Weekly Update: April 4, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for April 4, 2025.
Dear Families,
We have just begun our 4th quarter, and the balance of our school year is jam packed. It will fly by, so you’ll want to know that we’ve updated our school calendar for the last week of school, June 2-6. Key highlights include:
Friday May 30th is our annual Festival of Arts and Student Achievement. 3:30-6:45pm. Make sure this is on your calendar. Please plan to join us - and bring friends! This event highlights and celebrates a broad collection of work from the school year, and is always an experience worth prioritizing. The formal event invitation is below.
Updated last week of the school year calendar ~ also in Friday folders:
Monday, June 2 and Tuesday, June 3 are regular school days (no Evening Study)
Wednesday, June 4th is a regular school day (our last day of classes) and also our Field Day (no Evening Study)
Thursday, June 5 and Friday, June 6 — are portfolio conference days, when students present reflections on their year of learning. Each student will have an appointment, and these will be scheduled soon - but not yet.
Friday, June 6 — 8th grade graduation is at 5:30pm.
Teacher Appreciation Month
Teacher Appreciation Month is around the corner! At OSS we celebrate for the whole month of May; we find that spreading out the love makes it even more fun.
The Family Engagement Committee coordinates our efforts, and we put a flier in your Friday Folder this week. Please email jhachem@oursistersschool.org directly if you have any last minute ideas, suggestions or questions!
4th Quarter Tools Bundle
We strive to think through our Community Core Values and Tools. In other words, when considering life, we lean on these ideas to help guide the decisions we make. We reference these tools throughout the school day, and each quarter we focus on a new collection.
This is our current bundle of Community Core Tools: Be Grateful, Question and Pose Problems, Value Identity, Reflect Own Values, Overcome Obstacles, Work on Personal Challenges.
Have you practiced a CC Tool today? If so, which one(s)?! When, and how?
We often hear from families that they embrace our CC Tools at home too, and we’ve even heard encouraging stories of dinner table conversations about them! Has your family embraced Community Core at home? We are curious, and would love to hear about it.
Indoor Croquet!
What fun. Glow in the dark croquet! This week we wrapped up a season of indoor croquet hosted weekly by gracious volunteers. As we like to say, “never a dull moment at OSS!”
Value Identity
This week, fifth graders explored and researched different Native American cultures. Sixth graders worked on personal challenges such as speaking in large groups, and preparing for their upcoming show. We are excited about their opening exhibit at the Whaling Museum!
Buttonwood Park Zoo Gallery
We'd love for you to join us in viewing the amazing pastel animal artwork created by 5th graders all month long at Buttonwood Park Zoo. The students put in a lot of effort, exploring new techniques and keeping an open mind as they carefully built up their designs layer by layer with pastels.
Calendar
This link to the calendar on our OSS website is a valuable reference tool. Below are some key dates:
April - Climate Justice, Arab American Heritage Month, and Poetry Month!
April 6 - (Sunday) Red Cross Blood Drive in the OSS gym 9am-3pm
April 8 - 6th Grade Whaling Museum Exhibition, 5-6:30pm
April 9 - Spirit Day ~ “Younger You”
April 10 - AHA Night, downtown NB 5-7pm
April 11 - March/April all school b-day party during lunch, Volunteer Lunch 11-1pm, Report cards go home in Friday folders
April 15 - Virtual Admissions Presentation, 5:30pm
April 16 - Spirit Day ~ Movie Day
April 18-25 April Break; No School
We hope you have a fun weekend,
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Weekly Update: March 28, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for March 21, 2025.
Spirit Show
From slime racing to singing and dancing, our Spirit Show was so much fun! Congratulations to our Student Council for hosting an amazing event, and kudos to our brave and talented OSS performers! There were at least three heartwarming 'sibling acts,' we had multiple performances set to world music, and the whole event was capped with a surprise reprise by Mr. Spencer. The event was a hearty collection of goodness!
Women’s Advocacy Day
On March 24, 7th and 8th grade students attended Women’s Advocacy Day on the Hill, an event organized annually by the Mass Commission on the Status of Women. Students spent the week before preparing a pitch on something they care about that relates to present legislation. Students did an amazing job using their voice to speak on issues such as affordable housing, reproductive freedom, racial and economic justice, and immigration rights. Despite the rainy day, it was a trip filled with sunny moments. They even got to hear Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell speak! Thanks to the YWCA for partnering with us to get our students up to the State House and to work together as a community to #AccelerateAction.
