Dear Overlook Families,

I hope this message finds you and your families well as we transition into the vibrant month of April. Hopefully it stays vibrant and green, because we do see some potential snow in our forecast! Yikes! Well, at least it will melt quickly given the warmer temperatures ahead. 🤞

Nonetheless, it is a pleasure to connect with you once again and share some exciting updates and important information from our school community.

Here are a few highlights and announcements for the month of April:

State Testing- MCAS Reminders: A friendly reminder that state testing for middle school students will take place during the following dates. We encourage all students to approach these assessments with confidence and determination. Rest assured that our dedicated staff will provide the necessary support. Please be sure to avoid vacations and doctor appointments on these days. If your child is unable to complete a test due to an unexcused absence it does hurt our school ranking and standing. Also, please ensure your child comes to school on time and with a charged Chromebook.

ELA

March 26 & 27 - Grade 8 (makeup April 1-5)

April 9 & 10 - Grades 6 & 7

(Any student who still needs to make up will be April 11-23)

Math

April 23 & 24 - Grade 8 Make-ups (as soon as possible)

May 2 & 3 - Grades 6 & 7 Make-ups (as soon as possible)

STE (Grade 8 only)

May 15 & 16

Civics (Grade 8 only)

June 4 & 5

Spring Concert: Mark your calendars for our annual District Jazz Night, scheduled for April 11th from 6:30-8 at Oakmont. Our talented students have been hard at work rehearsing and preparing for this special event. Join us as we celebrate their musical accomplishments and enjoy an evening filled with beautiful performances.

Drama Performances: Please join us in watching our talented actors and actresses on stage as they perform The Wizard of Oz April 26, 27, 28. They have been working very diligently on their lines, music, and choreography. OMS Drama Club never disappoints!

Education Through the Arts Show: Come and see lots of work on display across the curriculum in on April 30th from 6:30-8pm. This open house is hosted by the Art Department. There will be beautiful creations showcased from across the school and in classrooms. Different than years past, Grade 7 and 8 teachers will also be in attendance as they display their student's work and answer any questions. Please visit them and see some of your child's projects/work. If you are a sixth grade parent you can come and see your child's work displayed in the sixth grade hall and wonder up to the upper grades to see what is in store for your child next year!

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas you’d like to share. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we strive to provide the best possible educational experience for your child.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support and partnership. Together, we will continue to empower our students to reach their full potential.

Warm regards,

Kristina Bogosh

April 2 Last Day Qtr 3, Enrichment #6, F block Enrichments

April 2 Wingspan 2:00-2:30pm Room 121

April 3 First Day Qtr 4, Enrichment #7, New F block Enrichments

April 3 ½ Day Professional Development

April 4 Parent ONLY Washington Meeting 6:00 pm Teamroom

April 4 Yearbook Club/rm 207/2-3pm

April 5 New to OMS Staff Meeting/Library/7:00am

April 5 7th grade Earthview/Gym/7th & 8th swap schedules

April9&10 ELA MCAS Grades 6 and 7

April 10 SOAR meeting/Library/2:00-3:00pm

April 10 Yearbook Club/rm 207/2-3pm

April 11 District Jazz Night 6:30-8:00pm Oakmont Auditorium

April 12 LAST DAY to order a YEARBOOK!

April15-19 No School Spring Break

April 22 All Washington forms Due (Health/Emergency Contact)

April 22 Student Council Meeting 2-3 pm in room 214

April 22 All Emergency Medical Information forms are due for Washington DC trip

April 23 Wingspan 2:00-2:30pm Room 121

April23&24 Math MCAS Grade 8

April 24 PTO Fundraiser Pottery Painting 1:50-3:30pm

April 26 Last day for medications to be delivered to nurse's office for DC trip

April 26 Drama Club Show, The Wizard of Oz, 7 pm, Oakmont Auditorium

April 27 Drama Club Show, The Wizard of Oz, 7 pm, Oakmont Auditorium

April 28 Drama Club Show, The Wizard of Oz, 2 pm, Oakmont Auditorium

April 30 Education With the Arts/6:30-8:00pm

Washington DC News (6 weeks and counting)

A few updates from your Washington DC advisors:

All students attending the Washington DC trip have completed all payments. Roommates, chaperones, and buses have been assigned and no more changes will be made. Students will find out about these assignments closer to the departure date.

