Family Updates
Family Update: October 3, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for October 3, 2025.
This week, 5th grade started Austin's Butterfly projects. This is a classic and widely referenced educational example developed by Ron Berger of EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning). It’s not just a drawing project, but a powerful lesson in the importance of models, critique, and descriptive feedback (kind, specific, helpful) to drive student work toward excellence. Stay tuned for the student work currently in progress!
An ode is a lyrical poem in the form of an address to a particular subject, and each year our 6th graders write and recite a personal ode. The event was as energizing as ever, and this year was quite metropolitan - with topics including Brazil, Boston and Newbury Street! Thank you to all the families who attended, and to those who donated snacks. The students all did a super job, were loud and proud, and extremely supportive of one another.
Also on a literary theme, Bingo with a Twist brought the fun— this month focused on “Book Bingo.” It was a celebration of cool book facts, and there were bookmarks for everyone in celebration of National Book Month. What will our “Bingo with a Twist” theme be next month?!
The Secondary School Fair was so well attended, with 26 of our 7th and 8th graders participating. More than 30 schools were present, and we gathered essential information about high school options as we kicked off the annual process of secondary school placement. It is a super exciting topic and we are truly grateful to Ms. Sanders for doing a spectacular job of keeping us supported and on track through the many steps along the way!
Karlee '26 and T’Asia ‘24 at the school fair. T’Asia was representing Providence Country Day, her high school.
Follow our regularly updated CALENDAR to see all events.
Calendar Highlights:
Our Family Service Saturday is tomorrow from 10-12. Sign up here. Tasks will include garden work, cleaning the building, moving furniture, prepping materials for staff, and more!
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Thursday October 9th is our all school birthday party to celebrate September and October babies. Reminders are in Friday Folders.
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Fall Festival is Thursday October 16th, 4:15-5:30pm and we hope you’ll join. Sign up slips are also in Friday Folders this week.
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Did you say summer?!!! Oh YES WE DID! Monday November 3rd, 5:15-6:15pm we are offering a Summer Program ‘26 Event. Mark your calendars now and stay tuned for details.
This week our resources section is dedicated to Digital Literacy and Well Being. What is that?!…
Common Sense Education offers free resources that “ready students for the possibilities—and pitfalls—of today's always-on world, from AI literacy to cyberbullying, screen time, and more.” We will touch on the topic in upcoming family workshops; this is a valuable preview and a resource to get us going!
Please check out the digital literacy and well being resources, and enjoy this gorgeous fall weekend.
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Family Update: September 28, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for September 26, 2025.
This past Saturday, more than half of our OSS students spent their Saturday showing what happens when young women step up, step in, and support one another. From 9AM–2PM, 35 OSS students participated in the STEM4Girls Conference, with 22 of our 7th and 8th graders presenting on stage! They educated local girls about the blue economy, sharing powerful facts about the ocean and its future. Even our very own robot, Sparks, made a special appearance.
But our students didn’t stop there—they also led a hands-on workshop where they helped participants design public service announcements about the blue economy. Together, they modeled collaboration, leadership, and the confidence that comes from “taking space and making waves.”
We are so proud of our students for shining as leaders and for lifting up other young women in our community!
Community Partnerships began last week and 7th and 8th grade students were enthusiastic to get into the community and lend a helping hand. All 7th and 8th graders are signed up for a partnership for Cycle 1, which is really exciting! We hope you asked your student how their 1st day went.
Regarding Back to School Night, we had 56 families in attendance, and heard from 20 with really useful feedback. In addition to hearing that it was time really well spent, we also learned that we might have kept the students on campus rather than having them go back and forth after dismissal. We agree, and will try to make that change for next year. Your insight really helps us a lot, so thank you for taking the time to join us, and to offer your thoughts.
And below you can enjoy photos of a 5th grade task party …
Follow our regularly updated CALENDAR to see all events.
Calendar Highlights:
Our first Family Service Day is on October 4th from 10am to 12pm. Sign up here if you want to get some service credits completed. Tasks will include garden work, cleaning the building, moving furniture, prepping materials for staff, and more!
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Secondary School Fair: Sep. 30th, 5:30-7:30 pm
*OSS is co-hosting the Secondary School Fair this fall in partnership with Alma del Mar and Nativity Prep. This year’s fair will take place at Alma del Mar’s Frederick Douglass Campus. All 7th and 8th-grade students and their families are encouraged to attend. You will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from both public and independent schools.
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Did you say summer?!!! Oh YES WE DID!
Of all the summer programs we partner with, Chimney Corners has the earliest timing for scholarship applications and sign ups. Crazy but true, now is when camps begin enrollment for summer ‘26, and now is when you can most reliably score full scholarships so, now is the right time to get planning. This is why on Monday November 3rd, 5:15-6:15pm we are offering a Summer Program ‘26 Event. Mark your calendars now and stay tuned for details.
THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES described below. We hope you will consider them heartily, and sign up! We are calling special attention to the 2nd Annual SouthCoast Youth Climate Summit, hosted on Saturday, November 15 from 10am-4pm at Buttonwood Park Zoo.
