Hello OCRS families,
This is our first full week of the new school year after our first day last Thursday and our new Kindergarten students will have their first day this Tuesday the 14th! We're looking forward to welcoming the youngest group of students to OCRS. Below is information for all OCRS families to help things continue to go smoothly.
Back to School Report #4
Like last year, Dr. Paolucci will be sharing a weekly report with Smithfield families to provide the latest information on COVID-19 information and protocols. If you have not already read this week's "Back to School" report shared by Dr. Paolucci, please take a few moments to review it at https://www.smithfield-ps.org/article/532139.
Bus Transportation
While it's to be expected that there will be some bus transportation issues at the beginning of any school year, we are aware that the buses were running very late for the first two days of school. Mrs. Deus and I have been in constant communication with our bus company, Durham School Services, about all of the issues that have been reported to us. There are a number of contributing factors that have combined to create the issues:
- Due to the merger of Winsor and McCabe into Pleasant View School, the bus routes have changed to accommodate the new schedule of OCRS and LaPerche being the early schools and Pleasant View being the late school. This means that some of the drivers that were familiar with the OCRS routes and students may now be driving routes for LaPerche. It's going to take a while for the drivers to adjust.
- There are some brand-new bus drivers working for the bus company this year. As I'm sure you've seen in the news, there is a shortage of bus drivers across the state. While we are fortunate that we seem to have enough drivers in Smithfield, some of the drivers are brand-new and need to learn about their routes here in Smithfield. It's going to take them some time to get comfortable.
If you have an issue with your child's bus, please report the issue directly to Durham School Services by calling Christine Mitchell at 401-349-2770 or emailing her at cmitchell@durhamschoolservices.com. Like in years past, we expect that the timing of the buses will improve over the next week.
Afternoon Student Pickup
Afternoon pickup of students in the school's new front driveway went much more quickly on Friday afternoon and we anticipate that it will continue to improve as we get more practice with the new process. To make it easier to quickly identify which student(s) need to be called for each vehicle, we're going to be sending home "signs" for families to place in their vehicle's front window when they pull into the driveway that identify the name and grade level of the student(s) that are being picked up. This will help staff call students more quickly and keep the line of vehicles flowing.
Reminder, Nut Free School this Year
Just a quick reminder that all three elementary schools are nut free schools this school year. Please do not send your child to school with snacks or lunches that contain nuts. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping all of our students safe!
Returning Chromebooks
If your student still has a school Chromebook at home, please return it as soon as possible. The district technology team is working to inventory, repair, and prepare all of the student Chromebooks for use for this school year. We need to have all school owned Chromebooks returned as part of this process.
Student Picture Day
School Picture Day is coming! Our School Picture Day is scheduled for Monday, September 20th. Lifetouch, our school's student photo vendor, is sending us packets to send home with students this week. Like last year, families will have an opportunity to view and order their child's school pictures online without needing to fill out paperwork. We will share additional information once we receive the packets from Lifetouch.
PTA Meeting, Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
The first PTA General Meeting of the school year is being held this Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. We are not yet sure if the meeting will be able to held in-person at the school due to construction continuing each evening. Details about whether the meeting will be in-person, virtual, or a hybrid will be sent out to all OCRS families as soon as we have confirmed with the district and the construction project manager.
5th Grade PTA Car Wash
The PTA 5th Grade Committee is hosting a Car Wash this Saturday, 9/18 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Let It Grow (The Jungle Building), 239 Putnam Pike, Johnston, RI 02919. The Rain Date is Sunday, 9/19 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please come out and have your car washed to support our 5th graders!
Greenville Cub Scouts
The Greenville Cub Scout Pack is having an Open House later this month. This event is open to all children in grades K-5. Please see the attached flyer for additional information.
Upcoming Dates and Events
View and subscribe to the OCRS Public Events Calendar at https://oldcounty.smithfield-ps.org/o/old-county-road-elementary/page/monthly-calendar. Clicking on the "Add to Google Calendar" to subscribe to the calendar on your own calendar app.
Kindergarten Screening, September 9th, 10th and 13th (by appointment)
1st Day of School for Kindergarten Students, Tuesday September 14th
OCRS PTA General Membership Meeting, Wednesday September 15th at 7:00 p.m.
School Pictures, Monday September 20th
Open House (TENTATIVE), Thursday September 23rd from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Thank you to all OCRS families for your cooperation and support in making the first two days of school successful for our students. The school construction projects and the continuation of COVID-19 protocols made the opening of school especially challenging for everyone this year. Everyone's flexibility and positive attitude was a huge help in getting off to a great start!
Sincerely,
Mr. Barrette