Oak Creek Elementary
Coyote News - April 22, 2022
Principal's Message
Oak Creek Families,
Happy Earth Day, 2022! At Oak Creek, we know that really caring for our planet shows up in everyday choices and daily habits, and we work to encourage students to think about their impact on an ongoing basis. We also enjoy the opportunity to take a moment and celebrate the beautiful world in which we live. Hopefully you and your family will have the opportunity to get outside this weekend and do just that!
Please note there is a lot of information below, including important information from our PTO and details about our Coyote Day Jogathon, and it may not all show up if you are reading this message on your phone. To make sure you see everything, click on the message so that it opens in your web browser. If you have any questions, please see the FAQ section below, or feel free to reach out to myself or Carrie Beach at beachc@loswego.k12.or.us.
Thank you,
Barb Keeton
Principal, Oak Creek Elementary
In This Message:
Updated in Every Edition:
- Principal's Message
- Dates to Remember
- COVID-19 Reported Case Update (NEW!)
- Counselor Corner
- Message from Your PTO
NEW In This Edition:
i-Ready Spring Assessment
Elementary iPad Update - Grades K-2
Summer Basketball Camp Sign-ups Available
LOJ Presents Mystery at Shady Acres
Repeated Information:
COVID-19 Screening: Participant Action Required
Boundary Update
OCE State Testing (OSAS) Information
Windjammers Camp
LOSD Cares Virtual Workshop
Youth Truth Survey - Reminder!
- Volunteer Requirements
- 2022-2023 Registration for New OCE Students
- Upcoming Health Lessons
- Oak Creek FAQs
LOSD District News:
- Hunger Fighters
- How to Find LOSD Covid-19 Information
- Back to School Clothes at Clothing Closet
- SafeOregon
- Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
Dates to Remember!
April 22: Fourth Grade Field Trip to OMSI
April 27: Fifth Grade BizTown!
May 9: Fourth Grade Field Trip to Aurora Colony
May 27: No School: Grade Prep Day
May 30: No School: Memorial Day
June 10: 11:00AM Early Dismissal Last Day of Classes
COVID-19 Reported Case Update
New Reporting Method: Starting this week, in order to provide more clarity, we will begin including the following note with current numbers in the newsletter weekly. This is not meant to alarm or cause additional concern, just to make the information more easy to locate.
The LOSD COVID-19 Dashboard is up to date with the number of staff and students who have reported to LOSD testing positive for COVID-19, regardless of school exposure. At Oak Creek, we had 8 cases reported in the last week. With any potential exposure, people are advised to watch for illness symptoms and follow Oregon Health Authority COVID-19 exclusion procedures. Please contact Ann Nelson, nelsona@loswego.k12.or.us, if your student has tested positive for COVID-19.
i-Ready Spring Assessment
Soon, elementary students in Lake Oswego will complete two online i-Ready assessments in class. One is for math and the other is for reading. As you know, i-Ready is a program that helps us determine your child’s strengths and areas for future growth. This is the third of three i-Ready diagnostic assessments we give each year, and the results will be shared with parents before the summer break. For kindergartners, this will be their second i-Ready assessment.
Elementary iPad Update - Grades K-2
Boys/Girls Summer Basketball Camp Sign-ups Now Available
LOJ Presents: "Mystery and Shady Acres"!
COVID-19 Screening: Participant Action Required
LOSD is preparing for the last distribution of COVID-19 Student Screening testing supplies. Please let us know if your student does not need any more supplies through the last collection day, Wednesday, Jun. 8.
If you are interested in un-enrolling your K-12 student in the program, click OPT OUT to complete the OPT OUT form.
If you are interested in your student continuing to participate in the program, but do not need any more supplies, click HOLD to complete the HOLD form.
No need to do anything if your student is planning to participate and needs to receive supplies in this last distribution.
Boundary Change Update
For transfer request information, please visit the district website: LOSD In-District Transfer Information
Oregon State Assessment System: OSAS Testing Coming Soon!
Please help your child be ready to do their best on the state assessment by helping them remember to:
- Get lots of exercise during the day and plenty of rest at night
- Eat a healthy breakfast
- Bring a book to read when they are finished
- Bring their CHARGED chromebook and headphones (we will provide them for students who do not bring their own from home)
- Leave smartphones/watches at home, or turn them into their teacher (If a student has a smartphone or watch during testing it can invalidate their test; smart phones and watches are an impropriety, per state assessment regulations)
- Try their best, have a great attitude and a growth mindset!
