Tiger Tracks

As we move into February, our school continues to be filled with energy, creativity, and opportunities to celebrate our students. This month brings many traditions our community looks forward to each year, including classroom Valentine’s Day parties that highlight friendship and kindness.

We are also proud to recognize our students who represented our school in the Spelling Bee and Math Contest. Their hard work, perseverance, and willingness to challenge themselves are commendable, and we are grateful to the staff who supported them along the way.

One of February’s most anticipated events is our always-popular Talent Show. It is truly a joy to see our students shine as they share their unique skills and confidence on stage. The Talent Show is a wonderful reminder of the creativity and courage our students bring to our school community.

Thank you, as always, for your continued partnership and support. February is shaping up to be a fun and memorable month at our school!

~ Mr. Jagels

Oakdale's Valentine's Parties will be Thursday, February 12th beginning at 2:30. As in previous years, for the safety and security of our students, we are asking that only Room Parents enter the building to hold the parties. If you are not signed up and been background screened to be one of the room parents in a classroom, you will not be able to enter the building. We apologize for this inconvenience, but want to ensure the safety of all our students and staff. Students are welcome to bring a Valentines box or bag to collect their valentines. Students who choose to bring valentines to pass out are asked to bring one for every student in the class. As we are unable to send out class lists, we suggest students leave the To: line blank and sign the From: line to ensure nobody is forgotten.

Need Help with Valentines:

Valentines need not be store-bought. Having your child make Valentines notes is a fun and meaningful way to show kindness to their friends. If your child would not be able to bring Valentines but would like to participate please contact us and we are happy to help make sure all children can take part.

Food Safety

Please remember to follow the District Approved Snack List. Linked is the list of recommended treats for parties or birthdays. Thanks for helping to make Oakdale a caring community for all of our students. While students will enjoy some treats in the room, most will be sent home for parent review.

At Westside, our strength comes from listening, learning, and growing together. As we refresh our district’s strategic plan, we’re inviting families, staff, students, and community members to share their voices through a short survey.

The survey is open February 3–13 and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Your feedback will help guide our priorities and shape the work ahead for our students, staff, and families.

Click here to take the survey.

Thank you for being an important part of the Westside community and for helping us plan for the future.

Click on the buttons below for third quarter newsletters from our Specials teachers.

Congratulations to Edda M. in Mrs. Pontious's 2nd grade class and Jesus H.S. in Mrs. Kopperud's 5th grade class. They were randomly selected in the January High 5 Monthly Drawing to have a snack and play games with three friends in the gym with Mrs. Brady and Mrs. Bruning. Next month's High 5 Drawing is donuts and hot chocolate in the front office with three friends! Be sure to drop your High 5 in the drawing for your chance to win.

KINDERGARTEN RESIDENT ENROLLMENT FOR 2026-2027

Kindergarten enrollment for District residents for the 2026-2027 school year begins approximately late February 2026. Please check our website to start your enrollment online.

Children entering kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before July 31, 2026. Parents may wait to enroll their child(ren) in kindergarten for an additional year. However, Nebraska law requires that children who reach the age of six prior to Jan 1st of the current school year must be enrolled in school.

For questions about enrollment, please contact the Westside Welcome Center at 402-390-2100 or enrollment@westside66.net

OPTION ENROLLMENT FOR 2026-2027

If you live outside of the Westside district and have K-12 grade child(ren) that you want to attend for the 2026-2027 school year you must submit an option application for each student(s). The deadline to apply for Option Enrollment is 4:00 pm on March 15th.

If you have a current student(s) attending our school(s) through the Option Enrollment program, you must fill out an option form for any new incoming student(s).

Option Enrollment forms can be completed using this link.

Questions about Option Enrollment, please contact Student Services at 402-390-2107.

IN-DISTRICT TRANSFERS FOR 2026-2027

Are you a District resident and would like your K-6 grade child(ren) to attend an elementary school in

Westside other than the school in your home attendance area? The deadline to submit an In-District

Transfer request for the upcoming school year is 4:00 pm on March 15th.

An In-District Transfer request form must also be completed for any child starting kindergarten who has a sibling attending an elementary school outside of their home attendance area. The deadline to submit this request is 4:00 pm on March 15th.

In district transfer forms can be completed using this link.

Questions about In-District Transfers, please contact Student Services at 402-390-2107.

EARLY ADMISSION FOR KINDERGARTEN

Children of District residents who wish to be tested for early entrance to kindergarten must turn 5 years old between August 1 and October 15, 2026.

For further information regarding early entrance testing, please contact Early Admissions at 402-390-2142.

