OAKDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 2017-2018 Character + Community + Commitment= Successful Learners Handbook for Students and Families Follow OES on Twitter @OakdaleES 5830 Oakdale School Road Ijamsville, Maryland 21754 240-236-3300 240-236-3301 (fax) 1 Dear Oakdale Friends and Families, Greetings! We look forward to another successful year at OES as we focus on supporting each individual student to reach their full potential. We believe in challenging our students to become successful learners by holding students to a high standard in both academic and character development. Our mission statement of Character + Community + Commitment = Successful Learners supports this endeavor. It is our primary goal to continue building strong two-way communication between the school, families and the community. Throughout the school year, various opportunities will be available for dialogue to occur between all stakeholders. PTA newsletters and the Owl News will provide details on these events. You may receive information via e-mail by signing up at http://www.fcps.org and clicking on “Get E-mail News” located beside the FindOutFirst icon. Then subscribe to the service. If you have received this service in the past you will also want to update your profile. This will allow you to receive information related to your child’s specific grade level and school information. Hard copies will only be available for those families without internet access at home. Every dollar we can save in printing (toner, paper, etc.) is another dollar we can spend purchasing materials that will go directly into the hands of your son and/or daughter! As you read through this handbook and the FCPS Calendar Handbook, many important issues and questions are addressed. If you should need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the school. We look forward to an exciting and productive year! Kim Clifford Principal Ellen Hanner Assistant Principal 2 Oakdale Elementary School Vision Education is the foundation of our community. The Oakdale Elementary community educates its students to become caring, respectful and responsible citizens and family members. Our commitment to this vision will result in successful learners. Students look forward to and attend school each day. “They take full advantage of the rigorous academic curricula and strive to develop their talents. They utilize the power of technology to explore a world of new ideas and information. They acquire the knowledge and skills to achieve and the confidence to succeed.” Students are then prepared to access the wide choice of opportunities found in secondary education. Through community involvement and inspirational teaching, the students of OES will become productive and conscientious citizens in a global society. Mission Character + Community + Commitment = Successful Learners 3 School Cash Online Our school offers School Cash Online as a platform to pay for field trips, sports fees, spirit wear and more. School Cash Online is: • Convenient and Easy to Use—Available 24/7 from everywhere with Internet access • Safe—Best in Class security, avoids having students carry cash and checks, and remembering (or not!) to turn them in at school • Saves Time—Shows your payments and order history in one place and eliminates teacher time collecting them School Cash Online is our preferred method for paying for school related needs. Please register now at: https://frederickcounty.schoolcashonline.com so you will be ready when you need to make a school related purchase. Birthday Celebrations Please take note of the FCPS Wellness Regulation (400-82): For health and safety reasons, parents/visitors are only permitted to bring in food that is intended for consumption by their individual child and also for health and safety reasons, students are only permitted to bring in food for their personal consumption. Thus, we are unable to permit food (i.e. cupcakes, cookies, etc.) to be distributed in recognition of birthdays or other events to share with students other than your own child. We appreciate your compliance with this regulation; please note that if edible treats are brought on campus we are unable to distribute them to students. We will continue announcing student birthdays on the morning broadcast and handing out birthday pencils in the office. Lunch Program and Prices All children may either bring a lunch from home or purchase lunch from the cafeteria. The lunch charge for elementary students is $2.35, and reduced lunch is $.40. Milk and snacks are sold in the cafeteria in addition to breakfast for $1.45 or at a reduced rate of $.30. Parents who feel their family may qualify for free or reduced-price meals may contact the FCPS Food and Nutrition Services office (301-644-5061) for more information about the program. Meals may be prepaid online at www.myschoolbucks.com, or by sending in a check made payable to ‘Oakdale Elementary School Cafeteria’, or made via cash. Prepayment of meals is preferred as it protects against forgotten or lost money, and it allows students to move through the serving lines in an efficient manner. Menus will be available on the FCPS website and on channel 18. If you do not want your child to purchase snacks, simply indicate this when you send in your check/cash or when you prepay on-line. IF YOUR CHILD HAS FOOD ALLERGIES, PLEASE LET THE SCHOOL KNOW. Students are not permitted to share lunches or food because of life threatening medical concerns. Families are always welcome to join us for lunch! Parties Two parties are held each year decided upon by our leadership team. This information will be communicated through your child’s classroom teacher. Homeroom volunteers, in cooperation with the classroom teacher, will plan and coordinate snacks as well as games and/or crafts. Homeroom volunteers will solicit donations from families near party dates. Please refrain from sending in snacks unless they have been planned with the teacher to ensure they are safe for all students in the classroom. Birthday Invitations Distributing birthday/party invitations at school will only be permitted when an entire class is included as the distinction between an invited and uninvited child becomes apparent. Families are encouraged to use the student directory provided by the PTA for the purpose of sending invitations. Homework Homework is an important part of the learning experience. It provides opportunities for practice, preparation, extension and integration. Encourage and support your child, but your child should be able to complete assignments with minimal assistance Set and maintain a daily homework time Provide the space, time, and materials needed to complete assignments Plan breaks and use a timer to break difficult tasks into chunks Response to homework is welcomed by your child’s classroom teacher. Be sure to let the classroom teacher know if your child is not able to complete homework within a reasonable time allotment. 4 Recess If the temperature falls below 20 degrees, including the wind chill factor, recess will be held indoors. Please be aware of the weather forecast and see that your child(ren) comes to school wearing appropriate clothing for cold weather activities. It is recommended that hats, gloves, scarves and jackets be labeled with your child’s first and last name. Volunteers Volunteers are invited to work with our teachers and students in many ways. Some may want to work in classrooms, do clerical tasks, tutor students, help in the media center, or work from home. Volunteering is a fantastic way to make a difference in a child’s life, so please consider this opportunity! We will be sending home a form for you to complete if you're interested in becoming a volunteer. The school will set up an orientation session during the first few weeks of school that all volunteers will need to attend prior to volunteering on campus. We gratefully accept any time you can offer and look forward to seeing you! If you have any questions about volunteering, please contact our volunteer coordinators: Karen Johnson at [email protected] and/or Jessica Haupt at [email protected]. Arrival and Dismissal Students should arrive between 8:45 and 9:15; classes begin promptly at 9:15. Do not drop off students prior to 8:45 as adult supervision is not available. Dismissal will begin at 3:45. ARRIVAL: WALKERS: Students coming from the southeast should cross Oakdale School Road and cross with the assistance of the crossing guard at the raised crosswalk north of the OMS bus loop. Students coming from the northeast should follow Oakdale Village Road to the four-way intersection with Oakdale School Road and cross with the assistance of the crossing guard. Be sure to look both ways before crossing and make eye contact with drivers before proceeding. All students should follow the sidewalk around the parking lot to the front entrance of the building. The placement of crossing guards will be reevaluated as needed. CAR RIDERS: Drivers are encouraged to enter on Oakdale Village Road (as soon as construction is complete) and proceed to the four-way stop at Oakdale School Road to allow buses to circulate. Please be vigilant as we will have walkers this year. Pedestrians have the right of way. Car riders are to be dropped off at the second front entrance. Drivers should remain in their cars and wait in a single file line as children are unloaded. Staff members will be on hand to open car doors and greet students. The front parking lot cannot be used to unload unattended children. This creates a dangerous situation for you and your child. If you need to exit your car to enter the building, please find a parking space and walk with your child. To ensure a safe and orderly arrival/dismissal, we ask that you do not leave your car unattended in the loading/unloading zone between 8:45-9:15 am or 3:30-4:15 pm.