Monkey App Concerns
We are aware that some parents may need to be aware of a digital app called Monkey which allows users to Facetime with strangers. The following are some details about Monkey. The rating for this app is mature, but underage users can access and use it:
Safety Concerns:
The Monkey app, which is a video chat-based platform similar to Omegle, was removed from Apple's App Store due to safety concerns, specifically the ease with which underage users could join and the lack of robust safety features to protect them.Age Requirement:
The app's terms of service state that users must be 18 or older, but the platform's design and lack of strong verification measures made it vulnerable to misuse by minors.Google Play Store:
While Apple removed the app, it's still available for download from the Google Play Store, where it's rated "mature 17+".
We appreciate you, Ms. Goulding!
Georgie Goulding has served for 11 impressive years as our Director of Advancement, and this week we celebrate all of her hard work. Now she has a well deserved chance to kick back and relax for a bit as we welcome Amy Duffell, our arriving Director of Advancement. Thank you Ms. Goulding - and Tully!
Our Sisters’ School at the New Bedford Whaling Museum
Calendar
This link to the calendar on our OSS website is a valuable reference tool. Below are some key dates:
March 29 (Saturday) - 8:30-12:30 ~ Greenlight for Girls at Bridgewater State University
Sunday April 6, 9am-3pm - The American Red Cross is holding a blood drive in the OSS gym.
April 8 - 6th Grade Whaling Museum Exhibition, 5-6:30pm
April 10 - AHA Night, downtown NB 5-7pm
April 11 - March/April all school b-day party during lunch, Volunteer Lunch 11-1pm, Report cards go home in Friday folders
April 15 - Virtual Admissions Presentation, 5:30pm
April 18-25 April Break; No School
We hope you have a fun weekend,
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Weekly Update: March 21, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for March 21, 2025.
On Monday OSS teachers invested our Professional Development day in visiting other schools in the area. We toured buildings, admired art work, murals and inspirational quotes. We checked out classrooms, observed instruction in science, math and humanities classes. We learned how other schools organize tutoring, summer programming and even their own professional development. We returned to OSS energized and motivated to keep striving on behalf of all of students and families!
Tomorrow, Saturday March 22nd, we are hosting a 10am Admissions Presentation and an optional Family Service Day. Twelve people are already signed up - and we can still include more. Please wear clothing for outside projects so you can get dirty.
Friday Folders have interesting materials including sign up sheets for Wednesday evening yoga classes, information about the annual Hunger Heroes project, and an April vacation opportunity to earn a Chromebook through participation with an organization called Tech Goes Home. Take a close look!
Admissions Presentation
Saturday, March 22, 10:00am
Share the OSS experience! Word of mouth is how we fill our school and encourage you to invite family and friends with students in 4th grade to learn about us! Our upcoming Admissions Presentations will be held on Saturday, March 22nd at 10 am and virtually on April 15th. Link to register.
Women’s Advocacy Day
Monday, March 24 | 8:30-4:30pm
As part of our efforts to prepare, this week our students met with State Representative Mark Sylvia, and Monday 7th and 8th graders will participate in an Advocacy Day field trip organized by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. They’ll visit the State House in Boston and have the chance to use their voices to advocate for laws that support the health, safety, and well-being of women and girls. The bus leaves at 8:30am sharp and will return by 4:30pm. Students must wear collared OSS shirts and jeans (without holes), khakis, or other formal pants, and walking shoes (sneakers preferred).
Spirit Show
Wednesday, March 26⋅11:00 – 11:45 am
Students have been working hard preparing this year’s Spirit Show. It is mid-day so understandably tricky timing, but families are welcome to join - even if only for a bit.
Calendar
This link to the calendar on our OSS website is a valuable reference tool. Below are some key dates:
March 22 - Optional Family Service Day and OSS Admissions Presentation, 10am
March 25 - Spirit Show Dress Rehearsal
March 26 - SPIRIT SHOW 11am, OSS gym
March 28 - End of Q3; Dendrites Conference, 1:15-3pm
March 29 (Saturday) - 8:30-12:30 ~ Greenlight for Girls at Bridgewater
April 6 - (Sunday) Red Cross Blood Drive in the OSS gym 9am-3pm
April 8 - 6th Grade Whaling Museum Exhibition, 5-6:30pm
April 10 - AHA Night, downtown NB 5-7pm
April 11 - March/April all school b-day party during lunch, Volunteer Lunch 11-1pm, Report cards go home in Friday folders
April 15 - Virtual Admissions Presentation, 5:30pm
April 18-25 April Break; No School
We hope you have a fun weekend,
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Weekly Update: March 14, 2024
Here’s a weekly update for March 14, 2025.
