OPR Weekly Update
January 17, 2025
Dear OPR Families,
I am proud to share the enriching opportunities our students have thanks to the support of our OPR Parent Advisory Committee (PAC). Through their efforts, our school enjoys a wide variety of cultural arts and STEM programs designed to inspire and enrich learning for every grade level. These programs include exciting whole-school assemblies such as Cirque Us, an acrobatics show with a positive message, the Sky Dome Planetarium, Crocodile River Music, and an Irish Step Dance demonstration. Additionally, students experience grade-specific presentations like hands-on science workshops from High Touch High Tech of New England and the Discovery Museum, animal programs from the EcoTarium and Southwick's Zoo, as well as puppet shows, author visits, cartoonists, and more. We are immensely grateful for the generous funding provided by the PAC and a grant from the Walpole Cultural Council. Special thanks go to our Cultural Arts Committee, including parents, Ms. Boyd, and Ms. Perotti who work with me to oversee program selections and logistics, and to our classroom and specialist teachers for selecting presentations that align with and enhance our students' learning experiences.
Click here to watch the OPR Video News from this week.
Have a great weekend!
David N. Barner, Principal
dbarner@walpole.k12.ma.us
Contact OPR Office (Secretaries and Nurse): oproffice@walpole.k12.ma.us
January
20 No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
22 OPR After School Winter Enrichment Registration Opens at 9:00 AM.
23 PAC Sponsored Grade 3 STEM Night! Free Science Night! 6-7:30 PM in the Cafeteria
24 Grade 5 Neponset Valley Watershed Presentation
29 OPR After School Winter Enrichment Registration Closes at 4 PM.
30 PAC Sponsored Grade 2 STEM Night! Free Science Night! 6-7:30 PM in the Cafeteria
31 Grade 5 Neponset Valley Watershed Presentation (Part 2)
February
7 Early Release at 11:55 AM. Dismissal begins at 11:49.
7 Student Council Spirit Day: Tie Dye Day (or Multicolor) - Wear tie dye or multicolor clothes!
7 PAC Sponsored Stay on the Half Day
10 OPR After School Winter Enrichment Program Begins This Week
12 PAC Meeting, STEM Lab, 7:00 PM (Meeting is on Wednesday Night.)
17-21 Vacation Week
Extended Day February Vacation Camp
The Extended Day Program is offering a February Vacation Camp for the upcoming school break, February 18 - February 20. The Camp is open to all Walpole Schools students in grades K—5 and will be held at Boyden School. More information can be found HERE. If you have any questions, please contact Dan Santangelo, Director of Extended Day, at dsantangelo@walpole.k12.ma.us.
WPS Attendance Newsletter
Student Support & Attendance December Newsletter
Click Here:
"Is my child absent because they're trying to avoid going to school?"
Physical Education with Mrs. Green
Grades K-2:
Goal setting discussion followed by a New Year’s workout (One jogging lap, one 2 push-ups, twenty squats and twenty-five jumping jacks) repeated for fifteen minutes.
Nutrition wall game: Run to each of the five food groups when a food is called out.
Parachute activities: Mushroom, circus tent, pop the popcorn, “Sharks & Lifeguards”.
Character Skillastics Task cards - a group activity going over character traits such as sportsmanship, responsibility, respect and caring while doing an activity as a team.
Next, we have line dance, creative dance and volleyball.
Grades 3-5:
Goal setting discussion followed by a New Year’s workout (One jogging lap, one 2 push-ups, twenty squats and twenty-five jumping jacks) repeated for fifteen minutes.
Nutrition wall game: Run to each of the five food groups when a food is called out.
Weight Lifting with a PVC pipe and a barbell: Strict press, push press, push-jerk, back squat, front squat, thrusters, lunges, power cleans, squat cleans, clean & jerk, overhead squat, deadlift, power snatch and squat snatch. We were able to add weight while practicing good posture with the deadlift.
Next, we have line dance, creative dance and volleyball.
Math with Mrs. Rinaldi
When the calendar turns to January, while we might not be excited about the cold, teachers get excited about the amount of learning that is about to happen. January, February and March tend to be the most productive months of the school year. Routines have been well established, there are fewer interruptions in the school calendar and students and teachers are ready to dig deeper into the curriculum. Therefore it is a great time to talk about “Productive Struggle” in the math classroom. Productive struggle is the, “Process of effortful learning that develops grit and creative problem solving.” When students are involved in productive struggle they are more engaged with their work, making connections and trying different solutions and strategies. The focus turns away from getting it “right” to what are different ways to get there and show the thought process that got you there.
As teachers and parents, we can fall into the trap of providing too much help or too many hints because productive struggle can be uncomfortable. Our students are getting more and more used to immediate gratification with how technology has advanced over the years. If we truly want our students to grow as mathematicians and problem solvers, we need to take a step back and provide them with the opportunity to work through challenges. If we do, the benefits will include deeper conceptual understanding, enhanced problem solving skills, and a stronger growth mindset allowing students to overcome obstacles and think more creatively.
To promote productive struggle at home, when students are looking for help or hints you can try things like:
Asking them what they know about the problem and provide a scaffold from that point
Offer strategies and different starting points instead of hints
Praise effort and perseverance over correct answers (it is okay if they bring in an incorrect answer; it often is the start of a great math conversation!)
ClassDojo and Stanford University's PERTS research center created a three episode video series about perseverance, that your child can watch and discuss with you at home. These brief perseverance videos are also linked on The Power of Yet student page on our WPS Elementary Family Math site for future reference.
As your child works on a challenging problem, ask things like:
What is the question asking?
What information do you have?
Is there a tool or strategy that could help you?
The sense of accomplishment your student will feel after persevering and working through a tricky problem will be incredible and give them the energy to face the next challenge. If you’d like to read a little more about this topic, check out some of the articles below.
Productive Struggle & Math Rigor
OPR ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
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.
Teacher Snack Cart Donations
Click to shop from our Amazon list. Questions: Melanie.D.Taylor@gmail.com
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:
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
October 2024 - $113.40
November 2024 - $141.00
December 2024 - $92.10
2022 Calendar Year Total - $907.50
2023 Calendar Year Total - $1210.60
2024 Calendar Year Total - $1182.30
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
Private Lessons through the WPS Music Department
The Walpole Public Schools Music Department is pleased to announce the spring session for our Private Lesson Program for students in grades 4 - 12. If your child is interested in taking private instrument or voice lessons, here is your chance. Lessons are offered in flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, guitar and voice. All lessons are taught by accomplished performers on their respective instruments. Some lessons are currently being taught virtually.
Session 2 will run February 3 to June 13. Registration is open Friday, January 10th through Monday, January 27th.
For more information, visit:
https://sites.google.com/walpole.k12.ma.us/wpsmusic/private-lesson-program/overview
To register, visit:
https://forms.gle/YGBjnmVE1V57US2m9
For questions, email:
Tim Fleming (K-12 Music Coordinator) at tfleming@walpole.k12.ma.us
