OPMS

Welcome to Orchard Park Middle School! We are excited to welcome your child for the 2026–2027 school year. The months ahead will go quickly, and before you know it, your student will be stepping into sixth grade at OPMS. Moving from elementary school to middle school is an important milestone, and it is a time filled with new opportunities, new experiences, and plenty of questions along the way.

We understand that this transition can feel both exciting and a little overwhelming for students and families. Our goal is to make the process as smooth and positive as possible. To help your child feel comfortable and prepared, we will be sharing information and offering activities throughout the spring and summer designed specifically for incoming sixth graders.

We will send the Rising 6th Grade Newsletter once a month for the remainder of the school year to help keep families informed and prepared for the transition to middle school. Each edition will share important updates about middle school life, upcoming events for students and families, and practical tips to support a smooth start in September. You will also have opportunities to ask questions and connect with our staff along the way. Our goal is to help you and your child feel confident, prepared, and not overwhelmed as you take this exciting next step.

Once the school year begins, our primary way of sharing information with families is through the OPMS Observer, the weekly newsletter sent to middle school parents. It includes updates, reminders, and general information about daily life at OPMS. As your child joins our school community, this will become an important resource for staying connected and informed.

If you have any questions about the transition to Orchard Park Middle School, please feel free to reach out to our team. Contact information is included below. I look forward to meeting you and your student, and I am thrilled to welcome you to the OPMS community.

Sincerely,

Mary Kate Graham

Proud Principal

We are committed to supporting all students and ensuring a smooth transition to middle school. On March 23, 2026, we will be hosting a 5th to 6th Grade Special Education Transition Meeting for families of our special education students. The meeting will begin at 6:00 PM and will be held in the OPMS library.

This meeting will provide:
✅ An overview of the special education continuum at Orchard Park Middle School
✅ A look at how 6th grade is structured, including team organization and scheduling
✅ Key information about the transition process and what to expect
✅ An overview of the supports available to ensure student success

✅ A quick tour of the 6th grade hallway and classrooms

This session is specifically for families of special education students to help address any questions or concerns as we approach this exciting transition. We encourage you to join us to learn more about the resources and support systems in place for your child.

*If you are unable to attend, we will be sharing the presentation materials with families after the event.

We invite all parents and guardians of current 5th grade students, from both public and private schools, to attend our Rising 6th Grade Information Parent Night on Monday, April 27, at 6:30 PM in the Middle School Auditorium.

During this session, we will provide:
✅ An overview of the 6th grade program and curriculum
✅ Information on the structure of the middle school day
✅ What you and your child can expect in middle school
✅ Tips for a smooth transition

This meeting is for parents and guardians only, as it is designed to provide essential information and answer any questions you may have. We encourage you to attend to learn more about how we support our students and families during this exciting transition! If you have any questions about this event, please feel free to reach out. We look forward to welcoming you to Orchard Park Middle School!

*If you are unable to attend, we will be sharing the presentation materials with families after the event.

As part of the transition to middle school, OPMS staff members will participate in scheduled CSE meetings for current 5th grade students with IEPs and 504 Plans. These meetings are held at the elementary schools throughout the remainder of the year and will be arranged by the elementary school teams. An OPMS special education teacher and an administrator will attend each meeting to help answer questions, support planning, and ensure a smooth transition to middle school. No action is needed from families, as the elementary and middle school teams work together to schedule and coordinate these meetings.

As we prepare to welcome our incoming 6th graders to Orchard Park Middle School, our 6th Grade Counselor, Mrs. Lunduski, and Social Worker, Mrs. Baumgartner, will visit each elementary school at the end of April and beginning of May to meet with students and help support their transition to middle school. During these visits, students will have the opportunity to learn more about life at OPMS, including:

✅ Schedules and Classes – What a typical day looks like
✅ Logistics and Satellites – Navigating the school building
✅ Passing Time and Attendance – How transitions and absences work
✅ Clubs and Extracurriculars – Opportunities to get involved beyond the classroom

Students will also have time to ask questions and get the information they need to feel confident and excited about starting middle school. We look forward to meeting our future OPMS students soon! 🎉

As part of our transition activities, all 5th grade students will visit the Orchard Park Middle School Library to participate in engaging sessions that will help them get familiar with both the library and the school building. This visit is designed to introduce students to important resources and ensure they feel comfortable as they prepare for middle school. Students will take buses to OPMS with their teachers during the school day, later this spring. During the visit, students will rotate through three stations:

📖 Station 1: Summer Reading Introduction
Students will receive their summer reading list for incoming 6th graders, and our librarians will book talk selections from the list. Each student will be required to choose one book from the list to read before arriving at OPMS in the fall. This session is designed to get students excited about reading and prepare them for discussions in September!

