Weekly Flash

March 4, 2024

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

Updates from Principal Hudspeth, including reminders about phones/smart watch use in school
It's Reading Celebration Week! Earn a chance to win a bookstore gift card
Switch out your old books for newer ones at the Book Swap
Donate a celebration book to the OHS library
Check out all-new slate of After School Activities - registration starts next week
Bike Bus is coming to OHS! Volunteer to lead the program
PTA Meeting March 14 @7pm - babysitting available!
Team Teddy St. Baldrick's fundraiser returns to OHS on March 22
Yearbooks on sale - discount pricing before March 31

March 4-8 - Reading Celebration Week
March 5 - Early Dismissal @1:40pm
March 6 - Author David A. Kelly visits
March 6 - State Board of Education meeting - watch here
March 8 - Book Swap
March 14 - PTA Meeting @7pm
March 19 - Early Dismissal @1:40pm, Conferences

March 21 - Early Dismissal @1:40pm, Conferences
March 22 - St. Baldrick's Team Teddy Fundraiser, 5:30-8pm
March 27 - STEAM Night, Grades 2-5 6:30-8pm
March 29 - NO SCHOOL

**Follow us on OHS Families Facebook & OHS_Families Instagram to stay in the know, and check out our OHS PTA website!**

Dear OHS Families,

March is here, meaning Reading Celebration Week is here as well!

Reading Celebration Week

This week we will be celebrating reading and books at OHS. The Reading Celebration Committee has planned a fun week to encourage our students to read and find new books to dive into. Please see below in the Flash for all the ways students can participate this week.

A big element of the week is our annual OHS Book Swap, when students can donate books that have been enjoyed in your household and are ready to share with another family. Donations will be collected at school arrival from Monday through Wednesday in the main hallway. Classes will come through the Book Swap during the school day on Friday so students can select books to take home and enjoy. Big thanks to our Reading Celebration Week Committee and all the volunteers who make it possible!

Author Visit – David A. Kelley- Wednesday, 3/6

On Wednesday, we have author David A. Kelley visiting OHS and presenting to our students. Thank you to Kate Fierman for organizing the visit and to our PTA for bringing so many engaging authors and presenters to our school.

Phones/Smart Watches

As a reminder, phones and smart watches with the ability to text/message should stay in backpacks during the school day. If students need to contact someone at home during the school day, they should ask their teacher and call from the office. We have some texting between students and parents/family during the school day and it is distracting and not appropriate for school. You can see our guidelines in the OHS Family Handbook on page 40-41. The devices can be kept in backpacks during the day and used outside of school hours. Thank you for supporting this.

Have a great Reading Celebration Week and I hope you enjoy a good book!

David

It's Reading Celebration week at OHS, and we have a full slate of activities and events to support students' love for books.

Earn a chance to win a book store gift card

Students have three opportunities to be entered to win a $10 gift card for the Fairfield University Book Store. For each activity completed you'll be entered to win!

Donate books to the Book Swap. Books are being collected Monday through Wednesday - more info below!
Create a bannerflag of your favorite book or the book you're currently reading and return by Thursday
Play Reading Bingo - complete 5 boxes in a row and submit to the office by Friday

Bingo boards and banner flags were sent home last week. There will be 2 winners from each grade level! The drawing will be on Friday.

Questions? Contact Ashley Maguire

Switch out your old books at the Book Swap

Book Swap collection is underway! The Book Swap is a fantastic event where students can bring in books that they're ready to pass along and then they will have the opportunity to shop for "new to them" books.

We will be collecting book donations from 8:30-9:15am in the OHS lobby Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Please bring books in boxes if possible. If it's easy for your child to carry, they can bring books to school via their normal transportation method.

We are collecting children's, young adult and adult books. We are hoping to restock the Teachers' Lounge with some good books as well!

On Friday, all classes will visit the Book Swap during the school day. Each child will leave with new books to take home. We will also invite the teachers to make selections to add to their classroom libraries.

Volunteer to help the Book Swap!

There are still some openings for volunteers to aide with book collection and the swap. Click here to volunteer!

Questions? Contact Julissa Pesok and Chrissy Mink

Donate a Celebration Book to the OHS library

Did you know you can donate a book to the OHS library in your child's name? You can view the list of available Celebration Books here. If you purchase one, a bookplate will be added to the book indicating your child's name and the occasion. Your child will be the first to check the book out and a photo of your child with the book will be added to our collection in the LLC!

To purchase, complete the required information on the spreadsheet. Send payment via backpack mail in the form of a check payable to OHS PTA to the attention of Sandy Kosh. Only one copy is available per title - if a student's name is in the spreadsheet that title is no longer available.

