Family Updates
Family Update: January 18, 2026
Here’s a weekly update for January 16, 2025.
Tomorrow morning we observe MLK Jr. Day with a service event hosted at Gifts to Give. If you are already signed up - wonderful! If not, you could email Ms. McSweeny (mmcsweeny@oursistersschool.org) and request to join. Every year we strive to honor the day as “a day on - not a day off” and so we hope that during this three-day weekend you have carved out time to honor Dr. King’s legacy and reflect on the idea of “beloved community,” and how we can all participate in this work.
Speaking of beloved community, last week we had the privilege of a visit from the Boston-based program Rehearsal for Life. We hosted an all-school assembly that explored the challenges of peer pressure, social media, and growing up. Together, we reflected on our OSS Community Core Values and imagined how we might respond in complex situations. Our RFL guests were impressed by our students’ maturity, thoughtfulness, and bravery—affirming the strength of our program. We recognize how challenging it can be to navigate relationships from a centered place and will continue to support reflective practice and growth.
On Wednesday, January 14th, our sixth graders teamed up with the Community Boating Center and our Creative Suite for a hands-on learning experience focused on sustainability. Students explored real-world environmental challenges connected to their Humanities and Science classes. They asked big questions and got creative by improving existing solutions or inventing brand-new ideas to help protect our planet. We were so proud to see them thinking like innovators, engineers, and problem-solvers. Thank you to all the families who attended and supported our students. Enjoy a small photo gallery below:
Calendar Highlights:
Tues. Jan 20 ~ Project Adventure Day in Creative Suite + After School Family Workshop; all welcome
Tues. Jan 20 ~ Winter SPARK begins
Wed. Jan 21 ~ Required Family Meeting, 5:30-6:30pm @ OSS
Thurs. Jan 22 ~ 8th grade trip to PPAC to see Suffs 9am-3pm
Thurs. Jan 22 ~ 6th grade to Whaling Museum 8:30-2:30
Fri. Jan 23 ~ Dendrites Conference 12:30-3pm
Mon. Jan 26 ~ PD Day; No School for students
Wed. Jan 28 ~ 7th grade HerStory + NBRR Showcase, 4:15-5pm
SAVE THE DATE!
Build confidence and learn about the importance of physical activity through a 10 week program! Students will meet with coaches for interactive lessons and physical activities where they can learn the value of teamwork, mind/body connection, confidence through accomplishment, and more. The program ends with a 5k!
Interested in becoming a coach and receiving service credits? Reach out to Ms.Cinnamond!
Check out the community opportunities below:
Last week Ms. McGonagle left us with a real cliff hanger… Did you stay up wondering what a problem-based curriculum is?! Now we can satisfy our curiosity:
In a problem-based curriculum, students spend most of their time in class working on carefully crafted and sequenced problems. Teachers help students understand the problems, ask questions to push their thinking, and orchestrate discussions to be sure that the mathematical takeaways are clear. Learners gain a rich and lasting understanding of mathematical concepts and procedures and experience applying this knowledge to new situations. Students frequently collaborate with their classmates—they talk about math, listen to each other’s ideas, justify their thinking, and critique the reasoning of others. They gain experience communicating their ideas both verbally and in writing, developing skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. Sounds fun, right?!
This kind of instruction may look different from what you experienced in your own math education. Current research says that students need to be able to think flexibly in order to use mathematical skills in their lives (and also on the types of tests they will encounter throughout their schooling). Flexible thinking relies on understanding concepts and making connections between them. Over time, students gain the skills and the confidence to independently solve problems that they’ve never seen before.
We all want the best for our students and know that they deserve excellence. Rigorous math education involves tackling complex problems in a supported setting. Knowledge of procedures and concepts grows step by step in the carefully constructed series of lessons offered by Open Up Math. We are excited about all the hard work our math students are doing and all the learning they are gaining.
Look for more information in the next Family Update about all the ways you can help your student be successful in their math classes.
