O.E.S. Owls Nest News

News & Upcoming Events

September 4, 2023

I'd like to thank the OES community for a very positive first week of school!

This past week students enjoyed a pancake breakfast, a visit from our owl mascot, an opening assembly, and a visit from Frank Daigneault from Butler's Bus Service. Mr. Daigneault spoke to the students about bus rules, expectations, and bus safety. He also helped us practice an emergency evacuation from the rear of the bus.

I enjoyed visiting classrooms throughout the building. Students seem excited to be back. I have asked second graders to read me their favorite books in a few weeks, once they are back into a reading routine.

Students have now met all of their allied arts teachers, and seem to be enjoying these classes.

Students received first day packets last week. Please complete them in a timely manner. Updated information allows us to reach you in case of an emergency.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Shannon Laliberty, Principal

slaliberty@ocsu.org

BUS BEHAVIOR

Butler's Bus Service is a contract service for our district. OCSU doesn't own the buses or employ the driver's. There have been a few students written up this week for bus behavior. I wanted to communicate the system in place for these incidents. Butlers Bus will notify the school with a copy of the write-up. Once this is received by myself or Mrs. Ingalls we will send you an email, including a copy of the write up, as well as place a copy in the mail to you. I will conference with the student(s) involved. If this write-up will cause your student to be off the bus, we will contact you by phone.

Butler's Bus Company and the Elementary/Middle School Principals are working closely to ensure the safety of our students. Below are the consequences for offenses on the bus:

1 st offense - write up
2 nd Offense - 2 days off the bus
3rd offense - 5 days off bus
4 th offense - 10 days off the bus
5 th offense - you are removed for the remainder of the year.

Bus safety is important to every one of us, especially the bus drivers. It is critical that students follow the rules on the bus so that drivers can have their attention on the road and all students have a positive and safe experience. We ask that parents and students review the bus rules together. Talk with the driver if you have any particular questions.

Here are the bus rules that are posted in every Butler’s bus:

Behave on the bus as you are expected to behave in the classroom.
Be courteous; use no profane, sarcastic, or disrespectful language.
Eating and drinking are never allowed on the bus.
Keep the bus clean. Take everything with you.
Cooperate with the driver. Do not argue.
Do not smoke.
Do not be destructive.
Stay in your seat.
Keep head, hands and feet inside the bus and out of the aisles.
The bus driver is authorized to assign seats.

Drivers don’t have a problem with cell phones as long as students keep them to themselves and they do not cause any distractions. Please make sure your child understands that recording sound and/or video as well as taking pictures on the bus is strictly prohibited.

The school and parents will be notified if there are behavior issues on the bus. We will work together to address the behaviors, but students may lose the privilege of riding the bus if the issues continue.

CELL PHONES

There have also been some cell phone violations this week. Please review the expectations with your student(s). Below is the section from our handbook on cell phones. This is also the same information in all other Elementary/ Middle Schools in our District.

We understand that cell phones provide an opportunity for parents to stay in touch with their children. However, the expectation is that students will turn their cell phones off and store them in their book bags, (not in pockets) or turning it into the office at the start of the day. If you need to contact your child during the school day, we would ask that you do so through the school office.

Cell phones will be confiscated if these guidelines are not followed.

Procedure for Cell Phone Violations:

First Violation: The phone will be brought to the office where it can be picked up at

the end of the day by the student. Parents/guardians will be notified of this violation by

the administration.

Second Violation: The phone will be brought to the office, parent(s)/guardian(s) will be

contacted by administration and asked to come pick up the phone at the end of the

school day. A meeting will be scheduled between the student, parents and

administration to review the expectation around cell phones.

Third Violation: The phone will no longer be permitted in the building during school hours.