OPR Weekly Update
October 4, 2024
Dear OPR Families,
Coming up on Wednesday is International Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day! The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School sponsors this day each year. OPR families are encouraged to participate by walking or biking to school together on Wednesday morning. Teachers will be handing out stickers and bookmarks to all students to celebrate.
The OPR School Council met earlier this week. The council consists of parents, school staff and a community member. The members of the council this year are: School Staff - Mrs. Barrett, Mrs. Morris, Mr. Barner; Parents - Mr. Crippen, Mr. Kluza, Mrs. Moran. Our Community Representative position is not yet filled. If you know of an interested Walpole resident who is not an OPR parent, please let me know. The law outlines four major areas of responsibility for councils:
Adopting educational goals for the school that are consistent with local educational policies and statewide student performance standards
Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school
Reviewing the annual school building budget
Formulating a school improvement plan
Feel free to contact any of the members of the council or attend an OPR School Council meeting at any time.
Here's the link to this week's OPR Video News.
Have a great weekend!
David N. Barner, Principal
dbarner@walpole.k12.ma.us
October
9 International Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day! Celebrate by having the whole family walk/bike to school.
10 PAC Meeting in the STEM Lab at 7:00 PM
10 Grade 4 Field Trip to Patriots STEM Program
11 Early Release at 11:55 AM. Dismissal begins at 11:49.
11 PAC Stay on the Half Day!
14 No School - Columbus Day
17 Grade 3 Field Trip to DeCordova Museum
30 Student Picture Retake Day - Only for students who need their picture retaken.
31 OPR Halloween Parade at 8:45 AM. Families welcome!
November
5 No School - Election Day - Professional Development Day for Teachers and Staff
7 PAC Meeting in the STEM Lab at 7:00 PM
11 No School - Veterans Day
12 Parent-Teacher Conferences by Appointment, 5-7:00 PM
14 Parent-Teacher Conferences by Appointment, 5-7:00 PM
15 Parent-Teacher Conferences by Appointment, 1-3:00 PM
15 Early Release at 11:55 AM. Dismissal begins at 11:49.
16 PAC Sponsored Parents Night Out!
Phones, Watches, and Electronic Devices
Cellular Phones/Electronic Devices
Per the Walpole Public Schools Elementary Student and Parent School Handbook (Page 19), students may not use cellular phones, smart watches, or other electronic devices during the day. If students need to have one of the above devices for an out of school purpose, the device must be kept turned off and remain in the backpack. If a student is found to have an electronic device in his or her possession, outside of the backpack, it will be kept in the office until a parent is able to pick it up.
ART with Ms. Kroll
Grade K: Students have been using non-traditional art tools to create their Monet-inspired Japanese garden paintings - their fingers! Kindergarten artists were instructed to use cool colors for their lily ponds and warm colors for their autumn trees. Each student was able to capture the beautiful texture of the water and trees by using their fingerprints.
Grade 1: First grade artists have started working on Monochromatic Self Portrait drawings with pencils, colored pencils, and Sharpie markers. We studied that the art vocabulary term, “Monochromatic,” means one color and so each artist was asked to pick one color to use for their artworks. Artists are having fun making their self portraits look very expressive with cartoon-like styles.
Grade 2: Students have begun working with the Element of Art: Line and first reviewed the many kinds of lines that exist in artmaking. We looked at two paintings by Jackson Pollock and Bridget Riley and discussed how each artwork uses lines in different ways. Now we are working on a scaffolding art activity called “Stained Glass Line Art” to practice for upcoming masterpieces.
Grade 3: Students have been working on a unique and re-imagined self portrait project titled “Tee-Self.” We first reviewed what a traditional self-portrait is and looked at some examples by Lois Mailou Jones and Pablo Picasso. Third grade artists created a t-shirt, tank top, or sweatshirt template which was then divided into sections. Each section displays something special about the artist.
