OPR Weekly Update
December 15, 2023
Dear OPR Families,
As the cold weather arrives, we continue to try to go outside for recess as much as possible. Please send children to school with the appropriate outdoor winter clothing. It is important for students to wear winter coats, hats, mittens/gloves, etc. on cold winter days. On snowy days, students with boots and snowpants are able to go in the snow. If you are in need of any of these items for your child(ren), please let us know. Our successful Giving Fund collection helps to provide students with what they need to be comfortable outside. Thank you for donating a total of $2283 to our Giving Fund this year!
Our Lost and Found is overflowing! We'll put it out front next week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for you to stop by to take a look. Anything remaining on Friday will be cleaned and used or donated.
Click here to watch today's OPR Video News.
Have a great weekend!
David N. Barner, Principal
Email: dbarner@walpole.k12.ma.us
Instagram: OLDPOSTROADSCHOOL_WALPOLE
Twitter: @oprschool
OPR Website
Dates to Remember
DECEMBER
20 PAC sponsored Grade 5 High Touch High Tech Matter Matters STEM Program
21 PAC sponsored School Assembly for Students: Amazing Hero Art
22 Full Day of School before Vacation
JANUARY
2 School Resumes
8 PAC sponsored Discovery Museum Forces and Motion Program for Kindergarten
10 PAC Meeting, STEM Lab at 7:00 PM
11 Student Council Spirit Day: OPR/Walpole Day! Wear your OPR or Walpole clothing or colors!
12 No School for Students - Professional Development for WPS Staff
15 No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
22 Term 1 Grading Ends
25 PAC sponsored STEM Night for Grade 2 Students and Parents in the Cafeteria from 6-7:30 PM. This experience is free for families.
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.
Physical Education with Mrs. Green
Grades K - 2:
- Students had fun sweating through fitness stations that included the agility ladder, hula hoops, jump rope, hurdles and the flying bean bag toss. Next class, stations included soccer dribbling, throwing at a target, agility through hoops and scooter relay.
- Students enjoyed a “Turkey Knockdown” game where two teams tried to knock down the other team's turkeys while practicing throwing and rolling skills.
- Students danced to “Tony Chestnut”, “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and “The Gummy Bear”.
- This was followed by a game called the “Food Walls”. This is a game where students become familiar with all food groups, while racing others to the correct wall choice.
- “Animal Catchers” was played, which is the famous tag game they all love.
- Geo-mats are a numbered mat where students practice dancing in sync with each other. We also played “Twister” on the mats as well as musical mats
- Winter Wonderland stations: Bobsledding, sled pulling, ice-skating and snow ball throwing.
Grades 3 - 5:
- Students had fun sweating through fitness stations while being called over one at a time to continue with fitness testing. Pull-ups, chin-ups, bar-hang and the sit & reach flexibility tests were performed.
- Capture the Flag was played.
- Danced to the “Cotton Eyed Joe”, “Macarena” & Cha-Cha slide.
- Geo-mats were used to practice dancing in sync with one another to a set of numbers.
- PVC pipes were used to practice lifting techniques: Strict press, Back Squat, Front Squat, Thrusters, Lunges, Power Cleans, Squat Cleans, Clean & Jerk, Power Snatch, & Squat Snatch.
- *****GRADE 5 only = Began using barbells in partner groups to practice some of the movements that were practiced with the PVC.
- Winter Wonderland stations: Bobsledding, sled pulling, ice-skating and snow ball throwing.
Math with Mrs. Rinaldi
With Winter Break a week away, we thought it would be the perfect time to share some fun math games that can be done at home. Math games have many positive benefits that go beyond just math skills and concepts. It is wonderful that they help children reinforce and practice math skills, but they also can help reduce the fear of making mistakes, help foster communication and social emotional skills, build a love of math and develop strategic thinking skills. “Children learn to solve problems together, think strategically about what moves to make, and how to be successful in playing the game. Throughout a math game, children make a lot of strategic decisions as they problem solve and plan their next move.” (10 Benefits of Using Math Games with Students).
Our Family Math Site is full of games and activities that your children can do with a grown up, a friend, a sibling, or any willing participant! Many only need a deck of cards or a set of dice. Most board games involve some type of math and definitely involve critical thinking skills around problem solving and decision making. Play is an important part of learning at all levels, in the words of Mr. Rogers, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning.But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”
News from the Nurse
Thank you OPR families for limiting the spread of the viral illnesses! We have been seeing cases of diagnosed Conjunctivitis, RSV, Strep throat, Flu and GI bug in the last few weeks. We appreciate everyone taking precaution and keeping their children home with these suspected illnesses and following up with their pediatricians. There have been diagnosed cases of pneumonia as well-if your child has a persistent cough that is not improving or worsening-call your pediatrician for a follow up.
Please have your Emergency Contacts up to date in case your child becomes ill at school! Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!
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
November 2023 - $113.70
Daniel Feeney Preschool Applications for 2024-2025 School Year:
The Daniel Feeney Preschool peer applications for the 2024-2025 school year is available on our website from December 1-22. Once the application window closes on 12/22 a lottery system will be employed to select peers.
Please click on the link below and navigate to "Application" for all information. Please read all information carefully and if you have any questions please contact Julie Martin, Director: jmartin@walpole.k12.ma.us
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)
The Walpole SEPAC invites you to join us for:
DESE - Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) SEPAC Orientation to the Tiered Focus Monitoring Process
This is a VIRTUAL ONLY event (see link below) will be followed by an open discussion with the Walpole SEPAC
When? Monday, December 18th at 6:00 PM
Where to log in: Join us on zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89411331336
Questions? Email us at walpolesepac@gmail.com
We are here to help!
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
