Originally delivered on 2/24/2025 6:00 am

SUBJECT: OHS Weekly Flash | Sweetheart Dance is Saturday, today's the last day to buy tickets

Weekly Flash

February 24, 2025

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

  • Updates from Principal Smyth 
  • It's the last day to buy tickets for Saturday's Sweetheart Dance! Treat donations and first session volunteers needed
  • Last week of Otters Read Together - hand in your trivia by Friday
  • Reading Celebration Week is May 3-7  - send us photos of your readers
  • Save your books for the OHS Book Swap - volunteers needed
  • Announcing our new slate of After School Activities - register next week
  • Board of Education Town Hall meeting Tuesday
  • OHS Culture Committee presents Black History Month trivia
  • Drop off your recyclable cans and bottles for our 5th grade service project
  • Nominate our OHS teachers and staff for a CT PTA award
  • Friday is Spirit Day
  • Thanks for joining the OHS community at R1DE and the Islanders game
Coming Soon
  • February 24 - Last day to buy Sweetheart Dance tickets
  • February 25  - Board of Education town hall meeting, 7pm
  • February 28 - Spirit Day (shop spirit wear here)
  • February 28 - Deadline for Otters Read Together Trivia, Reading Appreciation Week Photos
  • March 1 - Black History Month trivia due
  • March 1 - Sweetheart Dance: K-2 4:30-6:15pm / Gr 3-5 7:15-9pm
Looking Ahead
  • March 3-7 - Reading Celebration Week
  • March 3 - After School Activities registration opens
  • March 4 - Early Dismissal, 1:40pm (Staff PD)
  • March 7 - Book Swap
  • March 18 - Early Dismissal, 1:40pm (Conferences)
  • March 20 - Early Dismissal, 1:40pm (Conferences)
  • March 21 - Team Teddy St. Baldrick's Fundraiser, 5:30-8pm
  • March 25 - STEAM Night, 6:30-8pm (Grades 2-5)
  • March 31 - NO SCHOOL (Eid Al-Fitr)
  • April 1 - Early Dismissal, 1:40pm (Staff PD)
  • April 3 - Parent Social at Boca Grille at H. Smith Richardson, 7-9pm

**Follow us on OHS Families Facebook & OHS_Families Instagram to stay in the know, and check out our OHS PTA website!**

Dear OHS Families,



I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!


Our 5th graders really enjoyed the K-9 presentation by the Fairfield Police Department this past Thursday. The K-9 officers taught the students all about police dogs, from how they are chosen as puppies, to how they are trained, to how they are used by the officers to keep us all safe. The dogs were beautiful German Shepherds, and they were so smart, amazingly well-trained, and very strong! I think everyone left that assembly wanting to go get a German Shepard!

Students and families who are participating in our community read of The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, please remember you should be finishing up the book this week, and your child must submit their trivia form by 2/28. Here is the link to the padlet.  If your child borrowed a book from the PTA, they should return it by the end of this week to the main office. If they borrowed one from the library, please have them return it to Ms. Kosh.


A couple of notices/reminders:

  • Please see this notice about a program offering for parents of special education students interested in learning about life after high school. 

  • Please make sure you update your SDM daily with any dismissal changes, especially with all of the ASA’s happening right now. 


I hope you all have a terrific week ahead! Take care.


Sean F. Smyth, Principal

Last day to buy Sweetheart Dance tickets!

We'll see you Saturday at the Osborn Hill Sweetheart Dance! The dance is split into two sessions: Kindergarten - 2nd graders from 4:30-6:15, and 3rd-5th graders from 7:15-9pm. Every OHS student is invited to join the dance with one special adult (parent, caregiver, etc.). There will be a photobooth, craft area and games, hot chocolate bar and desserts, and of course, a DJ!


Today is the last day to purchase tickets! Don't miss out!

Dessert donations and volunteers needed

  • We still need cupcakes, cookies and other nut-free treats to fill our dessert table. Bonus points if they are star themed! Click here to sign up.
  • There are still some open spots for setup, cleanup, and during the first session of the dance. Volunteers will receive an extra photobooth voucher to 'jump to the head of the line." Click here to volunteer.


Any questions? Reach out to the Sweetheart Dance Committee (Rebecca Hasiotis, Eva Elinskas, Livia Gillespie, and Marcia Lyman). 

Last week of Otters Read Together

Believe it or not, this is the last week of "Otters Read Together"!  We hope you've been enjoying The One and Only Ivan!  

  • If you borrowed a book from the PTA to please return them to the Main Office - there will be a bin starting Tuesday when the challenge ends.  We need to collect ALL borrowed books back so that we can pass along to McKinley for their reading challenge! 
  • Don't forget to turn in any completed trivia to the Main Office by Friday so that your child can win a prize bag!

Thank you so much for your participation!


Any questions, reach out to Jen Ruwisch and Lauren Castaneda.

