Principal’s Otter Splash 8/13/2021

Hello, Oak Grove family! We hope you are having a wonderful weekend. As you know, our PTA is excited about a new year, and you can read all about the PTA in this Introduction Flyer.

 

A Note from Ms. Rhodes:

“To the families of Oak Grove Elementary, 

It is with mixed emotions that I share with you that my family and I are moving to Wilmington. My last day will be August 27th. While I am excited about this new adventure, it has been difficult to come to terms with the fact that I’ll be leaving such a fabulous place. 

 

The past year has been one I'll never forget!  I hope you know how much I appreciate you all and how grateful I am for the time spent at The Grove. It's been wonderful getting to know all of you. I wish you all the best!”~Ms. Rhodes

 

I know you will join me in wishing Ms. Rhodes all the best. We will miss her so much! She has made a big impact on our school family during the time she was here.

If you have any thoughts about qualities you would like to see in our next Assistant Principal, please email Ms. Bias (sbias@wcpss.net)

 

Yearbook Cover Contest:

Hello Otter Families!

I am excited to announce the beginning of our annual Yearbook Cover Contest! Our theme this year is based on a quote from Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." Entries are due by October 8.  Finalists will be announced by October 21. There will be more than one opportunity for students work to be featured. We will select six pictures for the inside pages, nine for the back cover, and one for the front. Artwork is chosen from all grade levels.

Additional details are included on the entry form. 

Over the next two months, I will be working with all classes on the role of an artist as illustrator. We will begin our pictures in art class, but students may also take their entries home to work on. All students will create work based on the yearbook theme as an assignment. However, they are not required to enter the contest. 

I can’t wait to see the ideas our students come up with this year!

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.  

Mrs. Huovinen

ahuovinen@wcpss.net

 

WCPSS Health Update:

To continue to maintain safe learning environments, we are making the following updates to our COVID-19 safety practices. These changes take effect on 8/16 for schools currently in session but are already being practiced in many areas.  

• For everyone over the age of 4, face coverings are required indoors in schools, all district buildings and on school-provided transportation, including school buses, activity buses, and vendor transportation. For Pre-K students, face coverings are strongly recommended for ages 3-4 and required for age 5. Face coverings are optional outdoors. 
• If your student experiences an illness that does not include COVID-19 symptoms, it’s now easier for them to return to school quicker. For these illnesses, we’re returning to pre-pandemic health practices: Students can return to school when they are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication for 24 hours. Learn more about returning to school after an illness.
• Safety practices for eating on campus are being strengthened. Most schools will group students when moving from the classroom to the lunchroom and use assigned seating during meals. This practice of grouping students will help reduce the number of students required to quarantine if a student in their class becomes infected. This also allows students to talk with others in their group during mealtimes. Face coverings will be required except for the time when students are specifically eating.

All families will receive an email early next week with a full overview of all COVID-19 safety practices including lunch routines, playground time, visitors and more.

 

COVID cases at school:

Please help us continue to keep our Otters safe by carefully monitoring any symptoms at home. Please do not send your Otter to school unless they are free of symptoms.

If we have a presumptive positive case at school, the school’s first step is to notify the COVID nurse/health department. We work with that agency to conduct contact tracing. Individuals that are determined to have been in contact with the presumptive positive case are notified.

CDC considers someone exposed to COVID-19 if they were within 6 feet of an infected person, without a face covering, for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset or, for infected people without symptoms, 2 days before they had a sample collected to submit for COVID-19 testing.

WCPSS no longer sends out an email to the entire school when there is a presumptive positive case. Instead, the School District will update the WCPSS COVID Metrics website daily to list schools where someone reported to have COVID-19 was in the school. Information for employees is shared via WakeConnect.

All reporting and notifications must maintain confidentiality in accordance with FERPA, NCGS 130A-143, and all other state and federal laws.

If you have questions about COVID in the school, Ms. Rhodes, our Assistant Principal, is our COVID coordinator. Her email is lrhodes@wcpss.net.

 

Track 2 Summer Camp (August 23-27 and August 30-September 3):

Ms. Tysor (jtysor@wcpss.net) sent home information earlier in July with our Track 2 students that were notified of participation in the Spring. We will see you the first two weeks of this track-out in August and the few days in September.

 

 

Reminders for Carpoolers for a smooth arrival & dismissal

• Morning carpool begins at 8:45 and ends by 9:10. Please try to arrive on campus between 8:45-9:00. As a reminder, students need to be inside the building by 9:15 or they will be considered tardy.
• Afternoon carpool begins at 3:40 and ends by 4:00. During the first few days of a track change, the carpool line may take a little longer than 4:00. If our families arrive on time and ready, we should be able to complete the carpool around 4:00.

