Otsego Elementary Extra
Principal's Weekly Update - September 15, 2017
What is 2nd and 7?
The 2nd & 7 Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Columbus, Ohio. Three former Ohio State University football players, Luke Fickell, Ryan Miller and Mike Vrabel, started the foundation in 1999. Inspired by their involvement in various community outreach programs as student athletes, they decided to continue making a difference by promoting literacy and providing positive role models for children in central Ohio. Since that time, their outreach has grown into a national effort to pay it forward.
The purpose of the 2nd & 7 Foundation is to help promote literacy. The foundation focuses on serving schools where the need is great and on communities where we can make the biggest impact. With that in mind, we created the "Tackle Illiteracy" program.
Student-athletes from universities and high schools across the nation are a huge part of our program. They are out in the schools each week, reading to kids, handing out books, and reminding the 2nd graders why reading is so important. They also use the themes in the Hog Mollies books to reiterate valuable life lessons.
At Otsego, our very own high school athletes come over to the elementary school every 2nd Tuesday of the month to read to our 2nd Graders. The foundation sent us all the books for free, and the students each get to take a copy home. It is a great time, and the students LOVE getting their books "autographed" by the athletes. Tuesday, was our first day of 2nd and 7 for the year, and it was wonderful as always! (Check out the pictures below!)
Staff Spotlight: Jenn Fallon
Spirit Wear
What is PBIS?
State Testing Dates Set
Parents - PLEASE do everything you can to ensure your students are at school on the days that they have state testing. If they are sick, we will have make-up days, but would appreciate if all healthy students could be here on their testing dates. Thank you!
3rd Grade Fall ELA Test - October 24th and 25th
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Spring ELA Test - April 11th and 12th
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Spring Math Test- April 17th and 18th
5th Grade Science Test- April 24th and 25th
5th Grade Camp
Phone Number Changes
Parents/Guardians,
If your phone number has changed and needs to be updated in our system PLEASE call the office with that information. There have been many recent issues where we do not have the right number or it has been disconnected when trying to contact a students parent or guardian. It is crucial that we have a working number in the event of an emergency.
Thank you
A Note from the School Nurse:
ATTENTION PARENTS/GUARDIANS:
This year we have the following over the counter medications listed on the enclosed document stocked in each office. Please fill out the form and return to school with your child. We are hoping to cut back on parents needing to bring medication in and/or prevent sending students home. Hopefully this makes it easier on parents, teachers and staff.
Several students have been bringing cough drops with them to school without a note. Students may not take these without written permission from a parent/guardian. We have this listed on the form as well.
As always if you have any questions please feel free to call me at 419-823-4381 ext. 4002.
Thank you,
Jane Gray RN, BSN
Transportation
Sign up to receive text messages from our Transportation Department!
The transportation department will send out a Remind alert when a bus is running at least 10 minutes late.
Using the directions below, sign up for one or more of the notification groups.
You may opt-out any time by texting ‘unsubscribe’ to the appropriate group.
High School & JH Buses (Bus Routes for grades 6-12 & Penta)
Text: @otsbus6-12 to 81010
Elementary Buses (Bus Routes for grades PK -5)
Text: @otsbuspk-5 to 81010
If you have any questions about bus routing information, please contact me at evasher@otsegoknights.org or 419-823-4381 ext. 3156
Food Service
Free and reduced applications: If your student was on free or reduced meals last year you must fill out a new application for this school year. The carryover period will be ending in a few days. Click here for the Free and Reduced application
If you don't fill out a new application and return it to the cafeteria prior to the end of the carry over period, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MEAL CHARGES YOUR STUDENT ACCUMULATES. These will not be covered under the new application.
Also if your student receives free or reduced lunches, they can also get free or reduced breakfast. Breakfast is served daily in the cafeteria. School Breakfast will give you more energy, keep your body healthy and improve your grades!
Breakfast available in the elementary and Jr High/High school cafeterias prior to the the start of school.
