OPMS

From September 15th to October 15th, we recognize Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to honor the rich history, diverse cultures, and countless contributions of the Hispanic and Latinx communities. Throughout the month, we encourage our students, staff, and families to explore and appreciate the vibrant traditions, impactful stories, and incredible achievements of Hispanic and Latinx individuals both past and present. Let’s take this opportunity to learn from one another and continue to build a school culture that embraces inclusion and unity!

OPMS and OPHS use the “Say Something” Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) designed specifically for students in grades 6-12 and staff to report any type of serious or potentially violent concerns of unsafe behavior or threats of harm to self or others. Say Something is a youth violence prevention program from the national nonprofit organization Sandy Hook Promise and is provided and sustained at no cost to OPCSD.

“Tipsters” can send reports on anything from school threats they’ve seen or overheard to personal crises including sexual harassment, self-harm, and depression. The system enables school administrators and those in law enforcement to create effective interventions and intervene upon at-risk individuals to help prevent violence, suicide, bullying, self-harm, and other forms of threatening behavior.

All tips submitted receive an immediate response by one of the highly skilled crisis counselors at the Sandy Hook Promise National Crisis Center; this person then determines the necessary support steps. When credible tips are received that are life-threatening and require immediate attention, the crisis center will notify school-based representatives, even after hours. And, in cases of imminent threat, the crisis center will contact local 911 dispatch and involve law enforcement. Users can submit a tip by calling 1-844-5-SAYNOW or by visiting www.saysomething.net. The free app is available for download from the App Store and Google Play Store, where students can submit tips instantly.

Key Features of the Program:

· Recognize At-Risk Behaviors: Participants will learn how to identify signs of distress or harmful behaviors in their peers.

· Take Action: The program emphasizes the importance of acting immediately by either talking to a Trusted Adult or reporting concerns anonymously through the system.

· 24/7 Support: Students can access a Crisis Center at any time via a mobile app, website, or hotline for confidential reporting.

· Ongoing Awareness: We will promote safety through student clubs, in-school activities, and special awareness weeks designed to keep these conversations alive.

Empowering Our Students

Our students often have unique insights into the challenges their peers face. It’s crucial that we empower them to recognize danger signs and equip them with the tools to support one another effectively. The Say Something ARS program teaches them how to support each other during digital conversations and in-person interactions. This initiative is provided by Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a respected non-profit organization dedicated to improving school safety across the nation. With programs implemented in all 50 states and over 31 million individuals trained, SHP has a proven track record of success in preventing school shootings, suicides, and other violent incidents while reducing bullying and cyberbullying.

We will be training all students at OPMS on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

We're Here for You

If you have any questions or concerns about the Say Something ARS program or any related initiatives, please feel free to reach out directly via phone or email. Your support is invaluable as we work together to create a safe environment for our students. Thank you for your commitment to keeping our community safe.

Orchard Park Middle School uses Securly Pass, an electronic hall pass system that replaces traditional paper passes. This year, we will continue with Securly as part of our regular daily routines.

Securly Pass allows teachers to issue and monitor passes electronically. Students no longer need to carry paper passes, and staff can see, in real time, which students are out of class and where they are going. This helps us reduce interruptions, better manage hallway traffic, and increase student safety.

Benefits of this system include:

• Safety: We can quickly identify who is out of class during an emergency.

• Efficiency: Fewer interruptions and less lost instructional time.

• Accountability: Clear records of student movement help us support responsible decision-making.

We will be training students on the system on Thursday, September 17, and will begin using Securly Pass schoolwide the following day. We are excited about the ways this tool will continue to enhance our school environment and support student learning. If you have any questions about how Securly Pass works, please don’t hesitate to contact the main office. Thank you for your continued support.

The OPMS PTO is sponsoring 6th Grade Activity Night on Friday, September 18 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM. Please check out the flyer below for more information. Tickets will be sold this week and are $5 each. You can purchase by clicking the link below.

The PTO is looking for volunteers to assist with the event and will gladly accept OPHS inducted NHS members to assist. We need about 20 volunteers between the hours of 4:30 - 7:30 PM. Please help us with this amazing event! Any interested students or parents should click the link below to sign-up.

