Newsletter February 7, 2021

 

Oaklawn Elementary      School

www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us/elementary/oaklawn

February 7, 2021 

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School Lunch Options

If you haven't noticed yet, there is only one choice daily for students on the February lunch menu.  Starting Monday, we will be offering cereal bars and string cheese daily as a second choice option for lunch. Therefore, the second lunch entree option will be ONE cereal bar with TWO string cheese sticks.  If you need clarification on the process of choosing school lunch #1 or school lunch #2, ask your child.  


Winter is Here!  

RECESS - INSIDE OR OUT?

Oshkosh School District rules for staying inside for recess:

  • Rain/heavy wet snow or sleet: STAY IN
  • Temperatures less than 10 degrees: STAY IN
  • Wind chill 0 degrees or below:  STAY IN

This applies to before school, recess and lunch time.  

Students should always have a hat, mittens/gloves and a winter jacket.  If a student wants to play in the snow they must also have snow pants and boots.  If you child does not have snow pants or boots, they will need to stay on the shoveled areas of the playground/blacktop area/track.  

Please make sure your child is dressed for outdoor recess.  The office will NOT be able to supply your child with a coat, hat or mittens to stay warm outside.  

School Closing Information

When is cold too cold.  

https://www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us/families/emergency-communication



ALICE Drill

The ALICE drills scheduled for Feb. 1/Feb 2 are postponed.  We will inform parents via Infinite campus when they have been rescheduled.

"Over the next few weeks Oshkosh Area School District Elementary Schools will be reviewing and practicing ALICE Drills.  ALICE is a program used by school districts to enhance current best practices related to addressing crisis situations.  Each classroom will review the components of ALICE and practice scenarios that will include barricading, locking down or evacuating.  Each building principal will lead a drill for the entire school walking through a scenario that includes an unsafe person in the building and each classroom will decide what option to pursue.  Our drill will take place on February 1 and 2 and due to COVID-19 will not include an evacuation to Our Saviors Church.

All students will go through the ALICE training with their classmates.   The focus of the training/presentation will be empowering our students to understand the options they have in order to make important decisions in a time of crisis.  Similar to doing fire drills, ALICE training is designed to take students and staff through situations and allow them to “drill” various scenarios and how they would respond.  If a student does not feel comfortable before, or any time during the training, that student should let his/her teacher know.   If you have any questions regarding ALICE and/or the training, please feel free to contact Mr. Johanknecht at 920-424-0170.  The safety and security of our students is our top priority!"

You can learn more about the ALICE framework by viewing the following 

podcast:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8kwd0lZqGk


Updated OASD Free School Meal Distribution

Update as of Wednesday, February 3: Free school meals will be available at one distribution time and location only. The distribution will be Wednesdays from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at Oshkosh West High School (main parking lot - enter on Taft Avenue and exit on Eagle Street). Those accessing free meals cannot enter the school parking lot until 4 p.m. to allow students and staff to safely exit the area before the distribution begins.

  • Free Family Food Boxes: In addition to a week’s worth of school meals, families will also be able to receive Farm to Family Food Boxes - a partnership with Feeding America. LEARN MORE

NOTE: No school meals will be sent home with students at the end of their in-person learning days at this time. Families looking for additional school meals for virtual learning days are asked to visit the distribution sites on Wednesdays to receive those meals.

Meal Distribution Details:

  • Meals will be distributed for five days at a time and will include a breakfast, lunch, and supper for each day. 
  • Milk will be offered with all meals. 
  • Meals are available and are free to anyone age 18 and under. 
  • Children do not need to be present to receive free meals, a parent/guardian or sibling may pick up meals. 
  • Children do not need to be enrolled in the Oshkosh Area School District to receive free meals. 

Attendance

All students need to be in ​the building​ on their in-person school days.  If your child is not in ​the school​ a parent needs to contact the school office before 8:00am to excuse them.  If we do not hear from a parent/guardian we will mark your child unexcused/truant from school.  Joining a class virtually does NOT excuse them, a parent/guardian must contact the office.  


Substitute Staff Needed-Apply Today!

We need your help! If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a substitute teacher or support staff in theOshkosh Area School District, we want to hear from you. Applicants who have an Associate's or Bachelor's degree in any field are eligible for a substitute teacher license. Learn more and complete a required application available online at www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us/district/human-resources or contact our HR department at 920.424.1254.


Calling ALL Oaklawn 5th Grade Families: 

What a unique last year as an Oaklawn Owl for our kiddos. With that being said, the show must go on. We are eagerly putting together an epic 5th grade slideshow and activity plans for the end of this school year. What do we need from you? 

