The Middle Matters
OMS Oct. 5-9, 2020 Parent Newsletter
Inspiring Excellence. Every Learner. Every Day.
Calendar
Don't forget earbuds this week for FastBridge Testing. (They cannot be wireless.
Due to COVID, each student will need to bring his/her own.
Monday, October 5, 2020
Group 1 - A Day
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Group 1- B day
Lifetouch Picture Retakes 8:10-9:10 am
No Tech Tuesday in the Cafeteria
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
College Wear Wednesday
OMS Park Day (see flyer below)
Thursday, October 8, 2020
Group 2 - A Day
Lifetouch Picture Retakes 8:10-9:10 am
No Tech Thursday in the Cafeteria
Friday, October 9, 2020
Group 2 - B day
Saturday, October 10, 2020
Saturday School 8-11:30 am Learning Stairs
Conferences/Communication
Due to restrictions we have on bringing outside people into the building, we will not be holding fall conferences as we have in the past. However, the week of October 26, we will send out a progress report (that can also be found online). This will be the only hard copy of grades we will send out this year; grades can always be found by using the Parent Portal, which we strongly encourage you to use. If you are not set up on the Parent Portal, please connect with one of the school counselors to get help in doing so.
For this first progress report, you will see grades for academics and scores for our new PAW life skills categories. PAW will be similar to what you have seen throughout elementary school. The three categories can be seen in the image below.
We believe life skills and behaviors are critically important in the overall development of our students. Therefore, we believe there is signifcant merit in reporting out against life skills that influence learning. We also ensure that life skills will not influence an academic grade and will be reported separately in our reporting structure. Students will receive a score of 1 (Rarely), 2 (Sometimes), or 3 (Consistently) in each of these categories. While it is still early in the year, we wanted to share what our teachers are seeing in the classroom with respect to these three categories. These scores will eventually be used for our Husky Pride Days (likely second semester since we are unsure if we will be able to celebrate our first Husky Pride Day in December).
After you receive your progress report, please feel free to reach out to your child's teacher(s) if you would like to discuss progress in specific classes. All of the teachers contact information can be found online on the OMS website by following this link.
Mask up
Masks are required each and every day. Please have your students bring their own masks to school.
We are unable to continuously provide masks for students that are not bringing theirs from home. We have a limited amount for loss or breakage but we do not have enough for students that repeatedly forget their masks.
Lifetouch Picture Retake Day
GROUP 1 ONLY
October 6th - 8:10-9:10 a.m. All Group 1 - Hybrid students that did not have their pictures taken at the Parent/Student Information Day are scheduled to have their pictures taken that morning.
Any group 1 - Hybrid students that would like their pictures retaken must bring their original packet of pictures in to the photographer in order to get retakes done.
Any Group 1- Distance Learners can come in between 8:10 - 9:10 to have their pictures taken if they missed the Parent/Student Information Day. If distance learners from group 1 would like retakes, please bring in the original picture packet for the photographer to get pictures retaken.
Distance learners can enter the building though the front doors on 15th St. NE beginning at 8:10 a.m. They will exit out the same doors after having their picture taken. Parents may wait for the students in the bus lanes (after school has already started to allow for busses to drop off).
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GROUP 2 ONLY
October 8th - 8:10-9:10 a.m. All Group 2 - Hybrid students that did not have their pictures taken at the Parent/Student Information Day are scheduled to have their pictures taken that morning.
Any group 2 - Hybrid students that would like their pictures retaken must bring their original packet of pictures in to the photographer in order to get retakes done.
Any Group 2- Distance Learners can come in between 8:10 - 9:10 to have their pictures taken if they missed the Parent/Student Information Day. If distance learners from group 2 would like retakes, please bring in the original picture packet for the photographer to get pictures retaken.
Distance learners can enter the building though the front doors on 15th St. NE beginning at 8:10 a.m. They will exit out the same doors after having their picture taken. Parents may wait for the students in the bus lanes (after school has already started to allow for busses to drop off).
Earbuds/headphones
Chromebook Sleeves
ATTENDANCE
Wednesdays are designated Distance Learning Days, a day for students to connect with teachers about school work. We have structured this day so A Day classes are available in the morning, and B Day classes are available in the afternoon. Each teacher has a Google Meets link in their Google Classroom for students to use if they want to connect with teachers. In general, attendance is not taken on Wednesdays; however, there is one exception.
Teachers may request students log in so they can reteach a skill/concept or help a student with class work. If a student's presence is requested by a teacher, the student will be notified by the teacher in class, through email, or through Google Meets. We are taking attendance for required meetings with teachers on Wednesdays. This will appear in the Early Bird portion of student's attendance and will be labeled as Wednesday Check-In. The notes column will indicate what class a student missed.
School work and schedule
Now that we are settling into a routine, your child should have work to complete on the days he/she is not in school or online with teachers. We encourage every child/family to set a routine in the "off days" that includes regular time to work on classwork. Students should be checking their Google Classroom and email for updates on work that needs to be completed when they are not in school or live with their teachers! There will be homework in each of the grades that needs get done. Thank you for your help with this!
Chromebook Usage
Every student must bring their Chromebook to school every day, fully charged.
Teachers will be using these on a daily basis; it is crucial your child brings his/her computer to school every day!
Hybrid Learners on Off Days
We have received inquiries as to whether or not we had a place for kids to go on the days they are not physically in attendance at the school; for example, a place for a student to go on Thursday/Friday when they are not attending classes in person. This would be for students who have chosen the hybrid model, not for distance learners. While we do not have that space or staffing at the school right now, we are curious to find out who might be interested in having a place for their children to go when not attending in person. It is likely it would come with a fee of some sort to pay for supervision (similar to SAC). Because space at OMS is limited, it would likely be housed off-site at another location in town. This could be a time/place for students to complete school work while under the supervision of adults. If you would be interested in something like this, please email Mrs. Sullivan at jsullivan@isd761.org.
A Look Ahead at MEA Week.....
Please note the difference in this weeks schedule:
Monday, October 12: Group 1
Tuesday, October 13: Group 2 (Group 1 does not attend)
Wednesday, October 14:
October 15-16
NO SCHOOL - MEA
The information below is repeated from previous newsletters in case you need it!
Hybrid Schedule/Distance Learning
*For Hybrid learners, Group 1 generally follows Monday/Tuesday and Group 2 follows Thursday/Friday. There is one exception the week of MEA in October. Please refer to the calendar you received at Information Day or look online at the OMS Calendar for details.
*Distance Learners are following a Group 1/Group 2 schedule as well. Teachers will be live with students on the days assigned to them according to their group. Some students are live streaming with an entire online class, and others are joining classes with Hybrid students. Some have a combination of the two depending on their class selections. Students who are Distance Learners are expected to be online with their teachers at the assigned time based on our daily bell schedule. For instance, if a student has English first period on A Days, they would need to be online with their teacher at 8:10 according to their Group 1/Group 2 assignment.
*Wednesdays are designed with A-Day in the morning, and B-Day in the afternoon. This is the day when Hybrid and Distance Learners can reach out to their teachers for help with assignments (that will come once we get into our schedule). Teachers will offer a Google Meets session students can access IF they have questions or need help with homework. Students do not have to be online on Wednesdays but have the option if they need help.
Middle School Pick up/Drop Off
We just wanted to remind everyone that there is no student drop-off before or after school hours on 15th St NE. The cones will be out as a reminder. Please do not drive around the cones.
When dropping off in the morning, please drop off on St. Paul Rd. If you use the parking lot, pull all the way around the lot to the outdoor basketball court to drop off at Door 13. You may do the same in the afternoon for pick up. We do not want students dropped off at the athletic entrance. When you are leaving the parking lot, as the signs indicate, it is right turn only.
We are concerned with the safety of our students and continue to look for the best way to handle student drop-off and pick-up. Please speak with your child about social distancing in the morning before entering the building. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Another reminder that students do not enter the building until 7:55. Likewise, we'd like all students to be out of the building by 2:50. At this time we do not have any before or after school programs. Teachers and staff may have meetings, etc. Please keep this in mind when determining your child's drop-off and pick-up times. Ensuring students are out of the building by 2:50 also allows our custodial staff to begin cleaning!
Classroom Interruptions
Learning is taken very seriously at OMS; therefore, we try to keep classroom interruptions to a minimum:
-Please do not bring or arrange deliveries of bouquets, balloons, stuffed animals and the like to students. They will not be accepted.
-Encourage students to remember their Chromebooks, lunches, gym clothes, musical instruments, etc. We do not have staff to deliver these items, nor do we call the classrooms to have the students come down and pick up the items.
-Make afterschool arrangements with your student before school, if possible. We do not interrupt classrooms for these types of messages.
We believe that taking these simple steps will reduce interruptions to the classroom and will help our students stay more focused on their learning.
No Visitors
During this unique time, we are not allowing visitors into the building unless it is under special circumstances or by appointment only. If you do have a scheduled appointment you will need to present a valid ID in order to enter.
OMS Telephone Directory
Main Office: 444-8700
Attendance Voicemail: 444-8705
Nurses Office: 444-8706
Nutrition Services: 444-8716
Police Liaison: 444-8789
Owatonna Bus Company: 451-5262
Kids First/Middle School Athletics: 444-8504
Chromebook Technology Hotline: 444-8630
Frequently Asked Questions...........
My child has an unplanned absence. What should I do? Call the attendance line at 444-8705. Leave your child’s name, grade and a reason for absence. To ensure the health and safety of all students and staff, please list specific symptoms of illness for Public Health Tracking. Please leave parent's name and a phone number where we can reach you at in case we have further questions.
My child is going to be absent in the future. How should I handle this? You may call the attendance line in advance at 444-8705. Leave your child’s name, reason for absence and the date(s) they will be gone.
If I have questions about my child’s attendance, who should I call? You may call Mrs. Denton at 444-8711.
My child will be late coming to school due to an appointment or leaving early due to an appointment? What should I do? For late arrivals: Please call the attendance line at 444-8705 before 9:00 am. State your child’s name and reason they will be arriving late. When they arrive, they may enter through the 15th St NE doors and go directly to the office to check in with Mrs. Denton to get a pass to class.
For early dismissals: Call the attendance line before 9:00 am. Leave your son/daughter’s name, reason for dismissal and the time you want them dismissed. They will receive a pass before their departure time. They may keep this pass to show their teacher. The student then proceeds to the 15th St NE doors and shows the Security Guard their pass. When they see you pull up, they may head out to your vehicle. It is not necessary to come in to the building.
The 15th St NE entrance are the only doors students may enter and exit through between 8:10-2:40 pm.
Can my child get homework if they are absent? Homework can be requested if the student has been gone more than two days. You may call or email the teachers to gather the homework. Typically we require one full school day to gather the homework for students. If possible, the teachers may email you the homework; otherwise, it may be picked up in the office at the end of the school day.
How is my child doing in school? Parent Portal is a very useful tool to follow your child’s progress in school with grades and attendance. If you have not yet requested a username and password, please contact your child’s counselor.
Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa: Students A through K 444-8724
Jessica Procopio: Students L through Z 444-8548
If you have any questions about grades or assignments, please contact your child’s teacher. If you are concerned about a pattern that you are seeing with academics, please contact your child’s counselor. Their contact information can be found on the website.
Conferences are also held two times per year. You are encouraged to attend with your child. The dates are October 22 and 26 and again on March 11. All conferences are held in the gyms and run from 3:30-7:00 pm. (These dates may be subject to change.)
Who do I contact if I am concerned about my child’s mental health and personal well being. Please contact the school social worker that corresponds to your last initial.
Sue Schroeder: Students A through K 444-8727
Chely Flores: Students L through Z 444-8719
How do I pay on my child’s lunch account? There is a payment box outside the office where your son/daughter can drop off payments. Please put it in an envelope and write your child’s full name and grade. You may also pay online on the My Payments Plus site. It can be found on the OMS Homepage.
We are at home and having problems with our Chromebook, who do I call? Please call the Chromebook Technology Hotline at 444-8630 or fill out this form.
I have to work late and want to pick up my child late. Can they just hang out at the school? Can I drop them off early? All students must be dropped off after 7:55 a.m. and picked up by 2:50 p.m.
School Funding is on the Ballot - Information Session October 5
Referendum Information Session: Oct 5, 6:30pm
Learn more about the Owatonna Public Schools operating levy requests at an October 5, 6:30pm information session. You can attend in-person at the Owatonna High School Small Group Forum, or watch online from the comfort of your own home. The livestream link will be available on the Levy 2020 website: isd761.org/levy .
Owatonna Middle School
Website: https://oms.isd761.org/
Location: 500 15th St NE, Owatonna, MN, USA
Phone: 507-444-8700
Twitter: @Owatonna_MS