Oak Middle School
Sunday, September 11, 2022
Dear Oak Middle School Families,
It was another great week at OMS. Students are continuing to learn school/classroom routines and are navigating their way around the building. Teachers are continuing to create a sense of community and belonging. It was also very exciting to see students ready and eager to learn. Students were engaged in learning throughout the building. Students were researching topics, forming and defending their opinions, asking questions, writing essays, solving equations, graphing, and much more.
Please read through the newsletter and mark the important upcoming dates on your calendar as we would love to welcome you into the building so you can see and hear for yourself what great work is taking place at Oak. There are new clubs/activities listed below that will be starting in the coming weeks as well as some posted on the website so be sure to look through the different offerings with your student (s). Please take a look through the pictures to see our/your wonderful students in action! In addition to my weekly newsletter, please click on the button below titled Team Teacher and Foreign Language Communication to read your child's team newsletter.
Please reach out with any questions or concerns as our goal is to work together to make sure each and every child has a wonderful year at OMS.
In partnership,
Hallie Burak
Principal
508-841-1210
Anne Koertge
Assistant Principal Grade 7
akoertge@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
508-841-1205
Scott Yonker
Assistant Principal Grade 8
508-841-1213
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Nichelle Thinagar, 8th grader, who advanced to the Top 300 in the national Broadcom MASTERS middle school science fair competition! Her project title was "Designing and Testing a Safety Barrier for Short Term Road Construction Sites that is Easy to Set Up, Store, and Transport". Nichelle has a chance to make the Final 30, which is announced September 21st. Good luck Nichelle!
Also, congratulations to Mr. Jeremy Mularella who is our design lab teacher and runs the Science Competition Team.
Important Upcoming Dates
Curriculum Night
8th Grade Curriculum Night
Wednesday, September 21 starting at 6:30
7th Grade Curriculum Night
Thursday, September 22 starting at 6:30
PTO
September 12th: First PTO meeting of the school year, 7PM in the Oak Media Center
September 13th: Food Truck Night at Sherwood Middle School, 5-7PM
September 14th: Food Truck Night at Oak Middle School, 5-7PM
VIRTUAL PRESENTATION - KEEPING KIDS SAFE AND SECURE ONLINE: A PROJECT SAFE CHILDHOOD PRESENTATION FOR PARENTS
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 6:30 p.m. (log in begins at 6:15 p.m.)
Brought to you in collaboration by: The United States Attorney’s Office, Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Lunenburg Police Department
Please see attached flyer.
SCHOOL COUNCIL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are looking for parents and community members to join our Oak School Council. As an advisory body, the school council works to provide ideas and opinions to help the principal. Each year, the group reviews/creates the School Improvement Plan and engages in SPS District Priorities. In this context, council members assist by:
- providing information and recommendations relevant to the educational needs of students;
- reading and discussing the budget with the principal to understand the implications for goals and activities in the school improvement plan; and
- participating actively in the process of analysis and planning that results in the identification of annual goals, activities, outcomes, and resources that will lead to school improvement.
Please email Principal, Hallie Burak at hburak@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us if you are interested in serving in this role. Elections will be held at Curriculum Nights in September.
Photos of the Week
Students in Latin class chalking the sidewalks with positive messages.
Students in Latin class chalking the sidewalks with positive messages.
Students in Latin class chalking the sidewalks with positive messages.
7 Teal students during math class working on a a class activity (1-100 number team work).
7 Teal students during math class working on a a class activity (1-100 number team work).
8th Grade students were investigating a crime scene in science.
7th Grade Science - researching a scientist
7th Grade Social Studies
Spanish Class - practicing greetings
Math Class - using the desks as "scrap paper"
Science observations and inferences
8 Red playing the “sheet name game”
7 Red students working as groups to solve math problems.
7 Red students working as groups to solve math problems.
7 Red students working as groups to solve math problems.
8th Grade Trip to Teamworks
8th grade teams will be taking a trip to Teamworks in Northborough to learn how to cooperatively work together, think creatively to solve problems, and take safe risks. These skills are essential for a successful school year as a united team. It will be a highly active day and students are encouraged to wear gym attire including sneakers and layers as the weather is unpredictable. In addition, students must provide their own lunch (no glass please!). Please complete a permission slip HERE and send a $22 check made out to the OMS Activity Fund to your child’s homeroom teacher. If you would like to contribute to a scholarship, additional funds are welcome in your payment. If you need financial assistance please contact Mrs. Burak, hburak@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us.
Students will depart Oak Middle School by bus at 8:15 and return by 2:15.
