Family Update: November 26, 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