OHS Newsletter

I would like to pass on a "Thank You" from Blaize Turzinski's parents Trisha Benbo (OHS art teacher) and Josh Turzinski. They want to let you all know that your thoughts, prayers, cards, and donations to Blaize's Memorial Scholarship have been greatly appreciated during this very difficult time.

We knew we had a special school and community before, but the outpouring of love and caring helps remind us why we chose to work and live here.

Student of the Month

Each month a student in the senior class is chosen to be the OHS Student of the Month. The student is selected based on scholarship, citizenship, leadership, and co-curricular activities. The December Student of the Month is Clara Voigt. Congratulations!

Congratulations go out to the following students and staff member for being chosen as this week's Fox Friday winners! Thank you for demonstrating characteristics of the Fox Four and for being such great role models!!

Mrs. Miller

Wrestling matches in Omro will now have a very different look due to the addition of new mat lights that were recently installed in The Den! They look great and will certainly add an element of intensity to future competitions. Thank you to Art Eichmann Photography for the photos!

Omro wrestled hard in Brillion on Saturday and came home with 2nd place missing 1st place by 1 point. Congratulations, Omro Wrestlers!

Kudos to our OHS wrestlers and coaches for giving back to our community. Their bell ringing for the Salvation Army is appreciated!

Congratulations to Keenan Rahn for not only scoring 17 points in the Omro High School Varsity game against Laconia, but he also had 21 rebounds, the second most ever in a game in Omro History! Way to go, Keenan!

The Dance Team took 2nd in both their Kick and Pom routines last Saturday at their competition in Ashwaubenon! Way to go!

Students in Mrs. Morse's World of Children class spent some time making homemade toys using ingredients and supplies found around your home. They made finger paints, Flubber, noodle necklaces, Kool Aid clay, and watercolors. They spent the next day "playing" with their toys and made connections to how children use toys to learn physical, intellectual, emotional, and social skills.

Congratulations to Madeline for being named the Fox Pride Student-Athlete for December!

Each quarter, the Career and Technical Education (CTE) department recognizes students for their outstanding contributions.

Congratulations to Nate who was selected by Mrs. Morse to be a 2023-2024 Quarter 1 CTE Student Spotlight for the Family and Consumer Sciences department!

Congratulations to Mason, who was selected by Mr. Goryl, to be a 2023-2024 Quarter 1 CTE Student Spotlight for the Business Department!

What: BINGO! Hosted by S.A.L.T. with all proceeds going to the Blaize Turzinski Memorial Scholarship

When: Saturday, December 16th at 6pm

Where: OHS Commons (enter doors at HS parking lot)

Who: Anyone that wants to play from school or from the community

Cost: $5 per card and 5 games to be played.

Please bring your own marker or pen.

Sorry, no concessions will be offered.

Attention parents of students interested in the musical. Auditions for the musical will be held on Tuesday, December 19 at 3:30 pm in the choir room. If you have a child interested and have not yet completed the information form please fill it out here.

Thank you!

Just a reminder, there will be NO SCHOOL from December 25-January 2! School will resume on Wednesday, January 3, 2024! Enjoy your holidays!

Mark your calendars!!!
December 17 from 11AM-2PM the Omro Baseball program will be holding a bowling fundraiser at the new and improved Fox Lanes right here in Omro! We will have pizza deals, bowling deals, and more!!! And don’t worry the Packer game will be on during this time so you can enjoy some bowling and watch the Packers!
This is a way for us to raise some money to buy new equipment for the upcoming season. So please bring your family and friends and come support a great team!
P.S rumor has it there may be a new uniform sighting, so you won’t want to miss that either!!

Sources of Strength is focusing on the importance of Generosity for the month of December. To help recognize why it is advantageous to be a kind and generous person, SOS is sponsoring a Giving Tree. We are asking students and staff to help collect personal hygiene products for the Omro Food Pantry. Students can take an ornament from the tree, donate a new item(s), and bring it unwrapped to the Guidance Office with their name and Fox Time on it. The Fox Time with the most items collected will earn a sweet treat.

Here are the running totals so far:

Number of items:

1. King: 29 (Juniors)

2. Kennedy: 17 (Seniors)

3. Johnston: 16 (Freshmen)

4. Johnson: 10 (Sophomores)

5. McHugh: 3 (Sophomores)

6. Turner: 1 (Seniors)

PLEASE NOTE: ALL DONATIONS ARE DUE BY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20.

Thank you for your generosity, Omro Foxes!

If you have any unused basketballs rolling around your basement or garage, we would happily take them off your hands!! Our lunch time open gym would love to have some extra as the ones they are using have certainly seen better day! Please drop off in the main office if you can help!

All Omro High School Band Alumni are invited to join the Omro High School Band in playing "A Christmas Festival" at our Monday, December 18, 2023 Holiday Concert. This has been a tradition here at Omro for over 60 years and we would love to have you join us this year! If you are interested, please reach out to Mrs. Fisher, OHS Band Director at wfish@omro.k12.wi.us if you would like to participate!

