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Otter Splash for the Weeks of January 20-February 2

Hello, Oak Grove Family, Versión en español aquí, النسخة باللغة العربية هنا, Toleo la Kiswahili hapa, Версия на русском здесь, Versiunea in Romana

Thank you for helping us start the 2025 year off so strong! Your support and partnership make a tremendous difference in creating a positive and successful learning environment for our students. As a reminder, there will be no school on Monday, January 20th, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, a time to reflect on his legacy and the values of service, equity, and community. We are grateful for your continued support and commitment to our school,

Below are some friendly reminders for families as we enter the 3rd quarter.

  • Transportation Changes: If your child’s transportation needs to change after the start of the school day (8:45 AM), please contact the office at 919-387-4490. To ensure we can notify students and teachers in a timely manner, transportation changes must be made before 3:00 PM.

  • Track Change Requests: The 25-26 Track Change Request Form will be sent to families at the beginning of February.

  • Morning/Afternoon Carpool: We kindly ask parents, guardians, and family members to refrain from using cell phones while driving through the parking lot and carpool line. When cars are in motion, everyone’s full attention is crucial to ensuring safety for all. We appreciate your commitment to keeping our community safe!

A huge thank you to those who have submitted Staff Shout-Outs! 🎉 We are dedicated to recognizing the outstanding educators who positively impact our students. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to use this Google Form to submit your Otter Staff Shoutouts. Let’s continue to celebrate the great work happening at Oak Grove! You can also check our website regularly for updates and to see our staff members being recognized. 🦦🎉

Below is information about our Upcoming Otter Parent Education Night (OPEN), CogAT Testing dates for 2nd grade only, Contact Verification Sheets, Attendance Matters, Kindergarten Dental Screenings, Yearbook Adds for 5th Grade Students Only, 25-26 Pre-K applications, the Annual Asbestos Notification to Families, and PTA Updates.

As we continue the second half of the school year, we are committed to maintaining open lines of communication and working closely with you to provide the best possible education for every child at Oak Grove. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to a fantastic school year filled with learning, growth, and success for all our students!

24-25 Year Round Calendar

 

Staff Shout-Outs

Staff, School, and Club Wishlists

Staff’s Favorite Things

 

Warm Regards,

Ms. Benton 

 

Otter Happenings (English Calendar) - Updated 1/5/25

Acontecimientos de nutria (Spanish Calendar) -Updated 1/19/25

Updated 1/19/25   حداث قضاعة Arabic Calendar      

Matukio ya Otter (Swahili Calendar) - Updated 1/19/25

Выдровые события (Russian Calendar) - Updated 1/19/25 

Calendarul Romanesc (Romanian Calendar - Updated 1/19/25

 

 

Family Education Night - Save the Date

Oak Grove Elementary is excited to announce that we are currently planning a Family Education Night! At Oak Grove, we deeply value the input and involvement of our families in creating meaningful and engaging events. To help us make this upcoming event as impactful as possible, we kindly ask for your input by completing a brief survey. Your feedback is essential in shaping an evening that best supports and benefits our school community. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts—we greatly appreciate your partnership!

                      




Cogat Testing Dates for 2nd Grade Students Only

We would like to inform you that all 2nd-grade students will participate in the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) as part of our district’s assessment process. The CogAT measures students' reasoning and problem-solving skills in verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal abilities. This assessment helps us better understand each student's learning profile and identify areas of strength and potential growth. It is important for students to arrive on time, well-rested, and ready to do their best. Results will be shared with you and will help guide future learning opportunities. Thank you for your support! Students in Grade 2, Track 1 will take the Cogat on the following dates:

  • February 10 - Track 1

  • October 11 - Track 1

  • October 22 - Track 1

Other track dates have yet to be determined.

 

 

Contact Verification Sheets - From Ms. Dahlhoff, Data Manager

On Tuesday, January 7th, a Contact Verification sheet will be sent home with your student. Action on your part is needed in preparation for Infinite Campus, which will replace PowerSchool next year. 

 

The new system will only connect you and your student through your home address. Please verify the information is correct, paying close attention to the address of the Parents (mother or father), guardians, foster parents, and stepparents who live at the same address as the student. Please add the address if no one is printed on the sheet or correct it if it is incorrect.

 

We ask that you complete and return this to school ASAP, as there is a lot of work to do to prepare for a smooth transition so that you continue to have access to your child's information. Please contact our Data Manager, Ms. Dahlhoff, with any questions 

 adahlhoff@wcpss.net or 919 387-4490



Attendance Matters - From Mr. Moore, our school’s Social Worker

As we begin the second half of the school year, we are working diligently at Oak Grove Elementary School to support student attendance. Starting the new year strong is essential for our students’ success, and we are thrilled to see them engaging in our Attendance Otters program. Each week, a class from grades K-5 is awarded the Positive Otter Award, celebrating the class with the best attendance. This friendly competition has been a great motivator for our students! Thank you for partnering with us to ensure your student(s) are at school, ready to learn, and making the most of their educational opportunities. To support strong attendance, consider these tips:

  • Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.

  • Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.

  • Share ideas with other parents for getting to school on time.

  • If you are concerned your child may have a contagious illness, call your school or health care provider for advice. Ask for resources to continue learning at home if needed. 

  • Ask family members or neighbors for assistance if you need help. 

