The Oxbow News
#owlpride #welcomeback #weareoxbow
Dear Oxbow Families,
Greetings and Happy (almost) Fall!
Welcome to a brand-new school year Owls! I hope you and your children have enjoyed a wonderful, restful and fun filled summer, and that you're as excited as we are for the adventures and learning opportunities ahead.
Our Oxbow team has been busy preparing for a fantastic year, filled with engaging activities, new experiences, and valuable growth for your children. We are committed to creating a nurturing, loving and stimulating environment where every student can thrive and reach their full potential. Oxbow is a great place to be!
Our theme for the year is "Together We Do Great Things." This theme reflects our commitment to fostering a strong, supportive community where students, families, and staff collaborate to achieve excellence. We believe that by working together, we can create an environment where every child feels valued, inspired, and empowered to reach their fullest potential.
Throughout the year, we will be focusing on building strong relationships, celebrating our collective achievements, and working together to overcome challenges. As we kick off the 2024-2025 school year, we encourage you to stay involved and connected with us. Your partnership is vital to our success, and we look forward to working together to support your child's educational journey. Keep an eye out for upcoming events, and don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your continued support and for entrusting us with your child's education. Here’s to a successful, joyful, and productive year ahead!
Exciting Events:
September 3rd: 1st Day of School (see more information below)
September 19th: Curriculum Night
September 24th: Early Release
Staying Connected:
- Remember, we're always here to answer your questions! Please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher or the school office.
- Follow us on social media for daily updates and photos: @ Oxbow Elementary on Facebook or Oxbow Parent Council on Facebook
- Visit our website for the latest calendar, resources, and information @ https://www.hvs.org/o/oxbow
We appreciate your continued support and partnership in your child's education.
Educationally Yours,
Mrs. Greenleaf
#WeAreOxbow
#TogetherWeDoGreatThings
See You Soon Owls!
24.25 Class Placements
Once Class Placements were released in Family Access on August 27th at 4:00 pm, unfortunately, no changes can be made. I have the utmost confidence in our staff and believe that we are very fortunate here at Oxbow to have such amazing educators. Our staff spends a tremendous amount of time and energy trying to determine the best possible classroom placement for all of our children, in order for all students to be successful. Our teams work collaboratively to create balanced classrooms that also meet the needs of individual students. A number of different factors are taken into consideration when creating class lists. We appreciate your understanding on this matter
Back to School Process
Dear Oxbow Families:
Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! We are requiring all families to complete the Back-to-School packet, an online registration process. Starting August 1st, the Online Back-to-School process will be available to families by logging into Skyward Family Access. Families are encouraged to complete this process at home.
PLEASE NOTE: It is crucial that you complete the additional Emergency Contacts for your child in Step 2e. Without your permission, we can not release a student to anyone other than those listed as an Emergency Contact. Also, the system will only allow you to add these contacts under the following relationships: Mother, Father, Relative, or Other.
Important Dates to Remember
Important Upcoming Dates:
September 3rd- 1st Day of School
September 19th- Curriculum Night
Title I Parent Meeting: 5:30-6:00 pm
- Teacher Session #1: 6:00-6:25 pm
- Teacher Session #2: 6:30-6:55 pm
- September 20 - Popcorn/Hoot Shop
September 23- Picture Day
September 24 - Student Early Release
OPC Meeting 6:30 pm
2024-2025 HVS School Calendar
1st Day of School 9/3
We kindly ask that parents and students practice walking to your child's classroom and take any pictures with your child's teacher during our Pop In on the 28th. Our hope is that students will be familiar with walking to their classroom on their own on the 1st day of school. We will have staff available to help students on the first day of school. This will help ensure that the 1st day of school is a success for all.
JK and Kindy 1st Day of School Schedule
OPC School Wide Events Calendar
Early Fall Building Work
The flashing pedestrian cross walk light work has begun. There will be two flashing 25 mile, school zone lights installed on Oxbow Lake Rd. The goal is to alert drivers to a school zone, decrease speed during school arrival and dismissal times to keep kids safe.
