Halloween with a Positivity Twist

OR staff show their positive super powers! #otherpeoplematter on Halloween, too!

Look at our Boo-tiful Pumpkins!

Onondaga Road students showed their "creative" character strength as each class decorated pumpkins.  Our creativity sure shines!

While creativity was the strength we learned through the Positivity Project last week, bravery is the focus this week. 

 #otherpeoplematter

Halloween at Onondaga Road

Halloween is coming soon!  

The children are ready to pick out their costumes, play tricks, and enjoy plenty of treats.  Please follow these important guidelines to make the Halloween school day, Tuesday, October 31, a safe and happy one for all of our children:

 

• Please send your child’s costume to school in a bag.  Do not send your child to school in costume or wearing make-up. All scary, violent, bloody masks, weapons, spears or other dangerous accessories and costumes are not appropriate for school and must remain at home. Our youngest students can be frightened easily, and we want them to have a positive experience.
  
  
• The parade will begin at 2:00.  Spectators for the parade will stand in the bus loop in front of the school. We will block that area from traffic.   Please do not stand on the sidewalk in front of the building, because the students will be parading the entire length of the sidewalk.
  
  
• Halloween parties will be held in the classrooms after the parade. Due to health and safety concerns, only adults who are already designated helpers will be permitted into the classrooms during the parties, and those helpers must sign in at the main office and wear a visible visitor’s badge. Helpers are asked not to bring younger children. All treats should have a label so that they can be checked, as we have many students with allergies.

• If you are a helper or plan to dress up to attend the parade, please avoid wearing masks. Adults are not permitted to wear full-faced masks.  Naturally, we must be able to recognize everyone who is interacting with our children.

• Please encourage your child to ride the bus home. Minimizing the car traffic at the end of the day will help us get the children to their buses safely. Children will not wear their costumes on the buses but will have plenty of time and assistance to remove their costumes before dismissal. We will follow normal dismissal procedures.

• As always, if you must pick up your child due to other appointments at any time, please be sure to send a note and sign him/her out in the main office.

OR Updates

Any way you spell it, these kids are winners!

CONGRATULATIONS to our five students who will be representing Onondaga Road at the West Genesee Spelling Bee:  fourth graders, Grace Banish and Ethan Gage, and fifth graders Mya Gaffney, Jonathan Gage, and Emma Krigbaum. 

These fourth and fifth grade students took a written spelling test of 50 words and earned the top scores in our school.  They will go on to the oral Spelling Bee at Camillus Middle School on November 8th and participate with other fourth through eighth grade students from across the district.  We certainly wish them well, and they have already made us proud!

Mya Gaffney, Ethan Gage, Emma Krigbaum,
Jonathan Gage and Grace Banish

Reading Night Extravaganza!

Everyone is welcome to join our PTA sponsored Reading Night on Thursday, October 26, 6:00-7:30.  All students will start in the gym at 6:00 with a magician; come discover the magic of reading and stories!  After the magic, explore story-crafts in the art room, games in the cafeteria, and the Scholastic Book Fair in the library.  Please remember all students must be accompanied by an adult to participate and make the evening magical.

Halloween is Lurking!

Halloween is one of the most exciting times of the year for children!  Let's make this Halloween celebration fun, safe, and memorable for all.  Our school parade will be held on Halloween Day, Tuesday, October 31, at 2:00.  Parents and guests are welcome to come see the parade!  All guests should remain outdoors and watch from the bus loop as the children parade across the front sidewalk and around the building (the entry roads will be blocked from traffic).  Please remember that our parade and parties include all of the children, and since our little ones can sometimes be frightened, scary and horror-related costumes are not for school.  Watch for the flyer coming home with your child, then follow the guidelines for a safe and fun school celebration.

Say Cheese!

School picture re-take day is on Wednesday, November 1.  If your child was absent from school on picture day in September, they will be photographed on picture re-take day.

Have a great week!

Fall Happenings at Onondaga Road

On behalf of our staff and our PTA, we would like to thank all of our volunteers that have made these events possible.   Here’s the fall scoop!

