We would like to welcome everyone back to school and extend a special welcome to all our new students and families. We are so excited to see all the students’ faces and to see them getting into their routines for the 2022-2023 school year.

We recently welcomed families to our annual Back to School Night where families could meet teachers and learn about the school and all the extracurricular activities we have to offer at OP. If you were not able to attend, our next opportunity to connect with teachers will be at our Touch Base event on Monday, October 10th. More information will follow about that event.

Dates to Remember

• Sept 2 and Sept 5: No school, Labor Day weekend
• Sept 26: No school, Rosh Hashanah
• Oct 12: PSAT
• Oct 14: Homecoming Game
• Oct 15: Homecoming Dance
• Oct 24: No school, Diwali

Recognition

Congratulations to Elizabeth Marlowe, a teacher in our English department, for being selected as a 2022-23 Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert!  Kudos to Ms. Marlowe!

Congratulations to the following outstanding Osbourn Park students who were awarded with academic honors from College Board National Recognition Programs:

• Abigail Tafesse: NAARA
• Bethel Abebe: NAARA
• Cameron Portis: NAARA
• Connor Hernandez: NHRA
• Emely Pomahuacri: NHRA
• Erika Adu: NAARA
• Jason Dixon: NAARA
• Jeremy Owusu-ansah: NAARA
• Joshua Tamakloe: NAARA
• Kevin Rivera: NHRA
• Manuela Kodwo: NAARA
• Marissa Bolanos Barrera: NHRA
• Meklit Gizework: NAARA
• Milania Dehring: NHRA
• Ricardo Durand: NHRA
• Stephanie Aiddoo: NAARA
• Vanessa Agyei: NAARA
• Yafet Alemayehou: NAARA

Award Key:

• National African American Recognition Award = NAARA
• National Hispanic Recognition Award = NHRA

Underclassmen Portraits

Underclassmen portraits will be taken this Thursday, September 8 and Friday, September 9 in the auditorium through all English classes. Students have been offered portrait package forms in their English classes that includes options to prepay in advance using a QR code or by going to the Candid Color web site at www.candidcolor.net. Students can also bring cash or a check payable to "Candid Color" with their order form the day of their picture. There will be make-up days for those who are out of school the days we take photos, so stay tuned for make-up info in a future Bee-in-the-Know. Any questions, please contact Mr. Barber, our yearbook advisor, at Barberds@pwcs.edu.

Back to School Packet

All families should complete the Back to School Packet no later than Friday, September 16, 2022. The information you provide will allow school staff to ensure the safety of your student this school year.

To access the Back to School Packet:

• Login to your ParentVUE account and go to “Online Records” in the top right corner.
• Written Instructions for completing the Back to School Packet
• Video Tutorial for completing the Back to School Packe
• If a parent/guardian needs to make changes to information once they submit the Back to School Packet, they can resubmit anytime by following the same instructions provided above.
• If you need assistance, or do not have an active ParentVUE account, please contact the school.

WiFi Access

All PWCS devices automatically will connect to the PWCS-Int network when they are within range of access points at any PWCS school. Students should be able to access PWCS-Int WiFi network signals from the parking lot of any PWCS school if they do not have internet access at home.

Students using personal computers can access WiFi inside and in the vicinity of PWCS schools using the Guest-Access Network, and password: FourMyd3v!ces. Students will be prompted to enter their PWCS email address and password to access the internet on this network.

Students that do not have WiFi access at home can inquire about borrowing a WiFi hotspot from the school, by speaking the school’s Technology Support Specialist (TSSPEC) or Instructional Technology Coach (ITC).

Student handbook and Classroom procedures

Parents and students are encouraged to read our OPHS student handbook to learn about all our school expectations for students. Our school practices, along with the PWCS Code of Behavior, will be reviewed with students during the first week of school. Please click on our Student Handbook.pdf for further review.

To learn about individual classroom practices, students and guardians should read the syllabi for each class. The syllabus will contain course information including grading practices, late work policies, etc.

