OMS - #BetterTogether
November 4, 2022
Mark Your Calendars
Nov. 7- 11 - Red Ribbon Week
Nov. 7 - Basketball at Three Rivers - 4:00 p.m.
Nov. 9 - Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest Deadline
Delayed Start - 1st hour starts at 9:15 a.m. - Doors open at 8:45 a.m.
Superintendent Coffee 10 a.m. & 6 p.m.
Basketball vs. Sturgis - Home - 4:00 p.m.
Nov. 11 - 8th Grade Health Fair - 6th hour
Nov. 14-Dec. 16 - Student Council Annual Canned Food Drive for Christian Neighbors
Nov. 14 - Basketball at Niles
Nov. 15 - 1/2 Day - students released at 11:10 a.m.
Nov. 16 - No delayed start
1/2 Day - Students released at 11:10 a.m.
Basketball - Home 6th grade vs. Comstock & 7th & 8th grade vs. Edwardsburg
Nov.17 - 1/2 Day - Students released at 11:10 a.m.
Nov. 18- No School - end of 1st trimester
Nov. 21 - Basketball at Plainwell - 4:00 p.m.
Nov . 22 - Basketball vs. Paw Paw - Home - 4:00 p.m.
Nov. 23-27 - No School - Happy Thanksgiving!
CKH Character Word of the Month - Teamwork
What is Teamwork?
Teamwork is the ability to work in unity with others towards a common goal. For us to learn how to become team players, it is important that we learn to listen, encourage our peers, and allow and invite others to contribute their talents and skills.
Why focus on Teamwork?
- Teamwork improves communication: Teamwork helps us improves our verbal and non-verbal communication skills, conveying that we care and a relevant message.
- Teamwork builds interpersonal awareness: Growing a great team requires us to first build strong relationships through better understanding ourselves and others.
- Teamwork celebrates diversity. Teamwork thrives from diverse ideas that come from a mixture of different genders, cultures, expertise, experience, and problem-solving approaches.
Be NICE Spreads Kindness
Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest - “Celebrate Life. Live Drug Free”
Students have a chance to win a $25, $30 or $50 Amazon card! Students are encouraged to participate in this year’s Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest. The theme is Celebrate Life. Live Drug Free. The poster templates became available on Thursday, October 13th. Students can see Mrs. Secord for more information and to pick up the poster template.
Red Ribbon Dress Up Days - Nov. 7-11
Monday - Red Day -“We’re “RED”-y to Say No to Drugs”
Tuesday - Wear Camo or dark colors -“Hide Away from Drugs”
Wednesday - Sports Day - “Team Up Against Drugs”
Thursday - Tutu Tutu Day - “Tutu Good for Drugs”
Friday - Mismatch Day - “Don’t Let Drugs Mess You Up”
Superintendent's Coffee
Thanksgiving Baskets Available
Do you know of a family who is in need of a Thanksgiving meal? The Friendship Wesleyan Church is organizing food baskets. Each basket feeds a family of six. Families can receive 2 baskets. The meal includes: an uncooked turkey, boxed mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls and butter, canned vegetables and a dessert.
Please complete this form to get them signed up
https://forms.gle/q1BcoCZwetSBxW7z6 it has all of our needed information!
Families will need to pick up their basket on November 19th between noon and 3pm at Friendship Wesleyan Church (1285 102nd Ave. Plainwell, MI 49080).
Meet our Nov. Students of the Month!
Congratulations to our Students of the Month:
6th graders Melody Begeman & Ethyn Murk
7th graders Aubrey Smith & Matthew Dennany
8th graders Madelyn Littel & Ethan Wilson
Inktober a Big Hit for All!
Updated Policy for Volunteers
LINKS Halloween Party!
OMS Staff Loves Dress Up Days!
Empty Rolls Needed
Bittersweet Passes Now Available
Timber Ridge Ski Pass Information Now Available
If you are interested in a student or adult "Pay-as-you-go" punch card for Timber Ridge, please fill out the attached form and return it to Mrs. Knight at Washington Street Elementary School (with the $35 fee/punch card).
Forms are due on November 30.
Timber Ridge Ski Area punch cards can be used any day of the week (including holidays).
Student Support Services Spotlight (aka social/emotional health)
Communication/Engagement
Do you feel like your middle schooler is pulling away from you or just not as talkative as he/she was in elementary? Don't despair! Pulling away from parents and pulling toward peers is developmentally expected. As parents, you want to stay in the loop WHILE they also engage more actively with peers. Intersession offers a great opportunity to have meaningful conversations with your kiddos.
Here are few ideas to keep your child engaged in your conversations:
Talk less, listen more: Listen to their full stories without interruption. Repeat key parts so they know you have heard them. Phrases like "So, it sounds like...." or "Let me see if I understood you."
To encourage further conversation, ask open ended questions like "tell me more" or "help me understand that"
Have trouble getting your child to start a conversation? Try doing things like driving in a car, raking leaves, or sitting next to each other. These activities require less eye contact and can make the environment feel "safer" for kids to open up.
Tame your reactions. Nothing stops a conversation with a student more quickly than a lecture or gasp at the wrong moment. Remember to listen first.
Make sure you are talking to them about a variety of things. As busy adults, we often have a "task" list in mind when talking to kids. Things like: chores, grades and homework are often at the top of that list. These conversations are absolutely essential, but be sure you are balancing these with fun conversations too.
Resist the urge to accept "I don't know" or a shrug as a response. If that is the response, ask them to clarify by saying, "It sounds like you are unsure, what part of your answer is 'yes' and what part of your answer is 'no.'" This sounds strange---but it works!
Finally, be sure you are talking WITH your child and not AT them. "AT" them means it is largely one-sided and uninteresting. "WITH" means that it is an actual conversation---you share some things and they share some things. Be vulnerable! Be in the moment.
As you and your child work together to develop good conversations, it will make the really hard conversations easier. You'll have a framework for these conversations!
If you have any concerns or questions about how to have a conversation with your middle school student, please reach out! We can help. Mrs. Starr can be reached at astarr@otsegops.org or 269-694-7510.
A Note from our ELA Department
The ELA department is excited to be using a workshop model
based on Lucy Calkins’ units of study this year. Reading many texts and writing about them are at the heart of the instruction. Along with that comes a stronger focus on every student reading more high interest books. Due to the varying topics in high interest books, there are mature book permission slips in the media center that must be signed by a parent/guardian for a student to check out mature topic materials throughout our building. It is our expectation that students choosing to read a mature book from the media center or classroom libraries has a mature book permission slip on file for the current year. Please discuss your personal guidelines for book reading in your household with your child. If your child selects a book that does not meet these guidelines or in anyway is troublesome, please return it promptly. Have a great year of reading!
Attendance Line - 269-694-7580
RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT:
988--Suicide Prevention HotlineThe 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 160 crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress
Gryphon Place: 269-381-4357 (HELP). Gryphon Place is a 24/7 service for immediate emotional support or crisis.
Text Hotline: Text the word HOME to 741741. This is a resource for texting support when someone is in emotional distress.
Otsego Middle School
Email: mkoenig@otsegops.org
Website: www.otsegops.org
Location: 540 Washington Street, Otsego, MI, United States
Phone: 269-694-7500
Twitter: @mkoenig72