In addition, paving on Oxbow Lake Road will begin the week of September 9th and last a few weeks. This may cause a delay during high peak times, such as morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. Bus routes may also be affected due to the road work. I kindly ask for your patience as we all try to navigate the road work in front of our building!
School Supplies
If you need help with the suggested school supplies that were shared over the summer, please email Mrs. Greenleaf at justine.greenleaf@hvs.org
Also, all grade level suggested school supply lists are on our school website, Facebook and have been emailed to families earlier this summer!
Importance of Green Name Tags for Dismissal
At Oxbow, we utilize bright, green fluorescent name tags for afternoon pick up. Each family will receive two tags. This helps ensure that our students are safe getting into the vehicle of an approved family member or family friend. In addition, this helps the car line move quicker, as it makes it easier for staff to identify your vehicle.
Green name tags and an informational note were passed out during our Pop In on the 28th by teachers, or on the 1st day of school for those families that can not make the Pop In. Please see a sample below.
During afternoon pick up, students are lined up outside with their classroom teacher. As the line moves up, students are loaded into vehicles by staff members. The key is to ensure that you pull up as far forward in line as possible, this allows us to stack more vehicles along the curb. Staff will be present to help direct vehicles and parents. The most important safety issue is that parents remain in their vehicles and do not exit.
Dismissal
Please ensure that you are using the Pick Up line to pick up your child at the end of the school day. If you chose to park and get your child, please be sure to utilize the parking in front of the building or the North side of the building. Do NOT park in the Staff Parking lot (South side).
With our first day of school right around the corner, please find an informative video created by Mr. Ristau and Mr. Rehnlund last school year explaining the parking lot system.If you are new to our building this year, please be sure to view the video in order to have a better understanding of the new flow of traffic. In addition, please remember, that patience with one another is the key to safety for all.
Lunch Times for JK-5th Grades
Students are not permitted to enter the building until 9:10 am. Please be sure to not allow students to unload your vehicle until 9:00 am, that is when school staff are outside to supervise.
1st Bell rings at 9:10 am 2nd Bell rings at 9:15 am
*Free breakfast for all students will be served in classrooms
Dismissal 4:08 pm
**If you would like to check out your child early, please come to the Main Office to do so. You will have to sign out your child in the main lobby. Early checkouts do factor into your child's overall attendance. In addition, any changes in pick up plans need to be communicated to the Main Office prior to 2:00 pm. Late requests will not be honored.
**During winter months, students will have their winter gear with them in the cafeteria. This helps students get the most lunch and recess time during their scheduled block.
Lunch Times and Grade Levels **In The Cafeteria
Lunch A
JK, K and 2nd 11:45-12:30 pm
Recess: 12:10-12:30 (JK & K)
Recess: 11:45-12:05 pm (2)
Lunch B
1st and 3rd 12:30-1:15 pm
Recess: 12:30-12:50 (3)
Recess: 12:55-1:15 (1)
Lunch C
4th and 5th 1:15-2:00 pm
Recess: 1:40-2:00 (5)
Recess: 1:15-1:35 (4)
Medication Forms and Procedures
Medication
School Safety is Important to Us
Please review our district wide safety procedures. Student and staff safety is our top priority!
2024-2025 Student Directory
For those families that are interested in connecting with other students and families over the school year, please find the link below to the 24-25 Student Directory. This is optional for all families and you do not need to participate or provide your information below. However it is a great way to connect with other families for play dates and activities outside of school.
If you decide to participate, please be sure to complete the link by no later than September 6th.
Thank you to Mrs. LoCascio for working on the Directory once again this school year. If you have any recommendations or suggestions for the future, we would love to hear them.
Parent Institute Newsletter- Check Out This Great Resource!
Oxbow: Title I School wide Building
Oxbow is very fortunate to be a building wide, Title I building. We are granted federal dollars to utilize to enhance our programs that focus on academics and the social emotional well being of our students. Here at Oxbow, we utilize a majority of our funding on our literacy and math programs, in addition to our social emotional wellbeing, and classroom resources.
