Notes from Virtual Oak

School campus closed: Virtual school in session

Fri, May 15 - Virtual Assembly- 8:30am

Mon May 18 - Fri, May 22 - Oak Spirit Week

Wed, May 20- Principal Q/A - 3:00pm. Join the meeting link

Mon, May 25 - Memorial Day - No school

Wed, Jun 10 - Last Day of School

Wed, Aug 19 - First Day of School 2020-2021

LASD calendar 2019-2020

Next Year LASD 2020-2021 Calendar

Gratitude Abounds

A special thank you again for such an amazing week of love and appreciation. Our staff was touched by the videos, virtual gifts and sentiments from our students and Oak Avenue Community.

Dance, Dance, Dance!

Thank you to all the students and families who were able to shake and groove with me yesterday. I had so much fun at our dance party. We had nearly 80 virtual attendees! I look forward to doing the Oak Avenue Slide in person one day on campus with our students.

Next week is Spirit Week!

A special thank you Sophia Z. from our Cougar Facilitators for creating our beautiful Spirit Week flyer. Boy, I can’t wait to wear my PJ’s on Monday! Please see the schedule above for each day.

Get Ready - Field Day is coming!

This year we will continue with the tradition of having a Field Day for grades K-5. I will pull our grade level colors at our May 22nd assembly.

Although we cannot participate on campus, our PE staff, Mrs. Welch and Mr. Ortman, have developed some fun at home activities for your to practice over the next two weeks. Check out their videos which will be posted in your student's Google Classroom starting May 18.

During the week of June 1, your student will meet with his or her teacher to try some of the activities together or share how they went at home. In addition, I will have a Google folder where you will be able to upload your student's photos to include in a culminating video which will be presented to the community on June 9. Stay tuned for more details.

Closing Out the Year

As you have seen from Mr. Baier’s email on Monday, our last instructional day will be on May 29. We are planning for our final student-teacher Meet Ups and developing a process for students to pick up/drop off materials beginning the week of June 1 (i.e., textbooks, yearbooks, instruments, student work, etc.), all of these details with an assigned time slot will be sent to you soon.

Thank you in advance for your flexibility and understanding as we plan for the remainder of the year.

I'd like to Hear from You

As we move ahead, I know it is critical that we hear from families about what is working and what we can do in the six short weeks that remain in the school year to give our children the best possible at-home learning experience we can. I hope you will consider engaging with me for this purpose.

Here are some ways you can learn about what’s happening and tell me how things are going:

Join Me for Principal Q/A

Wednesday, May 20, 3:00 pm. Join the meeting link

Send Me an Email to Schedule a Time to Meet

kattell@lasdschools.org

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Friday, May 15 -8:30 am School-wide Flag Salute Assembly - I have asked teachers to post the link in your child’s google classroom, in addition, I will send out the link after our newsletter is sent today. Due to confidentiality and potential hacking of group video calls, I am hesitant to publish the code and link in our public newsletter. Please sign on through your child’s LASD google account. We will be able to navigate the platform better and include up to 250 attendees.

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Daily attendance is still taken as usual in the virtual classroom.

If your child is sick and cannot participate in virtual learning, please let us know via email: lyazdani@lasdschools.org.

Please provide the following information:

• Student name and teacher

• Your relationship to student

• Reason for absence and date of absence

Hello Oak Community--

A HUGE thank you for everyone who “came out” on Saturday night for our virtual auction! You were very generous with your bidding and donations and Oak appreciates it.

If you missed out on Saturday night, you still have a chance! Once all sales are finalized, we will be re-opening the auction for Round Two!

On Monday, you can start bidding on remaining auction packages and parties. If you did not register and would like to join in on Round Two, we will send out instructions on how to do that.

We have also drawn our winners for our kids raffle.

Congratulations to:

The Pan Family (American Girl Doll)

Kristin Morris (Arts & Crafts Basket)

The Nguyen Family (Game Night Basket)

Rachel Jackson (In ‘N’ Out Burger GIft Basket)

The Coit Seibel Family (Outdoor Fun Set)

Joanna Plymale (San Jose Sharks Fan Basket)

Aifra Ahmed (The S.T.E.M. Basket)

The Robinson Family (Ukelele)

Than you again for your support of Oak School!

