OPMS

World Language presentations were held on January 12, 13, and 14 during the school day for our 6th grade teams. Your student will need to select Spanish or French as a course in 7th and 8th grade. They will receive one high school credit upon successful completion of the two year course. Emails were sent on January 15th with instructions on how to select Spanish or French through the Parent Portal. The deadline for selections will be Friday, January 30, 2026.

Families of current 8th grade students are asked to save the date for Orchard Park High School’s 8th Grade Scheduling Night. The event will take place on Wednesday, February 4 from 6:30–8:00 PM in the OPHS Auditorium. This evening will provide important information to support students as they plan for the transition to high school. Additional details will be shared closer to the event if needed.

Marking Period 2 and Semester 1 will end on January 27, and Marking Period 3 and Semester 2 will begin on January 28. At that time, some students will begin following new schedules for their satellite classes. Please remind students to check their schedules and reach out with any questions or concerns as we transition into the new marking period.

All 7th and 8th grade students are invited to attend a Youth Court interest meeting on Tuesday, January 27 at 2:40 PM in the OPMS Library. Students interested in learning more about the program are encouraged to attend.

Youth Court is a juvenile offender court alternative program in Orchard Park. When a person age 18 or younger is arrested, they may choose, with their legal guardian, to appear in Youth Court rather than Erie County Family Court. The program is entirely student-run, with students serving as attorneys, bailiffs, and judges. Youth Court members range from 8th through 12th grade.

This year is a recruitment year, and students in grades 7, 8, and 9 are welcome to apply. Students can click the image below to access the application and learn more about this unique leadership opportunity. The application deadline is February 20, 2026. Reference forms will be emailed directly to the references shortly after the application is submitted.

The OPMS PTO will be hosting a Valentine’s Day Candy Gram sale from February 5–12! Candy grams are a fun way for students to send a little kindness to friends and staff. We would love parent volunteers to help make this event a success. If you’re interested in helping out, please sign up using the link below.

On January 7, 2026, Orchard Park Middle School demonstrated its STEM excellence at the annual SUNY Niagara Tech Wars. Represented by a powerhouse team of 84 students, OPMS competed across eight diverse categories, including Video Creation, Small Bridge Construction, Wind Turbines, CO2 Cars, Mouse Trap Cars, T-Shirt Design, and a high-pressure On-Site STEM Challenge.

Thanks to their innovation and technical skill, Orchard Park Middle School secured first place, winning the Middle School Division for the third consecutive year. This impressive "three-peat" highlights the dedication of the students and the strength of the school’s Technology and Engineering program.

Our OPMS Lost and Found has been set up in the foyer, and it’s already full of clothing, water bottles, and lunch boxes that have been left around the building during the first marking period. All items will be on display in the lobby through January 27, 2026. After that date, any unclaimed belongings will be donated. If your student is missing something, please encourage them to take a look. On a regular basis, Lost and Found items are kept in the lobby next to the front guard desk.

A copy of the District Code of Conduct is included in the Student Agenda. Please sign off electronically in the Parent Portal by Friday, September 26 that you and your child have read and understand the information in the Student Agenda and Code of Conduct. There is a link in the Parent Portal on the left-hand menu and in the forms section of the PowerSchool App. The Student Agenda information and district Code of Conduct are linked below.

Back-to-School pricing is available. Click the image below to buy your 25-26 OPMS yearbook today!

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 to 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.

The Orchard Park Central School District is committed to partnering with parents and guardians to support strong student attendance, helping every child reach their full potential each day. We understand that absences can add up, often due to illness or other unexpected circumstances, and our goal is to work together with families to support students’ academic success.

To make the process easier, parents and guardians can now submit attendance notes and pick up information online. Simply log in to the Parent Portal, click on Attendance Notes, and complete and submit the form. Please view the video below for detailed instructions.

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 a.m. 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 2:35 p.m. 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.

The OPMS PTO monthly meeting dates are included below. All PTO meetings will take place at 9:00 AM at OPMS. Meetings will take place in the OPMS conference room.

September 15, 2025

October 6, 2025

November 3, 2025 - Meeting moved to 7:00 PM in the OPMS Library

January 12, 2026 - @ 7:00 PM via https://meet.google.com/qpm-wyhh-ene

February 9, 2026 - @ 7:00 PM via https://meet.google.com/qpm-wyhh-ene

March 9, 2026

April 20, 2026

May 11, 2026

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

• Last Day of Marking Period 2
• Last Day of Semester 1

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

• First Day of Marking Period 3
• First Day of Semester 2