At a Glance…
- Fall Fest – Last Call! – Happening 10/23. The sign up form is closing at midnight tonight! Reservations are required to attend and space is limited.
- Fall Fest – Volunteer Opportunity – Interested in helping out the day of Fall Fest? Set up, clean up, man a booth – you can do it all here!
- OPS Jack-O-Lantern Event – It’s back! Bring your Jack-O-Lantern to ‘spend the night’ on 10/28 outside of OPS and be a part of the beautiful display our community can enjoy – sign up here!
- School Photos – Your child’s school photo proofs were sent home (check their backpack/folder). You can order prints or sign up for a re-take (happening 11/8) here by 11/1.
- Kindergarten Book Club – There are a few spots left for our Kindergarten book club, taking place on 10/28 on Zoom
- Caldecott Book Club – There are a few spots left for our Caldecott book club (for 1st graders), taking place on 11/18 on Zoom
- Reflections Art Contest – See below to sign your child up for special workshops to help interested students get started on their project!
- Community News – Check out this new section of the PTA website for information about signing up for River Dell Junior Wrestling and Grades 6 – 8 Girl Scouts!
- Lunch Schedule – You can find a calendar which includes PTA Lunch dates here (this week is Schreiber’s on Tue & Fri, Bagel on Wed, Ice Cream on Fri)
- 10 Things – Ten Things You Didn’t Know about our new Music Teacher, Mrs. Riesebieter!
Fall Fest – Last Call to Reserve Your Spot!
Today is the last day to reserve a spot, the link closes at midnight! Sign up here to reserve your spot!
Fall Fest is happening 10/23 (rain date of 10/30)! Reserve your spot and purchase tickets packs HERE! Ticket packs include 13 activity tickets, 1 pumpkin from the pumpkin patch and 1 bag of candy; additional pumpkins and bags of candy can be added to your order.
Our Special Events Committee has put a wonderful event together – this year there will be:
- A Pumpkin Patch
- Food from local vendors available for sale
- Several booths with fun activities
- A special collection of OPS Spirit Wear – Knit hats, headbands and scarves along with Oradell Vineyard Vines Gear
- Trick or Treating
- And More! You don’t want to miss it!
Fall Fest – Volunteer Opportunity
OPS Jack-o’-Lantern Event
It’s back! Our second annual OPS Jack-o’-Lantern Event, brought to you by our Student Programming Committee! Sign up here to bring your Jack-o’-Lantern to spend the night at OPS on 10/28 and be a part of the beautiful display our community can enjoy. Electric tea lights will be provided when dropping your pumpkin off.
Our panel of OPS Jack-o’-Lantern judges will award a winner in each of the following categories, so get out those carving tools and painting supplies! We can’t wait to see all the BOO-tastic creations!
- Spookiest Pumpkin
- Cutest Pumpkin
- Most Colorful Pumpkin
- Most Creative Pumpkin
- Most School Spirit Pumpkin
For any questions please reach out to firstvp@oradellpta.org or s
School Photos
Book Clubs
- Kindergarten – 10/28
- Caldecott – (1st Grade) – 11/18
Book clubs are open to 30 students each. First come, first serve, so sign up early!
Thank you to our many volunteers who make these possible!
Reflections Art Contest
Our Reflections Art Committee, along with OPS’s new Art Teacher Ms. Schlessinger and OPS Parent Katie DeVito, owner and operator of Lucky Eden Studio, are generously donating their time to host workshops helping interested students get started on their project. Sign up early! These workshops fill up quickly:
1. Reflections Visual Arts Workshop for K and 1st grade – Oct 25th
https://cwsclients.wufoo.com/
2. Reflections Visual Arts Workshop for 2nd and 3rd Grade – Oct 27th
https://cwsclients.wufoo.com/
3. Reflections Visual Arts Workshop for 4th , 5th and 6th Grade – Oct 22nd
https://cwsclients.wufoo.com/
4. Reflections Photography Workshop for 4th , 5th and 6th Grade – Oct 21st
https://cwsclients.wufoo.com/
The Annual PTA Reflections Art Contest is for students in Grades Preschool through 6. This year’s theme is “I Will Change the World By…” Categories include: dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts (such as crayons, markers, painting, collage). The deadline for all submissions and registration forms is Friday, December 3 to your child’s teacher. Please visit http://www.oradellpta.
Important Links:
New Jersey PTA Reflections Site
Student Entry Packet
Student Entry Form
Call for Entries Video
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Me
Our New Music Teacher, Mrs. Riesebieter:
1. I grew up in River Edge, my mom was a sub at the middle school and high school for nearly 20 years, and my Dad went to OPS in the 50s-60s.
2. I love to sing and listen to classical music. I rarely listen to music that has words! My whole life, I have always had music running through my head, which I call my own personal soundtrack!
3. I absolutely love France, and French culture. I went on exchange to France in high school, had three French exchange students, and have travelled to France 5 times, most recently with my youngest son when he was 8 months old. Before meeting my husband, my life plan was moving there and teaching music. But life had other plans for me!
4. I have lived in all four corners of the United States. Besides NJ, I went to college and grad school in Boston, then moved to Atlanta for two years, then Seattle for 2 years, then Los Angeles for 6 years. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to explore our country, and really see which part felt like home the most. Turns out, coming back home was the answer.
5. I love to study and recreate historical dresses. As a little girl, I had the historical American Girl Dolls, which sparked my love of history. As an adult, I would drool over historical films and period shows with their gorgeous dresses. While living in Seattle, I joined a Jane Austen meetup group who would meet at local tea houses in costume. After looking at the price tag of premade dresses, I was encouraged by members of the group to sew my own. Ten years later, sewing is one of my favorite hobbies.
6. I love cupcakes. Mainly the frosting (vanilla buttercream). Whenever we travel, I look up local cupcake shops and bakeries to sample them. I always compare their frosting to my mom’s. So far, only one bakery has been better than her frosting.
7. I have three kids-Grayson (7), Matthew (4), & Lizzie (3). My husband is also a musician. He plays the Euphonium and the Baritone, and is a Sergeant in the Army National Guard. We have a 13 year old cat named Sam, who is from Atlanta. And a 1 year old English Cream Retriever named Cali ( an homage to California)
8. I used to be a super picky eater. As a kid, I mainly ate pasta with butter, chicken, broccoli, bread, and cheese. Over the last ten years I have (thankfully) become less picky. My favorite cuisines are Japanese, Vietnamese, Lebanese, and Mexican. My oldest son and I share the same tastes, and so you will often find us on dinner dates, just the two of us. My youngest son, unfortunately, has adopted my earlier eating habits, and only likes bread, fruit, and veggies.
9. I love to teach what I love! Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It was my safe space in high school, it brought me together with some amazing friends, it was the reason my husband and I met, and it still proves to be my refuge whenever I am in need of something. I love to share that love with my students.
10. I might come across as shy, but I really love to talk with people. A perfect day for me would be to connect with people as much as possible, make some awesome music with my students, connect some more, spend time with my family, put them to bed, watch a few shows, and go to bed early. That’s me in a nutshell 🙂
