Howdy Trailblazers
October 4 - October 9, 2021
Greetings from Principal Bueno
Happy #Fall2021 Trailblazers! BIG thank you to all of our families who joined us for our PTA Back to School Bash Friday evening! The fall weather was perfect and it was wonderful to see so many of our families sign-up for PTA membership and enjoy the fun evening. Thank you all for your support, our campus and PTA appreciates it!
It's very hard to believe that we are already heading into the 6th week of school! Progress reports for 1st-5th grade students are now posted in HAC. Pre-K and Kinder progress reports were printed and sent home on Friday. Teachers will soon be contacting parents to schedule fall in-person parent conferences to discuss students' current levels of academic progress. As a reminder, the 1st 9 weeks report cards will be posted to HAC on October 22 at 4:00 p.m.
There are a number of events coming up in the next few weeks on campus. Please see below to add dates to your calendars. We want to encourage families to join us for our first Ott Spirit Night at the Burger Boy located on Potranco Rd. this Wednesday evening. Please remember to let the cashier know you're representing Ott Elementary in order for our campus to receive credit for all sales between 5:00 - 9:00.
Please also join us by supporting World Day of Bullying Prevention by wearing blue on Monday, Oct. 4 followed by celebrating and acknowledging World Teachers' Day on Oct 5. Please take a moment to #ThankATeacher for all that they do. I couldn't be more proud of our teachers for rising to the many challenges they have experienced in the last year and a half. They are true heroes and I am grateful everyday for their continued dedication and support of our Trailblazers.
PTA is still looking for adult male Ott WATCH D.O.G.S. and will be hosting a pizza party evening on Oct. 6th from 6:30 - 7:30 outside in our amphitheater for those interested in our program. The evening will include general information and sign-up volunteer opportunities for this academic year. Our October PTA meeting is scheduled for the evening of Oct.12 at 6:00 in our cafeteria followed by our Storybook Pumpkin Painting party from 6:30 - 7:15 hosted by our Ott Early Childhood department. We are very fortunate to have an active PTA board and I can't thank the them enough for their consistent support of our students, staff, and community. Thank you PTA for all that you do for Ott Elementary, we love you all! The evening is going to be a lot of fun and we are looking forward to seeing our families join us!
Make it an Ott-some week Trailblazers! #RootedAtOtt #TeachersCan #BlueUpTogether #StompOutBullying
Principal Bueno
Important Updates
It’s Time for Socktober!
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
How do I communicate with the school if my child has seasonal allergies, chronic migraines, gastrointestinal issues, asthma, etc.?
If there is a medical history of these symptoms, please provide a Dr.’s note to the school nurse for documentation. Students will be assessed by the school nurse to determine if there is a change in the student’s normal baseline.
What procedure will be followed if my student shows symptoms of COVID-19 while at school?
Students showing symptoms of illness will be assessed by the school nurse and monitored until they can be picked up by their parent/guardian.
School nurses have the ability to perform COVID-19 rapid testing for students whose parents/guardians have given consent to do so.
Students with symptoms who are not wearing a mask at the time of arrival to the clinic will be offered a mask to wear and the parent/guardian will be notified.
What do I do if my student is sent home from school with a fever (100.0 degrees or greater) and/or any other symptoms of COVID-19?
Contact your healthcare provider for guidance.
If the student has symptoms of COVID-19 and is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, the student should not return to school until after at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Additionally, at least 24 hours must have passed since the student had a fever (without fever-reducing medications) and the student has had improvement of additional symptoms (cough, etc.). These three criteria should be met for readmittance on campus.
If the student is evaluated and is diagnosed with another condition, the student may return to school prior to 10 days with a healthcare provider’s note. The student must also be fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. A COVID-19 test is not required if an alternate diagnosis is received from the provider.
When can my student return to school after being diagnosed with, and/or testing positive for COVID-19?
Three criteria must be met for readmittance on campus: 1) at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared 2) at least 24 hours have passed since the student had a fever (without fever-reducing medications) 3) the student has had improvement of additional symptoms (cough, etc.).
If the student has tested positive or has been diagnosed with COVID-19 but has not had any symptoms, at least 10 days must have passed since the date of the positive test/diagnosis.
What do I do if my student is a close contact to a person with COVID-19 and has not been vaccinated?
Contact your healthcare provider for testing and symptom guidance.
