Happy Snowy Days!

Looks like winter is upon us in full force! This is a good time for us to emphasize the importance of school bus safety.  We had one of our many annual bus safety drills as students arrived at school this morning.  In addition to the safety drills we conduct at school, it is important for you to help reinforce your child's responsibilities while riding the bus.  And remember as you drive near and around school buses, always stop and wait for a bus with flashing red lights!  

  Here are some expectations you can help reinforce at home:

Be Respectful

 - Greet your driver and friends.
 - Listen to and follow the driver's directions.
 - Use a level 2 talking voice.

Be Responsible
 - Sit in your assigned seat.
 - Watch for your stop.
 - Take all of your belongings when you leave.
Be Safe
 - Stay seated while the bus is moving.
 - Keep your hands, feet, and backpack out of the aisle.
 - Leave snacks and drinks in your backpack.

A Season of Giving and Gratitude

I cannot begin to express the gratitude I feel, thanks to your generosity.  Thank you for the outpouring of support, as we have three community service projects underway from Onondaga Road.  Your caring and kindness help to teach our children that they are important members of a greater community.

Join us!
Tonight is our November PTA meeting, 6:30 in our library.  We will talk about our community service projects and the many up and coming events planned for our students.  All are welcome!  There is no PTA meeting scheduled for the month of December.  

Other dates to remember...

• Fri, 11/30 - School store
• Wed, 12/5 - 3:20-4:00 - Fifth graders who return a permission slip stay after school for gift wrapping.
• Wed, 12/5 - 7:00 - Board of Education meeting
• Fri, 12/7 - School spirit day - Wear blue and gold!
• Fri, 12/14 - 2:00 - Kindergarten gingerbread day
• Fri, 12/14 - School store
• Mon, 12/17 - Grades 3, 4, 5 go to SU Women's Basketball Game
• Wed, 12/19 - 7:00 - Board of Education meeting
• Thurs, 12/20 - 7:00 Grades 4-5 Concert at WGHS
• Fri, 12/21 - Classroom winter celebrations

Take Time to Express Thanks...

Sometimes our day to day lives get so busy, we forget to take time to tell the people who mean the most to us that we are grateful for them.  At Thanksgiving time, I hope you can reflect upon all the little things for which you have to be thankful, and remember to tell the people who matter most to you!

I am overwhelmed by the generosity of our Onondaga Road families and staff.  We support one another, and we respect one another, which is truly admirable.  As we have done in years past, we will participate in a few greater community service projects.  After Thanksgiving break, you will receive details about our Salvation Army food drive, our Books and Band-Aids  drive, and our Family Wish Come True project.  Please understand we are most grateful for any contributions, and our students take great pride in helping others!

 Final Dates of November to Remember:
- Schools are closed Wednesday, 11/21 through Friday, 11/23 to celebrate Thanksgiving.     See you on Monday, 11/26!

- Thursday, 11/29 at 6:30 - PTA meets in the library.

Happy Halloween from Onondaga Road

Creativity Shines at OR!

Positivity Project...
This week students learned the character trait of creativity through the Positivity Project.  Students in all classes participated in a creative display of pumpkins for the season.  They're amazing! 

First Grade

Second Grade

Third Grade

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade

Kindergarten

Staff

ABC...
Congratulations to these students who will be representing Onondaga Road at the district's annual Spelling Bee:  Ethan Gage, Grace Banish, Michael Francis, Emma Congdon, and Natalia Fiacchi.  Fourth and fifth graders participated in a difficult written spelling test, and these students will move on to the next level which includes fourth through eighth graders.  Good luck, OR Spellers!

Dates to Remember - It's November!

