Onondaga Road Elementary

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-September 25, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

It has been wonderful to see how well our students are settling into their school routines and becoming comfortable in their classrooms. I am especially impressed by the connections they are making with their -September 25, 2026teachers and classmates. Establishing routines, building relationships, and creating a sense of belonging are so important at the beginning of the school year, and our students are off to a great start!

Our Third Graders recently had the opportunity to see a wonderful performance of Alice in Wonderland presented by REV Theatre Company. It was a special experience for our students to see a story they are reading in the classroom come to life on stage.

Our Chorus rehearsals are also underway, and it is exciting to hear our students' voices filling the building! Across the building, students have been engaged in meaningful learning experiences. Our classrooms are busy with students asking questions, collaborating with one another, practicing new skills, and making connections to their learning.

As we continue settling into our routines, we will also begin practicing our emergency drills, including evacuation and lockdown drills. Officer Charlie is a wonderful resource for our school and will be helping our students understand the purpose behind these drills and why practicing them is important. We appreciate his partnership and his ability to help our students feel comfortable while learning about school safety.

Thank you to our students, families, and staff for making the beginning of this school year such a positive one. There is so much happening in our classrooms and throughout our school, and I look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the weeks ahead!

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-September 11, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

What an amazing start we have had to the 2026–2027 school year! It has been wonderful to welcome our students back to Onondaga Road and see the energy, excitement, and smiles throughout our building.

I have been so impressed by how quickly our students are settling into their new routines, reconnecting with friends, and beginning to build meaningful relationships with their teachers and classmates. The first days of school are always filled with new experiences, and our students have done an incredible job navigating all that comes with starting a new school year.

It was also wonderful to see so many of you at Curriculum Night last night. Thank you for taking the time to join us, meet your child's teacher, learn more about the year ahead, and connect with other members of our school community. Your partnership and involvement make such a difference, and we are grateful to have such supportive families.

Our first day of school was a busy and exciting one! Teachers spent time welcoming students into their classrooms, getting to know them, establishing classroom routines, and creating a strong foundation for the year ahead. While there were certainly lots of new names, schedules, procedures, and expectations to learn, our students approached the day with enthusiasm and a willingness to try new things.

Today was another important day as we held our annual Passport Day! Passport Day gives students an opportunity to explore different areas of our school and learn about the expectations. Students rotated throughout the building, visiting important locations and practicing expectations for areas such as the bus, hallways, cafeteria, playground, arrival and dismissal areas, and other shared spaces.

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-August 28, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

Preparations are well underway, and our team is getting so excited to welcome our students back for another wonderful school year! We hope your family has enjoyed the summer, and we can’t wait to see everyone on Tuesday, September 8th, for a full day of school.

Our staff will be ready to greet students, help them find their classrooms, and make sure everyone feels comfortable and ready for a great start to the year. There is always a little extra excitement (and a few butterflies!) on the first day, and we will be here to make the transition as smooth as possible.

This year, every family will receive a car tag, even if your child typically rides the bus. These tags may be needed if you ever need to pick your child up from school.

Please attach the small car tag to the outside of your child’s backpack.

Keep the large car tag in a safe and convenient place at home so you have it when needed.

If your child needs to be picked up from school, please call the Main Office by 2:30 or send a written note with your child.

ParentSquare messages will not be accepted for dismissal changes. There is a possibility that a message may not be seen until the end of the school day, so we need dismissal requests to come directly through the Main Office or in a written note.

There will be lots of important information coming home during the first few weeks of school. Please make it a daily habit to check your child’s folder each evening. This will be one of the best ways to stay informed about upcoming events, important reminders, and information from your child’s teacher and school.

We are also looking forward to welcoming families to our Fall Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 10th, from 6:00–7:00 p.m. This will be a wonderful opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, learn more about classroom routines and expectations, and hear about the curriculum and learning experiences planned for the year.

We are so excited for all that this new school year will bring! Thank you for partnering with us to make the beginning of the year a positive and successful experience for every child.

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-June 18, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

As we enter the last week of school, I want to take a moment to thank our students, families, and staff for an incredible year. Together, we have celebrated achievements, overcome challenges, learned new skills, and created lasting memories.

This week will be filled with special activities, classroom celebrations, and opportunities to reflect on all that we have accomplished. I encourage our students to finish strong by continuing to demonstrate kindness, responsibility, and respect each day.

We look forward to celebrating a successful end to the school year and wish everyone a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable summer break!

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-June 5, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

Last night's Family Picnic was an incredible event! A huge thank you to our PTA for organizing such a wonderful evening, as well as to all of the volunteers who helped make it a success. It was truly heartwarming to see so many of our families gathered together, connecting, laughing, and enjoying time with one another. Events like these are a great reminder of what makes our school community so special.

As we head into the final weeks of the school year, we still have many exciting events and activities ahead. Please be sure to check the dates and information listed below so you don't miss out on any of the fun.

Also, as we begin wrapping up the school year, please take a moment to check for any library books at home and send them back to school if you find any.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to finishing the year strong together!

