Originally delivered on 12/2/2024 6:00 am

SUBJECT: OHS Weekly Flash | Variety Show Tickets on sale this week

Weekly Flash

December 2, 2024

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

  • Updates from Principal Smyth 
  • Variety Show tickets on sale now for performer's families, Wednesday for non-performers
  • PTA meeting next Friday
  • Author Chris Grabenstein to visit grades 4-5 in January
  • Holiday shopping? Find teacher favorite things on our website
  • Have an incoming kindergartener? Let Mrs. Budlowski know!
  • Submissions for the Reflections Art Contest due Friday
  • Pumpkin composting bin at OHS through December 6
  • Thanks for your support at the Turkey Trot, send Yearbook your photos
This Week
  • December 2 - Variety Show ticket sales begin (Round 1 - performers' families only)
  • December 3 -Early Dismissal, 1:40pm
  • December 4 - Variety Show ticket sales Round 2 (non-performers)
  • December 6 - Reflections submissions due
Looking Ahead
  • December 13 - PTA meeting, 9:15am
  • December 21 - January 1 - NO SCHOOL

**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 you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed the long weekend!


Thank you to all of the parents, and to Mr. Marko, for organizing and running a tremendous Turkey Trot! It was such a fun day, and what a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving at school, and to recognize the community efforts to help those in need this holiday. 


We have another opportunity to help Osborn Hill families for Christmas through our Holiday Gift Card Drive. I sent out a Parent Square last week, but in case you missed it, here is the letter with more details. We appreciate your support.


A couple of important reminders for this week:

  • Tomorrow, 12/3 is an early dismissal day. Students will be dismissed at 1:40 pm.

  • We are collecting unwrapped toys through the Fairfield Public Schools Maintenance and Custodial Toy drive through December 16th. The toys will be donated to local and state charities to provide gifts for those in need. The collection box is located in our lobby.

  • We will be doing a lockdown drill this week. Please reassure your children that all drills are practiced to keep them safe, and they should be silent during drills and listen closely to their teachers' directions

  • Please make sure you update your SDM with any dismissal changes.


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


Sean F. Smyth, Principal

Variety Show tickets on sale!

Variety Show tickets are now for sale! Tickets are $18 each (which includes credit card processing and transaction fees) and will be available to purchase in three rounds. In this first round, families of performers can purchase up to four tickets. Don't worry - we can guarantee we will not sell out in this round!


It is important to purchase your tickets in the correct phase.  We will not honor - or have the ability to refund - tickets purchased out of turn or in excess quantities.

Purchase Tickets HERE

Tickets will be sold in three rounds:

Round 1: Open NOW -Tuesday Families with a performer in the show can buy up to 4 tickets in Round 1. This includes stage crew, narrators and students just in the fifth grade finale. Performers do not need a ticket but all chaperones (even if they are sitting with the groups) need a ticket. There will be no comped tickets this year. If you were hoping for more than 4 tickets, don’t worry! We are hopeful that there will be a Round 3. 


Round 2: Wednesday 12/4-12/5 - Families without a performer in the show can buy up to 3 tickets. This round is specifically for our OHS students and chaperones who are not in the show but want to go and cheer on their friends. As this is a school-wide event, we want to make sure any otter interested in attending can get a ticket. You can purchase these tickets using the same link above - don't worry, we'll send a reminder when Round 2 opens Wednesday!


Probable Round 3: Monday 12/9 - If there are enough tickets left for a Round 3, it will be open to everyone. Restrictions may apply and will be detailed after Round 2 is over. 


If you have a problem purchasing tickets in Round 1 please do not stress, just contact the Variety Show Committee. There is no way we will sell out in Round 1. The main reason we moved to the Klein was to increase our audience capacity. We have plenty of tickets and we are confident that everyone that wants to attend will be able to purchase tickets during Rounds 1 and 2.  


Ticket FAQ's:

  • Tickets are non-refundable, but they are transferable. In order to transfer, ticket holders will need to coordinate on their own and give the hard copy tickets that they receive at the dress rehearsal to the recipient.
  • There are only 4 tickets allowed per performer family in the first round. If you attempt to buy more in the first round, or if you attempt to purchase any in round 2, there is a chance you will not be able to use them and we will not be able to reimburse you.
  • If your child is not in the show, please DO NOT purchase tickets in Round 1. We will not be able to reimburse you and your tickets will be invalid. You will need to purchase tickets again in Round 2.
  • Every single person that comes to the show needs a ticket. Due to fire codes there is absolutely no lap sitting. 
  • Strollers will need to be left in the lobby. 
  • Please do not think it will go unnoticed if you buy more than your allottment per family or if you try to purchase during the wrong round. We watch and account for every single ticket and you will be contacted.


Any other questions? Contact the Variety Show Committee.

PTA meeting next Friday

Our December PTA meeting will be held next Friday, December 13 at 9:15am in the APR. We'd love to see you there!

Author Chris Grabenstein to visit grades 4-5

The award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of over five dozen fast-paced and fun books for kids Chris Grabenstein is visiting Grades 4 and 5 on January 21st. Keep an eye out for book order forms in your child’s backpack.  

Find teacher favorites on our website

Trying to guess which restaurant in town is your teacher's favorite? Do they prefer Starbucks or Dunkin'?  Candy or candles? 'Tis the season for tough questions... but you can find the answers to all of these and more on our OHS PTA website!  


We've done the leg work for you and surveyed OHS teachers and staff for their favorite things. You can find them by selecting "Staff Favorites" under the School Info tab, or by clicking here.


A reminder - a portion of the funds collected by room parents at the beginning of the year are budgeted for a class holiday gift for the homeroom teacher.  Room parents will be in touch about this later this month.

Do you have an incoming kindergartener?

The office is compiling an email list of incoming KDG students for the Fall of 2025.  Please email school secretary Theresa Budlowski with your future KDG student’s first and last name, date of birth and the preschool they attend so they can be added to the list to receive future information about registration, etc. 

Last Call! Deadline Friday
Reflections Art Competition submissions due Friday

Calling all artists - submissions for the National PTA's Reflections Art Competition are due this Friday, December 6. Students are invited to create art under the theme "Accepting Imperfection" in the categories of visual arts, photography, music composition, film production, dance choreography, and literature.


OHS winners from grades K-2 and 3-5 will be chosen from EACH of the 6 categories, and move on to the State level. We will have prizes for the first, second and third place winners in each category!

How to enter the competition


Questions? Contact Tanya Dunne

Compost your pumpkins by Friday

The OHS Green Team's pumpkin compost bin is in place until Friday. You can dump your unpainted pumpkins and hay bales in the dumpster by the entrance to the upper loop, in the first spot facing Stillson Road.

Thank you for your support at the Turkey Trot

We are grateful for the support of our OHS community at this year's Turkey Trot.  Thank you to all the parents who cheered the kids on, to those who volunteered to man the checkpoints and dress as Ozzie, and to Courtney Cataldo, Kate Fierman, Morgan Marcinek and Mr. Marko for your leadership. We are so thankful for our family of friends!

Send your Turkey Trot photos to Yearbook

If you have any good photos of kids posing after their run, please email them to the Yearbook Committee at ohsottersyearbook@gmail.com. Please include the names and classes of the kids pictured if you know them. Keep us in mind for photos of school events throughout the year!

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

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