Wednesday September 28th – 8 Gold
Thursday September 29th – 8 Blue
Friday September 30th – 8 Green
Tuesday October 4th – 8 Teal
Thursday October 6th – 8 Red
Team Information
🎭🎨🖌️🎵Sports and Activities🏀⚽🏅🏈
🎭🎭🎭The Oak Drama Club🎭🎭🎭
The Oak Drama Club is returning this fall under the Direction of Mr. Shoro! This season, we will be putting on 2 One-Act Plays, The Audition & Help Desk by Don Zolidis. The Audition is about a group of high school students auditioning for their school play and the social issues that come with it, and Help Desk is a collection of comedic scenes centered around characters calling in to a less-than-helpful Help Desk.
Auditions will be held Monday, Sept. 12th and Wednesday Sept. 14th until 4 pm. The Audition Monologues and the Fall Rehearsal schedule are both posted in the Oak Drama Club Schoology Group under the Resources tab. Any student interested in joining Drama Club, either on stage OR behind the scenes, are encouraged to join the Schoology group to receive all updates and information.
Please email Mr. Shoro to sign up - ashoro@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us
✏️🎒🏫📚Join the Yearbook Committee!📚🏫🎒✏️
Interested in leaving your mark?
Are you artistic?
Interested in photography?
Do you like designing things on a computer?
Join the Yearbook Committee!
What is it??
A group of creative students who build the yearbook from the ground up - as a member, you will…
take photos of team activities and events, sports games… around town, and at school - anything and everything Oak.
Learn to use design software, so you can build your team’s page and many others… as well as design the cover, the dedication… everything!
Help sell the yearbook, talking it up on team and designing the posters and flyers that will be all over the school as well as on our Schoology team pages!
This is your chance to help shape the memories your peers will have for years to come and create a scrapbook of what is shaping up to be a great year!
What do you need, to join?
Be available on Mondays, for meetings in the media center 2:45-3:30, and willing to go to events to take pictures, as well as design pages from home.
Be willing to be part of a team
Be flexible, creative, and willing to learn!
We are looking for 2-3 representatives from EACH TEAM. If more than 3 people from a team wish to join, there will be try-outs - we will have several criteria to determine who the representatives will be.
If you’re interested, talk to your homeroom teacher and fill out the survey below.
Click Yearbook Interest Survey or go to https://tinyurl.com/omsybc22
🏫🏫Community Service and Leadership Club🏫🏫
If you are interested in helping others and giving back to our community consider joining the Community Service and Leadership Club. To learn more about the club please attend our informational meeting on Thursday, September 15 at 2:35 in the Media Center. Returning members will share about previous activities and we will begin to discuss possible projects for this year. Everyone is welcome.
The meeting will end at 3:30 so please be sure to have a ride home at that time.
Please see Mrs. McCarthy, in room 163 in the 7 Blue hallway if you have any questions.
🗣️🗣️🗣️Latin Club🗣️🗣️🗣️
What is Latin Club?
Latin Club is for any student who wants to explore classical mythology and Roman culture. Some activities may be determined by student interest, but we will include mini-catapults, Roman holiday celebrations, certamen practice and competitions, and hands-on activities related to culture and history.
Members will have the opportunity to prepare for and participate in the Pegasus Mythology Exam, given in late February. Enrollment in Latin is not required, but any student joining Latin Club should have a genuine interest and willingness to learn; please check with Mrs. Sinacola if you are not enrolled in Latin.
Meeting Information:
We will meet every Wednesday in Room 307 from 2:45-3:45 pm. Our first meeting will be Sept 14
🤽🤾♀️🤽♀️Play It Out Club🎲🎯😄
What is it? We’re building time to PLAY into the day and we’re going to be as active as we can, weather permitting. Think of it as a “play-out” instead of a “work-out”.
Each session we’ll play games. The games will not always be the same. They will be a mix of activity levels: kick-ball, tag, hide & seek, building a snow-person, taking a walk, frisbee, card & board games, theater games, etc.
Reasoning: From adolescence on, we tend to focus more on work and less on play; however, research shows that humans are hard-wired to be playful. There are different types of play (physical play, social play, object play) and as we age, “play” can include activities that we do to unwind and keep ourselves healthy: bike-riding, taking a walk, joking with friends.
How does it work and what do you need? We’ll meet every week on Wednesdays from 2:45-3:30. Students need a good attitude, their water bottle, and they need to be ready to go outside most days (appropriate dress).
