Happy Holidays from OR

Season's Greetings!

Many thanks to our Onondaga Road School community for all you have done to support one another through 2021!  May 2022 bring health and happiness to you and yours!  I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and make time for your family and friends.  We will see you on Monday, January 3, 2022.

PositivityInAction
Upon return we will be learning more about optimism as a positive character trait.

Kindergarten Registration for 2022-23 School Year
Kindergarten Registration opened virtually on December 1, 2021, and will go until March 31, 2022. Please click here to start the Virtual Registration process. 
When registering, parents should be prepared to upload the following:
proof of residency (ie. mortgage or property statement or signed lease agreement)
proof of immunizations
proof of age

A physical examination is also required and a dental certificate is requested for entry into Kindergarten. These examinations should be done up to one year prior to the first day of school. Children who enter Kindergarten in the fall must be five years of age on or before December 1, 2022.

To access the most updated health requirements click here.

See you in 2022!

Sincerely, 
Jeannette Clark

Package Pick-up Note from PTA

 Greetings from Onondaga Road School! 

This note is from our PTA to let you know that our Gertrude Hawk orders have arrived.  We will be hosting a pick-up time this Friday, December 10, 2021 at 3:30-5:30 p.m.  As you can see, there are lots of boxes! We will sort through the packages and be waiting for you at the back door closest to the playground parking lot.  On Friday, please allow time for us to finish our dismissal process safely, and then, once all students have been dismissed, you can come in between 3:30 and 5:30 for your goodies.  Be sure to come to the back door closest to the school playground and someone will open the door for you.   

Greetings from Onondaga Road!

 Here are just a couple updates as we get this school week under way.

Dismissal
Our new dismissal procedure went quite well today, so thank you for your support.  Just as a reminder, or in case you didn't know, we will be dismissing walkers and students being picked up first, at 3:10, then we'll do our bus dismissal immediately after that.  If you arrive before  3:10, you are welcome to pull into the bus loop (even) or side lot (odd) rather than wait in the road.  At 3:20, we will stop the cars to allow the buses into the bus loop.  Today, most of our cars were actually finished before 3:20, which was great!  Thank you again, and please give us a call if you have any questions.

Grades 3 & 4 Concert
Finally, after two long years, we will have our first OR concert Tuesday evening, December 7, at 7:00 in the high school auditorium!  Our children are so excited to perform for you, and it's a very big deal for them to be in the auditorium.  Here are a few hints to help all of you, first-time concert parents!

• Students need to be at the high school at 6:45.  Enter through the fine arts door, closest to the Applebee's side of the building, then we will direct 3rd graders to the orchestra room and 4th graders to the chorus room.  
• 3rd graders will keep their coats with them when they go to the orchestra room at 6:45, and parents of 3rd graders will go and be seated in the auditorium.  The 3rd grade chorus will perform first, and then they will return to the orchestra room when they finish performing.  We will bring the 3rd grade children with their coats out to you in the auditorium after the 4th graders finish performing.
• 4th grade parents, you will drop your child off at the chorus room at 6:45, and you will keep your child's coat with you when you go to be seated in the auditorium.  After the 4th graders perform, we will dismiss them from the risers to you, parents, in the auditorium.
• All guests, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a mask the entire duration of your stay in the school.
• Have FUN!

#PositivityInAction
This week our children are focusing on the Other People Matter Mindset by learning how our words and actions affect others.  Speaking of which, I must extend a HUGE thank you for the food and gift contributions you all have made.  These actions surely affect people positively!

Enjoy the week!
Sincerely, Jeannette Clark

Greetings from Onondaga Road!

 PLEASE READ! 

 Onondaga Road School 

CHANGES to the ORDER of  DISMISSAL TIMES for CAR PICK-UPS and BUSES

 

Beginning Monday, December 6, 2021

 

Early Pick-up

• On occasion, you may need to pick your child up early from school  for an appointment, which is understandable.  If this is the case, please do so before 3:00, and send a note ahead of time.  This will help avoid traffic back-ups and minimize confusion as we prepare for regular dismissal time.

Beginning Monday, December 6, we will switch the order of the cars and buses, so car pick-ups and walkers will be dismissed at 3:10, and bus riders will be dismissed at 3:20.  This means we have a 10-minute widow for car pick-ups, and then buses will pull into the bus loop.

3:10 - Walkers and Car Pick-ups

• Cars may begin pulling into the front bus loop (even numbers) and side door parking lot (odd numbers) at 3:00.  We will begin bringing students outside to cars promptly at 3:10.