  • Try to schedule non-urgent medical appointments and extended trips when school is not in session.

We appreciate your ongoing support in fostering a positive and consistent learning environment for all our students!



From the School Health Dental Hygienist - Kindergarten Dental Screenings

Annually, our School Health Dental Hygienist looks for healthy smiles by providing dental screenings. Please refer to the WCPSS student/parent handbook. Good dental health is important to a student’s overall well-being and affects a child’s success and performance in the classroom.

School Dental Hygienists use a flashlight to provide a quick visual screening of the student’s teeth. This is not like a dental exam by a dentist. During the dental screening, the School Dental Hygienist follows all CDC (Centers for Disease Control) guidelines.

A letter with the screening results will be sent home in the student’s school folder ONLY if your child has questionable or obvious dental needs. If needed, children with obvious dental needs may receive an additional follow-up screening by the School Health Dental Hygienist later in the school year.

Kindergarten students at Oak Grove will be screened on the following days:

  • Tuesday, January 7th  - Track 3

  • Tuesday, January 28th - Tracks 1, 2, and 4

Parents/guardians may contact their child’s principal to opt out of dental screenings.

If you have any questions, please contact the school’s dental hygienist, Diana Dakdouk, RDH, at 919-621-2480 or ddakdouk@wcpss.net

 

Yearbook Adds - 5th Grade Parents/Guardians Only - Deadline January 31st

They've made it! Celebrate your 5th grader with an Otter Wish in this year's yearbook. 🦦 Wishes offer parents and guardians a way to give a "shout out" 🎉 or say "congrats" 🎊 to their 5th grader, marking the end of their elementary school journey. 

 

Please use THIS LINK to fill out your child’s information and to submit text/photos. Here is the PTA website, where you must pay $15 to purchase the ad.

 

 

 

2025-2026 Wake Pre-K Application

The online 2025-2026 Wake Pre-K Application is available now. Paper applications are also available. 

 

Families of children who will be 4 years old by August 31, 2025, can apply now for pre-k services for the next school year. The Wake Pre-K application will allow families to submit one application to determine their eligibility for one of three different services:

  • WCPSS Title I Pre-K

  • NC Pre-K

  • Telamon Head Start

Eligibility for the Title I program is based on academic need. Eligibility for NC Pre-K and Telamon Head Start is based on financial need. Applicants will be considered based on how well they fit the program criteria.

 

Applications are not first come, first served. The deadline to apply for Wake County Public Schools Title I Pre-K is June 13.

 

 

 

Required Annual Asbestos Notification to Families

In the fall of 1989, in compliance with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), the school system had inspections conducted in each of our school buildings for the purpose of identifying asbestos-containing building materials. The inspection findings and resulting asbestos Management Plans have been on file in each school administrative office since that time. Management Plans for all schools are also available in the Environmental and Grounds Department office. 

 

The EPA requires us to perform periodic surveillances of the asbestos materials every 6 (six) months. No significant changes in the asbestos material were noted during the 2022-2023 school year. 

 

Every 3 (three) years, the EPA requires the school system to have the asbestos materials re-inspected by an accredited Asbestos Inspector or Management Planner. The Management Planner then reviews the results of the re-inspection and recommends actions that should be taken to safely manage each of the identified asbestos materials in school buildings. 

 

The latest re-inspection was conducted in the Summer of 2022. The asbestos materials that were found to be in satisfactory condition will be managed in place as recommended by the accredited Management Planner. Any identified damage asbestos materials have either been removed or repaired to a satisfactory condition. The next accredited re-inspection will occur in the Summer of 2025. 

 

The results of all periodic surveillances and three-year re-inspections are on file in the Environmental and Grounds Department administrative office located on Rock Quarry Rd. You may view these documents during normal business hours by appointment (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM). You may contact the Customer Service Hotline (919) 856-8120 to reach the Asbestos AHERA Designee, Stephen McLoughlin, for more detailed information about the program or questions regarding a specific building. 

 

2024-25 Annual Asbestos Notification

2024-25 Annual Asbestos Notification (Spanish)

 

 

⭐ PTA UPDATES⭐

 

📌 SAVE THE DATE!! 📌

 

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❄️✨ Oak Grove is throwing a SNOW AND GLOW Party! ❄️

Join us on Feb 28th from 5:30-7:30 pm for NEON dancing to a DJ, playing in SNOW, face painting, food, games, and MORE!!

We'll need a lot of help to make this event a success! Please sign up here to help!

 

 

 

💥 Attention: 5th Grade Families! 💥

Celebrate your 5th grader with an Otter Wish in this year's yearbook!

🦦 Wishes offer you a way to send a special message to your 5th grader, marking the end of their elementary school journey!

Please use this link to purchase your $15 ad space: https://oakgrove.givebacks.com/store/items/661221

Use this link to submit your message and photo: https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSfdZZUauOGaru.../viewform

 

 

🥳 Our School Spirit Store is OPEN!! 🥳

We have TONS of NEW designs, sweatshirts, t-shirts, mugs, water bottles, tumblers, notebooks and MORE!! You can order at any time, and your merchandise will be shipped to your home.  Check it all out here!

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💥 OAK GROVE PTA WEBSITE 💥

Did you know the OGES PTA has a website? We encourage you to bookmark the site and check it often for up-to-date announcements and information!

 

https://sites.google.com/view/ogespta