Upcoming Events
June:
6/17 - Early Dismissal @ 12:45 - 2nd Grade Luau 6/18 - Early Dismissal @ 12:45: Last Day of School - 5th Grade Clap Out - Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast 8:00-9:30 6/21 - Supply Return (Virtual Students) * Please note that all dates are subject to change. ** Spirit Days: Wednesdays = OSS Spiritwear Fridays = Fitness Friday End of the Year Message from the PTO Co-Presidents:
Dear OSS Family, Can we all agree that this was the craziest school year EVER?!?!? Even with all of the craziness, we made the most of it and so many memories were made—virtually and (finally) in-person. Here are this year's PTO accomplishments: Chalk the Walk ~ Together T-shirts ~ 25+ CA/CE programs ~ Boxtops Collection ~ Spiritwear Sales ~ Refurbished OSS Sign ~ Purchased Outdoor Tents ~ Mini Grants for Outdoor Seat Cushions, Panoramic Webcams, Lapdesks, Easels, Classroom Bins, Library Books, Art Supplies ~ 2 Virtual Book Fairs ~ Student Handprints at OSS ~ Family Reading Night ~ Monster Mash: Outdoor Decor & Scarecrow Contest ~ Winter Arty Party ~ Sweetheart: Wall of Love & Arty Party ~ Souper Bowl food drive ~ Countless "Card My Yard" Messages ~ Weekly recognition for Our Super Special Teachers & Staff ~ 96 Thank You Messages sent to Our Super Special Teachers & Staff ~ Appreciation Meals & Gifts for Teachers & Staff throughout the year ~ Wizard of Words ~ Virtual Science Expo ~ Leprechaun Trap Contest ~ Field Day ~ Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Community Helper Day ~ Grade 2: Luau ~ Grade 3 & 4: Book Bonanza ~ 5th Grade: Yearbook, Stars, Party & Clap Out None of this could have been done without our amazing community of parent volunteers, teachers, and staff. As such, we would like to show our love with a Volunteer Appreciation Coffee. This is for every member of our OSS community! Whether you were a board member, event chair, grade parent, or cheered the PTO on. Whether you wrote an email, filled out a survey, or logged a kiddo onto zoom to attempt tech support. You all have our appreciation and we are grateful for you. Please join us for a coffee or pastry or just an end of the year high-five. Volunteer Appreciation Coffee Friday, June 18 8:00-9:30 AM Outside by Ava's (no rain date;)) Thank you for helping out, staying positive, and creating a memorable year for our students and teachers. Renée & Elizabeth Co-Presidents OSS PTO 2019-21 SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR 2021-2022: The online store for the school supplies is open! Please click here to visit the online store and enter the code: OAK342. Orders are due by June 20th - don't miss out! RETIREMENT Please help us wish OSS crossing guard Doris Moore a very happy retirement. She has helped OSS children and families cross between Hillside Terrace and W. Oak St for 53 years!!! We are so grateful for her time with us. FIELD DAY What a great day! Thank you to all our volunteers who helped make this event a success, as well as the chairs, Elizabeth Seitz and Kelly Kiessling! JR RED DEVILS FOOTBALL Click here to sign up for Jr. Red Devils Football (starting grade 2). HELP NEEDED: If you are interested in chairing one of the following PTO activities in the upcoming school year, please reach out to us. These activities have varying levels of commitment and fit almost any schedule. For more information or to raise your hand to lead, please email us at [email protected]. Thanks in advance! - 5th Grade Activities (Yearbook, Party, ClapOut) - Membership CA/CE RECAP AND THANK YOU This week marked our final CA/CE (Cultural Arts/Curriculum Enhancement) program of the school year. Did you know that our PTO sponsored and organized more than 25 Cultural Arts and Curriculum Enhancement programs? The PTO could not have done this without the leadership of Lori Zrebiec. Finding engaging programs and coordinating the logistics is such a huge effort, and we appreciate every ounce of Lori's effort. Thank you Lori for keeping our students interested with relevant and enjoyable programming. We're so excited to have you lead this again next year! HANDPRINTS Over the last several days, the handprints of the this year's new students and staff were put up on the wall. This is a much loved OSS tradition. For virtual students that were not in the building - don't worry! We have a list and a plan to put those handprints up in the Fall. Thank you to the volunteers who helped make this happen this year! VOLUNTEER SELECTION Thank you to all of the parents/caregivers who submitted their names in the raffle. We are so grateful for your willingness to help, and we are looking forward to planning more opportunities next school year! If you put your name in and were not notified by the PTO that you were either selected or not selected, please email us at [email protected]. SUMMER LEARNING STUDIO 4TH AND 5TH GRADERS Do you have a current fourth grader (flyer here) or a current fifth grader (flyer here) that you would like to keep engaged in learning