Weekly Updates

Our Sisters' School 5/17/26 Our Sisters' School 5/17/26

Weekly Update: May 17, 2026

Here’s a weekly update for May 15, 2026

6th grade sailed on Tabor Boy, a 115 ft. schooner built in 1914. Winds were high, skies were bright and we had a blast. After having recently studied the history of New Bedford with particular focus on whaling and our maritime roots, this was an exceptional opportunity. Thank you Tabor Academy for generously hosting us, and thank you to Captain Sara and crew for ensuring our safe learning experience.

Our 5th graders saw their creativity take center stage this week at the Buttonwood Park Zoo. After their soft pastel portraits were opened to the public, the class visited the gallery to admire their work in a professional setting. Each student had the opportunity to speak about their growth, fostering a deep sense of pride and community through their art.

                                                     Visibility is important and we are excited to share:

‍                       ‍OSS has been nominated as South Coast Community Choice Award Best Private School.

                               Now we need to vote and earn the title.  Please help the effort.  Thanks!

Calendar Highlights

May ~ TEACHER APPRECIATION MONTH

May 20 ~ Spirit Day “Be You”

May 21 ~ May, June, July, & August Birthday Celebration - party treat contributions appreciated!

May 22 ~ Spring Performing Arts Showcase 8:30-9:45am

May 25 ~ Memorial Day; No School

May 29 ~ End of Q4

May 29 ~ FAA 3:30-6pm

May 31 ~ Family Service Credits due for grades 5-7

June 3 ~ Last day of School, Field Day, ½ Day

June 4 & 5 Portfolio Presentations

June 5 ~ 8th graduation 5:30-6:30

Community Service Credits

‍ ‍ *Click* *here* *to participate!*
If you refer a family to OSS and they attend an admissions event *and* complete an application, you can earn a service credit. The more families you refer, the more credits you can earn! Click here to learn more.

Please support our efforts to enroll a strong incoming 5th grade class. We also have a few spots open for 6th. Help us get the word out. Thank you!

May 2026 Calendar Raffle

This Week’s Winners

*Winners and prizes this week:*
Ashlie Monteiro - $50 Domino's gift card
Stela Delgado - $250 value 10 pack to Sault Fitness
Marla Ganzales - $20 Brick Pizzaria NB gift card
Bessie Cabanas - $50 Domino’s gift card
Pam Winterhalter - $20 D-Soups gift card
Maria Mendes - $50 Servedwell gift card
Romayne Grace - $25 Inner Bay gift card
**It isn’t too late!** *Use the QR code above and join in!*

Reminder: Voting is now open for the South Coast Today Community Choice Awards. We’re thrilled to have been nominated as one of the best schools in the region. Consider voting for OSS, so we can finish in the top three spots!

Vote Now

See you tomorrow,

Ms. Herman and the OSS Team

Our Sisters' School 5/9/26 Our Sisters' School 5/9/26

Weekly Update: May 10, 2026

Here’s a weekly update for May 9, 2026

SCHOOL HAPPENINGS:
Last week we recognized our amazing squad of OSS volunteers with a tribute to their efforts. This week we celebrated our most active Community Partners, as well as the multicultural richness present at our small - but very diverse school! Thursday we hosted our 9th annual Sensata Day of Service, and once again, they knocked it out of the park. Thank you Sensata!
Sensata impact-highlights include new benches, garden beds, replaced whiteboards, an overhauled staff-lounge kitchen, and even an installed weather station. You can explore data from OSS’s weather station using this link. You’ll be excited to hear that 5th graders are currently learning about ecosystems and weather, and we’ll be analyzing the weather station data starting next week.

2026.5.7 OSS Sensata Volunteer Day-40.jpg

2026.5.7 OSS Sensata Volunteer Day-11.jpg

2026.5.7 OSS Sensata Volunteer Day-20.jpg

2026.5.7 OSS Sensata Volunteer Day-28.jpg

Screenshot 2026-05-09 at 11.46.59 AM.png

Screenshot 2026-05-09 at 11.46.52 AM.png

Screenshot 2026-05-09 at 11.46.45 AM.png

Screenshot 2026-05-09 at 11.46.36 AM.png

Calendar Highlights

May ~ TEACHER APPRECIATION MONTH

May 12~ Spring Carnival w/ Nativity 2:30-4pm

May 13 ~ Tabor Boy for 6th grade + available staff, family members + volunteers

May 14 ~ AHA Night

May 16 ~ Family Service Saturday

May 20 ~ Spirit Day “Be You”

May 21 ~ May, June, July, & August Birthday Celebration

May 22 ~ Spring Performing Arts Showcase 8:30-9:45am

May 25 ~ Memorial Day; No School

May 29 ~ End of Q4

May 29 ~ FAA 3:30-6pm

May 31 ~ Family Service Credits due for grades 5-7

June 3 ~ Last day of School, Field Day, ½ Day

June 4 & 5 Portfolio Presentations

June 5 ~ 8th graduation 5:30-6:30

Also: There are still a few spots left in some of our OSS Summer programs, which we offer to OSS families at no cost. If you missed our April 10 deadline but are still interested in adding fun activities to your summer plans, please register your student using our late registration form.