Youth ages 13-18 from across the SouthCoast are invited to join and engage in climate change workshops, hear from guest speakers, and gain advocacy skills. Register here: Youth Climate Summit Registration
See you bright and early in the morning,
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Family Update: September 19th, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for September 19, 2025.
Fall season clubs began today and include gardening, sewing, photography, swimming at the YMCA, and biking at Youth Opportunities Unlimited. Community Partnerships (internships for 7th and 8th graders) begin next Friday, 9/26. Keep a look out for the Community Partnership permission slip in Friday Folders; these slips cover the entire year. Please follow up with Mrs. Eugenio or Mrs. McSweeny with questions or concerns. We are excited to share that all 7th and 8th graders are in a partnership this quarter!
Follow our regularly updated CALENDAR to see all events.
IMPORTANT HEADS UP:
We would like to remind families again to be mindful of the messaging app Discord. Commonsense Media gives the following summary for Discord:
Discord requires users to be at least 13 years old, though many countries require users to be older (e.g., Germany requires users to be 16+), and parents should also consider their child's maturity for a safe experience. Some app stores may also assign higher age ratings, such as the Apple App Store's 17+ rating for Discord, which reflects the platform's potential for mature content and the importance of age-appropriate settings.
Age-restricted content: Be aware that some servers are marked as Not Safe For Work (NSFW) and require users to be over 18 to access.
Key Calendar Details
This Saturday we are busy hosting an OSS Admissions Presentation at10am. Please spread the word!
Also this Saturday, 8th graders can come to school for SSAT practice testing, 9-noon. Later in the afternoon we welcome 9th graders for a reunion luncheon. Yum!
If pizza is on you mind tomorrow, you could join World Cleanup Day beach cleanup at Ft. Phoenix in Fairhaven. Saturday 9/20, 9am- 12pm. Pizza & giveaway at noon!
Back to School Night: Sep. 24th, 5:30-6:30pm
Our next Required Family Meeting is also our Back-to-School Night. This is a great opportunity to meet your student’s teachers and other staff members who support their learning experiences. We encourage students to attend as well!
Ms. Sanders will meet with all 8th-grade families to discuss high school plans from 5:45-6:15pm in the Outdoor Classroom. She will then meet with all 7th-grade families from 6:15-6:30pm in the Outdoor Classroom.
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Secondary School Fair: Sep. 30th, 5:30-7:30 pm
*OSS is co-hosting the Secondary School Fair this fall in partnership with Alma del Mar and Nativity Prep. This year’s fair will take place at Alma del Mar’s Frederick Douglass Campus. All 7th and 8th-grade students and their families are encouraged to attend. You will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from both public and independent schools.
THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES described below. We hope you will consider them heartily, and sign up!
Join us for pumpkin carving if you can! Fliers in Friday Folders to sign up.
Dream Out Loud is a wonderful community program currently recruiting students for their FREE Fall Creative Careers Program for middle and high school youth who are interested in songwriting, digital music production, creative writing, digital art and graphic design. Classes start on October 7, 2025 and are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:00pm - 5:00pm, and 6:00pm - 8:00pm through December 4th. Dream Out Loud is located at the Kilburn Mill, 127 West Rodney French Blvd in New Bedford.
Every Tuesday this fall and winter. FREE, fun, and hosted by the Zeiterion. All you have to do is sign up!
Enjoy this glorious weekend,
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Family Update: September 12th, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for September 12, 2025.
There were so many highlights this week ~ far more than we could keep up with!
Was the highlight when Lily, Jacqueline and Chelsea did an impromptu STEP performance for the whole school, and then graciously repeated it for our United Way volunteers?
Or was it that today we had 7 United Way volunteers on campus, helping us with big and small tasks - ranging from weeding and spreading that mountain of mulch you may have noticed, to assembling shelves and organizing musical instruments. THANK YOU United Way for your fabulous support. We thrive on community involvement!
Or, although it already feels like a month ago, was the highlight when we nimbly and cooperatively responded to a fire alarm that went off literally the minute we were supposed to commence drop off for our first day in the building?! We had families lined up in the parking lot, students ready to start the day, parents who needed to get to work, EMS vehicles on site…It was a relief that an over-toasted bagel on the synagogue side was the culprit, and for once, the bus being late was possibly helpful. Ultimately, we were encouraged by how well everyone responded - remaining calm, and collaborating to adjust our 1st day schedule! We had to talk about fire drills anyway, so we used the opportunity to really practice!
Maybe the highlight was going sailing at CBC, or learning about how the brain works during an all-school Dendrites workshop where we began to think about metacognition and how to be proactive learners.
We really haven’t even started with the highlights - but we want to keep this brief so you’ll read the very, very important details below. Next week we’ll have so much more!
Key Calendar Details
Back to School Night: Sep. 24th, 5:30-6:30pm
Our next Required Family Meeting is also our Back-to-School Night. This is a great opportunity to meet your student’s teachers and other staff members who support their learning experiences. We encourage students to attend as well!
