OPR Weekly Update
February 7, 2025
Dear OPR Families,
Students are buzzing about our new math incentive program using Math Fact Lab! Last week, all students in grades 1-5 received a Bravo Band to begin the incentive. For every level on Math Fact Lab they have passed (and will pass in the future) in either addition/ subtraction or multiplication/ division, students receive a bead to add to their band. Special beads are awarded when students reach their grade level goal, advanced levels on Math Fact Lab, or graduate from a set of operations. If you watch the OPR Video News regularly, you will see that students who reach some of these levels earn a shout out and their picture on the news! Students are also rewarded for their hard work trying to pass the level lifters. For every level lifter a student takes, he/she earns a sticker to put on their class Math Fact Lab Beaker poster! When a class fills up the poster with stickers, they will earn a shout out on the OPR Video News! We can't wait to see how students master their math facts through this incentive!
Click here to watch the OPR Video News from this week.
Have an excellent weekend!
David N. Barner, Principal
dbarner@walpole.k12.ma.us
Contact OPR Office (Secretaries and Nurse): oproffice@walpole.k12.ma.us
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
10 OPR Kindness Week!
12 PAC Meeting, STEM Lab, 7:00 PM (Meeting is on Wednesday Night.)
17-21 Vacation Week
27 PAC Sponsored Grade 4 and 5 STEM Night! Free Science Night! 6-7:30 PM in the Cafeteria
March
4 OPR Student Council Talent Show Dress Rehearsal, 3-4:30 at OPR Cafeteria
6 OPR Student Council Talent Show! at the Walpole Middle School Auditorium starting at 6:00 PM. Free for the whole family!
11 Parent-Teacher Conferences by Appointment, 5-7:00 PM
13 Parent-Teacher Conferences by Appointment, 5-7:00 PM
14 Parent-Teacher Conferences by Appointment, 1-3:00 PM
14 Early Release at 11:55 (beginning at 11:49)
14 Student Council Spirit Day: Hawaiian Day!
14 PAC sponsored Grade 3 Author Visit: David Biedrzycki
17 PAC sponsored Harney Irish Step School Performance
18 PAC sponsored Grade 2 Author/Cartoonist Visit: Skip SanGiacomo
28 Student Council Spirit Day: Dress Like a Teacher Day!
28 Early Release at 11:55 (beginning at 11:49)
28 PAC Stay on the Half Day
28 PAC sponsored Spring Dance: K, 1, 2 - 5:30-7:15 and Gr. 3, 4, 5 - 7:45-9:30
Report Cards - Now Viewable in the Aspen Family Portal
As of Friday, January 31st, families have access to their child's Elementary Standard Based Report Cards and Special Education Progress Report (if applicable) in the Aspen Family Portal.
The Term I report card communicates student progress toward meeting end-of-the-year learning standards. The slight, but important, change made several years ago to the descriptors of the Academic Performance Levels is the phrase “at this time”. The purpose of including this phrase is to share with families where their students are academically, at this time of the year.
Teachers assess student performance against these learning standards, which are specific and observable grade-level skills. Our report cards reflect the learning standards as outlined in the current Massachusetts State Frameworks. Teachers assess by measuring individual student performance against the identified concrete learning standards, rather than in relation to the performance of other students.
Please check out the Parent/Guardian Guide by CLICKING HERE
Kindness Week Celebration at OPR
We are excited to announce Kindness Week at OPR, taking place from February 10th to February 14th.
Kick-Off Day:
To start our celebrations, students should wear bright colors on Monday, February 10th.
Activities Throughout the Week:
During this week, students will participate in various activities that promote kindness, empathy, and inclusion. Each day will include fun ways to spread positivity within our school and community.
Food Drive:
As part of Kindness Week, we will be collecting food for the Walpole Food Pantry from February 10th to March 21st. Below, you will find suggestions for items to donate.
Get Involved: We encourage families to engage in discussions about kindness at home and to find simple ways to brighten someone's day! Thank you for your support in helping us foster a culture of kindness!
Mrs. Murray and Ms. Bishop
Walpole Food Pantry Suggested Donation Items
Boxed Items: Crackers & Cookies, Macaroni & Cheese, Pasta
Brownie & Cake Mixes
Canned Items: Baked Beans, Fruits, Juice (100% Juice), Meat & Fish, Milk & Dry Cheese, Pasta (Spaghetti-O, Ravioli & Beefaroni), Stew, Hash & Chili, Vegetables
Cereal (dry and to cook)
Coffee, Tea, Dry Milk
Dry Potato Mixes
Jam, Jelly & Marmalade
Jarred Prepared Pasta Sauce
Mayo, Mustard & Catsup
Meal Helpers (Hamburger Helper, Pasta Roni, Suddenly Salad)
Pancake Mix & Syrup
Peanut Butter
Pudding & Gelatin Mix
Rice (White & Brown)
Sugar, Salt, Pepper & Spices
Dish Program Launch
We are excited to announce that OPR will officially launch the Dish Program on Monday, February 24th!
