OLS News - Special Edition
Dr. Erika Johnson and Dr. Ericka Patterson - Principals
November 7th - 11th
Parent Teacher Conferences
Dates/Times/Locations/Goal
Goal: OLS Parent Teacher Attendance Goal: 100% of our parents will attend Parent Teacher Conferences
November 9th
2-5pm & 6-8 pm
November 10th
8am - 1pm
LOCATION of MEETINGS
Please pick up report cards from your child's homeroom teacher.
4th Grade Teachers
Mrs. Jones - Room 24
Mr. Pavilionis & Mrs. Naylor - Room 20
5th Grade
Ms. Fry - Room 7
Mrs. Galvan (Math) - Room 15
Mrs. Meskill (ELA/Social Studies) - Room 15
Mrs. Albert (Science) - NGSS Lab
6th Grade
Mrs. Blackwell (Math) - POD B
Mrs. Burch (ELA/Social Studies) - POD B
Mrs. Albert (Science) - NGSS Lab
7th Grade
Mr. Butler (ELA) - POD B
Mrs. Bosco (Science) - Room 3
Ms. Boone (Math) - Room 5
Mrs. Gbur (Social Studies) - POD B
8th Grade
Mrs. Gbur (Social Studies) - POD A
Mrs. West Williams (ELA) - POD A
Mrs. Herschberger (Math) - POD A
Mrs. Bosco (Science) - Room 5
Parent–Teacher Conferences: A Tip Sheet for Parents
As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. You and your child’s school have something in common: You both want your child to learn and do well. When parents and teachers talk to each other, each person can share important information about your child’s talents and needs. Each person can also learn something new about how to help your child. Parent–teacher conferences are a great way to start talking to your child’s teachers. This tip sheet suggests ways that you can make the most of parent-teacher conferences so that everyone wins, especially your child.
What should you expect?
A two-way conversation. Like all good conversations, parent–teacher conferences are best when both people talk and listen. The conference is a time for you to learn about your child’s progress in school: Ask to see data about your child’s attendance, grades, and test scores. Find out whether your child is meeting school expectations and academic standards. This is also a time for the teacher to learn about what your child is like at home. When you tell the teacher about your child’s skills, interests, needs, and dreams, the teacher can help your child more.
Emphasis on learning. Good parent–teacher conferences focus on how well the child is doing in school. They also talk about how the child can do even better. To get ready for the conversation, look at your child’s homework, tests, and notices before the conference. Be sure to bring a list of questions that you would like to ask the teacher.
Opportunities and challenges. Just like you, teachers
want your child to succeed. You will probably hear
positive feedback about your child’s progress and areas for improvement. Be prepared by thinking about your child’s strengths and challenges beforehand. Be ready to ask questions about ways you and the teacher can help your child with some of his or her challenges.
Checklist: Before the conference
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Review your child’s work, grades, and progress reports.
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Talk with your child about his or her progress in school.
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Talk with others—family members, after school staff, mentors, etc.—about your child’s strengths and needs.
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Make a list of questions to ask during the conference.
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Think about ways you would like to be involved in your child’s learning so that you can discuss them with the teacher.
What should you talk to the teacher about?
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Progress. Find out how your child is doing by asking questions like: Is my child performing at grade level? How is he or she doing compared to the rest of the class? What do you see as his or her strengths? How could he or she improve?
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Assignments and assessments. Ask to see examples of your child’s work. Ask how the teacher gives grades.
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Your thoughts about your child. Be sure to share your thoughts and feelings about your child. Tell the teacher what you think your child is good at. Explain what he or she needs more help with.
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Support learning at home. Ask what you can do at home to help your child learn. Ask if the teacher knows of other programs or services in the community that could also help your child.
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Support learning at school. Find out what services are available at the school to help your child. Ask how the teacher will both challenge your child and support your child when he or she needs it.
How should you follow up?
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Make a plan. Write down the things that you and the teacher will each do to support your child. You can do this during the conference or after. Write down what you will do, when, and how often. Make plans to check in with the teacher in the coming months.
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Schedule another time to talk. Communication should go both ways. Ask how you can contact the teacher. And don’t forget to ask how the teacher will contact you too. There are many ways to communicate—in person, by phone, notes, email. Make a plan that works for both of you. Be sure to schedule at least one more time to talk in the next few months.
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Talk to your child. The parent–teacher conference is all about your child, so don’t forget to include him or her. Share with your child what you learned. Show him or her how you will help with learning at home. Ask for his or her suggestions.
Election
We are having a mock debate and election on Monday.