Our WIN (What I Need Program) is headed this school year by Mrs. Richards, Oxbow's very own Literacy Specialist and her team of paraprofessionals, Mrs. LaQue, Mrs. Long, Mrs. Conklin, Mrs. Z and Mrs. Farnum. We are so incredibly lucky to have this dynamic group of professionals working with our teachers and students Tuesdays-Fridays. If you have any questions about WIN, please reach out to your child's teacher or you can email Mrs. Richards at emily.richards@hvs.org
What I Need (WIN Time)
The staff at Oxbow believes that a solid academic foundation is the basis for success in school and in life. It is our commitment to this belief that is the foundation of our WIN Time in our school district. WIN Time is an acronym for What I Need Time. The concept of WIN Time is to provide all students with targeted support and interventions, especially when students are not showing academic progress as expected. We are committed to ensuring that no new content is being taught during WIN time.
Literacy is the main focus of WIN Time in grades K-5. WIN Time is led by Mrs. Emily Richards, our Literacy Coach. Mrs. Richards also leads monthly meetings we refer to as BIT (Building Interventions Team) meetings that bring all members of our academic team together to discuss the progress of each student at Oxbow. Mrs. Richards tracks reading progress and leads the BIT meeting dialogue. Our BIT meetings are attended by Mrs. Richards, the paraprofessionals who implement interventions, each grade level team, Mrs. Bodmer (our Teacher Consultant), Mr. Edwards (Resource Room teacher) and our principal, Mrs. Greenleaf. Our team examines student work and teacher assessment in order to designate appropriate support for each student.
WIN Time takes place four days a week. During each session, all students work on assignments that are specific to their learning needs. Students working at or above grade level, often work on individualized projects or enrichment activities, while students who are performing below expectation, work in targeted groups set up in small group settings. Paraprofessionals and Mrs. Richards reteach the literacy strategies and guide students with the needed practice of skills identified during BIT meetings. Each month, our team members monitor progress and the effectiveness of the interventions being used. It is our goal that each student’s progress is closely evaluated by our classroom teachers and by our BIT team.
As we get the new year underway, teachers will be making the initial assessments of student competence, especially in the area of literacy. As we are obtaining that information, we will be using WIN Time to meet with students and focus on building relationships with WIN Team members. We are very committed to utilizing WIN Time to ensure the success of each and every student at Oxbow throughout their elementary school experience.
Oxbow Lost and Found
We will once again utilize our online Lost and Found Directory. Mrs. Spangler has done a wonderful job of maintaining the inventory and directory and reuniting families with their lost items. The link can be found below, as well as on our Oxbow Parent Council Facebook page.
Main Office Updates
Daily attendance is taken by our classroom teachers everyday. If your child is going to be absent, please be sure to continue to call the Main Office at 248-684-8085 or please send an email to Mrs. Leece at shannon.leece@hvs.org to report an absence.
Please ensure that your pick up plans are communicated to your child's teacher and the Main Office prior to 2:00 pm. Late requests will not be honored.
Please do not send your child with medication to school. There is a Plan of Care form that
parents must complete on the HVS website under Health and Wellness. If you need
assistance, please reach out to Mrs. Nowak or Mrs. Leece.
A Criminal Record Check (CRC) form must be completed for anyone:
- Chaperoning on an overnight trip
- Volunteering (if applicable)
- Classroom party (if applicable)
- Chaperoning on a field trip
CRC’s must be completed every school year and that includes HVS district employees. Please see the information provided below.
Thank you!
Mrs. Nowak and Mrs. Leece
CRC Link-Background Check
Over the last few years, our district has taken pride in ensuring that all building and classroom volunteers have a background clearance on file.
Our CRC process in the district is going electronic this year. Please complete the Google link below. Once the Google link has been completed, an automated email from Droplet will be sent/emailed to you. This process can take up to 2 weeks.
If you are planning on volunteering in the building, in a classroom or attend a field trip as a chaperone this school year, please be sure to allow ample time for your background check to be completed. Once you complete this process once, you are ALL SET for the entire 2024-2025 school year.
We have recently changed our Criminal Records Check process. This process must be completed for any volunteer opportunities each year including, HVS employees.
1. Please follow the link below to fill out our Google Form.
2. Once this form is completed, the information you have imputed will then be given to HVS’s HR team. You will then be getting another email sent to you with an additional form from a website called Droplet (the information you will need to fill out will be very similar to our Google Form).
