Oak Hills Newsletter
December 8, 2017
Assistant Principal's Message
Dear Oak Hills Families,
This year, students across the district are learning math in an exciting new way. Using the curriculum supplement Contexts for Learning Mathematics, teachers present a real-world problem which students explore at length. As they go along, they find ways to approach the problem and work in teams to create posters which display their result and also their thinking. Once they have developed their solution, they participate in a Math Congress with their class. During the Math Congress, they learn to explain their answers, generate questions about the presentations of their peers, and to challenge the thinking of the class. In this way, classrooms become communities of mathematicians. Heinemann publishing describes the curriculum this way, "rich, authentic contexts provide a backdrop for fostering the use of mathematical models as thinking tools, tenacious problem solving, and the reading and writing of mathematical arguments and justifications to ensure the development of a positive growth-mindset."
We love having students participate in Math Congress because besides gaining a deep understanding of math concepts, they are also learning the following skills:
- Making and defending a claim
- Seeing a problem from more than one perspective
- Finding that there are multiple strategies that will lead to the same answer
- Formalizing their thinking into universal rules
- Developing a positive mindset toward mathematics
Students are able to practice the skills they learn during the lesson with the online program DreamBox. This is an adaptive program that learns what a student needs more work on and individualizes the games the student plays to the exact skills the student needs to practice. In this short video, Cathy Fosnot, the professor who helped to design this curriculum, describes how all of these pieces come together to help your child learn math.
If you would like to learn more about this curriculum and see how a Math Congress works, come to our parent information night. It will take place before the PTO meeting from 6-7 on January 22. We look forward to seeing you there and working with you to better support our students in math!
Warm regards,
Jennifer DeMartino
Choir Concert and Tour
THANK YOU FOR THE PIZZA!
Attendance
AVID Night
Beaverton AVID Portland State University College Information Night! Thursday, December 14th 6:00-7:30 @ Beaverton High School-Library
Come hear Portland State University students share their experiences and insights of their college journey.
Beaverton AVID in partnership with PSU Student Leaders for Service and the Student Community Engagement Center will be hosting a PSU College Information Night for AVID Middle School and High School scholars and their families. All students and families are welcome to attend this evening program.
Canned Food Drive
During our assembly on December 1st, we kicked off the PTO sponsored canned food drive for the Oregon Foodbank. The food drive will continue through December 18th. Bring in your non-perishable food items to help your team win!
Stay Informed About Weather Alerts
When the weather gets snowy or icy, school schedules may be affected. The District generally posts the announcement of delayed school opening or school closure by 5:15 a.m. All Portland Metro area media outlets announce the information on TV newscasts and online.
The District makes decisions based on the ability to operate school buses safely; the ability for students and parents to get to school safely, and the ability of employees to get to work safely and on time. The decision that is made will be for the entire District. As always, parents may choose to make different decisions based on their particular location.
The District will notify parents via SchoolMessenger with a Non-School Hours Emergency message. Please manage your communication preferences in SchoolMessenger InfoCenter.
For the latest inclement weather information:
- Log on to the District website and a light blue message banner will be posted on the top of the main page with the status of District operations
- Opt-in for SMS Alerts from SchoolMessenger
- Manage your communication preferences in SchoolMessenger
- Subscribe to Flash Alert for email or text message updates
- ‘Like’ the Beaverton School District on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
- The Beaverton School District Inclement Weather Policy and transportation snow routes can be found on the Public Safety webpage.
- Subscribe to the District’s RSS Feed
Additional Inclement Weather Planning
If your child's plans have changed, since the beginning of the year, please send a note to your child's teacher. Also, If you would like a neighbor and/or friend to bring your child home, please send a written note to the teacher. If these notes could be done as soon as possible, then we are prepared if an emergency does occur.
An example of the note:
Dear Oak Hills Staff,
Please allow (neighbor's name) to transport my child (child's name) home in case of early release due to an emergency.
Thank you,
Your Signature
Thanks for helping us plan!
Oak Hill's Tech Crew T-shirt Contest
Oak Hills Elementary is having a Tech Crew T-shirt Art Contest, which is open to all grades. The winning picture will be printed on the 2017-2018 Tech Crew T-Shirts.
Are there rules?
All entries are to be submitted to Mrs. Vallee either in her mailbox or the Tech Lab T-shirt Entry Box.
The artwork must contain at least 1 otter or robot using at least 1 piece of Technology.
Entries must be received by January 19, 2018.
You do not have to be in Tech Crew to enter.
What am I drawing?
To be eligible, your artwork must depict an Otter or a robot using a piece of Technology. For example, an Otter using an Ipad.
Can I copy something off of the internet?
Noooo! Your artwork must be original. Please make your artwork using crayon, ink, pencil, colored pencils, or color markers,
Prizes
1st Prize: The first prize-winner will have their artwork printed on the 2018 Tech Crew T-shirts and receive a TECH Crew T-shirt.
Runners Up: Award certificates will be given to the finalist in the top ten.Tentative Dates for 2017-2018
12-4 thru 12-18 Canned Food Drive
12-21 to 1-3 Winter Break
1-4 First day Back from Winter Break
1-11 PTO Dance 6-8pm
1-15 Holiday
1-17 Global Citizenship Committee 8-9 a.m.
1-22 PTO Mtg. 7pm
1-30 Technology Parent Committee 8-9 a.m.
2-2 No School-Grading Day
2-19 Holiday
2-26 PTO Mtg. 3pm
3-7 Conferences 3:30-7:30
3-7 Global Citizenship Committee 8-9 a.m.
3-8 No School for Students - Conferences 7:30 am-7:30 pm
3-9 School Closed
3-13 Technology Parent Committee 8-9 a.m.
3-22 STEM/Future Ready Night 6-8pm
3-26 to 3-30 Spring Break
4-13 No School Assessment Day
4-16 thru 4-20 Book Fair
4-19 Volunteer Tea 1:15pm
4-23 PTO Mtg. 7pm
4-26 Kindergarten Orientation 4:00-5:30
5-2 Global Citizenship Committee 8-9 a.m.
5-8 Technology Parent Committee 8-9 a.m.
5-11 Fifth Grade Wax Museum
5-17 Choir Program 6-7pm
5-21 PTO Mtg. 7pm
5-28 Holiday
5-31 Art Night 6-8pm
6-11 PTO Mtg. 3pm (Budget Mtg.)
6-15 Field Day
6-18 5th Grade Send Off?
6-19 Last Day for Students