over the long summer break? Good news! Mr. Persily and Ms. Corcoran are back for a second year of SLS! Registration begins Monday, May 3. BEFORE/AFTER CARE Click here for information on registration for Before/After Care. KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION/ALL GRADES Kindergarten Registration is live! If you know anyone who will be registering this year, please spread the word - thanks! SPECIAL CAR LOOP REMINDERS With a significant increase in car loop traffic now that we are back to school every day, please click here to read our new car loop guidelines. ATTENTION PARENTS OF FIFTH GRADERS!! It is a very busy time for the fifth graders as they near the end of their stay at OSS! Keep up to date with fifth grade activities by visiting the 5th Grade Hub. NEW OAK STREET SCHOOL GOOGLE CALENDAR Click here (and scroll down to OSS!) for the NEW Oak Street School Google calendar for reminders and events. Using the instructions on the district website, you can subscribe and have it added to your calendar. ANNOUNCEMENT VIDEOS How to make announcement videos: https://flipgrid.com/c424614c (Learn to Lead) https://flipgrid.com/6a3bfe56 (Pledge of Allegiance) CHROMEBOOK REQUESTS To request a chromebook, please send an email to [email protected]. Parents should include their child's first and last name, the school they are attending and the words “chromebook request” in the subject line (example: John Smith OSS chromebook request). Parents should include their cell phone number in the email. Parents will receive an email once the device is ready for pickup. COUNSELING WEBSITE Click here to visit Mrs. Kunzman's updated counseling webpage. FROM THE OFFICE...
GENESIS ACCESS
Please note that there are different ways to access the Genesis parent portal. Parents can access the Genesis login screen via the Bernards BOE website HERE. Alternatively, the Genesis login page can be accessed directly HERE. Please bookmark these sites for ease of access to Genesis. KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION/ALL GRADES Kindergarten Registration is live! If you know anyone who will be registering this year, please spread the word - thanks! BIG SIBLING PROGRAM Click here for more information on th Big Sibling Program. Sign ups are due by June 4th! DISMISSAL REMINDERS Changing Dismissal Plans - What you have indicated in your child's Elementary Dismissal Form tells us how your child is being dismissed each day. If you need to change it for a particular day on an exception basis, there is a button for that in Genesis (in the parent portal > Student Data tab > Summary > Modify Daily Pickup Release button). If you need to amend your student's daily plan, email [email protected] to reset. Car Riders - Car riders should be dropped off and picked up on the Oak Street Car Loop; the Henry Street entrance is for bus students and walkers from parked vehicles on local side streets. Everyone should maintain 6 feet of distance. IMPORTANT BUS POLICY REMINDER This is a reminder that students are not permitted to eat on the bus and masks are required at all times. Please see the Transportation Handbook. Please send a ziploc bag for mask storage, back up masks, snacks and water. |
Super Special OSS Staff of the Week
This week’s Our Super Special Staff Highlight is……
As we wrap up this school year, we thought it only fitting to honor…. Our Entire OSS Community! Teachers, staff, parents, students, community members, thanks to each one of you for bringing something special to this OSS school year like no other. Thank you for showing up when you just didn’t think you could, for adjusting to new routines and ways of learning, for all the countless hours spent doing the ‘extras’, for re-envisioning lessons, events, activities (pretty much everything), for digging deep to find that smile, for reaching out to help a friend in need, for finding the bright side…. It wasn’t always easy, or pretty, but we made it! Wishing everyone a wonderful, sun-filled, fun summer full of laughs and smiles!! Until next year, see ya OSS!!! _____________________________________ Want to nominate an OSS staff member? Did you "catch" them doing something amazing? Please read and complete this Google form so that we can share and spread the kindness. This form can be completed by any OSS community member (parent, caregiver, student, teacher, etc.). COVID-19 INFORMATION
RETURN TO INSTRUCTION LATEST PLAN
