Oak Hills Newsletter

Dear Oak Hills Families,

We can almost hear the excited chatter filling our hallways soon! First we look forward to seeing students on Friday at the Meet and Greet event, and in one week, our staff will be ready to welcome all our students back!

A huge, heartfelt thank you to all the amazing students, families, and PTO board members who showed up over the weekend for our Campus Beautification Day! Thanks to your dedication and enthusiasm---our grounds look fresh and ready to welcome students and staff! We are so grateful for your time and care in making our school a beautiful place to learn.

We know the final stretch of summer break can be a busy time organizing supplies and refreshing school needs, adjusting sleep routines, and feeling that nervous excitement. Please know that we are fully ready to support your family every step of the way to ensure a seamless, joyful transition back to school.

Enjoy these last days of summer together! Soak up the fun, rest up, and get ready for a fantastic year. We are honored to partner with you in your child’s journey, and we truly cannot wait to see those smiling faces back on campus very soon!

Sincerely,

Ms. Do

This Friday, August 21st at 10:30-11:30am is our Meet and Greet and Supply Drop-Off event. This optional drop-in event is an opportunity for students to connect with their new teacher and reconnect with classmates. If you have your school supplies ready, feel free to bring them along to lighten the load on day one—though bringing supplies on this day is not required.

Your child's teacher assignment is uploaded in ParentVue now. If you need assistance with ParentVue, please call the front office at 503.356.2410. Our office hours are 7:15am-3:45pm.

1st to 5th students return to school on Tuesday, 8/25 at 7:45am. You are welcome to come inside the school to drop off your students to their classrooms. Halls will be crowded so please be considerate with how many guests come into the building with you. We encourage your goodbyes and best wishes to be uplifting and brief. Thank you so much for your support with this.

Students who ride the bus will be entering through the bus doors and can enter the building as early as 7:30am. Students will be guided to Morning Mix areas. Starting on Wednesday, 8/26, students are invited to come to school as early as 7:30am to mingle at their Morning Mix areas or access free breakfast in the cafeteria.

(Note to Kinder families: Details about first days are in the Kinder section below).

* Thursday, August 27 Kindergarten students last names A-L

* Friday, August 28 Kindergarten students last names M-Z

* Monday, August 31 All Kinders report to school

Student Drop Off in AM

Our school doors will be open at 7:30am for students to access breakfast or report to supervised "morning mix" areas until 7:45am.

Students may enter in three ways: through the front doors of the school (car drop off), the rear breezeway doors nearest to the covered area (walkers or bike riders), or through the bus doors (school bus riders).

Each of these three entrances will be supervised by Oak Hills staff until the start of the school day. If your child arrives to school before 7:45am, they will remain in their assigned grade level “morning mix” area unless they are eating breakfast in the cafeteria. Breakfast is available free of charge for ALL students again this year. After 7:50am, your child will need to enter the school through the front doors.

We will distribute family car pick up numbers at the Oak Hills Meet and Greet/Supply Drop-off event on Friday, 8/21 from 10:30-11:30am. The table will at the front of the building next to the flag pole. If you are unable to make the Meet and Greet, please consider these two options. 1) Call the school anytime by Monday, 8/24 to request the car number for pick up on Monday OR 2) We will distribute on the 1st day of school. Please check your child's backpack.

If you are driving North on 153rd toward the entrance to the drop-off & pick-up area, you will wait in the center of the street. This will allow cars heading north on 153rd to pass on the right and cars heading south on 153rd to pass on the left.

On 153rd Avenue between Norwich Street and Westway Street, stopping and/or parking WILL NOT be allowed from 7:15am until 2:45pm Monday - Friday.

Before School

• If you are dropping off or picking up a student, the child needs to be able to get in and out of the vehicle by themselves. If the student is unable to enter and exit the vehicle independently and/or you would like to help, park in a designated area OR you must wait to be the front two cars in the line.
• Stop as close as possible to the vehicle in front of you to make as much room as possible.
• Once your student is safely in or out of the vehicle, exit the the car line on the left.

After School

• Have your pick-up number clearly visible for school release (end of school day).
• Wait until you are ushered into the school driveway by the person entering pick-up numbers.
• Stop as close as possible to the vehicle in front of you to make as much room as possible.
• Once your student is safely in or out of the vehicle, exit the the car line on the left.

Student Car Pick Up

All Oak Hills families will receive a car pick up number for dismissal. Even if your family does not plan on using car pick up regularly, we want to make sure you are assigned a number and are prepared in the event that you do.