• “Walkers” will still be dismissed out the front door at 3:10.

• At 3:20 we will stop all car traffic to allow buses into the bus loop.

 

3:20 - Buses

• At 3:20, buses will pull into the bus loop, and we will dismiss students to their buses.

• Buses will depart from school at approximately 3:25, so you may see a slight difference in the time that your child(ren) arrives at home. 

 

NOTE:   If a parent is designating someone else to pick up a child, please be sure to communicate this 10-minute time difference!  Car pick-ups should be complete by 3:20.

Thank you for your continued support from home, and please call if you have any questions.

Sincerely, Jeannette Clark

Greetings from OR!

November 17, 2021

Greetings from Onondaga Road!

PTA Meets Tomorrow at OR
Please join us for our monthly PTA meeting at Onondaga Road School library tomorrow at 6:30 (Thursday, November 18).  Each month we decide whether our meetings will be “live” or virtual, and this month we will meet in person here at school.  There is no PTA meeting in December, so the next one will be in January.

Canned Food Drive
Our annual food drive for the Salvation Army is under way.  If you would like to send non-perishable food items to school with your child, they can put them in one of the bins in the front lobby.  We’ve tried to make a little game with the receptacle bins.  One is labeled with “FALL” and the other is labeled “WINTER.”  Students can vote for their favorite of the two seasons by placing their goods in either of the bins.  By the end of our food drive, we will see if Onondaga Road students prefer fall or winter, and we will donate all of the goods to the Salvation Army.  Win-win for all!  

Breakfast
Speaking of meals and food offerings… As you know, school breakfast and lunch are provided to all families this year free of charge, which is great!  I do, however, want to draw your attention to one lesson that I think you can help with at home.  Unfortunately, we have seen more food waste this year than in previous years, especially breakfast food.  I think it’s because children have “learned” to come into school and take a breakfast from the cafeteria, which again can be a great way to start the day.  We are serving between 100-200 breakfasts every day!  However, I am seeing much of the breakfast that is taken end up in the garbage. 
Here’s where you can help.  Please have a conversation with your child. If they want breakfast at school, that is perfectly fine.  If they are having breakfast at home, there is no need to waste the breakfast here, and they do not need to go through the breakfast line. 
This is a real teachable moment.  During this season, we frequently ask for food donations to support others, but the irony at this point in time is that we are seeing more waste than ever.  Let’s work together to teach our children about want vs. need, about take vs. give, and about use vs. waste.  Thank you for your support from home with these little life-lessons. 

#PositivityInAction
During our Positivity Project lessons for the next two weeks, we are talking about being grateful and what it means if a person has gratitude as a personality strength.  People who show gratitude are aware of and thankful for good things that happen, and they work toward making good things happen for others.  Here are some links to help you talk to your child about being grateful and appreciative:  grades K-2 and grades 3-5 (Note: The password is P2).

Be the “i” in KIND! 

After our Thanksgiving break, we will spend some time learning about what it means to truly be kind to one another.  That is our next positivity trait, and you can find a link here for your reference.  As a parent myself, I try to hold high expectations for my own children, but more than anything, I hope they will always be kind.

Special Referendum Capital Project Vote
Mark your calendar for the vote!  Monday, December 6, 2021, you can vote on the proposed Capital Project for West Genesee Central School District.  There’s a little something for every school, and you can find more information about the special referendum linked here.

In the Very Near Future:

• PTA meets tomorrow, Thursday, 11/18, 6:30 at Onondaga Road.

• Parent-Teacher conferences are Monday, 11/22 and Tuesday, 11/24, so half-day dismissal for students will run as follows:
  11:10 - Walkers
  11:15 - Buses
  11:20 - Car pick-ups

• Schools are closed Wednesday, 11/24 through Friday, 11/26 for Thanksgiving recess. 

Please take time to remember all that we have to be grateful for, and have a Happy Thanksgiving next week with your family and friends!

Sincerely,
Jeannette Clark

Greetings from Onondaga Road School!

 

Here are some November reminders from Onondaga Road School.  Please mark your calendar!

• TOMORROW!  Tuesday, 11/9 is picture make-up day and retake day.

• Wednesday, 11/10 is red, white and blue day to honor our Veterans.

• Thursday, 11/11 is Veterans’ Day.  Schools are closed. 