IMPORTANT: As an update for 6th Grade Activity Night, students will not be permitted to leave the event before 7:00 PM unless they are being picked up by a parent or guardian. Students will not be able to leave the event early on their own to walk around the Village, go to the playground at South Davis, or visit other locations. This is to ensure that all students remain safe and supervised throughout the event. If you need to pick up your child before 7:00 PM, please come to the front desk at the Middle School to sign them out. Thank you for helping us keep Activity Night a safe and enjoyable event for all of our students!

This is to inform you the week of September 21, Orchard Park Middle School will be conducting multiple fire drills, or evacuation drills. The purpose of these drills is to ensure the safety and preparedness of our students and staff in case of an emergency. We conduct these drills regularly as part of our commitment to maintaining a safe learning environment. Please rest assured that this is only a drill and not an actual emergency. For any questions or concerns, feel free to contact the main office.

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming 6th Grade Open House event on September 22, 2026 at 6:30 PM. This is a great opportunity you to meet your student's teachers, learn more about our curriculum, and explore the various programs we offer. Our goal is to provide insights into the learning environment and the ways we are working together to ensure your student’s success this school year. We look forward to seeing you and sharing how we can support your student's growth! Below is some information about the Open House event:

• Open House is for parents/guardians only.
• During study hall periods, you may visit one of your student's cycle 2 day classes.
• You will be following your student's cycle 1-day schedule that evening.
• Please report to their student's 1st-period class at 6:30 PM.
• You will have the opportunity to meet all of your student's teachers. Each period will be seven minutes with three minutes passing time.
• A digital version of the schedule for the evening will be available on the Parent Portal and can be accessed by selecting the "Open House Schedule" link on the left-hand menu. Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 day schedules will appear. We will follow cycle 1. Cycle 2 is there in case you would like to visit a cycle 2 day teacher's classrooms. The schedule will be available on 9/22/26.

*Information for 7th and 8th Grade Open House will be shared with families in the next issue of The Observer. 7th and 8th grade Open House is Tuesday, September 29 at 6:30 PM.

School Picture Days will take place on Tuesday, September 22 and Wednesday, September 23 during students’ PE classes.

• September 22: Cycle 2 Day
• September 23: Cycle 1 Day

Your child will have their school picture taken on whichever of these two days they are scheduled for PE. Picture Day flyers were sent home with students on the first day of school.

Dear OPMS Parents/Guardians,

Is your child taking 8th Grade Life & Careers this quarter? If so, I am delighted to invite you to join us for our 8th Grade Career Day! This is a wonderful opportunity for our 8th graders to be introduced to a wide array of career paths, connect with industry professionals, and gain invaluable insights into the world of work. Presenters who sign up will showcase the job they are currently in to their child's 8th Grade Life & Careers Class. If you or an adult family member is interested in being a Career Day Presenter, please sign up below. Also, it would make sense that you would sign up for the period your child has Life & Careers class this quarter. If your child does not have Life & Careers this quarter, there will be an opportunity to sign up for that specific quarter in a future OPMS Observer installment.

In terms of presenting, please plan to have approximately 15- 20 minutes for your presentation. You are welcome to bring in materials/prompts with you to enhance your presentation, or plan a hands-on activity with the students. There will be a ViewBoard in the room for you to project if you choose to make a slides presentation. I also have a presentation that can simply guide you while you speak. It has question prompts if you would prefer that. Click here to access a presentation template if you want to make a slides presentation. You can make a copy of the presentation and make it your own. Of course, it is not mandatory to have a slides presentation. Any questions, please contact Valerie Velasquez: vvelasquez@opschools.org. Thank you in advance for volunteering! We look forward to an amazing Career Day with you!

Sincerely,

Valerie Velasquez

Orchard Park Middle School

Gr. 8 Life & Careers Teacher

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance. Our school office will be open, Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM to address any concerns you may have.

Here's to another great week at Orchard Park Middle School. Go Quakers!

Thanks,

Mary Kate Graham

OPMS Principal

The OPMS Observer is the weekly newsletter that is sent to families. You will receive a text link and an email each time a new issue is released. This is the best source of receiving updated information weekly from the school.

Here are some important reminders for our traffic patterns to help keep all of the OPMS community safe. We understand that the pick-up/drop-off traffic lines can be long, however, the safety of our students and staff is critical.