Community Service Credits

Please support our efforts to enroll a strong incoming 5th grade class. We also have a few spots open for 6th. Help us get the word out. Thanks!

May 2026 Calendar Raffle

This Week’s Winners

*We pulled the first round of prizes and the winners are:*
Hollie Rodrigues - $50 Domino's gift card
Amanda Perreira - $30 Panera gift card
Joceline Andrade - $50 Domino's gift card
Julia Pires - $50 Servedwell gift card
Angela Shea - $25 BesTeas gift card
Sue Nowicki - $50 Domino's gift card
James Bumpus - $25 Bocca gift card
Joy Macomber - CAT Studio Youth aerial class for 2
**It isn’t too late!** *Use the QR code above and join in!*

Upcoming events

Community Events

Check out this HipHop arts series hosted at the Z, celebrating local artists including our very own Mr. Diaz and Sy’ah’s dad, Siahlaw. This event includes a series of highly recommended workshops for all ages, and covers topics ranging from graphic design and making beats to spoken word and more. Do check it out.

And, if you like to swim… see above flier - a collaboration between New Bedford Public Schools and New Bedford Parks and Rec. Also, Pastor Whitley is hosting a listening session at the NB Boys & Girls club. Youth and adults are welcome to join and explore thoughts about beliefs, relationships and life. All welcome - Monday May 11, 5-7pm.

Finally, do you know a rising 3rd or 4th grade girl looking for a FREE 1-week summer program? Encourage them to sign up for SPARK at OSS. Students will participate in various STEAM and Art activities such as engineering with water, robotics and coding, harvesting plants from our outdoor garden, tye-dye t-shirt and more!

See you Monday,

Ms. Herman and the OSS Team

Our Sisters' School 5/1/26 Our Sisters' School 5/1/26

Weekly Update: May 1, 2026

Here’s a weekly update for May 1, 2026

**Calendar Highlights:**

May 1 ~ TEACHER APPRECIATION MONTH
May 6 ~ MultiCultural Luncheon 11:30-1:15pm
May 13 ~ Tabor Boy for 6th grade ~ 5pm pick up at Tabor
May 16 ~ Optional Family Service Day
May 22 ~ Spring Performing Arts Showcase 8:30-9:45am
May 29 ~ Festival of Arts and Student Achievement 3:30-6pm
June 4 & 5 Portfolio Presentations
Also: There are still a few spots left in some of our OSS Summer programs, which we offer to OSS families at no cost. If you missed our April 10 deadline but are still interested in adding fun activities to your summer plans, please register your student using our late registration form.

Think about how hard OSS works for your student and family, and consider joining the fun of helping to celebrating the team. Thank you to those who have already contributed.

It is not too late to join. *Buy a few calendars - and let’s PLAY!*
We pull the first round of prizes on Friday, May 8th.

The OSS Board is in early stages of a long-term planning process with five working groups dividing the labor. The Strengthening and Preserving OSS’s Culture working group wants your feedback on OSS’s culture via a very short survey. Responses are confidential. Thank you for your time and feedback! Here is a link to the family survey.

Please plan to join us ~ and bring your friends!

As you can see in the little photo gallery above, our now-annual UpCycle day was a blast. We practiced earth-friendly habits while refreshing our wardrobes!

The great news is that the fun and learning never stop. In fact, our 2026 Multicultural Celebration is coming up on May 6th from 11:30am to 1:15pm and we are looking for your help making the event a successful one.

Our intention at this lunch is to promote a greater awareness and appreciation among our students for the different cultures represented in our community.

If you have not already signed up and want to bring food to share, or run an activity table, please fill out the form here.

We look forward to inspired and fun cultural exploration!

Do you know a rising 3rd or 4th grade girl looking for a FREE 1-week summer program? Encourage them to sign up for SPARK at OSS. Students will participate in various STEAM and Art activities such as engineering with water, robotics and coding, harvesting plants from our outdoor garden, tye-dye t-shirt and more!

‍ ‍ *Click* *here* *to participate!*
Family service credits were due for Grade 8 on March 31st!
5th, 6th, and 7th grade families have until May 31st.
If you refer a family to OSS and they attend an admissions event *and* complete an application, you can earn a service credit. The more families you refer, the more credits you can earn! Click here to learn more.

