Oak Creek Coyote News
November 5, 2021
Oak Creek Families,
Remember that next Thursday, November 11th, is Veterans' Day, so there will be no school. Also, Daylight Savings ends this Sunday morning, so remember to set your clocks back, and enjoy the extra hour this weekend!
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:
- Message from the Principal
- Dates to Remember
- Counselor Corner
- Message from Your PTO
In This Edition:
- Extra Mask Request - NEW!
- Holiday Gift Opportunity - NEW!
- Thanksgiving Day Baskets Available!
- Scholastic Book Fair Now Live!
- Oregon Battle of the Books!
- Breakfast and Lunch Routines
- Student Illness Reminders: When to Keep Home from School
- Oak Creek FAQs
LOSD District News:
- Hunger Fighters - NEW!
- How to Find LOSD Covid-19 Information
- Nutrition Services
- Back to School Clothes at Clothing Closet
- SafeOregon
- Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
Dates to Remember!
Oct. 25-Nov. 7: Virtual Scholastic Book Fair! (link coming soon)
November 5: Thanksgiving Day Basket Orders Due
November 11: NO SCHOOL: Veteran's Day
December 1: Picture Day RETAKES
December 9: Square 1 Art Delivery to OC
Extra Mask Request
Holiday Gift Opportunity
Kiwanis Club of Lake Oswego is generously providing a holiday gift to some children in our Oak Creek community who will benefit from this support. If you are interested in receiving a holiday gift for your child or children, please contact our School Counselor, Jodi Pope, at popej@loswego.k12.or.us, by Wednesday November 10th.
Thanksgiving Day Baskets Available!
As we approach the holiday seasons, Oak Creek wants to connect with families that could benefit from additional resource support. The district has a wonderful partnership with Hope Church and Lake Grove Presbyterian Church to offer Thanksgiving baskets for any LOSD families who may benefit! Please reach out before November 5th to your School Counselor (Jodi Pope popej@loswego.k12.or.us and Roxanne Davidson davidsor@loswego.k12.or.us) or School Social Worker (Tara Roland rolandt@losweego.k12.or.us) if you would like more information or to sign up. The Hope Church will be hosting pick-up days that are still to be determined. Delivery of the food boxes may be available. Listed below are what the boxes contain;
A meat selection voucher for Safeway or Albertsons
2 cans of green beans
2 cans of corn
6 potatoes
A gravy mix
1 box of stuffing
1 can of cranberry sauce
1 pie or assorted Gelatin/Pudding mixes
*Special Items that can accommodate families with Dietary Needs/Restrictions.
Scholastic Book Fair Now Live!
The Oak Creek Scholastic Book Fair is Now Available!
You get to enjoy the magic of a Book Fair from the comfort of your home with our Virtual Fair experience. Kids can shop thousands of books online to discover new favorites and stock their shelves with this season’s most popular reads!
Plus, check out these special virtual shopping perks:
Access to over 5,000 products
Direct shipping to your home and FREE shipping on book-only orders over $25*
eWallet digital payment system that friends and family can contribute to
25% in rewards earned for our school with all purchases!
Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with virtual shopping:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/oce
Thank you for helping us build lifelong readers in our school community!
Happy reading!
OBOB: Oregon battle of the books!
For questions, contact Megan Lovelace, at lovelac@k12.or.us
PTO Corner
Dear Oak Creek Community,
Big shoutout to everyone who participated in supporting us in our recent fundraisers with Mod Pizza and Poinsettias and wreath orders!
Square 1 Art – Order Online
Some but not all artwork has been uploaded by the company. Head to the website to check out the art and shop for personalized products. Orders are due by November 16th and will be delivered to the school by December 9th. Shop Here
Holiday Cards – Minted
Check out Minted.com before you order your holiday cards. Use the code ”FUNDRAISEOAKCREEK” to save 20% and 15% goes to our Oak Creek PTO.
Donations
To make a donation, please click here: OC Donation
Your employer may match your donation. Don’t forget your spouse’s company too!
Yearbooks
Yearbooks are up for pre-order and are $20 until February. Pre-orders will be unavailable, and you will need to purchase them in person for $25 each after they arrive. Pre-Order Here
Oregon Battle of the Books
We have added the option to donate $25 for a bundle of OBOB books to the school library. All students may use these books, not just those participating in OBOB. Order HERE. We are looking for helpers to record themselves reading the first book chapters. Book Titles Sign up in the volunteer sign up, below. More information is HERE.
Volunteers
We are still looking for volunteers. Please sign up HERE for events and activities you would like to participate in this year. No commitments required. Sign up and we will reach out to you. No volunteers are allowed in the school yet but we are planning ahead!
PTO Website
Check out our new website. It is still under construction so check back for updates on this page. PTO Website You will find the link to the ordering site here also. We still have two positions available this year. Contact OakCreekElementaryPTO@gmail.com if you have questions or would like to join.
