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Cinderella
Presented by the Middle School Drama Club
March 19, 2010 at 7 PM
March 20, 2010 at 2 PM & 7 PM
Tickets for all three performances
of Cinderella are available online. Click
here to order your tickets:
ShowTix4u.com Select
"New York" from the map that will pop up,
then click on "O'Rourke M.S Drama Club." |
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 Welcome to Mr.
Edward Carangelo
The district has hired Mr. Ed Carangelo to fill the
vacated position of Dean of Students for the remainder of the school year. Mr. Carangelo
was the former Principal of Niskayuna High School
and brings exceptional experience to our school. We
are proud to have an administrator of his caliber
step in and provide for a seamless transition for our
students. |
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Interim Report
Cards - March 11, 2010
Interim Report Cards will be sent
home with students on March 11, 2010 |
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Rec Night -
Friday, March 12 from 7 - 9 PM
6th
Graders are invited to the FINAL Rec Night of the
6th Grade year, on Friday, March 12th from 7:00 -
9:00pm at the Middle School. The theme is "Go
Green." Wear some green and earn the chance to
enter an extra drawing. Lots of great prizes.
Cost is $2.00. Pizza, candy & soda will be
available for a small cost. See your friends and
maybe that lucky leprechaun on Friday, March 12th!
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 New
Assistant Principal
We are
pleased to announce that Mrs. Nancy Pearse has
been appointed by the Board of Education to the
position of Assistant Principal at O'Rourke Middle
School.
Congratulations, Mrs. Pearse! |
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O'Rourke Students
Make "Help for Haiti" Happen!
Over 200 Middle School students got together to make
maroon and white lapel pins as part of our Help
for Haiti campaign. The sale of the
ribbons to students and staff raised over
$1,200 which will be sent to the American Red
Cross Fund for Haiti.
Thank you at all who participated
but especially to the students who showed that they
care!
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Souper Bowl
Soup Drive!
The National Junior Honor Society's
Souper Bowl Soup Drive, held the week before the
Super Bowl collected 192 cans of soup, vegetables
and fruit. Students placed their donations in
barrels outside the cafeteria. These cans will
be given to the Schenectady City Mission.
Thanks again to O'Rourke's caring students adn
staff.
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PTA February
2010 Newsletter -
Link |
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School
Regulations regarding the attendance of Middle
School Students at Sporting Events
Along
with the privilege of participating in an athletic
contest, either as a spectator or player, comes the
responsibility to exhibit exemplary conduct, spirit
and sportsmanship. Please review these
specific policies regarding the attendance of Middle
School students at sporting events.
Link
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High School Orientation Resources
As part of
the Crossing Over Route 50 Program of preparing 8th
Graders for the transition to High School the
following resources are available from the Middle
School and High School Guidance Counselors.
8th Grade Parent Orientation Brochure Handout
Power Point Presentation for 8th Grade Parents
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 SPELLING
BEE
The annual Spelling Bee at O'Rourke Middle School
was held on December 8th with many excellent
contestants. The top three will go on the next
level of competition. Congratulations to:
First Place -
Ashley LaMere
(8th grade) also a winner when she was in 7th grade
Second Place
- Justin Emerick
(6th grade)|
Third Place
- Nathanial Coffey
(7th grade)
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New York State
Middle School Exam Schedule
English
Language Arts for Grade 6 - 8 -
April 26 - 28, 2009
Math
for Grades 6 - 8 - May 5 - 7, 2009
Science Performance for Grade 8 -
May 26 - 27, 2009
Science Written for Grade 8 - June 7,
2009
Social Studies for Grade 8 - June
14 - 15, 2009
Middle School Final Exams are scheduled for
Thursday, June 17, 2009 through Wednesday, June 23,
2009.
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2009 8th Grade Community
Service Day
“This was great—definitely put us down for next
year. The kids were wonderful; please thank them
again!”
“The students were very well behaved and helpful
in
the classrooms. Thank you for visiting our program.
We hope to see you again next year.”
"Great job on all fronts! What a wonderful
experience! We couldn’t have asked for more
enthusiastic and hardworking students. Thanks to
their excellent teamwork and their chaperone’s
organizational skills, we filled more than 85 food
bags to go to needy families, and helped to load 5
food delivery cars. We were impressed and deeply
grateful for the help. Thank you!” 