·       October 16-30
School Spirit Wear Sale – Watch for the flyer coming home about the various items available to show your school spirit!  Online ordering makes it easy, and you can pick up your goods when they are delivered to school (date to be determined).

·       October 24, 25, 26
The Scholastic Book Fair will be set up in the library.  Students will have the opportunity to browse or purchase during part of their library time.  Please remember that sales tax is not included in the cost of the items advertised, but tax will be added to the final price.  The Book Fair will also be open for our annual Reading Night!  

·       October 26
Reading Night extravaganza, 6:00-7:30! Mark your calendar…Reading Night starts promptly at 6:00 with a magician in the gym.  Following the magical stories, students are invited to partake in story related crafts in the art room and games in the cafeteria.  Additionally, families are welcome to visit the Scholastic Book Fair in the library.

·       October 31
Our Halloween Parade will be held at 2:00 with classroom parties immediately following.  Be on the lookout for detailed information coming home about Halloween and expectations for adults and children alike.  Let’s keep this kids’ celebration a safe and exciting time for all!

Positively Strong Characters…

This week we are highlighting the character strengths of “teamwork and citizenship” through our continued work with the Positivity Project.  We are always amazed when students have those “ah-ha moments” and realize they are contributing to our school community by recognizing their strengths and helping others to celebrate theirs as well!  According to the definition provided by the Positivity Project: 

Teamwork is the ability and willingness to place overall group success as a higher priority than individual achievement. Citizenship is a willingness to work towards the common good as opposed to one’s own self-interest. Those with strengths in teamwork and citizenship often work to help all group members find success…

Have a great week!

Onondaga Road PTA News

PTA Meeting Reminder

Please join us Wednesday, October 11th at 6:30 pm

Onondaga Road Elementary School Library

Enjoy some cider and donuts and

 please bring any ideas, thoughts or opinions you may have.

There will NOT be babysitting available during this meeting!

Thought Exchange

Dear Onondaga Road School Community,

Every year, the West Genesee Strategic Planning Team asks all stakeholders (students, staff, parents, and the community at-large) to provide feedback on areas of strength and areas for potential growth.  This year, Dr. Brown has partnered with Thought Exchange - a web-based organization that will help us reach more of the community to maximize your direct input.

Using the email you have shared with us already for SchoolTool, you will be given a link to take part in the first stage of this survey, the Share Stage. You can tell us what we are doing well and what can we improve. This step will take approximately 5 - 10 minutes. A few weeks after that, you will be asked to take part in the Star Stage where you will see others’ responses.  You have the opportunity to “rate” the comments that resonate with you. The final stage, Discover, is where you will have a chance to see what concepts are most important to all participants.

Please know that your submissions are confidential, but not anonymous to Thought Exchange. Thought Exchange will not share the authors of comments with the District. Your name will not appear on your submissions. This allows you to answer fairly and honestly. However, responses that are demeaning to any individuals will be removed by Thought Exchange.  

The members of the Strategic Planning Team will use this information in evaluating our successes as well as our areas in need of improvement when we begin planning for 2018 - 2019 school year.

Please take the time to complete the survey when it is sent to you. Although the link cannot be forwarded, there are directions on how to get other community members on the list if they don’t receive an invitation. We truly want to hear from as many people connected to West Genesee as possible.

Sincerely,
Jeannette Clark

Other People Matter at Onondaga Road

#OtherPeopleMatter!

Take a look at our Onondaga Road students who exhibited the character strengths of "curiosity" and "open-mindedness" throughout the month of September!  Our students are learning about their own strengths, and about how other people matter in our lives.

Onondaga Road's Open Minded Students

Onondaga Road's Curious Students

As we kick off the month of October, our students will be adding four new character strengths to their knowledge base:  perspective, teamwork/citizenship, creativity, and bravery.  I wonder how we will demonstrate these strengths, and I am looking forward to seeing it!

Dates to Remember:

• Tuesday, 10/3, 6:30 at OR - Parent Orientation for English Language Learners
• Wednesday, 10/4, 7:30 at WGHS - Board of Education Meeting
• Monday, 10/9 - Columbus Day - Schools are closed!
• Wednesday, 10/11, 6:30 at OR - PTA Meeting