Twig 1.31.14

Does Your Child Love Technology?

This year, District 25 will host an Education Fair with the theme of “Teachnology 2014” on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, 7-9 PM, at Thomas Middle School. Students will have the opportunity to teach peers, parents, and the Arlington Heights community about how they use technology. This could mean teaching others a skill or simply sharing an experience using technology. We hope that your child will consider putting their technology skills on display for the entire community to enjoy. Please use the links below for additional information and to register. All D25 students, grades 3-8, are eligible to participate.

Teachnology 2014 Information

To register: Teachnology 2014 Registration

Service Learning Club Is At It Again

Calling all Olive Owls!

The 5^th grade Service Learning Club is collecting school supplies and fruit and vegetable seeds to our fellow Owl students in need at Angel Oak Elementary School on Johns Island, South Carolina.  Service Learning Club will be decorating canvas backpacks with our common owl theme!

We will be decorating and filling backpack for Angel Oak Owls on February 12^th, please kindly consider helping us to fill their backpacks with items they so desperately need, all donations will be collected in boxes outside the front office February 3-12!

All grades need fruit and vegetable seed packets to help grow food!

Pre-school and Kindergarten Needs:

Zip lock bags

Pencils

Large Glue Sticks

Large Size Crayons

1^st and 2^nd Grade Needs:

24 count crayons

Rulers

Pocket folders

Washable markers

3^rd and 4^th grade Needs:

Glue Sticks

Washable Markers

Watercolor paints

Spiral notebooks

5^th grade Needs:

Pencils

Pocket folders

Colored Pencils

Highlighters

Parent Patrol

Despite the cold temperatures, our new Parent Patrol was out in full force. With colorful signs and bright vests, they are helping all of us make our drop off more efficient. A couple of our students said that they liked the new "cheerleaders" that we have at drop off. Way to go Parent Patrol!

Perseverance and Grit in Our Students

Early next month, Rick Wormeli, author of the award-winning book, Meet Me in the Middle, as well as the best-selling books, Day One and Beyond, Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessment and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom, Differentiation: From Planning to Practice, Metaphors & Analogies: Power Tools for Teaching any Subject, and his new book, The Collected Writings (So Far) of Rick Wormeli: Crazy Good Stuff I Learned about Teaching Along the Way, will be talking with teachers about standards-based assessment and grading. He will also be hosting a Community Conversation for parents on February 6, 2014, 7-8 pm, at the Dunton Administration Building. Rick Wormeli is a wonderful speaker, so we encourage all of you to come out for this great event. This month, he wrote a great article in Middle Level Education entitled, Perseverance and Grit. It is a great article about building tenacity in our children.

Talent Show 2014

Our 4th & 5th grade students certainly did not disappoint on Friday night. It was a full house that enjoyed the many talents of our amazing students. The concession stand at the event raised $357.00 for the Hepatology Department at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Thank you to Mrs. Privett and Mrs. Watanuki for a wonderful evening. Bravo to our brilliant students. You really shined!

Twig 1.24.14

What's New With Morning Drop Off? The Parent Patrol!

Beginning this Monday, 1/27, the parent patrol will be out assisting with morning drop off. Parent patrol is a group of parent that have volunteered to help improve the efficiency of morning drop off. You will recognize these parents because they will be wearing special vests.

Get Ready!  Pull Forward!  Drop Off!  We are so excited to begin the latest procedure of the morning drop off.  Kids’ safety is everyone’s priority. OMS has revamped the flow of traffic in so many ways thus far. A few years back, a new point of entry into the school parking lot was introduced and things moved better. Then, a NO LEFT TURN during peak commute hours was established and a crossing guard was added. Just recently, CAP staff was asked to park in the church parking lot and the flow of traffic has improved. 

So that the drop off line works for everyone, we are asking all OMS parents to use and follow these guidelines. Many hours have been invested in seeking the best ways to manage the drop off scenario and some of you have given suggestions. We are taking them and putting them to use.  

Parents -  KISS---Keep It Simple Silly.  Please start by giving your kids a kiss goodbye BEFORE you leave your home.  When you use the drop off lane, it is as simple as it sounds. You use it to drop off your kids and go.

There are three zones:

1.  Get Ready Zone---This is located as soon as you enter the parking lot through just past the curve.  Kids should be instructed, by their parents, to grab their lunches/backpacks/umbrellas/winter gear.  Parents should be cautious and pull forward.  

