​Good afternoon Oak Bluffs Families,

Although it has been a short week, it has been a busy and successful one. We had a wonderful Community Meeting today during which the first grade led us through an exploration of sound and its relationship to their science curriculum.  These students are clearly engaged in developing their further understandings of the science standards and curriculum. They may be young, but their enthusiastic engagement is inspiring for they are our future scientists.  Also, this week we were incredibly fortunate to witness the 8th graders perform in the Poetry Cafe. This performance is a culmination activity in which the 8th graders completed their poetry anthologies. This project involved students analyzing, developing deeper understandings, critiquing, and responding to poetry. It was wonderful to hear some of their responses that were so heartfelt and filled with emotion. These responses were a true connection to the literature. We are delighted that a group of these 8th graders will be sharing their poetry in our next community meeting on March 4th.  If you have the opportunity please come and be part of this emotional connectivity to poetry.  Additionally, this week we had a visit from John Fiorito (High School Counselor) to discuss the 8th graders High School transition this Spring.  His animated rendition of the life a freshman was reassuring, comical, and insightful. We are looking forward to assisting our students through this transition.

I hope you all have a happy, healthy, and fun filled winter recess and we look forward to hearing about it.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO THIS FEBRUARY VACATION?

Are you looking forward to school vacation week? We sure are—with new programing to offer to those who will be on island during vacation week!
At Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, kids will have fun, learn and make friends through nature play and outdoor exploration. But most of all, enjoy learning from our enthusiastic, friendly, and knowledgeable staff.
Some fun things to expect will be learning to identify animal tracks on our own tracking adventure, games of all kinds, shelter building, creature crafts, live animals and much more!
Sign up today and discover how island animals survive the season, and experience the fun to be had on the island in winter!
Register now online for one or all three days: http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/program-catalog  for children in kindergarten-5th grade.  
We will offer three days of fun and learning February 23-25, 2016.  Cost for members will be $60/day and for nonmembers $75/day. Don’t Wait! Spaces fill up quickly. Registration can be completed online,  http://www.massaudubon.org/getoutdoors/program-catalog,or by phone. 508.627.4850 We look forward to seeing you and your family this February vacation week!
Mass Audubon's Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
PO Box 494
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
tel: 508-627-4850  fax: 508-627-6052


www.massaudubon.org/felixneck

Dear OB Families,
       I hope you all fared the storm well and enjoyed yourself through it.  I know it was wonderful for the children to have a snow day. The excitement was felt here at school by students and teachers. The additional excitement that permeated the air today centered around our Valentine's celebration and the Kindergarten's presentation of the 100th day. It is such a pleasure to be part of a community of educators and learners that are enthusiastic not only about their academics but about the community events that take place in our building daily. 
    It was wonderful to witness the Kindergarten lead our community meeting as they celebrated and shared their representation of the number 100. Additionally, I have been impressed by the student involvement and dedication towards the gathering of food for the food pantry; an astounding 1,138 items were collected!  Every grade level participated in gathering food to help our community members in need. This type of community dedication and service to others is the intersection of values and actions that we want to instill in our students. I'd like to send out a big "Spotlight OB" shoutout to all involved in donating food.  
    Also, during community meeting today I had the opportunity to give another big " OB Spotlight" shoutout" to the entire seventh grade. Last week I was fortunate enough to accompany the seventh grade on their ski trip.  While on the mountain I was stopped by one of the ski instructors who asked me if I knew "who was in charge of this young group of skiers."  She proceeded to tell me how impressed she was by our students behavior.  She stated that this group of students were the best behaved, most respectful, and the most helpful and kind group she has encountered in a long time.  That was a "Proud to Be from OB" moment for me.  Therefore, I have to "Shout Out" to these amazing students for displaying the habits of goodness, habits of kindness, and habits of citizenship that we are dedicated to nurture and celebrate here at the Oak Bluffs School. A big "OB School Shoutout" goes to all the educators, families,  and community members who are responsible for developing the character that has been instilled in these students. Take time over the long weekend to celebrate your contribution to positive growth of our young people. 
Be sure to stay warm throughout this cold weather we will experience this weekend.
Respectfully, 
Dr. Megan Farrell
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Thirteen classroom champion spellers from grades 4 through 8 took the stage on Thursday to compete in the 2016 Oak Bluffs School Spelling Bee. By round 10, the field of spellers had been reduced to just four spellers who challenged each other through the next six rounds until just Hannah Murphy (5th grade) and Alex Turner (4th grade) remained in the competition. 

​In the end, pathogen tripped up Hannah, who also competed last year and Alex correctly spelled territory to move her to the championship round. Alex then tackled the word cylindrical to take this year's spelling bee championship. 

The fourth grade class will support Alex at the Island-Wide Spelling Bee Friday, March 25 at the MVRHS Performing Arts Center.
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Congratulations to all of this year's spellers: Lily Tewhey, Ruby Eliot, Asaph and Jehoshphat Nunes, Jack deBettencourt, Alex Turner, Joey Cywinski, Hannah Murphy, Becket Wadleigh, Riley and Luke Yuhas, Klara Reiman and Jared Regan!