In "Otter" News - Week #6

Dear Otter Community,

We had a great week! We had a blast dressing up for each spirit day and seeing everyone's creativity. I also had a great time spending time with everyone who came to Popsicles and Puzzles with the Principal.

This week brings a few exciting moments for our school community!

• First Community Gathering: We will come together as a whole school this week for our first Community Gathering. These gatherings give us a chance to celebrate our learning, highlight PAWS expectations, and build a sense of belonging for all our Otters. Students are encouraged to wear their class colors to show unity. We will also begin building our yearlong Kindness Chain at this gathering. Finally, I will also be dressing up as an otter for the day and getting taped to the wall during our gathering.
• Fire Drill #2: We will hold our second fire drill this week. Practicing safety procedures helps ensure our students and staff know exactly what to do should an emergency ever arise.
• Yearbook Picture Day: Individual yearbook pictures will be taken on Friday. We can’t wait to see those big smiles!

To give you a peek into the wonderful things happening each day, we've posted a Week in Review video. Be sure to check it out see our Otters in action!

"The Maryland Center for School Safety and the Maryland State Police Department have asked that we pass along A Parent’s Guide to Firearm Storage to help avoid tragedy and make Maryland a safe place for children."

Finally, here are this week's PAWS and Zones Tips to help connect school and home:

PAWS Parent Tip

Celebrate small wins! If your child shows kindness or responsibility, even in little ways like helping a sibling or cleaning up without being asked, call it out with positive words. This builds confidence and connects home praise to school expectations.

Zones of Regulation Parent Tip

Ask your child to “name their zone” when emotions rise. Simply labeling their feelings (“I’m in the Yellow Zone because I’m frustrated”) helps them pause and begin using strategies to manage how they’re feeling.

Combined PAWS + Zones Tip

When your child shares what zone they’re in, pair it with a PAWS expectation: “I hear you’re in the Blue Zone and feeling tired. What’s a responsible choice you can make so you’re still ready to do your job as a learner?” This reinforces that all zones are okay and we can still meet our responsibilities.

We are so proud of our Otters and grateful for your continued partnership in making OES such a connected and supportive community.

Otterly Yours,

Mrs. Anderson

We just had our first spirit week of the year and it was AWESOME! Our next spirit week will be in October for Red Ribbon Week. The PTA will host a spirit week in December to get us pumped up for Winter Break! Finally, we will host a spirit week in March to coincide with Read Across America Week and the PTA Read-A-Fun.

Every Friday is Otter Spirit Day and students are encouraged to wear their Otter spirit wear! On Community Gathering days, students are encouraged to show their grade level spirit and wear their grade level colors. See the image below for grade level colors.

The office will be open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Please click on the links below to access public calendars.

See below for our grade levels weekly rates of attendance in addition top our current school attendance rate. We strive for a 94% or better attendance rate. Our whole school attendance rate for SY25-26 is currently: 96%

PreK: 90% (-7%)

Kindergarten: 94% (-4%)

1st Grade: 94% (-2%)

2nd Grade: 95% (+1%)

3rd Grade: 91% (+1%)

4th Grade: 98% (+4%)

5th Grade: 95% (-2%)

We did it! We exceeded our goal of raising $19,000 for our school. As of the time of this SMORE, we are currently sitting at a total of $21,000. Well done Otter community!

The top three earning classes were:

• 1st Place: Mrs. Karimi's Kindergarten Class
• 2nd Place: Mrs. Simonds' 3rd Grade Class
• 3rd Place: Mrs. Lay's 2nd Grade Class

We strongly encourage families to utilize My School Bucks not only for your child's meal account, but also for collecting money for things like field trips, school fines, or classroom level events. The OES Store has been established on My School Bucks and is available to all students and their families.