Sara Payne

Oak PTA President

oakptapresidents@lasdschools.org

LOG VOLUNTEER HOURS

OAK SCHOOL PTA ANONYMOUS SUGGESTION BOX

By Punhal C

3rd Grade Oak Student

I wanted to share with you an exciting project that I have been working on during my free time. As you may know, my mom is a doctor at a nursing home on Grant Road, very close to our house and Oak school. She has been sharing stories of her patients with us that inspired me and my brother, Naiel, to do our own projects to help.

Imagine you are a senior at a nursing home, who used to enjoy performances and group activities at your center. But now all of that entertainment is gone because of COVID-19. How sad is that and how lonely would that make you feel?

That's why I decided to create a system that allows kids like myself to help out our seniors during this difficult time. VCS or Virtual mini-Concerts for Seniors is an effort to connect nursing home residents with people who want to help, especially children.

Whether you sing or play the guitar, violin, piano, or other musical instruments, you can be a helper. To perform a virtual mini-concert live for a senior, you don't have to be a professional. All you need is your musical instrument, some free time and a good heart. You can click on the sign up link to sign up for a 15 min time slot and a nursing home staff will contact you to confirm and co-ordinate your mini-concert over FaceTime.

I will appreciate your help in spreading the word to Oak families and students so they can also participate in this project.

Here is a link to the flyer with details and the sign up sheet.

https://create.piktochart.com/output/46229139-vcs-1

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040B45AAA82AA2F49-virtual1

My brother Naiel's project is to create personalized "hobby" boxes for nursing home residents to keep them engaged and mentally stimulated. He chose to call it the "Joy-Box."

Here is his website with more details:

https://naielchaudry.wixsite.com/joy-box

We would love our Oak friends to join us in these projects and become "helpers." We will really appreciate your support.

Champions Has Openings Now

Have you heard the good news? While school is out, Champions is here to provide child care for families who work in essential service roles during the coronavirus crisis. As our country is stopping normal routines-like sending kids to school-to help flatten the curve, many families are left without the critical child care support they need to do their jobs.

Champions is consistently staying up to date on the rapidly changing recommendations and policies from government agencies, including the CDC and childcare licensing. We have updated our safety standards and operating guidelines so that we can provide a warm and welcoming environment that allows both parents and children to feel safe and healthy.

Here is a video we created for our parents in our sites that are currently open for essential service families. We wanted to make sure our families see our health and safety protocols in action.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1feO5IQE1UZf9ZgHIEKV620qxzU-UVB_S/view?usp=sharing

If you are interested in enrolling in our Champions program at Covington Elementary in Los Altos please call or text our Site Director, Stefanie Gindi, at 650-559-7900. You can also email her at ch000684@discoverchampions.com.

Melissa Jostedt

Area Manager, Champions Extended Learning

KinderCare Education LLC
Email: mjostedt@discoverchampions.com

Cell: 925.457.7138

Family Support Team: 800.246.2154

http://www.discoverchampions.com

Author Visit -- Molly Idle 5/21

I'm pleased to announce that we have secured a virtual author visit with Molly Idle on Thursday, May 21 at 12:30pm.

• K-3 is the best range for Molly's books
• Presentation is around 30 minutes.
• Sales will happen directly through a Hicklebees webpage for this event (https://www.hicklebees.com/molly-idle-virtual-visit) and parents can either choose to have their order shipped to their home (free shipping for orders over $25) or to pick it up at the store.
  
• Molly has offered to personalize book plates after the event.
  

Featured Title:
Coral (Hardcover) By Molly Idle $17.99 ISBN-13: 9780316465717

Coral, Filly, and Manta live on a sunlit reef teeming with sea life. When Coral comes upon an empty hollow at the heart of the reef and tries to keep it as her very own, Filly and Manta are banished. All that grows in the wake of her anger is regret, and Coral must find a way to turn the tide...but she can't do it alone.

Caldecott Honor-winning author and artist Molly Idle has brilliantly illustrated a tale both timeless and timely, about the power of collaboration and the profound importance of caring for our environment...and one another.