Guest artist Lulu Tian co-led a Video Production Club with Ms. Pires earlier this winter and helped a small group of OSS students create a collection of videos that capture the sincerity, enthusiasm and sweetness of our students. This 90 second video about how to play with snow is appropriate for today!
We’ll highlight OSS videos here for the next few weeks, and the full collection is also all available on our website.
We deeply appreciate that the messages we posted in last weeks update about uniform norms specific to fingernails, and traffic patterns specific to morning drop off procedures, were read and heard. Thank you for being so responsive! We look forward to seeing everyone again on Tuesday morning for Project Adventure Day, and are happy that so many family members are joining us for the evening session too!
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Family Update: January 10, 2026
Here’s a weekly update for January 10, 2025.
At Community Meeting this week we reflected on the idea of belonging - a feeling of home. We were also introduced to the Latin phrase Carpe Diem, or - seize the day! May 2026 be productive, and may we feel deeply connected and supported.
As always, it was super charged week of learning. The 6th graders where exhilarated and visibly exhausted on Thursday afternoon when they came back to the building from a full day field trip to the New Bedford Whaling Museum, Fishing and Heritage Center and the National Parks Service in downtown New Bedford. It was the kick off to their study of the history of New Bedford. We eagerly look forward to the annual art opening which will take place in April at the Whaling Museum.
And never fear - we don’t have to wait until April to celebrate their learning. Over the past seven weeks, our 6th graders have been busy researching, brainstorming, designing and refining original inventions aimed at helping make our world more sustainable. This Wednesday Jan 14th, 3-4pm in the OSS Community Room, our students will showcase their creativity, problem-solving, and big ideas for the future. Everyone is welcome to come see their hard work, and hear directly from our young innovators.
Calendar Highlights
Tues. Jan 13 ~ All School Assembly with Rehearsal for Life 10:45-11:45
Wed. Jan 14 ~ Sustainability Symposium by 6th grade, 3-4pm
Fri. Jan 16 ~ End of 2nd Quarter
Mon. Jan 19 ~ MLK Day - No School; Gifts to Give service event
Tues. Jan 20 ~ Project Adventure Day in Creative Suite + After School Family Workshop; all welcome
Tues. Jan 20 ~ Winter SPARK begins
Wed. Jan 21 ~ Required Family Meeting, 5:30-6:30pm @ OSS
Thurs. Jan 22 ~ 8th grade trip to PPAC to see Suffs 9am-3pm
Thurs. Jan 22 ~ 6th grade to Whaling Museum 8:30-2:30
Fri. Jan 23 ~ Dendrites Conference 12:30-3pm
Mon. Jan 26 ~ PD Day; No School for students
Wed. Jan 28 ~ 7th grade HerStory + NBRR Showcase, 4:15-5pm
In the spirit of MLK Day, our students are invited to join an annual service event hosted at Gifts to Give. And, this community event hosted at Grace Church is another opportunity families may want to consider attending.
This week we did notice that we should review our drop off procedures. This is a friendly reminder that if you drop a student off later than 8:25am, you do need to park and come into the building to sign your student in as tardy. Also please remember our system of dropping 3 cars at a time with an efficient “stop, drop and roll” mindset. Thank you. Our goal is to keep arrival efficient for everyone.
Also, we have noticed that artificial fingernails are proliferating. Come Monday they must be removed as they are not uniform compliant. See page 21 in the Family Handbook for details. Thank you. Our goal is to honor the agreed upon uniform.
Looking back and ahead: a note from Ms. McGonagle:
The end of the calendar year is a great opportunity for reflection and expressions of gratitude. I am grateful for the warm welcome the OSS community has offered me as a new member of the faculty. My gratitude also runs deep for the work the math team did prior to my arrival, carefully choosing curriculum resources and materials that are well positioned to serve our students.
On December 11 & 12, five members of our math curriculum team participated in professional development training to deepen their understanding of how to strengthen our daily work to best meet the needs of our students and their growth in mathematics.
Next week, in this Family Update, we’ll explore our Open Up curriculum and explore what a problem -based curriculum is all about. Stay tuned!
