The OMS Community Newsletter

We are excited to welcome students back to school on Wednesday, September 2nd!

As you prepare for the start of the school year, please read Part 2 of this Back to School Edition of the OMS Community Newsletter for important information.

Dear OMS Community,

I hope you are enjoying the last few days of summer vacation! I was able to meet many students this week during our 6th Grade Orientation, New Student Orientation, and Middle School Sports Information Night. See below for pictures from our 6th Grade Orientation.

I am excited to welcome our staff and students back to OMS for another great school year. Staff will return on Monday, August 31, and we look forward to welcoming students on the first day of school, Wednesday, September 2.

Our administration team and staff are excited to welcome students back to school next week! Read through this newsletter for some final back to school reminders and information. On the first day of school, students will be assigned a locker. All students should bring in their own lock for their locker.

Best,

Katrina Crowley
Principal

• September 2 - First Day of School for Students
• September 7 - No School, Labor Day
• September 17 - Early Release Day (11:32am dismissal)
• September 23 - Picture Day
• October 7 - Booster Bash Color Splash
• October 12 - No School, Indigenous People's Day
• October 14 - T1 Progress Report
• October 22 - Early Release Day (11:32am dismissal)
• November 3 - No School, Elections
• November 11 - No School, Veteran's Day

The first day of school is Wednesday, September 2nd! School starts at 7:35am. The building opens as early as 7:00am. Students are encouraged to get to school early and eat breakfast in our Cafetorium.

Here is a visual of the traffic flow in the parking lot:

The student drop-off/pick-up area is in the lot in front of the building, along the curb with the yellow stripes.

Morning Arrival

OMS Administrators will be in the parking lot directing traffic during morning arrival. For morning drop-off, we ask that you pull your car all the way to the second crosswalk (towards the parking lot exit). The morning entrance for students is at the second crosswalk (see below picture for student entrance). As you enter this area, please drive carefully and be patient. There will be signs and OMS staff members in the parking lot to help direct the traffic in the morning.

Remember that students are able to be dropped off and enter the building as early as 7:00am. From 7:00 - 7:15am there is very little drop-off traffic, and we strongly encourage families to drop off at this time if possible.

Dismissal

When picking up students, cars should be in a single file line in the same lane as morning drop-off. There is only one lane for pick-up. The left lane should be left open to allow for emergency vehicles and traffic flow on the left lane. OMS Administrators will be busy helping students during dismissal so we will be near the building. For the first couple weeks of school, there will be signage that will block the left lane as a visual for where the single file lane should be. If you have any questions or need support in the parking lot, call the main office.

The traffic is very heavy for afternoon pick-up, especially in the first few weeks of school before after school activities start. The dismissal bell rings at 2:12pm, but most students do not get outside until closer to 2:20pm. Most of the buses exit the front parking lot around 2:22pm. Please keep this in mind as you plan for pick-up.

THERE IS NO PARENT DROP-OFF OR PICK-UP IN THE UPPER PARKING LOT BETWEEN OMS AND SHS. This lot is for SHS student and OMS staff parking only.

Parents and guardians, please update your child's emergency forms for the 26-27 school year. Log into the PowerSchool Parent Portal and make sure all the information, including emergency contacts, are up-to-date for the school year.

ALL students will need a lock for their locker.

All bags and backpacks are required to be placed in lockers during the school day. There will be scheduled locker times throughout the school day when students can access their lockers. Students can also access their locker at other times during the day with a pass from their teacher.

Take a look at the pictures below for some examples of types of locks that can work for lockers. Talk to your child to see which type of lock would work best for them. Once you get your lock, your student can already start practicing how to open it so they are prepared for school! All students will be assigned a locker on their first day of school.

Check out the school supply lists by clicking the link below!

We are experiencing technical difficulties on the PowerSchool Parent and Student Portal. Some classes are not showing on the schedule view. Rest assured, all students have completed schedules. Our Technology Department is working to resolve the issue. If you are not able to view their schedule by Tuesday, please call the main office.

Once PowerSchool is fixed and students can view their schedules to see their classes and teachers, please reference the table below to see what team they are on. Students will receive a printed schedule in their Period 1 class on the first day of school. Teachers will review the schedule with students on the first day of school. Students can check their schedules to see their classes and teachers.

Please note: All teams will have a team website this year. The websites should all be up and running by September 16th (if not sooner!).

Our schedule is a two-day schedule: A Day, B Day. Knight Time (KT) is our daily advisory.

