OPR Weekly Update
March 28, 2025
Dear OPR Families,
The OPR PAC Spring Dance is tonight. Complete information is below. Tickets are available at the door as well.
Please see the March Newsletter: What students are saying about attendance: Student Support & Attendance Newsletter March 2025
Please enjoy this week's OPR Video News: 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
March
28 PAC sponsored Spring Dance: K, 1, 2 - 5:30-7:15 and Gr. 3, 4, 5 - 7:45-9:30
April
1 OPR After School Enrichment Registration opens at 9:00 AM.
1 Grade 3 ELA MCAS
2 Grade 3 ELA MCAS
3 Grade 4 ELA MCAS
3 PAC Sponsored High Touch High Tech Smarty Plant classroom presentations
4 Grade 4 ELA MCAS
8 OPR After School Enrichment Registration Ends
8 PAC Sponsored Pumpernickel Puppets vists grades K and 1.
8 Grade 5 ELA MCAS
9 Grade 5 ELA MCAS
10 PAC Meeting, STEM Lab, 7:00 PM
14 OPR After School Enrichment Classes begin this week.
18 No School - Day of Low Attendance
21-25 No School - Vacation
29 Grade 3 Math MCAS
30 Grade 3 Math MCAS
Extended Day Summer Program
We are excited to announce that Extended Day will be running a Summer Program this upcoming summer and registration is now live. We are anticipating registration to fill quickly and will do our best to enroll as many waitlisted students as possible.
This year, the camp will run for 4 weeks at Fisher Elementary and offer an Extended Day PM option for families. Registration will be open for incoming first-sixth graders. Registration will be available for individual weeks and families will have the option to register for all 4 weeks at a discounted rate.
Please see the attached PDF regarding Summer Camp Information and Registration Information for the Summer of 2025 and reach out to Dan Santangelo (dsantangelo@walpole.k12.ma.us) or Evan Storlazzi (estorlazzi@walpole.k12.ma.us) with any questions."
Music with Ms. Yee
Grade K-1
Singing, Movement & Instruments: Students continue to enjoy echo singing and making music using partner and circle formations. “What Goes Up”, “My Aunt Came Back’, “Shoo Fly” & “Apple Tree” were big hits that reinforced A/B patterns, rhythm and steady beat. Instruments were added to a traditional Irish song called “Rattlin’ Bog and enjoyed by all!
Literacy & Picture Books: Students read iconic notation ( K/beat 1st/rhythm) while chanting the rhyme “Queen Caroline”. They also enjoyed reading the book “The Recess Queen” by Alexis O’Neil.
Composers/Musicians: Grade K students learned about Italian composer, Antonio Vivaldi and his masterpiece “Spring” from the Four Seasons.
Grade 1 students created illustrations to Louis Armstrong’s song,“What a Wonderful World”. They are eager to create a class book next week.
Grade 2-3
Singing & Movement: Both grade levels enjoyed moving to an Irish reel called “All the Way to Galway”! This lively dance reinforced binary form and tempo.
Composing: Students created their own verses to Rocky Mt. (2nd) and composed their own melodies for recorder using traditional notation (3rd).
Instruments & Literacy: Grade 2 students added a rhythmic ostinato to a traditional Irish song while Grade 3 played recorder and accompanied an Irish reel using a variety of BAG patterns and rhythms. Students were introduced to the half notes and rests while enjoying these activities.
Grade 4-5
Singing: Both grade levels are learning about sea chanteys and are enthusiastically singing a New Zealand folk song called “The Wellerman”. Grade 4 is also learning a Patriotic song called “The Spirit of America”.
Instruments & Literacy: Grade 4 students played recorder and accompanied an Irish reel using a variety of BAG patterns and rhythms. The lively tempo kept them engaged! Grade 5 students were introduced to instruments that are traditionally associated with West African culture such as the tubano, shekere and gankogui bell. They experienced playing in a traditional drum circle while exploring a variety of rhythms and colors of sound.
SEL: Social Emotional Learning with Mrs. Convey (formerly Ms. Bishop) and Mrs. Murray
In March, students focused on "The Power to Choose." As we move into April, the focus will shift to diversity and inclusion.
- Kindergarten will explore I Am Enough by Grace Byers, a book about self-acceptance and kindness.
- First grade will read I Color Myself Different by Colin Kaepernick, which teaches about equity, self-love, and inclusion.
- Second grade will dive into We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio, emphasizing compassion and embracing differences.
- Third graders will read Spaghetti In a Hot Dog Bun by Maria Dismondy, celebrating the uniqueness of being different.
- Fourth grade will participate in an interactive empathy Google Slide followed by class discussion.
- Fifth graders will play a Jeopardy game covering topics like diversity, inclusion, and equity.
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
January 2025 - $210
February 2025 - $108.60
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