Backlist Title:
Pearl (Hardcover) By Molly Idle $17.99 ISBN-13: 9780316465670
Caldecott Honor author-illustrator Molly Idle dazzles with an original mermaid tale about how small, persistent actions can achieve great things.

About the Author
Molly Idle's work as an author-illustrator includes the Caldecott Honor Book Flora and the Flamingo, Flora and the Penguin, Flora and the Peacocks, Flora and the Chicks, Flora and the Ostrich, and Tea Rex, Camp Rex, Sea Rex, and Santa Rex, among other books, including Pearl, an original fable about a mermaid who learns the power of one small act. Molly lives with her family in Arizona, and invites you to visit her at idleillustration.com.

Keep your student’s virtual life engaging, entertaining and educational this summer with this curated list of family e-resources!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T63Cys4wJ_6roYN8ukIRM_wHD4zEHG0_xjIdfvv6Ffs/edit?ts=5eb48ec6​

Our Virtual Literacy Festival is on!

Even though we won’t have our physical Literacy Festival this year, I’ve made special arrangements with Hicklebee’s for a virtual book fair.

In an effort to support their book fair customers during this time of school closure, Hicklebee’s has put together the online book fair page, https://www.hicklebees.com/bookfairs2020.

They have provided links to some of the books they have available at the warehouse, and you are welcome to place orders for books not listed as well.

Free shipping is available on orders over $25, and curbside pick up at the store is available too.

Detailed instructions for placing an order are below. The Oak Library will receive 10% book fair credit on all orders placed by May 31, 2020. All proceeds fund the Oak summer reading program prizes. Please remember to write Oak Avenue Elementary in the comments section so we receive the proper credit.

Hicklebee’s Online Ordering Instructions

1. Go to https://www.hicklebees.com/bookfairs20202.

2. Put some great books in your cart J

3. Select “Curbside Pickup” or “Enter Your Ship To Address” for your shipping method.

4. Write the school name in the comments section of the order page, (OakAvenue Elementary) or our Oak book fair will not receive credit.

Please contact Mrs. Forrest at cforrest@lasdschools.org if you have specific requests or have any questions.

During these unprecedented times, many individuals and families can use a little extra help. The Los Altos School District has compiled a list of helpful local resources, covering food, mental health, internet service, housing, and domestic violence issues. Please do not hesitate to reach out to these organizations if you need assistance.

Special Education Meetings and Support Zooms for May and June:
http://www.selpa1cac.org

5/20 Decoding Dyslexia will be having a support group on May 20 in the
evening. For more details, email selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com or
ddcasouthpeninsula@gmail.com.

5/26 SELPA 1 CAC is hosting a "Let's Talk IEP/504 Support Group" via
Zoom on Tuesday, May 26 at 6 PM. If you are interested in attending,
please email selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com for the link and password.
Remember, this is a confidential support group to help each other!

6/1 SELPA 1 CAC is having a general meeting to hold our elections,
discuss ongoing distance learning challenges and plan future parent
education events. Meeting will be via Zoom at 9 am on Monday June 1.
Email selpa1cacinfo@gmail.com for more information, link and password

The Los Altos Art Docent program is turning 50 next year and we want LASD TK-6 students to create a logo to be exhibited at the Los Altos History Museum.

The winning design will be used on posters, pins and sketchbooks during the 2020-21 school year.

Rules:

• 8 ½” x 11” paper

• Draw and use lots of bright, bold colors

• Include 50 and art in your design

• Write parent email and contact info on back

• Attach an artist’s statement to be displayed with submission at the Los Altos History Museum

• One entry per student

Deadline: Saturday, May 30th

Submit: electronically with lasdk8 email here

Or mail to

Los Altos Art Docents

201 Covington Road

Los Altos, CA 94024

Mission:

It is Oak School’s mission to ensure high levels of learning for all students. Every day we respectfully collaborate to develop confident, resilient, joyful learners who care about the Oak School community and become responsible citizens.

Email: kattell@lasdschools.org
Website: https://oakschool.org/
Location: 1501 Oak Avenue, Los Altos, CA, USA
Phone: (650)237-3900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Oakavenuesch
Twitter: @OakPrincipal