Wingspan 2025-2026

May 4th through May 8th was Teacher Appreciation Week. This week is known to celebrate the teachers and staff who dedicate themselves to students to help them learn and grow. They can help shape the students' future, by teaching them how to write, read and use math and get them prepared for things ahead by encouraging them and to push them to try their hardest.

During this week, we celebrated our teachers by doing a 90’s theme, playing bingo and learning more about the teachers. If you didn't get a chance to, please make sure you tell a teacher or staff a thank you for all they do. They really make a difference in students' lives in and out of the classroom and their impact on students are really in a positive way.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, and was declared by General John A. Logan on May 5th in 1868. It was passed by Congress in 1968, but was officially celebrated as a federal holiday in 1971. Originally just meant to be May 30th, Congress changed it to be the last Monday in the month of May.

Purpose and Value

Its old name of Decoration Day fits it, because it is a day to decorate veterans graves with wreaths and American flags, to honor them for their sacrifice and loyalty.

Celebrations Today

People celebrate with parades and festivals with food trucks. It is a day to come together as a community and honor all people who have fought and died for our country.

Dedication to local soldiers

WESTMINSTER: Two soldiers who lost their lives in Vietnam and are remember on the Vietnam Memorial Wall are PFC Micheal J Waterman who died on June 22, 1967, and Franis Bond who died on June 19, 1970.

ASHBURNHAM: 353 people from Ashburnham are recorded to have served in WWII, with 13 casualties. The youngest of these casualties, Donald Gates, died on his 18th birthday in 1943. There are also 2 men recordedto have fought and died in the Vietnam War from Ashburnham. The two were Thomas Paul Sweeney who has a playground named after him and William John Bresnahan Jr, who had the Bresnahan Scouting Center named after him. Both of these men are on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in DC.

The 8th grade plans to find the names of these four local heroes while in Washington DC and make rubbings of their names to bring back to Overlook.

Every year, Mrs. Belkin and Ms. Moran plan an amazing trip to Washington, D.C. for the eighth graders. They work with Nation’s Classroom (not to be confused with Nature’s Classroom) to plan an amazing itinerary for the eighth graders each year!

Quick facts about DC!

It is the capital of the USA, and was established as this on July 16, 1790.

It is home to around 700,000 people.

It is where the White House is, which is where the president lives and often works.

It is bordered by Maryland (north, east, and west) and Virginia (south)

Here is a list of some of the places that the eighth graders are going during their trip:

National Mall (this includes the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and many other memorials and monuments)

Arlington Memorial Cemetery, which is home to the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier. We will have four student take part in a wreath laying ceremony.

The Holocaust Museum

The International Spy Museum

National Harbour

Capitol Building

National Archives, which houses the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, which is an air and space museum.

These are just some of the amazing places and sights the eight graders get to see on their trip to DC!

Education Through Arts is a special night to celebrate all the ways that art plays a role in education. Every class, from math to Spanish displayed the art work of students for everyone to come and see. Music played from the lobby while grandparents, parents, friends, and students all wandered the halls of OMS checking out the amazing work. Many students could be seen having their picture taken by their parents in front of their art work, showing how proud everyone was. It was truly a wonderful, all inclusive event!