Looking forward to seeing everyone again on Monday. May 2026 be productive.
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Family Update: December 20, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for December 19, 2025.
Take a glimpse of one day of learning at OSS:
These images showcase the wide range of experiences our students and staff engage in across different learners, spaces, and moments. You see students learning peer-to-peer, working on the floor or at tables, and engaging in community spaces like museums. Our classrooms are intentionally flexible, offering multiple points of access to support deep learning. Together, these moments reflect our commitment to student-led, challenging learning and growing minds every day.
Do you believe in the power of creativity to inspire young people? So do we - and that is why we hosted a Creativity Conference on December 16th, dedicated to inspiring the next generation of creators, makers, and innovators. This hands-on conference brought together local artists, designers, entrepreneurs, engineers, and innovators to lead workshops for our students in a diverse range of creative disciplines as wood burning, resin jewelry making, Chinese calligraphy and digital art. The conference allowed students to dive into new mediums, practice real-world skills, and discover their own creative spark.
This conference was supported in part by the Art is Everywhere! grant funded by the City of New Bedford through its Arts, Culture & Tourism Fund, and is facilitated by New Bedford Creative at the New Bedford Economic Development Council, which receives support in part from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
5th grade students shared their final Hear Me Roar projects this week. They presented loudly and proudly, in front of their peers, teachers, and families. We appreciate all of the delicious food that was brought in to help us celebrate. Thank you to the families for all of their support and collaboration with this project!
OSS middle schoolers in grades 6, 7, and 8th grade recently headed downtown for an exciting field trip to Mass Escape, a local New Bedford favorite. Throughout their time at OSS, every student gets the chance to experience each of the venue's three unique themed rooms. To beat the clock, students relied on teamwork, creative problem-solving, and sharp communication to navigate the complex puzzles. Every group rose to the challenge, finishing with impressive times and leaving with plenty of laughs and shared memories.
Follow our regularly updated CALENDAR to see all events.
Calendar Highlights
12/22-1/2 ~ Winter Break
1/5 ~ Return to School
1/16 ~ End Q2
1/19 ~ No School, MLK Day Observed
1/20 - Begin Winter SPARK @ OSS
1/21 ~ Required Family Meeting 5:30-6:30 @ OSS -participate in our strategic planning efforts.
Even though it’s cold outside, it’s not too early to begin planning for summer fun! NOW is the time to apply for many sleepaway camp scholarships. Please consider options on our summer planning website and be in touch with Ms. Sanders (asanders@oursistersschool.org), who can support you with the application process.
Have a beautiful winter break. Stay off social media, and we look forward to seeing you in 2026!
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Family Update: December 14, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for December 12, 2025.
Our OSS Good News Project challenges 6th graders to create short video segments highlighting positive stories and good things happening in and around our school community. Over four weeks, students planned and wrote scripts, filmed and edited footage, collaborated with peers, and managed deadlines. The finished videos were proudly shared with the entire school community, celebrating creativity, teamwork, and positivity.
5th and 6th graders have been rotating through three fundamental Robot modules:
Photons + Cyber Security- Rethink Learning Labs visited OSS to work directly with students, introducing them to cybersecurity through an interactive card game that simulates real-world technology scenarios. Students also had the opportunity to train AI within Photon robots. The robots learned to recognize colors and text, allowing them to complete experiments and navigate a miniature city—stopping at red lights and moving safely through green ones. This gave students a glimpse of the skills and tools that are used in the world to use technology effectively.
First Robotics- with leadership from our fabulous long time Robotics volunteer teacher Kim Francis. Our students are diving deep into the world of SPIKE™ Prime! After learning to program individual robots for precision movement, students are now tackling official competition-level missions. These challenges push beyond basic coding, requiring students to use critical thinking and engineering logic to solve complex, real-world problems.
Sparks - Our robotics dog allows students to explore industrial technology used in the real world. This hands-on experience teaches students practical engineering principles and how to program advanced technology to solve complex, real-world problems.
