OCEAN Newsletter

Spring is a busy time of year in OCEAN. We are fortunate to have lots of activities, field trips, and special opportunities coming up. The weekly newsletter will be a good go to place for staying up to date with the upcoming activities.

• Highly Capable Student Referrals
• 8th Grade Parents - Learn about High School Options, March 21 5:30-6:30pm
• Washington Family Relief Fund
• Field Trip March 17
• Spirit Month: Anything but a Backpack Week March 20-24
  
• Student of the Week: Luca Taponga

Moving forward, repeated information will be below the new announcements each week.

As a reminder, the window is open for Highly Capable Program referrals. The Port Townsend School District screens all second grade students for these valuable services; but if you have a student K-11 who may qualify, please fill out the HCP referral form, and return it to your school counselor. The referral deadline is March 31.

When: Tuesday, March 21 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Where: Blue Heron Library

Kiley Gard and Kirsten Bledsoe, school counselors at Port Townsend High School and OCEAN Alternative Learning School, will provide information about your student's options for high school, share how to sign up for 9th grade electives and answer your questions.

Cash Grants Available to Families: DCYF is contracting with Scholar Fund to administer cash grants of $250 per child to low-income families who were, and continue to be, impacted by Covid 19. Eligible families: Have Washington State residency; Have a child/children under the age of 18; Have a household income that is under 200% of the 2022 Federal Poverty Limit. Applications accepted through 3/31. Learn more here | Apply here

Fort Worden Exploration & Beach Walk: Port Townsend, WA

Who: K-12th Graders

When: Friday March 17th

Meeting Time: 9:45 AM in Daniel’s classroom

Trip Leaves: 10:00 AM

WE WILL BE WALKING FROM OCEAN TO FORT WORDEN & BACK TO OCEAN

Trip Returns: 1:30 PM

What to bring: Backpack to carry your water bottle, lunch, and snacks. Wear comfortable hiking shoes to walk in, rain gear, and layers. Be prepared for changes in weather.

Email: kfritchman@ptschools.org

Call/Text: 360-379-4248

March 20-24 is anything but a backpack week. That means you don't bring a regular backpack to hold your things, but instead come up with a creative way to carry your school things.

A new feature in the PT Leader will highlight a student from each school. Check out our first student of the week:

OCEAN School freshman Luca Tapogna was nominated for student of the week by teacher MB Armstrong for his leadership in starting the OCEAN Pearl, the school newspaper.

Luca serves as the editor of the OCEAN Pearl and inspires other OCEAN School students to submit both fiction and non-fiction writing, as well as artwork. Through his leadership on the school paper he has engaged students of all ages elementary to high school to write for publication.

Luca is the son of Catherine Leporati and Michael Tapogna.

Luca is also an active leader in the OCEAN School Associated Student Body, Dungeons and Dragons club, and creative writing enrichment class.

We want to hear from you!

Please take this 10-15 minute survey before Friday, March 27th.

Visit: tinyurl.com/2p8d93ak

1. Choose your language preference on the opening page of the survey.

2. Select your child’s school. If you have children in multiple schools, complete one survey per child.

3. Complete the survey and click submit.

Thanks to our generous community, the YMCA of Jefferson County is able to provide healthy meal boxes to families over spring break. They will provide one produce box and then a box of non-perishable food. They provide food delivery to all families who want this service. Please fill out this survey to let us know how we can best help the children/youth in your family.

Please note: THE YMCA NEEDS VOLUNTEERS to make this program happen. If you're able to volunteer or know someone who would like to volunteer for the Meals Program, please share this contact: slarsen@olympicpeninsulaymca.org. Thank you and have a wonderful Spring Break!

For the next two weeks, ORCA is proudly partnering with ASB for a sweet fundraiser with See's Chocolate. Enjoy stocking up for Easter and Mother’s Day gifts! All students will bring home a pre-order form this week (week of March 6th). *Please check backpacks or email orcaparentgroup@gmail.com if you have questions or don’t receive the pre-order form. If you’d like to simplify things, order online directly. Pre Order forms are due 3/20-3/21 to the OCEAN office and online orders close 3/24 . We are so happy to offer this to the community and would love your help in meeting our fundraising goal of $2,000. Please share the link below with your friends and family! Thank you.

See’s Candy Online Order Link - buy directly & share with friends and family:

https://www.yumraising.com/secure/oceans_ocean_fundraiser_68/Aliali7690/candy

Wear Your Otter Pride!

ASB is very excited to announce that OCEAN apparel order forms are being sent home with students this week! Extra forms will be available in the OCEAN hallway, and a PDF is provided below. Please bring forms with cash/check to the OCEAN office between 8:30am and 12:00pm. Orders are due by March 31st.

Video Game Night (Grades 7-12)

Friday, March 17th

4:00-6:30pm

Kyle’s Classroom

ASB invites all 7th-12th graders to come and hang out, eat pizza, and play Mario Kart, Smash Bros and other video games together using our classroom projectors. Talk with Kyle if you have any questions.

RSVP BY Tuesday March 21st REQUIRED:

Select this link: NEAH BAY FIELD TRIP

CHAPERONE VOLUNTEER FORM: If you want to go to be a chaperone, make sure you fill out volunteer paperwork. You only need to complete this ONCE a year. Select this link MAX: 18 chaperones on trip

CARPOOL DRIVING FORM: If you can help with carpooling, please complete this paperwork. There are 2 forms to complete or grab two printed copies from Koyuki. WE NEED CARPOOL DRIVERS BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE TAKING A BUS. Select: Form 1. Select: Form 2.

Who: K-12 OCEAN Students Cost: $25/person for food expenses to ORCA

Where: Neah Bay, WA (~3 hours away)

When: April 12 ~ 14, 2023

Trip Starts: Wednesday, April 12th @ 9:00 AM

Trip Returns: Friday, April 14th @ 5:00 PM

Why are we going?

• To learn more about Native American cultural connections to Ethnobotany and Marine Science. We will visit an ethnobotany garden, cultural museum and archeological site. We will also create Makah crafts led by Native instructors, enjoy storytelling & a Makah led beach tour.

Email: kfritchman@ptschools.org

Call/Text: 360-379-4248

• March 17 - ASB Video Game Night, 4-6:30 pm
  
• March 23 - 2nd Grade Cognitive Abilities Screener during class
• March 28 - MS LABWell Field Trip
• March 28 - ORCA Meeting 5:30-7pm
• March 29-30 - Math Market
• March 31 - HS LABWell Field Trip
• March 31 - End of 3rd Quarter - High School Student grades sent home

View the OCEAN Calendar Online

Email: srubenstein@ptschools.org
Website: https://ocean.ptschools.org/
Location: 3939 San Juan Ave, Port Townsend, WA, USA
Phone: 360-379-4272
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oceank12

Port Townsend School District No. 50 does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, immigration status, national origin, age, honorably-discharged veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. The district provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and all other designated youth groups listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Title IX Coordinator, Darrell Thomas, (360) 379-4548,dthomas@ptschools.org

Section 504/ADA Coordinator, Shelby MacMeekin, (360) 379-4366, smacmeekin@ptschools.org

Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Darrell Thomas, (360) 379-4548, dthomas@ptschools.org