Howdy Trailblazers
March 21 - April 1, 2022
Greetings from Principal Bueno
Welcome back Trailblazers! I hope you all had a wonderful Spring Break! I know for so many it was a nice opportunity to disconnect and recharge. :)
BIG THANK YOU to our Ott-some volunteers to take time out of their busy schedules to support Field Day. The day wouldn't have been a success without your time and energy! Much love to all of our volunteers! We appreciate you. :) There will be plenty of more volunteer opportunities this spring to include our upcoming campus beautification project; Love Ott Day. Volunteer information and details of the event can be found below.
Student Data Verification will begin this week for all students in grades EE/PK through 11th grade for the 2022-2023 school year. All guardians will receive an email from HAC announcing the process has begun and will request for you to complete the process through HAC. This data will be utilized to ensure registration for the 2022-2023 academic year for currently enrolled NISD students. Ott students will not be assigned a teacher for 22-23 until this process is complete, and students could be sent to cap/cluster campuses if available spots fill before completion.
April is around the corner and it's School Library Month! April 4th is National School Librarian Day annually, and since that falls on a Monday this year, that means we've got the whole week to celebrate our Ott-some Librarian, Cynthia Molinar! Please mark your calendar that week to acknowledge all of the ways Mrs. Molinar and our school library program impact student achievement at Ott! What do our Trailblazers love about our school library and Mrs. Molinar? Please help us in celebrating by creating cards and posters for Mrs. Molinar.
As a reminder we highly encourage our students to read daily for at least 15-20 minutes for primary grade levels and 30-50 minutes for our intermediate grade levels. Our Ott-some Librarian Mrs. Molinar allows our students unlimited books to be checked out. Please encourage your child to bring books home from our library to read! Parents are also welcome to check out books from our library as well. We also recommend visiting the following link after logging into the NISD Student Portal --> Elementary Digital Resources. Here families will find resources available to support reading, math and various academic subjects for their child from home.
Lastly, we are looking forward to hosting this year's First Lego League Qualifier this Saturday. Thank you to our GT Specialist Mrs. Runner for facilitating the event and for sponsoring our Lego Robotics team this year. It's going to be a busy and exciting day on campus. Please come by to support our Trailblazers and to experience a very exciting event. The day will begin at 8:00 a.m. and conclude at 3:00 p.m.
Make it an Ott-some week Trailblazers!
Principal Bueno
2022 Ott Fiesta Medals!
Love Ott Day April 2 - Campus Beautification
We are bringing back #LoveOttDay! As we prepare for the event we are still in need of $10 gift card donations from Home Depot, Lowe’s, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, H.E.B. and Amazon. Please send in your gift cards donations to your child’s teacher or you may drop them off in the front office. BIG THANK YOU to our Ott-some families who have already donated gift cards!
We also need VOLUNTEERS! Please click on the link below if you’re interested in volunteering your time to the event. There are volunteer shifts available. #RootedAtOtt #CampusBeautification
National Associate Principals' Week - April 4 -8, 2022
Ott Fiesta Parade - April 7
Ott Fiesta Parade Family Project
Fiesta Family Night - April 12
Campus Educators of the Year Named; District Winners to be Announced March 29 & 30
Congratulations to Northside’s 219 campus first year and veteran educators of the year for the 2021-2022 school year.
They will be recognized at two special celebrations in their honor beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Brennan High School auditorium. Family, friends, and coworkers are invited to attend the events. For those that cannot be there, each celebration will be webcast here live, per the following schedule.
- Elementary First Year and Veteran Educators of the Year – Tuesday, March 29
- Secondary First Year and Veteran Educators of the Year – Wednesday, March 30
The District Educators of the Year, as well as Northside’s nominee for the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Teaching, will be announced during these events.
For a complete list of campus educators of the year, click here.
Why is Northside proposing School Bond 2022?
Zip Codes Should Not Determine the Quality of Education
School Bond 2022 proposes to address aging facilities to provide the best teaching and learning environment for all NISD students.
If approved, the majority of the bond monies would go to improving existing schools, although there is one new elementary school proposed to deal with growth in the western part of the district.
Almost half of NISD’s schools are 30 years or older, the oldest nearly 75 years old. The projects proposed will impact all geographical areas of the district.
“We have said for years that we don’t want zip code to determine the quality of a facility or the quality of a teacher that students are exposed to,” says Dr. Brian Woods, Superintendent. “This work, almost 95 percent of this bond proposal, is meant to meet those goals – to go to those older campuses and bring them up to the same standard as our newer campuses.”
Elements of the proposal include some of the same things that homeowners deal with including replacing air conditioners and heating units, electrical lighting upgrades, plumbing needs, roof replacements, and much more.
Attendance Matters
Northside continues to ask you to make your child's attendance a priority. Research shows that school attendance leads to future success and brings numerous benefits to students, including higher academic achievements.