Updated Procedures for Student Tardiness

Getting to school on time is very important to the educational success of our students.  In the past years, we have had an increased number of student drivers with an excessive amount of unexcused 1st period tardies.  Each student who drives to school signs a parking agreement.  Please see the updated tardy procedures in the student handbook via canvas for more information.

School hours and After School Activities

OPHS is open to students from 7 am to 3:30 pm each day. To ensure all students are safely supervised, students cannot stay in the cafeteria and wait for rides. Unless the student is being supervised with a parent, teacher, or coach, the student must leave campus.

Students who stay after school must make arrangements to be picked up soon after the ending of the activity/sport. Students who are not picked up within the hour of the event ending may lose privileges to participate in future practices and activities. To support student participation, we will offer four activity buses on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school beginning on Thursday, September 8th. These buses do not stop at all bus stops, but they do have drop off points around the county.

All students staying after school must do so under the supervision of a teacher, sponsor, or coach. Also, students who stay after school, leave campus, and then return to catch the bus will lose activity bus privileges.

Students who participate in clubs, activities and sports must conduct themselves in a manner that does not tarnish the image of OPHS.

Transportation

You are encouraged to download the Here Comes the Bus mobile app which allows you to track your student's buses in real-time.

Activity buses begin Thursday, September 8.  Bus information will be coming out this week.

Outside Food/drinks

Students cannot use mobile ordering to have food delivered. All orders delivered to school will be discarded with no reimbursement to the student.

Reminder-Student drop off and pick up

Between the hours of 6:45 am -7:30 am and 2:00 pm and 2:40 pm, student drop off and pick up procedures go into effect. Drop off occurs only on the Auditorium side of the building. Parents should enter school grounds using the bus entrance, merge right, and follow the arrows around to the side of the building to drop the student off in the designate area. The parent drop off is designed to allow parents to drop off/pick up students with minimal disruption to the student drivers and the buses exiting the premises. Dropping off and picking up students in front of the school in the “senior/blue” lot or on Liberia Avenue is prohibited. 

Free and Reduced Lunch

Meals are available for free for eligible students in Prince William County Public Schools. In order to receive these benefits, you must apply for meal assistance every year. Applications filed last year are only good for the first few days of school. Children from households that meet Federal Income Guidelines are eligible for free meals. The fastest way to apply for free meal benefits for your child is to apply online at http://pwcsnutrition.com/. Online applications are typically processed within 48 hours of submission. You can access more information about PWCS Menus.pdf here.

Paper-24/7 Tutoring 

Paper is a secure, online tutoring service that provides students with unlimited, 24/7 academic support. Whether they’re stuck on homework, studying for a test, or need someone to read and make suggestions to their essays, there will always be experts available online to assist students in over 200 subjects and more than 4 languages.  

Paper tutors have been specially trained to conduct expert, academic support in a secure, chat-based platform. With a commitment to helping students learn, they’ll never give students answers, but rather interact with them in an encouraging tone to lead them forward.  

This is a free service that the county is providing, so students are encouraged to use it as much as they need, whenever they need. Our teachers also have accounts and will be able to review all student activity to see what they’re working on and provide more targeted instruction as needed.  

If you’d like to learn more about Paper you can sign up for a Paper hosted Parent Info Session, available in both English and Spanish. Or if you’d like to speak to a member of the Paper team directly, you can reach them at parents@paper.co.  

To see Paper and the help it offers firsthand, we encourage you to login with your students. To get started, see the PWCS Paper Flyer_English.pdf or PWCS Paper Flyer_Spanish.pdf. 

Here are just a few things we have heard back from Paper about our OP students:  

• A student told their French tutor on Monday night "You're the best tutor!"
• After two hours of discussing and writing about feudalism, another student told their History tutor "You were a massive help today. I'm sure I'll be coming on Paper a lot more often." 
• One student worked with a Physics tutor for 4 hours.
• "In the review center, we've enjoyed annotating everything from college essay submissions to the "State of Nature" with tutors celebrating how great of writers our early submitters are and how much we've enjoyed working with the students."

Get involved!