MySchoolBucks App

The MySchoolBucks app provides on-the-go access to your child's meal balances, purchases, and lets you make payments directly from your phone. You can manage lunch accounts by adding funds, setting up account automatic replenishment, and tracking purchases - all in one place. You can also pay for field trips, and a variety of school fees using your credit/debit card online or through the app.

Benefit of MySchoolBucks

• Convenience - Available 24/7 on the web

• Efficiency - Eliminate the need to write checks and for students to bring money to school

• Flexibility - Make payments using credit/debit cards and electronic checks

• Security - MySchoolBucks adheres to the highest security standards, including PCI and CISP

Enrollment is easy!

To get started with MySchoolBucks for your school's communications and payments, visit the MySchoolBucks website or download the mobile app to create an account and sign up for free.

1. Go to the MySchoolBucks website or download the "MSB Parent" app from your device's app store.

2. Click "Sign Up for Free" and create a new account
   Add your child using the name of the school they are attending, and either their student ID or birthdate.

3. You will receive a confirmation email that your account has been established.

4. Once your account is set up, you can add funds, view balances, and make payments for various school items and fees

Customer Service

• Email: parentsupport@myschoolbucks.com

• 1-855-832-5226

• Visit www.MySchoolBucks.com and click on Help/FAQ’s

The online application process to apply for free and reduced meals for the 2025-2026 school year is open. Click HERE to access information about the process and the application.

Oakville Elementary currently receives 40% Free and Reduced Benefits. These benefits allow all students to receive a free breakfast everyday. Please complete the forms below so that we may continue to provide this service for all students.

Student Arrival

Student safety is our top priority during morning arrival. Please review the procedures below to ensure a smooth and secure start to each school day:

• Students may begin entering the building at 9:00 AM.

• No student may be dropped off or left unattended before this time, including in the front office.

• Arrival after 9:15 AM is considered tardy and requires an adult to sign the student in at the front office.

Car Riders

• Students arriving by car prior to 9:00 AM should use the Car Rider Line.

• Follow the line of cars and pull all the way forward to the designated adult on duty.

• Students should exit from the passenger side of the vehicle and enter the building independently.

To keep the line moving safely and efficiently:

• Keep the goodbyes brief

• If your child needs extra time, please park in the parking lot and walk them to the front

• Remain in the driver’s seat at all times

• Do not pass other cars that are unloading

• Do not park or leave your car unattended in the drop-off line.

If your child is hesitant or refusing to get out of the car:

• Please exit the Car Rider Line and either:

• Park and walk your child to the front entrance or

• Rejoin the Car Rider Line and try again when your child is ready.

Important Traffic Reminder

• No vehicles are permitted in the bus loop between 8:40 AM and 9:30 AM.

• This area is reserved for school buses during morning arrival.

• If a vehicle enters the bus loop during this time, you will be asked to move your vehicle to the parking lot.

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and orderly arrival process for all students.

Check out a message from our School Counselor, Mrs. Curtis!

St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) students use the Internet and other instructional computer resources in school. It is important that you and your student review this information each year. Within this policy is the Google Workspace for Education Additional Services Agreement. Students in grades PreK - 5th grade do not need to complete an AUP this school year. They will not be accessing additional services within Google Workspace for Education beyond the core features.

All SMCPS laptops come with the same responsibility of care and upkeep as any other loaned resources. Textbooks, novels, laptops and chargers can incur a debt if lost or damaged. Please refer to the student accountability newsletter that has been added to our weekly school newsletters. Chargers are to remain at home.

Students are expected to:

• Stay seated in their assigned seats

• Use a calm, indoor voice

• Follow the driver’s directions at all times

• Follow all relevant school rules while on the bus

Parents are encouraged to review these expectations with their child and watch the Bus Safety Video available on the SMCPS Transportation website.

Special Notes for Pre-K & Kindergarten

• Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students will exit the bus first and must be met at the bus door by a responsible person at least 13 years old.

• If no adult is present, the student will be returned to the school.