• A Day: Period 1, 2, KT, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
• B Day: Period 2, 1, KT, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

We have four lunches during the school day. All 6th graders eat lunch together. 7th and 8th graders' lunch depends on what class they have Period 5 on their schedule. 7th and 8th grade teachers will review the schedule and clarify what lunch students go to for the trimester. In 7th and 8th grade, the lunch schedule changes each trimester.

Questions regarding your child's schedule can be directed to their school counselor. If you need help accessing the PowerSchool Portal, call the main office at 781-344-7002 or email Ms. Jenkins (administrative assistant) at h_jenkins@stoughtonschools.org.

For more information about our bell schedule and types of classes, please read our Course Information Guide which can be found on the OMS website or by clicking the link below.

Parents/guardians can learn more about our schedule and classes by coming to our Back to School Night on September 16th (6:00-8:00pm). The event will begin with a presentation from OMS administration. Then, parents/guardians will be able to follow an abbreviated schedule of their student's schedule.

Our school counselors and school adjustment counselors make up our OMS Counseling Department. School Counselors provide Tier 1 support to all students (schedule, school applications, student support help) and Tier 2 support to identified students. School Adjustment Counselors provide Tier 2 and Tier 3 support to identified students and work with our special education sub-separate programs.

School Counselors

• Shaquan Murray, Grade 6 (s_murray@stoughtonschools.org) - We are excited to welcome Mr. Murray to OMS! Mr. Murray just completed his Masters of Education program in School Counseling from Cambridge College and is eager to join the OMS Counseling Department.
• Corie Brookshire, Grade 7 (c_brookshire@stoughtonschools.org) - Ms. Brookshire will continue supporting her students as they move to 7th grade this year.
• Kevin Cronin, Grade 8 (k_cronin@stoughtonschools.org) - Mr. Cronin was the 8th grade school counselor last school year. He will continue to work with the 8th grade this year in order to support our 8th graders and families as they navigate the transition to high school.

School Adjustment Counselors

• Scott Anderson - s_anderson@stoughtonschools.org
• Kerri Cusack - k_cusack@stoughtonschools.org
• Kirsten Blaney - k_blaney@stoughtonschools.org

Please read the 2026-2027 OMS Student & Parent Handbook. The handbook has important information regarding school policies and procedures, grading, athletics eligibility, code of student conduct, school dress code, and more. View the handbook by clicking the button below or accessing it on the OMS website.

We use Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports at OMS. During the first few days of school, we will have team assembly meetings where administrators and school counselors will review school-wide expectations. (Teachers will review their own classroom expectations for students during class.) Attached you can find a copy of our OMS Behavior Matrix which we will review with students during our team meetings.

As part of PBIS, we will be recognizing students who continue to follow school expectations in order to highlight positive behavior in our school. Students can earn positive recognition cards throughout the school year for demonstrating traits of respect, responsibility, and readiness. They can trade these cards in for various prizes on Ticket Tuesdays. Students who consistently follow expectations can be selected as Students of the Month. Each month, five students will be selected as Students of the Month and can earn a certificate and prize. Students will have opportunities throughout the year to earn grade-wide, team, and school-wide incentives.

Cell phones and other personal electronic devices should remain in students' lockers during the school day. If a parent/guardian needs to reach their child, call the main office. If a student needs to call home, they can go to the main office to call. Please read our cell phone rules attached below.

Registration for Fall Sports is now open! We will be offering the following fall sports: Cross country, Field Hockey, Boys Soccer (Gr.7 & 8 only), and Girls Soccer (Gr. 7 & 8 only).

Students who meet eligibility requirements in Grades 7 & 8 can try-out for any of the sports. Grade 6 students ARE eligible to try-out for Cross Country and Field Hockey. Eligibility requirements can be found on Page 12 of the OMS Student & Parent Handbook.

The registration portal for fall sports is OPEN. The deadline to register for the fall season is September 7th.

Click the button below or use this link to register:

We are excited for a great school year!

Learn more about each of their roles below.

Mrs. Crowley (Principal, k_crowley@stoughtonschools.org)

As the Principal, Mrs. Crowley works to ensure OMS is a welcoming, inclusive, and safe learning environment for all students. She works with department head teachers and the Curriculum Directors on curriculum and provides support and feedback to new OMS teachers. She oversees academic and social-emotional student support systems and structures. She reviews the school's data and works with students, families, staff and community members on ways to improve our school. She supervises the OMS staff to ensure a safe and welcoming learning environment.

