The Owl Newsletter
OTTO PETERSEN ELEMENTARY
Teachers Grade Day - Friday, Feb 2nd - No School
Hoop-A-Thon - Thursday, Feb. 8th & Friday, Feb. 9th.
OPPO Meeting - Tuesday, Feb, 13th
Valentines Class Parties - Wednesday, Feb, 14th
President's Day - Monday, Feb 19th
Sixth Grade Outdoor School - The week of April 2nd - 5th
No Toys, No Tails
We make it a point at Otto Petersen to have fun each day while we are learning. However, it does take some effort to cultivate an environment of authentic learning and academic achievement. Otto Petersen 4th-6th grade scholars do need some boundaries at school so that they can focus on learning.
There are some items that are coming from home that disrupt the learning environment. As you send your students off to school in the morning, please make sure that they are not bringing:
- Wearable tails, ears, or paws
- We will have fun costume days (yes, even I get dressed up!) during the year, so please save those items for these events
- Hoodies that zip all the way up to cover the face.
- Stuffies/stuffed animals of all sizes
- Blankets
- Action figures
- Slime
- Copious amounts of fidgets
- Portable video game consoles (I do, sadly, have to leave my Nintendo Switch at home)
You may have noticed that "fidgets" are on that list. Sometimes, the fidgets that were originally meant to help students concentrate, become toys in the classroom. Fidgets should help provide students with a small movement break so that they can increase their concentration and provide better access to their learning. There are "fidgets" out there that are noisy or messy and are not best for use in the classroom. If you have questions about which fidgets are best for increasing concentration in the classroom, please reach out to Ms. Ticer, Mrs. Kinsman, or Mrs. McKedy.
-Principal Ticer
Parking Lot Safety
It pains me to have to keep writing about safety in our school parking lot. On my end, I am going to work with our staff to have a bigger adult presence in the parking lot itself to direct the flow of traffic. An ask that I have of the community is for any parent volunteers who would be willing to volunteer on a Drop-Off/Pick-Up Safety Team. I am looking for volunteers who would be willing to don crossing guard vests and help to direct car and pedestrian traffic.
I would need parents/guardians who are interested in sitting with me and developing a plan for safety in our parking lot during these times. Please email me if you are interested.
Otto Petersen's Biggest Fundraiser of the Year!
OPE Families,
We are ready to kick off our Hoop-a-Thon fundraiser! This is our biggest fundraiser of the year!
Let's go Team OPE!!!
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, February 13th, at 4:00!
Please contact Chelsea Murphy ottopetersenpresident@gmailatat .com
OPPO Presents our New Fundraiser - The Columbia Theatre Family Matinee Program
The Columbia Theatre Family Matinee Program is back!!! The first movie begins on January 27th.
- The cost is $10.00 for all five movies and the valuable coupons. Each movie coupon is good for one child and one adult (18 and over)
- Children from three years to seventeen need their own ticket. (Can not be counted as a free adult) If one child and one adult come to all five movies, that is $1 per person per movie.
- They will also have deals on concessions.
- Students will bring the flyer back to OPE filled out with a check for the amount of tickets they would like to purchase. They will then receive movie tickets. This is available to all, so staff, if you would like to participate, you can purchase your tickets from Sue or Mary. The first movie is this weekend, January 27th. Below in this email is a list of the movies offered and when they will be playing.
This is a fundraiser for OPPO; 3 dollars of each ticket will go to the general budget to help with field trips, playground equipment, and much more!
Grief and Loss Support Group: 4th-6th Graders
This group aims to create a safe and nurturing space for children to express their feelings, share their experiences, and learn healthy coping mechanisms.
Facilitated by Dan Jewell, a School-Based Mental Health Therapist, and Justin Engstrom, the Care Coordinator for SSD.
The group will focus on age-appropriate activities, discussions, and creative outlets to help children navigate their emotions in a supportive environment. We will meet once a week on Wednesdays starting.
Group Dates: February 14th and will go until March 20th during school hours; we will work to avoid conflict with content instruction time.
Please contact Mrs. McKedy (lmckedy@scappoose.k12.or.us) if you are interested in signing your student up for one of these groups.
PARENT WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY
OPE Families are invited to the Incredible Elementary Years.
Columbia Health Services would like to share its flyer and a registration link for a free elementary parenting class they are hosting. Caretakers of children ages 6 to 12 are welcome to join us Mondays starting February 5th from 9-Noon at WildFlower Play Collective for this Evidence-Based, SAMHSA, and OPEC-approved curriculum. Registration link: https://forms.gle/eNwMju49QTRuoQnU7
Click on the image for a printable flyer.
You can always find an updated list of all parenting events on the CHS Parenting Program page: https://www.columbia-health.org/parenting.html#Calendar
Counseling Group will be offered starting Feb. 9th
What: RISE (Resilience, Inspiration, Support, Empowerment);
Who: Facilitated by Rob McQueen-Jensen; Scappoose SD Youth and Family Systems Navigator, QMHA CCMH Youth and Family Department
When: We will work to avoid conflict with content instruction time during school hours.
4th/5th grade students
Topics will include learning basic emotional regulation skills, developing effective classroom habits, maintaining positive friendships, and establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries.