Thank you for your 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
Counselor Corner
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.
Jodi Pope, School Counselor 503-534-2323 popej@loswego.k12.or.us
Message from OC Counselors (Snack Donation Requested)
Dearest Oak Creek Families,
For the month of November through our Social Emotional Learning (SEL), we will be exploring the character trait of GRATITUDE. Gratitude has been shown to be one of the best ways to reduce anxiety, increase happiness, & improve relationships. The practice of gratitude is a tool that both grounds us and also inspires hope, peace, and joy. For when we are grateful, we are stronger to “be the good” to our world.
The definition students will be learning this month is Gratitude: choosing to notice and appreciate things in our life, things in others, and things in the world.
We want to make sure we share with students that Gratitude is 1) a choice that we get to make over and over again on where we put our focus and 2) does not always have to be about something positive. We can feel grateful even for tough or challenging things in our life! There is plenty of research that shows a strong connection between Gratitude and reduced anxiety, increased happiness, and better relationships. Over the course of the month, we will talk about amazing people who demonstrate Gratitude in various ways. We will talk about what we are grateful for in ourselves and in others. Lastly, we will even find Gratitude in some things we would not expect to be thankful for!
We believe involving families in our Social Emotional Learning is important. The letters linked below include activities, conversation starters, reading lists, and more for you to explore GRATITUDE further as a family:
K-2 Gratitude Family Letter (English) 3-5 Gratitude Family Letter (English)
K-2 Gratitud para Familias (En Español) 3-5 Gratitud para Familias (En Español)
Thank you for teaming with us to empower our students socially and emotionally. Please reach out if you or your student would like more support.
During the week of November 1st, the 4th and 5th grade classrooms will be engaging in an experiential learning event promoting empathy and disability awareness called Welcome to My World. Welcome to My World is a school-board approved program developed by the Special Services Parent Advisory Committee as an opportunity for students to experience what life might be like for an individual with a disability. The students will learn together with three stations: Speech and Language, Dyslexia, and Sensory Processing Disorder. At the end of the session, each class will reflect on their personal reactions to the experience, their thoughts about what it is like for students with a disability, and a plan for how to be a supportive community member to a peer who may be experiencing this disability. Ask your 4th or 5th grader:
What new perspectives do you have after that experience?
How did you feel during each station? (ie. frustrated, confused, successful)
How will you show empathy to fellow community members, especially those who may be experiencing a disability?
SNACKS DONATION REQUEST
As in past years we're reaching out to families for snack donations for kiddos who are in need. If you're able, we're looking for store bought individually wrapped snacks. Thank you in advance!
Sincerely,
Roxanne Davidson (2-5th Grade Counselor)
Jodi Pope (K and 1st Grade Counselor)
Breakfast and Lunch Routines
In order to keep our students safe we will be eating lunch outside as often as possible. When we do have to eat inside, due to rain or other weather related conditions, classes will spread out into the hallways to ensure 6 feet of distance is maintained between unmasked individuals.
Breakfast will not be served at school in the morning. Instead students can order a Grab-N-Go breakfast to take home at dismissal to eat the following morning before coming to school.
Please see the current lunch/breakfast menu here: LOSD Lunch/Bfast Menu
Student Illness
If your child will be absent, please email your student's teacher and copy the office. Please list the date your child will be absent and any illness symptoms. See the guide below for information on when to keep your child home from school.
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?
Yes, currently all students, staff and anyone who enters the building are required to wear masks. 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
How to Find LOSD COVID-19 Information
We have made all of our COVID-19 information easier to find on our district and school websites. Look for the new LOSD COVID-19 Information graphic (above) and find information about guidance, protocols, notifications and more.
Included is a new COVID-19 Dashboard, which notes all active cases in each school currently. Active cases are people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are currently in their 10-day isolation period. Once the isolation period is complete, the case is removed from the dashboard. The dashboard is updated with exposure notices.
Also new is the recording of last night's Information Session about exposures and quarantining. We anticipate making these Information Sessions regular events to make sure we address all of your questions and concerns. Look forward to notices about upcoming sessions.
Free Meals for All Students
This school year the Lake Oswego School District will be offering breakfast and lunch meals (one breakfast and one lunch per student per day) at no charge to all students. Breakfast meals will be served in Grab-n-go style as students arrive to school. Lunch meals will offer healthy tasty entrees, fresh fruits and vegetables with a seasonal rotation of local farm produce and organic products when available.
For information about Food Services, please click here to visit our web page.
For information about part-time job opportunities in Food Services, please click here to visit the employment web page.
Back to School Clothes at Clothing Closet
I Love Lake Oswego Clothing Closet is a donation-based closet that provides clothing items and hygiene products for residents, students, and employees that work or live within Lake Oswego.
Open Saturdays
9 a.m.-12 p.m.
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 Tanya Goodwin: goodwint@loswego.k12.or.us
Address: 55 Kingsgate Rd., Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakCreekPTA/