In "Otter" News - Week #30

Dear Oakville Families,

It was so lovely to see so many of you at the PTA's Donuts with Grownups on Friday! We hope you enjoyed time with your kids and with each other. Thank you for the PTA for a great event!

The 2025-2026 system operational calendar has been adjusted and approved by the Board for a second time on March 4, 2026. The Digital Media Team (DMT) has posted the amended calendar on the SMCPS website. A press release went out on Thursday, March 5th.

ALL SCHOOLS WE BE OPEN ON MONDAY, APRIL 6th FOR STUDENTS. This is a make-up day for weather related school closures.

Classroom Celebrations Reminders:

We truly appreciate the time, energy, and heart that our families put into making classroom celebrations special. Your support brings so much joy to our students and staff. To help save families the disappointment of sending in items we are unable to use, we want to provide a clear reminder of our celebration guidelines.

• Store-bought food items in their original packaging—with a full ingredient list—are permitted.
  This allows us to carefully check ingredients to ensure all students can participate safely.
• Goody bags that contain food items cannot be accepted, even if the items are individually wrapped.
• Once items are combined in a goody bag, we cannot verify the ingredients of each item, so we are unable to distribute them.

If you would like to contribute to your child’s celebration, families are always welcome to send:

• Store-bought, original-packaged food items with ingredient lists, or
• Non-food items such as pencils, stickers, small crafts, bookmarks, or other fun seasonal trinkets.

Thank you for helping us keep celebrations safe, inclusive, and enjoyable for all of our otters. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher or the main office.

PAWS Parent Tip

As we move into spring, it’s a great time to revisit what it means to give our Personal Best. Encourage your child to set a small goal this month, whether it’s improving reading stamina, showing extra responsibility, or practicing kindness daily. Small goals build big confidence.

Zones of Regulation Parent Tip

Seasonal changes can bring big energy shifts. Help your child notice what Zone they’re in and ask:

“What strategy will help you stay focused on your job as a learner today?”

Recognizing feelings and choosing tools to manage them builds independence and accountability.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we welcome a fresh new month of learning, growth, and connection. It’s a great time to be an Otter!

Otterly Yours,

Mrs. Anderson

Soon, current 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students will be asked to make a choice among General Music, Band, and Strings for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year. To help families make an informed decision, SMCPS is hosting a First Night for Band and First Night for Strings.

Check our the flyers below for more information.

The St. Mary’s County Health Department announced the recipients of the Gold Star Achievement Awards given annually to food service facilities that achieve superior food safety standards. Oakville Elementary School was recognized with 22 other SMCPS schools for meeting the requirements!

Congratulations to Mrs. Hackney, Mrs. Long, and Mrs. Miller!

The requirements to earn the Gold Star are:

● No critical violations

● No temperature violations cited during a monitoring inspection

● A 30-day follow-up inspection must correct all violations noted by an inspector

● No confirmed unsafe food handling complaints

● At least one food service worker completed a recognized and approved “Food Service Sanitarian and Safety Class” within the last two years

Our very own Dr. Reineke was celebrated at the SMCPS BOE meeting on March 18th for earning her National Board Certification!

National Board Certification (NBC) is the highest, voluntary professional credential in teaching, administered by the NBPTS. It validates accomplished teaching through a rigorous, performance-based assessment of four components—content knowledge, instruction, classroom environment, and reflective practice

Click the link below to access the 2025-2026 PTA Family Directory. If you would like your information added to the directory, please contact the PTA by email: oakville.pta@gmail.com

The office will be open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Please click on the links below to access public calendars.

See below for our grade levels weekly rates of attendance in addition top our current school attendance rate. We strive for a 94% or better attendance rate. Our whole school attendance rate for SY25-26 is currently: 94%

PreK: 93% (-1%)

Kindergarten: 91% (-2%)

1st Grade: 94% (-4%)

2nd Grade: 91% (-7%)

3rd Grade: 94% (-3%)

4th Grade: 95% (+/- 0%)

5th Grade: 94% (-1%)

St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) is asking all parents/guardians who do not already have a MySchoolBucks account to create an online account. The MySchoolBucks platform is a convenient, secure, and efficient school payment solution for all stakeholders.

• The enrollment process is easy and getting started is simple. Parents can visit the MySchoolBucks website or download the free "MSB Parent" application from their device's app store.
• Please click the link for more information and create an account today

MySchoolBucks App

The MySchoolBucks app provides on-the-go access to your child's meal balances, purchases, and lets you make payments directly from your phone. You can manage lunch accounts by adding funds, setting up account automatic replenishment, and tracking purchases - all in one place. You can also pay for field trips, and a variety of school fees using your credit/debit card online or through the app.

Benefit of MySchoolBucks

• Convenience - Available 24/7 on the web

• Efficiency - Eliminate the need to write checks and for students to bring money to school

• Flexibility - Make payments using credit/debit cards and electronic checks

• Security - MySchoolBucks adheres to the highest security standards, including PCI and CISP

Enrollment is easy!

To get started with MySchoolBucks for your school's communications and payments, visit the MySchoolBucks website or download the mobile app to create an account and sign up for free.

1. Go to the MySchoolBucks website or download the "MSB Parent" app from your device's app store.

2. Click "Sign Up for Free" and create a new account
   Add your child using the name of the school they are attending, and either their student ID or birthdate.

3. You will receive a confirmation email that your account has been established.

4. Once your account is set up, you can add funds, view balances, and make payments for various school items and fees

Customer Service

• Email: parentsupport@myschoolbucks.com

• 1-855-832-5226

• Visit www.MySchoolBucks.com and click on Help/FAQ’s

Lost and Found

At OES, we make every effort to help students reconnect with their lost belongings. The Lost and Found is located in the cafeteria, and students are encouraged to check for missing items during lunch.

