The Olive Branch 12.5.25

IN THIS BRANCH

Principal Message

Wearables

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Presentations

Winter Science Club

PTA Dine-In Fundraiser

Important Dates

Dear Families,

The snow and cold temps have finally arrived and may be here to stay for awhile. As a reminder, it is our practice to have the children go outside as much as possible during recess, even in the winter. Outdoor recess in winter is determined by temperature, wind chill factor, and playground conditions. The students do not go outside if it is raining or if the wind chill is below zero. Parents are asked to dress children in appropriate outerwear for the weather conditions, so that students may comfortably take advantage of outside recreational play. Please put names on all outdoor clothing, including boots.

In order for students to leave the blacktop area to play in the snow they must have winter boots, snowpants, coat, and mittens/gloves. We encourage waterproof gloves/mittens. If you need assistance in outfitting your child with warm winter gear, please reach out to Ms. Davis at edavis@sd25.org.

Sincerely,

Erin, Julia, and the OMS Staff

We have seen an increase in students using their watches during the school day. Please discuss with your child the purpose of their wearable and that using it during the school day is not permitted. Per the parent/student handbook:

The possession and use of cell phones and other electronic devices, including wearables, are subject to the following rules:

Middle school students are expected to turn off electronics and store devices in their middle school locker during the school day.
Elementary students are expected to leave electronics in the “off” position and in their backpacks throughout the school day.
A supervising teacher may grant permission for them to be used or if needed during an emergency.
They may not be used in any manner that will cause disruption to the educational environment or will otherwise violate student conduct rules.

If a student is distracted by their wearable, teachers will ask them to put the device in their backpack during the school day. Teachers will also reach out directly if it is a recurring problem to ask that the device be kept at home.

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention lessons will begin December 8th at Olive-Mary Stitt Elementary. CLASSROOM TEACHERS will share the specific date/time they have signed up for.

Illinois Public Act 097-1147, requires public schools to provide child sexual abuse prevention education for children in prekindergarten through twelfth grades. Age-appropriate instruction helps students recognize unsafe situations, keep themselves safe, and understand how to respond to unsafe situations. School social workers work with each grade level to provide age-appropriate information on topics such as safe versus unsafe touching, the touching rule, secrets, and reporting.

The following link includes more information, including presentations and opt-out forms: http://www.sd25.org/Page/663

If you choose to opt your child out of the presentation, please share the form with Ms. Erin Davis at edavis@sd25.org

Science Club is back with two sessions, meeting on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, January 13th through February 25th. We’re offering hands-on science adventures for students in grades two through five; first grade students may participate if an older sibling is enrolled in Science Club AND an adult can volunteer to help every day that the first grade student attends.

We meet from 3:35 until 4:45 PM in the LMC.

Session 1: Electricity and Electronics (four weeks)

Experiment with wet-cell batteries, vegetable batteries, metal electrodes, electronic components, Snap Circuits, and much more.

Session 2: Rocks, Minerals, and Fossils (three weeks)

Experience hands on activities with rocks, minerals, and fossils. We’ll make small collections to take home.

Want to join in the fun? Then complete and return the registration form as soon as possible. Please make a copy of the form to fill it out. Sessions can fill up very quickly. The number of students per session is dependent on the number of adult volunteers.

To ensure that we’re able to provide a safe and enjoyable activity at least two adults will be present each day. Any days that do not have at least one adult volunteer will be cancelled. Please consider signing up to help on one or more days as your schedule allows.

Questions? Please contact Cynthia House at chouse@sd25.org.

Our PTA is starting a new initiative for fundraising by partnering with local restaurants to earn a percentage of profits on a specific day/evening when OMS families purchase food at the establishment. Let's kick off the first dine-in night with a bang!