• The PTA meeting for November has been changed from November 1 to Thursday, November 15.  Please note this calendar change.
• Friday, 11/2 - School Spirit Day - Wear blue and gold!
• Tuesday, 11/6 - Election Day
• Tuesday, 11/6 - Half-day dismissal for students (11:30 a.m.)
• Wednesday, 11/7 - School picture make-up day
• Wednesday, 11/7 - Board of Education meeting, 7:00 p.m. at WGHS
• Thursday, 11/8 - Spelling Bee, 9:45 at CMS
• Monday, 11/12 - Observance of Veterans' Day (Schools are closed)
• Thursday, 11/15 - PTA meeting, 6:30 p.m. at OR library
• Friday, 11/16 - School store
• Monday, 11/19 and Tuesday, 11/20 - Half-day dismissals for students (Parent-Teacher Conferences)
• Wednesday, 11/21 through Friday, 11/23 - Thanksgiving recess (Schools are closed)

October Update from Onondaga Road

Dunk Your Kicks!
Do you have any old sneakers at your house that nobody wears any more?  How would you like to put those sneakers back to good use?  It's simple... Just tie the pair of shoe strings together, send that pair of sneakers to school, and have your child "Dunk Your Kicks" into our collection bin!  Dunk Your Kicks is a donation program, and all sneaker donation proceeds go to the Max Cure Foundation which helps advance cures for pediatric cancers.  Used sneaker donations will be accepted at school from October 1st through the 12th.  Your donations will be much appreciated!

Fall means Halloween is in the air…

We encourage all interested families to attend the district sponsored Halloween Carnival being held on Monday, October 29, 2018, at 4:00-7:30 p.m. at West Genesee High School.  All are welcome!  You will receive additional information about the carnival soon. 

Keeping school safety at the forefront of our decision-making, thank you for understanding that West Genesee elementary schools will no longer hold outdoor Halloween costume parades.  We will, however, continue to have classroom parties where student Halloween costumes are encouraged but optional.  Halloween parties will be on Halloween Day, October 31 at 2:15.  ONLY parent volunteers who are working at the parties will be permitted into the building.  We will Blog and Tweet photos for you to see at home, too!

P2…
This week we have learned about the character strength of “open mindedness.”  Being open minded means you like to consider new ideas and try new things. You examine things from all sides and don’t jump to conclusions.  Next week we will continue to discuss how other people matter, and how to identify the good in others.

Smile!

If your child missed our school picture day on October 3^rd, don’t worry!  We have a make-up picture date on November 7^th.

Dates to Remember…

• Monday, 10/8 – Columbus Day, no school
• Wednesday, 10/10 – Parent Night for English Language Learners, 6:00 at ST
• Thursday, 10/11 – PTA meeting, 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, 10/16-Thursday, 10/18 – Scholastic Book Fair (during school hours)
• Thursday, 10/18 – Reading Night and Book Fair, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
• Friday, 10/26 – School Store
• Monday, 10/29 – Halloween Carnival / Fall Festival, 4:00-7:30 at WGHS
• Wednesday, 10/31 – Halloween classroom parties, 2:15

Onondaga Road Update

OR P2 Rally!

We kicked off our Positivity Project with an exciting P2 Rally!  We were lucky to have the West Genesee Wildcat Varsity Cheerleaders come and get us fired up for a positive school year!  Each week throughout the school year we will continue to learn about different character strengths.  Students learn about their own strengths and the strengths of others.  This week we learned about the power of "curiosity," and next week we'll focus on  "teamwork."

 

The West Genesee Varsity Cheer Team performs at our P2 Pep  Rally

Expectations for All...

Another positive kick-off to the school year has been our dedication to and understanding of our three school expectations:

   1.  Be respectful.

   2.  Be responsible.
   3.  Be safe.
Students are learning and practicing how this looks, not only in school, but in all parts of their days.  You can ask any student what it means to be respectful, responsible, and safe in any setting, and they will be able to provide you an example!  We have practiced these expectations in the classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, on the playground, and on the bus.

FYI, Regarding Bus Safety...

This morning, while buses were arriving at school and parking in the bus circle, we had the unfortunate incident of one bus bumping into another bus (car and bicycle buses).  Nobody was injured, but our nurse did go out to greet students as they got off of the buses, just to be proactive.  Of course any type of fender-bender can be alarming to anyone inside the vehicle, so we talked to the students on both buses and reassured them they were safe now at school.  Students were reminded of their responsibility of staying safely in their seats any time the bus is in motion, and they should practice this safety rule at all times.  Transportation supervisors came to discuss the incident with the drivers, as safety remains our number one priority.