See you Monday,

Ms. Herman and the OSS Team

Our Sisters' School 4/18/26 Our Sisters' School 4/18/26

Weekly Update: April 18, 2026

Here’s a weekly update for April 16, 2026

April break is here, and we hope it will be refreshing for everyone. We return to school Monday April 27th *and will ensure our fourth quarter is time well invested!*‍ ‍
**Report cards went home in Friday Folders last week** and the comments are so interesting that we want to share some portions. Below are succinct descriptions of what some classes engaged with in third quarter:
5th grade Creative Suite overview:
This quarter, students engaged in interdisciplinary projects focused on teamwork, technology, and the arts. They practiced leadership and collaboration during Project Adventure’s team-building day and developed technical design skills by creating 3D-printed keychains in TinkerCAD. We also explored the ethics of modern technology through an AI investigation with Google Gemini, focusing on responsible and critical usage. Finally, students demonstrated immense patience and artistic growth while creating soft pastel animal portraits. These works, which emphasize composition and perspective, are currently on public display at the Buttonwood Park Zoo through the end of the year.
7th grade Humanities overview:
In Quarter Three, the seventh graders wrote This I Believe essays, and ten students chose to share them with the community at AHA! Night at the Z. We then engaged in an in depth study of immigration, interrogating the impacts of borders and immigration law. Students concluded the unit by conducting interviews capturing the stories and experiences of people in their lives who have a personal relationship to immigration.
8th grade Science overview:
In science, we have officially wrapped up our climate and sustainability class project which focused on creating a status report of the outdoor classroom and potential recommendations for how we can improve the sustainability of the outdoor classroom. A digital map was created for all groups to mark where data was collected, like soil samples from our garden and where experiments were done to test the permeability of the surfaces in our outdoor space. But the work is not over, as this project will continue with future students!

Notice fliers for these upcoming events below:

**Calendar Highlights:**

Monday April 27 ~ **Return from Spring Break**
Wednesday April 29 ~ UpCycle Day
Saturday May 2 ~ FEC Fort Taber Walk
Wednesday May 6 ~ MultiCultural Celebration

United Way of Greater New Bedford is providing April Break snack packs for families during the school vacation week. Each pack will include items such as mac & cheese, applesauce cups, peanut butter, jelly, granola bars, and cereal. **Snack packs will be available for pick-up during student dismissal on April 15–16.**
*If you are interested please register* ***here***.

‍ ‍ Follow the EASY instructions above.
‍ While supporting the school - you get 31 chances to win!
*Buy a few calendars - and let’s PLAY!*

See you Monday, April 27th!

Ms. Herman and the OSS Team

Our Sisters' School 4/11/26 Our Sisters' School 4/11/26

Weekly Update: April 11, 2026

Here’s a weekly update for April 10, 2026

It is *almost* time for Spring Break. We have a 4 day week coming up with *no school* on Friday April 17th.
Third quarter report cards are in Friday Folders. We hope you look at them with your student and read the comments together.
This past week was as full as any! On Monday in Science class, 5th Grade watched Artemis II flyby the Moon, surpassing a distance record set over 50 years ago during the Apollo era! It was perfect timing as 5th graders were finishing their space mission storyboards!
On Wednesday and Thursday nights, students in Grades 6 and 7 presented at the Whaling Museum. Family members, friends, OSS staff and board members came together to celebrate our students and their impressive presentations. They all did an incredible job, and the work is up through the end of May, so please stop by if you haven’t had a chance to see it yet!
The 7th grade work is titled: When Data Tells a Story: Art, Climate, and the Future We Shape. Students analyzed real-world scientific data sets collected and organized by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) and the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance (CCCFA), and integrated it into watercolor pieces inspired by Jill Pelto. The 6th grade work is about the history of New Bedford in the 1800’s, and is also an interdisciplinary presentation of learning integrating Humanities and our Creative Suite.

Notice fliers for these upcoming events below:

**Calendar Highlights:**

Tues. April 14 ~ **Science of Building Habits Workshop,** 6-7:30pm
Wed. April 15 ~ OSS Spirit Day: **Younger You** Day
Thurs. April 16 ~ **Family Improv Night**, 5:30-6:45pm
Fri. April 17 ~ **No School**; begin Spring Break; returning April 27

‍ ‍ *Free Community Programming in the Arts!*

‍ ‍ *Click* *here* *to participate!*
Family service credits are due for Grade 8 on March 31st!
5th, 6th, and 7th grade families have until May 31st.
If you refer a family to OSS and they attend an admissions event *and* complete an application, you can earn a service credit. The more families you refer, the more credits you can earn! Click here to learn more.

Start planning your vacation activities…

See you Monday!

Ms. Herman and the OSS Team

$Weekly Update: April 3, 2026$

Our Sisters' School 4/3/26 Our Sisters' School 4/3/26

Weekly Update: April 3, 2026

Here’s a weekly update for April 3, 2026

Family Games Night was sweet, and Improv Night is up next. ALL are WELCOME to join in!

Family Service Day, last Saturday, included essential tasks like raking, moving boxes, and designing our Community Core bulletin board! It was a great day of teamwork and community, and we truly appreciate the time and effort our families contributed. See below for our next opportunity to get involved, as we begin opening our Outdoor Classroom during Spring Break - ALL are welcome!

OSS students helped United Way’s Hunger Heroes twice this month. The first event was the food drop off at Aldi on March 21 and the second was the food packing event at Keith Middle School on March 28. OSS students helped to pack 1,000 kid-friendly meals for kids to have over April vacation, showing up for their community and lending a helping hand.

Planning for our overwhelmingly popular Multicultural Celebration is kicking off. A flier was included in Friday Folders, and if you prefer digital, here is a link to participate. Enjoy inspiring memories from last year below: