Oak Grove News

Current Note Policy

A note is required for any K – 4 student to stay after school to participate in any activity or for any change in after school plans. Also, notes are required for all students, K – 8, being picked up or going home with a classmate's parent. A note, written by the parent, should be given to the teacher at the beginning of the school day .

Young Rembrandt’s and Engineering for Kids require a “standing note” to be submitted to the Elementary Office for each session applied for. Permission slips are attached to the enrollment forms in the Virtual Backpack. This permission slip will be on file with the office and the homeroom teacher for the entire session. A new enrollment form/permission slip will need to be completed for each session during the school year. These are the only two programs for which we accept a “standing note”. All others require a note EACH day your student will attend after school activities.

In your notes, please include teacher’s name, student’s first and last name, parent signature and please write legibly.

Activities requiring a note each time your student will attend include, and are not limited to the following:

• Girls on the Run
  
• Art Club
  
• Chess Club
  
• Drama
  
• Choir
  
• Girl Scouts
  
• Boy Scouts
  
  

Miscellaneous Important Information

Please do not drop off students before 7:45AM. There is no supervision available until 7:45AM.

Bus riders are to proceed directly to the buses at dismissal. Once on the bus, students are not to exit until they reach their stop. All personal business is to be taken care of prior to dismissal.

Parents, please do not text your students to come to the pick-up area once they have gone to the buses. All arrangements for pick-ups are to be taken care of prior to students coming to school in the morning. Should an emergency arise, please contact the office for changes that may be needed and we will be happy to assist you.

Hello Oak Grove Community,

Back in March of 2014, Illinois adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). They were named The New Illinois Learning Standards for Science. Since that time, our science teachers have been diligently researching the updated expectations and have been learning about the suggested instructional practices associated with the new standards. These new standards are gradually being introduced to our students to ensure a smooth transition from the previous IL science standards to the new standards.

This year, our K-2 students are engaging in hands-on science and engineering investigations aligned to the new content with the help of our classroom teachers, our science consultant Anne Zahn, and our JH science teachers. They are having great fun being scientists and engineers on a weekly basis! In addition, our fifth and sixth grade classes are utilizing the updated standards for the first time this year. As these students move up in the grades, the new science standards will move with them preventing unnecessary gaps in their instruction.

Here’s a quick overview of the new science standards:

The updated standards were developed based on A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas which can be downloaded for free here.

Based on the Framework, there are four areas of science that are required for K-12 students in Illinois: Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth & Space Sciences, and Engineering, Technology, & Applications of Science. All of the above mentioned content areas should focus on these 5 overarching goals:

• Gain an appreciation of science

• Engage in scientific conversations

• Become careful consumers of technology products

• Continue lifelong science learning

• Develop career skills

Excited about the updated standards? Me too! I have more to share in upcoming Curriculum Corners. Have a great week.

Picture Retake Day is Wednesday, November 4th. If you would like your child's picture retaken, you must return the photo package to the photographer that day. If your child was absent when pictures were taken in September, their picture will be taken for the yearbook/Student ID, and you may order pictures at this time.

New students will have their pictures taken and ordering information will be sent home with them. Class photos for grades 6, 7 and 8 will also be taken on

November 4th. Please refer any questions to Karen Draths at extension 2008.

Friday October 23rd, 2015 WEAR BLUE DAY!

This week in grades Kindergarten though fifth grade we began our Bullying Prevention Unit. The students did a wonderful job participating in the discussions. We all practiced the first skill RECOGNIZING BULLYING! The three R’s are:

RECOGNIZE

REPORT

REFUSE

In learning to recognize bullying, students increase their awareness of the problem and gain empathy for bullied students. Clarifying what bullying is and how it is both harmful and against the rules, empowers students to avoid doing it. We also discussed how to respond appropriately if they witness it. This STOPS bullying from being accepted as normal.

The lesson reinforces the message that students must REPORT bullying and when they do, adults WILL help them.

This lesson came at a perfect time because we are USING OUR ASSERTIVE skills to REFUSE or stop bullying!

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR CLASS DOJO TO RECEIVE AN EMAIL AFTER YOUR CHILD’S SEL CLASS! IF YOU HAVE NOT CONNECTED WITH CLASS DOJO, YOUR CHILD WILL BE GIVEN HOMELINKS SO THAT I KNOW WE ARE IN COMMUNICATION AND YOU CAN PRACTICE THESE IMPORTANT SKILLS AT HOME! Home links are activities and papers that require a signature from you each week. My goal with DOJO is to eliminate the 500 papers a week and give you immediate communication, photos, and great conversation starters about these important lessons.

Thank you! Have a great week! Keep Smiling!

Mrs. Kiefer

Social Emotional Learning Teacher

Congratulations to the girls’ and boys’ cross country teams on their performance at the Sectional Meet. The runners were chosen based on their performance throughout the season.