The 2026-26 WCS District Spelling bee was held at WMS on January 30th. The top spellers from each elementary school, along with the top spellers from WMS competed to determine the 1st place speller in Westside Community Schools.

These spellers were fantastic! After 9 rounds of spelling, Wyatt H. from WMS was the second place speller in the district and Johan P. from Swanson came in first place!

Johan advances to Omaha Sports Commission Spelling Bee (regional). The 2026 Omaha Sports Commission Spelling Bee will take place on the campus of University of Nebraska Omaha on March 14, 2026. The champion of the Omaha Sports Commission Spelling Bee will advance to the The Scripps National Spelling Bee which is scheduled for May 26-28, 2026, at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

Congratulations to these top spellers.

District Overall Winners

• 1st Place-Johan P Swanson
• 2nd Place- Wyatt H. WMS
• 3rd Place-Wesley W. Oakdale

Elementary Overall Winners

• 1st Place-Johan P Swanson
• 2nd Place-Wesley W. Oakdale
• 3rd Place- Joseph J. Loveland, Luke W. Oakdale, Ananya I. Swanson, Luke I. Paddock, Chris S. Sunset, Celeste B. Rockbrook

The Excellence In Youth Team is thrilled to shine a spotlight on George R. from Oakdale, the latest recipient of the Digital Dozen Award for the 2025-2026 school year! This award is earned by WCS students who complete 12 digital badge projects from the EY Website (ey.westside66.org), which is accessible to students across the district. It takes hard work, grit, and dedication to earn these badges, and this bright star should be proud of this shining accomplishment!

Westside Community Schools believes that all students should be able to have snacks that are free of most allergens and food sensitivities. This means eliminating homemade snacks and many prepared snacks from local establishments.

We ask that you use the District Approved Snack List linked below and send items to school in the original, sealed packaging bearing the ingredient label. Double-check ingredient labels at the time of purchase to verify that there are no peanuts or tree nuts (e.g. almonds and walnuts) or cross-contamination statements. Manufacturers’ ingredients can change without warning. As always, please coordinate with teachers and administrators before bringing snacks into PK-6 classrooms. This list does not cover all food allergens.

Linked you will find our year long Oakdale Calendar. This is not an all-inclusive calendar and is subject to change throughout the year. However, it will provide a general outline of events to pencil in on your calendar.

In addition, we encourage you to access our Oakdale Calendar through our Website, the Westside Community Schools App, or to subscribe so that this information shows right up on your own calendar for iPhone, iPad, Mac, or any other Google Calendar subscribable platform.

February

10 Community Club Meeting, 6:30

12 Valentines Parties, 2:30

13 NO SCHOOL - Teacher Work Day

16 NO SCHOOL - Presidents' Day - Teacher Professional Learning Day

18 Talent Show Rehearsal @ WMS, 6:00

20 Talent Show @ WMS, 7:00

26 Pickleman's Restaurant Night, 4:00-8:00 pm

March

5 5th & 6th Grade Music Program @ WMS, 7:00

12 STEAM Night, 5:30

16 Band-O-Rama @ WHS, 7:00

17 WestFest Strings Festival @ WHS, 7:00

17-19 Book Fair

17-19 Oakdale Art Fair

18 Spring Photos

18-19 Parent Teacher Communication

19-20 NO SCHOOL for students

26 Science Fair, 6:00

30-April 3 Staff Appreciation Week

We know it is important to consider both the physical and social-emotional wellbeing of our students, families, and staff. We continue to be committed to providing regular instruction and support for studying in managing thoughts and feelings.

If your child is experiencing particular difficulties and you would like to explore options for additional support we encourage you to contact our School Counselor, Mrs. Mary McPadden (mailto:mcpadden.mary@westside66.net) or our School Psychologist, Mrs. Krystal Bauman (mailto:baumanfebus.krystal@westside66.net), who can help in coordinating additional support and resources.

Students shone bright during tryouts - now we look forward to prepping for the live show!

The always popular talent show is coming up Friday, February 20th, at 7:00 pm at Westside Middle School, and we expect another spectacular show this year. Whether your family is planning to participate in the show or laugh and applaud from the audience, it will be an enjoyable experience!

Please note, the rehearsal is Wednesday, February 18th from 6-8pm and is mandatory for all performances.

This is it! Our Scholastic Book Fair is coming 3/17-3/19. Be sure your child doesn’t suffer Book Fair FOMO - get them prepared to shop at https://www.scholastic.com/bf/oakdaleelementaryschool4

Come visit us in person in the Oakdale Library or shop online from our homepage!