If the student is asymptomatic, parents may choose to quarantine their child but are not required to do so.
Quarantine is necessary for a student who is a household member of someone who has tested positive. Please contact your school nurse for any questions.
It is important to monitor for symptoms to include checking temperature twice a day.
Fully vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine if exposed to a positive case as long as they are not having any symptoms themselves.
Individuals are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after they received their final dose.
Vaccinated individuals with exposure to a positive case and having symptoms will need to complete a 10-day isolation period unless they have a physician's note to clear them to return sooner. Per guidance from the local health department, a negative PCR alone will not suffice for them to return sooner.
Travel Guidelines for unvaccinated individuals: No quarantine is necessary for domestic or international travel as long as there is no history of exposure and the individual is not exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms.
Please Slow Down
Important Message Regarding TikTok Challenges
NISD administrators have been made aware that there are planned TikTok challenges circulating related to student behavior at school.
September's TikTok challenge was all about students vandalizing bathrooms and destroying school property. October's new challenge is termed "smack a staff member on the backside." Police are warning students these viral TikTok's are much more than just challenges. They are criminal offenses as some of these challenges are bordering on assault.
Please speak with your child about the serious nature of these challenges and help educate them that these are not appropriate for school. Any student who chooses to carry out any of these challenges at school will be subject to school and police consequences. If your child has any information on these occurrences at school, please encourage them to speak to their principal or another trusted adult at school.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter!
From the Superintendent: Reunited In-Person
NISD Reunited Safely
NISD will continue to consult with and review the guidance issued by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), as well as local, state and national public health officials. Additionally, any order issued by the governor’s office will be followed.
For a list of general guidelines to start the school year, click here.
Dyslexia Awareness
Free Internet
Helpful Resources
Parent Accounts in Schoology
- Parents who had an account for the 2020-2021 school year can still access the account.
- Parents can reset their password using the "Forgot Password" link.
- If creating a new account, parents will need their student's access code. Contact your child's teacher for the access code.
- For additional assistance refer to this resource: Parent Accounts in Schoology FAQ.
Free Meals!
Partner Portal Benefits Employees and Businesses
The NISD Partnerships Office brings together NISD schools, business and community partners. Partners can join the NISD Partner Portal to feature products, services and discounts for Northside employees and families. Partners will need to complete this form to join. For assistance, please contact the Partnerships Office at 397-8599.
Please Join Us!
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
State-Mandated Shots Available at Mobile Clinics
University Health System is offering a convenient way for parents to stay up-to-date with their child’s immunizations and receive flu shots. There are a number of state-mandated immunizations that are required for students to remain in school.
Parents of students needing shots have been contacted, and your attention to this matter is appreciated. For questions, check with your physician or school nurse.
Their mobile clinic will visit the following Northside ISD locations in October on the dates/times listed:
- Oct. 5 – Rayburn MS – 1400 Cedarhurst, 78227 – 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Oct. 6 – Hobby MS – 11843 Vance Jackson, 78230 – 2 to 4:30 p.m.
- Oct. 12 – Mireles ES – 12260 Rockwall Mill, 78253 – 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Oct. 13 – Clark HS – 5150 DeZavala Road, 78249 – 2 to 4:30 p.m.
- Oct. 19 – Stinson MS – 13200 Skyhawk, 78249 – 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Please call 210-358-7020 or visit www.healthyUexpress.com to make an appointment or for more information.
In order to respect social distancing guidelines, all appointments must be scheduled in advance.
For additional details and a list of required vaccinations, click here.
For information on immunization exemptions, visit the Department of State Health Services website.
NISD Special Education Community Resource Fair 2021
Free COVID-19 Testing
Free Flu Shots
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
Oct. 4
- Socktober starts through 10/29
- World Day of Bullying Prevention - Wear Blue
- Fall Bookfair through 10/8
- Fall Pictures
- World Teachers' Day 2021
- WatchDOG Pizza Night from 6:30 - 7:30 outside in the amphitheater
- Bike Rodeo
- Student Holiday
Oct 12
- PTA Meeting @ 6 pm in the cafeteria
- Storybook Pumpkin Painting Party (ECSE/ECC/PK) @ 6:30 in the cafeteria
- Boy Scouts of America Recruiting Night in the cafeteria @ 6:30
- Pink Out-Wear Pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness
- Report Cards post to HAC
- Red Ribbon Week through 10/29
- Monster Mash 5-8