Annual Fund Update: Our full time teachers led the way with 100% participation. Wow! They teach all day - and still gave generously to our annual fund. Our board has also reached 100% participation, and our families are getting close!
We know there are many causes to support - and we are deeply grateful that OSS is on your list. We’ll offer a family giving update this Friday - we hope everyone will do their part to help us achieve 100% participation!
Follow our regularly updated CALENDAR to see all events.
Calendar Highlights
Family Service balances are in Friday Folders this week
TODAY: Last chance on cakes - see below
TOMORROW ~ Mass Escape morning (G’s 6/7), NBRR afternoon (G.5)
12/16 ~ 5th graders present Hear Me Roar projects 10am-noon ~ 5th grade families are welcome!
12/16 ~ All School Creativity Conference, 12 - 4:00pm
12/17 ~ Spirit Day: Game Day Theme
12/17 & 18 ~ Holiday Toy Pick-Up, 4pm
12/18 - All school field trip to see Ballet Rhode Island perform the Nutcracker 8:30-1:15pm
12/19 ~ Mass Escape (G. 8)
12/22-1/2 ~ Winter Break
1/5 ~ Return to School
1/16 ~ End Q2
1/19 ~ No School, MLK Day Observed
1/20 - Begin Winter SPARK @ OSS
1/21 ~ Required Family Meeting 5:30-6:30 @ OSS -participate in our strategic planning efforts.
Anybody able to care for Ms. Herman’s kitty during winter break? He’s looking for a cozy spot, but he doesn’t have experience with other cats, and he is a capable mouser - so a home without fuzzy little things for him to catch would be best! Let me know if you are interested, Thanks!
Even though it’s cold outside, it’s not too early to begin planning for summer fun! NOW is the time to apply for many sleepaway camp scholarships. Please consider options on our summer planning website and be in touch with Ms. Sanders (asanders@oursistersschool.org), who can support you with the application process.
Please help us welcome our incoming Advancement Director, Ms. Katie Soares, who brings more than 15 years of experience building strong community partnerships and leading meaningful philanthropic initiatives. She has a gift for connecting people and ideas, and her work has supported dozens of nonprofits and countless students across the region.
A passionate advocate for education, Ms. Soares is a mother of three, an enthusiastic event planner, and a natural “people convener” who is deeply rooted in the local community.
When not working at OSS, she will probably be adventuring around the South Coast with her family—beach-hopping, taste-testing fish and chips, hunting down the best ice cream cone, heading out for nature walks, or at home whipping up an excellent chocolate chip cookie to share with friends.
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning!
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Family Update: December 7, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for December 5, 2025.
On the heels of Thanksgiving break we launched into the week with an all school field trip to the New Bedford Art Museum. The exhibit was on the topic of identity and featured local artists. Students listened attentively, and discussed the meaning behind a variety of pieces, the medium employed by the artists, their preferred pieces, the ones they didn’t understand or feel connected to, and what they might like to make - as inspired by the work they saw in the gallery. It was fun!
7th and 8th graders ended the week, as they always do - with Community Partnerships in action! We’re grateful for our partnership with The Black Whale. This week, students experienced the energy of a busy lunchtime rush at one of the city’s premiere restaurants, greeting and seating guests, preparing menus, and supporting the wait staff. These experiences build confidence, connection, career readiness, and provide community service. Students and community partners work together as Changemakers!
This month we hosted our third themed after school Bingo game! So far, we’ve enjoyed Music Bingo, Travel Bingo, and Book Bingo—each filled with trivia, fun facts, and mini brain breaks between games. Students also get word searches and coloring pages to take home. Be sure to check Friday Folders for information about January’s Bingo game!
Annual Fund Update:
Our full time teachers led the way with 100% participation. Wow! They teach all day - and still gave generously to our annual fund.
We know there are many causes to support - and we are deeply grateful that OSS is on your list. We’ll offer a family giving update next week - we hope everyone will do their part to help us achieve 100% participation!
Follow our regularly updated CALENDAR to see all events.