6th grade
Topics will include preparing for the middle school culture, developing and maintaining a healthy self-image, navigating peer pressure, fostering positive friendships, and more.
Please contact Mrs. McKedy (lmckedy@scappoose.k12.or.us) if you are interested in signing your student up for one of these groups.
Learning in a Winter Wonderland!
THIS WEEK IN THE LIBRARY!: So happy to be back in the library learning together. This week we played a winter game, re-established library expectations and talked about the importance of checking out and returning books.
Did you know that research in our state and across the country shows a direct correlation between strong school libraries with high collection circulation and strong academic performance and student achievement in all our learners?!! Students who are checking out books from their school library have more success in school and higher test scores. Reading for fun is a win-win!
BOOKS BY THE NUMBERS: We currently have a lot of books overdue and this prevents kids from checking out new books (and missing the benefits mentioned above) AND it keeps other kids from getting to enjoy books they are waiting to read.
OPE currently has 113 students with overdue books! That is over 300 books not on the shelves for others. We have some students who have been waiting weeks or even months for books to be returned by other students. We need to make sure we are getting books back to school on time!
We have library classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but you can return your books to the white bins throughout the school any day of the week–make sure your books are in the bin on your library day by 8:15am. Thanks for your help!
Happy Reading ~ Mrs. Nudo
Star Students
One of our local bakers, Lightening Cupcakes, wants to recognize our excellent learners! Suppose your student receives one of our recognition awards. In that case, you may present the certificate at their pop-up bakery, 2254 Columbia Blvd. in St. Helens, for a free cupcake on Thursday or Friday afternoons! They are open until 4:00 pm. If you know you would like to visit and want to have them hold a cupcake ahead of time, please feel free to text your order at 323-497-8038.
Our recognition awards are given out throughout the year. Each month, teachers look for students demonstrating the character trait being covered through our morning announcements. For January, it is the trait of empathy.
We look forward to hearing about the delicious cupcakes our students receive!
Cold Weather Reminder
We are starting to see very cold temperatures during the day. Please remember to send your students to school with appropriate outdoor wear so that they can stay warm outside. We recommend that students wear jackets, hats, and gloves when they are outside. I know that kiddos also love to still wear shorts to school (how do they stand it??). If your student has this preference, please make sure they also have a warm jacket. It is cold and flu season, so it is important that students wear clothing that will keep them warm and healthy. At Otto Petersen, this is often a challenging expense for families. Please get in touch with either myself or Ms. McKedy if your family needs support in this way.
Toys at School
This is a friendly reminder that all toys, including stuffed animals and blankets, must stay home. We supply students with fidgets to use during instruction time if required. However, those fun little toys starting to pop up this time of year must wait patiently at home to be played with.
Softball Tryouts: For all girls interested in playing TRAVEL Softball between the ages of 9 and 14, we will be having open tryouts in the Scappoose HS Gym / Hitting Facility / Turf Field on Sunday, February 4. 10u tryouts will begin at 1:30 PM, 12u tryouts will begin at 2:45 PM, and 14u tryouts will begin at 4:00 PM. To determine age eligibility, please see the chart below. When you arrive, please go to the high school gym to check in.
We will be playing as part of the St. Helens Youth Softball league as Scappoose teams. Players need to be registered prior to tryouts. This will come with higher costs than playing recreational softball in St. Helens. Anyone who is not selected for a travel team will be allowed the opportunity to participate in St. Helens Youth Softball's rec program. If you want to participate in travel softball and this date doesn't work for you, please let Ryan Murphy know ASAP via email at murphy.rckni@gmail.com. Please bring pants, long sleeves, a helmet with a facemask, a bat, a glove, and cleats / Gym Shoes. We look forward to seeing you all there.
OPE Famlies,
Thank you again for your support in lowering our total building tardy rate over the past two weeks. We know that mornings can be tricky! We hope your students feel a sense of routine and connection by being here each morning for our announcements and Character Strong lessons.
If you have difficulty getting your students out the door in the morning, please feel free to reach out. Classroom teachers, our counselor, Ms. McKedy, and our Dean of Students, Ms. Kinsman, are happy to work with you and your learner to build strategies to make mornings go more smoothly. You can click the flyer below to read about the suggested guidelines.
Attendance Reminders & After School Change of Plans
Also, if you have to change your students' after-school plans, please try to do this one hour before students are released so that we have enough time to communicate with teachers and staff.
- Sue MacLachlan: smaclachlan@scappoose.k12.or.us
- Mary McNabb: mmcnabb@scappoose.k12.or.us
- Your child's teacher
We appreciate your support in making sure we know where your students are during the school day. Thank you!
Personal Electronic Device Policy
(Cell phones, Smart watches, Earbuds)
As an upper elementary school, O.P.E. will align with the Middle School policy concerning electronic devices. A personal electronic device is defined by the district as any “device capable of electronically communicating, sending, receiving, storing, recording, reproducing and/or displaying information and data.” The new policy will ask that students have their devices “off and away” while on campus. A private warning will be given if a student uses the device while at school. A second infraction will lead to the device being turned into the office for pick-up at the end of the day. Parents will be asked to pick up the device after a third infraction. The school is asking for parent support with this policy as we focus on building a positive learning environment.Here is the testing schedule for the rest of May.