If you are interested in adding fun activities to your summer plans, we have free programs available for OSS families. We would love to have your student join us! Please use this link to access our summer program registration form; be sure to complete registration by Friday, March 21.
If you’d like more information about any program, reach out to Ms. Sanders (email asanders@oursistersschool.org or call/text 774-328-6694). Thank you!
STEAM the Streets
OSS and Nativity Prep students shared an assembly presented by STEAM the Streets, featuring DJ Angelli (also known as Mr. Diaz). The event highlighted the impact of STEAM beyond school, introduced green careers, and inspired students to be part of the solution in protecting the planet.
Anti Bullying at Winslow
Last week, two 8th graders presented their capstone projects at Winslow Elementary School, focusing on bullying prevention and mental health awareness. They shared a video and slideshow with younger students, and led discussions about handling bullying situations.
Women’s Advocacy Day
In 7th and 8th grade Friday Folders you will find a permission slip for Women’s Advocacy Day, organized annually by the Mass Commission on the Status of Women. Next week, students will have lessons on local government, advocacy, and persuasive speaking. On March 24, our plan is to bring them to the State House in Boston where they will practice using their voices to persuade elected officials to pass laws that benefit the health, safety, and livelihood of women and girls. Please sign the permission slip and return it Monday.
Quilt-Patterned Mural
Joan DeCollibus is a dedicated OSS volunteer who collaborated with all of our students to design a quilt-patterned mural which will adorn our front stairwell. She met with each grade to gather sketches and ideas reflecting the spirit of OSS. All of this planning will guide a finished product to be unveiled later this Spring.
Impact Craters
In our space unit, we’re learning about the impact cratering process, which affects all solid astronomical bodies. Last week we made our own “craters” by dropping marbles from different heights into layered pie trays. We took quantitative measurements of our craters, like diameter and depth.
Calendar
This link to the calendar on our OSS website is a valuable reference tool. Below are some key dates:
March 17 - Professional Day; No School for students
March 19 – Tool Belt / Fire Stamp Ceremony at Community Meeting
March 22 - Optional Family Service Day and OSS Admissions Presentation, 10am - noon
March 28 - End of 3rd Quarter
March 29 (Saturday) - 8:30-12:30 ~ Greenlight for Girls at Bridgewater
April 11 - March/April all school birthday party during lunch
April 18-25 April Break; No School
We hope you have a fun weekend and get to enjoy some sunshine,
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Weekly Update: March 7, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for March 7, 2025.
Community Core Tools
At OSS, we strive to think through our Community Core Values and Tools. In other words, when considering life, we lean on these ideas to help guide the decisions we make. We reference these tools throughout the school day, and each quarter, focus on a new collection of these “Tools.”
This is our current bundle of Community Core Tools: Assume Goodwill, Choose Healthy Relationships, Strive for Accuracy, Say and Do the Unpopular, Recognize Community Breakdown, and Take Initiative.
Have you practiced a CC Tool today? If so, which one(s)?! When, and how?
We often hear from families that they embrace our CC Tools at home too, and we’ve even heard encouraging stories of dinner table conversations about them!
Has your family embraced Community Core at home? We are curious and would love to hear about it. Here is a link to share your story.
Calendar
This link to the calendar on our OSS website is a valuable reference tool. Below are some key dates:
March - Women’s History and Climate Justice Months
Pursue summer opportunities!
March 8 - YMCA Sharing the Harvest Student Service Event from 10 to 12.
March 12- STEAM the Streets assembly at OSS
March 17 - Professional Day; No School for students
March 22 - Optional Family Service Day
March 28 - End of 3rd Quarter!
March 29 (Saturday) - 8:30-12:30 ~ Greenlight for Girls at Bridgewater
The New Bedford Light recognizes the powerful work of OSS students: This week we were honored and excited to see our students’ work celebrated in a beautiful article about the power and importance of art. The reference, a bold exclamation point at the end of the article, recognized the power of our students’ voices, lifted through their art.
If you are interested in adding fun activities to your summer plans, we have free programs available for OSS families. We would love to have your student join us! Please use this link to access our summer program registration form; be sure to complete registration by Friday, March 21.
If you’d like more information about any program, reach out to Ms. Sanders (email asanders@oursistersschool.org or call/text 774-328-6694). Thank you!
March is Women’s History Month - a time to celebrate and honor the achievements of women around the world. During Community Meeting we introduced the theme #AccelerateAction, and brainstormed ways to build a more equitable and inclusive world through taking action.
