Oak Grove News

There's still time to join us Tuesday, February 2, as we host a presentation and discussion with Dr. Michele Kane. If you have yet to RSVP, we invite you to join us on Tuesday!

Supportive Partnerships: Fostering Well-being for Children

Oak Grove School

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

6:30 pm-7:30 p.m.

Hosted by the OGS TAG Committee

***This presentation will be held in the lower level Professional Development Room. Please, enter through the Elementary Office doors.

All 8th graders should have received their class recommendations and enrollment forms last week. Families are encouraged to read the instructions, review the materials, choose their classes for 9th grade and mail in their course selection forms by February 12.

Optional Counselor Appointments: If a family has specific questions concerning course selection, they will have an opportunity to meet with a counselor from Libertyville HS on Tuesday, February 9th here at Oak Grove. Changes in level of instruction will not be considered at this time. To make an appointment to meet with a counselor, please call Diana Murphey by February 5th at 847.327.7013.

SAVE THE DATE

8th Grade Dance

Friday, May 27th, 7-10pm

Please plan accordingly as this is Memorial Day weekend

8th grade students, prepare for a memorable & exciting evening as you wrap up your years at Oak Grove School!

8th Grade Parents

We will need all hands on deck to make this a special evening for our children. Please consider helping us decorate & set up on 5/27 at 1pm . We will also need help planning & preparing for the dance. If you are able to help in any capacity, please complete this form.

Further questions, contact Erin Heard: 908-963-2151, erin.heard@yahoo.com

Hello Oak Grove Community,

As we begin celebrating Black History Month, it’s important to understand its origins and place in American history. Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-trained historian, believed that truth could not be denied and that reason would prevail over prejudice. His hopes to raise awareness of African American's contributions to civilization was realized when he and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation's bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” That year, fifty years after the first celebration, the association held the first African American History Month.

For more information about the history of Black History Month, here are a few additional links:

http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/index.html

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month

http://www.timeforkids.com/minisite/black-history-month

Thank you to all of you who have been checking the ClassDojo. I hope that the pictures and class stories have helped you have meaningful and important discussions with your children about ways to Think First & Stay Safe! In grades kindergarten through third grade, students were reminded about the rules we have to follow to keep us healthy and safe. We learned that adults have rules called laws. We identified the private parts of our body as our Bathing Suit Zone. We focused on four very important rules.

• It is against the law for someone to look at your Bathing Suit Zone. We went over the exceptions; if a child hurts the private parts of his body and asks for help, doctor’s visits WITH a mom, dad or guardian there or a child needing help taking a bath/shower or going to the bathroom
  
• It is against the law for someone to touch your Bathing Suit Zone
  
• It is against the law for someone to take pictures of your Bathing Suit Zone
  
• It is against the law for someone to ask you to touch their Bathing Suit Zone
  

In 4th and 5th grade we have reviewed all of the lessons taught in kindergarten through third grade and have been focusing on lures. We are identifying and practicing how to get out of situations where different types of lures occur.

Affection:

(see above rules taught to K-3)

Assistance:

• Adults should ask other adults, not children for help
  
• Ask permission before lending or accepting a helping hand
  
• Stay three giant steps from vehicles, do not speak to drivers, and be ready to run like the wind in the opposite direction
  

Pet Lures

• Children should never help look for a “lost” pet without a parent/guardian with them
  
• Children should only accept to go see an animal or pet when accompanied by a parent or trusted adult
  

Authority Lures

• Children CAN disobey anyone who tells them to do something unsafe or illegal
  

Thank you again for reading the ClassDojo and talking with your children about how to THINK FIRST & STAY SAFE!

~Keep Smiling!

Mrs. Kiefer~ Social Emotional Learning Teacher K-5

February 1, 2016

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

Lunches this Week
Monday - Quesadilla/Hot Dog
Tuesday - Panino/Potato
Wednesday - Pizza
Thursday - Panda Express

PTO Meeting
Wednesday February 3, 2016 in the Teachers' Lounge at 9AM. All are welcome! The agenda is posted on the PTO website.