📚 Station 2: Library Scavenger Hunt & Resources
The library is more than just a place to check out books—it’s a space where students can get help if they feel lost or need assistance. During this session, students will complete a library scavenger hunt to familiarize themselves with key areas and learn about all the resources available to them at OPMS.

🏫 Station 3: School Tour
Students will take a guided tour of Orchard Park Middle School with Mrs. Graham, giving them a chance to see important locations such as classrooms, the cafeteria, gym, and main office. This tour will help them feel more comfortable navigating their new school next year.

We are excited to welcome our rising 6th graders and help them start feeling at home at OPMS!

To help ensure a smooth transition to OPMS, we invite all rising 6th grade students to attend our 6th Grade Orientation Program the week before school starts! This event is designed to help students get comfortable with their new school, meet teachers and classmates, and learn about important procedures before the first day.

Students will:
✅ Ride the bus to OPMS with their 6th-grade peers for the first time
✅ Meet their principals, teachers, and counselor
✅ Take a tour of the building
✅ Learn about bus and dismissal procedures
✅ Participate in a Q&A session to ease any last-minute nerves

This event is for students only, but families are welcome to return to OPMS in the evening for an informal self-guided visit. More details about bus schedules and logistics will be available this summer. We encourage all students to attend this important event—it’s a great way to start the year feeling prepared and excited!

*The finalized date will be communicated once the OPCSD calendar has been approved by the Board of Education.

Please save the date for the Orchard Park Middle School PTO Back to School Celebration, which is open to all students in grades 6–8. The finalized date will be shared once the OPCSD calendar is approved by the Board of Education. This event traditionally takes place from 4:00–7:00 PM on the same evening as 6th Grade Student Orientation. To help families with students at multiple schools, the middle school and elementary back-to-school events are typically scheduled on different nights whenever possible. During the celebration, families will have the opportunity to set up lockers, tour the building, purchase locker ladders and locks, visit PTO and apparel tables, and enjoy food trucks. Additional details will be shared as the event approaches.

One of the most exciting parts of starting middle school is getting a locker! It’s a big step toward independence, but we know that learning to open a combination lock can feel tricky at first. Don’t worry—after a little practice, it’ll become second nature! To help students feel more confident, parents have the option to purchase their own locks, or we will have locks available for sale as we get closer to the start of the school year.

Want to get a head start? Check out this combination lock practice game below to sharpen your skills before the first day!

Is your student feeling especially anxious or curious about something for next year? We’d love to help ease nerves and prepare for your questions—whether it’s at our upcoming webinar, the in-person transition event, or through our monthly newsletter updates. You can use the form below to share any questions, wonderings, or concerns, and we’ll do our best to address them throughout the spring. In the meantime, I’ve also included the link to last year’s Q&A document below, which covers some of the most common questions we received from families.

If you have any additional questions about the transition to Orchard Park Middle School, our Administrative Team, 6th Grade Counselor, and 6th Grade Social Worker are your best points of contact. We encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns as we approach the start of the school year. You can also fill out the form linked above to submit questions for us to address during our future parent and student sessions. We look forward to working with you and your child as they begin this exciting journey at OPMS!

Principal

mgraham@opschools.org

Mrs. Kelly Shular

Administrative Assistant

kshular@opschools.org

Assistant Principal

spanepinto@opschools.org

Mrs. Cheryl Baker

Administrative Assistant

cbaker@opschools.org

Assistant Principal

ppawlowski@opschools.org

Mrs. Marjorie Kaczmarek

Administrative Assistant

mkaczmarek@opschools.org

The OPMS Observer is my weekly newsletter to families and the primary way we share schoolwide information. It is sent out each week, typically on Mondays, and families receive both an email and a text link to access it. The Observer includes important updates, reminders, and upcoming events, making it the best source for staying informed about what is happening at OPMS. I share a lot of information in each edition, and items are removed once deadlines have passed so the content stays current and easy to follow.

The Orchard Park Middle School PTO is looking for dedicated parents to join the board for the 2026-2027 school year! This is a great opportunity to get involved, support our school, and help shape the PTO’s initiatives.

We are currently seeking candidates for the following positions:
✅ President
✅ Vice President
✅ Treasurer
✅ Webmaster/Communications

If you’re interested in serving on the board, please email Presidentopmspto@gmail.com. Your involvement makes a difference—thank you for supporting OPMS!

Monday, March 23, 2026

• 5th to 6th Grade Special Education Information Night @ OPMS - 6:00 PM

Monday, April 27, 2025

• Rising 6th-Grade Information Night @ OPMS - 6:30 PM