Come see the AWESOME talent our Oakdale students possess! Tonight at 7:00 pm in the Westside Middle School Performing Arts Center, Oakdale students will showcase a multitude of talents. Even if your child is not participting, this is a fun event to watch and cheer on friends. Thank you to our Community Club for hosting and organizing this annual event!

The Science Fair is March 21st from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Students (K-6) can participate individually or in a team with up to four students. Project information needs to be provided when registering (the question and purpose of study and a brief description of procedure).

Register by March 10th. Online registration is easy! Just provide the project information and name(s) of additional student(s), if participating in a team. The Community Club has decided to waive the $5 registration fee this year! So, all students can participate without worrying about cost. Register here for the fair.

Please click the link above or the button below to download the registration flyer and for more information. Science Fair boards will be available for pick-up at the Oakdale Elementary School administrative office.

It is that time of year when parents begin thinking about making formal classroom requests for the next school year. During April and May, the teachers at each grade level, specialist teachers, and Mr. Jagels will begin building class lists for the next year using the following criteria:

● Male/female ratio

● Different academic levels of students including those in special education

● ELL, Academic Interventions, and the EY program

● Matching individual learning styles with teaching styles as best we can

● Keeping classroom dynamics in balance (behavior, social, emotional, and personality considerations among students)

As you can see, a great deal of thought and effort goes into making these class lists. Granting every request would undo the long process that has been carefully put together and jeopardize the integrity of that work. In addition, children need to work in and with a variety of circumstances now and in the future, both in terms of personnel and environment.

If you have some unusual circumstances that you feel you must address, please do the following:

● Make a formal request in writing to Mr. Jagels addressing your child’s learning style and the type, not the name, of the teacher that would benefit your child (email will suffice).

● If there has been a request made in a previous year that still applies, please make sure we are aware of the necessary details for placement in the 2023-2024 school year.

● Turn in the request by Friday, April 7, 2023.

● Turning in a request does not guarantee that it will be granted.

All teachers work as a professional learning community at Oakdale. In other words, all teachers come together to collaborate about all students in their grade level to discuss the best approaches to meet the needs of all students academically, behaviorally, socially, and emotionally. Each grade level at Oakdale also incorporates flexible grouping strategies that allow students to work with other teachers in that grade level. We appreciate your understanding of the process, and we look forward to a strong finish to this year and another terrific school year for 2023-2024.

KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT FOR 2023-24

Kindergarten enrollment for District residents for the 2023-24 school is now live on the District website. Please check our website at westside66.org as soon as possible to start your enrollment online.

Children entering kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before July 31, 2023. Parents may wait to enroll their child(ren) in kindergarten for an additional year. However, Nebraska law requires that child(ren) who reach the age of six prior to Jan 1st of the then current school year must be enrolled in school.

For questions about enrollment, please contact the Westside Welcome Center at 402-390-2100 or enrollment@westside66.net.

KINDERGARTEN OPTION ENROLLMENT

If you live outside of the Westside district and have a child eligible for kindergarten in 2023-24 who has a sibling attending our schools through the Option Enrollment program, you must submit an option application for your kindergartener. The deadline to apply for Option Enrollment is 4:00 pm on March 15th.

In addition to kindergarten, you can apply for any other grade level by the same deadline, 4:00 pm on March 15th.

Option Enrollment forms can be completed using this link:

https://forms.gle/FvsmAEBqRpcePEKg9

Questions about Option Enrollment, please contact Student Services at 402-390-2107.

IN-DISTRICT TRANSFERS FOR 2023-24

Are you a District resident and would like your K-6 grade child(ren) to attend an elementary school in Westside other than the area where you live? The deadline to submit an In-District Transfer request for the upcoming school year is 4:00 pm on March 15th.

In addition to completing a kindergarten enrollment form, an In-District Transfer request form must also be completed for any child starting kindergarten next year who has a sibling attending an elementary school outside of their home attendance area. The deadline to submit this request is also 4:00 pm on March 15th.

In district transfer forms can be completed using this link: https://forms.gle/EHgruZWb9MH1UBtH8

Questions about In-District Transfers, please contact Student Services at 402-390-2107.

EARLY ADMISSION FOR KINDERGARTEN

Children of District residents who wish to be tested for early entrance to kindergarten must turn 5 years old between August 1 and October 15, 2023.

For further information regarding early entrance testing, please contact Early Admissions at

402-390-3303.

Linked you will find our year long Oakdale Calendar. Please know that this calendar is subject to change. We encourage you to access our Oakdale Calendar through our Website, the Westside Community Schools App, and to subscribe so that this information shows right up on your own calendar for iPhone, iPad, Mac, or any other Google Calendar subscribable platform.

March

3 - Talent Show Program, 7:00 pm @ WMS

7 - 6th Grade Speech Contest, 9:30 am @ Oakdale

9 - Don & Millie's Family Restaurant Night

13-16 Oakdale Art Fair/Book Fair

15 -16 - Parent Teacher Communication

16-17 NO SCHOOL for Students

20 - Outdoor Ed Parent Meeting, 6:00 pm @ WHS

20 - 5 & 6 Grade WestFest Strings Festival, 7:00 pm @ WHS

21 - Science Fair, 6:00 pm @ Oakdale

21 - 5 & 6 Grade Band-O-Rama, 7:00 pm @ WHS

22 - 6th Grade Information Night, 6:00-7:30 pm @ WMS

23 - Raising Canes Family Restaurant Night

24 - Spring Photos, morning only

27 - 6th Grade Information Night, 6:00-7:30 pm @ WMS

27-31 - Staff Appreciation Week

30 - Vocal Music Festival, 7:00 pm @ WHS

April

3-7 - NO SCHOOL, Spring Break

10 - Classes Resume, 8:30 am

13 - Don & Millie's Family Restaurant Night

17 - New Kindergarteners Open House, 6:00 pm

26-27 - 6th Grade to Outdoor Ed

27 - Pickleman's Family Restaurant Night

Join us at our next Community Club meeting this Tuesday, March 7th at 6:30 pm at Tanner's Bar and Grill near 120th and Pacific Street. Come learn about what we have planned for the next couple of months and maybe make some new connections. If you can’t make it, no worries, we distribute the minutes following the event.

This year you can gain FREE access to the family directory! So make sure to confirm or update your info on the Oakdale Community Club website details to get FREE access to the directory! Easily get contact info for birthday parties and playdates. See these helpful instructions for website assistance.