• Tuesday, 3/17 -- 3:30-5:30

• Wednesday, 3/18 -- 3:00-8:00

• Thursday, 3/19 -- 8:30-3:00

The Book Fair has gone cashless! Please make purchases with a credit card, eWallet, or another form of electronic payment. It is easy to set up your eWallet on our Book Fair homepage! https://www.scholastic.com/bf/oakdaleelementaryschool4

We are in need of volunteers to help work at the Book Fair. Please stay tuned for a volunteer sign-up coming soon!

Make a week of it and dine at Don & Millie's on Thursday, February 12th for the next family restaurant night! Take a night off from cooking to raise money for Community Club. Be sure to let them know you are with Oakdale. Don't forget to enter your student's name for a prize.

Mark your calendar for the next the Oakdale Community Club meeting Tuesday, February 10th, at 6:30 pm in the Oakdale library! All are welcome to attend these meetings, where we will discuss current programming, upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, updates from Principal Jagels, & more! These meetings are a great way to connect and be informed!

The Oakdale School Community Club offers a FREE online family directory each fall containing the names of students and their parents, with their home addresses, phone numbers, and email information. Only families who submit information to the Community Club or give permission through the Annual Student Verification Process will be included in the directory. If you have not already logged in to the website, please log in and update your information OR new parents can create a new login.

The term “early intervention" is important because research shows that the first three years are the most important time for learning in a child's life. Providing developmental support and services early improves a child's ability to develop and learn. Also, it may prevent or decrease the need for special help later. The goal of early intervention in Nebraska is to “open a window of opportunity” for families to help their children with special needs develop to their full potential.

The Early Development Network-Babies Can't Wait can help you and your family support and promote your child’s development, within your family activities and community life. Nebraska’s Early Development Network supports children zero through three years of age who have special developmental needs. The Nebraska Early Development Network program “connects” families with early intervention services, such as occupational, speech or physical therapy, to help infants and toddlers grow and develop and help their families in this process. It is a voluntary program and does not discriminate based on race, culture, religion, income level, or disability.

If you have questions about the program or would like to see if your child would be eligible for these services, please contact the Westside Early Intervention team at EDN@Westside66.net or call 402-390-6472.

Join the coolest team in town and take the plunge for inclusion on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at Lake Zorinsky! Every icy splash will support Westside Unified and our amazing student-athletes through Special Olympics. Click here to donate and/or sign up.

• Polar Plunge
• Saturday, February 14, 2026
• 9:30 a.m. Sign In
• 11:00 a.m. PLUNGE

Westside Community Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, marital/parental status, military/veteran status or any other category protected by law in its programs and activities or in admission or access to, or treatment in, hiring and employment, and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

The following District personnel have been designated to coordinate compliance and can address inquiries about the District’s nondiscrimination policies and procedures:

For questions or concerns by students, parents or others:

• Coordinator of Student Services/Title IX Coordinator – ABC Bldg. 909 So. 76th St. Omaha (402) 390-2100 E-mail: titleixcoordinator@westside66.net
• Director of Special Services/ADA & 504 Coordinator (disability/accommodation) ABC Bldg. 909 So. 76th St. E-mail: ADAcoordinator@westside66.net

For questions by District employees or applicants:

• Ass’t Supt. for Human Resources/Lead Title IX Coordinator - 909 So. 76th St. Omaha, NE (402) 390-2100 E-mail: titleixcoordinatorHR@westside66.net

For further information about anti-discrimination laws or to file a complaint of discrimination you may also contact the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Dept. of Education, One Petticoat Lane, 1010 Walnut Street, 3rd Floor, Suite 320, Kansas City, MO 64106,
Tele. (816) 268-0550, Fax (816) 268-0599, (TDD) (800) 877-8339, or ocr.kansascity@ed.gov.

Mission Statement

At Oakdale Elementary, we foster an inclusive environment with high-expectations that promotes academic excellence, social-emotional well-being, and lifelong success, while celebrating the unique strengths of each student and preparing them to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Vision Statement

At Oakdale Elementary, our vision is to cultivate a community where every student becomes a confident, independent learner, equipped with the skills, values, and global perspective needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Our vision includes inspiring critical thinking, fostering lifelong learning, and empowering students to contribute positively to society as compassionate, well-rounded citizens ready to make a difference.

Oakdale's Expectations:

• Be Safe
• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible
• (Be Kind)

Email: jagels.glen@westside66.net
Website: westside66.org/domain/13
Location: 9801 W Center Rd, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Phone: 402-390-6460
Facebook: facebook.com/OakdaleTigers66
Twitter: @oakdaletigers66