All Star Family Newsletter

Dear OHE Family,

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year. We have had a great start and I have been so impressed with how your children have settled into routines and are eager to learn new things. You are being introduced to our new assistant principal in this newsletter. Mrs. Ditto is a great addition to our school and is eager to help in any way she can. Feel free to make an appointment and visit with her if you have questions or concerns.

Thank you for being patient as we have worked out transportation during these past two weeks. Our dismissal has gotten much better and students are almost always picked up by 3:30 now. It's amazing how much quicker the process becomes after the start of school.

Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled for September 26-28. You should be getting a link to a new on-line program in the next week that will allow you to sign up for conferences from your phone or computer. The program is called PTCFast. Information will be coming soon.

If there is anything you have concerns about or want to talk about, please know I am available and would love to problem solve. Feel free to contact me through a phone call or email.

Mrs. Shirley

Hello OHE families!

My name is Lynette Ditto, and I am the new Assistant Principal at Oakland Heights. I taught 1st grade at OHE, and I was the Instructional Facilitator for a couple of years. I am so happy to be returning to OHE in this new role! I included a picture so that you will know me when you see me. Feel free to call or email me if you have questions or concerns. mailto:lynette.ditto@rsdk12.net

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ditto

The delayed start time on Mondays provides an opportunity for teachers and administrators to plan and collaborate for student success.

• School will start one hour later every Monday.

• Early drop off times:

• 7:30 to 8:00 students may be dropped off and walk in on their own

• 8:00 to 8:30 parents will need to walk students in and sign in with the office

• 8:30 regular drop off begins

• Buses will run their regular routes ONE HOUR LATER on Mondays

• The bell to begin school will ring at 8:45. The tardy bell will ring at 9:00.

-student lunch price is $3.25; adult lunch price is $4.70

-all students eat breakfast in their classrooms (FREE!)

-The deadline for Free and Reduced Lunch applications is September 15th. Please use this link to apply: https://linqconnect.com/

-Use the link above to check your free and reduced application status, as well as check your account balance and add funds to your account.

We are inviting grandparents to eat lunch with their student(s) this month. Please see the schedule below. All will be during their regular lunch times. We appreciate Mrs. Donna and her kitchen staff for making this possible!

K-September 12th

1-September 15th

2-September 19th

3-September 22nd

4-September 13th

Eddy-September 19th

Matilo-September 13th

DID YOU KNOW?

• Missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read.

• Students can still fall behind if they miss just 1 or 2 days every few weeks.

• Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.

• Absences and tardiness can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.

• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.

• Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor or another parent.

• Try to schedule medical appointments and extended trips when school isn't in session.

• If your child must stay home due to illness or quarantine, ask the teacher for resources and ideas to continue learning at home.

(source: www.attendanceworks.org)

Please see page four (4) of the RSD Elementary School handbook pertaining to absences and tardies. (RSD Elementary Handbook)

• Arkansas State Law makes it illegal to use your cell phone in a school zone when children are present. (exceptions: hands free calling, calling emergency services, and law enforcement officers)

• You must have your car tag displayed when picking up your student(s) in the car rider line.

• Please call the office before 2:30 p.m. with transportation changes.

• Please return the beginning of school paperwork as soon as possible.

This month, we’re focusing on empathy and challenging students to make sure that everyone they interact with feels seen, heard, and valued. We are partnering with you to grow and develop empathy in your students at home. As a family, use these activities to reflect on and better understand the needs of others.

1. Engage: Celebrate Differences

Generate a list of each family member’s favorite things, such as their favorite ice cream flavor or favorite thing to do. Identify any similar answers and celebrate those things you have in common. Discuss how those similarities might impact your family and your relationships. Identify and celebrate each other’s differences. How might those differences impact your family?

1. Empower: Build a Family Social Contract

Schedule time to have a family meeting and develop a family Social Contract together. Ask everyone to answer these questions:

• How do we want to treat each other?

• How do we want to treat each other when there is conflict?

Write down any words you identify as a family (respect, kind, honest) and ask each member to commit to the contract by signing it.