January Special! Learn traditional martial arts for free during the month of January with the purchase of a uniform. Earn your white belt on January 2, 2024 at 6:00pm at HB Patch in the gym!

For: Ages 7+. Families encouraged to train together.

Cost: $25 per month (Ask about our family rates)

When: Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday; 6:00 pm in the HB Patch Gymnasium.

Join friends, family, and staff of the School District of Omro for a fun night out with the Wisconsin Herd! A portion of the ticket sales will be donated back to the school district. Omro students and families will be invited to participate in exclusive experiences provided by the Herd:

• Band in the Stands Performance
• National Anthem Performed by the Omro Choir
• Dance Team Performance at Halftime
• Jockey High Five Tunnel for ALL students

For more information or with questions, please contact Trevor Kroll at 920.744.0263 or TKROLL@WISCONSINHERD.COM

For ticket information: scan the code or visit fevogm.com/Omrofoxes

Attendance matters and SO DO YOU!! Missing just two days a MONTH can add up to losing an entire year of school by graduation. Be an Attendance H.E.R.O! Here Everyday, Ready, On time!!

Students MUST be CALLED IN EVERY DAY that they are absent, unless they have a pre-arranged absence form filled out. Please call the attendance line and leave a message so we are aware that your student will not be in school. If the absence is illness related, please also note any symptoms they are having. Appointments may also be left on the attendance line. Call (920) 303-2300, extension 8. Thank you!

A parent can access the the work permit site using these instructions. Payment is made directly to the department through the application, using a credit or debit card or by ACH direct withdrawal. Once the permit application process is complete, the Department mails a paper copy of the permit directly to the employer. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact by email at workpermits@dwd.wisconsin.gov.

Looking for health forms? Bus pass/ change request forms? Skyward help? There is all kinds of information on our Family Resources page on the district website! Resources for Omro High School students and families can be found here!

SKYWARD/GOOGLE CLASSROOM

Stay in touch with how your child is doing in class by checking Skyward and Google Classroom. Here are some resources from the Family Resources page to help you:

• Parent's Guide to Google Classroom

• Parent's Guide to Skyward: Family Access

You can find December's Library Newsletter here!

Check out the School District of Omro App. We have made some improvements recently as well to include our daily announcements, newsletters and lunch menus now right at your fingertips!

Download for Android https://bit.ly/3Vi7WxT

Download for iPhone https://apple.co/3LF4wC5

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19DojBRA8Jhj3Fy-an8gIbz-p9oKbxDNQ/view?usp=drive_link

The Student/Parent Handbook which includes our Extracurricular Handbook states that:

ATTENDANCE POLICY - PRACTICE & COMPETITION

Students must be in attendance for the entire school day in order to practice or compete in an event. Special circumstances may merit exception with prior approval from the Principal/Dean of Students, or designee.

• Step 1 - Parent notification to office at least 24 hours prior to absence

• Step 2 - Student picks up signed Excused Slip from office

• Step 3 - Student gives signed Excused Slip to coach/advisor to participate the day of the absence

If an absence is deemed unexcused it will result in ineligibility for participation in extracurricular activities until the next full day of attendance.

Special circumstances that would be acceptable would be dentist appointments, medical appointments (students should bring their medical provider's note in order to pick up the "Excused Slip" for their coach in the office). However, things like sleeping in, haircut appointments, or getting their favorite coffee are never approved to miss classes and would result in the student not being able to participate that day. If you have any questions about what may or may not be accepted, please ask the office in advance to ensure they are in full compliance of the extra curricular activity policy. We hope this clears up any confusion.

Just a reminder that our school store is available ALL YEAR LONG! The school store will be on the Omro School District webpage. When you order you can pay right on the website and orders are shipped directly to you. There is a shipping and handling fee of $8.95 for any order.

There is so much to choose from. Please take time and look at the store catalog.

https://www.omro.k12.wi.us/families/school-store.cfm

Happy Shopping!

General Illness Guidelines

Please contact the school office, school health services or your child’s primary care provider with any specific questions.

• A child with a fever of 100 F or higher needs to stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.

• In general if a child feels too ill to participate in classroom activities, regardless of fever, they should be at home.

• Students with vomiting and/or diarrhea must stay home for 24 hours after the symptoms have resolved.

• Students with an infection such as strep throat must be on antibiotics for 24 hours prior to returning to school.

Covid-19

Symptoms of Covid-19

Fever, Shortness of breath, Cough, New loss of taste or smell, Muscle or body aches, Headache, Sore throat, Congestion or runny nose, Nausea or vomiting, Diarrhea, Fatigue

Testing for COVID-19 is no longer required

• A student with a lab confirmed test (not a home test) is excused from school for 5 days following the day of symptom onset.

• For students that have tested positive, it is recommended that they should stay home for 5 days from symptom onset, their symptoms should be improving, and they must be fever free for 24 hours prior to returning.

• For students that have covid symptoms, but have not tested. They may return to school when they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications and symptoms are improving.

• Students will not be required to quarantine following an exposure to COVID-19.

• A WIAA post covid physical is recommended for those that recover from COVID-19.

Contact Health Services with any questions or concerns at 920-410-3378.

You may leave a voicemail or send a text 24/7, be sure to include your child’s full name.

Care Solace Mental Health Support~ New to the School District of Omro

The School District of Omro continues to be committed to the well-being of our students, staff, and families to create a safe and healthy learning environment. In support of our ongoing commitment, we've partnered with Care Solace to provide an additional layer of care for our school community.

Care Solace helps individuals find mental health care providers and substance use treatment centers. Their care team is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 per year to quickly connect you to carefully verified providers in our community. Students, families, and staff members may access Care Solace services in the following ways:

● Contact your child's school counselor, to ask for assistance for a referral

● Call (888) 515-0595 at any time. A dedicated Care Companion will help you every step of the way to research options, secure appointments, and follow up to make sure it is a good fit.

● For an anonymous search, answer a few questions to get matched with an extensive list of care

providers at https://www.caresolace.com/site/omro

Care Solace is now available at no cost to our students, families, and staff members. They will connect you with providers accepting all medical insurances including Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale options for those without insurance. All information entered through the Care Solace tool is completely confidential and securely stored.

Please note: This service is an optional resource available by choice and is not mandatory to use. Care Solace is not an emergency response service or mental health services provider. In the event of a life-threatening emergency:

Dial 911 or the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or

Dial 988 - for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

If you are interested Care Solace connecting you to counseling-related services for your child, yourself, or another family member, please contact Care Solace directly, or reach out to your school's counselor:

● HB Patch/OES : Tracy Rees, trees@omro.k12.wi.us , 920-685-3100 ext.2683

● Omro Middle School : Carrie Sabel, csabe@omro.k12.wi.us , 920-303-2301 ext.2207

● Omro High School : Rachel Williams, rwill@omro.12.wi.us , 920-303-2319

Well Badger Resource Center is an information and referral (I&R) service for Wisconsin individuals and families. Information and referral services create and maintain databases of programs and services, and then make sure, through a variety of channels and outreach, that you and others in your community know about those services.
Well Badger is a one-stop connection to community, social, health, and government programs and resources — so you can find what you need, when you need it.

The Navigator is a free, confidential, online tool designed to help parents, caregivers, and professionals navigate mental and behavioral health services for children, adolescents, and young adults under the age of 21! Just answer a few questions about the child, and the Navigator provides a customized guide to connect the child with the resources and support they both need and deserve.

Children’s Mental & Behavioral Health Resource Navigator (Navigator)

"It’s difficult for us to think about our kids struggling — especially when we may be struggling ourselves. However, it’s important for us to know that we can make a difference." Click on this link for some helpful information about checking in with your child regarding their mental health from the Wisconsin DPI Student Services/Prevention and Wellness team and DPI ConnectEd.

An opportunity for teens to build skills and make positive connections that will assist them in overcoming adversities. Individuals will have the chance to learn coping skills, how to better understand their emotions and build healthy relationships. Emphasis will be put on empowerment of strengths and finding healthy supports in order to foster growth and change. Mondays from 4-7pm at 206 State St., Oshkosh. 920-232-3320

Click HERE for the flyer.

Collaborative Wellness offers in-school counseling services for all ages as well as in-clinic. For information click HERE.

If your child plans to pursue any post high school training (such as college or technical college), it is important you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (

FAFSA). Completing the FAFSA is a critical step for your child to receive grants, student loans and work study to help pay for his/her post high school education.

Due to a major overhaul of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), access to the application for the 2024-25 school year has been delayed this year (from the typical October 1st availability). At this time, the FAFSA is set to open by December 31, 2023. FAFSA Application

To get started on the FAFSA, both student and parent will need to create an FSA ID. Mike Gawell, Financial Aid Facilitator, will be at Omro High School on Friday, January 5th during Fox Time to meet with our seniors to walk them through that process and to share more general information about the financial aid process.

Please encourage your child to sign up for the FAFSA information session (see blurb below) on Friday, January 5th through Edficiency (Fox Time).

Here are some additional links and a Youtube video series (provided by Ripon College) that you may find helpful:

FAFSA Checklist: What you need to complete the form

FAFSA Simplification Fact Sheet

Big FAFSA: Changes are Here

College Goal Wisconsin - for personalized help completing the FAFSA

The Ripon College Office of Financial Aid has updated their annual FAFSA YouTube video series, "Ripon College: Understanding the Financial Aid Process" for the upcoming cycle. The full playlist is:

• Introduction
• Part 1: Financial Aid Basics and Creating an FSA ID
• Part 2: Completing the FAFSA
• Part 3: Next Steps - The FAFSA is complete
• Conclusion

Upcoming College and Military Visits

Please sign up in Edficiency if you are interested in learning more about what they have to offer you after high school.

January FoxTime:

25th, US Marines

Lunch visits:

December 18, 2023- HS Band/Choir at 6:30pm in the PAC

December 23, 2023- January 2, 2024- Winter Break

January 18, 2024- Fox night with The Herd, 6:00pm

Find the School Calendar here.

Find the rSchool sports schedule here.

Find the HS/MS Lunch menu here.