• Repeated failure to meet this requirement may also result in a loss of bus-riding privileges, as outlined in the SMCPS Handbook.

Bus Passes

SMCPS will only transport students who are assigned to a bus route. Temporary bus passes are approved only in cases of emergency.

• All requests for temporary bus passes must be directed to the main office and will be reviewed by the principal or their designee.

• Approval is not guaranteed and will be based on the nature of the request and the availability of seating.

We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure safety and consistency in daily transportation routines.

The Student Handbook and Code of Conduct presentation will be reviewed with students over the first week of school. Please take some time to review it with your children at home, too. It is linked below.

St. Mary’s County Public Schools is launching a comprehensive Facility Utilization and School Boundary Study initiative to guide how our schools serve students and families in the years ahead. Your input matters. Whether you join a meeting, offer feedback, or follow along with updates, your voice will help shape the future of education in St. Mary’s County.

For more information please click on the link below

• Redistricting Information

Our school has a parent representative and staff representative on the district-wide Community Engagement Redistricting Team. The representatives will help ensure communication of the work, timeline, and community engagement opportunities by sharing information on surveys and community engagement events through school, community, and social media resources. You can reach out to them for additional information or to share your perspective.

OES Community Engagement POCs:

• Staff Representative: Laurel Anderson (lpanderson@smcps.org)
• Parent Representative: Kimberly Sterbenz (oakville.pta.treasurer@gmail.com)

B Week

Monday, September 22nd

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

Tuesday, September 23rd

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Fire Drill #2

Wednesday, September 24th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

Thursday, September 25th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Community Gathering #1

Friday, September 26th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Picture Day - Individual Pictures for the Yearbook

Hello Oakville Families!

My name is Tonya Hall, and I’m thrilled to be joining the Oakville community as your new school nurse. I have been a nurse for 17 years, this being my 7th year as a school nurse. I’m truly looking forward to getting to know every student and their family. I am committed to supporting your child’s medical needs.

You can expect to hear from me in situations that may require follow-up, such as head injuries (whether minor or more concerning), illnesses that meet the criteria for going home, or when a student’s concern is beyond what I can manage in the health room. After every visit to the health room, your child will receive a pass detailing the reason for their visit. These passes will be placed in their take-home folder for your review. If you ever have any questions or concerns about what’s listed, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

I welcome communication in whatever way is easiest for you—feel free to send an email, call the office, or stop by the school to chat in person.

As a gentle reminder, if your child has any specific medical needs—chronic or acute—please reach out to me directly. This includes new diagnoses, required medications or treatments while at school, or any communicable illnesses such as flu, COVID-19, pneumonia, or others.

I’m so excited to begin this journey with you and to be a part of your child’s support team here at Oakville!

Warmly,

Mrs. Hall

FAQ for the start of the year:

When should I keep my child home from school?

• Fever >100.0, vomiting, diarrhea, or pink and crusty eyes
• Symptoms of COVID-19 like illness OR symptoms or an illness that do not resolve after home interventions
• Your child has been directed to quarantine by the local health department

Save the Dates!

OES PTA Meetings | 2025–2026 School Year

Mark your calendars:

• October 22, 2025

• December 17, 2025

• March 12, 2026

• May 20, 2026

Join the OES Otters for a year of connection, collaboration & community!

Meetings will include updates, events, and ways to get involved!

Stay tuned for times and locations.

One community committed to the learning and safety of all children.

Community is important to us. We strive to have the words "goal-oriented", "fun", "inclusive", and "thriving" used to describe our community. We believe that children learn and adults work best in an environment where they feel respected and safe. We are focused on four areas in our development of community: 1) Cultivating respectful, supportive relationships among students, teachers, and parents, 2) Emphasizing common purposes and ideals, 3) Providing opportunities for service and cooperation, and 4) Providing opportunities for independence and influence.

Email: lpanderson@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/oes/
Location: 26410 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 373-4365
Facebook: facebook.com/smcps.org