OPR Weekly Update
December 22, 2023
Dear OPR Families,
From all of us at OPR, we wish you and your family safe and happy holidays! School will resume on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. Happy New Year!
Click here to watch today's OPR Video News. (Due to a sound technical issue, some voices have been dubbed.)
Sincerely,
David N. Barner, Principal
Email: dbarner@walpole.k12.ma.us
Instagram: OLDPOSTROADSCHOOL_WALPOLE
Twitter: @oprschool
OPR Website
Dates to Remember
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.
Music with Ms. Yee
Grade K & 1
Singing and Movement: Students learned a Hanukkah song called “My Dreidel”. Students created small group dances to accompany the song. The movement activity helped reinforce steady beat for Grade K and allowed students in Grade 1 to learn about musical form. Students also learned a Swedish game song that is associated with the winter solstice called “Hej Tomtegubbar'' The words translate as “Hi, gnome-man”. Students enjoyed singing in a different language and learning about different cultures.
Literacy and Instruments: Students read iconic notation and played desk bells to accompany two seasonal songs called “Deck the Hall” and “Jingle Bells”. The non-traditional notation helped reinforce steady beat for Kindergarteners and rhythm for Grade one students.
Grade 2 & 3
Singing and Instruments: Students learned a lively Hebrew folk song called “Oh Hanukkah”. Students were divided into two groups and created a rhythmic ostinato using quarter, eighth and half notes. Instruments included tambourines, jingle bells, desk bells and triangles.
Listening Activity: Students tested their listening skills by playing a game called “One Of These is Not Like The Others”. They listened to a variety of rhythm patterns and had to determine which pattern was different. They loved this aural challenge and begged to play it again!
Literacy: Students read and played the melody of a seasonal favorite called “Home Alone”. Students were engaged while playing two different boomwhackers and reading a challenging melody part. The reading and playing was impressive!
Grade 4 & 5
Singing and Instruments: Students learned a seasonal song called “Feliz Navidad”. “Feliz Navidad-Prospero año y felicidad” translates as “Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to you! Students added traditional instruments from Spanish speaking countries to accompany the song. Instruments included claves, maracas and guiros.
Creating and Movement: Students listened to “Trepak” from Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Nutcracker”. They learned that a trepak is a traditional and lively dance from the Ukraine. Students used a parachute to create a class movement routine to demonstrate the form of the music.
Literacy: Students read and played rhythm patterns using iconic notation to accompany seasonal songs called “Rudolph Run” and “Winter Wonderland”. Students were challenged as they could choose to play two, three or four different pitches of the melody using boomwhackers or desk bells!
SEL with Ms. Bishop and Mrs. Murray
December seems to have whisked by in the blink of an eye! Our students dedicated themselves to our theme of Getting Along with Others, delving into active listening, self-control, anger management, problem-solving, communication, cause and effect, manners, and more. Wishing everyone a fantastic 2024! As we step into January, our focus shifts to Goal Setting: encompassing steps for setting and achieving goals, responsibility, perseverance, and nurturing a growth mindset.
In Kindergarten, we will read “Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae. Giraffes Can't Dance beautifully narrates Gerald's desire to dance despite his challenges with crooked knees and thin legs as a giraffe. Overcoming these hurdles seems near impossible until an unexpected friend offers him words of encouragement. Through its nimble rhymes and vivid illustrations, this story gently inspires every child nurturing dreams of achieving greatness. Following this, students will engage in a growth mindset worksheet.
Tis’ the season! Our little learners in first grade will practice steps for setting and achieving goals! To kick off step 1, we will be focusing on a growth mindset and positive language. Students will engage in a self-reflecting survey activity. First graders will be watching a Class Dojo video starring our favorite character Mojo! To follow, students will be encouraged to engage in a discussion about Mojo’s positive mindset! Growth Mindset Videos
In our second-grade class, we're diving into "Would if Everybody Did That" by Ellen Javernick and Colleen Madde. This book cleverly demonstrates how every individual's small, daily decisions, whether positive or negative, carry consequences that ripple through our lives. Following our reading, we'll engage in a brief discussion about the book's themes, exploring its lessons. Then, we'll move on to a worksheet designed to reinforce and reflect on what we've learned.
Grade 3 will be working on steps to setting attainable goals for themselves! The skill we will be shining light on is “perseverance,” and how that relates to achieving personal goals. Together we will be reading “ A Little Spot of Perseverance” and will follow up with engaging in interactive videos. The videos are posted below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4C82eyhwgU&t=6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRQytOBTlN8
Our fourth-grade class will engage in a discussion on the significance of a growth mindset and explore ways to cultivate it. Following that, we'll work on a worksheet centered around fostering a growth mindset.
WELCOME 2024! Our fifth graders will be working on setting and achieving attainable goals for January. We will be focusing on “perseverance” and ways to manage stress. Students will be working in small groups to discuss a news article on the world's best gymnast Simone Biles! As Simone Biles used a growth mindset to achieve her goals, push through her worries, and act to decrease mental health stigmas, students will engage in conversation about how perseverance factors into achieving personal goals! https://www.psychiatrist.com/news/in-surprise-comeback-gymnast-simone-biles-looks-to-triumph-over-twisties/
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
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)
Please note the following contact information for Walpole’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Co-Chairs are Sue Pace and Deborah Mulroy. The SEPAC can be reached by email at walpolesepac@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/walpolespedpac. Notices of future events can be found in this Weekly Update as they are scheduled.
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