The parent meeting is on April 4th at 6:00 pm in the Team Room. We will be discussing the agenda, expectations for both parents and students, and health needs. We will also be looking for snack donations. Please make every effort to attend. If you can not attend this meeting the Google Slide presentation can be sent home upon request. This meeting is for parents ONLY, not students. Due to space in the Team Room, we cannot accommodate both parents and students during this meeting. There will be no supervision of students if they are in attendance. We ask you to respect this request to allow all parents to ask questions without the concern of children being in the room. Students will have their meeting to discuss many of the same things at a later time. If you bring your child with you, they will be asked to stay outside.

Some dates to mark down:

April 22nd-All Emergency and Medical forms are due (will be given out at the April 4th meeting)

April 26nd -All medications are due to the Nurse's office (details at the April 4th meeting)

We will be sending out a sign-up for snack donations at the April 4th meeting snack donations are due to the school by May 3rd

Luggage Drop off will be Sunday, May 5th between 12-3pm (details at the April 4th meeting)

Please start reviewing the behavior matrix and the handbook expectations with your child. Misconduct will not be tolerated on the trip. Also take a look at Nation's Classroom blog on "Why proper behavior and decorum is important in student travel", especially in Washington. Why proper behavior and decorum is important in student travel

We look forward to seeing you on April 4th. If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to e-mail Kristin Belkin at kbelkin@awrsd.org or Colleen Moran at cmoran@awrsd.org.

Follow us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/eaglesgo2dc/ for updated information and pictures from our trip.

Thank you,

Kristin Belkin and Colleen Moran

Triss Plooster and Ellarie Healey are the winners of the DC Trip 2024 T-Shirt and Backpack designs! Congrats! See designs below!

The new February edition has arrived! Check it out HERE.

The 8th grade Parent Yearbook Ad deadline is Friday, March 29. This 8th grade parent only option may be purchased and completed through the buytheyearbook.com website.

Yearbook orders/sales will end on Friday, April 12. Go to www.buytheyearbook.com and use the code 719089.

If you feel inundated with emails or have trouble keeping up with email, Parent Square has a great feature if you download the application to your phone. The application will allow you to receive text notifications on school information/updates without having to rummage through your email's inbox to find them.

Blue and green sixth grade teams had our 3rd Annual Pi Bee today and we wanted to share with you some of our amazing students and their accomplishments.

1st: Luna Hoey-261 digits

2nd Capri Cesvette-240 digits

3rd Sophia Manning-214 digits.

Additionally, there were seven students that memorized over 100 digits of pi: Hagen Middleton-103, Juliet Lasorsa-104, Alex Welch-108, Lily Huguenin-109, Adeline Randall-112, Leila Soto-128, and Ava-Marie Martinez-187

Coming prepared to school doesn't just mean bring a pencil and notebook - it also means making sure chromebook is charged. Please ensure your child's nightly routine includes charging their chromebook for the next day of learning.

SMART watches are considered a personal device. Teachers have found that they can serve as a considerable distraction to students during class. They are also banned by the state during MCAS testing. We ask that all SMART watches be left at home or in the lockers during the school day. Please and thank you.

Students cannot enter the building before 7:10am as there is no supervision.

Between 7:10-7:20, drive around the back of the building and have student exit by south side of building and walk up the front sidewalk to the front doors.

Between 7:20-7:30 drive around back of building and have student exit through the back door monitored by a staff member.

Breakfast begins at 7:20 (students can exit the bus at this time if eating breakfast only).

Students exit bus at 7:30.

Classes begin at 7:35am.

Dismissal is at 1:50pm.

Please be sure to not park in the general parking areas to let students off or pick them up. Use the line that goes behind the school. This is a safety concern with students running through parking lots and parents disrupting traffic patterns.

Also, please pay attention to staff members directing traffic. Do not drive-by when they ask you to stop.

Passing busses with flashing lights is a $250 traffic citation.

