The Grove
Be Kind, Work Hard, Be Brave
A Note from Principal Graham
We are excited to announce that we are ready to begin our Readers are Leaders program. This coming week, we will launch our Readers are Leaders program with a Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) from 8:00-8:20 on Tuesday and Thursday. We encourage everyone to join us at home or at work these days to promote the importance of reading.
Our Spanish teacher, Mrs. Garay, has retired. For the first semester, Mrs. Brazell our Librarian will be joining our Related Arts team to promote and increase our student opportunities for reading. We will look for a qualified Spanish teacher candidate for the second semester.
With so many changes and new information this year, I have decided to send a weekly school newsletter. Hopefully, this helps keep our families up to date with any new information. Look for one every Friday in your email mailbox.
Please Keep the School Nurse Updated
As we are in these unforeseen times of Covid and entering flu season, we are needing all parents to keep us informed of any signs of sickness in your household.
STUDENT OUT SICK?
If your child is absent from school due to illness, please call or email the school nurse letting us know what is wrong with your child. Please be specific with symptoms such as fever, cough/congestion, sore throat, vomiting, and diarrhea, etc. This will allow us to better keep track of the types of illnesses currently in the school.
ANYONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD SHOWING COVID SYMPTOMS?
Please remember that if your child has a fever or any COVID-like symptoms, he or she will be required to go to the doctor for evaluation. In order to return to school, we will need a doctor’s note stating the student had a COVID test that was negative, the student has an alternative diagnosis and is being treated for that, or remain home in isolation for 10 days.
Also, please let us know if anyone in your household is being tested for COVID or has a positive diagnosis.
Contact the school nurse, Wendy Rea, at (803) 821-0120 or wrea@lexington1.net with any information, questions, or concerns. Thank you for your understanding.
Title I Information
This week some very important Title I documents were sent home with our students. Cohort A students brought this paperwork home on Tuesday, Cohort B students brought home the paperwork on Wednesday, and our virtual only students had the documents emailed out to them on Wednesday. This paperwork included the Family Engagement Policy, Family Engagement Highlight Page, School Compact, and the Parents’ Right to Know.
It is very important that you read these documents and return the signature page on the Family Engagement Policy. You can return this signature page by: 1. taking a picture of this page with your signature and emailing it back to mlewis@lexington1.net 2. Signing this form and dropping it by the front office 3. Mailing to OGES, 479 Oak Drive, Lexington, SC 29073.
If you have any questions about any of these forms, please feel free to contact one of our administrators at 821-0100 or Marie Lewis at 821-0150.
If you missed the Annual Title 1 Zoom meeting this week, you can view it by clicking on the link below and using the passcode.
Passcode: 1patriots!
Join SIC
Special Called Lexington One Board Meeting
Tuesday, September 22
Time: TBD
(Please check www.lexdistrict1.com for posted time)
Board meetings are also recorded and archived, providing the opportunity to be viewed at a later time.
Don't Forget Your Water Bottle and Mask
Please remember that students need to wear a mask each day. Grades PK-1 are not required to wear one in the classroom but it is highly encouraged. All students wear them when transitioning in the building. If a student needs one, we have them available.
Library News
As with many things this school year, our school library program is constantly changing. When schools closed abruptly last spring many students still had library books checked out. A large number of those books still have not been returned. If you have library books that belong to our school, or any school library in Lexington One, please send them back to Oak Grove with your student.
In the past, each class in Kindergarten through 2nd grade has had an assigned day to visit the library and exchange their books. Due to changes in the school schedule this year, library lessons will be a part of the Related Arts rotation for all grades for now. To preserve the school family model, the Related Arts teachers are working with one class per grade level for a week at a time. This means your student’s library book check out day could vary from week to week.
To help your child remember to return their library books, it would be a great idea to always keep their books in their book bag when they are not reading them. Older students who are reading longer chapter books should return their books when they are done reading them.
In exciting news, we are happy to announce that Ms. Jenny Matthews has joined our library staff as the Library Media Assistant this year. She has worked at Oak Grove for 7 years as an Instructional Assistant with Ms. Dudley in Kindergarten and was a substitute teacher at OGE for many years. Her two children attended our school. Welcome to the library, Ms. Matthews!
