Ottawa Area Center Parent Link

• October 1 - School Count Day

• October 7 & 8 - School Pictures

• October 1, 8, 22, 29 - Early Dismissal Days

• October 10 - No School for Students- OAC Staff Professional Development Day

• October 13-17 - No School Students & Staff for Fall Break

• October 31 - Half Day - Halloween Trick or Treating @OAC

For the past several years, our students have been able to benefit from free school meals through state funding. Unfortunately, the state has not yet finalized its budget, and the continuation of this program is uncertain.

👉 Starting October 30, 2025, all students will be charged for any breakfast or lunch they take at school unless Michigan passes a new budget that includes Free Healthy Meals for All.

What Families Need to Know

• Free/Reduced-Price Meal Applications:
  If your student qualifies, you must have a current application on file for the 2025–2026 school year.

• Full-Pay Students:
  If your student does not qualify, they will be charged full price for meals beginning October 30.

Why This Matters Now

This deadline is quickly approaching, and many students still do not have an application on file. To avoid interruptions in meal service and unexpected charges, please submit your free/reduced meal application as soon as possible.

📌 Completed forms can be sent to school and will be forwarded to West Ottawa Food Service.

Thank you for your attention to this vital change.

✅ Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter. Acting now will help ensure that your student continues to receive meals without disruption.

Free and Reduced Lunch Form English

Fred and Reduced Lunch Form Spanish

We need your help! Wednesday, October 1, is School Count Day across Michigan. This is a crucial day because schools receive funding based on the number of students who are present.

When your child is in school on Count Day, it directly supports our ability to provide essential programs, staff, and resources for all students. Simply put: every student counts, and every day matters—but this day especially does.

Please make every effort to have your student in school on Wednesday, October 1. Your support enables us to continue providing the very best for our students.

• It’s that time of year—school pictures are just around the corner!

  Scheduled Picture Dates:

  • Tuesday, October 7, 2025

  • Wednesday, October 8, 2025

  • Wednesday, October 29, 2025 — Retakes

  Teachers will be signing up for their classroom’s picture day on either October 7 or October 8. If your student is absent on their scheduled day, they will have the opportunity to participate in retake day on October 29.

  Please watch for additional information coming home soon with details on ordering and package options.

25-26 School Year medication prescriptions and feeding orders were due September 1, 2025. As of today, families who are still missing these forms will be contacted personally by our Student Services Coordinator, Michelle Brothers and OAC Nurses, to offer support and guidance.

We want to ensure every child receives the care they need at school. Without these updated prescriptions and feeding orders, our nurses are unable to administer medications or provide tube feedings during the school day. Of course, students are always welcome at school; if we do not have the required paperwork, families may need to come in to administer medications or assist with feedings.

We truly appreciate your help in providing this information to us as soon as possible so that we can ensure your child's safety, health, and well-being during the school day.

OAC Ollie's Outlet Committee is working hard to provide meaningful, motivating resources for our students—and we’d love your help! We are seeking lightly used donations that can make a real impact in the classroom. These could include:

● Toys – such as puzzles, building blocks, action figures, dolls, or sensory items like fidgets and stress balls.

● Clothing – gently worn jackets, hats, gloves, or comfortable clothing for play and activities.

● Reinforcement items – small prizes, games, books, craft supplies, or other fun items that can be used as positive rewards and motivators.

Every item you donate helps us create more opportunities for engagement, learning, and joy. If you have items to contribute or would like more information, please contact Michelle Brothers (mbrother@oaisd.org) or Beth Gomez (bgomez@oaisd.org). Thank you for supporting our students in meaningful ways!

Full Day – 8:33am-3:05pm

½ Day – 8:33am-11:50am

Early Dismissal – 8:33am-2:05pm

Student AM Bussing begins at 8:23am

Student PM Bussing begins at 2:55pm

Early Dismissal Bussing begins at 1:55pm

1/2 Day Bussing begins at 11:40am

As a reminder, all volunteers on any OAC outing are required to complete the volunteer form and have a background check done before volunteering in a classroom or attend any school outing or classroom field trip. This process does take several weeks to complete the background check process, so please plan accordingly to get your volunteer forms turned in to the office or your classroom teacher. well before the date you would like to attend a field trip or volunteer in the classroom. The forms must be completed each school year. Please contact the office if you would like volunteer forms sent home in backpacks.

Volunteer Form

Family Support, educational, and social events for adults with disabilities.

A pilot program designed to help children with varying disabilities explore movement and develop motor skills. Demonstrated through basic sport skills with fun, inclusive, and engaging activities. Hope College Sports Studies students will volunteer alongside participants, offering guidance and support at a pace tailored to each child’s individual ability and progress.

Mental Health and Parenting Town Hall - featuring our very own Michelle Brothers as a panelist.

Did you know there’s a unique opportunity right here in our community for students and families to get involved in an inclusive skating experience?

The Wheelchair Buddy Skating Club, founded by Holly Gritter and her daughter Lylah, meets once a month at Southside Ice Arena in Byron Center at 2:00 p.m. Students from TPH, a local grades 6–12 program at the rink, are paired with children who use wheelchairs or medical strollers. Together, they take to the ice—pushing, skating, and sharing in the joy of movement and connection.

This club not only promotes friendship and inclusion but also creates lasting memories for everyone involved. The organizers are looking to grow awareness and are excited to possibly coordinate field trips for interested groups.

Connect with other moms on a similar journey, moms who truly understand what you are going through. Circles of Hope

The Lucas Project Meet & Mingle Program was created to bring respite care to special needs families while they enjoy a much needed break, run errands, or connect with other caregivers. We are excited to bring this opportunity to families within the West Michigan community, as it is a much needed resource for parents and caregivers. This program is offered for a low cost fee of $5 for disabled individuals between the ages of 13 – 50 years old.

This is your one stop location for parents/guardians to go for community supports and resources. Please check out this resource at Social Work/OCSN Resource Warehouse. Bookmark this resource on your computer and refer back often. It will be continually updated with fresh and new information.

Connect with Michelle Brothers at 616-738-8960 if you are interested in any of these items

Any time your child is absent from school for a medical appointment, please send in a Dr. excuse note to the office or to your teacher. The office will code the absence as a medical appointment and then the absence does not count towards the overall absence total. We can only mark it as a medical appointment if we have documentation from the doctors office.

OAC needs substitute aides and teachers. If you are interested in a flexible schedule where you work on the days you want, this is the job for you. If you have any questions please call Michell at 616-738-8960 ext. 4608.

Want to sub at OAC - Contact Edustaff
Start an Application

Call Edustaff at

877.974.6338

All outside resources and links featured in this newsletter are provided for informational purposes only. Ottawa Area Center does not endorse, sponsor, or assume any responsibility for the content, accuracy, or reliability of these resources. Please use your discretion when accessing and utilizing any external materials.

Full Day – 8:33am-3:05pm

½ Day – 8:33am-11:50am

Early Dismissal – 8:33am-2:05pm

Student AM Bussing begins at 8:23am

Student PM Bussing begins at 2:55pm

Early Dismissal Bussing begins at 1:55pm

1/2 Day Bussing begins at 11:40am

Email: bseymour@oaisd.org
Website: www.oaisd.org/schools/ottawa-area-center
Location: 10160 96th Avenue, Allendale, MI, USA
Phone: (616)738-8960
Facebook: facebook.com/OttawaAreaCenter/