Students should not be wearing pajamas or slippers to school. This is part of our dress code. We do on occasion have a spirit day where students are allowed to wear pajamas as a "treat" but appropriate, everyday school attire does not include pajamas or slippers. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for school. Thank you!

• If students come to school in slippers or pajamas we may ask that parents come and bring the appropriate attire to school for students to change.

Students are only allowed water for drinks in class. There have been some young business entrepreneurs at OMS that have been selling the popular "Prime" drinks (as well as other things such as candy and sneakers!). Students are not authorized nor allowed to sell anything at school. Moreover, these drinks are not allowed. Please ensure that your student is not bringing these drinks to school or buying or selling these drinks (or any items) at school or on the bus.

We see the school and home as a partnership. We ask to review these expectations with your child in an effort to create unified expectations from both the school and home fronts. Please see the matrix attachment below to review with your child.

• If your student requires an epipen or inhaler at school or during after school activities, they must have written parent permission and doctor's orders on file with the health office whether the medication is in the health office or they are carrying it. If you are not sure about the status of your student's paperwork or have any questions, please contact me at ntaylor@awrsd.org.

• According to the Massachusetts school immunization requirements, it is recommended that students receive the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and tetanus) vaccine at age 11-12. One dose is required in Grade 7-12. It is typically given at the physical before entering Grade 7.
• The meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) is also required with the first dose typically given in Grade 7 and the second dose given in Grade 11.
• Please submit documentation of these vaccines when your child receives them. This may be faxed by your physician's office to 978-827-4986, emailed to me or brought to school by your child (not recommended as frequently it is forgotten in the backpack).

• **In order to play sports, you must have an up-to-date physical in the last 13 months and must go to the Athletic website page and complete the online registration. Any questions please contact Athletic Director edawley@awrsd.org.

• Lastly, we want parents to know that if students call a parent/guardian to pick them up because they are not feeling well and a nurse has not officially dismissed them for medical reasons, this is an UNEXCUSED absence. We ask parents to discourage their child from trying to call home to be dismissed.

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce its new, free MPY Parenting Solutions Library. To date, over 2,200 videos have been borrowed. MPY is offering the MPY Parenting Solutions Library in partnership with Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit located in Mansfield, Connecticut. Peace At Home Parenting Solutions is a dynamic hub of trusted knowledge and compassionate support that inspires parents to create positive change for their children, their families and themselves. Through this new partnership, MPY is pleased to offer proven resources to help students’ families thrive.

Peace At Home Parenting Solutions specializes in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children's mental well-being. When parents grasp the interconnection between the brain, body, and behavior, they experience reduced stress levels, resulting in less stress for their children.

The Peace At Home Parenting Solutions team, comprised of experts with advanced degrees, stays abreast of the latest advancements in child development. With more than 30 specialists focused on child and adolescent development, including specific issues such as difficulties in school, mental health challenges, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ identity formation, handling racism, navigating grief, and other matters parents and our partners identify. These experts present easy-to-use strategies for long-lasting change.

Parents can watch or just listen to experts who get right to the point solving big and small challenges. The 24 library presentations focus on the topics below. Each presentation includes a 10-minute videos and handouts.

· Inspire School Success for Elementary, Middle and High School Students

· Parenting Principles for Progress Not Perfection

· Mental Health Knowledge and Skills

· Support Your Anxious Child Library

· ADHD and Autism: How to Help Your Child Thrive

The Home Parenting Library may easily be accessed using the link: https://peaceathomeparenting.com/mpy-solution-libraries/ No log in or passcode is needed.