Starting on May 3, we transitioned to full school days with lunches for students who chose in-person instruction. The bell schedule is 8:45am-3:15pm. Lunch is eaten picnic style on the grass, so students may bring a drawstring bag with something (a small mat or towel) to sit on at lunchtime. Please pack easy to open and eat foods and please INCLUDE a bottle of hand sanitizer in your child's drawstring bag. For outdoor recess and outdoor events - Please be prepared with a hat and sunscreen as needed for protection. *Note: Students in 100% Virtual will remain in their Virtual Cohort. Mask directive from the District: 1. All after school outdoor athletic activities: Can be conducted without masks. Social distancing must still be prioritized. 2. All indoor activities: Masks required. 3. Recess and PE outdoors: Masks are required when someone is unable to socially distance. Masks are NOT required IF: * Students are able to socially distance. * Heat/humidity is high (over 75 degrees). * Students are involved in high intensity activities (running around). NEW COVID-19 DASHBOARD There is a new dashboard with information about COVID cases on the BOE website. Click here or go to the BOE home page and click on "Daily Covid-19 Notifications". MESSAGE FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE As our district moves forward with plans to expand in-person instruction, my partnership with you becomes even more critical! I am only as good as the information that is provided to me so please continue to keep open lines of communication and complete the Covid Screening forms no later than 8:15am. Keep your child home if: - they report any sign of illness (err on the side of caution!) -someone in your household is sick and they are awaiting Covid testing results -they have been exposed to someone who tested positive (identified as a close contact) - your child or anyone in the household tested positive It takes a village to raise a child as well as a strong community effort to keep everyone safe and healthy! Seasonal allergies vs. COVID If you suffer from seasonal allergies, the general rule is that when we spring the clocks ahead, your start your allergy meds. This helps ensure that you are ahead of the blooming flowers and trees and may eliminate the symptoms that are due to allergies and not COVID. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COVID Screening Forms - Available at midnight on the days your child will be attending school in person. Forms must be completed at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the school day. Please have printed backup forms at home (available here) in the event that Genesis is unavailable. Arrival - Students admitted at 8:30am right to classrooms. Attendance - Student attendance is taken every day in the morning meeting. If your child is remote and misses it, please email the main office and teacher to be marked tardy. Please complete the Daily COVID Screening Form for every day that your child is attending school. Incomplete forms will cause children to be held in an isolation room until we confirm their health status. *If absent - Complete the Student Absence Reporting Form in Genesis (in the Parent Portal > Student Data tab > Forms) indicating absence and reason. *If arriving late - Enter student absence in Genesis before 9am (see above). Once the student arrives to school or is available for remote learning, he/she will be marked tardy rather than absent. - Virtual: email teacher, Mrs. Medenilla and Mrs. Guibord in the Main Office to confirm time of availability for learning. - Hybrid: sign in at the Main Office. *If leaving early - Use Modify Daily Pickup Release button in Genesis before 11:00am. Use the note section to specify an office pickup with the time for in-person students or a release from virtual instruction with a time for remote students. After 11am, please call the main office. Acceptable Masks - 2 or 3 ply fabric or the surgical kind. No gaiters, bandanas or vents. Visitors/Forgotten Items - Due to COVID restrictions, we are not allowing visitors to enter or bring items to the building. We can provide water and safe snack options if your child forgets these items. OSS Community Hub - click here Ongoing Fundraising
OSS MAGNETS AND PURAVIDA BRACELETS
Email [email protected] if you'd like to purchase ($5 each). BOXTOPS There are a couple ways we can submit Boxtops. If you have some clipped and they are not expired, rather than sending them to school with your child, please send me an email so I can schedule a pickup time. Boxtops is actually phasing out the clipping and mailing so another way to earn Boxtops is for you to scan your grocery receipts. Information on how to do so can be found here. All you need is the Boxtops app and a smartphone. It really is super easy and it’s free money for our school! If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out! Click here for the Boxtops website Questions? Contact Alisa Larner ShopRite: Register your Price Plus card to earn OSS PTO eBoxtop points whenever you shop for participating products. No clipping required! Click here for more info or to register your card. Stop and Shop: Register your rewards card to earn OSS Cash Rewards. Click here for info. |
If you would like to have anything published on the PTO website, please contact Carol Pietro.
¿Necesita ayuda en español? Comuníquese con Patricia Craig, profesora de español-Oak Street School ([email protected]).
¿Necesita ayuda en español? Comuníquese con Patricia Craig, profesora de español-Oak Street School ([email protected]).