We not only encourage student participation in our school community, but we also want your help as well! Please be on the lookout for information about our Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO), our Principal’s Advisory Council (PAC), or one of our Booster Associations (Athletics, Band). Many hands make light work and the more help we have, the more we can offer our students!

Finally, we will continue to publish our “Bee in the Know” newsletters each week. These emails get sent out each Sunday, and contain upcoming information, good news, and updates! Keep a look out!

PTSO

The PTSO board is excited to start the 2022-2023 school year with our Annual PTSO Membership Drive. Please join today and get a PTSO Family Membership for only $15. The purpose of the PTSO is to enhance and support the educational experience at Osbourn Park High School, to develop a closer connection between school and home by encouraging parent/guardian, teacher, and student involvement, and to improve the environment through volunteer and financial support. The PTSO is fully funded by our membership and fundraisers. Your membership supports OPHS PTSO programs such as: Teacher Appreciation Luncheon & Recognition Events, Scholarships for Graduating Seniors ($500 - $1,000), 2023 Graduation Celebration, and Teacher and Student Grants. 

PTSO 2022-23 Membership Form.pdf 

"Join us for the first OPHS PTSO Meeting of the Year, on September 8, 2022 at 6pm via Zoom!"

Topic: OPHS PTSO MEETING
Time: Sep 8, 2022 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
        Every month on the Second Thu, until Feb 9, 2023, 6 occurrence(s)
        Sep 8, 2022 06:00 PM
        Oct 13, 2022 06:00 PM
        Nov 10, 2022 06:00 PM
        Dec 8, 2022 06:00 PM
        Jan 12, 2023 06:00 PM
        Feb 9, 2023 06:00 PM
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZEuce2vqDwsHty5Ud93mY96Hr_IdfsJYl-J/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGtrT0uHdKSth2PRpwMA4_oLO3wpmZdgrdEySrhWnNeW1qgHvB9G7Z5A_Lp

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85364767648?pwd=dHp2WEdTYjFzOXdFR1pKY2lYREwvZz09

Meeting ID: 853 6476 7648
Passcode: 763810

Principal Advisory Council (PAC)

The Principal's Advisory Council (PAC) is open to students, parents, and teachers. Meetings last no more than 90 minutes. At the beginning of each meeting there is an open chair time, where topics and questions can be asked to Ms. Kane, the Principal. There are also agenda items that are discussed by the council. Osbourn Park's school strategic plan is discussed at great length in this meeting. Please come and join us! 

Currently All meetings are scheduled to be virtual.

Meeting Dates For 2022-2023 School Year

• 09/13/22 @ 5:00pm
• 12/13/22 @ 5:00pm
• 02/07/23 @ 5:00pm
• 03/08/23 @ 5:00pm
• 05/23/23 @ 5:00pm

To attend the Principal Advisory Committee meetings, please contact Ms. Marie Emery at emeryms@pwcs.edu.

Athletics

The Athletic Booster Club is here to support our OP Athletes, Coaches and Fans. Want to find out how YOU can volunteer with this great group? Our first meeting of the year will be on Wednesday, Sept 7th at 7:00 pm at OP.

Join us and volunteer for our home football games:  

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/70A0F4DAFAF2BA6FC1-varsity

Students can get involved too, and earn service hours towards their organization:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0f4dafaf2ba6fc1-varsity1

Osbourn Park uses online ticketing exclusively for all sporting events.  You can access the Ticket Spicket website at:

 https://events.ticketspicket.com/agency/cdfc03ea-290c-40ba-a2a6-54be073ace9e

You can purchase tickets online in advance or use the QR code posted at the gate for each game.  No cash will be accepted at any gate for any athletic event this school year.  Sports passes are on sale!  You can purchase a Season Pass for $40, an All Sports Individual Pass for $100 for the year or a Family Pass (up to 5 cards) for $250.  The game price for tickets is $6.00 plus a small service fee for online ticketing.  To avoid the consistent service fee, consider purchasing a season pass.

** Please note that if you are purchasing tickets for your student and transferring them, your student also needs to set up an account at Ticket Spicket to be able to receive and access the ticket.
 

