be shared closer to the meeting date.
Who loves OPR? We do! Sign up here to volunteer to coordinate one of our great events or fundraisers this year. PAC Coordinator Sign up:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/9040e49a4aa2ba2fb6-oprpac1
mabel's labels
https://mabelslabels.com/en_US/fundraising/support/
Starting to lose those water bottles? Put a label on it! Please navigate to Support a Fundraiser and select Old Post Road Parent Advisory Committee.
Box Tops
Download the App for BoxTops for Education and scan receipt within 14 days of purchase. Assign Credit by selecting the Star and entering the Teacher’s Last name before you hit submit.
PAC Socal Media / Contact Info.
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OPR.PAC
please add: Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/oprpacwalpole
Email with questions: oprpacwalpole@gmail.com
OPR Textile Bin Donations
Massachusetts no longer allows clothing to be disposed of in the trash. Clothing must be donated or recycled. RECYCLE your clothing and textiles in the OPR Collection Bin and OPR receives money.
The collections resulted in the following:
2022 Calendar Year Total - $907.50
January 2023 - $102.00
February 2023 - $83.25
March 2023 - $95.50
April 2023 - $93.00
May 2023 - $88.20
June 2023 - $126.90
July 2023 - $100.20
August 2023 - $92.40
September 2023 - $118.80
October 2023 - $90.60
WHS Drama presents Annie!
Walpole High School Drama will be presenting its fall musical, Annie, on Friday and Saturday, November 17th and 18th at 7:00 PM, and Sunday, November 19th at 2:00 PM in the Walpole High School auditorium. Tickets are $12 online and $15 at the door. To purchase tickets and read a synopsis of the show, visit https://our.show/whsdrama/annie-2023. We hope to see you there!
Multilingual Learner PAC (MLPAC) Meeting
Please contact the Multilingual Learner Family Engagement Center at mlfec@walpole.k12.ma.us or at (508) 660-7257 ext. 5033 for further information.
WPS Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)
About Us
OPR Mission Statement
The Old Post Road School community educates all students to excel and become productive citizens.
OPR Vision
OPR students will be motivated to learn in a supportive and safe environment. The faculty will foster self-confidence in the students and encourage them to make positive choices. Students will learn to accept responsibility for their behavior and will mature into responsible citizens and lifelong learners. All students will appreciate that they are part of a diverse, global society.
Instagram: OLDPOSTROADSCHOOL_WALPOLE
Twitter: @oprschool
Email: dbarner@walpole.k12.ma.us
99 Old Post Road
East Walpole, MA 02032
508-660-7219
