It has been an exciting and busy fall here at Oakland-Craig! We have a lot of information to share with you so please take a few minutes and read all that has been going on here at OC!

This past summer parents were asked to complete a survey about the district's communication, academic programs, grading, and more. The results have been analyzed and trends have been identified. Below you will find the trends that we found. If the image isn't large enough, a link is included below the image so that you can download it. We plan to address several of our deficiencies as we move forward with our strategic plan.

I'm excited to announce that we are once again fortunate to receive FOOF grants to benefit the school district. FOOF has awarded grants to purchase planters for the elementary entrances, a digital record board, and to cover a day care renovation project. The planters and artificial plants will be purchased locally and then placed outside the north and south entrances in hopes of making our facility more welcoming for the many events we host. The digital record board is a touch screen television that will replace the old senior composites next to the trophy case. We will be able to upload senior composites, activity records, yearbooks, and more. Lastly, we plan to renovate two classrooms to lease out to a daycare provider. These funds will only be used and classrooms will only be renovated if we find someone that wants to run the daycare as their own business. This will NOT be a school run program and we will not use any school funding for this project. Please note that this is only a temporary fix. We are hoping to find another location to transition this day care to but are simply trying to fulfill a need in our community until another option arises. Our hope is that a community center can be built in the coming years and the day care can transition to that location.

Oakland-Craig Public Schools has reached a free and reduced percentage of 42.55% for the elementary. This means that we can apply for additional after school program grant funds to continue the program. Of course we are not guaranteed to receive the grant but we are fortunate to have the opportunity to apply.

Additionally, we now have the opportunity to apply for the Community Eligibility Provision for the elementary because we have exceeded the 40% free/reduced student population requirement. If approved, ALL of our ELEMENTARY students would receive free breakfast and lunch, regardless of their free/reduced status.

Our Jr./Sr. High is sitting at 34.08%. There is still time to reach 40% though. Please consider completing the free/reduced meal application with the hope that we can reach 40% for the Jr./Sr. High and have the opportunity to serve free meals to all students in our district.

Free/Reduced Meal Application

Congratulations to Valerie Lierman on being named a 2023 Believer and Achiever! The Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) and Currency are proud to sponsor Believers & Achievers, a state-wide awards program that recognizes Nebraska’s future leaders. Believers & Achievers was designed to reward high school students in Nebraska for their excellence in academics and participation in NSAA activities. Those students who show a commitment to citizenship, school involvement and community projects will be honored in the Believers & Achievers program. She was one of 48 students selected across the state.

Valerie is the daughter of Nancy and Lonnie Lierman. She is involved in golf, basketball, track, speech, One Acts, and Student Council. This is a great accomplishment! Way to go Val!

Lapse reimagines the disposable camera experience by allowing users to take pictures with delayed viewing and share them with a group of friends. Unlike traditional invite models, Lapse doesn’t just gate its app to those with an invite; it requires users to invite friends before gaining access.

The downside of the “invite only” feature is that students who get the invite may feel pressured to get an app they don’t want to join, and those who want to join without an invite may feel left out. The overall impact of Lapse’s invitation system seems to be helpful for the company’s success, but possibly distressing to students as a result of social pressure and feeling left out.

How can you help your child:

• Embrace your individuality: Not every person will love an app or trend. Don’t be afraid to embrace what makes you unique.
• Empathize and connect: Everyone around you has unique perspectives and experiences, so remember to be considerate of the different backgrounds, wants, and needs of those around you.
• Encourage inclusivity: Take steps to encourage an inclusive environment in your home and community to make sure everyone’s interests and values are respected.

November 3 - NO SCHOOL for Students (Teacher Inservice)

November 5 - Mattress Fundraiser for OC Band Program (Elementary Commons, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.)

November 10 - Veterans Day Program (10:00 a.m. - Elementary Gym)

November 13 - Board of Education Meeting (8:00 p.m.)

November 14 - Family Literacy Night (Elementary, 6:00 p.m.)

November 22 - Friday Dismissal

November 23 - No School

November 24 - No School

November 28 - Health Checks

December 4 - Elementary Concert (7:00 p.m.)

November 5 - Swedish Heritage Meal - Turkey Dinner (11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)

November 10 - Veterans Day Program (10:00 a.m. - Elementary Gym)

Jessica Bland

Superintendent

Email: jessbland@ocknights.org
Website: www.ocknights.org
Location: 309 N Davis Ave, Oakland, NE, USA
Phone: 402-685-5661