Oak Grove September News

We have had an amazing start to the 2023-2024 school year. Your students are doing a fantastic job in the classroom. As a school, we are working on classroom behavior, as well as focusing on following dress code and not using cell phones at school. In this newsletter you will find the current handbook policy related to dress code as well as an example of what is acceptable at school. All of the Oak Grove staff appreciate your support to help our students follow this policy. I am pleased to announce that we have two students who were nominated by their teachers as Super Students: these students are showing leadership and excellence in the classroom. Help me to congratulate Jillian Quine and Brayden Gosnell. They will be recognized in the September Limestone Independent News.

Kindergarten has been having so much fun learning how to use our supplies, coloring, playing with toys, and making new friends! We even made crowns to show that we are the kings and queens of kindergarten!

Kindergartners have been working hard on making new friends by doing different letter headbands as This was “f” for frog. We are on learning to write our names. We started off year with sun shine name and now we are currently making our apples to display in the hall.

DRESS AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE

Face Coverings

Students and staff may choose to wear face coverings and may be required to do so as required by ISBE and IDPH.

Grades 5th-8th: Personal appearance is a personal responsibility and reflects upon the child, the home, and Oak Grove. Students who accept this responsibility show it in their attitude, academic achievement, and behavior. Students are expected to dress appropriately during the school day, before and after school activities or events, and on school sponsored trips.

All clothing is subject for review. The final decision is at the discretion of the school

administrator or designee.

1. Shorts are allowed in the 1st & 4th quarters only. (Exceptions will be made by administration for

hot weather days at the beginning of the 2nd quarter.) Shorts and skirts should not be shorter

than 1 inch below the longest fingertip. Bicycle shorts, pajama pants, spandex, etc. are not to be

worn. Yoga pants, leggings, or tights may be worn but only if covered front and back with

appropriate length shorts, shirts, or skirts (as described above).

2. All pants must be worn at the waist and fastened. Sagging pants and “hip-huggers” are not

allowed. Pants and skirts should be worn so that no under clothing is shown at any time. Pants

and jeans must also not have holes above the knee.

3. Halter tops, tops with spaghetti straps, tank tops, tube tops, “mesh” tops, or other apparel that

show bare midriff, are “see through”, show a significant amount of skin, or have large, sleeveless

openings are not permissible. Straps on sleeveless tops need to be 2 inches wide (approximately

the width of 3 fingers). Tops that have plunging necklines are also inappropriate.

Basketball jerseys or similar styled shirts must have a t-shirt with short sleeves or longer worn

under them. Shirts that cannot be tucked in must fall below the waistline.

4. Clothing that advertises tobacco, alcohol products, refers to drugs, or supports violence or hatred

is not permitted. Clothing with questionable sayings or references to sexual activity, violence,

profanity, or racial context is not permitted.

5. Students are required to wear shoes at school. If needed, students will be required to change into

“P.E.” shoes. Students are not permitted to wear slippers.

6. Hats, hoods, coats, bandanas, sweatbands, and sunglasses may not be worn in the building

during the school day.

7. The temperature inside the school is kept at a comfortable level, therefore no coats, jackets,

parkas, or other outside wearing apparel shall be worn inside during school hours; exceptions

made at teacher and/or principal discretion.

Administration will make final judgments of what is considered questionable. If a student is determined to be wearing clothing of unacceptable nature, the student will be asked to call home and arrange for a parent to bring alternate clothing. The student will be provided alternative clothing to wear while in school until a parent or alternative clothing becomes available. Violations of the dress code may merit consequences deemed necessary by teachers or the principal.

Students should not wear clothing or hairstyles that can be hazardous or present a "clear or present"

danger to the students' health and safety in their school activities such as lab work, physical education, and art. The wearing of ALL jewelry is strictly prohibited during P.E. classes and athletic events. Pierced ear jewelry must be removed before participating unless a written statement with a specific length of time from the student's physician is provided to the office. The jewelry must then be completely covered and secured by athletic tape or band-aid strip.

Students whose dress causes a substantial disruption of the orderly process of school functions or

endangers the health or safety of the student, other students, staff or others may be subject to discipline.