When and where does it meet? Meet every Wednesday in Room 427 from 2:45-3:30. Meeting dates—attend as you can:
- Sept. 14, Sept. 21, Sept. 28
- Oct. 5, Oct. 12, Oct.19, Oct. 26
- Nov. 2, Nov. 9, Nov.16, Nov. 30
- Dec. 7, Dec. 14, Dec.21
- Jan. 4, Jan. 11, Jan.18, Jan. 25, Jan. 31
- Feb. 1, Feb. 8, Feb.15
- Mar. 1, Mar. 8, Mar.15, Mar. 22, Mar. 29
- Apr. 5, Apr. 16, Apr. 26
- May 3, May 10, May 17, May 24, May 31
- Jun. 7
Questions? Please contact Senora Pierce in room 427 at Oak (spierce@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us)
To find out more about play and its importance, listen to this episode “You’re Never Too Old to Play” from the podcast Chasing Life: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chasing-life/id1501029683?i=1000576224609
From the Nurse's Office
Water Bottles: Please remember to send your child in with a full water bottle each day. We have water bottle filling stations located throughout the school for easy access.
Breakfast: We will be offering breakfast from the school cafeteria as students arrive at school. This will be free for all students for this school year. The cafeteria is open from 7:30-8:00 in the morning.
Please reach out to us at any time with questions. We look forward to a healthy and happy school year!
Lisa Arteca, MSN, RN and Loreen Yearick, MSN, RN
Phone: 508-841-1204
Fax: 508-841-1227
We Are Hiring - Paraprofessional Support Staff
Shrewsbury Public Schools are seeking to hire paraprofessional support staff. We are very pleased that we are 99% fully staffed for teacher and other professional educator roles as we start the school year. Like in many employment sectors in the current economy, we are also working hard to fill certain open positions. If you or someone you know is interested in making a positive difference in the life of a child, please consider joining us as a paraprofessional in our schools. We are in need of: child-specific aides who work to support individual students with special learning needs; applied behavior analysis technicians who typically work to support individual students on the autism spectrum; and special education instructional assistants. Experience working with children is a plus but not required, and we will provide training. There are positions open at all grade spans, both full-time with benefits and part-time, and the hours are great for parents with children in school. For more information and to apply, please go to https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/hr/currentopenings. Please forward this information along, including to local college students seeking part-time work and those considering a career change to education. If you have questions, please email Lindsey Stasiowski, Human Resources Manager, at lstasiowski@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us or call her at (508) 841-8483. Thank you!
Arrival/Dismissal Procedures
The school day runs from 8:00am-2:35pm.
Parent Drop off starts at 7:30 AM.
Students who arrive prior to 7:45 report to the cafeteria.
Breakfast is served in the cafeteria from 7:45-8:00 am.
Students who arrive after 7:45 report directly to homeroom (unless eating breakfast).
Students who arrive after 8:00am are tardy & need to enter the front of the building.
Students are dismissed at 2:35pm.
If you are dismissing your child early, you must call the Main Office.
What should I do if my child will be absent or tardy?
Parents or legal guardians must call the school by 8:00 to report that the child will be absent. The phone number is 508-841-1200, press “1” when prompted and indicate the child’s name, grade, team, and reason for being absent or tardy. Students who arrive after 8:00 must check in at the main corridor QR Code to ensure their attendance is properly recorded.
What should I do if my child has to get dismissed early from school?
Please send a note from home with your child. They will bring it to the main office, and be given a pass.
In a last minute situation, you can call the Main office 508-841-1200 to dismiss.
PTO
September 12th: First PTO meeting of the school year, 7PM in the Oak Media Center
September 13th: Food Truck Night at Sherwood Middle School, 5-7PM
September 14th: Food Truck Night at Oak Middle School, 5-7PM
SEPTEMBER PTO MEETING
We're kicking off another year with our first meeting on Monday, September 12, 2022 at 7:00PM in the Oak Media Center. We have a lot to talk about regarding the upcoming year and our efforts to support both Sherwood and Oak - we would love for you to join us as we work on plans and address fundraising options.
The SMS PTO serves BOTH Sherwood and Oak and we would love to have parents from grade 5-8 join us.
SMS PTO FACEBOOK PAGE
The SMS PTO does not send notices home with students as you may have been used to in elementary school. Instead, we provide info via the weekly newsletters from Mr. Kelly and Mrs. Burak, and we post info, events, and other items of note via our Facebook page. Please be sure to find us and like us to keep up with us!
https://www.facebook.com/SherwoodOakPTO/
FOOD TRUCK NIGHTS
Join us for dinner at Sherwood on Tuesday, September 13th and Oak on Wednesday, September 14th, 2022. Both events are 5-7PM and are open to the public. Tell your friends and come join us for fun and good food!
Both nights will feature:
Potato Potato
Anzio's Pizza
The Dogfather
Kona Ice
Uhlman's
Shishkaberries
APPAREL ORDERS COMING SOON!
We will offer sales of Sherwood and Oak apparel in just 2 weeks - please keep your eyes open for the link to our online store!