Oak Grove STEAM Academy
Title I Newsletter, Quarter 1, August 2025
A Message from the Principal
Welcome to Oak Grove Elementary!
We are so excited to welcome you and your family to our school community! At Oak Grove, we’re committed to creating a warm, inclusive, and engaging environment where every student feels valued and supported. Whether you're starting kindergarten or joining us from another school, we’re thrilled to have you as part of the Oak Grove family. If you’re not already following us on social media, now’s a great time to start! You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We’ll be sharing updates on upcoming events, as well as photos that highlight all the learning, growing, and fun happening in our building each day.
Here’s to a fantastic year ahead at Oak Grove. We’re so glad you’re here!
Parent and Family Engagement Plans
Each District and school jointly develop a written Parent and Family Engagement Plan with input from parents. The purpose of the plan is to establish an equal partnership for the common goal of improving student achievement. The plan describes the shared responsibilities between the school, parents, and students. Click on the image to read the district and school plans.
District Plan
School Plan
Plans del Distrito
Plan de la Escuela
Monitoring Your Student's Progress
There are several ways that you can monitor your student's progress throughout the year.
Canvas
Canvas is an academic tracking platform. You can check grades and assignments, view course materials, and message or email teachers. It's important to set up a parent canvas account to help monitor your student’s progress throughout the year. For more information on using Canvas, please see our self-paced Orientation Courses (no user name or password is required to view either course.)
ParentSquare
ParentSquare is the platform that district and schools utilize to send email communications. You will receive school or district announcements, weekly school updates, and attendance alerts.
ParentVUE
Report Cards
Report cards are issued every quarter and show how your student is progressing through the grade level standards. In Kindergarten, this is communicated through a GKIDS report that shows their proficiency towards meeting the standards. In grades 1-3, there is a standards-based report card that helps parents understand their student's performance with each concept that is taught. The grading scale for a standards-based report card is as follows:
3: Student can consistently and independently meet or exceed the standard and the student can consistently produce quality work.
2: Student is inconsistently applying learned skills with some teacher support
1: Student shows limited achievement and needs additional support and/or frequent reteaching.
*Students are expected to score a 3 on all grade-level standards by the end of the school year.
Students in grades 4-5 will earn letter grades.
A=90-100
B=80-89
C=71-79
D=70
F= Below 70
What will Your Student be Learning?
CCSD Teaching and Learning Standards and Instructional Resources
The Georgia Standards provide a consistent framework to prepare students for success in college and/or the 21st century workplace.
The CCSD Teaching and Learning Standards are aligned with the Georgia K-12 Standards and are designed to ensure that all students receive a consistent, high-quality education in every CCSD school. These standards outline what students should know and be able to do at each grade level and in each content area. This means having a clear understanding of what your student is learning and the ability to support their progress at home.
Assessments
Assessments are used to help better understand your student and their abilities in the classroom.
CCSD Reading Screener Report
Students in grades K-3 participate in the CCSD Reading and Dyslexia Screener three times a year, and students in grades 4-8 will participate in the CCSD Reading Screener three times a year. Parents will receive a report via ParentSquare of the results which will show your student's current proficiencies in reading.
Proficiency Levels:
Early Literacy (Grades K-2): Emergent Reader, Transitional Reader, Probable Reader
Reading (Grades 3-5): Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, Advanced
CCSD Math Screener Report
Students in grades K-8 participate in the CCSD Math Screener three times a year. Parents will receive a report via ParentSquare of the results which will show your student's current proficiencies in math.
Proficiency Levels:
Below Grade Level, Early On Grade Level, Mid-Grade Level, Late Grade Level, Above Grade Level
ACCESS
The state of Georgia requires all students learning English to take the ACCESS for ELLs assessment every year. This test measures how well your student is doing in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in English. You will receive these assessment results in the spring, and they will show how much progress your student is making in English.
Proficiency Levels:
Entering, Emerging, Developing, Expanding, Bridging, Reaching
GKIDS
Students in Kindergarten will be assessed through GKIDS and the report will show your student's current progress towards the standards. Areas of assessment include: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Approaches to Learning, Social Development, Personal Development, and Motor Skills.
Proficiency Levels:
Not Yet Demonstrating, Beginning, Emerging, Developing, Demonstrating, Exceeding, Not Yet Assessed
Milestones
The Georgia Milestones Assessment System begins for students in Grade 3 and is designed to provide information about how well students are mastering the state-adopted content standards in the core content areas of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.
Grades 3-8: Math and English Language Arts
Grade 5: Science
Proficiency Levels:
Beginning Learners, Developing Learners, Proficient Learners, Distinguished Learners
Building Parent Capacity #1
Celebration of Learning
Join us for our Title I Annual Meeting followed by Student-Led Conferences in your child's classroom.
School Transitions- Entering Kindergarten
Entering Kindergarten is a big milestone! Below are some tips to make the transition a bit smoother:
- Practice independent tasks with your student like getting themselves dressed or opening their lunch.
- Work on socialization with your student. It is important to learn how to take turns, share, listen and cooperate with others.
- Make a name card for your student and display it around your house. Talk to your student about the letters in their name.
- Practice reading with your student before bed. Let your student look at the pages and words while you read with them.
- Collect materials around your house that your student can use to count and learn about numbers.
Lunch Forms
Applications for Free and Reduced meals must be updated every year under Federal guidelines. Previous year free & reduced status is extended for the first 30 operating days of the current school year, but will expire on September 12, 2025. You must submit a new meal application for the current 2025-2026 school year to continue to receive benefits.
Click on the image to complete the Free/Reduced Lunch Form.
Chelsea Bailey, Family and Community Engagement Liaison
Email: chelsea.bailey@cherokeek12.net
Website: www.cherokeek12.net
Phone: 770-721-8566