Questions? Contact OHS Library Media Specialist Sandy Kosh or Lauren Castaneda

Spring into our final session of After School Activities!

Spring is in the air, and so is our next session of After School activities! From nature crafts to digital escape rooms, we have some brand-new offerings along with old favorites sure to please any athletes, artists, or Swifties!

After school activities give your child the opportunity to stay after school and participate in a variety of classes and experiences led by some of our amazing Osborn Hill teachers and staff.

**Click here to browse this session's offerings for After School Activities.**

Registration occurs over 2 phases:

Phase 1- Monday, March 11h at 8pm- Wednesday, March 13th at 9am
- During the first phase families may register EACH CHILD for ONLY ONE ACTIVITY.
Phase 2- Thursday, March 14th at 8pm - Saturday, March 16th at 9am
- During this phase the registration page will reopen for students to register for any classes with vacancies. Students may register for more than one activity during this phase.

Questions? Contact the ASA team

Bike Bus coming to OHS! Volunteer to lead our newest event

May 8th is Walk, Bike, & Roll to School day! OHS students have always enjoyed participating in this annual event. This year we would like to take it to the next level by implementing a BIKE BUS.

What's a Bike Bus?

A Bike Bus is a group of children and adults who bike together as a group on a set route, in this case to school. The “bus driver,” an adult on a bike, guides the group along the route. Kids and their parents join the group on their own bikes when the pack comes by their “bus stop”.

Help lead the pack

As it will be our first year doing this, we are still in the early planning stages. The PTA is looking for several volunteers who would be willing to lead the effort. At our PTA meeting on March 14th we will be joined by Anya Mezak who successfully created a Bike Bus at Stratfield Elementary. She will be sharing information and will answer all our questions about planning this event.

We hope to have at least 2-3 volunteers before that meeting who can serve as leaders. Email info@ohspta.com if you are interested or want more information before you commit.

PTA Meeting Thursday March 14

We hope you can join us for our PTA meeting next Thursday, March 14 at 7pm in the APR. We have a full calendar of events and programs planned for the remainder of the school year, and our meetings are a great way to stay in the know! We'll be joined by Anya Mezak, who led the Bike Bus effort at Stratfield.

Babysitting services available

Need a sitter so you can attend? We can help! The PTA is providing babysitting services during the meeting free of charge for any current Osborn Hill students. Stay tuned to next week's Flash for information on how to sign up!

Questions? Contact Rachel Parrish

Team Teddy St. Baldrick's Fundraiser at OHS on March 22

Three weeks to go until Team Teddy OHS! Come join us on Friday, March 22, from 5:30pm-8:00pm.

This will be our 15th annual fundraiser. There will be raffles (tickets to “Hamilton” Billy Joel, Red Sox/Yankees; a brand-new bike, and so much more), a bake sale, Super Duper Weenie and all sorts of fun for a great cause.

This year we have already raised almost $18,000, bringing our 15-year total to just under $1.5 million.

The money raised by events like ours goes towards grants that allow scientists to better understand pediatric cancers and how to treat them more effectively, giving children a better chance to recover and live their lives.

Those who want to contribute without going bald can sponsor a shavee, buy treats at the bake sale, or purchase raffle tickets with the chance to win fantastic prizes.

To sign up to be a shavee, make a donation, or check out our local sponsors, visit: https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/TeamTeddyOHS2024

Yearbook sales are open! Special pricing until March 31

The year's not over yet - but it's time to order your 2023-2024 OHS Yearbook!

Yearbooks can be ordered online atwww.coffeepond.com

Click on the Order Yearbooks banner
Enter the password 'ozzie24', select online order and continue
Enter your child's name and grade and the book quantity
Enter your email under contact and select add to cart
If needed, you can purchase more by clicking the order for another child button. If not, you can finish checking out.

Order by March 31st for early bird pricing of $20 per book. The price increases to $22 per book on April 1st and orders can be placed through April 30th.

Have a great photo at a school function? We'd love to include it!

The yearbook includes candid photos of the kids at all of the amazing OHS events that take place throughout the year. Please email them to ohsottersyearbook@gmail.com. Kindly include the event as the subject line of the email, for example: Halloween, Stags Basketball Game, Sweetheart Dance, etc.

We appreciate your help!

Please contact the Yearbook Committee with any questions.

Have news to share? Email Jen Braun by 10am Friday
to include in the following Monday's OHS Weekly Flash.

SUBJECT: OHS Weekly Flash | It's Reading Celebration Week! Send in books for the Book Swap