• Adults stay in car at all times with car running
• Please have your carpool number displayed during dismissal
• Please practice carpool numbers with your student
• Students should be ready to get out of the car quickly. If they are able, they can open the car door on their own. Our staff is there to help if needed.
• Students should be seated in the back passenger seat (right side of the car) upon arrival; and will be placed in the back passenger seat at dismissal
• Students should have backpack/personal items ready
• Say goodbye or hello quickly
• You can pull off by the Oak Grove track to the right as you exit if your Otter need help buckling up before leaving our campus

 

En español a continuación:

Otter Splash de la directora 13/8/2021

¡Hola, familia Oak Grove! Esperamos que esté pasando un fin de semana maravilloso. Como saben, nuestra PTA está entusiasmada con el nuevo año y puede leer todo sobre la PTA en este folleto de introducción.

Una nota de la Sra. Rhodes:

“A las familias de Oak Grove Elementary,

 

Es con emociones encontradas que les comparto que mi familia y yo nos mudamos a Wilmington. Mi último día será el 27 de agosto. Si bien estoy entusiasmado con esta nueva aventura, ha sido difícil aceptar el hecho de que dejaré un lugar tan fabuloso.

 

¡El año pasado ha sido uno que nunca olvidaré! Espero que sepan cuánto los aprecio a todos y lo agradecido que estoy por el tiempo que pasé en The Grove. Ha sido maravilloso conocerlos a todos. ¡Les deseo todo lo mejor! ”~ Sra. Rodas

 

Sé que se unirá a mí para desearle lo mejor a la Sra. Rhodes. ¡La extrañaremos mucho! Ha tenido un gran impacto en nuestra familia escolar durante el tiempo que estuvo aquí.

Si tiene alguna idea sobre las cualidades que le gustaría ver en nuestro próximo subdirector, envíe un correo electrónico a la Sra. Bias (sbias@wcpss.net)

Concurso de portadas del anuario:

¡Hola familias de nutrias!

¡Me complace anunciar el comienzo de nuestro concurso anual de portadas del anuario! Nuestro tema de este año se basa en una cita de Helen Keller, “Solos podemos hacer tan poco; juntos podemos hacer mucho. "Las inscripciones deben presentarse antes del 8 de octubre. Los finalistas serán anunciados antes del 21 de octubre. Habrá más de una oportunidad para que el trabajo de los estudiantes sea presentado. Seleccionaremos seis imágenes para las páginas interiores, nueve para las la contraportada y una para la portada Las ilustraciones se eligen de todos los niveles de grado.

Se incluyen detalles adicionales en el formulario de inscripción.

Durante los próximos dos meses, trabajaré con todas las clases sobre el papel de un artista como ilustrador. Comenzaremos con nuestras fotos en la clase de arte, pero los estudiantes también pueden llevarse sus trabajos a casa para trabajar en ellos. Todos los estudiantes crearán trabajos basados ​​en el tema del anuario como tarea. Sin embargo, no están obligados a participar en el concurso.

¡No puedo esperar a ver las ideas que se les ocurran a nuestros estudiantes este año!

No dude en comunicarse conmigo si tiene alguna pregunta.

Sra. Huovinen

ahuovinen@wcpss.net

Actualización de salud de WCPSS:

Para continuar manteniendo entornos de aprendizaje seguros, estamos realizando las siguientes actualizaciones a nuestras prácticas de seguridad COVID-19. Estos cambios entrarán en vigor el 16 de agosto para las escuelas actualmente en sesión, pero ya se están practicando en muchas áreas.

• Para todas las personas mayores de 4 años, se requiere cubrirse la cara en el interior de las escuelas, todos los edificios del distrito y en el transporte proporcionado por la escuela, incluidos los autobuses escolares, los autobuses de actividades y el transporte de proveedores. Para los estudiantes de prekínder, se recomienda encarecidamente que los cubrimientos faciales para las edades de 3 a 4 años y necesarios para los 5 años de edad. Los cubrimientos faciales son opcionales al aire libre.
• Si su estudiante experimenta una enfermedad que no incluye síntomas de COVID-19, ahora es más fácil que regrese a la escuela más rápido. Para estas enfermedades, estamos volviendo a las prácticas de salud prepandémicas: los estudiantes pueden regresar a la escuela cuando no tengan fiebre sin el uso de medicamentos para reducir la fiebre durante 24 horas. Obtenga más información sobre cómo regresar a la escuela después de una enfermedad.
• Se están fortaleciendo las prácticas de seguridad para comer en el campus. La mayoría de las escuelas agruparán a los estudiantes cuando se trasladen del aula al comedor y utilizarán los asientos asignados durante las comidas. Esta práctica de agrupar a los estudiantes ayudará a reducir la cantidad de estudiantes que deben ponerse en cuarentena si un estudiante de su clase se infecta. Esto también permite a los estudiantes hablar con otros miembros de su grupo durante las comidas. Se requerirá cubrirse la cara excepto en el momento en que los estudiantes estén comiendo específicamente.

Todas las familias recibirán un correo electrónico a principios de la próxima semana con una descripción general completa de todas las prácticas de seguridad de COVID-19, incluidas las rutinas del almuerzo, el tiempo de juego, los visitantes y más.

 

Older Splash Reminders:

 

Updated guidelines: For family engagement activities, NCDHHS requires schools to limit nonessential visitors and activities involving external groups or organizations. Before or after school hours, when students are not required to be in school, you may have visitors in your building. 

All visitors, staff, and students must follow face covering requirements if students are in the building.

 

Schools should make efforts to limit or minimize the number of visitors in a school at a time. Possible options include staggering event dates/times to reduce the number of people in areas of the school at the same time or hosting the majority of the event outdoors.

 

As a reminder, we still must limit visitors inside the building while students are in attendance. So, for now, please plan to meet an Oak Grove staff member at the door if you have something to deliver to school. 

 

Also, as a reminder, we still must wear masks inside the building when students are present. Students will not have to wear masks while outside or while actively eating or drinking (including lunch). Water fountains remain closed except for filling water bottles.

 

 

Virtual Academy 21-22

For our Virtual Academy families, Oak Grove is partnering with the 4 other Southwest Area Year-Round Schools (Laurel Park, Olive Chapel, Turner Creek, and Salem) to finalize teachers, rosters, and plans for the 21-22 Virtual Academy. You should have heard from your child’s VA teacher at the end of July. Our Virtual Academy contact is Ms. Rhodes, our Assistant Principal. You can reach her at lrhodes@wcpss.net .

 

Grade Level Supply Lists:

Please find the grade level supply lists here:

Kindergarten

First Grade

Second Grade

Third Grade

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade

ECS

You child’s teacher may have additional items in a “wish list” that you receive at Meet the Teacher in July/August.

 

Purchase OGES Spirit Wear:

As we begin the 2021-2022 school year, the PTA wants to remind you that Spirit Wear is available for purchase now to get your student ready for the new school year. You can find ordering information here: https://oakgrove.memberhub.com/store 

 

COVID Guidelines Updates (Subject to Change . . . )

 

• Classroom Set Up:  

Desks do not have to be six feet apart. Teachers will use a seating chart whenever possible to monitor student interactions. Assigned seating could reduce the number of people who may have to quarantine if someone is diagnosed with COVID-19 and facilitate contact tracing.

 

• Recess:

Social distancing and masks are NOT required while outside at recess.  Students can use all recess equipment.

 

• Cafeteria:

Classes will be eating in the cafeteria as they have done in the past with the following guidelines:

1. Serving lines will be set up in the traditional way so students can "self-serve" and make their own food/beverage choices.
2. Students must have assigned seats.
3. Students can talk and socialize while eating.  
4. Adults will always remain masked in the cafeteria. 
5. Students will be encouraged to replace masks when they finish eating. Masks will have to be in place prior to leaving the cafeteria.

 

• Visitors in the School:

While there are still restrictions on visitors inside the school, there has been some loosening of these restrictions. Below are some highlights:

• Nonessential visitors must still be limited, but . . . 
• Schools may allow visitors when students are not required to be at school (i.e. before/after school or teacher workdays). Generally, visitors will only be allowed for planned events.
• All visitors, staff, and students must follow face covering requirements if students are in the building. 
• Schools must limit the number of visitors in the school at a time. 
• Schools will ask families to limit the number of non-students attending in-school events and make arrangements for siblings when possible.

 

• Health Screening:

We need your help to keep our school communities healthy by keeping your student home if they are not feeling well or have been diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19. Thank you for your cooperation. More information

 

Move to Symptom Screening Reminders:

Students should not be in school if they are diagnosed with COVID-19, exposed to someone with COVID-19, instructed to quarantine, or if they are sick or experiencing any of these symptoms: 

• 4° fever or higher
• Sore throat
• New cough
• New shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• New loss of taste or smell
• Diarrhea or vomiting
• New severe headache

Visit www.wcpss.net/WhenToReturn for information about returning to school.

 

 

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Ms. Rhodes or me with any questions you may have. We are happy to help.

 

All my best,

 

Stephanie Bias, Principal

 

Reminders:

• Join the PTA: https://oakgrove.memberhub.store/
• Purchase Spirit Wear: https://oakgrove.memberhub.com/store 
• August 17: 3rd Grade BOG (Track 4)
• August 19: Virtual Curriculum Night (Tracks 1&2) 5:30-6:10/6:15-6:55
• August 23-27: Track 2 Summer Camp Week 1
• August 30-September 3: Track 2 Summer Camp Week 2
• September 3: Quarter 1 Interim reports go home (Track 3 & 4)
• September 6: Labor Day Holiday (No school)