• NIH Articles: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6449671/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27247125/
  
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4183915/
• VIDEO: https://youtu.be/kGZvNbfrNag
• WEBSITE: https://www.humanetech.com/youth
• https://www.humanetech.com/take-control
• https://www.humanetech.com/future-generations
  
• NYT Article: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PdtQZAuVsflH0SuM9E6BMNyDkq9NPcjq/view
• NYT Article: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zvHPmlIQios-a2llfLFyj6DbdMWB5h8S/view
• Guardian Article: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/05/smartphone-addiction-silicon-valley-dystopia
• PEW Research: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
• VIDEO: https://youtu.be/rv0g8TsnA6c
• TIME Article: https://time.com/5555737/smartphone-mental-health-teens/
• INFOGRAPHIC: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/technology-addiction-concern-controversy-and-finding-balance-infographic

• Smithsonian & NMAAHC WEBSITE (Race): https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race
• Anti-Defamation League WEBSITE: https://www.adl.org/resources/tools-and-strategies/talking-young-children-about-bias-and-prejudice
• Oakland Library Resources DOCUMENT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s0lCA3FlulVhK6DFE2d3uYCipc6ApY8Gn2rMwm6fYqw/edit
• PJ Library WEBSITE (Antisemitism): https://pjlibrary.org/beyond-books/pjblog/february-2022/how-to-talk-to-children-about-anti-semitism
  
• Nick Helps WEBSITE (Bullying Prevention): https://www.nick.com/nick-helps/bullying-prevention/

PTO Updates & News

The next meeting is on April 9th at 6:00 pm in the OMS Library.

All are welcome to attend the meeting. Get the latest information about the school and how you can help from our Principal Kristina Bogosh and Assistant Principal Lori Shattuck.

We will be looking for eager parents to participate in committees to help plan teacher appreciation week on May 13th-17th and concessions at the upcoming drama performance of “The Wizard of Oz” in April. Come hear what it is all about on April 9th.

Thank you to all those who participated in our first Cornhole tournament. Check out the pictures below.

PTO will be hosting another after-school event. We will be looking for all of our creative students who would like to participate in pottery painting. Just in time to make a Mother's Day gift, join us after school on Wednesday, April 24th, and paint your pottery bowl. We will supply all the materials and send your masterpiece off to be professionally glazed. It will be returned to you just in time for Mother's Day. We will also provide all participants with a snack. This event is limited, so sign up early through Venmo @overlookmspto. The cost of the event is $15 a person. Please write in the Venmo comment the first and last name of your child and pottery.

We are still looking for donations for our Teacher and Staff Appreciation week in May. We are looking for donations that can be raffled off during teacher and staff appreciation week. Donations could include gift cards, household or classroom items, or money through Venmo @overlookmspto. All donations will go back to our staff, thanking them for all they do. If you would like to donate something please e-mail overlookmspto@gmail.com. We appreciate all you are willing to do. We will also be asking for volunteers to help set up or distribute gifts and lunches. Be on the look out for an upcoming sign-up.

Thank you to all the local businesses and individuals who have already donated.

• Jane Clabaugh
• Surfing Goat Soaps
• Scholastic
• Overlook PTO
• 1st Day School Supplies
• Salt and Embers
• Nuttin' Bundt Cakes
• Houston-Chadbourne Family
• Kathie Thibeault
• Five Chicken Farm
• Woo Sox
• Tara Watson
• Beth Klein
• Emily La Marca & Cole LaMarca
• Danielle Ferguson
• Cheryl Gaudreau-Stretch's Pickles
• Susan Harris
• Parker Stiles
• Red Apple Farm
• Gardner Ale House
• Bits and Bobs-Grondell Family
• Kitchen Garden
• Smith's Country Cheese
• Polar Seltzer

Take a look at our website https://sites.google.com/awrsd.org/overlookmspto/home or our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram OverlookMSPTO for all the latest information.

We had great participation. Even Dr. Stewart came out to play and be Mrs. Shattuck's partner!

Please check the Portal regularly. Google Classroom is not an accurate indicator of grades. Please reach out to the teacher directly if you have any questions.

Check out the info below and spread the word!

Registration information below.

General membership to the Ashburnham-Westminster Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is open to all AWRSD parents/guardians of children with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Section 504 Plans and other interested parties. We are in need of volunteers to help plan workshops, staff tables at local school and community events, become future leaders, assist other parents, and plan new activities and projects. We welcome you to learn more about SEPAC and our work on our website, https://sites.google.com/view/ashburnham-westminster-sepac. You can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ashwestsepac. Please contact Justine Muir if interested in SEPAC jmuir@awrsd.org.