Family Update: October 26, 2025

Oct 26

Last Monday the whole school visited Bridgewater State University, where each grade engaged in a different STEAM-focused lab experience. 5th graders learned about the power of wind and the importance of renewable energy, and were able to test the stability of their own LEGO structures in a wind tunnel. 6th graders continued learning about sustainability as they discovered how water runoff in a parking lot can carry harmful pollutants, and ways to design a more sustainable parking lot. 7th graders took on the role of medical lab scientists to solve the "Mystery of the Crooked Cell" by recording patient symptoms, studying their family history, and testing "blood" samples for genetic markers to lead to a diagnosis. Finally, 8th graders participated in a cybersecurity lab and learned about internet safety and ways to protect their online data from scams, viruses, and phishing. A helpful takeaway from this lab is the difference between a passcode (usually 4 or 6 digits) and a passphrase (like a password), where a well-constructed passphrase is much more secure to keep hackers out.

If you want more of this fantastic programming, consider joining Open Lab Night on Nov. 5th at BSU 5-8pm! It is a free community event open to all ages, featuring hands-on STEM activities led by BSU faculty, staff and students. All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times and advance registration is required. Walk-ins will not be permitted. Visit their website to learn more and to register, and see the flier below in this Family Update.

This week 6th graders visited Round the Bend - a working farm in action. They explored a Wampanoag wigwam, learned about the farm’s produce and animal husbandry practices, had a chance to do service by helping plant garlic, and in their study of sustainable practices they explored tiny homes and learned how compostable toilets work.

2025.10.22 OSS Round the Bend Farm Field Trip-18.jpg

Grades 6–8 collaborated with the Women’s Foundation of Massachusetts to design the inaugural Economic Empowerment Award honoring Ami Kuan Danoff, a leader in philanthropy, finance, and advocacy for women and girls. Each student created an original design that represented empowerment, confidence, and leadership. The Women’s Foundation team reviewed all submissions and selected a collaboration between two students as the final design. Working closely with Ms. Pupillo, the students brought their vision to life through 3D printing, creating a modern, meaningful award. The project culminated at the Make Her Mark event—a celebration of education and the power of all-girls learning environments—where the students proudly presented the award to Ami in front of more than 400 guests.

Thank you to the 25+ parents, guardians, and staff who joined us for an evening of connection, collaboration, and learning at the Last Tuesday’s Family Workshop — Boosting Your Child’s Awesomeness! Together, we explored strategies to strengthen students’ executive functioning skills and support their growth both at school and at home. We’re excited to continue building our partnership through upcoming family learning opportunities:

Required Family Meeting: Collaborative Strategies for Student Success
Wednesday, November 12 | 5:30–6:30 PM | OSS

Helping Your Student Soar Academically
Tuesday, December 2 | 6:00–7:30 PM | OSS

Also, here is a link to a positive NYT article about Instagram planning to increase content restrictions to help keep teens safer in this digital age.