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O'Maley Family Focus

October 22, 2021

O'MaleyFamily FocusOctober 22, 2021

Early Release Thursday, October 28 at 11:00 am

Dear O’Maley Families,


We are headed into the final week of October and have a great Spirit Week celebration planned, Students are invited to dress according to a theme (details below) each day and we will culminate the celebration with a pre-Halloween costume day. In the past students have coordinated with friends to come as book characters like Thing 1 and Thing 2, a cohort of dinosaurs, or a collection of Avenger heroes as well as myriad individual and very unique creations. Spirit week is a terrific opportunity to show personality and have some fun. Staff are encouraged to dress up as well, although I must say they are a little more timid than the kids are!


This morning I held a virtual meeting with students as part of homeroom, and invited student participation in a series of Principal's Focus Groups. These will meet either during a lunch block or on Thursdays after school. I anticipate 2-3 meetings per topic, and students may choose to join one or more. Initial topics are: Advisory block topics and activities, Mask wearing challenges, and cell phone use. I sent a form for them to complete if they are interested, including an opportunity to suggest additional topics and ask questions. The purpose is to involve students in setting our expectations and helping them to have a voice. If you think your child would be interested, please encourage them to complete the form.


On a more somber note, I need to ask for your assistance and support. We are experiencing increasing incidences of students not complying with the requirement to wear a mask. As we approach cooler weather with windows closed more frequently, health concerns and the potential impact to our community increases. While your individual family may not have concerns, many members of our community do, and it is incumbent upon us to think of our peers and follow the health guidelines. Please remind your children of the need to follow the rules regarding masks.


Please read on and contact me at any time with questions or concerns.


Best,

Principal Lynne Beattie


Topics in this issue of Family Focus:


  • Upcoming Events
  • Spirit Week Guidelines
  • Student Photo Permission Opt-Out
  • COVID-19 Updates & Weekly Testing Sign-Up
  • School Pictures and Retakes
  • MCAS Results
  • Schoolbrains Community Portal

Upcoming Events

  • October 25-29 Spirit Week - See details below.
  • Tuesday, October 26, 6:00-8:00 pm - Instrument Rental/Pick-Up Night in the O'Maley Cafe
  • Thursday, October 28, Early Dismissal at 11:00 am - Parent Conferences 12:00-2:00 pm
  • Thursday, October 28, 6:00-7:00. pm - First O'Maley PTO Meeting in the O'Maley Library.
  • Friday, October 29 - Pre-Halloween Costume Day - See costume guidelines below.
  • Tuesday, November 2 - No School, Election Day
  • Thursday, November 11, 2021 - No School, Veterans Day

Spirit Week & Pre-Halloween Costume Guidelines

Spirit Week October 24-29:


  • Monday - Pajama Day
  • Tuesday - Homeroom Twinning Day (Homeroom Members dress same or with a theme)
  • Wednesday - Sports Day
  • Thursday - Crazy Hair Day
  • Friday - Pre-Halloween Costume Day



Guidelines for Costume Day: Staff and students are invited to dress for a pre-Halloween costume day on Friday, October 29th.


  • COVID-19 Face Masks are the only face coverings allowed.
  • Costumes must be in line with appropriate school attire (See Acceptable Dress in the O'Maley Handbook if needed)
  • No props, please!
  • Avoid costumes from a culture not your own

Student Photo Permission Opt-Out Form - Complete by Tuesday 10/26 if you want to Opt Out.

As part of local public relations or community information programs during the school year, the Gloucester Public Schools may include photographs/videos of children engaged in classroom or after school activities. In this way, we share school experiences with the community and colleagues in other districts.


If you would like to REFUSE PERMiSSION to photograph your child and use these photographs in publicity releases, including our website, please complete the form below. IF YOU WISH TO ALLOW GPS TO SHARE PHOTOS/VIDEOS OF YOUR CHILD WITH THE COMMUNITY, YOU DO NOT NEED TO COMPLETE THIS FORM.


Link to the Opt-Out Form Complete by 10/26/21.

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COVID-19 Updates & Weekly Testing Sign-Up

COVID-19 at O'Maley: We had one new case of COVID-19 reported at O'Maley since our last update and currently have no active cases. There were no close contacts from the one case due to prior quarantine. Since we started school August 31st there have been a total of eight cases reported among the O'Maley community. See the new GPS COVID Dashboard for updated data each week: https://backtogether.gloucesterschools.com/updates/dashboard-covid-cases


Please remember to conduct a daily symptom check with your children. Link here for the daily symptom check information. Please be sure to call the nurses' office at 978-281-9847 if your child is experiencing any of the symptoms as described. Our nurses, Kim Cameron and Alycia Gossom can answer questions and will guide you as to what you need to do related to testing and/or documentation from your child's doctor. Students must not come to school with symptoms.