To help us return items more easily, please be sure to label jackets, water bottles, lunchboxes, and backpacks with your child’s name.

Unclaimed items will be donated to a charitable organization during winter break and again during summer break, so be sure to check the Lost and Found regularly.

Check out a message from our School Counselor, Mrs. Curtis!

St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) students use the Internet and other instructional computer resources in school. It is important that you and your student review this information each year. Within this policy is the Google Workspace for Education Additional Services Agreement. Students in grades PreK - 5th grade do not need to complete an AUP this school year. They will not be accessing additional services within Google Workspace for Education beyond the core features.

All SMCPS laptops come with the same responsibility of care and upkeep as any other loaned resources. Textbooks, novels, laptops and chargers can incur a debt if lost or damaged. Please refer to the student accountability newsletter that has been added to our weekly school newsletters. Chargers are to remain at home.

Students are expected to:

• Stay seated in their assigned seats

• Use a calm, indoor voice

• Follow the driver’s directions at all times

• Follow all relevant school rules while on the bus

Parents are encouraged to review these expectations with their child and watch the Bus Safety Video available on the SMCPS Transportation website.

Special Notes for Pre-K & Kindergarten

• Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students will exit the bus first and must be met at the bus door by a responsible person at least 13 years old.

• If no adult is present, the student will be returned to the school.

• Repeated failure to meet this requirement may also result in a loss of bus-riding privileges, as outlined in the SMCPS Handbook.

Bus Passes

SMCPS will only transport students who are assigned to a bus route. Temporary bus passes are approved only in cases of emergency.

• All requests for temporary bus passes must be directed to the main office and will be reviewed by the principal or their designee.

• Approval is not guaranteed and will be based on the nature of the request and the availability of seating.

We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure safety and consistency in daily transportation routines.

The Student Handbook and Code of Conduct presentation will be reviewed with students over the first week of school. Please take some time to review it with your children at home, too. It is linked below.

St. Mary’s County Public Schools is launching a comprehensive Facility Utilization and School Boundary Study initiative to guide how our schools serve students and families in the years ahead. Your input matters. Whether you join a meeting, offer feedback, or follow along with updates, your voice will help shape the future of education in St. Mary’s County.

For more information please click on the links below:

The redistricting website and Smore have been updated with new information.

B Week

Monday, March 23rd

9:00 am - 3: 45 pm

• First Night for Band at LHS at 6:00 pm

Tuesday, March 24th

9:00 am - 3: 45 pm

• 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade General Music Students' Performance @2:30 pm (This performance is for those students who DO NOT participate in Band or Strings).
• First Night for Strings at LHS at 6:00 pm

Wednesday, March 25th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Community Gathering
• SMECO Math Challenge

Thursday, March 26th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

Friday, March 27th

9:00 am - 1:45 pm

• 2-Hour Early Release Day
• End of 3rd Marking Period

Check out the upcoming dates of student performance for this spring!

Ottermania and the Otter Trot are hosted by Calvert Marine Museum and are not affiliated with SMCPS or OES in any way. However, because we love our dear otter so much, we choose to share so you can take part in the fun as a family!

The PTA will host a spirit week in December to get us pumped up for Winter Break! Finally, we will host a spirit week in March to coincide with Read Across America Week and the PTA Read-A-Fun.

Every Friday is Otter Spirit Day and students are encouraged to wear their Otter spirit wear! On Community Gathering days, students are encouraged to show their grade level spirit and wear their grade level colors. See the image below for grade level colors.

Hello Oakville Families!

My name is Tonya Hall, and I’m thrilled to be joining the Oakville community as your new school nurse. I have been a nurse for 17 years, this being my 7th year as a school nurse. I’m truly looking forward to getting to know every student and their family. I am committed to supporting your child’s medical needs.

You can expect to hear from me in situations that may require follow-up, such as head injuries (whether minor or more concerning), illnesses that meet the criteria for going home, or when a student’s concern is beyond what I can manage in the health room. After every visit to the health room, your child will receive a pass detailing the reason for their visit. These passes will be placed in their take-home folder for your review. If you ever have any questions or concerns about what’s listed, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

I welcome communication in whatever way is easiest for you—feel free to send an email, call the office, or stop by the school to chat in person.

As a gentle reminder, if your child has any specific medical needs—chronic or acute—please reach out to me directly. This includes new diagnoses, required medications or treatments while at school, or any communicable illnesses such as flu, COVID-19, pneumonia, or others.

I’m so excited to begin this journey with you and to be a part of your child’s support team here at Oakville!

Warmly,

Mrs. Hall

FAQ for the start of the year:

When should I keep my child home from school?

• Fever >100.0, vomiting, diarrhea, or pink and crusty eyes
• Symptoms of COVID-19 like illness OR symptoms or an illness that do not resolve after home interventions
• Your child has been directed to quarantine by the local health department

Save the Dates!

OES PTA Meetings | 2025–2026 School Year

Mark your calendars:

• October 22, 2025

• December 17, 2025

• March 12, 2026

• May 20, 2026

Join the OES Otters for a year of connection, collaboration & community!

Meetings will include updates, events, and ways to get involved!

Stay tuned for times and locations.

One community committed to the learning and safety of all children.

Community is important to us. We strive to have the words "goal-oriented", "fun", "inclusive", and "thriving" used to describe our community. We believe that children learn and adults work best in an environment where they feel respected and safe. We are focused on four areas in our development of community: 1) Cultivating respectful, supportive relationships among students, teachers, and parents, 2) Emphasizing common purposes and ideals, 3) Providing opportunities for service and cooperation, and 4) Providing opportunities for independence and influence.

Email: lpanderson@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/oes/
Location: 26410 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 373-4365
Facebook: facebook.com/smcps.org