Elementary students who live more than one mile from school are eligible for bus service. Your child’s information is automatically sent to the Transportation Department when you enroll at school. If the student is eligible for bus service, they will automatically be assigned a bus route. You will receive an email from BSD Transportation Department with your student's routing information soon.

Each BSD bus has the route number displayed next to the front door on the passenger side and under the driver’s window on the driver’s side with white numbers on a black background. Your student's routing information includes the bus route number.

School buses can become delayed due to unpredictable traffic conditions. A traffic snarl, traffic accident or a longer-than-scheduled loading at a previous bus stop can easily throw your bus 10-15 minutes off schedule. Please arrive a few minutes early to your child’s bus stop. If your child’s bus is running late, please allow at least 15 minutes before calling Dispatch at 503-356-4200. You can also track your child's route progress through the app: Here Comes the Bus. For more information:

https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/transportation/apps-to-track-your-student/here-comes-the-bus

All walkers and bikers will dismiss from the rear of the building, near the breezeway doors. Walkers and bikers from kindergarten, third grade, and fourth grade will exit from the breezeway doors. Walkers and bikers from our first grade, second grade, and fifth grade classrooms will use the exit closer to their classrooms. All students will use the existing covered area near the rear breezeway, as a central departure space.

Reminder: All bikes need to be parked in the racks next to the portable area. We kindly ask students to not park alongside the school building. This blocks walking paths. We will put signs on bikes if they are not parked in the designated areas.

Students also need to wear helmets (please connect with front office if your child is in need of a helmet). Lastly, locks are strongly encouraged.

Our school received security upgrades this summer, including the addition of video cameras in common areas internally and externally. An external doorbell / intercom system was installed this summer outside the front red doors of the school building. Front doors will remain locked at all times as an additional safety measure.

For students arriving late, volunteers, parents picking up students, and deliveries:

Instead of ringing a doorbell inside the school, you will now use the video doorbell located outside the front of the building (see pictures).

Push the button, and the doorbell will ring on the monitors in the office. The upper dark circle is the camera area. Front office staff will answer the intercom and speak with you. They will then unlock the door and you can proceed into the lobby.

The doors into the main office and the hallway will remain locked at all times to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

We appreciate your understanding and support as we continue working to keep our school a safe and inviting place for all families.

How do we make an appointment for Kinder Connect?

Kindergarten teachers will send a sign-up on Wednesday, August 19 by the end of the day. The Kinder Connect appointments will be scheduled on Tuesday, 8/25 and Wednesday, 8/26.

Can we walk our child to the classroom on the first day of school?

We welcome parents/guardians who wish to walk their child to class on the first day of kindergarten on Thursday, August 27th (last names A-L only) or Friday, August 28th (last names M-Z only).

You are welcome to come inside the school to drop off your students to their classrooms on the first day, August 31st when all Kinders report to school. The kinder hallway will be crowded so please be considerate with how many guests come into the building with you. We encourage your goodbyes to be uplifting and brief. Oak Hills staff will be stationed in the hallway to offer support as needed. If your child is having a hard time separating when you leave, we will send you an update so you don’t spend the day worrying. We will take good care of your little one and do everything we can to make school a wonderful experience.

Will families be able to visit the school and kindergarten classrooms prior to the start of school?

On Friday, August 21st, we will host the Oak Hills Supply Drop Off event from 10:30-11:30am for students and families to meet their teacher, get a sneak-peek of their the classroom space, and drop off any supplies they wish to share prior to the first day of school.

What are the normal hours for school?

Oak Hills is considered an ‘early start’ school. School will start at 7:45am and end at 2:20pm. Students having breakfast may enter the cafeteria starting at 7:30am. Supervised Morning Mix is available for students who arrive between 7:30-7:45am.

What is the process for picking up and dropping off kindergarteners?

Kindergarten students may enter through the front doors of the school or through the rear breezeway doors at the back of the building. If your child rides the school bus, they will enter through the bus doors (near the bus lane). All doors are supervised with staff members who welcome our students to school each day as they enter. We have limited our arrival access points for school safety and security.

At the end of the day, your child will have several choices for transportation home: walk/bike, bus/daycare van, or car pick up. Please make certain to communicate your child's transportation plan with their teacher. Maintaining a consistent dismissal plan will help to ensure a smooth departure each day. More details above in the "Arrival/Dismissal Procedures" section.

WALK or BIKE- Families who walk or bike may pick up their child at the back of the building, near the rear breezeway doors following dismissal at 2:20pm.