If you have a child in grades 3-5, please review the schedule below, and remember to get students to school on time and avoid scheduling appointments on testing days if possible. Students do better when they can test with their class, instead of having to catch up at a different time. Thank you in advance for your support!
Updated OSAS Schedule
Windjammers Camp April 23
Volunteer Requirements
We're are excited to welcome volunteers back into our schools!! Please watch for communication from your child's teacher about when the opportunity will be available in their classroom, and check out our website for volunteer requirements.
2022-2023 Registration
Upcoming Health Lessons
Counselor Corner
Dear Oak Creek Families,
“We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.”
~Mr. Fred Rogers
During the month of April, Oak Creek students will spend time exploring RESPONSIBILITY. As one of our three core values (safe, respectful, responsible), we teach and reinforce the skills and characteristics needed to show responsibility daily. This month we will deepen our understanding of responsibility through community discussions and classroom social-emotional lessons. Traditionally, responsibility is defined in a few ways: duty, accountability, and the independence to make decisions. At Oak Creek we use the following definition:
RESPONSIBILITY: to take action and understand how our choices affect others, ourselves, and the world.
To live responsibly, we consider our decision making and how it impacts ourselves and others. We take ownership of our choices with integrity and we practice the important skills of self-reflection and self-control. This month we will practice these skills and learn from people who show a lot of responsibility in their lives. By demonstrating Responsibility in our activities and interactions, we can contribute to a more kind and generous world!
Here are links for extension activities to explore RESPONSIBILITY further as a family:
K-2 Responsibility Family Letter (ENGLISH) K-2 Responsibility Family Letter (SPANISH)
3-5 Responsibility Family Letter (ENGLISH) 3-5 Responsibility Family Letter (SPANISH)
Sincerely,
Wendy Olsen and Roxanne Davidson
School Counselors
Oak Creek Resources and Programs
Oak Creek is very fortunate to offer services for students or families experiencing need, thanks to the federally funded Title IA program, the Lake Oswego School District, generous donations from our community, PTO, Lake Grove Presbyterian Church, BeeLine Foundation, Love Inc., Kiwianas, and the Lake Oswego Rotary Club.
This form: OC Resources and Programs can be returned to your student’s teacher, the school counselor, or the front office. It will be kept confidential.
*****
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us. Your privacy will be respected.
503-534-2323 davidsor@loswego.k12.or.us
PTO CORNER
Message from PTO!
Dear Oak Creek Community,
Coyote Day Jog-A-Thon is coming April 29th! This is our PTO’s largest fundraiser. Come cheer on your student from our audience section on the Oak Creek field. April 29th your student will be running in the Jog-A-Thon at Oak Creek. Here is when each grade is running.
Kindergarten: 9:50-10:20am
First Grade: 8:50-9:20 am
Second Grade: 9:20-9:50 am
Third Grade: 10:50-11:20 am
Fourth Grade: 10:20-10:50 am
Fifth Grade: 1:20-1:50 pm
Please volunteer if you want to hand out bracelets for each lap around the track or motivate runners along the track. (See volunteer requirements.) You may sign up for multiple sections. Volunteer Signup Volunteers are important to make this event successful.
Donations will support field trips, science events, art literacy, garden supplies, teacher and grade grants for next year plus so much more!
Sponsor a Coyote
Reach out to grandparents or find a company sponsor. We are aiming for $50 per student from outside our Oak Creek Community. Share this link to sponsor your student on Coyote Day. Sponsor Today. Multiple sponsors are possible and welcome. The families may also do this themselves if they choose. Each student will receive a Coyote Day t-shirt to wear on Coyote Day and keep.
Attention: Families Moving to Lake Grove
Lake Grove PTA and Oak Creek PTO has been working together to ease your transition. Lake Grove will be offering an open house at the school. Additionally, they will hold several meet ups at the Lake Grove playground for you.
Lake Grove PTA has offered to find a buddy family for each of your families. Please fill out this form with your interests and common language of choice. Lake Grove PTA will find a family at Lake Grove that has similar interests. You can ask them all the school specific questions and hopefully find a new friend at your new school.
Form for soon-to-be Lake Grove Families
Join the PTO!
Come to the Oak Creek Elementary's Playground 10:30am-12:30pm Sunday, April 24th, to meet some of the PTO and bring your questions. Kids can play while you enjoy some refreshments. Please come and meet other parents.