Ms. Sanders will meet with all 8th-grade families to discuss high school plans from 6:00-6:30pm in the Outdoor Classroom. She will then meet with all 7th-grade families from 6:30-6:45pm in the Outdoor Classroom.
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SSAT Prep: Sat, September 20, 9am-12:30pm.
8th-grade students who plan to apply to independent schools are strongly encouraged to take the Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT) in December. We will provide more information about the test at an upcoming meeting.
To help students prepare, Ms. Sanders is hosting practice sessions on Wednesdays during the school day, as well as practice tests on various weekends this fall. The first practice test will be held at OSS on Saturday, September 20, from 9am-12:30pm. Participation in the practice test is optional but highly encouraged. If your student plans to attend, please email Ms. Sanders at asanders@oursistersschool.org.
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Secondary School Fair: Sep. 30th, 5:30-7:30 pm
*OSS is co-hosting the Secondary School Fair this fall in partnership with Alma del Mar and Nativity Prep. This year’s fair will take place at Alma del Mar’s Frederick Douglass Campus. All 7th and 8th-grade students and their families are encouraged to attend. You will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from both public and independent schools.
Students chose their Community Partnerships (internships for 7th and 8th graders) and clubs this week. Next week, they find out their schedule for Friday afternoons for the whole year. Here are a few things to know:
If your student is placed in swim club at the Y for quarter 1, a permission form will be sent out to you in today’s Friday Folder.
If your student is placed in Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U) club for quarters 1 and 2, you will receive an email from Ms. McSweeny to register with Y.O.U. directly. Please fill out this registration form as soon as possible.
Please complete these forms BEFORE Friday so that your student is ready to participate on 9/19.
Community Partnerships do not start until 9/26. Permission slips with Community Partnership details will be in 7th and 8th grade Friday Folders next Friday.
Please reach out to Ms. McSweeny with any questions or concerns at mmcsweeny@oursistersschool.org.
Spaces are limited so don’t hesitate and sign up now. Follow a link to the right or use the flier in your Friday Folder. Just know that the spaces won’t wait, so jump on it.
South Coast Children’s Choir is a simply wonderful program, and OSS students can qualify for full scholarships if they want to participate. If you didn’t already, please do check it out!
We are so excited to welcome everyone back on Monday for another powerful week of learning and growing!
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Family Update ~ September 7th, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for September 7, 2025.
Characterized by nourishing meals and time in the great outdoors, our Brantwood experience was amazing! We all came home totally exhausted - but energized for the school year ahead. Enjoy the photo collection below that illustrates some classic moments.
Tomorrow we open the building at 8:10 for breakfast; drop off ends at 8:25, after which time an adult needs to accompany their student into the front office to sign in.
Our first Family Engagement Committee meeting of the year is this Tuesday, September 9th at 5:30, at OSS. All family members are encouraged to show up. We enthusiastically welcome your participation! Typically these meetings are held via Zoom, but the 1st one of the season is live - with snacks! 🙂
Follow our regularly updated CALENDAR to see all events.
Key Calendar Details
Family Engagement Committee Sep. 9th, 5:30-6:30pm
Back to School Night: Sep. 24th, 5:30-6:30pm
Spaces are limited so don’t hesitate. Use the link in the language of your choice, and sign up now.
South Coast Children’s Choir is a simply wonderful program, and OSS students can qualify for full scholarships if they want to participate. Please check it out!
We are so excited to welcome everyone into the building tomorrow morning!
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team
Weekly Update: June 6, 2025
Here’s a weekly update for June 6, 2025.
Congratulations to all of us on completing the school year in style! Field Day was a blast, portfolios were a delight, graduation was simply beautiful - and now you take a break while we clean up, reflect and prepare for the year to come. This is our final Family Update for the season. We’ll be back in late August with Community Blooom - our approach to finalizing registration, preparing for Brantwood and gathering to welcome the school year.
In the meantime, summer programming has been carefully managed by Ms. Sanders, and students have exceptional opportunities ahead of them. We’ll be hosting academic coaching, gardening, SPARK programming and all kinds of summer goodness here at OSS. Many of you will participate locally and in sleep away experiences. No matter your plans, we hope everyone has a beautiful summer…and remember to complete your Summer Learning plans thoughtfully and thoroughly.
Water Balloon Toss
Our full calendar will be published soon.
Key Calendar Details
Community Bloom Registration Event for all families: Aug 27th, 5:30-7pm
1st days of school @ Brantwood: September 2, 3, 4
1st day in the building: September 8
Back to School Night: September 24th, 5:30-6:30pm
Community Events
Wizard of Oz
August 14-17, 2025
We have been offered free tickets to see the Wizard of Oz. See the flier and send an email to Ms. Cinnamond (gcinnamond@oursistersschool.org) to let her know your order.
Specify the date and the number of tickets you want; we’ll have them for you at the box office.
Friday the Thirteenth at Co-Creative Center
Friday, June 13, 6-7:30pm
Join the Co-Creative Center on Friday, June 13th for free iPad Art Class filled with sketching and drawing.
We hope you have a simply beautiful summer break,
Ms. Herman and the OSS Team