For Your Calendar...

• Fri, 9/28 - School Store
• Wed, 10/3 - School Picture Day
• Mon, 10/8 - Columbus Day (no school)
• Thurs, 10/11 - PTA Meeting at 6:30 p.m.

It's Been a Great First Week!

Here are a few pictures from our first day of school at Onondaga Road.

 Click on the link below to enjoy a short slideshow from the first day:

https://ensemble.cnyric.org/Watch/orfirstweek18

Tonight is our first Onondaga Road PTA meeting.  All are invited and welcome, so please join us at 6:30 in the school library.  Come and see what fun our PTA has in store for our students and how you might be able to lend a hand!

@jclarkOnonRd
Follow me on Twitter for a sneak peek into some school days!

Onondaga Road Curriculum Night Thursday, September 6, 2018

We are looking forward to welcoming our students to school tomorrow, Wednesday, September 5.  We have a full day of school, 9:00-3:20!

I'm sure you are all excited to meet and greet the teachers that will be working closely with your children.  Thursday, September 6, 6:00-7:30, is our Curriculum Night.  This night is designed for parents to meet teachers and gain an understanding of what is expected from your child at his/her current grade level.  Please plan for children to stay home on this evening!

Details of the evening are as follows:

* 6:00-6:40  – Parents of 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade students - report to your child’s classroom where you will hear a formal presentation from the teacher, beginning promptly at 6:00.
Note:  At this time, parents of Kindergarten, 1^st, 2^nd grade students are welcome to visit other areas - art, PE/gym, library, music, support service providers, PTA table, etc.

* 6:50-7:30 – Parents of Kindergarten, 1^st, and 2^nd grade students - report to your child’s classroom where you will hear a formal presentation from the teacher, starting promptly at 6:50.
Note:  At this time, parents of 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th grade students are welcome to visit other areas - art, PE/gym, library, music, support service providers, PTA table, etc.

Thanks, and see you all soon!

HERE WE GO!

Welcome to a new school year at Onondaga Road.  We are excited to get started!

On Monday we welcomed the newest members of our OR family.  These Kindergarten friends are the class of 2031!  

We also had our new student orientation on Monday.  In addition to our new kindergarteners, we are fortunate to welcome 22 new students and their families into our school community!  I know they will feel right at home the minute they meet their teachers and friends!

Our school building is in tip-top shape.  Our custodial and maintenance crews have worked hard to make our school clean and welcoming, and I thank them for their hard work during this hot summer.  

We are in the midst of a construction project, building additional pieces to our school playground.  The students will be so excited when they see what's in store for them!

 While most of our teachers have been in and out of the school all summer getting things ready for the new year, all staff officially starts back this Thursday.  

It's time now for you to get those daytime and bedtime routines back in check!  We're looking forward to seeing our students next Wednesday, September 5, 2018, for our first full day of school!  

Dates to Remember:

• Thursday, 8/30 and Tuesday, 9/4 - Professional Development Days for all staff
• Wednesday, 9/5 - Back to school for students!
• Thursday, 9/6 - Curriculum Night for parents, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Enjoy the Labor Day weekend, and we'll see you next week!

Positivity Project

We rounded out our year-long endeavor with the Positivity Project learning more about the two character strengths of leadership and connection/purpose.  

Leadership

Connection/Purpose

Throughout the year, students not only came to realize more about their own strengths and personal characteristics, but about others' strengths as well.  We have recognized growing relationships and friendships here at school, and we hope that you continue to foster these as we head into the summer months.  We will continue to learn about our strengths through the Positivity Project next year, too!  