Our PTO is looking for new people to continue the wonderful tradition of giving to our teachers and school community. Do you work full time? Most of us do. There are still many roles that are super low commitment. Would the two of you like to do one job together? That can happen!
Unfortunately, our PTO is losing many members this year to the boundary change and middle school. We need you now. Send an email to OakCreekElementaryPTO@gmail.com to get more information. Here is some more information on the roles we are filling.
President- Oversees the organization and coordinates with our Principal and other Lake Oswego Parent Clubs.
Treasurer - Keeps track of outgoing money.
Assistant Treasurer- Keeps track of incoming money.
Membership- Collects memberships and runs DirectorySpot.
Secretary- Takes notes for monthly meetings.
Parental Involvement - Organizes volunteers for events and classroom parents.
Sustainability- Helps with the garden and makes our school community more sustainable.
Communications- Writes newsletters and social media for the PTO.
Events and Enrichment -Sets up and organizes events such as Coyote Day for our community.
Fundraising- Sets up and organizes fundraisers.
Each of these roles are not much work on their own. Some can even be done fully off campus or virtually. Please reach out and claim your spot on the PTO. This is fully dependent on volunteers stepping up to do just a little part. We can change our school community for good if we work together. Nominations will be May 17th at the PTO's General Meeting.
School Supplies
Returning Oak Creek families can now purchase School supplies for next year. Here is the link for school supplies: Supplies. These supplies will be ready at the beginning of next school year. You will not need to worry about having to find your student's supplies during the shipping crisis.
Donations
To make a donation, please click here: OC Donation
Your employer may match your donation. Don’t forget your spouse’s company too!
As tax season approaches, we remind you that all PTO donations are Tax Deductible.
EIN: 81-3009316 (for tax records)
PTO Website
If you are interested in joining the PTO please reach out via email and check out our website- PTO Website, OakCreekElementaryPTO@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support and doing your part in our wonderful community.
Sincerely,
Oak Creek Elementary PTO Executive Committee
Kirstin Martin / President
Samantha McCaskey / Treasurer
Jesse Nguyen / Assistant Treasurer
Juli Webster / Membership
Rachel Wilde / Secretary
Wendy Jenkins / Parental Involvement
Iris Tilley / Sustainability
Grayce Moody / Communications
FAQ's
What is the daily schedule?
First Bell - 8:10 am: Students are welcome to enter the building.
Tardy Bell - 8:20 am: Students who arrive later must check in with the office and receive a Tardy slip before going to their classroom.
Dismissal - 2:40 pm: Students taking a bus home will exit the building through lower doors, students being picked up by parents will exit the building through the top floor doors, students staying for after care will go to the assigned classroom.
Early Release on Thursdays - 2:00 pm
Will students and staff be wearing masks?
Currently. masks are optional for students, staff and volunteers. Additional information about mask requirements can be found here.
If you are still looking for an answer, please let us know by clicking here to submit your question.
LOSD District News
"I Love Lake Oswego" Clothing Closet Open to Entire Community!
I Love Lake Oswego Clothing Closet has received an overwhelming amount of support and donation during the pandemic. We want to give back to our community and encourage our community to lean on us not for just hard times, but for up cycling, sustainability, and for our environment. In the past the closet was just for students, and since the pandemic we have opened our doors to anyone within our community.
Visit https://www.ilovelakeoswego.com for more information.
SafeOregon
Parents-guardians who have concerns about a student’s well-being are encouraged to reach out to their principal, and to maintain strong lines of communication and partnership between students, families, staff, and other resources.
SafeOregon is also an effective way to report a tip regarding safety threats or potential acts of violence to our students or schools.
(Students should also be aware that intentionally providing a false report is a serious offense.)
Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
Stay connected to the district and your school(s) and receive urgent notifications by subscribing to the Lake Oswego Schools App.
About Oak Creek
Reach out to us if you have any questions or need anything!
- Principal Barb Keeton: keetonb@loswego.k12.or.us
- Secretary Carrie Beach: beachc@loswego.k12.or.us
- Secretary Brenna Crocker: crockerb@loswego.k12.or.us
- Secretary Tanya Goodwin: goodwint@loswego.k12.or.us
Address: 55 Kingsgate Rd., Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakCreekPTA/
Interested in OCE Spirit Wear? Check out this website sponsored by our PTO! OCE Spirit Wear