Oak Grove News

Hello Oak Grove Community,

Oak Grove 3rd-8th grade students will be taking part in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) testing from April 9th-13th with make-up testing occurring April 16th-20th. Throughout the PARCC testing window, students will continue taking their devices home each night for charging purposes. Students will also need a working pair of headphones. We are asking parents to please assist their 3rd-8th grade students in nightly device charging, reminding students to bring their devices to school daily throughout the testing window, and to please make sure each student has a working set of headphones.

PARCC preparation is important. The computer interface is more complex than other digital tests students have done during NWEA and STAR testing. For practice with this more complex interface, students can take the PARCC practice tests for both ELA and Math at https://parcc.pearson.com/practice-tests. The purpose of the practice tests are not what score a student obtains, but more for gaining a better understanding of the more complex PARCC testing interface as well as the test taking tools that are offered on the tests. Students are encouraged to take the tests at and around their grade level.

Lastly, we encourage students to get a good night sleep prior to their testing dates, eat a nutritious breakfast, and to get to school on time! A more detailed testing schedule will be available closer to the PARCC testing window.

K-5
Students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade participated in our Child Lures Protection Unit during the past 5 weeks. All students did an excellent job listening, asking questions and participating in discussions. The most important lessons learned were,

• My Body Belongs to Me
  
• Always Listen to My Inner Siren or Instincts
  
• All Secrets Can Be Told to My Trusted Adult
  

We ended the unit with a fun and uplifting project in all grades and classes by reading a grade level appropriate book about kindness. Each child wrote about one way that they can spread kindness and each class formed a heart. These hearts can be seen throughout the school.

The Kindness Poem by Eleanor McCormick

2nd Grade Oak Grove School

When you're sweet, you feel good.

When you're sour, you feel bad.

So that's a reason to be glad!

With a truckload of kindness,

you can make new friends,

and that kind of friendship never ends.

Be kind!!

5-8

Once a month, grades 5-8 participate in an activity called “Mix -It-Up Lunch.” The goal is to reduce social isolation that often occurs in the lunchroom. In many cases it is unintentional yet it goes unnoticed. We believe through Mix-It-Up Lunches we can provide students with the opportunity to have a positive lunch experience and they will foster new friendships!

7th grade followed these lessons up with some powerful activities from "A Project Of Beyond Differences, National No One Eats Alone" day. For more information, please visit www.nooneeatsalone.org

Have a wonderful week! Thank you for sharing your children with us everyday!

Fabulous 5th graders culminated a month long service project, "Spread the Love", last week. Students chose to participate in some type of service on their own, and then as a group packed meals at Feed My Starving Children. 5th grade teachers are very proud of the students and impressed by their willingness to do for others!

Absent Student Lunch Policy - Updated

Based on recent feedback from the Health Department, all absent student lunches need to be picked up by 1:00 pm, not 2:00 pm as we previously posted. If a student is absent and has ordered hot lunch, the lunchroom staff will bring his/her lunch to the appropriate office (Elementary or Junior High) at the end of the lunch hour. The lunch will be available for pick up in the office until 1:00pm of that day. If the student has an appointment outside of school during their lunch hour, they may request their lunch from the office staff before their appointment.

5th Grade Mother/Daughter Tea

Monday, March 12th is the 5th grade Mother/Daughter Tea in the Junior High cafeteria. All 5th grade girls were mailed an invitation last week. Don’t forget to RSVP to Liz Howard: lizhowardpto@yahoo.com and send in a baby picture of your daughter to her homeroom teacher.

5th Grade Father/Son Night

Please mark your calendar for the 5th grade Father/Son Night on Thursday, March 15th, from 6:00-8:30 pm, in the Junior High Cafeteria. The evening will include an informative presentation of ‘The Michael Program” by the Robert Crown Center for Health Education. Topics to be covered include puberty, proper nutrition, personal hygiene and positive self-image. For additional information visit www.robertcrown.org under "Michaels Program”. Look for additional details and RSVP next week.

Variety Show

It’s that time of year again! We are looking for all 5th-8th graders interested in trying out for the Variety Show. Sign ups will be in the Junior High cafeteria during your lunch hour on Tuesday, February 27th and Wednesday, February 28th.

Important upcoming dates for the show are:

• 8th grade emcee tryouts - March 12 from 3:20 - 4:00pm (sign up in Mrs. Mahoney’s room)
  
• Tryouts - March 19th & 20th
  
• Variety Show - April 20th
  

We are looking forward to seeing all of the talent that Oak Grove has to offer!

2nd/3rd Grade Social

The 2nd/3rd grade social was a huge success! We had over 120 kids skating around having fun! A big thank you to all the volunteers that helped make the day special, Stephanie Huffman, Erich Reutzel , Becky Jones, Tabitha Rubash, Francine Klotz, Stacy Hornaday, Kathy Bailor, Karen McConnell, Carrie Siebert and all the other parents who stayed and helped.

Grove Gala ‘18
We are looking forward to a wonderful Gala this Saturday. Thank you so much for your support!

Preview the Gala 2018 Auction Online
We invite you to take a sneak peek at the auction items by visiting http://www.ogsef.org/gala-2018-auction-items.html. The Grove Gala Auction 2018 surely has that special experience or item you or your child has been coveting! Take a peek at our different items, but be sure to walk the floor the night of the Gala, as new items come in every day!

Evening Agenda
Please visit http://www.ogsef.org/gala-2018-event-information.html to view the agenda, activities and menu for the evening.

Event Sponsors
Thank you to our Gala 2018 Eagle Sponsors for supporting the event. You can view our sponsors at http://www.ogsef.org/gala-2018-sponsors.html.

We also sincerely thank all of our auction donors and event volunteers – it takes a huge effort to make this event happen and we appreciate all the time, effort and generosity. Look for our full list of donors and volunteers on our website after the event.

We look forward to a fun and charitable evening that will benefit the science curriculum around Next Generation Science Standards for the children of Oak Grove School. We have such a special group of children, families, teachers and staff members, as well as an amazing community, that afford us the opportunity to have events like this one.

Please click HERE to view the flyers in our virtual backpack. Flyers are updated weekly, so please check back often so you won't miss any of the events going on in our community.

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