3. Once the form is completed through Droplet please allow up to 2 weeks process time so please plan accordingly.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding this process.
Thank you for your understanding as we continue to improve our processes.
Importance of Attendance
Importance of Attendance:
Over the years, there has been a great deal of data that supports the correlation between student attendance and success in the academic setting. Parents, students and teachers have different roles that can positively impact good attendance habits and student learning.
It is our hope parents will take time to discuss the importance of establishing and maintaining positive attendance patterns with their child. Students are empowered when they are present in daily lessons and become responsible for the content that is discussed. It has never been more evident that each classroom teacher is working hard to maximize the teaching and learning taking place throughout the day. Lessons have become more collaborative and often include hands on experiences. Our students understand their good attendance habits impact collaborative learning time with their peers who are counting on them to be present, and a valued part of the learning team.
We understand that kids get sick and we want students to be home when illnesses occur. With that being said, we also understand that unintentional habits are often created, even with the best of intentions in mind. For instance, sometimes, students can have social challenges that create anxiety or stress that causes the child to feel sick or to want to avoid the setting where an issue might be taking place. We want to work with everyone involved to get to the bottom of any problems that may be occurring, in order to eliminate any stress that may result. We encourage parents to seek out support in solving social challenges with the school team.
Our teachers work diligently throughout each school day to ensure students feel safe. Students are encouraged to share their feelings with other adults, with the hope of solving their issues and thereby decreasing social-related stress experienced in the school setting. We understand learning happens when students are present and distractions are minimized. Establishing high attendance-related expectations and good attendance habits for each student, helps to ensure greater academic success for all.
Attendance Process here at Oxbow:
If students have 5-7 absences, a notice is mailed home to families, making parents aware of their child’s absences.
If students have over 9-10 absences, a more detailed letter with our process is mailed home and a meeting is scheduled and held with a child’s parents and the school team to create an action plan together, in hopes of putting school supports into place.
If attendance continues to be a concern, a Youth Assistance referral is made by the school team and then eventually a referral to the Oakland School Truancy Program is made.
If your child is absent for any medical reasons, please be sure to submit a doctor’s note to the Main Office and calling in your child at 248-684-8085. Thank you for your understanding on this very important matter. Our hope is to work together as a team to help support all children and to ensure that students are present in their classroom.
Checking into the Main Office-Procedures
Please remember that end of day plans should be called into the Main Office no later than 2 PM if changes need to be made. Unfortunately late requests will not be honored.
-If you are absent for an appointment and are able to get a doctor’s note, please bring it in, email it, fax it or have your child bring it when they return to school.
-When picking up your child early from school: You do not need to call the Main Office in advance. Students are called from the classroom when a parent arrives to the building.
1. Please come into the main vestibule and have your ID ready (All parents will be required to show ID, even if we know you =)
2. Press the call button
3. Show your ID and state your child’s name, grade and teacher. The Main Office staff will then call your child down. (All parents will be required to show ID, even if we know you =) This is a safety procedure)
4. Please be sure to also sign them out on the IPad in the vestibule. There will be detailed directions on how to utilize the system.
24.25 OPC Corner
Oxbow 2024-2025 Spirit Wear
Happy shopping Owls!
OPC 24.25 Board
President- Christine Burnsfield
Vice President- Mandy Van Schalkwyk
Treasurer- Lisa Selahowski
Secretary- Jessica Linke
Lakeland High School Homecoming Parade
We are looking for parents/families that would like to take on a lead role in creating and organizing an Oxbow float for the LHS Homecoming Parade on September 27th. If you would to help lead and organize a float that can be incorporated into the Homecoming Parade, please reach out to Mrs. Greenleaf to get the planning started soon!
Go LHS!
Huron Valley Rec and Ed- Fall Opportunities
Free Breakfast and Lunch for all Students!
Breakfast-will be served in the classrooms each morning
Lunch-will be served in the cafeteria daily
September Lunch Menu
Free and Reduced Lunch Application 24.25
School Lunch Important Info
School Lunch-
This is a kind reminder that soda pop, energy drinks, etc are not permitted for students to drink during lunch or snack. In the cafeteria, students are permitted to drink milk, juice, water or Gatorade/Powerade/Prime (not Prime Energy). If a student does bring soda pop from home, they will not be permitted to drink it at school and it will be sent back home.