These are a few of the reviews coming from volunteer
sites visited on the 8th grade Community
Service Day, held on November 24. In its 15th
year, this activity, coordinated by Mrs. Joyce
Brown, FACS teacher, and Mrs. Marge Rizzo, school
librarian, was given a Promising
Practice
Award last year by the Character Education
Partnership.
All
8th graders participated in Community
Service
Day. More than 200 were transported by school bus to
volunteer at 27 sites, including day care
centers, nursing homes,
shelters, soup kitchens and community agencies.
About 50 students worked at school on blankets,
scarves, craft kits, and tote bags to benefit
Bethesda House, Ronald McDonald House,
 and
the Children’s Hospital at Albany Med. All students
learned about their agency’s work before they went
and reflected on the benefits to the agency and
themselves upon their return. The posters they created
summarizing these reflections are hung on the walls
near the cafeteria.
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Winter
Calendar at O'Rourke
Jan 14 - 8th Grade Parent High School Orientation at
the High School
Jan 18 - NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Holiday
Jan 20 - Principal's Tea - 9 AM
Jan 27 - Drama Club Trip to NYC
Jan 29 - 7 & 8 Dance, 7 - 9 PM
Feb 3 - 2nd Quarter Report Cards issued (More
info)
Feb 9 - Student of the Month Luncheon
Feb 15 - 19 - Winter Break - NO SCHOOL
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PTA
Reflections Winners Announced
The National PTA
developed the
Reflections program in 1969 to interest children,
parents, teachers and communities in the arts.
This year's contest theme is "Beauty is..." Students
at O'Rourke Middle School created a piece of art
work, took a photograph, wrote a story or song,
and/or created a dance or film about the theme.
Following is a list of students whose work was
chosen as the most outstanding at O'Rourke, and will
be judged at the Regional Level. Also listed are the
students who earned honorable mention status for
their work.
Dance Choreography:
Jordan
Casey
Literature:
Stephanie Messina, Marley Currin
Photography:
Morgan Hussey, Nick Sinnenberg,
Emily Zatt
Visual Arts:
Erin Sausville, Shelby Kislowski,
Kelly Lavoy
Honorable Mention:
Erin Billings, Anna
Foster, Nick Sinnenberg, Kristian Cerrone, Chris
Litwa, Natalie Albright, Steven Spiewak
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Absentee Call-in
procedure
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Parents: Please remember to call the
school Attendance Office at 399-9141, ext. 4002 to let us know whenever
your child will be absent from school due to illness or another reason.
When you call to say your child will be absent due
to illness, please briefly share your child's symptoms. Please indicate if your
child has: |
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● Fever |
● Nausea / vomiting |
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● Sore throat |
● Muscle aches |
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● Chills / shivering |
● Runny / stuffy nose |
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● Cough |
● Been diagnosed with flu by a doctor |
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Homework Request Policy
A reminder to parents of the
policy for requesting homework that is found on page
7 of the O'Rourke Middle School Student Agenda and
Handbook:
Homework can be requested when a
student is absent 3 consecutive days by calling the
main office where work will be collected and can be
picked up. If you need texts or supplies from
your child's locker, please come to the school at
the end of the day as lockers are inside classrooms
(please be sure to have your child's locker number
and combination with you).
In the meantime... please
check teacher websites, or call a study buddy to
find out what assignments have been given. |
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National
Junior Honor Society Induction
Ninety-six
eighth graders were inducted into the O'Rourke
Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society on
October 5. Students qualified by their academic
record and by performing at least 30 hours of
community service this summer. In fact, a total of
4,498 hours were volunteered by these students who
offered their time at many sites, including the
YMCA, soup kitchens, nursing homes, and the
district's summer elementary programs.
The ceremony included a candle lighting service, which was
presided over by officers of last year's Honor
Society. Mr. Germain, as well as Honor Society
advisors, Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Rizzo, spoke during
the program. |
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Interim
Reports and Report Cards
Just a
reminder that beginning last year, in order to save
the costs of mailing, all interim reports, as well
as report cards, will be sent home with students and
not mailed. To help parents know when to look
for these reports, below is a list of dates that
interim reports and report cards will be issued
Friday, October 16 - 5 week
Interim Report
Wednesday, November 18 -
1st Quarter Report Card
Tuesday, December 22 -
15 Week Interim Report
Wed., February 3 -
2nd Quarter Report Card
Thursday, March 11 -
25 Week Interim Report
Tuesday, April 20 -
3rd Quarter Report Card
The year end final report
card, will be mailed home on Tuesday, June 29, 2010
and is the only report that will be mailed.