Girls on the Run

For the first year ever, girls in grades 4 and 5 were invited to participate in the non-profit Girls on the Run program.  All participants engaged in twice-a-week interactive lessons and running programs for ten weeks.  The culminating activity was a 5K race, and our girls challenged themselves to meet their goals, all while learning about their strengths,  teamwork, and leadership.  A big thank you is extended to all of our teachers who became certified coaches in order to lead the team, and also to all of you, parents, for encouraging our (your) girls to be confident and reach their fullest potential.  Congratulations, Girls on the Run!

CODE

Through our annual Community Oriented Drug Education program, students in all grades learned about healthy lifestyles and healthy choices.  Our fourth and fifth graders culminate their programs by submitting posters advertising Internet safety and essays describing the potential promises of being drug-free.  Pictured here are our poster and essay winners. Congratulations!

Senior Walk

Students from the graduating class of 2018 from West Genesee High School who once attended Onondaga Road came back for a walk down memory lane!  Our kids lined the hallways chanting "Let's go Wildcats, let's go" as they waved and extended their congratulations to the seniors.  Some day, in the not so distant future, our little ones will be taking that same walk...

Thank you, PTA!

On behalf of our students and staff, I would like to truly thank our PTA  and our many parent volunteers for your generosity and dedication to our school.  Students from every grade level have appreciated field trips and many fun events throughout the year.  A good time was had by all at the end-of-year family picnic Friday night!  Thank you again, PTA!

For your calendar...

• Tuesday, 6/12 - Grade 4 goes to the Erie Canal 
• Wednesday, 6/13 - Kindergarten goes to LeMoyne Theater, and grade 5 goes to Ultimate Goal
• Thursday, 6/14 - Flag Day - Our celebration will be held on our front lawn at 1:30-2:15.
• Friday, 6/15 - Olympic games for all!
• Monday, 6/18 - Grade 5 goes to mini golf, and grade 1 goes to Shove Park
• Tuesday, 6/19 - Last FULL day of school
• Wednesday, 6/20 - Grade 5 recognition ceremony at 9:30, and half day dismissal for all at 11:30
• Thursday, 6/21 - Last day of school, half day dismissal at 11:30

Meeting Reminders

 Calling Fifth Grade Parents...
At 6:00 tonight, parents of 5th graders are invited to attend our final meeting to organize our end-of-year 5th grade events and recognition ceremony.  All are welcome, and we will meet in the OR library!

 PTA...

Our final PTA meeting of the year is being held at 6:30 tonight in the OR library.  Please come!  We will recognize our current officers and introduce officers elected for next year.  A special thank you is extended to our PTA for all they do for our kids!

Spring Open House!

Spring Open House 

at Onondaga Road

Families and friends, 

You are invited to our Open House on

Thursday, May 17th, 2018,

at 6:30-7:30 p.m. 

Come and see what we have learned this year!

Budget Vote Today!

Exercise your right to vote! 
Today is the day…
Polls are open now until 9:00 p.m.
at West Genesee High School
 for you to cast your vote for the
school budget.

Thank you!

May update from Onondaga Road

May Day!  May Day!

It looks like spring is finally upon us, and Mother Nature is recognizing that we Central New Yorkers are ever so appreciative of the sunshine!  

 Look what May has to offer here at OR:

May 1 at 7:00 - Parent Curriculum Information Council (PCIC) meets to night to discuss the K-12 Counseling services and our Title I services.  All are welcome to attend the meeting, being held at the WGHS LGI Room, and get a general overview of what these entail.

May 2 and May 3 - Students in grades 3, 4, 5 will take the NYS Math Assessments in class. 

 

May 13 - Happy Mother's Day!

May 17 at 6:30-7:30 - Please come to our annual Spring Open House and see what your child has accomplished throughout the year!

May 21 at 7:00 - Grades 4 & 5 Spring Concert at WGHS

May 23
- Students in grade 4 will take the performance (experiment) portion of the NYS Science Assessment.  

- Grade 5 students take a trip to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.
- Parents of grade 5 students meet at 6:00 in the OR library to put the final touches on the end-of-year events and recognition ceremony.
- PTA meets at 6:30 in the OR library.

May 24 - This is our second Get Ready for Kindergarten evening for our incoming Kindergarten students, 6:00-7:00.

