October 2026
October is:
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Principals Month
September 15 - October 15
National Hispanic Heritage Month
Friday, October 2
Custodial Recognition Day
Saturday, October 3
Fun Gym Spirit Night at Gymnastics & More
6 - 10pm
October 4 - 10
Fire Prevention Week
October 5 - 7
Turn in Character Pumpkins to the library
October 5 - 7
CogAT for 2nd Graders
Monday, October 5
Blue Shirt Day for Bullying Prevention Month
October 8 - 9
Iowa Assessment for 2nd Graders
October 12 - 16
National School Lunch Week
Monday, October 12
NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, October 13
NO SCHOOL for Students
Staff Development Day
Thursday, October 15
Spirit Night at Flynn's
3 - 8 p.m.
October 19 - 23
National School Bus Safety Week
Thursday, October 22
PTO Fall Festival Trunk or Treat and Great Pumpkin Showcase
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Saturday, October 24
NMB Rescue Fish Fry
October 26 - 30
Red Ribbon Week -
Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.
Monday, October 26
Being drug free is a SUPER POWER Day
Tuesday, October 27
Team up to be a Hero Day
Wednesday, October 28
Hometown Hero Day
Thursday, October 29
Dream of Being a Hero Day
Thursday, October 29
Report cards available
Friday, October 30
Be a Fall Festival Hero Day
Sunday, November 1
Daylight Saving Time Ends
Turn those old clocks back 1 hour!
Tuesday, November 3
NO SCHOOL - Election Day
Let's ALL make the promise!
I will be respectful to myself and others. I will be a friend to those who are being bullied. I will STAND UP! And STEP IN! And I will be a buddy not a bully.
Three Cheers for Mr. Reyes!
What is National Principals Month?
"Every October, National Principals Month celebrates the leaders who bring their schools and communities to life. Principals lead with courage, vision, and heart, and their voices have the power to shape the future of education.
A principal’s voice is more than what they say. It is reflected in the decisions they make, the people they champion, the culture they create, and the opportunities they build for every student and staff member.
National Principals Month is a time to celebrate that voice." - principalsmonth. org
Thank you, Mr. Reyes, for your voice, and all you do for Ocean Drive Elementary School!
#ThankAPrincipal
Help us celebrate amazing book characters this October in the library!
Pumpkin Directions:
1. Students decorate a small pumpkin (No larger than a basketball, and yes they can be artificial; artificial = no rotting!)
2. Decorate your pumpkin like a character from a BOOK. NO CARVING!
3. Include the completed entry sheet that was sent home (PK-1st parents may do this part.)
4. This should be mostly student work; pumpkins are not judged on perfection.
5. Pumpkins will be turned in October 5th, 6th, and 7th. No late entries.
6. Pumpkins must be picked up at the end of our Fall Festival on October 22nd. If pumpkins are not picked up, they will be disposed of.
Pumpkins will be judged on character representation, creativity, and student work. Winners will be announced at our Fall Festival on the 22nd. First place will receive a $25 Walmart gift card, second will receive a $15 Walmart gift card, and third will receive a $10 Walmart gift card. Each will also receive a pumpkin pie. Let the fun begin!
At ODE students will learn about fire safety with the NMB Public Safety Department. They will bring a fire truck, smoke house, and safety lessons to share with our students.
Fire Safety Tips for your Family
*Practice your home fire escape plan with your family.
*Know two ways out of every room.
*Check for hot doors and crawl low if in smoke.
*Have a safe meeting place outside.
*Remember to test your smoke detectors at least once a month.
For more great information about fire safety visit www.nfpa.org or visit Sparky the Fire Dog at www.sparky.org
October 5 - 9
All grade 2 students will be taking the CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) and Iowa Assessments Exam as mandated by South Carolina Department of Education. The CogAT is a multiple-choice assessment that measures reasoning skills with different types of verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal questions. The Iowa Assessments Exam is a multiple choice test which measures reading and math achievement.
Monday, October 5th - Let's GO BLUE Together Against Bullying!
Everyone wear a BLUE shirt on Monday, October 5th to show we are all working together to Stomp Out bullying and cyberbullying! Let's all practice bullying prevention every day.
NO SCHOOL
Monday, October 12th
NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, October 13th
This is a staff development day.
October 12 - 16
This year's theme is "Cafeteria Circus" — celebrating the energy, skill, and magic of our cafeteria staff who manage meals like ringmasters under the big top!
October 19 - 23
We want to keep our students safe on the bus! Students have been reviewing bus safety during PE class. Remind your child that while on the bus they should always sit quietly with their hands and feet to themselves, and their belongings in their lap.
We also want cars to be aware of buses on the road; slow down and be aware of school buses!
Weekly Breakfast and Lunch Menus can be found on our Facebook page.
We encourage all of our students to participate! Breakfast is served from 7:00 - 7:30 each morning. Students should arrive with enough time to eat and get to class before learning begins.
Breakfast and Lunch are Available Free of Charge to All Students!
Dental pain is often the reason a child misses school. To make your child’s visit to the dentist as easy as possible, Little River Medical Center offers a school-based mobile dental program called Miles for Smiles. Applications are available at school or you can go online and register at bit.ly/M4Sreg2
Throughout the school year ODE conducts safety drills such as fire, severe weather, lock down, earthquake, and bus. Procedures for all of these drills are reviewed with students, ensuring that ODE has the proper understanding of emergency protocols should the need ever arise.