• Drop off: Buses use the front loop on South Lincoln. Parent drop-off is not allowed in the front loop. Parent drop-off is behind the building, please enter the lot from 20A and follow the directions of the staff. Student drop-off is not allowed before 7:45 AM. This is to prevent a potentially serious safety risk, as students aren’t permitted to go to homeroom before then, and there is limited supervision in the foyer.

• Pick up: Parents should use the front loop for student pick up for early releases and normal dismissal at 2:40 PM. The buses will use the lot behind the school for pick up.

Please check the Parent Portal throughout the year to receive information on your child’s academic progress. Information such as report cards are now solely on the Parent Portal. If you are having difficulty accessing the Parent Portal, please contact the Counseling Center at 209-6233.

Also, please update your contact information on the Parent Portal by selecting the "Update Information" page. Additionally, update your settings to continue to receive important communications from the Middle School and the District. If you have trouble logging into Parent Portal click the link below for more assistance.

Team/Teacher specific School Supply Lists for the 2026-2027 school year are linked below. Please note that the satellite lists are at the end of the corresponding grade level supply list. If you have any questions regarding school supplies please feel free to email or call the Counseling Center at (716) 209-6233 or email pbaldo@opschools.org

Color coding the supplies helps students stay organized. You are welcome to get a colored binder that coordinates with the subjects that need a binder, or you can make the binder easily identifiable with a piece of colored paper or colored tape. Subject materials will be color coded as follows (refer to supply lists for more specific information):

• English – Yellow

• World Language – Purple

• Math – Green

• Reading – Orange

• Science – Blue

• Social Studies – Red

• Satellites – Black or White (or any color not listed above)

*All OPMS students will receive a Student Agenda on the first day of school.

Starting in the 2025–2026 school year, all New York State schools, including those in the Orchard Park Central School District, will provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. The cost of meals will be fully covered by state reimbursement. Each student is eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch per day.

Please note that additional meals or a la carte items must still be purchased separately. Prices for these meals are listed below:

• Breakfast (Grades K–12): $2.00
• Lunch (Grades K–5): $2.90
• Lunch (Grades 6–12): $3.00
• Adult Breakfast: $3.10 + tax
• Adult Lunch: $5.20 + tax

Payments for a la carte items must be made at the time of purchase. Students can pay directly at the register, or families may add funds to their child’s account via myschoolbucks.com or through the Parent Portal. Checks can be made payable to Orchard Park CSD.

Even with universal free meals this year, we encourage families to complete a Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application, as eligibility may qualify your household for additional benefits beyond school meals. Applications are available online at www.opschools.org or in your child’s cafeteria and are accepted throughout the school year.

Households that were approved in the previous year must submit a new application by October 1st to remain eligible.

Please remember: participating in the program not only supports your student—it also benefits the district as a whole by contributing to funding and resources based on need. If you need an application printed and sent to you, please call Jody Schwarz at (716) 209-6244.

Join Orchard Park Middle School PTO as a member and help our students’ days feel fuller, brighter, and more fun. 🎒 Your membership supports school events, classroom needs, and student programs—from dances to enrichment activities. Even if you can’t volunteer often, joining the PTO shows your support for our kids, teachers, and staff. 💚

You can complete your membership form and pay your $5 dues by clicking on the link below:

• Monday, September 14, 2026 @ 7:00 PM in the OPMS Library
• Monday, October 5, 2026 @ 7:00 PM over Google Meet
• Monday, November 2, 2026 @ 7:00 PM over Google Meet
• Monday, January 11, 2027 @ 7:00 PM over Google Meet
• Monday, February 1, 2027 @ 7:00 PM over Google Meet
• Monday, March 8, 2027 @ 7:00 PM over Google Meet
• Monday, April 12, 2027 @ 7:00 PM over Google Meet
• Monday, May 10, 2027 @ 7:00 PM over Google Meet
• Monday, June 14, 2027 @ 7:00 PM over Google Meet

All events for 2026-27 school year are in need for volunteers. Please think about participating in all our amazing opportunities and fun for our students.

Thursday, September 17, 2026

• OPMS Early Dismissal @ 10:45 AM - GO BILLS!

Friday, September 18, 2026

• 6th Grade Activity Night from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

• School Picture Day in PE - All Grade Levels
• 6th Grade Open House 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

• School Picture Day in PE - All Grade Levels
• Orchard Park SEPTSA 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM @ OP Public Library

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

• 7th and 8th Grade Open House 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM