Principal’s Otter Splash 10/8/2021 Versión en español aquí

Hello, Oak Grove family! We hope you had a wonderful weekend! Our Quarter 1 report cards went home with Tracks 1, 2, and 3 on Friday. Please reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions you may have.

 

Ms. Tysor officially begins as our new Assistant Principal on Monday, October 11! We’re so excited to see all that she will do to help lead our school!

 

Our clothes closet needs some help. We need new packages of girls’ underwear in small sizes. We also need girls’ and boys’ bottoms (leggings, pants with elastic waistbands, athletic shorts). Please send them in to school (attention: front office).

 

Apex Leadership Fundraiser Update (Tracks 2 & 3):

The Apex FUN RUN fundraiser and leadership program began last week for Tracks 2 & 3! (Tracks 1 & 4 kickoff Monday, October 25th!) Read more here:

Oak Grove As One Flyer

Pledging is now open for our Apex Fun Run event fundraiser for Tracks 2 & 3! So far, our school has raised almost $14,000!

 

We’re raising funds for . . .  Reconnecting the Oak Grove Elementary Community, Technology Enhancements, Cultural Arts Programs, Teacher Appreciation, Continued Advocacy to OGE Families and so much more!

 and WE NEED YOUR HELP:

 

1. Getting Started: Log onto the MyApexEvent.com website using your student’s unique ACCESS CODE. Codes came home on Tuesday, October 5!

 

2. Make a donation: Simply click the “Enter Pledge” button on your student’s donation page to make a $ pledge per lap or any flat donation amount.

 

3. Share with Family & Friends: Invite family and friends to donate online using the “Share Wizard” feature. Send a link via SMS text, email, and social media.

 

4. Be a Cheerleader: On Thursday, October 14, Track 2 & 3 families encourage your student to do their best at our Apex Fun Run event. It’s going to be a TON of FUN! (Unfortunately, due to COVID protocols, parents cannot attend the Fun Run Event.) Thanks to all for supporting our wonderful school! #ApexLeadershipCo #ApexAsOne #BuildingLeaders

 

PTA Landscape Committee Schedules Beautification Day:

We will be working with the PTA to spruce up our Oak Grove campus on Saturday, October 16. We need lots of volunteers. Please save the date. Please review the available slots on the Sign-up Genius:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0448aaaa23aafc1-fall

We hope to plant several azaleas on Saturday October 16th from 1-4 pm to beautify our campus. Bring the whole family! Please note any tools you may be able to bring.

 

Outdoor Seating Update (Volunteer Lunch Monitors):

The Outdoor Seating Committee is still looking for Volunteer Lunch Monitors. We do not yet have enough volunteers to fully realize our goal of outdoor eating. We must have 2 indoor and 2 outdoor volunteers. The Outdoor Seating Committee has created a sign up if you would like to volunteer for lunch shifts starting 10/11/21. 

UPDATE: We are going to try to begin this week with the volunteers that we have. Ms. Tysor and Ms. Bias will be helping out this week, but we need more parents to sign up for next week (October 18).

In order to sign up, all volunteers must register on a school computer for security clearance. We will send out information on Tuesday, October 12, with our scheduled weekly times.

 

Here is the sign-up link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090945a8ac2ea3fb6-volunteer

 

Picture Day is Coming (Tracks 1 & 3):

A photographer from Strawbridge Studios will be at Oak Grove on 10/12/2021 to photograph our fall pictures for Tracks 1 & 3. They have included a link to share with our parents/guardians: https://strawbridge.fotomerchanthv.com/clients/oak-grove-elementary-school/fall-pictures-10-12-2021-79/optIn This link will allow parents to sign up to receive updates via email regarding their child's school portraits. These updates include promotions, additional deals and the ability to order more pictures at a later time. When entering student information, parents should be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at the school. As you look ahead, Picture Day for Tracks 2 & 4 is November 3.

 

 

PTA Partners with Local Camp and Local Artist:

Over The Moon Play Space is offering play-based STEM and Art track-out camps this fall and winter, with both half-day and full-day available.  They are going to donate 10% of all camp revenue booked with code OGES between now and the end of September to the OGES PTA!  Go to https://www.overthemoonplay.com/track-out-camps to learn about the camps and book a spot.

 

The PTA has an exciting opportunity for you to remember your child’s time at Oak Grove. The local artist, Lew Wilson, has created a print of our beautiful school. You can even order an ornament! You can find the information here: https://bit.ly/3BjWXc7

 

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. Also, please encourage your Otter to appropriately wear a face covering as much as possible while indoors. The exception of exposure statement from the COVID team reads: Exceptions:  If face coverings were worn appropriately (over nose, mouth, and under chin) and consistently by both the person with COVID-19 and the potentially exposed person.

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.

 

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Ms. Tysor 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 

• October 12: Picture Day (Track 1 & 3)
• October 14: Apex Fun Run (Track 2 & 3)
• October 25-November 5: Apex Leadership Fun Run (Track 1&4)
• October 26-28: CogAT testing for Track 4
• October 25-29: Track 3 Summer Camp Week 3
• October 29: Quarter 1 Report Cards go home (Track 4)