This month, OSS 7th and 8th graders will travel to the State House for Women’s Advocacy Day on March 24. They will speak with legislators and use their voice and agency in very real ways. This is just one example of how OSS empowers young women to be brave and innovative changemakers.
We encourage you to speak with your OSS student about the women in your life who inspire you, and brainstorm what it means to accelerate action in our community. Find your own ways to celebrate and honor our ancestors, sisters, and allies – ensuring that women’s history remains visible, valued, and celebrated for all generations.
Community Information
If you signed up for tickets to see Annie this weekend, then you got a reminder email from Ms. Cinnamond today. Tickets will be held at Will Call. Enjoy the show!
We added service opportunities to the Family Service Sign up. Check it out here and sign up if you are able. Family Service Hours that are not completed by May 31st (March 31st for 8th grade families) are billed at $20/hr.
Have a great weekend,
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Weekly Update: February 28, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for February 28, 2025.
You may have noticed Ms. Pires working to facilitate a speedier morning drop off, and at Community Meeting on Wednesday we talked to students about how they can help things move quickly. We want to keep it safe and efficient. Please pay close attention to Ms. Pires’ efforts to facilitate the strategy that 2-3 cars (but not more) can drop students at the same time, and then roll gently toward the exit. We are calling it a familiar “Stop, Drop and Roll.”
Our Family Engagement Committee is looking for contributions to a calendar raffle fundraiser which we’ll play this spring. Perhaps you have a small business and you’d like to let our community know about what you do. You could donate an item or a gift card as part of the fun! Please email jhachem@oursistersschool.org and we’ll make sure your business is included! ALSO you could fill out this fun survey about the restaurants and places you hope we can partner with on fundraisers. Thanks!
Discord is an online platform for socializing, and it is not appropriate for middle schoolers. We are calling everyone’s attention to this so that we can all be more aware. Consider this our version of a Public Service Announcement. For a full explanation of Discord reference the parent’s guide at CommonSense Media. Discord does not have a strong age verification process, and that makes it possible for younger individuals to access content intended for 18+.
Dendrites Conference
Before February break we hosted a “Dendrites Conference” and explored how we learn. Workshops covered a variety of topics, including:
How to use Google Suite tools to stay organized.
The impact of social media on the brain.
Ways to manage stress and take care of our brains.
How the brain works (check out this student-friendly book for more details!).
And even the chance to see and hold an actual brain!
Our event was an engaging way to learn about our brains, and how to maximize and care for them!
Maintaining Connections
On Thursday, many of our 5th and 6th graders reconnected with their former teachers and shared about cherished OSS moments like Friday clubs, Brantwood and their Hear Me Roar projects.
The pure joy expressed by students and their teachers was heartwarming, and the room was filled with nostalgia and excitement! We thank all the former teachers who attended our event and helped make it special, and we look forward to continuing this OSS tradition for years to come.
Boat Building
Boat building season is upon us. Each year our students learn to saw, use adhesives, and follow plans. They also learn to use power tools like drills and impact drivers. 5th graders are making 1/16th model Bevin row boats, like the ones we use at CBC. 6th graders have finished the boats they started last year, and will be building outdoor benches.
7th graders are working on their T37 remote control sailboats and are planning to sail them when we return to CBC in April. 8th graders are working on their skateboards; they built them last year and are working on the art they planned for them. Each student will have a custom skateboard once it is finished!
Community Information
Walt’s Closet is announcing a partnership with the nonprofit Give ‘n Glow, providing free beauty products to women in need. "Access to beauty products can be a catalyst for self-confidence, empowerment, and personal growth – we look to provide this through community, positivity and support."
Give ‘n Glow will be providing free make-up, skin care and hair care products, along with consultations for all attendees. April 12th, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm, New Bedford YMCA Gymnasium.
Calendar
This link to the calendar on our OSS website is a valuable reference tool. Below are some key dates:
March - Women’s History and Climate Justice Months
March 8 - YMCA Sharing the Harvest Student Service Event from 10 to 12. Sign Up form in Friday Folders today. 15 spots available. Ms. McSweeny will confirm attendance via email next week.
March 17 - Professional Day; No School for students
March 12- STEAM the Streets assembly at OSS
March 28 - End of Q3
March 29th (Saturday) - 8:30-12:30 ~ Greenlight for Girls at Bridgewater
Please try to prioritize rest this weekend. Cold and flu is definitely going around, and we want to keep healthy!
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team