Otselic Valley Central School District

Springtime Learning and Fun! During Spring Fest, our K-2 students at Otselic Valley enjoyed an outdoor egg hunt with a twist -- each egg was filled with sight words and math facts! After tallying up all the correct answers, our little scholars were rewarded with sweet ring pops for their efforts. It was a perfect blend of learning and fun, and our students had a blast!

Spring Fest Fun at Otselic Valley! Our students (and staff!) said goodbye to winter and hello to spring break with an afternoon full of laughter, games, and good vibes during Spring Fest 2025! From volleyball and dodgeball to whipped cream pie-eating challenges (yes, Mr. Collier joined in!), the day was packed with energy. Students and staff competed in balloon popping relays, hallway corn hole, paper toss, and even a little dancing and a movie for middle schoolers! A highlight? Our Peep Habitat Decorating Contest, where creativity really shined! 1st Place: #2: Savannah Olmsted, Autumn Pendell, Brooklynn Brown 2nd Place: #56: Abigail Foster, Braylie VanPelt, Lizzy Palmer, Addison Palmer, Izzy Neal Thank you to everyone who made this day such a hit, and especially to our students for bringing the spirit and smiles!

|| SAVE THE DATE! The 16th Annual Fishing & Heritage Day is coming to South Otselic on Saturday, May 17, and one of this year’s featured activities is something truly special! Beaded Strawberry Picture Frame Workshop Led by celebrated Oneida beader and cultural educator Doris Wilkins-Wilt from Shako:wi, the Oneida Indian Cultural Center, this hands-on art experience is open to students grades 3 and up and is a meaningful way to explore culture through creativity. Two sessions available: • 11:00 AM • 1:00 PM Location: South Otselic Fish Hatchery Limited to 40 participants (20 per session) Students will create a beaded picture frame using traditional techniques, and are encouraged to bring a small photo (2.5" long x 1.5” wide) to complete their piece. We had a great turnout for last year’s cornhusk doll workshop, and we’re excited to bring another fun, hands-on activity to this year’s event. Interested? Email foorpessin@gmail.com Stay tuned for more event details coming soon!

|| Peeps Get Creative at OV! Otselic Valley students recently teamed up with their buddy classrooms for a fun and collaborative spring activity -- building Peep Habitats! From birthday parties to forest adventures to school settings, students used their imaginations to design one-of-a-kind homes for their marshmallow Peeps. This hands-on project was all about creativity, teamwork, and a little springtime fun. The results were as sweet as the Peeps themselves!

|| Throwback Thursday We’re going back to 2013 with this snapshot from the "iVikings" Otselic Valley Yearbook! Featured here are the members of Yearbook and Student Council -- capturing memories, planning events, and making a difference behind the scenes! A big shoutout to all the OV students who helped shape school spirit then and now!

|| First Grade Surgeons On Call! Learning Contractions the Hands-On Way Thanks to a generous donation from the OV PTO, our 1st grade class received their very own set of lab coats. They put them to great use in a “contraction surgery” activity! Students became surgeons for the day, using their tools (pencils, scissors, glue, and special apostrophe band-aids) to combine words like do and not into don’t -- carefully removing unneeded letters and healing their “patients” with apostrophes. This creative, hands-on lesson made learning about contractions both memorable and meaningful, and the smiles said it all! A huge thank-you to our PTO for making this awesome experience possible!

|| Attention OV Seniors! Local scholarship applications are now available in Xello! Deadline to apply: May 5th Questions? See Mrs. O or Mrs. Lyon Don’t miss out -- apply today!

|| Pre-K Puts Empathy Into Action! On Monday, our Pre-K students gathered in the Mirrored Cafeteria to share all of the incredible social-emotional learning they’ve been working on in class. They kicked off the afternoon with a performance of their songs, including the Empathy Song -- and demonstrated calming techniques like deep breathing that they’ve been practicing. After the performance, they rolled up their sleeves to create their very own sensory bottles! Students chose from a colorful mix of pom-poms, glitter, beads, and more! They then combined their materials with glue, water, and a few drops of food coloring to create something calming, creative, and completely their own. It was a joyful and meaningful afternoon filled with songs, mindfulness, and hands-on learning. We’re so proud of our Pre-K students for the kindness and care they show every day!

|| Exploring Culture Through Cooking! Fourth grade students in our Spanish class recently stepped into the kitchen to make arepas de queso colombianas (Colombian cheese arepas). These hands-on lessons help students connect with the world in fun and meaningful ways. The kids loved the experience, and many of them are excited to try making arepas at home. If your student wants to recreate the recipe, P.A.N. pre-cooked cornmeal, a key ingredient, is available at Walmart! We’re proud of our young chefs for being open to new experiences and cultures!

