November 22, 2021
Holiday Break
Just a reminder, our last day of school is tomorrow, Tuesday, November 23rd. There is no school on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday of this week as we observe Thanksgiving break. Classes will resume on Monday, November 29th.
Winter Sports
The winter sports season officially begins today! The Schedule of events for Nov. 22nd and Nov. 23rd is available on our website or social media platforms.
Sports Physicals, Paperwork & Pooled Testing - Updated
A student-athlete is required to have one physical on file per the 4 years in high school. This is a requirement to participate in sports at OTHS. If your student-athlete did not participate in fall, they will need to fill our Form A or green form located on our website or at the main office.
All students who wish to play a winter sport will need to be involved in pooled testing, this is going to be a requirement to participate in athletics at OTHS.
To be very clear regarding guidelines and protocols for the winter. We choose to remain hopeful that numbers will start to trend down, county colors change or case percentages drop, so we can move toward freeing up some of these restrictions to move back to “normalcy.” We would love to eventually see our student-athletes compete without masks at some point this season.
To sign up for Pool Testing:
To sign-up a minor child - here is the link:
https://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com/minor-consent/start
If you are 18 or older and sign up yourself:
https://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com/invite-by-code
Access Code: X67ZUZ (This is a code for OTHS only - each of the schools in RSU34 have their own code.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Parent/Teacher Conferences will be on Wednesday, December 1st from 3:30 pm to 8 pm. They will be done virtually. To sign up for conferences with your child’s teachers - click the link below. If you need help signing up for conferences, please contact the main office. 827-3910.
https://ptcfast.com/schools/Ol...
Early Morning
As colder weather and eventually snow approaches, we are looking at a plan to have students come into the building early - if they absolutely must be at school prior to the 8:10 time that we have been opening the building.
If your student walks or drives and does not NEED to be here prior to 8:10 in the morning, please have them arrive in the 8:10-8:25 am window. That is the period of time when the majority of our staff has arrived and we can most easily accommodate the supervision of our students in the hallways and in some classrooms.
Excusing Absences
Just a reminder that when you call your student absent, we do need a reason to excuse that absence. There are 5 approved reasons
Illness
Medical Appointments
Observance of Religious holiday
Family Emergency
Planned absences with prior approval (ie family trip)
Messages that are left without a reason will be counted as unexcused. Extended illness may require a doctor’s note to excuse.
Early College Classes
The area colleges have started their enrollment process for HS students to take classes. Please reach out to your school counselor for more information.
Winter Weather Alert
As the weather turns a bit cooler, RSU 34 Superintendent David Walker has posted his annual Winter Weather reminder. It has been posted on our social media platforms, but here is a link to the document. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E58ewz4rFRQzGDl2cc_fh7i5KaLrU0Jy/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104885765665245537503&rtpof=true&sd=true
Attendance/Automated Attendance Phone Calls - updated
We have started sending out automated calls for any student who has an unexcused absence during periods 1 or 2 that day. It serves as a reminder for students who are home sick, for parents to call in to excuse their absence but also notifies parents if a student has missed a class during periods 1 and/or period 2. The call will go out around 10:45 each morning. If you have any questions or need to excuse a student's absence, please contact Carrie Madden, at carrie.madden@rsu34.org or 827-3910 ext 2306.
Math help is back! - Updated
We have had several students ask about getting math help outside of school again. We will be running the Math Lab again on Wednesdays from 4 to 7. Students who would like help on their homework should send an email to MathHelp@hs.rsu34.k12.me.us . Help is available in person or virtually. Students should arrange a time before 3 PM on Wednesdays.
OTHS Yearbook
The 2022 OTHS Yearbook is now on sale!
The cost is $60.
To purchase: http://jostensyearbooks.com?ref=A03269000
Financial Aid Help for Senior families
Help is available for students and families completing the FAFSA. Meredith Lee can help walk you through all the parts of the FAFSA.
Before setting up an appointment make sure that you:
Have set up your FSA-ID. Students and parents need to have their own FSA-ID (https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm?appid=HRSA_BMISS_PRD)
Have access to tax return from 2020. (Meredith can assist if needed)
To set up an appointment with Meredith - reach out to the guidance office at the high school. 827-3910 x2114 or email sue.stlouis@rsu34.org . Meredith has evening appointments available as well as some day time ones.
Masking Update and Expectations
The RSU 34 School Board is requiring all staff and students to wear a mask while in school until further notice. To maintain the safety of all school personnel, students, and our community, we ask that students wear masks to school, wear masks appropriately (over the mouth and nose) while attending school, and respect the expectation that has been asked of us as a school community. OTHS administration has put in place a three-strike system to support the expectation of proper mask-wearing: 1 - conversation and a reminder to the student 2 - conversation and call home to the parent/guardian to reinforce the expectation 3 - Administration Dismissal for improper mask-wearing. We are in this together and the best way to move in a direction that does not require masks or whole-school shut down is to practice responsible mask-wearing.
Update - our students are doing an incredible job with this request! Thank you so much for your support!
If you have any questions, please reach out to us.
Thank you for all of your support.
We are doing the best that we can for our kids!
Scott Gordon
Amy Ketch
Jeremy Bousquet