Texas Education Code states that the students must be present in class 90% of the time in order to earn course credit or be promoted to the next grade level.
When students are tardy to school, they are missing valuable morning time with their class. Morning meetings begin promptly at 7:45 and this time allows for students to get ready for a successful day. We will begin recording tardies to school (arriving after 7:45 am).
As a reminder, not only do absences lead to learning loss, they can also lead to social-emotional deficiencies. We encourage all parents and students to make school attendance a top priority except for time when the student is sill. Be sure to send a note upon your student's return to school.
From the Superintendent Dr. Woods
Register to Vote for NISD Bond Election
In order to participate in the Northside ISD May 2022 Bond Election, you must be registered to vote! Don't miss the April 7 deadline. Register to vote at www.VoteTexas.Gov.
Grab Your Sneakers and Support NEF!
Help keep the beat going at Northside Education Foundation’s (NEF) annual 5K Run/Walk set for 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 30 at O’Connor High School presented by Cathy Naiser, Realtor powered by The Castillo Group. Early registration deadline is April 8. Please indicate you're supporting the Ott Elementary team when registering!
Any student groups or PTAs interested in volunteering and earning community service hours will need to contact Assistant Director of Development, Melody Mejia at melody.mejia@nisd.net or 210-397-7802.
New Student Registration for 2022-2023
All new student registrations for K-12 will begin on Tuesday, January 18. As in the past, registration will be done online. Pre-K registration will run from April 4- April 29.
2022-2023 Student Validation Begins Monday March 21
Save the Date: Pre-K Enrollment for 2022-2023 April 4-29
Ott 22-23 Pre-K Round Up
An Update Regarding Acceptable Use of Technology Resources
Northside ISD will soon be implementing a software tool that will assist in identifying inappropriate language being used by students while logged into their NISD-provided Google account. This tool will be set-up to flag inappropriate language used in the Google suite of applications (i.e., Chat, Gmail, Docs, etc.) and automatically send the student an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) violation email notifying them of the potential violation.
The goal of this new approach is to help curb the misuse of instructional resources by reminding students of the District's ability to identify and review inappropriate student communication on their District account. Most importantly, it is a great opportunity to reiterate to students the importance of practicing good digital citizenship while online.
Thank you for your help in keeping all of NISD students' Tech Safe. Any questions regarding this process can be sent directly to TechSafe@nisd.net.
COVID-19 Testing Offered Weekly for Students & Staff at Ott Elementary - Every Monday Morning
Sleeves up! NISD hosts COVID vaccine clinics
Looking for a Vaccine Clinic or Testing Site?
NISD has launched a website that lists all vaccine clinics and testing sites within the District.
Request for Student COVID -19 Vaccination Documentation
Thank you in advance for your support. Please contact Nurse Irma Rosas-Tijerina at (210) 397-5550 or irma.rosas-tijerina@nisd.net for additional questions or concerns.
Student Devices to be Returned to School
Please contact your child's teacher if you need your child's login credentials. If you do not have access to the internet at home you can contact the NISD Student Hotline at (210) 397-0020 to request a wireless hotspot.
NISD COVID-19 Information for Parents/Guardians
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Fever or chills
Diarrhea
Cough
Headache
Shortness of breath/difficulty
New loss of taste or smell breathing
Sore throat
Fatigue
Congestion or runny nose
Muscle or body aches
Nausea or vomiting
Additional COVID-19 Information:
- The use of facemasks is still strongly encouraged for all students, staff, and visitors while indoors at all District facilities.
- If you or your child is symptomatic or ill, stay home and/or consult with your medical provider. Individuals who have confirmed cases of COVID-19 will be asked to isolate for a minimum of 5 days or until symptom-free. We will continue to ask that individuals living in the same home as a COVID-positive individual also remain isolated for 5 days depending on vaccination status. Review the Cityof San Antonio Metro Health District’s Health Advisory issued Dec. 28 for more information.
- As a reminder, free COVID-19 testing is available from Metro Health at Farris Stadium (8400 North Loop 1604 W, San Antonio, TX 78249) and Inselmann Field (kiosk near ticket booth) at the Hardin Athletic Complex (7001 Culebra Rd, San Antonio, TX 78238). Appointments must be scheduled.
- Strongly consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine for you and all eligible individuals in your home. Everyone ages 5 and up are now eligible for a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. You may also call 311 for vaccine information and resources related to COVID-19.
In addition, District staff will continue to follow our cleaning and sanitizing protocols at all facilities and on all school buses.
Please contact Nurse Irma Rosas-Tijerina at (210) 397-5550 or irma.rosas-tijerina@nisd.net for additional questions or concerns.
Northside Threads Shelves Need Filling
The holidays are over but the giving spirit is still needed to stock the shelves and racks at the Northside Threads, our District clothes closet.