Look for information coming home next week about our school reading program, Readers are Leaders. The program will look and feel a little different this year so please read through the parent letter when your student brings it home.
If you have any questions about our library program please contact Ms. Brazell, OGES School Librarian, at dlbrazell@lexington1.net or 821-0113.
Math Video Read Aloud
Attendance Guidelines for Parents
School Counselor News
Your school counselors, Ms. Degnan and Ms. Daughtrey offer counseling resources through our new counseling website. If you or your children need to get in touch with them or are looking for resources, please visit https://sites.google.com/lexington1.net/ogescounseling/home.
Free Take Home Meals for E-Learning Days
All Lexington County School District One students can now receive free breakfast and lunch until December 31.
AA and BB students
- Can receive free breakfast and lunch at school on their face-to-face days. AA and BB students who also want to take home meals for their e-learning days must complete a form at the following link: https://www.lexdistrict1.com/departments/food-service-and-nutrition/index.htm
AA students, parents must complete by 9 a.m. each Tuesday.
BB students, parents must complete by 9 a.m. each Thursday.
Online Learning Academy students
- Can also receive free meals. Parents of Online Learning Academy students must complete their form by 6 p.m. each Tuesday. The link reopens each Friday at 1 p.m for the following week’s meals. You can find that form here. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd12KelNaIae9brhxAZsD-3CC2lk6Z2iPgQU9dJN8k6z7TmxQ/closedform
Online Learning Academy families can pick up meals each Friday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at any one of the district’s five designated drive-through locations (Carolina Springs Middle, Forts Pond Elementary, Gilbert Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary, White Knoll Elementary). Online Learning Academy parents must show their student’s school identification card to pick up meals.
Parents with questions should email Ashley Summers at asummers@lexington1.net.
Safety Procedures
New procedures are in place to maintain the safety of our students, staff, and parents.
Parents may walk their child/children to the entrance of the school but we ask that you do not enter the building past the front office.
Students in grades 2-5 are required to wear a mask. If they do not have one, we will provide one for you before you enter the building.
Students in grades PK-1 will wear a mask when riding the bus, entering/exiting the school, and in the hallway. They are highly encouraged to wear a mask in the classroom but it is not required.
Children will have time throughout the day to clean their hands and also provide mask breaks as we know wearing a mask during the school day will be a new learning experience.
In order to keep our staff and students safe, we are not allowing parents/guardians to deliver lunch or other items during the day.
We will be practicing social distancing in the classroom.
The students will be in one classroom during the day observing the family model. Social distancing will take place as movement occurs in the hallway.
Since we are in the family-style model, we will be eating lunch in our classrooms. We will be unable to accommodate having guests come to school to each lunch with their child or visit the classroom.
All rooms are equipped with hand sanitizer installed on the walls and individual pumps. We ask that everyone use our school provided hand sanitizer.
Feedback Driven Progress Reporting
PTA Meeting
Wednesday, September 30th at 4pm
Please join us virtually. Link below.
(US) +1 617-675-4444 PIN: 541 661 748 2638#
OGE Spiritwear For Sale
Check out the new OGE spiritwear shirt design. Students and even parents can order one. They are only $10 and can be ordered online using the link below.
Here at OGE, we are thankful to our PTA and all they do for the students, teachers, staff, and community. Please consider showing your support by joining the PTA. It only costs $5 to join and helps to support many different areas of the school and student involvement.
CLEAR HERE TO JOIN THE PTA AND PURCHASE SPIRITWEAR:
About Us:
Website: www.oges.lexington1.net
Location: 479 Oak Drive, Lexington, 29073
Phone: (803) 821-0100
Facebook: facebook.com/ogelementary
Twitter: @ogelementary
Lexington County School District One’s Nondiscrimination Statement
Lexington County School District One is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all students, parents/legal guardians, staff, visitors, personnel and community members who participate or seek to participate in its programs or activities. Therefore, the district does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or any related medical conditions), color, disability, age, genetic information, national origin or any other applicable status protected by local, state or federal law.
The district will use the grievance procedures set forth in policy to process complaints based on alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act of 1963; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008; and Titles I and II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
The district designates specific individuals to handle inquiries or complaints. To find out whom to contact and how to contact them, please go to our website at http://www.lexington1.net/contact-us.