70% of OSS Alumnae return to show their Attitude of Gratitude!

The OSS Class of 2013 takes a selfie!

Highlights from the 4th Annual Alumnae Dinner, where we celebrate our Attitude of Gratitude: 

At least 70% of the five OSS alumnae classes returned to share laughs and enjoy a wonderful Riccardi's buffet at the 4th Annual Attitude of Gratitude event on Tuesday, November 14th.

The community room was packed with alumnae from every class! It was a joy to see so many smiling faces, and so many shared how grateful they are to OSS for helping them take steps to making their dreams come true! It was truly a heart-warming experience for our current and former staff, too! Many participated in "The Giving Game" by making a donation to the OSS Annual Fund. So many graduates commented that OSS changed their lives and they are truly grateful. Mark your calendars for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving 2016 - let's aim for 100% participation!

Ms. Herman awarded the College Aspirations Scholarship certificates and cash awards. Winners of an essay contect while they were OSS students, we celebrate all of them as they strive toward their college and career goals:  

Trinity Monteiro, OSS '13, a junior at Tabor Academy,
receives a College Aspirations Scholarship.

2011 Carissa Mak

2012 Carolann Gathers

​2012 Krystal Argueta

2013 Jesley Ortiz

2013 Trinity Monteiro

2013 Kianna Fonseca

2014 Maya Tavares

2014 Beatrice Ojuri

2014 Amaya Faria

2014 Jael Costa​ 

Savannah Leao, OSS '15, a freshman at
Tabor Academy, and Kylee Almeida, OSS '15,
a freshman at St. Andrew's School,
are happy to see each other again at OSS.

Jaeliana Ortega, OSS '12, a current senior
at Voc-Tech,and Aaliyah Colon, OSS '11,
a current freshman at Bridgewater State College,
find time to talk about college applications.

Taking steps to stop pollution...OSS student in the news!

Our Sisters' School's sixth grader, Emma Cranford, likes balloons as much as any kid. She just doesn't like to see balloon trash left behind on beaches, floating offshore or entangled in wildlife. Instead of complaining about it, she asked our local leaders to take action. Read about her impact, as reported in the SouthCoast Today, November 7, 2015. 

Floating an idea

New Bedford girl urges City Council to ban balloon releases

Emma Cranford holds some of the litter she cleaned from Jones Beach in South Dartmouth. She is campaigning against balloon releases as hazards to wildlife. SANDY QUADROS BOWLES/THE STANDARD-TIMES/SCMG
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  By Sandy Quadros Bowles
  sbowles@s-t.com

  
  Posted Nov. 7, 2015 at 12:01 AM
  Updated Nov 7, 2015 at 6:11 PM 
  

  A colorful balloon floating against a blue sky creates a beautiful image.

  But when it lands, deflated, the impact on wildlife can be ugly, 11-year-old Emma Cranford of New Bedford knows.

  The sixth grader at Our Sisters’ School appeared before the New Bedford City Council Committee on Appointments and Briefings Oct. 28 to call for a ban on balloon releases.

  Deflated balloons and their ribbons can land in the water or on beaches, where birds and mammals can ingest them, she said. They then can choke, “which causes them to die, which causes a change in the food chain.’’

  Emma has participated in many beach cleanups through Be the Solution to Pollution. The group regularly picks up litter on Southeastern Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island beaches, works to raise awareness of problems caused by pollution, and presents solutions.

  Group volunteers spent a recent raw Sunday morning cleaning Jones Beach in South Dartmouth.

  During one cleanup, she found 11 dead birds along with ribbon entangled in seaweed, she recalled in her letter.

  The youngster said she understands that people release balloons at memorials and family celebrations, but she has a question for them: “Would you rather have a family tradition or have birds die?’’

  The United States Fish and Wildlife Service encourages people to pass up balloon releases. “Once they get loose, balloons pose a threat to many animals,’’ according to a press release issued by the service. “Birds, turtles and other animals commonly mistake balloons for food, which can harm or even kill them.’’

  City Council President Brian K. Gomes said he would support a ban on balloon releases, “not to take the joy away from anyone,’’ but to protect wildlife. The issue is not before the City Council at this time, he said.

  He said he was very impressed with Emma’s presentation. “She was very inspiring,’’ said Gomes.