Many thanks to everyone who donated over the holiday season or adopted a student off the clothesline. Due to the generosity of many, the needs of 50 students were met. Threads has served a record number of students this school year. “Anyone can be part of the solution to support students in need with clothing to ensure they can be present more days in school,” said Yolanda Chapman, Family Engagement Coordinator.
Ways to help:
- Donate: Clean out closets and bring any gently used items to Threads to benefit a NISD student. All clothing is free to NISD enrolled students.
- Donation Drives: Schedule a donation drive to help Threads get some of their most needed items like new underwear and jeans. For more information on organizing a drive call 210-397-8930.
- Volunteer: Feel free to call Threads and schedule some time to volunteer and assist in getting items sorted, washed, tagged, and ready so students can have fresh clean clothes to select. For more information, call 210-397-8930.
Ott Student Council Store Back in Business
NISD School Health Advisory Council
The NISD School Health Advisory Council (SHAC), in partnership with the American Heart Association, has created a March Smore for your families. This month's Smore highlights March as National Nutrition Month.
Theme Park Tickets on Sale - Low Prices
The Northside Education Foundation (NEF) office sells Six Flags Fiesta Texas tickets for the low, low price of $34. That's the lowest price in town! They also have SeaWorld San Antonio tickets priced as low as $65. Call (210) 397-8599 for details or go to nisd.net/community/nef.
Some proceeds from sales support NISD teachers and students
Buy Historic NISD Fiesta Medals
The Northside School Museum Association is selling vintage Fiesta medals designed by NISD students.
These limited-edition collectibles can be purchased at the NISD Partnerships Office. The medals are only $3 each or two for $5 and funds benefit the School Museum, located in the old Leon Valley School at Bandera and Grissom roads. The medals will sell out!
Email maxine.bratton@nisd.net for additional information.
Helpful Resources
Stay Connected with NISD
While one-on-one communication is the best, in a district as large as Northside ISD it is sometimes difficult. Because we want our parents to stay informed, NISD has several ways that parents and other interested citizens can stay informed about the successes and challenges of San Antonio’s premier school district of choice, as well as find out news about their children’s schools.
Follow Ott on Social Media
Please don’t forget to stay connected by following and "Liking” Ott Elementary and Ott PTA on:
- Facebook @ottelementary and @OttElemPTA
- Twitter @NISDott and @ott_pta
- Instagram @nisd_ott and @ottelementarypta
Thank you to those who have joined us this year, we appreciate your support. We encourage everyone to follow us on these social media arenas.#RootedAtOtt
Free Meals!
21-22 P-EBT Update
For additional assistance, parents may contact the NISD Free & Reduced Office.
Office phone: 210-397-4517
Email: free-reduced@nisd.net
Ott Counselors Care
Library News
Ott OASIS Tutoring Program
Who: Caring adults over 50 years old who want to make a difference with our Ott students.
What : Oasis Tutors are active older adults who love reading and making a meaningful contribution to the Ott Community.
Why: NISD supports the Oasis national non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of mature adults and engaging them in community service. The Oasis Tutoring Program supports Reading Achievement, builds interest and motivation, models language and oral expression, and encourages response to text.
How: Just fill out the bottom of the form that was sent home with your child and return it to your child's teacher.
When: Oasis Training will take place soon for preparation and supplies. As soon as Volunteers have their training with the district, a student will be paired up with an Oasis Mentor. Weekly 1 hour tutoring sessions and the partnership will begin.
Important Dates
3/28
- Community Labs COVID Testing @ 10:00 a.m.
- OCCB: Wear your favorite college shirt
- Associate Principals Month
- Autism Awareness Day (wear autism shirt)
- Child Abuse Prevention Month
- Military Child Month
- Love Ott Day from 8:30 - 12:30
- Individual & Group Pics
- National School Librarian Appreciation Day
- Community Labs COVID testing @ 10 am
- 4th Grade field trip to the Witte Museum
4/7
- Fiesta Parade @ 8:15
- Fiesta Parties
- School Holiday
- Apex Fun Run starts
- Community Labs COVID testing @ 10 am
- GT Showcase @ 5 pm
- NISD Bond Presentation @ 5:30 pm
- Ott Academic Night and PK Round up @ 6 pm
- Purple Up for Military Kids Day (wear purple)
- School Holiday
- National Volunteer Week
- Community Labs COVID testing @ 10 am
- Student Early Dismissal @ 11:45
- Apex Fun Run from 8:10 - 11:40
- Progress Reports Posted to HAC
- Student Council Store open from 7:15 - 7:40
- Administrative Professionals Week
- After School Professionals Appreciation Week
- Community Labs COVID testing @ 10 am
- OCCB Day
- STAAR Spirit Rally @ 8 am