My Fellow Lions,
We hope you enjoyed a restful and fun-filled summer! As we prepare for the start of a new school year, our entire team is hard at work getting ready to welcome students back. The front office is finalizing registrations, ordering supplies, and organizing schedules. Custodians are putting the finishing touches on our summer cleaning, and teachers are already planning thoughtful lessons to support every learner. We’re excited to begin another great year together and can’t wait for the first day of school!
Orange Avenue School hours are from 8:40 to 3:25 with drop off beginning at 8:20. For a copy of the full year Milford Public Schools calendar please click here.
Please continue to read on for some important information about our return:
Ready to Learn & Kindergarten Orientations - are scheduled for
Ready to Learn - Wednesday, August 26th at 1:00 pm
Kindergarten - Wednesday, August 26th at 2:00 pm.
Families please be on the lookout for specific information in a separate email.
Dismissal Packet will be mailed to you next week. That mailing will include:
a yellow dismissal form which should be completed and sent in with your child on the first day
2 vehicle pick up tags - please make this visible if picking up your child by vehicle.
Student pick up tags - You will also find 2 student pick up tags for each of your children. (use one for each child and save the rest in the event of lost badges)
For existing OAS students - please slide this tag into their MPS issued Student ID Badge holder. If you need a new Student ID badge or holder, please contact the school.
For new OAS students - We have provided a Student ID badge holder. Please slide the student pick up tag into this. Students will receive their ID badge once the school year begins.
The Parent Portal in PowerSchool - We are pleased to announce that the PowerSchool Parent Portal is now open for annual sign-offs at https://gradebook.milforded.org. These annual sign-offs are required prior to receiving your student’s class and transportation information, which will be available next week. A two-step process helps mitigate the increased traffic that our system experiences when we open the Parent Portal.
Step 1: There are only three forms required for sign-off that you will find when you sign in to your PowerSchool account under the header 1 Back to School:
Parent-Student Handbook/Photo Release/Military Recruitment/Food Service Sign-Offs
Student Information (review contacts, addresses, phone numbers, etc.)
Student/Parent Acceptable Use Policy and Chromebook Sign-Off
Step 2: Classroom teacher assignments and bus routes released:
The elementary teacher assignments will be available on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. PLEASE NOTE: While you can use the PowerSchool App to sign off on the three forms, class assignments are only available via a web browser. You can still use a mobile device with Safari or Chrome next week to see schedules and teacher assignments.
Additional Back To School information can be found through the district website at www.milforded.org.
We hope that your families enjoy the remaining days of our summer break. As always, if you have any questions after reading the information online, you can email me or call the school at 203-783-3537
Looking forward to seeing all our students on Thursday, August 27th!
Arrival and Dismissal Information
In order to prioritize the safety and well being of students and families, we wanted to make you aware of our student arrival and dismissal pick up practices. While safety remains our top priority, this practice may increase wait time and traffic. We ask for everyone’s patience and flexibility.
Included in a mailing being sent out next week, please find a dismissal form (yellow). This dismissal form is extremely important, as it tells the teacher how your child will be dismissed on the first day and beyond. This form must be completed and returned on the first day of school.
Student Arrival 8:20-8:40 AM
STUDENTS ARRIVING BY BUS:
Bus routes will be posted on the Milford Public Schools website www.milforded.org.
Students will be dropped off and enter through the Kindergarten/ Grade 1 Hallway door and go directly to their classrooms.
STUDENTS ARRIVING AS WALKERS
Students walking to school will enter door 4 at the front left corner of the school.
Students will report directly to their classrooms.
STUDENTS BEING DROPPED OFF BY CAR
Only students can exit the car. Drivers should remain inside their vehicles.
Students will report directly to their classrooms.
Families are not permitted to park and walk their child to the door. Cars must use the drop off loop.
Below you will find the parking lot traffic pattern for OAS. Note that the main entrance will be blocked to entry and exit and a one way traffic pattern will be used at all times.