• Looking ahead...
  Monday, 11/22 and Tuesday, 11/23, we have half-days for elementary schools due to parent-teacher conferences.  Dismissal will run as follows:
  11:10 - Walkers
  11:15 - Buses
  11:20 - Car pick-ups
  
  

• Wednesday, 11/24 through Friday, 11/26, schools are closed for Thanksgiving recess.

Greetings from Onondaga Road!

Dates to Remember

• Thursday, 11/11 - Veterans’ Day (no school) 

• Thursday, 11/18 - PTA Meeting at OR Library, 6:30

• Monday, 11/22 - Half-day, Parent/Teacher Conferences

• Tuesday, 11/23 - Half-day, Parent/Teacher Conferences

• Wednesday, 11/24-Friday, 11/26 - Thanksgiving Break

#PositivityInAction
Next week we will learn about bravery as a positive character trait, just in time for Veterans’ Day.  Thank you for sending in your family’s Veteran’s Stars for our wall of fame!  That’s a beautiful display of bravery.
I hope you will take time to read the Positivity Project links to help your child better understand the weekly traits.  Each child has great strengths, and it’s important for us all to learn how to work together to compliment one another’s strengths!

How Creative!
Last week we learned about creativity as a positive character trait.  Take a look at some of our  classroom doors that were decorated so creatively…

Greetings from OR

 Greetings from Onondaga Road!

Wildcat Spirit Wear

Here is the link to our Onondaga Road Spirit Wear sale.  If you would like to place an order, the sale for West Genny apparel runs from November 1 through November 15, and items will be delivered to the school in early December. 

Transportation Staff Appreciation Day

Our transportation staff has been working diligently to get our students to and from school safely each day. On Tuesday, November 2, the West Genesee District Council and district PTAs/PTOs will sponsor an appreciation day. Dunkin' Donuts coffee and donuts will be provided in the transportation department as a token of our appreciation!  Parents and students are also encouraged to share their gratitude for transportation staff members with signs, cards, notes, or just saying "thank you" as you board the bus. Let's show our Wildcat transportation staff how much we appreciate them!

 

#PositivityInAction
This week we learned about creative ways to think things through and complete projects, and the students are still in the process of designing their creative door decorations for their classrooms.  When the doors are all decorated, I’ll share a few pictures. Next week our Positivity Project character trait is “perspective.”

 

Save the Dates: Special Referendum Capital Project!
Mark your calendar for the Special Referendum Community Forum to be held on Monday, November 15, 2021, and also save the date and remember to vote on the referendum on Monday, December 6, 2021.  Information about the Special Referendum can be seen in each school lobby on poster boards, and more detailed information is available on the website by clicking here.

November Calendar Dates to Remember

• Thursday, 11/11 - Veterans’ Day (schools are closed)

• Thursday, 11/18 - PTA Meeting at Onondaga Rd School Library, 6:30 

• Monday, 11/22 & Tuesday, 11/23 - Parent-Teacher Conferences (half-days for students)

• Wednesday, 11/24 - Friday, 11/26 - Thanksgiving Break (schools are closed)

Have a safe and happy Halloween weekend!
Sincerely, 

Jeannette Clark

Thank you, Emergency Responders!

 Emergency Responder Day at OR!

I hope none of our neighbors were too concerned about the emergency vehicles surrounding Onondaga Road School today.  Please be sure to set the record straight when you tell them about our school day.  We had an amazing learning experience, and I hope you will join me in thanking all of the departments that were involved in making this a positive day for our children! Additionally, I thank our staff and students who faced this rainy day with positive attitudes and a grateful spirit!

No matter what Mother Nature throws in the way, our Emergency Responders are second to none!  This morning we  encountered a steady downpour, but that didn’t stop our emergency crews, our staff, or our students.  Thanks to School Resource Officer Tom Skardinski, we had representatives from WAVES Ambulance, Fairmount Fire Department, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department K-9, Syracuse Police Department SWAT, and Camillus Police Department.  These brave people in uniform taught our students what it means to be an Emergency Responder and what they do if they are called upon for help.  They showed our students their equipment, their vehicles, and most importantly, the heart they have for helping others.  We are so very grateful!

Many of our staff and students came to school dressed as Emergency Responders, too, making the day that much more impactful.  Grade 1 extended the learning by a visit to Hospital Land (set up in their classrooms), and children participated in various hospital-based learning tasks.  All of our students also took part in writing thank you notes, so their voices will be heard throughout the community!  Here are just a few snapshots from the day… 

Our sincere thanks to all of our Emergency Responders,
from all of your friends at Onondaga Road School!