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!

Greetings from OR!

 

#PositivityInAction Next week we will learn about creativity as a positive character strength!

Fun Fall Frenzy

We will celebrate the autumn season with some fun, creative days, and students are welcome to participate in any or all of these themed days:

• Monday, October 25 - Tie Dye Day

• Tuesday, October 26 - Emergency Responder Day

• Wednesday, October 27- Wacky Hair or Hat Day

• Thursday, October 28 - Favorite Sport or Favorite Character Day

• Friday, October 29 - Halloween Colors or Fall Colors Day (no costumes, please)

Community Safety and Emergency Responder Day
As you can see, Tuesday of next week we have “Emergency Responder Day.”  With special thanks to Officer Tom Skardinski, our School Resource Officer, we have several safety units visiting our school to teach us about community safety and how our emergency responders help us:  fire, ambulance, SWAT, police, and K-9. We look forward to a fun and productive day with our emergency responders!

Parent/Teacher Conferences
If you have not yet done so, please be sure to respond to your child’s teacher’s request for a parent-teacher conference.  Conference days are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, November 22-23, and these are half days for students.  If you are unable to attend in person, please reach out to your child’s teacher to schedule a virtual conference. 

Optional Event at West Genesee High School
West Genesee community members are welcome to attend the Trunk-or-Treat event at our high school on Wednesday, October 27 at 5:00-7:30 p.m. sponsored by the WGHS Positivity Project team.

Looking Ahead:
- Tuesday, 11/9 - Picture re-takes and make-ups
- Thursday, 11/11 - Veterans’ Day, no school
- Thursday, 11/18 - PTA meeting at OR library, 6:30
- Monday & Tuesday, 11/23 & 24 - Half-day dismissal, parent-teacher conferences

Enjoy the evening and the beautiful fall sunshine!

Sincerely,
Jeannette Clark

Greetings from Onondaga Road

 #PositivityInAction

Integrity is the character strength that we will learn through the Positivity Project this week! You can use the links here for more conversation starters with your families at home for grades K-2 and grades 3-5!  Remember, the password is P2.

Scholastic Book Fair

We will hold our Scholastic Book Fair in school on Friday, October 15 and Monday, October 18.  Your child will bring home a flyer with samples of the books available at the fair.  If you choose to participate, your child can either visit and purchase from the book fair in school, or you can order online from October 15-28 by creating your own account: scholastic.com/bookfairs  

OR PTA
Please join us via Zoom using this link for our virtual PTA meeting on Wednesday, October 13 at 6:30 p.m.  Each month we will determine whether the next month’s meeting will be virtual or at school.  Feel free to join us this month virtually, and we will let you know the details for next month soon!

Fun Fall Frenzy

Watch for a flyer to come home, but here is a sneak preview of our Fun Fall Frenzy spirit week, October 25-28!  Throughout the week, students can get into the spirit of the fall season with these themed days:

• Monday, October 25 - Tie Dye Day

• Tuesday, October 26 - Emergency Responder Day

• Wednesday, October 27- Whacky Hair or Hat Day

• Thursday, October 28 - Favorite Sport or Favorite Character Day

• Friday, October 29 - Halloween Colors or Fall Colors Day

Also during this week, each class will decorate their own classroom door using the theme “Fun Fall Frenzy,” and at the end of the week, prizes will be given for creativity!  Friday, October 29, classes will have some fall snacks, games, and crafts in their own classrooms.  Watch for an update from your child’s teacher about snack procedures for the classroom.

Enjoy these warm fall days!

Sincerely,
Jeannette Clark

Greetings from Onondaga Road School!

 

#PositivityInAction This week we will learn more about how other people matter, and what it means to “be present and give others my attention.”  This link from the Positivity Project will help explain why this matters!

Q& A with the Superintendent

Please join the West Genesee PTA/PTO District Council for a talk with Superintendent David Bills on October 5, 2021, 7:00 p.m. in the West Genesee High School LGI room.

CODE Lessons
Beginning on Thursday of this week, we are happy to welcome Officer Diane Brand back to Onondaga Road School to teach our students CODE lessons.  CODE is Community Oriented Drug Education; the lessons are age-appropriate books and stories, taught by Officer Brand, encouraging students to practice healthy habits and positive community involvement!  Officer Brand will be here four times throughout the school year.

School Pictures
This Friday, October 8 is picture day!  Encourage your children to wear their best smiles!  Upstate Images is a  new photography company that will be working with us this year for picture day and our school yearbooks.  You should have received an informational flyer with a portrait order package.  For easier ordering, you are welcome to visit UPSTATE-IMAGES.COM and use order code 63199TA to place your picture orders.

A Note about Food Services
Please be aware that we are facing major supply chain issues with everything from paper products to food.  We try to stick with what is on the menu daily, and students will always have a meal, but there may be last minute substitutions to the menu. Since there are frequent substitutions, we do not always have time to notify everyone in a timely manner.  I like to think of it as potluck!  You never know, maybe the kids will be surprised and try something new for lunch or breakfast...and LIKE it!  

 

A Few Dates to Remember

• Tuesday, 10/5, 7:00 p.m. - Talk with the Superintendent at WGHS

• Wednesday, 10/6, 6:00 p.m. - Board of Education Meeting at WGHS

• Thursday, 10/7 - CODE Lessons with Officer Brand

• Friday, 10/8 - School Picture Day

• Monday, 10/11 - Columbus Day, Indigenous People’s Day - No School 

 

Have a great week!

Sincerely, 

Jeannette Clark