Oakview Elementary

We are here to help our Oakview families! Please feel free to reach me at anytime at callen@centralia.wednet.edu or (360) 330-7638 with any questions that are not directly addressed here. We look forward to and welcome any questions or comments you have as each one helps us improve our service and communication!

Crystal Allen, Principal

Monday, September 28

Regular School Day - 9:10 - 3:30

Tuesday, September 29

Regular School Day - 9:10 - 3:30

Chess Club for grades 4-6 starts @ 8:00

Wednesday, September 30

Early Release @ 2:00

Thursday, October 1

Regular School Day - 9:10 - 3:30

RESCHEDULED September Assembly @ 10:00

Friday, October 2

Regular School Day - 9:10 - 3:30

Picture Day!!

Say cheese!! Picture packets will come home in Thursday folders on Thursday, September 24th. Picture day is Friday, October 2nd.

The City of Centralia has received a grant to improve Oakview Avenue in front of the school. It also includes Tower to the south and Tower by the west side of the school. The details of the timing are being finalized and we are working with the construction company to accommodate our school schedule, specifically drop off and pick up.

The construction will be impactful but the end result of new pavement, new lighting, sidewalks and parking will be worth it. As details become more final, they will be shared with our Oakview families.

We are always excited to welcome our TopCats to campus! Our north gate opens at 8:50 a.m., when morning supervision begins. To help us keep everyone safe, please make sure your child arrives at or after 8:50. Thank you for your support!

For families that use the drop off lane: here are a few tips that are help our staff:

• pull forward as far as you can
• we want our kids to be safe, but we also want them to be prompt
• the telephone pole is a great marker to use for when to start dropping off your kids
• for your information, busses will pull up behind the telephone pole
• all of this is in preparation for the soon to start construction

As we begin our second month of school, students are settling into their routines—and their learning is beginning to stretch them. You may hear, “This is hard!” when a new skill takes more practice than they expected. That’s part of growing.

At Oakview, we want students to know they can ask questions, try again, and be proud of the progress they make along the way. At home, a simple “What did you keep working on today?” can help your child see that effort matters, even before something feels easy. Together, we’re helping our TopCats believe, grow, and thrive.

Please be prompt when loading your children into the car as we want to avoid a long line of cars waiting. If your child needs assistance with their buckles or are small enough to be in boosters, let us know and we’ll have you pull up to the front of the line before loading your child.

Besides the safety procedures and routines that we implement daily, we ask that you show our neighbors respect when waiting in line on Tower. Avoid blocking driveways and do not use driveways to turn around to enter the line. Using Pearl Street or Roanoke prevents the need to turn around. Oakview is a valued part of our neighborhood and we want to honor the families and neighbors that live near the school by valuing their space.

This month, we are talking to our students about making responsible decisions using a concept from our CharacterStrong curriculum called the Tree of Choices.

Think of a tree: the roots are our values, the trunk is the situation we are facing, and the branches represent all the different paths or choices we can make.

We are teaching students that every choice leads to a different outcome (the "leaves" or "fruit" of the tree). Before reacting, we encourage them to pause, look at their "branches," and pick the choice that aligns with who they want to be.

Try it at home: The next time your child faces a tough decision or a conflict, ask them: "What are your branches right now? Which choice will grow the best results?"

Our district and Oakview share a goal of achieving at least 90% average daily attendance this school year. We know we can reach this goal by working together—because at Oakview, we can do hard things! Let’s make every day, from Day 1 to Day 180, a great day of learning.

When students miss school, they miss more than lessons. They miss morning meetings, collaborative activities, connections with friends and the everyday moments that build our classroom community. Developing strong attendance habits in elementary school helps prepare students for continued success and confidence. We love seeing your child’s smiling face at Oakview each day!

• Regular Days: 9:10 AM – 3:30 PM
• Early Release Wednesdays: 9:10 AM – 2:00 PM
• Morning Arrival: Our doors open at 8:50 AM, when staff supervision begins. For your child’s safety, please keep students with you until that time and do not drop them off early. We look forward to welcoming them each morning!
• Reporting an Absence: If your child will be absent, please call the school office as soon as possible so we know they are safe. Whenever possible, scheduling appointments outside the school day helps protect valuable learning time. We understand that this is not always possible and appreciate your communication!

• Visiting Campus: We love welcoming our families to Oakview! When you arrive, please press the buzzer inside the front vestibule to speak with our office staff before entering the building.
• Afternoon Changes: To help dismissal run safely and smoothly, all transportation or pick-up changes must be communicated by an adult before 2:30 PM. We may not be able to accommodate changes received after that time.
• Pets on Campus: We know pets are special members of the family, but animals—including leashed dogs during arrival and dismissal—must remain off campus unless they have received prior approval from the principal. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe and comfortable.
• Visiting Our Closed Campus: Oakview is a closed campus during the school day. We love welcoming our families, but all visitors must enter through the front vestibule, press the buzzer and speak with office staff before entering the building. Once admitted, visitors must check in at the office and wear a visitor badge while on campus. This process helps us know who is in our building and keeps our students and staff safe. Thank you for your partnership!

Dress Code: Dress standards that students are expected to follow are not intended to infringe on the rights of individual expression, but are established to meet community standards for modesty, safety, and reduced disruption of the educational process. Students in violation of this policy will call home for appropriate clothing as necessary.

• All students must wear shoes at all times while at school.

• No halter tops, tops with spaghetti straps, or tops that leave the midriff or undergarments exposed are allowed. A good rule of thumb for straps is 3-finger width.

• All pants are to be worn at the waistline and must cover appropriately when sitting.

• Belts are to be inserted through belt loops on pants.

• All shorts and skirts need to come to the lower-section of the thigh or longer and must stay down regardless of the activity the student is engaged in (PE, recess, sitting on floor, etc.). A good rule of thumb is ‘fingertip length’ – if your child is standing with arms hanging relaxed at the sides of the body, clothing should be well below his/her fingertips.

• Clothing or accessories of any type, may not advertise alcohol, drugs, or tobacco products. Any words, slogans, or pictures that are lewd, crude, obscene, objectionable, or depicting violence will not be allowed.

• Hats/hoodies are not to be worn inside the school building. Cold weather headgear will be allowed during inclement weather for outdoor activities/recess. No baseball caps.

• ANY clothing or accessory identified as “gang related” will not be allowed.

To help students stay focused, connected and fully engaged in their learning, district policy does not allow students to use cell phones, personal electronics or smartwatches during the school day. These items should be left at home. If a student needs to contact their family—or a family needs to reach their child—our office team is always happy to help. Thank you for partnering with us to keep the school day focused on learning and relationships!

Get ready for an amazing school year with new Oakview spirit wear! Save up to 35% OFF sitewide on brand-new apparel for the whole family! Don't wait—our Official Spirit Wear Program sale ends on September 14th.

We have new leadership and are excited about having a full board of directors!

The Oakview PTO has their own Facebook page and their own email address for Oakview families to reach out directly to them.

Being part of a the PTO can be a little bit of your time, more of your time, or whatever works for you. Contact our current board for questions.

• Have a question? Give us a call or send an email. We are happy to help answer questions and will get back to you as quickly as we can.

• Every Centralia School District employee has the same extension for their email. Use the person's first letter of the first name and then their entire last name and then the extension @centralia.wednet.edu ::: Example: CAllen@centralia.wednet.edu

• Family newsletters go home via email and a link via text every Sunday afternoon at 4:00 pm. Please take the time to read through each newsletter as there is important information about upcoming events, reminders, etc. (If you’re not receiving them, please call the office and we can reset an “opt out” on our broadcasting program.