Girls Team:

• ​Paige Gleason
  
• Riley Brennan
  
• Claire Arnold
  
• Grace Mudd
  
• Jane Arnold
  
• Gretchen Wimmer
  
• Lyann Tamm
  

​Boys Team:

• ​Dylan McCarty
  
• Andrew Brooks
  
• Caelan Riley
  
• Quinn Ramstedt
  
• Ali Faiz
  
• Valor Jamieson
  
• Emmett Burke
  

​Eighth grader Emmet Burke placed 7th in Sectionals with an 11:52 two-mile time. This achievement sent him to the State Meet at Maxwell Park in Normal, Illinois. Emmet placed 103rd out of 218 runners with an 11:55 two-mile time. Congratulations Emmet Burke!

October 19, 2015

A Message from PTO Co-Presidents Lisa Perrone and Mia Hughes:

Lunches this Week
Monday - Jersey Mike's

Tuesday - Panino/Potato
Wednesday - Pizza
Thursday - Panda Express

8th Grade Lunch Tradition – Just a reminder regarding the policy for 8th graders purchasing remaining food items at the end of hot lunch days. Any 8th grader may purchase hot lunch items if available. The cost is $1 per main item for those who receive that hot lunch day and $5 for THOSE WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THAT HOT LUNCH.

Fannie May Candy Sales

The Oak Grove PTO Fannie May Candy fundraiser is going on again this year. Order

forms are due no later than October 23rd (this Friday). Return the white and yellow copies of the order form with your payment. All orders will be shipped directly to your home (via UPS) the week of November 16th. Fannie May will be giving away FREE CANDY to those with the highest sales. Please contact Cristina Buelow at 847-367-7998

or Carlene Lichter at 847-816-3925 with any questions.

Schwan's Home Delivery
This fundraiser has begun! Thanks to those who have already placed an order. Introducing Schwan’s Home Delivery benefitting the Oak Grove PTO. Schwan's™ Home Service offers mealtime solutions delivered right to your door. Choose from more than 350 family favorites, all flash-frozen for freshness and flavor.

The PTO will receive 20% of the sales placed from October 1-November 15. We will also receive $10 for every $25 gift certificate purchased. So please consider placing an order today. It’s all online and they deliver to your door. Visit the website below to be linked to our fundraiser campaign:

https://www.schwans-cares.com/campaigns/23066-oak-grove-pto-district-68

Eagle Extravaganza

Mark your calendars for the 4th Annual PTO Eagle Extravaganza!

Saturday, December 5th 9am-12pm

Bring the whole family for shopping, food and fellowship!

There will be local vendors (LHS items, jewelry and more!) for your holiday shopping, a gym filled with gifts priced at $1-$5 for your kids to do their holiday shopping, and a fun breakfast to purchase for all! Presented by the Oak Grove School PTO! Vendors sign up at: https://oakgroveschooleagleextravaganza.shutterfly.com/.

Heinen's Teaming up for Education
Heinen's Grocery will donate up to 1% of qualifying purchases from Oak Grove participants. It's easy to participate. Just sign up for their preferred card and enroll in their Tasteful Rewards program. This can be done in store or online at heinens.com. You then select Oak Grove School PTO as a school. Then make sure you use your rewards card every time you shop. Please note, you need to re-select the school every year.

For our annual service project, the sixth grade class goes to Feed My Starving Children in Libertyville. We need many parent volunteers to help us pack food. If parents are available the morning of November 20th and would like to help us out, please email Mrs. Klunder (klunder@ogschool.org) and let her know your availability.

The Oak Grove Tech Team is seeking feedback regarding the start of the 1:1 iPad Program. This fall, all students K-5 were issued iPads with the option to take home the iPad at the teacher's discretion. Please complete the survey below to give us feedback on the program as it continues to evolve this school year. The survey will take about ten minutes to complete. Thanks and check out the 1to1.ogschool.org site for more information.

Click HERE to complete the survey.

October 18-24 is Digital Citizenship Week. Students at Oak Grove will participate in activities to demonstrate responsible behavior with technology and the morning announcements will feature technology tips for students. The 1:1 Website (1to1.ogschool.org) will have tips and articles for parents to help guide technology use at home.

Purchase a candy gram for Halloween! Spooky suckers can be purchased in the junior high cafeteria during the 5th - 8th grade lunch periods beginning Wednesday, October 21st. Suckers will be $1 each or 6 for $5. Quantities are limited for each grade level, so make sure to come prepared- they sell out quickly! Suckers will be delivered to classrooms for distribution on Friday, October 30th.

Engineering For Kids® brings the wonder and excitement of STEM education (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) to children ages 4-14 through a variety of hands-on learning experiences. Please see the virtual backpack for sessions, rates and times.

We hope to see our current students again and welcome new students to our program, as we continually inspire the next generation of Engineers!

For more information about Engineering For Kids classes, visit us at: www.engineeringforkids.com/lakecounty

Please click HERE to view the flyers in our Virtual Backpack.

Click HERE to view Board Agenda and Minutes

Email: boe@ogschool.org
Website: www.ogschool.org
Location: 1700 S. O'Plaine Rd. Green Oaks, IL 60048
Phone: 847.367.4120