OAS Family News 10/17/25

• Food/Candy for Celebrations  - with our annual costume parade at the end of the month,, just a reminder that MPS Elementary schools have a “no food” policy in accordance to the MPS Student Handbook.  This policy keeps students safe due to allergy concerns. This includes candy and other food treats. Any candy sent to school will be returned home and not distributed. 

• International night - Book Your Flight to International Night! Sign up to attend using this form. Register today so that your student will receive a special souvenir boarding pass! To host a country table at International Night, use this form by October 20. If you have questions or want to volunteer, you can email Mrs. Lennon mlennon@milforded.org.

• Veterans Day - As Veterans Day approaches, we are excited to celebrate our veterans. Orange Avenue wants to invite veterans of all backgrounds into our school.  If you are a veteran or know anyone (family member, neighbor, friend, etc) that would be able to come into our school to visit a student’s classroom, please let us know. To be more flexible we are asking that you sign up using the Google Form  We will then have the classroom teacher reach out to coordinate times that work best for their classroom.

• MPS 2030 - Still two opportunities to join us for an MPS Vision 2030 session to share your input on 5-year goals — Oct. 22 at West Shore, and Oct. 28 at Foran (7 p.m.). More info and registration can be found here.

• Practice Drill - Conducting emergency drills (fire, crisis, lockdown, etc.) is one of the most important ways we enhance our preparedness for students and staff during an emergency. Drills allow us to practice what we need to do when an emergency arises in our school. Orange Avenue School will be conducting a practice fire drill next week, weather dependent. This will only be a drill and will be conducted in accordance with the School Incident Management Protocols established by the district and in collaboration with our local first responders.  Please discuss the importance of our emergency drills with your children.  If you have any feedback please reach out to me.  We thank you for your cooperation and partnership in making our schools a safer place for learning.

• New Progress Report- Coming in December.  Our updated K-5 progress report (report card) helps families see how students are growing as learners across all subjects.  Because the new progress report indicators reflect end-of-year learning goals, it will be completely normal for students to still be “progressing” throughout the year as they continue building skills and confidence.  The caregiver guide can be found here.

• Picture Day on October 23rd - Prepay is available now until November 6th. Package options, family discounts, and ordering information can be found here.

• Trunk or Treat 2025 is on Saturday, October 25 from 4-6!

Please Click Here to rsvp to attend this event, and also to volunteer to decorate your trunk! Don’t miss this fun event for the family! (Rain date will be Friday Oct. 24 5:30-7)

• After School Programs:

  • Peace, Love, Crafts - All grade levels welcome! 6 weeks of fun for $150 . Tuesdays after school until 5:00  starting 11/11, 11/18, 11/25, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16 Email Nicki to join! Peacelovecrafts1155@gmail.com Check it out on Instagram @peace.lovecrafts

  • Room17 Math presents, Fluency Fun with Friends Afterschool Program 5 Weeks of fun fluency building games, and engaging investigations! Thursdays afterschool until 4:45, 11/13, 11/20, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18 Click here to sign up today!

  • NOVUS-Join the Novus after school STEM club hosted at Orange Ave. Our weekly themed STEM clubs are crafted for elementary school children, igniting curiosity and tailoring learning to each students unique needs. Dive into hands-on experiences that blend education with excitement—where learning is an adventure and fun is part of the equation!

    • K-1st Grade STEM Challenges with Miss.Spears

    • 2nd -5th Grade Technology STEM Adventures with Mrs. Rogers

    • Check out the Novus Website for more details! 11/10-12/15

    • Click here to sign up!

  • The OAS Elementary After-School Chess Program returns on Nov. 7 - Developed by Chess Olympiad participant David Dawson and his wife Julianna from The Dawson Chess Academy, this program teaches children how to play chess while nurturing focus, problem-solving, and confidence. Kids will enjoy making new friends, strengthening old friendships, discovering the joy of chess — and realizing that they can do hard things! This fall, with enough participants, we’ll introduce something special: a US Chess Federation rated chess tournament — giving students their first taste of official competition, complete with Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals. Secure your spot now, because space is limited! Click here to register: by November 4 https://thedawsonchessacademy.com/oas-after-school-chess-program

    •  Have a question? Need to make different financial arrangements? 

    • Call or text code OAS to: Julianna Dawson at The Dawson Chess Academy at 203-489-2502

• Interested in volunteering in the Media Center? Miss Candido is looking for some volunteers to help check out books, assist younger children etc. Email us at ptaorangeavenue@gmail.com or CLICK HERE to sign up!

• Want to become a PTA Member? Support your school with no strings attached!

• Click the link and sign up!

• Want to keep up to date on OAS PTA?

• Follow us on Facebook and Check us out on Instagram @OAS PTA

• Next PTA Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 6:00 in the OAS media center