Calendar Highlights:
12/9 - Family Engagement Committee Meeting via Zoom, 5:30pm
12/11 - Deadline for families to sign up for the New Bedford Firefighters’ Union Toy Drive. Sign up here.
12/13 - Admissions Presentation, 10am
12/18 - All school field trip to see Ballet Rhode Island perform the Nutcracker
1/20 - Begin Winter SPARK @ OSS
Help us spread the words about this amazing opportunity starting January 20th on Tuesdays 4:30-6pm.
SPARK is a free 4-week OSS STEAM and Art program open to current 3rd, 4th and 5th grade girls. Help us extend the OSS experience to other girls in our communities! Registration link
Looking forward to another important week of learning!
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Family Update: November 26, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for November 14, 2025.
It was a very short week, but, as always, an important one! Yesterday we hosted our annual Attitude of Gratitude event, and so we created this bonus edition Family Update which is dedicated to that theme:
We are so grateful to everyone who helped us mark 18 years of togetherness. We are grateful to Ms. Pires and Ms. Sanders for lovingly considering every detail - from food, to lighting, to activities. We are grateful to 8th graders who joined us, and to more than 50 graduates who attended. We are so proud of our brave graduates who continue to strive and thrive - in high school, college, graduate programs and as young professionals. Thank you to the staff and volunteers who show up day after day, and event after event - to help us keep the momentum going and the spirit alive. The simple act of participation is a true illustration of commitment to our school and one another. Thank you.
In the continued spirit of gratitude and, frankly, awe - we call attention to this truly outstanding unit of study currently taking place in the Creative Suite. Beginning with an all-school field trip last spring, OSS students have been learning with scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) to understand research data focused on the relationship between warming waters and fish migration patterns. This year Ms. Eugenio added another extraordinary layer by introducing students to a dynamic artist named Jill Pelto, whose work is serving as mentor models for how to bring data to life through art. As we can see from these images of work in progress, students are deeply engaged, and the final products will be simply breathtaking.
Holiday note: When we have breaks from school it is wise to be particularly aware of how we spend our free time. Screens, social and digital media can suck us in and distract us from being connected with and helpful to family. Let’s all make a special effort to remember our Community Core tools - and consider how we can practice things like Being Inclusive and Recognizing Community Breakdown. Let’s care for our classmates by making thoughtful choices about what we do (and don’t) say or write. Let’s care for our family members by remembering that even devices (like the Chromebooks OSS may provide for students to use at home) can be a distraction, and a tool for unsupervised communications.
Our full time teachers are leading the way with 100% participation. Wow! They teach all day - and still give generously to our annual fund. Our board members are a close second - and we anticipate that by our December update we’ll be able to recognize their full participation. We believe that we’ll get there with our families too…
To all who have already given, please feel warmth in your heart knowing that it truly means a lot to OSS! We appreciate every effort and every dollar as we strive to reach our goal of 100% participation. We know there are many causes to support - and we are deeply grateful that OSS is on your list.
Follow our regularly updated CALENDAR to see all events.
Today we celebrated the conclusion of our annual “Change Challenge” with a total that surpassed our $500 goal. This means we are all winners - and we give a special shout out to 8th grade for helping us over the hump with a whopping $230.42.
We are grateful to all of our students for their efforts and their generosity. Everyone who brought in change - and even some bills- helped us raise funds for our beloved school.
We also express gratitude to Nelson Hockert-Lotz for providing our celebratory pizza and cider luncheon!
Did you see the flier in your Friday Folder? You can purchase a cake and support OSS at the same time! Wow! Yum!
Calendar Highlights:
11/26 - 11/28 Thanksgiving Break, No School
12/1 - Return for three super-focused weeks of teaching and learning, before winter break.
12/18 - All school field trip to see Ballet Rhode Island perform the Nutcracker. Family members who would like to join us should contact Ms. Hachem, and we’ll provide tickets if we can!
Have a beautiful break, and we look forward to seeing everyone on Monday!
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team