1. Please send via FB messenger, text 920.203.2881 or email 2 pictures of your child (first day of kindergarten and now) 

2. Optional, a 10-30 second video of them talking about their favorite memory, teacher, class or anything Oaklawn they want to say. 

If you have other pictures from this school year with groups of the kids together, send those as well. 

This is due to me by March 1st so it gives us time to put this together for May!


Virtual Learner Caregiver Series

This edition of the Caregiver Series is on the importance of sleep for the growing child!  We know that families are struggling to stick to a routine, remove technology from the bedroom and parents are just plain tired......so are the kids.  Lack of sleep shows up in mood instability, unwillingness to do school, lack of focus and behavior problems to name a few.  We hope you take a look on how to help!

Episode #6  Grief is a result of a loss. This school year (and 2020 in general) has created a lot of loss and uncertainty for children. In this episode we talk with Kaelee Heidemann, School Counselor at Traeger Elementary about grief, how it might be playing a role in your child's behavior, and how caregivers can help. Please take a look!

Episode #7 The latest edition of the Caregiver Series is all about making it through!  This time of year is always exhausting for teachers and families.  Blend those roles together in a home and we all feel it.  Add some diversity, fun and rewards to your schedule to help you through until break!  You got this!

You are making it through distance learning and we see how hard you are working to balance everything.  The newsletter link below includes a short video and links of helpful suggestions from behavior interventionists, Michelle Mees, Kristin Bartelt and Mary Diedrich.

Caregivers Newsletter

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Keep Contacting the School!

COVID DATA AND SYMPTOMS

In an effort to continue to track symptomatic students, return dates to school, and Covid-19 cases, we kindly ask that you continue to notify your school nurse when your child has symptoms, has tested positive for Covid-19, or has been a close contact to someone that has tested positive for Covid-19. Please call 920-509-0586 or email kaitlyn.williams@oshkosh.k12.wi.us with Covid-related information. Thank you. 


Registration Fees/Free and Reduced Lunch

All students enrolled in the Oshkosh Area School District need to pay an instructional fee.  Please double check the "Fees" tab in your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account to check your current balance.  Payments can be made through the portal or sent to the school office.  Checks should be made out to Oaklawn Elementary School.  Please label the payment with your student's name and which fee you are paying for.  Destiny/Media book fines are also listed  in the "Fees" tab.  Some fees may be waived for students who qualify for free/reduced lunches.  It is the families responsiblity to make sure you complete the proper paperwork.  All applications have a section to complete to have the fees waived.  Families/students who have directly certified for free/reduced lunch by the state have an extra form included with their status letter that needs to be returned to the school office.  You can NOT assume your fees are waived just because you qualify.  

Free/Reduced Lunch applications are available online.  https://www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us/families/food-service  



2021 Oaklawn PTO

 

Your 2020-2021 PTO Leadership Team is excited to welcome you back to Oaklawn!

Stephanie Pereira Da Silva: President 920-203-2881 or stephanie.pereiradasilva@kcc.com

Abby Cravillion: Vice President 920-379-8265 or abaigeallynn@yahoo.com

Barby Philo Ames: Secretary 920-420-2365 or barbames@gmail.com

Mauricio Pereira da Silva: Treasurer 920-203-8986 or saxmau@gmail.com

Mr. Scott J: Principal 920-424-0170 or scott.johanknecht@oshkosh.k12.wi.us

 

PTO Meeting Minutes 9/10/2020

PTO Meeting Minutes 12/16/2020

Next Meeting March 16th @ 6pm


Wonderlab S.T.E.A.M. Take Home Kits:

January and February 2021

 

Let's explore and experiment using the principles of S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art, and math)! Kits include everything you need to create cool projects. Check out our YouTube channel for video instructions. Earn points for the Wild Winter Read Off when you complete each kit! Make an appointment to pick up your kit at calendly.com/oshkoshpubliclibrary or call 920-236-5208. *These kits are designed for ages 5 and older. Supplies are limited.

https://www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/content/wonderlab-steam-take-home-kits-beginning-dec-28#overlay-context=content/december-2020-staff-picks


Future Dates

Feb 8 & 9

  • Rocky Rococo's/Rose Subs Dine and Donate

Feb. 9

  • K-Kids Meeting, 6pm Virtual

Feb 10

  • Early Release - 12:30pm (If not virtual)

Feb 12

  • Candy Bar Fundraiser Delivery

Feb 15

  • No School

Feb 18

  • BACK TO 5 DAY IN PERSON SCHOOL!

Mar 1

  • Kringle Fundraiser Begins

Mar 10 

  • Kringle Fundraiser Orders Due

Mar 16

  • PTO Meeting, 6:00pm

Mar 25

  • Kringle Fundraiser Delivery