Each student was given a Pro/Con Preview OLS. It is just a little information on where our candidates stand on 10 issues. A pro in the box indicates the candidate is in favor of that issue. A con in the box indicates the candidate is against that issue. If a box says not clear, this means that the candidate has not made any statements that are clearly pro nor con. This sheet is to be distributed on Friday, November 4th for the students to look over this weekend.
Each student will receive a Debate Sheet which will be distributed on Monday before the students come to their assembly. Students will bring this sheet and a pencil to their debate. While the students are viewing the assembly, they will mark an x in the box of any candidate they agree with for each issue. The candidates will share their platform with the students so they will have more information than on the pro/con sheet. There can be more than one x per issue. If the student does not agree with the candidate, they leave the box blank.
In order to vote students must present their voter identification card which distributed by their homeroom teacher on Monday morning. The identification card has each students, name, grade level, and students identification number. We encourage students to keep their cards as a special memento of their 2016 election experience.
Eight students will serve as election judges. Judges will hand out ballots, supervise the turning in of ballots, notify teachers when it is their turn to vote, and sort and count the vote. Our student's polling place is the NGSS Lab.
Students will vote on Monday. Each teacher selected a state for their homeroom. Each homeroom will have a certain amount of electors based on our current electoral college. Students will continue their discussion about the Electoral College in their classrooms. The results will be announced on Monday afternoon.
TSHIRTS
National Junior Honor Society
To become a member of NJHS, you must be selected as a candidate by your chapter's faculty council. Students who meet their chapter’s cumulative GPA requirement are then considered for membership on the basis of service, leadership, citizenship and character.
Membership is determined by a majority vote of the faculty council, following an evaluation of candidates’ qualifications for membership. Congratulations to the 8th grade NJHS members.
Morgan Bean
Jailen Brown
Michelle Espejo
Alacia Halle
Gonzalo Hernedez
IMSA Fusion Students
Imagine/ Plan/ Create
ASK: What is the problem? How have others approached it? What are your constraints?
IMAGINE: What are some solutions? Brainstorm ideas. Choose the best one.
PLAN: Draw a diagram. Make lists of materials you will need.
CREATE: Follow your plan and create something. Test it out!
Testing
Reflecting/ Redesign Time
Science Club
Our students launched canister rockets outside!
Parent Tips
Parent Tips
Did you know that 25% of public schools report that bullying among kids occurs on a daily or weekly basis? And that 1 in 5 high school students report being bullied in the past year? Your child's administrators have hosted 3 assemblies during the year to discuss bullying.
You can do your part at home, too. Here are five smart strategies to keep kids from becoming targets — and stop bullying that has already started:
Talk about it. Talk about bullying with your kids and have other family members share their experiences. If one of your kids opens up about being bullied, praise him or her for being brave enough to discuss it and offer unconditional support. Call the school because we are here to address the situation.
Remove the bait. If it's lunch money or gadgets that the school bully is after, you can help neutralize the situation by encouraging your child to pack a lunch or go to school gadget-free.
Keep calm and carry on. If a bully strikes, a kid's best defense may be to remain calm, ignore hurtful remarks, tell the bully to stop, and simply walk away. Bullies thrive on hurting others. A child who isn't easily ruffled has a better chance of staying off a bully's radar.
Please know that we talk to the children about doing everything to help and nothing to hurt. If children violate our rules, there will be consequences.
Calendar of Events
11/1 First Quarter Ends
11/2 Curiosity Machine Science Night
11/3 OLS Talent Show Try-Outs
11/3 Girls Basket Ball/Chess @ Obama
11/4 Celebrate Success Day Assemblies
11/6 Daylight Saving Time Ends
11/7 Election Activities
11/7 Reading Celebration Day - Pajama and Cocoa Cuddle
11/8 Election Day - Institute Day - No School
11/9 Parent Teacher Conferences 2-5 & 6-8
11/10 Parent Teacher Conference 8-1
11/11 NO School Veteran's Day
11/12 Study Trip - Mufaro's Beautiful Daughter - 6th Grade
11/13 Study Trip - 4th Grade Science and Industry
11/14 - 11/17 Girls Basketball/Chess Tournament
11/17 Dentist Visits - OLS
11/21 Board of Education Meeting
11/21 Boys Basketball 11/21
11/22 OLS Has Talent
11/22 Boys Basketball @ Michelle Obama
11/23 - 11/25 Thanksgiving Break
11/29 Girls Volleyball Tryouts 3pm
11/29 Boys Basketball at Brookwood
11/30 District Wide - Family Reading Night at Michelle Obama