Variety Show
Save the dates:

• Informational meeting during lunch - Wednesday, February 24
  
• Tryouts after school - Monday, March 14th & Tuesday, March 15
• Variety Show - 4pm & 7pm Friday, April 29

The show is open to all 5th-8th graders.

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. Thank you to the 31 people who are currently enrolled.

Oak Grove Gala ‘16
Tickets are limited – secure your seat today!

Our biennial Spring Gala will take place on February 27th, 2016 at Independence Grove. The Gala is OGSEF’s biggest fundraising initiative and we need the support of our community to make it a great success. The Grove Gala features dinner, open bar, entertainment by the band CoverGurl, a silent auction and the opportunity to network with your community!
To purchase tickets or commit to one of our Sponsorship Packages, please visit www.ogsef.org/gala-2016 and click the "Buy Gala Tickets Now" tab at the bottom of the page.

Grove Gala Silent Auction
We are excited to have received so many amazing contributions to the silent auction! Whatever your interest or need, we have a wide variety of merchandise and experiences to choose from! Here is a quick sample of a few of our items:

Ski Killington for Spring Break!

Enjoy Spring Break week at a 2 bedroom/2 bath condo just a few miles from the beautiful Killington Ski Resort in picturesque Vermont!

Fore!

Merit Club, Ivanhoe, Glen Flora and more – enjoy a foursome at one of the area’s top courses!

Cookie Time!

First Grade’s own Mrs. Brown is known for her legendary baking skills – spend an afternoon decorating (and eating) cookies with her!

Soooooo-eeeee!

Spring is just around the corner, why not kick off the season with your very own backyard pig roast for 50 of your closest friends!

Plus, we have many more priceless teacher/staff experiences and classroom gifts, and loads of cool merchandise. Our Silent Auction is a highlight of the Grove Gala and we welcome any and all donations. No donation is too big or small & all your creative ideas are welcome! Please contact Carlene Lichter at carlenelichter@gmail.com with your donation ideas.

OGSEF Announces New Scholarship for Oak Grove Alumni Graduating from LHS
As support from our community has grown, so has the OGSEF’s ability to support our Oak Grove students as they move through elementary and junior high -- and even past high school. We are excited to announce the inaugural Soaring Eagle Scholarship to support a deserving student in their post-secondary studies. This $1000 scholarship is open to graduating Libertyville High School Seniors who are Oak Grove Alumni. Applications are available in the LHS Career Resource Center and responses are due by March 16, 2016. The scholarship will be presented at the LHS Awards ceremony in May.

Stability Balls Bring Focus & Concentration to Third Grade

The Oak Grove School Education Foundation was excited to support using stability balls as seats in the third grade classrooms to help the children focus better on instruction. Not only does it help them become more physically fit because core muscles are strengthened, it allows “active seating” with little or no disturbance in the classroom while allowing for movement. Brain research has shown that there is a link between movement and academic performance. Sitting on balls helps this performance because it makes one sit up straighter while increasing blood flow to the brain and all parts of the body. This movement will result in increased classroom learning. Students are not required to sit on a ball, but everyone has been encouraged to try them out.

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

This is a summary of events that occurred at the January meeting, not the official minutes.

Information

• Dr. Lemon gave an update regarding Oak Grove's new presence in Social Media
• District Newsletter going out within next two weeks
• The OGSEF Gala is February 27
• Mrs. Cacciatore gave a curriculum update
• First reading of two suggested policy updates
• First reading of Communication Plan suggested update
• 2016-17 Registration Fees were presented
• Dr. Lemon gave an update regarding North Chicago Dist. 187 and the possibility of a second charter school being approved, and the impact to the surrounding districts
• The Board discussed tuition free kindergarten in 2016-17
• Mrs. Manski presented the Board with proposed Board Goals

Decisions

• The Board approved suggested PRESS policy updates
• Dr. Valentin confirmed the budgeted amount for the transfer funds to the site and construction fund
• The Summer 2016 Construction Bid was discussed
• Personnel action was approved

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