OPMS
August 21, Volume 3, Issue 1
Dear OPMS Parents, Students, and Staff:
I want to officially welcome all of you to the 2025 - 2026 school year! I hope you are enjoying your summer and are getting ready to start a new school year. I am thrilled at the opportunity to continue to get to know all of you and engage in the educational process together. The middle school years are critical times of development for students and families alike, and I look forward to working with all of you to make this year successful.
Our skilled and devoted staff have been working hard to prepare for the start of school on September 3, 2025. We are excited to have students back in our classrooms and hallways, filling them with energy and enthusiasm for learning. Below you will find some updates for the OPMS PTO, school supply lists, summer reading reminders, upcoming dates, and some general back to school information. To our 6th-grade families, please check below for information about the 6th-grade orientation on August 28 from 8:00 - 10:00 AM. As we get closer to the start of the school year, I will continue to send out important information and updates. Stay tuned!
Here's to another great school year at Orchard Park Middle School. Go Quakers!
Thanks,
Mary Kate Graham
OPMS Proud Principal
OPMS PTO Updates
PTO Spirit Wear Sale
Hoodies
- Youth - $21
- Unisex - $26
- Ladies - $29
T-Shirts
- Crewneck - $17
- Ladies V-Neck - $18
*Credit card, cash, check, and Venmo are accepted
Medication Drop-Off
If you would like to drop off any medications for your student, you may do so during the Back to School Celebration on Thursday, August 28th, between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Our school nurse, Karen Niewczyk, will be located in the health office to assist you.
First Day of School Information
Our first day of school is Wednesday, September 3, 2025. Homeroom begins at 8:00 AM. Due to safety concerns, students may not enter the building before 7:45 AM unless they are meeting a teacher/club. School dismissal is at 2:30 PM, and buses depart at approximately 2:40 PM.
*Afterschool Late Bus (3:30 PM) information will be shared at a later date/time, as they do not begin to run until the end of September.
Parent Portal
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.
Student Schedules Update
Below you will find a list of dates for the release of information in Parent Portal for the 2025 - 2026 school year. All information will be posted by 5:00 PM on the release date. Your child will receive a paper copy of their most up-to-date schedule in their homeroom on the first day of school. Please keep in mind that many variables factor into the scheduling of students. The counselors, teachers, and administrators have the best interest of your child’s academic and emotional needs at heart when scheduling. For questions or concerns regarding any student scheduling issues, please contact the Counseling Center at 209-6233.
Important Upcoming Dates for the OPMS start of 2025-2026
As of August 20, 2025, students and parents should have access to teams, schedules, and bus information.
August 22 at 4:00 PM : Locker Numbers Posted - Student locker numbers will be posted on the Parent Portal. (This an updated date from originally communicated).
August 28 from 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM: 6th Grade Orientation - There will be a 6th Grade Student Orientation which includes students being bussed to the school with an opportunity to tour the building, meet some of their teachers, and ask questions.
August 28 from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM: PTO Welcome Back Night - Students and parents can take self guided tours of the building, set up lockers, and purchase locker ladders and locks. Parents must supervise their children the entire time.
September 3: First Day of School
September 12th: 6th Grade School Pictures
September 16th: 6th Grade Open House - 6:30 P.M.
September 16 & 17: 7th & 8th Grade School Pictures
September 23: 7th & 8th Grade Open House - 6:30 P.M.
Supply Lists
Team/Teacher specific School Supply Lists for the 2025-2026 school year are linked below. Please note that the satellite lists are at the end of the corresponding grade level supply list. If you have any questions regarding school supplies please feel free to email or call the Counseling Center at (716) 209-6233 or email pbaldo@opschools.org
The OPMS PTO will be selling locker ladders and a limited number of supplies on Thursday, August 28 at OPMS between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. In addition, locks will be available for purchase, $8 each, cash or check made payable to OPCSD.