Price: Reduced .$30,Full Price $1.50 & Adult $1.50
If you have any questions, please feel free to call Jeanne Jeffers at 419-823-4381 ext.1104 or email at jjeffers@otsegoknights.org
Important Dates
2017-2018
September 19 - Grandparents Night, 5-6pm
October 3 - PTO Meeting, 6pm
October 9 - NO SCHOOL for students - District Professional Development
October 17 - Picture Retakes
October 19 - 5th Grade Music Performance, 7pm
October 20 - End of first nine weeks
October 24-25 - 3rd Grade ELA State Testing
October 27 - NO SCHOOL for students - Professional Development/Work Day
November 2-3 - NO SCHOOL - Conferences
November 7 - PTO Meeting, 6pm
November 14 - Family Fun Knight
November 16 - 4th Grade Music Performance, 7pm
November 22-24 - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break
December 5 - PTO Meeting, 6pm
December 7 - 3rd Grade Music Performance, 7pm
December 12-13 - PTO Holiday Shop
December 22-January 2 - NO SCHOOL, Holiday Break
January 3 - NO SCHOOL, District Professional Development/Work Day
January 9 - PTO Meeting, 6pm
January 15 - NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Otsego PTO
“There’s a Minion reasons to join PTO”
Check out the PTO on Facebook and follow on Twitter @OtsegoPTO
The next PTO meeting is October 3rd at 6:00 in the Elementary Library.
Otsego Elementary School PTO Spotlight
In addition to the funding PTO provides, they also host, organize and/or provide volunteers for a number of activities and opportunities for our students and staff throughout the year including:
*Picnic in the Parking Lot for Open Houses
*Dinner for the Teachers during conferences
*Monthly Restaurant Fundraisers (next one is September 28th at Panera - see below for more details)
*Holiday Shop (December 12-13, 2017)
*Box Top counting and submission
*Father/Daughter Dance - proceeds go to 5th Grade Camp
*Pancake Breakfast and Auction (March 3, 2018)
*Knights Run the Night 5K Run & 1 Mile Kids Fun Run (May 4, 2018)
*Teacher Appreciation Week
*Field Day Volunteers and Popsicles
*Air Extreme Volunteers
*School Supply Kits
Please consider supporting our PTO in any way you can (volunteering, attending meetings, planning events, providing supplies as needed, counting Box Tops, etc.). The next meeting is October 3rd at 6:00 in the Elementary Commons. Please come out to find out what you can do to support PTO and our students! If you are unable to make the meeting, but want to help - please e-mail opto@otsegoknights.org or visit their website at www.otsegopto.com
Support the Knight in Shining Armor Fund
The Circus is coming to Weston!
Community Events
Follow Us on Twitter
Preschool: @OtsegoPreK
Kindergarten: @OtsegoK1st Grade: @OtsegoFirst
2nd Grade: @OtsegoGrade2
3rd Grade: @OtsegoGrade3
4th Grade: @OtsegoGrade4
5th Grade: @OtsegoGrade5
School Counselor: @OEScounselor
Reminders
SAVE ALUMINUM CAN TABS
Please help our students by collecting tabs from aluminum cans. Each tab is easy to remove and can be donated to the Ronald McDonald House. The tabs help fund various projects for Ronald McDonald Houses and its visitors. Send the tabs in a bag to the school and our students will do the rest!
SAVE BOX TOPS
You can help the school earn money for supplies by collecting Box Tops. Our PTO collects and counts them and puts the money straight back into the school. (We earn 10 cents per Box Top). If you are able to collect a lot of these, it would be great if you could turn them in in groups of 50, but we will take them even if they are not grouped together.
Heard a rumor or have a question?
Katrina Baughman
Email: kbaughman@otsegoknights.org
Website: www.otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4005)
Twitter: @kbaughman723
Mike Wiley
Email: mwiley@otsegoknights.org
Website: www.otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4009)
Twitter: @PrincipalWiley
Elizabeth Syrowski
Email: esyrowski@otsegoknights.org
Website: http://oesknightscounselor.weebly.com/
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4010)
Twitter: @OEScounselor
Bonnie Armitage
Email: barmitage@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4001)
Jenny Helberg
Email: jhelberg@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4003)
Deputy Brian Ruckstuhl
Email: bruckstuhl@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (2099)