Logo - Maroon back ground, says Community Flash in White

OPS Community Flash - Week of October 11, 2026

Mrs. Hawley, Principal

October 10, 2026

Life is a Journey: Every Step Matters

Tuesday: C Day

PTA MANDATORY HARRASSMENT, INTIMIDATION & BULLYING TRAINING: All family members who volunteer at OPS more than one time per year are required to complete training on New Jersey's Harassment, Intimidation & Bullying (HIB) Law every seven years. This applies to all volunteer roles, including pizza lunch helpers, book club leaders, class parents, and other school activities. Please RSVP HERE.

GOT JUNK? WE WANT IT!The STEAM Lab is collecting materials for our Second Grade Engineering Project: “LET’S BUILD A TOY!”  Our young engineers will be using everyday materials to design, build, test, and create their own toys!

We are looking for:

  • Small broken or unwanted toys

  • Fabric scraps

  • Small cardboard boxes

  • Bottle caps

  • Craft materials

  • Other clean, child-safe odds and ends that students can repurpose

Please no toilet paper rolls. Before you toss those little odds and ends in the trash, consider sending them to the STEAM Lab! Your “junk” could become part of a brand-new invention created by one of our second grade engineers. 💡

OCTOBER NURSE’S NOOK: It is sometimes difficult to determine if a child really needs to stay home and miss school. Please use these guidelines from the district doctor:

  • Vomiting or diarrhea: Your child must be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

  • Fever of 100°F or higher: Keep your child home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

  • Sore throat with fever and/or vomiting: Consider consulting your pediatrician. Students who test positive for strep must stay home until they have taken antibiotics for 24 hours.

  • Eye discharge or crusting: Please consult your pediatrician. Students should be discharge-free before returning to school.

  • Cold or other illness: If your child cannot comfortably focus in class or may disturb or infect others, a day of rest at home may help them recover.

OCTOBER COUNSELORS’ CORNER: October can be a ghastly month! That's why we're asking students to think about how they can use kindness to lift all spirits! After completing an act of kindness, your child can complete a ghost detailing how they showed their spirit of kindness, and how they think that made the other person feel. This simple activity helps students recognize that the small acts they do can have a big impact on the school community. It also helps foster empathy when they try to name how the other person felt. There's no limit to the number of ghosts your child can complete, so let's turn ghastly to great with our spirit of kindness!

HALLOWEEN: Please go HERE for information about Halloween at OPS. All families must complete the lunch plans form HERE by 10/23 so we can plan accordingly. As a reminder, students may not come to school in costume in the morning. Please review the Halloween information carefully for details about costumes, lunch, and the day’s activities.

SCHOOL ABSENCES: Please note that attendance is recorded as either a full day present or a full day absent. There are no half days for attendance purposes. To be marked present, a student must attend school for at least four hours, not including lunch and recess.

GOAL SETTING CONFERENCES & CHILD CARE: Goal Setting Conferences will take place this week. We’re happy to share that childcare will be available in the library during both daytime and evening conferences.

📅 Upcoming Dates

  • 10/12: No School; Goal-Setting Conferences

  • 10/14: Board of Education Meeting, 7:30 PM, Auditorium

  • 10/16: Spirit Day: Wear Maroon & Gold

  • 10/28: PTA Jack-o-Lantern Event

  • 10:28: Board of Education Meeting, 7:30 PM, Auditorium

📅 Days of Interest

  • 10/12: Columbus Day

School Notices

Community Notices