.Articles of clothing that cause excessive maintenance problems i.e. cleats on boots or shoes that scratch floors and trousers with metal rivets or chains that scratch furniture are ruled unacceptable. It shall be the responsibility of the parents and the student to determine the proper dress within these guidelines. All students must have coats with them at school during 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Grades K-4: Due to maturity differences of the students in these grades, dress and personal appearance will be at the discretion of the building administrator.

Hey parents, my name is Mr.Cramer and I teach PE and Health here at Oak Grove. I am Looking forward to a good year this year! If anyone has any questions feel free to contact me at ccramer@og68.org

It’s Back-to-school time again! Sometimes, this can cause feelings of uncertainty, anxiety or apprehension. New teachers, adjustment to different rules and even changing friendships can cause a number of different emotions for both kids and their parents.

There are some simple strategies that can help ease the transition from summer to school, and here are a few reminders that can make that transition a bit smoother:

• Plan new routines in advance

• Establish bedtime and morning routines

• You may have to adjust nighttime routines for consistency at bedtime.

• Choosing school clothes and Prepping lunches or snacks the night before can help decrease the morning rush.

• Allow kids to help with the decisions about their new routine. This can increase compliance and decrease the level of stress that might result from changes.

• Help Build Positive Relationships

• Organizing play dates can encourage kids to build social skills outside of the classroom.

• Role-playing real-life situations can teach kids problem-solving skills.

• Encourage open and honest communication

• Acknowledge how your child is feeling if they are worried about going back to school.

• Encourage them to talk openly about the feelings they are having

• Be positive when talking about going back to school

If you would like further information about back-to-school transition, you are always welcome to reach out to me through your student’s dojo, my email at krademaker@og68.org or connect through my webpage for additional resources. You can find my webpage here: https://sites.google.com/og68.org/mrsrademakersschoolcounselingw/home

My name is Ms. Lesa Taylor and I am very excited to be at Oak Grove this year. I am teaching Art to students and SEL to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade and assisting some in special education.. I live in Canton with my two dogs, Moose and Gizmo, and my Cat, Bellatrix. I enjoy getting outside and walking trails. In Art class we have been working on self portraits using little pieces of construction paper. They are turning out great! We will be working on many different things and trying new mediums this year. I love hearing from parents so, if you have any questions please feel free to contact me. My email is ltaylor@og68.org.

https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/the-benefits-of-music-education

September 1st- 11:50 Dismissal (No Lunch)

September 4th- No School Labor Day

September 8th- First Quarter Mid Term

September 8th- PTO Movie Night 6:30pm-8:30pm

September 11th- PTO meeting 6:30pm

* Don't forget to check the school website for all Softball and Baseball games

Discovering Creativity and Skill

In the hustle and bustle of our academic lives, it's easy to overlook the hands-on experiences that contribute so much to our personal growth and development. "Tech Class" is changing this year. With a new focus on practical skills, creativity, and problem-solving Tech Class offers students a unique opportunity to engage with the tangible world around them.

What is changing? The Warehouse! It's a shop class, known as woodworking or vocational education, that provides students with the chance to work with tools, materials, and machines to create functional and artistic projects. Through designing, measuring, cutting, shaping, and assembling students learn to transform raw materials into something meaningful.

That doesn't mean we aren't doing "tech" things still. We are still committed to helping our students grow and navigate this technological society. We teach digital skills that prepare our students for their high school careers and beyond. We learn to code and use that to fly drones and build robots. We have 3D printers to give students the ability to learn about designing and creating physical objects from digital models.

Fostering Creativity

Creativity thrives in our Tech class. Students are encouraged to take an idea from conception to reality, allowing their imagination to run wild. Whether it's through coding a drone, creating a 3D printed model, or a woodworking creation this class provides an outlet for self-expression that complements more traditional subjects. Moreover, the satisfaction of seeing a physical creation emerge from their hands can boost students' self-esteem and confidence.

It's important to note that safety is a paramount concern. Proper training, guidance, and supervision are integral to ensuring that students work with tools and machinery in a secure environment. Following safety protocols fosters a culture of responsibility and attentiveness that extends beyond the workshop. Your student will be trained on appropriate shop safety protocol and those protocols will be enforced.

Oak Grove is happy to allow students to have water to drink throughout the school day. We do ask that students only have water in their water bottles. We do have water filling stations available to allow students to fill water bottles. If your student brings coffee or other drinks with them to school they will be asked to finish the drink, store it in there lunch sack, or put it away in there locker till the end of the day.