Please do not enter the parking lot before 8:20. It prevents staff, before care families and Ready to Learn students from parking. Please line up on Orange Avenue if you arrive before 8:20.
All vehicles should enter the school going south on Orange Avenue (school should be on your passenger side). This will prevent back up on Orange Avenue and allow for the flow of traffic. Should you arrive north on Orange Ave (school on the driver's side) and vehicles have already begun to line up out of the parking lot, you must drive past the school to loop around and join the south bound line. You will not be permitted to take a left hand turn into the parking lot.
All vehicles will need to enter via the middle entrance of our main parking lot. You must then take an immediate right into the parking lot. All traffic must then utilize the drop off loop. Families dropping off Ready to Learn students must utilize the traffic loop and then take a right to the back of the school.
Please drive as far forward as possible in a single line. Students should be released by door 4 from the passenger side of the vehicle.
ONLY STUDENTS SHOULD EXIT THE VEHICLES. Caregivers are not permitted to walk their child to the doors. Staff will assist all students in locating their classrooms.
Student Dismissal
STUDENTS RIDING THE BUS
When called, students will be dismissed from their classrooms to a bus queuing area in the hallways..
Students will line up in the hallway to facilitate loading the bus efficiently.
ESCORTED WALKERS
A walker pick up procedure will be utilized for those students who are walking home with adult family members.
Those family members of escorted walkers will wait outside of Door 6 (located in the back of the school rear parking lot near the playground with the blue shade) while maintaining social distance.
INDEPENDENT WALKERS
Those students in 4th and 5th grade who are walking home independently will be dismissed directly from their classrooms to DOOR 6 (Rear corner of school by playground with shade covering)
STUDENTS BEING PICKED UP BY A CAR
MPS elementary schools will utilize a tag system for car pick up to enhance safety while expediting student pick up in the afternoon. The tag system will consist of a numbered pick up tag for the pick up vehicle and a corresponding tag affixed to the student’s backpack. As vehicles pull into school property the pick up tag must be displayed in the windshield area so school staff can view it.
Family Car Tag - Included in the mailing you will find several family pick up tags. Ensure that your vehicle tag number is visible to our school staff affixed to your rear view mirror.
Student pick up tags - You will also find 2 student pick up tags for your child(ren).
For existing OAS students - please slide 1 of these tags per student (save the extra in the event of a loss badge) into their MPS issued Student ID Badge holder. If you need a new Student ID badge or holder, please contact the school.
For new OAS students - We have provided a Student ID badge holder. Please slide the student pick up tag into this. Students will receive their ID badge once the school year begins.
At dismissal time, students being picked up will report to the designated queuing area.
All vehicles should enter the school going south on Orange Avenue (school should be on your passenger side). This will prevent back up on Orange Avenue and allow for the flow of traffic. Should you arrive north on Orange Ave (school on the driver's side) and vehicles have already begun to line up out of the parking lot, you must drive past the school to loop around and join the south bound line. You will not be permitted to take a left hand turn into the parking lot.
You must then take an immediate right into the parking lot. All traffic must then utilize the pick up loop. Families picking up Ready to Learn students must utilize the traffic loop and then take a right to the back of the school.
As vehicles pull into the parking lot a staff member will radio to the queuing area with your vehicle number.
A staff member will then escort your child(ren) to your vehicle in the pick up loop.
As you enter the parking lot be sure that your vehicle tag number is visible from your windshield.
Should a vehicle not have a hang tag (either missing or alternate pick up), please park and call the main office. The main office will explain the procedure for picking up your child.
ADDITIONAL REMINDERS FOR VEHICLE PICK UP:
Students should not be picked up early from school after 3:00pm. Should you need to pick up your child early, you must pick them up before 3:00 or utilize the above tag process.
Vehicles should not enter the parking lot before 3:20 pm.
Vehicles must stay in the lane and not attempt to go around other vehicles.
Vehicles cannot park and come to the front door to pick up their children
Vehicle operators must remain in their vehicles.
Vehicles must not block school driveway entrances or exits to allow for bus entry as well as in the event of an emergency.