As we head toward the holiday season, please be aware of the COVID-19 Travel Guidelines. Link here for information on what is needed to return to school following travel.


Weekly Testing: Testing will return Monday, October 25th (Rev. 10.18) and will continue on Mondays at O'Maley. Sign up information is below. Please make sure your child knows that he/she/they is to be tested, and remind them to listen for announcements for testing.


To Sign Up for Testing: Link here: https://www.cic-health.com/consent/ma?district=Gloucester.I encourage families to sign their children up to be tested. Individuals signed up to participate last year DO need to re-register. Parents/Guardians MUST complete the form to give permission in order for a student to be tested.


Similarly to last year, students and staff will be tested with samples collected in groups of up to 10. If a sample is found to be positive, all individuals tested from that group will be notified and retested at school. Unless an individual is found to be positive, there is no need to quarantine.


Masks & Distancing: Per the Massachusetts DESE and the Gloucester School Committee, all students and staff will be masked in GPS buildings except at lunch or mask break when they are socially distanced at 3 feet or more. Masks are not required outdoors. For details on our health and safety protocols district wide, please visit the GPS COVID Guidance and Updates website at https://backtogether.gloucesterschools.com/.


Students must bring their own masks to school each day. While we all wish we did not have to wear them, masks continue to be required indoors at school. Thank you!

School Pictures and Retakes

School Pictures will be coming home with students on Friday, October 22. If your child did not have their photo taken or you would like to have them redone. picture retake day is October 27th.


Please have your child bring the photos you received in on Wednesday and give them to the photographer. If you ordered online and have not yet received your photos, only. a proof, you may choose to have a retake in case the photos are not to your liking.

Spring 2021 MCAS Results

Spring 2021 MCAS reports will be coming home with students Friday, October 22nd. Prior to this testing session, the last full-length MCAS test took place in Spring 2019. While performance of O'Maley students continues to be focus of our efforts with teaching and learning, our students' performance did not suffer the drastic decreases seen in many districts across the state.


2021 results, in Gloucester and across the state, were generally lower. As you review your child’s current MCAS results, please be aware that the 2021 test, taken in a pandemic year, was shorter and students took a Part A or a Part B, but not all the same exact test. For this reason, comparisons to peers, as well as your student's own past performance, are particularly difficult to make.


While we suggest that parents view results with these considerations in mind, our schools and teachers have already begun to use the results, combined with other assessments, to understand where your child may need additional support to make good progress this year. MCAS scores are one of many data points that our schools use to differentiate and challenge all learners. We have secured additional resources, including updated curricula and additional staff to provide interventions and tutoring.Your child’s teacher will share additional data on student progress in the upcoming parent conferences and will collaborate with families for student success.


The Schoolbrains Community Portal

To access information about your child's progress, the best way is to access the Schoolbrains Community Portal. Our Portal is open for all students and families, and parents/guardians who are new to the portal should have received an email containing your login information. If you did not receive an email, or already had one and have forgotten it, please email Mr. Destino, jdestino@gloucesterschools.com or Mr. Hurley, dhurley@gloucesterschools.com and they will send it to you.


Information about the portal, what you will find there, and how to login is below.


Parent Letter re. Schoolbrains Community Portal


Link to the Schoolbrains Community Portal Login


Student/Guardian How-to

Drop Off & Pick Up

As you know if you have been to O'Maley, there can be a great deal of traffic at drop off and pick up. If you MUST drive your child to school, PLEASE turn into the parking lot next to the rink and continue along the side to drop off and pick up your child.


PLEASE DO NOT:


  • park along Cherry Street
  • stop along the island or on the Cherry Street side of the parking lot
  • drive up over the hill and in front of the school
  • encourage your child to run across the street or parking lot to reach your vehicle


Following these directions will keep traffic moving, will prevent buses and other vehicles from being blocked, and most importantly, will keep everyone safe.


Students should NEVER run across the street or parking lot to or from cars.


Thank you for your help to keep everyone safe.

Free Breakfast & Lunch Every Day

No need to pre-order. Students can enter the cafeteria for breakfast at 7:20 and order lunch directly from the kitchen upon arrival at their designated lunch time.


Students at O'Maley have 15 minutes to eat lunch and 15 minutes of recess outdoors; in inclement weather, recess is held in the auditorium or gym.

Communication

  • Communication and Contact Information: Communication is essential for our ongoing partnership. Please be sure to keep your email address and phone numbers up to date in the student information system by informing the office if there are changes. Almost all communication from O’Maley will be electronic. If you do not have an email address, please let us know so that we can send you hard copies or a link to documents via SMS text messages.