“Empowering all to be future ready, together.”

OPHS Team

The start of this school year has been energized by the enthusiasm of our students. Students are encouraged to stay focused, attentive in their classes, and be conscientious of their attendance as we enter the fourth week of classes. We really appreciate all that our students, parents, teachers, and staff are doing to make this an awesome school year. This past Friday morning, our seniors participated in the Senior Sunrise with donuts and time with their classmates. The sunrise was beautiful!

On Friday morning, we also reflected on the tragic events of September 11th with a ceremony by NJROTC and our choir group, the Madigrals.  We thank Commander Ogawa and Mr. Izzo for the meaningful tribute.

Dates to Remember

• Senior Symposium - September 14, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• No School, Rosh Hashanah - September 26
• PSAT - October 12
• Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - October 13, 5:30 pm
• Homecoming Game - October 14
• Homecoming Dance - October 15
• No School, Diwali - October 24

OPHS Athletic Hall of Fame

We are looking forward to the 2022 Induction Ceremony for the OPHS Athletic Hall of Fame!  The Induction Ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 13 at 5:30 pm at the Old Hickory Golf Course in Woodbridge.  Tickets are on sale now!  Use the following link to purchase your tickets.  Seats are limited!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ophs-athletic-hall-of-fame-class-of-2022-tickets-392811649217

Back to School Packet - Due September 16

All families should complete the Back to School Packet no later than Friday, September 16, 2022. The information you provide will allow school staff to ensure the safety of your student this school year.

To access the Back to School Packet:

• Login to your ParentVUE account and go to “Online Records” in the top right corner.
• Written Instructions for completing the Back to School Packet
• Video Tutorial for completing the Back to School Packe
• If a parent/guardian needs to make changes to information once they submit the Back to School Packet, they can resubmit anytime by following the same instructions provided above.
• If you need assistance, or do not have an active ParentVUE account, please contact the school.

Transportation

You are encouraged to download the Here Comes the Bus mobile app which allows you to track your student's buses in real-time.

Transportation’s Late Bus Notification web page is now available for parents and students. The page will list buses that will be late 15 minutes or more to start their run. 

https://www.pwcs.edu/departments/transportation/bus_delays

Reminder - School hours and After School Activities

OPHS is open to students from 7 am to 3:30 pm each day. To ensure all students are safely supervised, students cannot stay in the cafeteria and wait for rides. Unless the student is being supervised with a parent, teacher, or coach, the student must leave campus.

Students who stay after school must make arrangements to be picked up soon after the ending of the activity/sport. Students who are not picked up within the hour of the event ending may lose privileges to participate in future practices and activities. To support student participation, we will offer four activity buses on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school beginning on Thursday, September 8th. These buses do not stop at all bus stops, but they do have drop off points around the county.

All students staying after school must do so under the supervision of a teacher, sponsor, or coach. Also, students who stay after school, leave campus, and then return to catch the bus will lose activity bus privileges.

Students who participate in clubs, activities and sports must conduct themselves in a manner that does not tarnish the image of OPHS.

Activity Buses

Our Activity Buses will run every Tuesday and Thursday for the remainder of the school year. Activity Bus stops can be found on the Osbourn Park School Webpage. Keep in mind that Activity Bus stops are express stops and will not be able to drop students off at your normal AM or PM bus stops.

Please remind your student that to ride the Activity Bus, they must be with a teacher, coach, or club sponsor by 2:25 pm, no exceptions. Once they leave their activity, the teacher, coach, or sponsor will write them a pass and the student must report to the first-floor cafeteria within 10 minutes of receiving that pass. Students need to use that pass to check in with the Activity Bus supervisors to ride the Activity Bus. Students will remain in the first-floor cafeteria with our Activity Bus supervisors until the buses arrive at 4:45 pm.

Human Rights Commission Student Leadership Council

Join the 2022 Human Rights Commission Student Leadership Council Learn & Lead Cohort 7. This opportunity is available to all high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in learning more about government through the lens of human rights.