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Tools for
School O'Rourke Middle School Code - 15715
If
you already shop at Price Chopper and have an
Advantage Card please consider signing up for
Tools for School!
Each purchase you make
will help us earn points toward free merchandise
such as school supplies and sports equipment.
It's easy and anyone you know can sign up to have
their points assigned to O'Rourke. Sign up at
www.pricechopper.com, the customer service
counter at your local Price Chopper, or call the
main office of the middle school for help (399-9141,
ext. 4000). Thanks
for you help and don't forget, ANYONE can sign up...
ask grandma, your aunts, uncles and neighbors to
sign up using the
O'Rourke Middle School code, 15715,
and help us earn free equipment.
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New York State
Middle School Exam Schedule
English
Language Arts for Grade 6 - 8 -
April 26 - 28, 2009
Math
for Grades 6 - 8 - May 5 - 7, 2009
Science Performance for Grade 8 -
May 26 - 27, 2009
Science Written for Grade 8 - June 7,
2009
Social Studies for Grade 8 - June
14 - 15, 2009
Middle School Final Exams are scheduled for
Thursday, June 17, 2009 through Wednesday, June 23,
2009. |
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Revised Summer
School Grading Policy
Effective
immediately, the O'Rourke Middle School Building Council
and Cabinet have enacted a new summer school grading
policy with the intent of aligning our practices with
those of the High School, while applying more academic
rigor and relevance for our students.
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Students who are required to attend summer school
based on our summer school placement criteria (see
"Promotion Policy" on page 23 of the
Student Handbook)
enacted in September 2005 will be evaluated for progress
during summer school utilizing the following grading
calculation:
Final Grade Calculation for Summer School Students:
2/5 = Summer School Average
2/5 = Two Highest Quarterly Averages from the School
Year
1/5 = Summer School Final Assessment
Please note: Advancement is contingent on
compliance with summer school attendance and behavioral
requirements and is at the discretion of the building
principal.
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Safety measure:
Middle & Elementary School pupils must attend sports
events with an adult The first
home football game "under the lights" this season is
Friday, Sept. 12. Burnt
Hills-Ballston Lake parents are reminded that 8th grade
and younger pupils who wish to attend evening
varsity interscholastic sports contests must be
accompanied by an
adult. This proactive policy change was made in the fall
of 2006 due to
the number of youngsters being left unsupervised
at games and several incidents of fighting, belligerence
and other inappropriate behavior.
Read more |
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 Parents
are reminded to follow the morning drop-off
procedures
that have been established to ensure the
safety of all our students and staff.
 All student drop-offs must occur at the music entrance no earlier than 7:15 AM
and up until 7:45 AM*
Student drop-off must be from the right lane only and in front of the music
door. Please do not drop students off in any other place in the parking lot and not from the left
lane.
The left lane is for through traffic and parking access only. No drop-offs
should occur from the left lane.
As always, your patience and courtesy is appreciated.
* After 7:45 AM students are considered tardy
and need to enter through the main entrance and
report to the attendance office to sign in. |
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Link to the 8th Grade
2009-2010 English
Vocabulary List.
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Playing
a Sport??
A Health Clearance (Yellow Sheet )is required.
A Health
Clearance Form
(yellow sheet)
is required for students to tryout for any sport.
The Health Clearance form needs to be obtained from
the school nurse within 30 days prior to the
start of the sports season once all needed paperwork
is on file in the nurse's office. Complete
information can be found on the
Middle School
Nurse's page. |
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Procedures for getting out of
school early: If it becomes necessary
for a student to leave school early
> Bring a signed note from your
parent/guardian to the attendance office before
morning homeroom period. If you are walking to
a local doctor's office the note must state that you
are walking.
> Leave class at the excused
time and wait in the Main Office. A
parent/guardian must come into the Main Office to
meet and sign out the student. If the student
is not being picked up by a parent/guardian the
signed note from the parent/guardian must state who
is picking up the student or the person must be
designated as an emergency contact on the emergency
information sheet handed in at the beginning of the
school year.
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The
O'Rourke Middle School Drama Club
POnce
Upon A Mattress
Presented
March 14 and 15, 2008
PPictures
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The O'Rourke Middle School Drama Club
"Bugsy Malone"
Presented March 6 & 7, 2009
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Pictures ~
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