What's New Wednesday

⛄ Happy December, O'Malley Families!

The canned food drive is off to a great start — which classes are in the lead? Ms. Stout & Ms. Allison! Great job! Keep those cans and dry food items coming in until 12/16. The winning class will receive a special treat!

The PTA is looking for volunteers to help with Zoo Lights — please see below for more information. This is going to be an amazing event! Thank you to the PTA and all the volunteers for making this special night possible. 🐻🎄🦊

Spirit Week is next week (more info below) — we cannot wait to see all the festive outfits!

Cold weather is expected all the way through winter break. Students go outside each day for recess unless there is inclement weather. Please make sure your student comes to school with warm winter gear. If you are missing items, this is a great time to check the Lost & Found before break.

Lucy Foster, Principal

O'Malley Elementary

(907) 742-5800

omalleyfrontoffice@asdk12.org

• December 11: School Store Open @ Lunch
• December 12: Basketball Game Chinook @ O'Malley 3:00-4:00PM
• December 15: Late Start Monday 9AM
• December 16: Zoo Lights @ O'Malley Zoo Lights 5-8PM - free admission (more info below)
• December 17: O'Malley School-Wide Recognition Assembly @8:15AM (more info coming from teachers)
• December 19: NO SCHOOL - End of Quarter 2 - Grading Day
• December 19 - January 2: NO SCHOOL -- Winter Break
• January 5: Late Start Monday 9AM
• January 9: School Dance (more info coming)
• January 12: Late Start Monday 9AM
• January 13: PTA Meeting @ Library 6PM
• January 19: NO SCHOOL Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

Attention 5th Graders! Join us for Typing Club!

When: Mondays 2:30-3:30 Jan 26 – March 30 (total of 8 meetings, no club 2/16 for President's Day and 3/9 for Spring Break)

Who: Initial registration open to 5th graders only, max 30 students.

Volunteer PTA instructors: Christine Baxter and Liz Van Patten

Where: School library (every meeting), OT/PT room (occasionally)

Curriculum: Up to 20 minutes of typing practice/instruction using typing program each meeting.

• Instruction in Canvas navigation, chromebook shortcuts and Google Read&Write tools
• Address proper typing posture through use of the PTA-sponsored Motor Lab, and through additional activities and instruction
• Supplemental activities that support learning the keyboard; keyboard bingo, jumbo keyboard construction, keyboard matching games

Goal: Help prepare students for the increasing writing and typing demands of middle school and beyond by:

• Improving typing efficiency
• Increasing practice using commonly used technology

Success Measure: Participants will take an initial benchmark 3-minute typing test the first week, again in week 4, and finally in week 8 to measure typing speed improvement.

Registration comes with a one year subscription to an online typing program for continued practice!

Link: Resources and Supports

Link: Make a Referral

Link: Q1 Counseling Highlights

If your family could use some assistance with gifts such as toys, clothes, or gifts cards for food (Fred Meyer, Carrs, Target, Walmart) this holiday season -- Please contact Nurse Lana.

We want every child in our school to experience the joy and warmth of the season!

Items Needed:

Gift Cards for food (Fred Meyer, Carrs, Walmart, Target)

Gift Cards may be dropped off in the O'Malley Front Office - thank you!

Questions?

Nurse Lana: 907-742-5801

akulova-briggs_svetlana@asdk12.org

We are looking for volunteers to help make Zoo Lights a great event. We need volunteers to hang out in the greenhouse helping at the cocoa/cider table, handing out scavenger hunt papers, and giving treats to those who finish the scavenger hunt. We will also need a few people to walk the trails at the end of the evening to usher folks toward the exit and collect any trash that may have been dropped on the trails. All supplies will be provided, we are just asking for 30 minutes of your time. Please use this link to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044FADAB2BA4FEC16-60869587-zoolights#/

Questions? omalleypta@gmail.com

📅When: THIS Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025

🕙 Time: 10 AM

💙 Donate: Let's "cheer" them on!

All donations go directly to support Special Olympics athletes in Alaska!

🎥 Watch it Live: Live-streamed by Special Olympics Alaska

Hard Copies available in the office.

Volunteer application must be re submitted each year. 24/25 school year applications have expired

Volunteering is a great way to stay connected to the O'Malley school community. We appreciate all the family support!

O'Malley is also looking for Noon Duties & Crossing Guards to help with student safety during arrival, dismissal, lunch & recess -- Please click HERE for the application link.

REMINDER: please use the handicap parking spots in front of the school only if you have a valid handicap parking permit. These designated spaces ensure accessibility for families and visitors who need them. Thank you for helping us keep our school safe and accessible for everyone!

If someone new is dropping off/picking up, please make sure they are aware of the car loop procedures and the speed limit on campus: 5 MPH - thank you!

🛑 Please remember to drive safely in the car loop and parking lot - the speed limit on campus is 5 MPH 🛑

By pulling all the way forward, we make more room in the Car Loop and reduce some of the traffic that backs up onto Rockridge and O'Malley.

Please merge left after you drop/pick up students at the curb -- this allows traffic to move up more quickly by forming two lanes - thank you!

• The Car Loop opens at 7:40am and closes at 8:00am
• Students should not be dropped off earlier than 7:40am as there is no adult supervision before 7:40am
• Pull all the way to the front of the line to ensure as many cars as possible can move through
• The car line needs to keep moving, adults should not get out of their vehicles in the Car Loop - if you need extra time, please park in the front parking lot
• Students arriving after 8:00am should be dropped off at the front door - they will check in and be marked tardy at the front office
• The Car Loop will open in the afternoon by 2:00pm
• Please let the busses through the car line, they are on a tight schedule
• If you are parking or walking to pick up your student, stay in the playground or stairs areas to keep the cone area clear to monitor students
• All parents/visitors that enter the building, must sign in at the front office and bring ID

We greatly thank you for your support!

The front office at O'Malley Elementary is open Monday - Friday 7:30am-3:00pm

If you need help with attendance or other requests, please email our new front office email: omalleyfrontoffice@asdk12.org

If you need to pick up your child before the end of the school day or change the way they go home, please contact the office BEFORE 1:30 p.m.

For safety purposes, all bus pass requests need to go through the front office no later than 1:30pm each day. If your student is riding the bus home with another student they need a bus pass processed by the front office (907) 742-5800 or email: omalleyfrontoffice@asdk12.org