COMMUNITY SUPPORT for OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT! Join the South Otselic Fire Department for their Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on Sunday, April 13th from 8am to 12pm at the Otselic Valley School Cafeteria! || Enjoy pancakes, home fries, sausage & biscuits, coffee, juice, and more -- all while supporting our local fire and EMS volunteers. || Free-will donation at the door. Let’s show our appreciation for the incredible people who serve our community every day. We hope to see you there!

|| Free Bike Giveaway for Madison County Residents! Do you or someone you know need a bike for transportation, exercise, or just for fun? Community Bikes is offering FREE bikes to eligible Madison County residents! Bike Distribution Days: - Sunday, May 4 – Hamilton, NY - Saturday, May 17 – Oneida, NY | | Eligibility: Madison County resident Eligible for Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, SSD, or other cash assistance Have other demonstrated needs or special circumstances || Pre-registration is required, and recipients must be present to receive a bike! Apply online: https://www.communitybikes.org/receive-a-bike Print-out application: https://shorturl.at/yZ0Ug Learn more: https://www.communitybikes.org/ Help us spread the word so more people can get the wheels they need!

|| OVCS Family Resource: Helping Your Child Transition from Preschool Special Education to Kindergarten Is your child moving from Preschool Special Education to Kindergarten? The Southeast Family and Community Engagement Center (FACE) is offering a FREE virtual workshop to support families during this important milestone. In this session, you’ll learn: - How the transition process works - The differences between CPSE and CSE services - How to be an active member of your child’s transition team - The purpose of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) Choose a virtual session that works best for you: - April 16th • 12–2 PM Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/q8sxwgs - April 23rd • 6–8 PM Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/686mbp4

|| Reminder for Families! There will be no morning programs on April 11, 18, 25, and May 2. We’ll see you again on May 9th!

|| Seventh Grade Gets Cooking! Our seventh graders took a break from the usual routine to whip up magic pizza dough using Greek yogurt and self-rising flour! From rolling out the dough to adding toppings, they created some delicious (and unique!) masterpieces.

|| A Special Message from First Grade to Third Grade! In support of our amazing third graders who will be taking their very first state test next week, our thoughtful first graders put together a short video to cheer you on! You've worked hard, you're ready, and there's no doubt -- you’re going to rock this test! Watch the video here: https://rb.gy/0ebgd3

|| Gaining Real-World Experience in Our Cafeteria! Senior Melody Cross-Barnes (on the right) is getting hands-on work experience by helping out in the Otselic Valley cafeteria! Under the guidance of our Food Service Director, Barbie Hillman, Melody is learning valuable skills while contributing to our school community. Work-based learning opportunities like this help students build confidence, gain practical experience, and explore future career paths. Great job, Melody!

|| March Madness Fun at OV! Grades 3-5 wrapped up March with an afternoon full of exciting games, teamwork, and lots of laughter! Students kicked off the fun with a life-sized game of Hungry, Hungry Hippo, then took on the crawl challenge to half court after watching their teachers demonstrate. The energy kept going with freeze dance, a balloon popping relay, and the blindfold toss! What a fantastic way to send off March!

|| A Magical Theatre Experience for Our Youngest Students! Our PreK-2 students had an unforgettable time watching The REV Theatre Co. present The Fisherman and His Wife -- a heartwarming tale about gratitude, contentment, and the dangers of unchecked wishes! The students were completely engaged as they followed the story of a kind fisherman, a magical talking flounder, and Isabel, whose endless wishes led to some surprising lessons. The cast was phenomenal -- bringing the story to life with energy, humor, and lots of audience participation! At the end of the play, students had the special opportunity to ask the actors questions, and they even learned that they could write letters to the cast with any more questions they had, and receive a response! A huge thank you to The REV Theatre Co. for bringing this incredible production to our school and to our young learners for being such an enthusiastic audience!

|| Welcome to the Kindergarten Dinosaur Museum! Our Kindergarten artists had an exciting adventure in art class with Ms. Lawrence! || They learned all about museums, read "Horse Museum" by Dr. Seuss, and then became gallery artists themselves! Using clay, paint, and collage, the students created their own artwork for a Dinosaur Museum. After setting up their exhibit, they practiced how to behave in a museum before visiting the museum to see their creations. While exploring the museum, students talked about their artwork with partners, picked their favorite pieces, and shared what they loved about them. It was a fantastic hands-on way to learn about art, museums, and creative expression!

|| A Heartfelt Thank You to Mrs. Kurtz! This morning, our elementary students came together to show their appreciation for Mrs. Kurtz, who has done an incredible job filling in as Elementary Principal. || To express their gratitude, students: -- Recited a special poem for Mrs. Kurtz -- Presented her with a book of beautiful masterpieces they created -- Sang a heartfelt Thank You song || Mrs. Kurtz was truly touched by the thoughtful gestures and shared that she’ll be back to visit! Thank you, Mrs. Kurtz, for your dedication, kindness, and leadership—you’ve made a lasting impact on OV! As we say thank you, we’re also excited to welcome back Mrs. Richards as our Elementary Principal next week!