BUS or DAYCARE VAN- If your child rides the bus or a daycare van, they will be escorted to the bus lane following dismissal at 2:20pm. Daycare transportation arrives and departs from the bus lane after our Beaverton School District buses depart.

If your child attends Club K at Oak Hills, they will be picked up by Club K staff from their classroom. For any other daycare program, please be sure to notify the care provider of times when your child will be absent or picked up early from school.

CAR PICK UP- All families will be assigned a car pick up number. This number will help expedite our pick up process from the front parking lot. When you arrive, have your car pick up number visible from your front dash or window. We will enter this number into our system, which will communicate with your child's classroom that you have arrived.

• If you are dropping off or picking up a student, the child needs to be able to get in and out of the vehicle by themselves. If the student is unable to enter and exit the vehicle independently and/or you would like to help, park in a designated area OR you must wait to be the front two cars in the line.

Is child care offered at our school?

Club K is an on-site childcare program that uses our school cafeteria to provide care for students attending Oak Hills outside of the school day. It is a privately owned and operated program (not affiliated with the district or school). Families can contact Club K directly to inquire about availability.

In addition to Club K, there are several other daycares in the area that will transport to and from Oak Hills including Kindercare, Art World, and Bethany Athletic Club. Other care providers may also be willing to transport to Oak Hills as well. The Beaverton School District does not endorse or sponsor any particular child care program. It is the responsibility of families to do their own research and make decisions that best serve their child’s needs.

How do families ensure that their child will have a lunch to eat on the first day?

Students can bring a lunch from home or receive a free lunch in the school cafeteria. Staff will be available to assist kindergarteners with accessing school lunches. Eventually, we would like students to learn their student ID numbers. Kindergarten students will also have cards with their lunch numbers in the cafeteria if they are accessing a school lunch.

If kindergarteners eat breakfast at school, when should they arrive? How do they get to class after breakfast?

All students can come for breakfast starting at 7:30am. They may be dropped off at the front or rear breezeway doors and will be directed to the cafeteria. All kindergarten students who eat breakfast in the cafeteria will remain in the cafeteria until class starts at 7:45am. Supervising staff will escort them to class as a group during the first couple of weeks, until they are able to transition to class independently.

How are food allergies handled?

At Oak Hills Elementary School, we want all of our students to experience lunch in a safe environment. In order to ensure the safety of our students with food allergies, a nut-free/allergy table is provided. Please make sure the office is aware of any food or other allergies your child may have. Consultation with our school nurse and a health management plan may be necessary for children with severe allergies. Classroom spaces may also be designated as nut-free spaces to help ensure the safety of students experiencing life-threatening allergy conditions. We ask that families please be aware of our allergy awareness efforts and diligent in abiding by this guidance when packing snacks from home.

How do families find out about bus routes? Do families need to register?

Many Oak Hills students live within one mile of the school and will walk to and from school each day. Elementary students who live more than one mile from school qualify for bus transportation. Families do not need to register. Those living in the bus zone (more than one mile away) will receive a message from the Beaverton School District Transportation Department with their student’s bus route information via ParentSquare during the week of August 16th.

What will kindergarteners need to bring to school on their first day?

Kindergarten students will need to bring a backpack, healthy snack*, and wear comfortable shoes and clothing. They will also need to bring their lunch if they are bringing a lunch from home. We encourage you to work with your child on how to open and close their lunch box and individual containers before arriving to school.

* When packing snacks please consider packing items they can enjoy within 5-10 minutes, items that are not easily spilled, and those that reinforce healthy eating habits. Fruit, vegetables, breakfast bars (please check for nuts), pretzels, unsweetened popcorn, etc. are all good options.

If families have other questions prior to the start of school, when will the school office be open to call and speak to a staff member?

Our Oak Hills Elementary School office is open daily from 7:15am- 3:45pm. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have. We look forward to welcoming you!

Link to Kindergarten Newsletter - 1st Edition (Aug 3, 2026)

KINDERGARTEN

Ruann Donnelly

Gladys Reynaud

Polly Selby

FIRST GRADE

Rachel Brock

Ann Marie Caplan

SECOND GRADE

Krisi Guerra

Brie Rennie

Keeley Rios

THIRD GRADE

Brieanne Perrigan

Ben Porter

Kirsten Yamada

FOURTH GRADE

Jim Clarkson

Michael Gelling

Margaret Willis

FIFTH GRADE

Laura Cook

Rylan Lester

Maggie Nice

ALC

Leann Edens

Lori Therrien

MUSIC

Evelyn Boling

Sally Wall

PE

Ryan Herd

Chelsea Putnam

COUNSELOR

Stephanie Nader--Welcome to Oak Hills!