Color coding the supplies helps students stay organized. You are welcome to get a colored binder that coordinates with the subjects that need a binder, or you can make the binder easily identifiable with a piece of colored paper or colored tape. Subject materials will be color coded as follows (refer to supply lists for more specific information):
English – Yellow
World Language – Purple
Math – Green
Reading – Orange
Science – Blue
Social Studies – Red
Satellites – Black or White (or any color not listed above)
*All OPMS students will receive a Student Agenda on the first day of school.
6th Grade Orientation Program
Your child's team assignment for the 2025-26 school year is now available on the Parent Portal. Please direct any scheduling questions to Ms. Nobel at enobel@opschools.org. Ms. Nobel will be your 6th grade student's school counselor for their three years at OPMS.
In order to ensure a smooth transition to OPMS, we cordially invite your child to attend our 6th Grade Orientation Program on Thursday, August 28, 2025, from 8:00 AM until 10:00 AM W.e have arranged for the bus to pick your child up at their regularly scheduled time so that they can experience their first ride to the middle school with their 6th-grade peers. Please have your child at their bus stop at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time. There may be a need for flexibility regarding the arrival time as this is the driver’s initial run. Please check Parent Portal for transportation information. You do not need to communicate with OPMS if you are planning to drive your student or if they are planning on taking the bus for the orientation.
At the conclusion of the orientation program, the bus will transport your child home. Your child’s bus number and approximate pick-up time is available on the Parent Portal. We encourage you to allow your child to experience the bus ride with their 6th-grade peers.
This is a wonderful opportunity that will allow your child to:
- See old friends and make new ones
- Meet their principals and teachers
- Meet their counselor
- Take a tour of the building
- Learn more about our bus and dismissal procedures
Schedule of Orientation Program:
- 8:00 AM Students arrive at OPMS
- 8:00 AM - 8:40 AM Presentation by school administrators and counselors
- 8:40 AM - 9:00 AM Students will travel to their homerooms and meet their teachers
- 9:00 AM - 9:25 AM Students will tour the building
- 9:25 AM - 10:00 AM Question and answer session and dismissal procedures
This event is for 6th-grade students only. However, If you would like to return to the building on the evening of Thursday, August 28, 2025, to familiarize your child further with our building and their schedule, please know that you are welcome! This will be a time for you and your child to informally travel around the building together. Details are shared above. This is a fun time for families to come together and visit the Middle School as well as an opportunity for your child to set up their locker prior to the first day of school.
We look forward to meeting all of our sixth graders soon!
OPMS SUMMER READING 2025
We hope you are enjoying your summer. To support our students as they prepare for the upcoming school year, we've provided summer reading information for each grade level. Summer is a great time to relax, recharge, and keep the habit of reading going strong.
Please click on the documents below to access the materials specific to your child's grade level for the 2025–2026 school year. Each document outlines the expectations and resources to help students stay engaged with reading over the summer. More information about summer reading can be found on the OPMS Library Website.
Thank you for encouraging your child to read, explore, and grow this summer. We look forward to seeing all they’ve learned and discovered when we return in the fall!
Thank you!
The OPMS ELA Department
Modified Sports Information
Superstar OPMS Figure Skater
Congratulations to 8th grader, Shea Burns, who has skated her way to the top, earning the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Excel National Juvenile Plus title and the Highest Performance award. Training up to 40 hours each week between Buffalo and Rochester, Shea has captured gold at major competitions from Lake Placid to Pittsburgh. Known for her dedication and drive, she is now preparing to compete at the Mid-Atlantic Figure Skating Championships in New York City this fall. We can't wait to hear more about all the incredible things you do and to watch you in the Olympics some day! Go Shea!
(Learn more about Shea and her accomplishments in the OP Bee)
Upcoming Events
- 6th Grade Orientation 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- PTO Back to School Celebration 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
- FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Friday, September 12, 2025
- 6th Grade Picture Day
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
- 7th and 8th Grade Picture Day
- 6th Grade Open House 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
- 7th and 8th Grade Picture Day
Thursday, September 18, 2025
- OPMS Early Dismissal @ 10:30 AM - GO BILLS!
Friday, September 19, 2025
- 6th Grade Activity Night
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
- 7th and 8th Grade Open House 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