This initiative helps reduce single-use packaging in our cafeteria by introducing reusable plates and trays, supporting our school’s sustainability efforts.
By participating in Re:Dish, students will learn firsthand about environmental responsibility and the importance of reducing waste. This program not only helps create a cleaner environment but also encourages students to take an active role in sustainability.
We’re proud to be part of this meaningful initiative and look forward to making a positive impact together!
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.
Families can create an account/register at this link: Vacation Camp
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."
WPS Attendance Newsletter
From the WPS Office of Student Support & Attendance:
Here is the January newsletter that highlights the current Chronic Absenteeism rate in Walpole. Spoiler alert: Families and schools are doing a great job! Chronic Absent totals are down!
Click here to see our numbers: https://secure.smore.com/n/kgqr0
This newsletter is also posted on the WPS website.
Edward Connor
Dean of Student Support & Attendance
Walpole Public Schools
508-660-7257 ext. 5020
Art with Ms. Kroll
Grade K:
Kindergarten artists completed their study of the Element of Art: Form and learned the difference between 2-D shapes and 3-D forms. Students viewed the sculptures and installations of contemporary artist, Tara Donovan, and created their own abstract sculptures using model magic, pipe cleaners, and beads.
Grade 1:
Students have just completed their realistic owl paintings inspired by our featured read aloud, Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen. Each artist drew outlines of their owls resting on a tree branch and had the option of drawing a Great Horned Owl or another owl of their choice. First grade artists received a brief overview of the Element of Art: Value and learned how to lighten and darken a color. Students used tempera paint in tints, tones, and shades of brown and gray to create their owl paintings.
Grade 2:
Students have been learning about Chinese New Year including a variety of traditions that are practiced during this important cultural celebration. We studied the importance of the lantern and how red symbolizes good fortune and luck. Second grade artists created their own paper lantern templates and designed each section with a theme of their choice. Some artists chose to focus on images connected to Chinese New Year while others picked images of things that they love or care about.
Grade 3:
Students have continued studying the Element of Art: Value and reviewed what tints, tones, and shades are by watching the “Value Song,” by Scratch Garden. Third grade artists began with lightly sketching out their winter landscape scenes and then added tints and shades to their skies to create a moonlit halo-effect. Students have also added multiple tones of gray to their mountains and will add water features and silhouetted trees for the finishing touches.
Grade 4:
Students have completed their final templates for their Snow Globe cityscapes with pencil and Sharpie. Fourth graders were able to design a realistic or imaginary city in the past, present, or future for their masterpieces. Each artist will start to add watercolor to their skies using the “wet on wet” technique and then will use the “wet on dry” technique for their buildings and smaller details.
Grade 5:
Students completed their winter landscape masterpieces featuring an Arctic scene with a Northern Lights-inspired sky watercolor background. The next areas of study will be Japanese Theater masks and the Element of Art: Form. Students will learn about sculpture and the three-dimensional form as well as a brief history of the Noh mask. Each fifth grade artist will create their own mask from plaster strips and will decorate it with acrylic paint.
Reading with Mrs. Driscoll & Mrs. Segal
We are excited to announce that our winner of our 2024-2025 Snowbowl Book Tournament was Sergeant Billy:The True Story of the Goat Who Went to War by Messier Mireille! This is a charming story about a goat who joined soldiers in World War I. Throughout the book you learn the heroic story of Sergeant Billy, how he trained alongside the soldiers, comforted them, and also saved lives. As a school we had so much fun learning about all the amazing animals we read about during the Snowbowl Tournament and look forward to our next school wide book tournament in March. Our March Madness Book Tournament will be filled with inspiring stories about amazing and influential women. From trailblazing scientists and inventors to athletes and musicians, these books will encourage our students to learn about the powerful impact women have made in our world.
As we move through February, we also want to honor Black History Month. This is an excellent opportunity for students to read about people who have broken barriers, fought for equality, and led with determination and courage. We encourage you to visit the Walpole Public library https://www.walpolelibrary.org/ where you will find books that celebrate African American history and culture. Check out books about Dr. Shirley Jackson, Dr. Charles Richard Drew, Mae Jemison, Bessie Coleman, Jackie Robinson, Granville T. Woods and so many more. Whether it’s for a family read-aloud or a student’s independent reading, there is no shortage of incredible stories to explore and no shortage of incredible people to read about.
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
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
