Hello OCRS families,
Believe it or not, this is our FIRST 5-day week of school this year! It will be good for students, teachers, and staff to be able to follow our regular routine for the entire week and become even more comfortable with those routines.
Thank you for a terrific turn out on Thursday evening for our Open House and for visiting the Book Fair. We all enjoyed getting a chance to see students and their families together at school. Also, thank you for supporting the PTA 5th grade Donation Drive!
Changing Your Child's Dismissal Routine
If you need to change your child's dismissal routine, even if it's just for one day, we would prefer that families send in a written note with their child. An email sent to your child's teacher, Mrs. Deus, or Mr. Barrette may not be viewed in time if any of these adults are out sick or unavailable that day. If it's not possible to send in a written note OR if the change wasn't planned ahead of time, please call the school and speak with someone in person to communicate the change. Again, an email may not be viewed in time by the staff members that need to see it.
We appreciate your cooperation to help us make sure that all students are dismissed safely and correctly.
Please Update Your Student and Family Information
Now that school is in session, it is extremely important that we have the most up-to-date information to support your child and contact you. Please complete the annual student information update by Friday, September 23rd. This process is online and can be completed in about 15 minutes by visiting the Parent Portal at https://bit.ly/SPSParent. Please note that it is easiest to complete this process on a laptop or desktop versus a mobile device. Once logged in, you will be able to:
- Confirm or change family information
- Update phone or email contacts
- Acknowledge annual policies such as Acceptable Use, Equipment Loan, Photo/Video Procedures, etc.
- Indicate if you DO NOT want your child's photo shared via school social media or posted on the school's website
Instructions to help families walk through the process are linked at https://5il.co/1i3so. If your family has never created a Campus Portal account and you need your "Activation Key"/GUID in order to create your account, please contact the school.
Families that experience issues or need technical support should call (401) 231-6606 extension 8132 during business hours or leave a message and a member of the district’s technology team will get back to you.
Parent Volunteer Training
If you have reviewed the Volunteer Handbook and you are interested in possibly volunteering at school, we are offering Volunteer Training for any parent/guardian that has never completed a training session. To make it as convenient as possible for families, both training sessions will be offered online and will take less than 30 minutes. Please see the information below and you are welcome to join either session!
Thursday, September 22 · 3:30 – 4:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/vyd-sefr-wej
Or dial: (US) +1 252-922-0129 PIN: 959 594 799#
Tuesday, September 27 · 4:00 – 4:30pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/izy-nthq-gei
Or dial: (US) +1 419-702-0748 PIN: 606 539 533#
All-Abilities Youth Basketball Program
Smithfield Youth Basketball League (SYBA) is starting an ALL ABILITIES Basketball program on Saturdays! The program will be an inclusive opportunity for our incredible K-12 students in the district who need more support. The all-abilities basketball program will incorporate peer partner support. This program is 100% free and will be a great experience! To sign up your child please reach out to SYBA's Jeff Swallow at jeffswallow@verizon.net.
Science Saturday on 9/24
The URI Department of Oceanography invites students and families to join them at URI’s Bay Campus for a free, family-friendly "Science Saturday" to spend at the shore of Narragansett Bay, taking in the latest in coastal and ocean exploration, discovery, and science. Science Saturday will be held on Saturday, 9/24 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (rain or shine).
This is your opportunity to be part of behind-the-scenes tours, interactive experiences and conversations with a wide variety of ocean experts! Dozens of exhibits and tours will introduce you to many examples of the fascinating work taking place at the Narragansett Bay Campus.
Take a moment to preregister for Science Saturday and any special tours.
For more information and the most up-to-date details, visit the Science Saturday webpage and see the attached flyer.
PTA Information
Savers Fun Drive for 5th Grade Committee
OCRS PTA's 5th Grade Committee wants your stuff! The 5th Grade Committee is hosting a FunDrive to support special programming for our 5th graders as they begin their last year at OCRS. As you get ready for the new school year and realize you have drawers and closets full of stuff your kid (or you) outgrew, donate them to us. We have a goal of 200 kitchen garbage bags of soft goods. You can donate any soft goods such as: clothes, coats, sheets, towels, blankets, shoes, bags etc...
See linked flyer for more information! Donations accepted through 9/25.
Upcoming Dates and Events
View and subscribe to the OCRS Public Events Calendar at https://oldcounty.smithfield-ps.org/o/old-county-road-elementary/page/monthly-calendar. Clicking on the "Add to Google Calendar" to subscribe to the calendar on your own calendar app.
PTA Meeting, Tuesday, October 4th, 6:00PM
5th Instrument Rental Night, Wednesday October 5th, 5:30 PM at Pleasant View School
NO SCHOOL, Columbus Day, Monday October 10th
Lifetouch Picture Day, Wednesday October 12th
PTA Trunk or Treat, Friday October 28th, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Deerfield Park
Thank you,
Mr. Barrette
4th grade working on writing
2nd grade making “10’s” to add
