Oak Grove News

Parents and Guardians,

Last week, media outlets released articles relating to the recent PARCC scores of students in each school district across the state.

Unfortunately, in their article and chart, the Daily Herald mistakenly left out the Oak Grove scores. In their feature article, they listed the “Top 10 Elementary Schools” in their readership area. Somehow, they missed our scores. Oak Grove’s “meets and exceeds” cumulative average was 75.7%, more than double state averages, and ranks us 5th in the entire region. Oak Grove should have been listed in the article and in the chart.

Mr. Fenton and I immediately reached out to the editors to express our frustration and disappointment that an error of this magnitude happened. We continue to ask them to correct their mistake.

We have been sharing publicly that our students performed at the very top in the region. When we weren’t listed in the article, we were shocked. We wanted to let you know what happened, so that you didn’t feel you had been misled by the District.

The faculty, staff, parents, and most important—students deserved better. Each of you deserves the public recognition for your sons and daughters hard work and excellent performance in the classroom. It is truly a shame that a mistake like this was made by the newspaper.

Please understand that we know how well our students performed and are proud of them and our school district.

With Oak Grove pride,

Dr. Lemon

Hello Oak Grove Community,

The next part of the new Illinois Science standards I’d like to introduce you to are the Scientific and Engineering Practices (SEP).

The Framework specifies that each performance expectation (student learning objective) must combine a relevant practice of science or engineering (SEP), with a disciplinary core idea (DCI, aka content) and crosscutting concept (CCs- shared two weeks ago), appropriate for students of the designated grade level. That guideline is perhaps the most significant way in which the NGSS differs from the prior standards.

In the future, science assessments will not assess students’ understanding of core ideas separately from their abilities to use the practices of science and engineering. They will be assessed together, showing students not only “know” science concepts, but also students can use their understanding to investigate the natural world through the practices of science inquiry, or solve meaningful problems through the practices of engineering design.

The Framework uses the term “practices,” rather than “science processes” or “inquiry” skills for a specific reason:

We use the term “practices” instead of a term such as “skills” to emphasize that engaging in scientific investigation requires not only skill but also knowledge that is specific to each practice. (NRC Framework, 2012, p. 30)

The eight practices of science and engineering are listed below. Interestingly, several of them sound very similar to the eight mathematical practices utilized within our updated math standards.

1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2. Developing and using models

3. Planning and carrying out investigations

4. Analyzing and interpreting data

5. Using mathematics and computational thinking

6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

7. Engaging in argument from evidence

8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Additional information about the practices and how they look when compared to each grade band is located in Appendix F of the framework, beginning on page 17.

Sunday, December 13th, the Lego Club participated in their Fourth Annual Lego League competition held at Carl Sandburg Middle School in Mundelein. The team consisted of the following students: Scott Sanderson, Nick Elfering, Constance Zanze, Kaitlyn Brown, and Nathan John.

The students spent countless hours during lunch-recess and after school engineering pieces for the robot, programming it to accomplish specific missions on the field kit, and researching recycling since our topic was Trash Trek. Our students developed many solutions and researched the recycling of pallets since Scott had already made a cutting board from recycled wood. The team presented their story during the project judging session and did an outstanding job. The students put their heads together to find ways to strategies which missions to go after on the field so they could earn the maximum amount of points. Working as a team, sharing ideas, learning technology skills, and sharpening their programing of the robot, were just a few things this team accomplished. As a fourth year sponsor, I am so proud to have guided them through the struggles of working as a team and strategizing the field.

The team scored the best matches I’ve seen since I’ve been coaching by scoring consistently near or above 200 points on each match, and placing 5th out of 16 teams overall. I was lucky to witness some of the best problem solving and teamwork and feel so honored to have worked with this great group of students.

Lastly, I want to give a HUGE shout out to Mrs. Edelson for letting the team attend my 4th period class instead of attending the Robotics rotation to work on the field. The extra time really paid off.

Thank you for your support.

Mrs. Pusateri

Happy Holidays!

Thank you to our Oak Grove community – teachers, staff, parents and local businesses – who have contributed their time and resources to support our mission to provide differentiated educational opportunities to the students of Oak Grove School. We wish you and yours a joyous holiday season!

The Grove Gala 2016 - Tickets & Sponsorships on Sale Now!
Our biennial Spring Gala will take place on February 27th, 2016 at Independence Grove. The event features food, drinks, entertainment by CoverGurl, auctions and more. This is an event you will not want to miss!
To purchase tickets or commit to one of our Sponsorship Packages, please visit http://www.ogsef.org/gala-2016.html and click the "Buy Gala Tickets Now" tab at the bottom of the page or visit our event campaign page.

Thank you for your support!

Gala Volunteers – We Need You!
The Oak Grove Gala Committee is seeking individuals to lend a hand. You can sign up to volunteer online at https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/Mjg1MA==.

Shop for Learning!

Ready for the holiday shopping season? Take advantage of the great deals AND support educational initiatives at Oak Grove School at the same time at no additional cost to you! Visit www.ogsef.org and click the Support Us tab at the bottom of the page. From there you can 'Shop to Support' with a ton of great merchants - Amazon, Target, Nordstrom and many more!

December 14, 2015

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

Lunches this week:

Monday – Quesadilla/Hot Dog

Tuesday – Panera

Wednesday – Pasta

Thursday – Culver's

Happy Holidays!

Thank you to our wonderful parents, teachers and staff for their support throughout the year!

This year Oak Grove will hold our Geography Bee on January 11th at 6:00pm in the Junior High Learning Center.

Visit Mr. Henneberry’s website for registration and preparation activities.

Thank you to the 48 Student Council members who served hot chocolate to the fifth through eighth grade lunch periods on Friday. It was quite an operation. Everyone enjoyed their tasty treat!

Some of our 5th graders submitted an essay to The Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter for the Daughters of the American Revolution Essay Contest. The topic was “A Colonial Family’s Reaction to the Stamp Act”. They are all commended on their effort.

A special congratulations is extended to Olivia Davoux who won First Place for 5th graders in the Libertyville, Mundelein, Wauconda, and Vernon Hills area schools. She and her family are invited to attend a ceremony in February.

Great Job Olivia!

Andrew Fink, a proud Oak Grove alum from the Class of 2012, built 3 wooden benches for his Eagle Scout project. He met with Dr. Lemon to choose his project and determined the benches would look great, and be a valuable asset to the patio in front of the school. Andrew and his colleagues from Boy Scout Troop #194 delivered them on Sunday. They look great! Andrew is currently a senior at Libertyville High School and the son of Nancy and Robert Fink.

The Oak Grove faculty, staff, students, and parents say, "thank you," Andrew for giving back to your grade school. We are proud of your accomplishments!

On Friday, December 11, families from Oak Grove School volunteered at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) in Libertyville. In approximately an hour, a total of 19,224 meals were created and boxed. This will feed 52 kids for an entire year. To learn more about Feed My Starving Children, visit its website at www.fmsc.org. Thank you to all who participated!

There will be no Early Hours in the Jr. High Library on Tuesday, Dec. 15th.

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