Grade 4: Fourth grade artists have been working on a Still Life with Flowers masterpiece that uses a variety of art mediums including watercolor, Sharpie, oil pastels, and ink. Students are studying the technique of printmaking as well as its associated vocabulary. They will create their flower blossoms using this advanced level of artmaking.
Grade 5: Students are finishing up their intricately detailed Illuminated Initial masterpieces. We studied a brief history on the illuminated manuscript style which is the inspiration for this project. Each artist designed and decorated the first letter of their names with a specific theme for their imagery. These masterpieces use pencil, Sharpie, and colored pencil.
READING with Mrs. Driscoll & Mrs. Segal
News from the Nurse
Fall school session is now in full swing! Unfortunately, so are the germs! We have seen an increase in many different illnesses in the last few weeks.
When to Keep Your Child Home Sick from School
The following criteria can be used to determine when a child should remain at home:
Has a cold in the contagious stage (first few days)
Sore throat and swollen neck glands accompanied by a fever
Undiagnosed rash or skin eruptions
Earache, red eyes or drainage from eyes
Any communicable disease (see paragraph below)
Fever of 100 degrees or higher during the past 24 hours
Vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours
If your student develops a communicable disease, e.g., chicken pox, whooping cough, influenza, strep throat, scarlet fever or fifth disease, please notify the school nurse. This will enable us to monitor your child's progress and other student's exposure. Students should remain at home a minimum of one day following the resolution of an acute illness. Please check your child’s temperature; a child should be "fever free" for twenty-four hours without taking a fever-reducing medication such as Tylenol or Advil before returning to school.
The school nurse should be notified by the parent/guardian of any:
Serious injury, illness, or hospitalization
Planned surgery
Communicable diseases such as chicken pox, strep throat, scarlet fever or fifth disease
New diagnosis or change in your child’s health status
Fracture, sprain, stitches, cast, or crutches (A Physician note is required for crutches and/or a wheelchair to be used on the school premises.)
New medication and/or dosing change.
Need to be excused from Physical Education.
In order to minimize the spread of infectious disease and to provide for a safe environment, the WPS Health Care Policy has been created to assist you. Please review this document as the nurses are required to adhere to these guidelines to help support the health of the entire school community. WPS Illness Protocol
It is Flu Season!
Influenza (flu) viruses typically spread in fall and winter, with activity peaking between December and February. Getting vaccinated in the fall can lower your chances of getting the flu.The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. It does not cause the flu and it helps keep kids and parents from getting sick.
AAP Recommendations for the Flu Vaccine
Please contact the Health Office with any concerns or questions! Remember that the essentials of good health are good nutrition, plentiful fluids, regular exercise and plenty of rest.
Kindly,
Bonnie Kowalsky, RN
508-660-7219 ext 5804
fax: 866.809.6567
OPR Links:
OPR ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
Walpole Public Schools Links:
WPS ELEMENTARY STUDENT & PARENT HANDBOOK/CODE OF CONDUCT
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.
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
Teacher Snack Cart Donations
Click to shop from our Amazon list. Questions: Melanie.D.Taylor@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
2023 Calendar Year Total - $1210.60
January 2024 - $85.80
February 2024 - $104.10
March 2024 - $71.70
April 2024 - $83.70
May 2024 - $114.90
June 2024 - $100.50
July 2024 - $100.20
August 2024 - $115.80
September 2024 - $59.10
Walpole 300th Parade
We are just a few short weeks away from Walpole's 300th Anniversary Parade! The Parade will kick off on October 5th at 11am from the Norfolk County Agricultural High School and proceed up Main Street to the Town Common and then turn and proceed up Common Street to Walpole High School which will allow for 2 miles of viewing. Downtown we will have food trucks around the common. Join us as we watch bands and performance groups from around the region celebrate our hometown.
The 300th Committee is also looking for additional floats from Community Groups, as well as antique autos which would like to participate in the parade. Check out Walpole300.com for more information.
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 or to request an interpreter or child care for the event.
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.
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