  The Balloon Council, an organization of balloon retailers, distributors and manufacturers, does not “advocate for or organize’’ balloon releases, but is concerned about “a stigma’’ against the events, said Lorna O’Hara, executive director of the council.

  She said a campaign to ban balloons can harm the industry, which employs thousands nationwide.

  O'Hara said Balloon Council members “do not dispute’’ that balloon fragments can be mistaken for jellyfish, but said she “hasn’t seen one case’’ where a necropsy — the animal version of an autopsy — has shown that balloons are a direct cause of wildlife death. The council supports “smart balloon practices,’’ which include having no attachments such as ribbons, O'Hara said.

  Environmentally friendly alternatives to balloon releases can be found at www.balloonsblow.org, the website of Balloons Blow … Don’t Let Them Go, an organization that calls for bans on releases.

  Emma also is hopeful that her efforts will make a difference. "Banning balloons is one easy, small step we can take to fix (the) problem" of beach litter and injury to animals, her letter concludes.

  "She's amazing,'' said Mary Lou Frey-Nicholson of New Bedford, an organizer of Be the Solution to Pollution. "She's passionate about keeping the environment clean.''

Our Mission is to Educate AND to Inspire!

We recognize that it is important to deliberately make time to inspire our students. With morning speakers visiting twice weekly and frequent field trips peppering our schedule, we hope to ignite the flame of inspiration in our students' hearts and minds! Today acclaimed artist Robert Freeman spoke about his career and shared his own perspective of his work, currently on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. To read more about him, click here.

Freeman's slide show included the renowned painting, Black Tie. 

He explained how he followed his dream.

And he was Mrs. Knight's teacher at Nobles!

What's in your Toolbox?

New staff and students fill the classroom spaces with eagerness, enthusiasm and determination! The Community Core concepts infuse both classrooms and "gray areas." Whether celebrating one another through shooting stars during community meeting or in the individual written comments from teachers, the students at OSS are developing their hearts and minds as they adjust to the longer school days of autumn. Visit us to see what we are all about!

Meet our new art teacher, Tobey Eugenio, right. 

Community Core Connector Leslie Stevens, left, with
Humanities teacherAriana Wohl, right, creating activites.

5th Graders explore the "tools" to promote values
during Community Core advisory time.

Science teacher Jocelyn Mitchell, left, helps students
learn more about owls during science lab.

Fun with math and robotics this summer!

What a summer! Girls from Our Sisters' School participated in many summer learning experiences, including the unique Math & Robotics Group, organized and taught by Ali Boreiko, an undergraduate at Tufts University. With the assistance of OSS graduates, Ny-Jah Eastman, Jaeliana Ortega, and Jarynette Gonzalez, these girls enjoyed exploring topics in engineering and completing hands-on projects using their math and problem solving skills. In fact, this group thinks math is FUN!

It was a marvelous evening!

An audience of over 300 people was riveted as the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin spoke about the role of women in American society at a fundraiser for OSS on July 26, 2015. 

After the introductions by Ms. Alvord and Ms. Herman, the OSS Chorus (Alejandra Mendez '18, Isadora Sylvia-Ribiero '18, Marlowe Tavares '17 and alumna Maya Tavares '14) opened the evening with a wonderful rendition of "True Colors," followed by a heartfelt speech from alumna Arianna Mello '11, both of which received standing ovations. 

The evening was a true community effort with everyone from students to board members pitching in to help. Also of note are the delectable foods and dessert prepared by many talented supporters, some of whom are well-known James Beard Award winners. 

OSS thanks all our generous donors for the spectacular evening which, including the live and silent auctions, successfully raised over $200,000.

Urban Improv Teaches and Entertains!

          On Tuesday, March 31, 2015, the Urban Improv theater group visited OSS. Through the lens of improvisational theater students gained increased awareness and developed sensitivity on issues related to the topic of bullying. The 5th and 6th grade drama involved classroom behavior. Are you a bystander or an upstander?
          The 7th and 8th grade scenario involved cyber-bullying in a high school. Will you be part of the crowd? Are you a follower or a leader? As the 8th graders will be entering high school soon, Our Sisters' School aims to prepare students emotionally as well as intellectually. Urban Improv makes learning lessons like these both memorable and fun! To learn more about Urban Improv click here.