O'Maley Family Focus

August 30, 2021

Dear O’Maley Families,

O'Maley staff and I are looking forward with great excitement to having your children back in school on Tuesday. While faculty and staff officially return on Monday, August 30, many have been in setting up classrooms and planning curriculum to start the year. Everyone is thrilled to have all of our students back for in-person learning, and to be able to run a fairly normal school year with engaging learning tasks to help our students' young minds blossom.

We have learned over the past year and a half that every day matters in a child's education and life. As a result we have renewed our focus to make each moment count at middle school. This is a unique time in a student's life and we strive to support both academic and social emotional growth so that all of our students achieve success. Please partner with us by reading communications, asking questions, and supporting your child's learning at home.

We will once again use the Schoolbrains Community Portal to provide family access to student grades. Information on how to access your account will be sent out soon. O'Maley students also have accounts, and can check their own progress to assist them in achieving their learning goals.

All O'Maley students have a Chromebook that travels back and forth from home to school. It's important to bring it to school fully charged, and to have the charging cord with them in school in case they need it. Students who do not yet have Chromebooks will receive them over the first few days of school.

Below you will find additional information that should help you navigate the start of the school year. Some reminders to refresh your memory from past years, and a few updates and changes. Please never hesitate to call or email if you have questions or need clarification.

Best Regards,

Principal Lynne Beattie

Upcoming Events

Monday, September 6 - No School, Labor Day
Tuesday, September 14 - No School, Staff Professional Development
Thursday, September 30 - 6:00-8:00 pm - O'Maley Open House
Friday, September 24 - School Picture Day
O'Maley Academy Programming begins October 4th - Stay tuned for info on programs and how to sign up

COVID-19 Updates

Masks & Distancing: Per the Massachusetts DESE and the Gloucester School Committee, all students and staff will be masked in GPS buildings unless socially distanced at 3 feet or more until at least October 1. 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/.

Vaccinations: We will once again be running a vaccination clinic at O'Maley. For those who sign up, the first dose will be administered September 10 and the second on October 1. Stay tuned for information on how to sign up.

School Hours: 7:40 am - 1:55 pm.

As a reminder, the school day begins promptly at 7:40 am and ends at 1:55 pm. The building opens at 7:35 am for all students so they can arrive at homeroom on time. Students who choose to have breakfast at school may enter earlier at 7:20 to go to the cafeteria.

Buses

By far, the best way for students to get to school is by bus. To apply for GPS buses, link here. For the schedule of CATA buses, link here.

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.