2.  Pull Forward Zone--This is located along the straightaway, before the blacktop. Parents are to pull forward all the way and instructed to stay in their cars. No one should get out in this zone.   

3.  Drop Off Zone--This is the area along the blacktop/chain link fence that accommodates 4-6 cars. It is marked off on the blacktop. This is where staff will be positioned.  Parents are instructed to stay in their cars.  Kids exit curb side ONLY.

Once you child(ren) exit(s) the car, pull to the RIGHT lane and exit.

If someone new is dropping off your kids for the day, please inform them off these guidelines.  

Please observe all crosswalks and signage in the parking lot. Please also note that the State of Illinois has a law forbidding the use of cell phones in/and around schools.

We encourage all parents to drop off and pick up their children in our parking lot. However, if you must drop off your children on either Belmont or Pine Avenues, you must remain in your cars to ensure that traffic flows smoothly for the residents on these streets.

Updates to District 25 School Calendar

Dear District 25 Parents/Guardians:

Thus far this year, the district has closed school two days due to extremely cold temperatures (Monday & Tuesday, January 6 & 7, 2014). When the decision is made to close schools, it is necessary for the students to make up the missed instructional time.  The order of the emergency day schedule was approved by the Board of Education last year in conjunction with the approval of the calendar. Thus far, our student attendance make-up days are June 4, 2014, and March 20, 2014. Per the language agreed upon last year, the Teacher Work Day will move to June 5, 2014, and parent-teacher conferences will be rescheduled as noted below.

All students will follow a regular schedule on March 20, 2014, and June 4, 2014. 

Elementary students will attend school from 9:05 a.m. – 3:35 p.m. and kindergarten and early childhood students will follow their respective program schedules.  The middle school students attend classes as usual from 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.

Parent-teacher conferences on Thursday, March 20, are modified as follows:

Elementary schools Thurs., March 20 5:00-8:00 p.m.

Fri., March 21 8:30 a.m. - noon

Middle schools Thurs., March 20 3:00-8:00 p.m.

Fri., March 21 8:15 -11:00 a.m.

You will be receiving information from the building principal as to specific parent conferences.  We continue to value the time devoted to parent-teacher conferences and appreciate your cooperation with the necessary changes.

To accommodate the additional make-up time at the end of the year, all students will follow a regular school schedule on Wednesday, June 4, 2014. The Teacher Work Day will be moved to Thursday, June 5, 2014.   If it is necessary to close schools again this year, the additional days for student attendance will be June 5, March 21, and June 6, in that order. 

Respectfully,

Dr. Maureen Cheever

Co-Interim Assistant Superintendent for Personnel & Planning

Twig 1.17.14

OMS Service Learning Club Buddy Foundation Fundraiser

Thanks to our crafty Service Learning Club members, the club raised $250 for The Buddy Foundation. The Buddy Foundation is an all-volunteer, non-profit, no-kill shelter in Arlington Heights.

Twig 1.10.14

Holiday Thank You
The entire office staff would like to thank all of you for thinking of this holiday season. The many cookies, candies, and sweet treats were enjoyed by all. Thank you!

Lunch Shift Change
Monday, January 27th will be our official lunch shift day. Students that had lunch at 12:10 PM for the first half of the year will eat at 12:40 PM and go out for recess first. Students that had lunch at 12:40 PM will eat at 12:10 PM and go out for recess afterwards. We are looking forward to this change and the opportunity for our students to experience the lunch period from a new perspective.

ABC25 Grants
Thanks to generous donations made to the ABC/25 Foundation, Olive teachers and staff are the recipients of grants, totaling approximately $3854.80. These grants will provide our students with materials such as science club materials, a wall timer for our gym, iPad applications, and additional teaching materials. We are very excited to have been awarded a grant which will be used to fund an outdoor classroom. Thanks to those of you that helped to fund these grants though your annual membership in ABC/25!

Middle School World Languages

World Language Open House

All 5th grade families should have received an email from the middle schools regarding District 25 World Language Open Houses offered at Thomas and South Middle Schools on Tuesday, January 14th, 6:30-8 PM, for 5th grade students. This is a great opportunity to learn about the many offerings made available to our middle school students. If you have any questions about the open houses, please call the middle school main offices.