Apply at pwcva.gov/humanrights or scan the QR code on below flyer to learn more. Cohort dates: November 2022 – April 2023 and the application deadline is October 15, 2022.

Student Leadership Council.pdf 

News from College and Career Center

Class of 2023, check out your September Monthly Newsletter from the College & Career Center.

On Wednesday, September 14th, we will host our Class of 2023 Senior Symposium night for families to attend.  Your Senior can attend as well if he/she wishes. The event will be from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm in the Auditorium. Before the event, starting at 5:30 pm, you can stop by military branches, PTSO, Boosters, and Josten's Cap & Gown information tables. During this event counselors will discuss graduation requirements and important Senior Year information. Other topics will include going into the work force, YearUp, financial aid, attending a 2-year community college (NOVA), as well as the 4-year college option. Any resources that the presenters wish for the counseling staff to share after the event is over will be in Canvas. We hope to see you all there!

OPHS Senior Symposium.pdf 

Athletic Boosters Club

The OP Athletic Booster Board would like to congratulate all of our athletes on making it through the first 3 weeks of school and sports. Navigating classes, practices, games and other commitments is no easy task but we see you! Keep up the good work!!

Need some Spirit Wear? Want to learn more about the Boosters? Visit http://www.myopjackets.com

Annual PTSO (Parent Teacher Student Organization) Membership Drive

The PTSO is excited to start the 2022-2023 school year with our Annual PTSO Membership Drive. Please join today and get a PTSO Family Membership for only $15. The purpose of the PTSO is to enhance and support the educational experience at Osbourn Park High School, to develop a closer connection between school and home by encouraging parent/guardian, teacher, and student involvement, and to improve the environment through volunteer and financial support. The PTSO is fully funded by our membership and fundraisers. Your membership supports OPHS PTSO programs such as: Teacher Appreciation Luncheon & Recognition Events, Scholarships for Graduating Seniors ($500 - $1,000), 2023 Graduation Celebration, and Teacher and Student Grants.

PTSO 2022-23 Membership Form.pdf 

Join our monthly meetings:

Topic: OPHS PTSO MEETING
Time: Every month on the Second Thu, until Feb 9, 2023

• Oct 13, 2022 06:00 PM
• Nov 10, 2022 06:00 PM
• Dec 8, 2022 06:00 PM
• Jan 12, 2023 06:00 PM
• Feb 9, 2023 06:00 PM

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZEuce2vqDwsHty5Ud93mY96Hr_IdfsJYl-J/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGtrT0uHdKSth2PRpwMA4_oLO3wpmZdgrdEySrhWnNeW1qgHvB9G7Z5A_Lp

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85364767648?pwd=dHp2WEdTYjFzOXdFR1pKY2lYREwvZz09

Meeting ID: 853 6476 7648
Passcode: 763810

Principal Advisory Council (PAC)

The Principal's Advisory Council (PAC) is open to students, parents, and teachers. Meetings last no more than 90 minutes. At the beginning of each meeting there is an open chair time, where topics and questions can be asked to Ms. Kane, the Principal. There are also agenda items that are discussed by the council. Osbourn Park's school strategic plan is discussed at great length in this meeting. Please come and join us! 

Currently All meetings are scheduled to be virtual.

Meeting Dates For 2022-2023 School Year

• 09/13/22 @ 5:00pm
• 12/13/22 @ 5:00pm
• 02/07/23 @ 5:00pm
• 03/08/23 @ 5:00pm
• 05/23/23 @ 5:00pm

To attend the Principal Advisory Committee meetings, please contact Ms. Marie Emery at emeryms@pwcs.edu.

Athletics

Osbourn Park uses online ticketing exclusively for all sporting events.  You can access the Ticket Spicket website at:

https://events.ticketspicket.com/agency/cdfc03ea-290c-40ba-a2a6-54be073ace9e

You can purchase tickets online in advance or use the QR code posted at the gate for each game.  No cash will be accepted at any gate for any athletic event this school year.   

** Please note that if you are purchasing tickets for your student and transferring them, your student also needs to set up an account at Ticket Spicket to be able to receive and access the ticket.