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-May 21, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

I can hardly believe that June is right around the corner! As we head into the final weeks of the school year, our calendar is filled with many exciting activities, celebrations, and learning opportunities for our students. From special classroom events to year-end traditions, this is always one of the busiest — and most memorable — times of the year. Please be sure to review the calendar section toward the end of this message so you don’t miss any important dates or events.

As part of our continued commitment to student safety, we will also be completing the remaining required safety drills over the next couple of weeks. These drills help ensure that students and staff are prepared and confident in following our school safety procedures.

Finally, as we approach Memorial Day weekend, I would like to take a moment to thank the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country. I hope you and your family enjoy a safe, relaxing, and meaningful holiday weekend together.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership.

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-May 8, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

We have had another wonderful week filled with engaging learning experiences across our school!

Congratulations to our third and fourth graders on an outstanding concert performance this week. A special thank you to Mrs. Guifre, Mr. Reardon, and Mr. Stachnik for the time and dedication they put into preparing our students for such a memorable event.

We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to our amazing PTA for helping us celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week. Your thoughtful treats and acts of kindness throughout the week were truly appreciated by our staff.

Our students have also been busy with exciting classroom learning opportunities. Third graders had the chance to explore artifacts that helped bring their study of Native American culture to life. First graders received expert guidance from Mr. Madden as they learned how to draw animals for their research projects. Meanwhile, our second graders had a great time exploring coding concepts through hands-on activities with Ozobots.

Thank you for your continued support of our students, staff, and school community!

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-April 24, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

We had a very busy and productive week at school! I would like to begin by extending my sincere thanks to our PTA, along with Mrs. Hudson and Mrs. Marchesani, for organizing a wonderful Learning Fair. This event provided our students with a meaningful opportunity to explore topics of interest and engage in new learning experiences.

Officer Brand met with each grade level during our CODE assemblies to talk about the importance of kindness and preventing bullying. These conversations are an important part of building a positive and supportive school community.

Our Buddy Classes also spent time together this week. Some groups participated in spring planting activities, while our younger students shared encouraging messages and wished our older students good luck on the NYS assessments—such thoughtful connections to see!

Speaking of the NYS assessments, our third and fourth grade students worked very hard on their Math tests. We are proud of their focus, perseverance, and effort. The NYS ELA Tests will be starting at 9:30 on Wednesday, April 29th and Thursday, April 30th for all third and fourth graders.

Additionally, our second grade students learned about recycling from a representative from OCRA, helping them better understand how they can care for our environment.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to another great week ahead!

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-April 10, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

It has been wonderful welcoming our students back after Spring Break. I am so proud of how quickly they have settled back into their routines—our classrooms are once again filled with focused learning and positive energy.

Today, we celebrated School Spirit Day, and it was fantastic to see so many students showing their Wildcat pride. We also recognized a special group of students with our “Wildcat Wows,” and had them join me for lunch in celebration of their great choices.

I would also like to give a special shout-out to our fourth-grade students who serve on our Safety Patrol. They continue to do an excellent job assisting with dismissal, demonstrating responsibility and care for our school community.

As we look ahead, I want to remind families of our upcoming New York State assessments for students in grades 3 and 4:

NYS Math Assessment: April 22 and April 23

NYS ELA Assessment: April 29 and April 30

These assessments are an opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning and growth. The best way to support your child is by ensuring they get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive at school on time, ready to do their best.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-March 27, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

Over the past couple of weeks, our school community has been filled with meaningful learning experiences that I am thrilled to share with you.

Our Spring Open House was a tremendous success! It was truly heartwarming to see our hallways filled with families and to watch our students beam with pride as they showcased their hard work. From creative projects to academic achievements, students did an incredible job “showing off” their learning. Events like this highlight not only their growth, but also the strong partnership we share between home and school.

We were also fortunate to welcome author Stan Tucker, thanks to the support of our amazing PTA. His visit was both engaging and inspiring, as he encouraged our students to focus on kindness, empathy, and the impact of their actions on others. His message truly resonated throughout the building, and we are excited to extend this experience by planning a follow-up activity with our Buddy Classrooms. This will give students an opportunity to continue practicing and spreading kindness across grade levels.

As we eagerly anticipate the arrival of spring, our teachers have been bringing seasonal fun into their classrooms with creative and engaging activities. Even if spring hasn’t fully arrived outside yet, it is certainly alive and well inside our school!

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-March 13, 2026

Dear Onondaga Road families,

There have been so many wonderful learning experiences happening at school this week, and we are excited to share them with you!

We look forward to welcoming families to Onondaga Road Elementary for our Spring Open House on Thursday, March 19 from 6:00–7:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to visit your child’s classroom, view student projects, and see the tremendous growth they have made throughout the school year.

There will not be any formal presentations during this time. Instead, families are invited to stop in, explore classrooms, and celebrate student learning together. We hope you can join us for this special evening!

Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support.

Respectfully,

Michelle Collier

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-February 6, 2026

Message From Onondaga Road School Principal-January 23, 2026