ELD/LANGUAGE ACQUISITION SPECIALIST (LAS)

Position is currently open

RESOURCE/LEARNING SPECIALISTS

Mathue Henriksen

Lilla Vellrath

SLP

Ellen Vanderlinden

PSYCHOLOGIST

Andrew Sickler

INSTRUCTIONAL COACH

Toni Fisher

STUDENT BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST (SBS)

Karen McCarty

SOCIAL WORKER

Jennifer Cade--Welcome to Oak Hills!

FRONT OFFICE

Marcy Freddi (OAII)

Dawn Marie Johnson (OAIV)

Rhonda Michael (Health Assistant)

SCHOOL NURSE

Becky Chmela

NUTRITION SERVICES

Char Foss

Brenda Glenn

Melissa Hansen

CUSTODIANS

Shaun Shinn--Welcome to Oak Hills!

Eric Snider (Foreman)

LIBRARY/MEDIA

Leilani Larsen

TECH SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Pete Sinclair

TECH IA

Anna Vallee

PARA EDUCATORS I

Jill Erickson

Chris Kirnak

Lakshmi Muthu Kumar

Jiong Ma

Julie Roach (ELD)

PARA EDUCATORS II

Alexis Cluff

Karen Gould

Jeff Johnston

Teresa Laakso

Lindsey Lane

Nicole Rios (Resource Classroom)

Chrissy Zeller

The breakfast will be on Thursday, August 20th at 7:15AM for approximately 40 staff members. Please email president@oakhillspto.org with any questions.

Please sign up below for the breakfast treat you want to bring and drop it off at the school on Thursday, August 20th from 6:45AM-7:10AM. Non-perishable items can be dropped off at school on Wednesday, August 19th between 7am - 3:30pm.

**Please focus on individually packed food items for safety purposes (ex. individual yogurts or bars & single serving fruit, like bananas, apples, oranges)**

Breakfast Sign up

• 9/16, PTO Meeting at 7 pm - all are always welcome!
• 10/7, PTO Meeting at 7pm
• 10/16, Jog-A-Thon fun run fundraiser during school
• 10/29, Fall Fest? We still need a team to pull this fun night off - email president@oakhillspto.org if interested!
• 11/13, Popcorn Friday during school
• 11/18, PTO Meeting at 7pm

ParentVUE is a web portal that allows parents and guardians to access real-time information related to their student(s). Parents new to the BSD need to set up a new account. Here is a direct link to the ParentVUE login page. If you registered your student online, an account was automatically created. If you forgot your password, please see this information to reset it.

Here are some FAQs which may help you learn to navigate ParentVue. For additional support, please contact us here at the school office.

Before the beginning of every school year, we request that parents/guardians begin to review and/or update their family and student information.

https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/information-technology/parentvue-studentvue/backtoschool

Friday, August 21 Meet and Greet & Supply Drop-Off 10:30-11:30am

Tuesday, August 25 First Day of School (Gr. 1-5)

Tuesday, August 25-Wednesday, August 26 Kinder Connect (By Appointment)

Thursday, August 27 OH 1/2 Kindergarten (A-L)

Friday, August 28 OH 1/2 Kindergarten (M-Z)

Monday, August 31 OH First Day of Kindergarten (ALL)

Wednesday, September 2 OH Kindergarten Class Assignments Finalized

Thursday, September 3 OH Back to School Night 5-7pm; PTO Picnic 5-7pm

Monday, September 7- No school for students - Labor Day

Wednesday, September 16 PTO Meeting 7pm

Monday, September 21 Staff Development Day - No school for students

Wednesday, September 23 OH School Picture Day (Picture Retakes 11/4)

Wednesday, October 7 PTO Meeting 7pm

Friday, October 9 Staff Development Day - No school for students

Friday, October 16 Jog-a-thon

Wednesday, October 21 Fall Conferences (PM)--School in session

Thursday, October 22-Friday, October 23 OH Fall Conferences - No school for students

Friday, October 30 Grading Day - No school for students

Email: thao_do_gwilliam@beaverton.k12.or.us
Website: https://oakhills.beaverton.k12.or.us
Location: 2625 Northwest 153rd Avenue, Beaverton, OR, USA
Phone: 503.356.2410