May 28 - Memorial Day (Schools are closed.)

 Please watch for these flyers coming home and consider participating:

PTA Nomination Forms - We are now accepting nominations for PTA officers for the 2018-19 school year.  If you or anyone you know is ready to get more involved, we are happy to have you join us! 

Request for Photos - Parents of grade 5 students will receive information on how to submit photos for our 5th grade video to be used for our recognition ceremony

Onondaga Road Updates

Tuesday, April 17
The following will take place at the LGI room at WGHS:
6:00 p.m. - Grade 5 parents' planning meeting (end of year activities)
6:30 p.m. - PTA
7:00 p.m. - Superintendent's budget presentation

Wednesday, April 18
Employee Recognition Day!
7:00 p.m. - Grade 3 chorus concert at the OR gym

Friday, April 20 
11:30 a.m. dismissal - half-day for students

Week of April 23-27
Schools closed for Spring Break week 

Wednesday, May 2 and Thursday, May 3
NYS Math Assessments for grades 3, 4, 5

Positivity Project
During the month of March, we learned about many different Positivity Project character strengths: social intelligence, zest/enthusiasm, forgiveness, and humor.  You can see from these pictures just how many students at Onondaga Road demonstrate these strengths in their every day interactions with others.  I often think of how our kids are learning to appreciate and understand their own strengths as they grow, and I wonder how they will use those strengths to make amazing contributions to their communities and our world!

Now that we are into April, we will be learning about integrity, the love of learning, appreciation of beauty, and connection/purpose.  We hope you find the character cards that come home each week helpful as you talk to your own child about their own strengths. 

NYS Assessments
Just a reminder, students in grades 3, 4, 5 will be engaging in the NY State English Language Arts Assessment on Wednesday, April 11 and Thursday, April 12.  All grades will be taking these assessments on the computer this year, and our students are pretty good at all of this technology integration!  You can help at home by making sure your child is rested and ready to show what they know, having a good breakfast, and arriving to school on time.  Thank you for your continued support from home!

Go Blue for Kids
April is National Child Abuse Prevention month. As the leading agency in Onondaga County for the prevention of child abuse, McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center is planning a number of activities and events to recognize the importance of community education on child abuse prevention. The West Genesee PTA/PTO District Council is asking for your support during the April awareness campaign Go Blue 4 Kids. By donating $1 between now and April 12th, you can help our community go BLUE. For each dollar donation, our school will receive a blue pinwheel. On April 19, all pinwheels will be placed outside of each of the schools in the district.

Why Blue? Why Pinwheels? The blue pinwheel serves as the national symbol for child abuse prevention representing a happy and healthy childhood. Thank you for your consideration. 

  

Welcome to the Class of 2031
Can you believe that 2031 is the high school graduation year for the students who will enter kindergarten this fall of 2018?  This year we are embarking on a slightly new Get Ready for Kindergarten program.  This is intended to make the transition to kindergarten exciting for children and informative for parents and families.  By attending various sessions,  parents and children will have opportunities to meet our kindergarten teachers and many other staff members, and participate in fun activities focusing on kindergarten readiness skills. We are asking families of up-and-coming kindergarteners to RSVP. The first session is scheduled for Thursday, April 12, 6:00 -7:00 p.m. If you have neighbors, family, or friends who have children coming to school in the fall, please let them know to contact us!

Calendar of Events

• April 9-20 - OR students' work on display at Maxwell Library
• April 11-12 - NYS ELA Assessment
• April 12, 6:00 p.m. - Get Ready for Kindergarten, session 1
• April 17, 6:00 p.m. - Grade 5 parent meeting (planning end of year) at WGHS
• April 17, 6:30 p.m. - PTA meeting at WGHS
• April 17, 7:00 p.m. - Budget presentation at WGHS
• April 18, 7:00 p.m. - Grade 3 chorus concert at OR gym
• April 19 - Poem in your pocket day
• April 20 - Half-day 11:30 dismissal for students (Professional development - safety drills for staff)
• April 23-27 - Spring break week - no school