OLS News
Dr. Erika Johnson and Dr. Ericka Patterson - Principals
November 21st - 30th
Talent Show - Guest Speaker All American Retired Professional Basketball Player Craig Hodges
We are excited that All American Retired professional basketball player Craig Anthony Hodges will visit OLS on Tuesday, November 22 before each of our Talent Show programs to talk about the importance of reading.
9:00-9:45 Assembly 4th- 6th graders
10:00-10:45 Assembly 7th-8th Graders
Mr. Hodges was born in Park Forest and played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 10 seasons and led the league in 3-point shooting percentage three times. He won two NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls, and along with Larry Bird, is one of only two players to win three consecutive Three-Point Contests at the National Basketball Association All-Star Weekend, winning the competition in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Hodges also holds the Three Point Contest records for the most consecutive shots made with 19, set in 1991, and the most points scored in a single round at 25, set in 1986. He was later a head coach at Chicago State University, an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. Currently Mr. Hodges serves as the head coach of the Rich East High School Basketball Team.
We would like to thank retired reading teacher, Mrs. Sieloff for securing our guest speaker!!
Live from the Red Carpet
Turkey Trot
The Benefits of Extensive Reading
As important as early language experience is for establishing a child’s learning trajectory, reading experience is critical for the academic development of students beyond 3rd grade. In a series of carefully constructed studies, Cunningham and Stanovich (1998) isolated the benefits of reading experience from the effects of other factors. They found that, even among students with lower general intelligence and weaker reading skills, extensive reading was linked to superior performance on measures of general knowledge, vocabulary, spelling, verbal fluency, and reading comprehension.
TTM (Think Through Math) Donut Decorating Incentive
Five Essential Survey
Dear Parent,
Beginning November 16, students, teachers and parents across Illinois will have an opportunity to participate in the fourth annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school.
On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. The survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. These five indicators that affect and predict school success are:
· Effective Leaders
· Collaborative Teachers
· Involved Families
· Supportive Environments
· Ambitious Instruction
Prior research in more than 400 schools has shown that schools that were strong on at least three of these “5Essential” indicators were 10 times more likely to improve student learning gains in math and reading than those that were weak on three or more Essentials.
All teachers and 6th through 12th grade students will be responding to this survey. 5Essentials Reports will be generated for schools if their teachers and/or students meet the response rate threshold of 50 percent. These reports will be sent to schools and districts in March 2017 and will also be included in the State School Report Card.
Additionally, your district has chosen to provide the optional 5Essentials parent survey. If at least 20 percent of Barack Obama School of Leadership and STEM parents complete this survey, a parent supplement will also be generated. The parent data will not be reported on the State Report Card.
Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be conducted November 16 through January 16, 2017. To take the survey please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey to begin.
For more information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey, or to view previous years’ Reports, please visit https://illinois.5-essentials.org. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact 5Essentials Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or 5essentials@uchicago.edu.
T-SHIRTS
Robotics and Engineering
Our Curriculum
Curriculum in District 163 aligns with the Illinois State Learning Standards. All students receive instruction in the basic skill areas of reading, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and health, as well as in art, music, and physical education. Curriculum maps for subject areas are in place. The maps detail for each grade level, on a monthly basis, the knowledge and skills that students should have mastered over a calendar year.
Students receive instruction in Human Growth and Development. The unit offers a clear understanding of the human reproductive system and builds a responsible attitude towards the social and personal aspects of the preteen years. The District believes that this educational program is successful when the parents/guardians share in the responsibility of keeping the students aware of the information made available to them.
In addition to the core curriculum, the following is included:
• Steroid abuse prevention in interscholastic athletic programs
• Character education
• An education program on Constitution Day
• Black history unit
• Genocide unit
• Holocaust unit
• Other state mandated initiatives, including legal and commemorative holidays
Curiosity Machine
Parents are encouraged to bring their students out to participate in the innovative STEM education program which is designed to include the whole family in dinner, design challenges and hands-on experimentation!
Mark your calendars for: 12/1, 12/8, and 12/14
7th Grade OLS Boys Basketball Team
JAYLEN HENRY
LAMARI HUGHES
OMARIAN BARNES – MGR/player
GARY CHESTER
CYLAN HAMPTON
JORDAN TOLBERT
DAVID DOUGLAS
LAMARI HUGHES
MILION CARROLL
8th Grade OLS Boys Basketball Team
Avreon Wallace
Eric Adams
Joey George
Julian Imoniruwe
Alonzo Covington
Maximus Hughes
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 a few 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
11/21 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