Mrs. Kellogg (Assistant Principal, k_kellogg@stoughtonschools.org)

As the Assistant Principal, Mrs. Kellogg works with all students at OMS in a variety of ways. Mrs. Kellogg works on providing academic support for students through a multi-tiered approach. She is the 504 Coordinator for the building and is the point administrator for our sub-separate special education programs. Additionally, she is the master scheduler for our building and coordinates MCAS testing.

Ms. Montembault (Dean of Students, t_montembault@stoughtonschools.org)

As the OMS Dean of Students, Ms. Montembault focuses on student support. Ms. Montembault is the Dean of Students for Grade 8 and addresses eighth graders' behaviors, attendance, academic and social-emotional needs. She will also be working with Mr. Scott to support Grade 6. In Grade 6, Ms. Montembault will be working on any issues related to Attendance and Academics.

Mr. Scott (Dean of Students, m_scott@stoughtonschools.org)

We are excited to welcome Mr. Scott to our administration team this year! Mr. Scott joins us after serving the past three years as an Assistant Principal at Hurley Middle School in Seekonk. As the OMS Dean of Students, Mr. Scott focuses on student support. Mr. Scott is the Dean of Students for Grade 7 and addresses seventh graders' behaviors, attendance, academic and social-emotional needs. He will also be working with Ms. Montembault to support Grade 6. In Grade 6, Mr. Scott will be working on any issues related to Student Behavior.

Ms. Heidi Jenkins, Administrative Assistant to Principal Crowley

We are excited to welcome Ms. Jenkins to our office this year! Ms. Jenkins joins us from the private sector. As an SPS parent, she has been connected to the schools through the years. Ms. Jenkins is the administrative assistant to Mrs. Crowley and replaces Mrs. Patricia Gorman who retired in July.

Ms. Lynne Baeta, Administrative Assistant to Assistant Principal Kellogg & Mr. Scott

Ms. Baeta is the administrative assistant to Mrs. Kellogg and Mr. Scott. She also works with families enrolling to Stoughton and withdrawing from the district. If your student is applying somewhere for high school and you need records sent to the school, contact Ms. Baeta in the office.

Ms. JoAnne Mackness, Administrative Assistant to Ms. Montembault

Ms. Mackness is the administrative assistant to Ms. Montembault. She also oversees the building's daily attendance and works closely with the nurses in our clinic. If you have a question regarding your child's attendance coding, you can reach out to Ms. Mackness.

As summer winds down, parents/guardians can help prepare your child for the start of the school year by slowly adjusting their sleep routine. During the summer vacation, sleep schedules change and it helps to slowly adjust students' sleep routines to prepare for going back to school.

Parents/guardians can help students start off the year strong by encouraging them to come to school everyday and helping get them to OMS on time. Our school day officially starts at 7:35am, but our building opens as early as 7:00am. If you get to the OMS parking lot at 7:30am, you may run into traffic and your student could be late. We are serving breakfast for free in our Cafe from 7:00-7:30am so drop off your student early so they can get to their first class on time.

Some students might feel anxious about starting the school year or starting middle school. This U.S. News article, "Supporting Your Child's Transition to Middle School" provides information regarding how children developmentally change during their middle school years and shares some strategies for how to support them during this time.

Please make sure the nurse has a copy of your child's annual physical exam from their doctors office. It is MA state law and required in grades K, 4, 7 and 11 but best practice is to send it in yearly because it is needed for sports and field trips.

All medications needed at school must be given in the nurse's office including over the counter medicines like cough drops. All prescription medications (like Epipens and Inhalers) need a doctor's order and parent permission form filled out. We are attaching the 2 forms below.

Please contact our school nurses, Mrs. McDonnell and Mrs. Fallon with questions or about which over the counter medicines can be given at school. Documents can be sent via email to s_mcdonnell@stoughtonschools.org, j_fallon@stoughtonschools.org, or faxed to 781-344-4065.

We appreciate your help in keeping kids safe and healthy at school.

Lots of resources and information can be found on the OMS website! Go to https://oms.stoughtonschools.org/ or click the link below to go to our website.

On our website, you'll find a FAQ document for parents/guardians which can help answer frequently asked questions. You can find the page by going to "Resources for Families & Students" and clicking "FAQs for Parents/Guardians."

Here is some important information about our school. Please visit the OMS website for more information, including the most up-to-date school calendar.

Email: k_crowley@stoughtonschools.org
Website: oms.stoughtonschools.org
Location: 211 Cushing Street, Stoughton, MA, USA
Phone: 781-344-7002
Facebook: facebook.com/stoughtonpublicschools