Reading Celebration Week coming soon - photos needed!

Get ready to celebrate all the things we love about reading! We have a week full of fun activities planned including multiple chances to win a $10 gift card for the Spring Book Fair!

Look for a packet coming home on Friday with three activities that kids can complete and return to school. Each completed activity = one ticket that enters students into the gift card drawing! Kids will also have a chance to earn tickets by donating books to the book swap. 


Send us photos of your readers

We are working on decorating the Reading Celebration bulletin board and we would love pictures of your kids reading or showing off their favorite book. You can send in prints or email a picture to cammie.liberty@gmail.com by Friday, 2/28 so that your child can be part of our display! 


Any questions please contact Megan Strater and Cammie Liberty. 

Book Swap volunteers needed

Book Swap prep is underway! The Book Swap is a fantastic event where students can bring in books that they're ready to pass along and then they will have the opportunity to shop for "new to them" books. On Friday, March 7th, all classes will visit the Book Swap during the school day. Each child will leave with new books to take home. We also invite the teachers to make selections to add to their classroom libraries and hope to restock the teachers' lounge with some good reads. 


We will be collecting book donations from 8:30-9:15am in the OHS lobby on Monday March 3, Tuesday March 4, and Wednesday March 5. Please bring books in boxes or bags, if possible. 

What books can I donate?

We are collecting school-aged children's, young adult and adult books. We are hoping to restock the teachers' lounge with some good books as well. Please minimize toddler and baby books though as we had a lot leftover last year that we donated.  Fan favorites are strongly encouraged such as any books Pokémon and Minecraft related, graphic novels, Babysitter Club, Magic Treehouse and other popular series books. All your donations are greatly appreciated!


Volunteers needed!

Our OHS community was so generous and we received thousands of books last year, so help sorting and organizing before the swap as well as some extra sets of hands on the day of the event are welcomed. Please click here to sign up!


Any questions? Contact Elena Cabrera, Julissa Pesok and Christina Mink.

Check out our new After School Activities! Register next week

Pokemon, yoga, ropes course, board games and MORE! We have something for everyone in our next slate of After School Activities. Registration opens next Monday, March 3 at 8pm.

Click here to see the class schedule

You'll be able to register for as many classes as you like from March 3rd at 8pm to March 5th at 8am.  If a class you chose does not meet the minimum registration requirements, you'll be given the chance to register for a different class between March 5th at 8pm - March 7th at 8am.


Any questions? Contact the After School Activities Committee 

Talk with the Board of Education at their Town Hall Meeting Tuesday
Celebrate Black History Month with our trivia activity

Fairfield Public Schools is recognizing and celebrating Black History Month in February. In celebration of Black History Month, the OHS Culture Committee is holding a trivia activity. Send a screenshot of your completed trivia to ohsculturecommittee@gmail.com by March 1 to receive a prize!


Questions? Contact the OHS Culture Committee

Download and print trivia HERE!
Drop off your cans and bottles for our 5th grade service project

We'll take those deposit cans and bottles off your hands! Our 5th graders will be redeeming the recyclables to raise funds for their service project.  The proceeds will be used to purchase materials to create fleece blankets for children in need. 


We'll have a box for your recyclables in the main hallway this week.  Too many cans to carry in? Contact Rachel Parrish to arrange a pickup or drop off.

Nominate our OHS teachers and staff for a CT PTA Award

The CT PTA is accepting nominations for outstanding educators which includes: principals, assistant principals, teachers, school counselors, social workers, paraprofessionals. Nominations are due March 14. All nominees must be an OHS PTA Member. 


You can find more information on how to nominate here. The nomination form is linked here.


To check if your nominee is a PTA member or for questions, please contact Melissa Miller.

Friday is Spirit Day

This Friday is Spirit Day! Break out your spiritwear or dress in green to show your OHS pride. Spirit Days are held the last Friday of each month.


Buy your spiritwear on our online store

Stock up for the next Spirit Day with our online spiritwear store. We've got sweatshirts, hoodies, PJ pants and more!

Click here for our OHS Spiritwear Shop

Thanks for joining us!

Thank you to those who joined our OHS night at R1DE spin studio last week. Special thanks to Diane Fields and Christine Rollo for organizing, and to R1DE for supporting OHS PTA fundraising efforts.

It was great to see so many OHS faces at the Bridgeport Islanders game Saturday. The OHS PTA raised over $600 through ticket sales. Thank you to all who bought and sold 50/50 tickets, we raised over $900 for our 5th Grade end-of-year activities. Thanks to all who attended, and to Kate Fierman for organizing the event.


Send us your Islanders game photos

Have any good photos of OHS friends at the Islanders game? Email them to ohsottersyearbook@gmail.com for a chance to be featured in the yearbook!

Have news to share? Email Jen Braunby 10am Friday
to include in the following Monday's OHS Weekly Flash.

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