In our classrooms, students may drink only water. We have been having students bring in caffeinated drinks for lunch and we appreciate your understanding and teamwork, as we must all work together to promote healthy eating habits for our children.
5th Grade Extra Pizza
This school year our 5th grade students will have an opportunity to purchase 1 additional slice of pizza (no additional items would be included) on Tuesdays to have with their already free school lunch. The cost would be $1.50 per pizza slice and this is optional for each 5th grade student.
At this time, the district is rolling out this program only for 5th grade students. In order for students to be able to get the additional slice, they will have to have funds loaded into their account prior to their scheduled lunch time (1:15-2:00 pm). Please follow the instructions below and read through the attached flier for additional information. The most important piece is to ensure that your child understands and knows if they have the additional funds in their account. If their account is at $0, they will not be able to purchase an extra slice.
Health Corner-Staying Healthy this Fall
As the weather begins to change again, we'd like to remind you of the increased potential for spring time viruses like the common cold, flu, and norovirus. These viruses spread easily in close-contact settings like classrooms, making it important to take extra precautions to keep our children healthy and safe.
Here's what you can do:
Stay informed:
- Learn about common winter viruses and their symptoms;
- Stay updated on local outbreaks and guidance
Prevention:
- Teach proper hygiene: Frequent handwashing with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds, can significantly reduce the spread of pathogens.
- Emphasize good cough and sneeze etiquette: Encourage your children to cover their mouths and noses with a tissue or their elbows when coughing or sneezing. Dispose of used tissues promptly.
- Stay up to date on your vaccinations, where permittable.
- Promote good sleep and healthy habits: Adequate rest and a balanced diet can enhance your child's immune system.
- Sanitize surfaces frequently: Regularly disinfect commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs, desks, and toys.
Keeping sick children home:
- If your child experiences any symptoms like fever, cough, runny nose, or vomiting, keep them home from school and consult a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and guidance.
- Ensure they return to school only when they are fully recovered and symptom-free.
Together, we can create a healthy learning environment for our children. By following these simple practices, we can minimize the spread of viruses and keep everyone in our school community happy and healthy.
White Lake Food Pantry Details
Easterseals MORC @ Oxbow
This school year, we will once again have the opportunity to partner with Easter Seals. We are very excited about continuing this service and partnership, as it will be happening for select students during the school day. Currently Oxbow has almost 58 students working with Ms. Jill Martin, our Easterseals therapist, 1 time a week for 30 minutes.
Our Social Work team and teachers will be working together to determine which students will be selected during the current school year. Easterseals can work through your medical insurance and they also can provide a sliding scale and rate for families. Oxbow Elementary is currently the ONLY elementary school building in the HVS district with this program.
We are very fortunate for this opportunity and for the advocating that Mrs. Litt has taken on in order to get this program here at Oxbow last school year. We are so excited to pilot this amazing program, as mental health and support for all is essential. If this program is something that is of interest to you and your child, please reach out to our Social Work team.
Birthday Treats
Many parents will soon be reaching out to classroom teachers about birthday treats to help celebrate their child's birthday this school year. Due to the fact that we have many children in the building with various food allergies and health related illnesses, we want to create an environment that is inclusive, supportive and safe to all of our children.
With that being said, we encourage parents to send only little trinkets, pencils, stickers, books, goodie bags, etc, instead of food items. Food items such as cupcakes, brownies, etc, will not be accepted due to allergies, etc. This is the same protocol that was in place the last few years here at Oxbow, and we will continue to follow it. Unfortunately, all food items will be returned home with your child.
We appreciate all parents wanting to create an inclusive environment for all of our children!
Bus Information
Bus information for most students will be available in your Family Access account. If your student’s information is missing or appears incorrect, please call the Transportation Department at 248-684-8200. No busing information will be sent to your home by postcard.
Thank you,
HVS Communications
School to Home Communication is Key!
