Family Update: December 14, 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