Communication is important to us here at Oxbow. Parents will be notified and updated in a variety of ways throughout the school year. The majority of information for parents will be available on our school and District website and through email.
Skyward Family Access
It is critical that parents keep an updated email address and let us know if it changes as soon as possible. Parents may update this information for us on Skyward Family Access. All teachers at Oxbow utilize Skyward Family Access to communicate with parents. Report cards, lunch account information, progress reports, attendance, and other important information will always be posted on Skyward Family Access.
The Oxbow News
Our Oxbow newsletter will be sent electronically to parents and it will be posted on our school website. Our school website can be found here.
Please visit this page often for information about our school. You will find links to important documents, websites and blogs from your child's classroom, OPC forms and information, and important updates and forms that you will need to access.
Social Media
At Oxbow, we also utilize our school Facebook page. We post important information, fun pictures and school messages. Please be sure to follow and like our page here
Contacting School Staff
Emails and Return Phone Calls
Our staff work hard each and every single day to ensure that our students get a solid and well rounded education, in a safe and loving school environment. During school hours, they are prepping for lessons, meetings with grade level colleagues, support staff and parents. Our school days go by quickly and they are completely full from the morning to the afternoon. I kindly ask for your grace and patience, when emailing or calling a staff member. Please allow staff at least a 24 hour turn around time, this includes emails, SeeSaw message and returning phone calls. We appreciate your understanding!
Oxbow Virtual Morning Announcements
This school year, we are going to continue our meeting together on Google Meet for our virtual Morning Announcements. During our meetings, we take time to connect with students, recognize students that are exhibiting P2 character traits by making our teachers and staff proud, share out important school information, share information about our weekly P2 traits that teachers will be teaching in the classroom. We also help lighten the mood by sharing a daily funny joke with students, share the weather, teach a daily health tip, we celebrate birthdays for the day, say the Pledge of Allegiance and our Oxbow Pledge as a school community.
Oxbow Pledge:
Everyday is a great day to be an Oxbow Owl. Remember that your teachers care about you and we are all here to help you achieve your dreams. Have an awesome day of learning and remember always choose to be kind. Make it a great day Owls!
Need Tech Support?
The Positivity Project (P2)-Oxbow's Character Initiative
Please be sure to read the letter below to learn more about the program that your child is going to be using in the classroom taught by their classroom teacher. We are looking at helping our children to learn and grow both academically and with their social emotional well being. If you have any questions about P2, please reach out to Mr. Ristau at greg.ristau@hvs.org who oversees and leads the initiative.
iHoot @ Oxbow
At Oxbow, we have many supports in place for our PBIS goals and initiatives. While everything may vary in its approach, they all share the vision of creating a safe and welcoming learning environment. Once again, our students and staff will be focusing on "I H.O.O.T." this school year. "I H.O.O.T." is an acronym that serves as an umbrella for all of our PBIS expectations, and narrows everything down to five main characteristics that we want all of our students to develop; integrity, kindness, responsibility, resiliency, and respect. The acronym "I H.O.O.T." stands for;
I - show Integrity
H - Help others
O - Own my behavior
O - Overcome obstacles
T - Treat others and our school with respect
We want all of our students to "HOOT" at Oxbow every day, and strive to model and reinforce our expectations on a daily basis. As the school year progresses, we are hopeful that all of our students will not only be able to tell others what the acronym stands for, but that they will also demonstrate the integrity, kindness, responsibility, resiliency, and respect that we want in our Oxbow community. Please take some time to talk about "I H.O.O.T." at home, and help us to reinforce these characteristics with your child(ren). We thank you for your support as we continue to make Oxbow an amazing place for our students, staff and families.
Social Emotional/Mental Health Resources
Mental Health Resources
Easter Seals Telehealth Platform Services for Students and/or Families
Call: 248- 475-2150
Michigan Stay Well Counseling via COVID-19 Hotline
Call: 1-888-535-6136
Press “8” to talk to a Counselor. Counselors are available 24-7 Confidential and free
National Disaster Distress Helpline
Call: 1-800-985-5950 / Available 24-7
If you want help from the nearest Community Mental Health Services Program
Call: 211
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call: 1-800-273-8255
Text: TALK to 741741
Available 24-7


