Ocean Avenue School News
May/June 2019 ~ Volume 36, Issue 36
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL -- FRIDAY, JUNE 14 -- 12 NOON DISMISSAL TIME
As we enter into the final weeks of school, here are some dates to remember:
Dates Through June:
OAES Choir performs at the Sea Dogs on Wednesday, May 15 at 6 PM (Chorus students arrive at 5 PM at the Slugger statue.)
Learning Works Celebration of Learning at OAES on Thursday, May 16 at 4 PM
Fourth Grade Field Trip (All Classes) to Maine State Museum, Augusta on Friday, May 17
Arts Night (featuring Chorus, Strings, Band) in the OAES Gym on Wednesday, May 22 at 6 PM
Fourth Grade Field Trip to Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, NH on Thursday, May 23, 9 AM-2 PM
Incoming Kindergarten Orientation on Thursday, May 23, 3:30-4:30 PM
LAST DAY of LEARNING WORKS - Thursday, May 23
King Middle School Family Information Night on Thursday, May 23, 6-7:30 PM
Kindergarten Field Trip (All Classes) to Peaks Island on Friday, May 24, 8:45 AM-1:30 PM
NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day - Monday, May 27
Kindergarten Readiness Screenings at OAES - Tuesday, May 28
All City Concert (Band, Strings, Chorus) performs at Riverton Elementary on Wednesday, May 29 at 6:30 PM
Last Day of Learning Works after school on Thursday, May 30
Fifth Grade Step-Up Day (all fifth graders visiting their middle school) on Friday, May 31
Spring Fair ~ Potluck/Picnic on June 1
Third Grade Field Trip to the Portland Observatory - Monday, June 3, 9 AM-12 PM
Lyman Moore Middle School Family Information Night on Monday, June 3, 6-7 PM
Kindergarten Field Trip (All Classes) to Fort Williams Park on Wednesday, June 5, 9:30 AM-1:30 PM
OAES 2nd Annual Rainbow Walk on Wednesday, June 5, 2 PM, Ocean Avenue School
Elementary Track Meet at Fitzpatrick Stadium on Thursday, June 6, 9:30 AM-1:30 PM
Fifth Grade Boston Field Trip (All Classes) on Friday, June 7 (Depart: 7:15 AM from OAES and Return: 5:45 PM at OAES)
OAES Fun Run on Tuesday, June 11, 9-10:30 AM
Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony will be at 1 PM on Wednesday, June 12
Egg Drop will be at 9:30 AM on Friday, June 14
Last day of school, half-day release at 12 PM - Friday, June 14
First Day of School - Tuesday, September 3 (Grades 1-5)
First Day of School - Thursday, September 5 (Pre-K and Kindergarten)
FRIENDLY REMINDERS!
- NO SCHOOL - Monday, May 27 - Memorial Day
- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - Friday, June 14 - 12 Noon
- JUNE DISMISSAL REMINDER - Dismissals on Wednesdays returns to 3 PM for the month of June.
- PLEASE KEEP SPORTS EQUIPMENT HOME FROM SCHOOL. We have plenty of sports equipment to use at recess with our students. We would greatly appreciate it if students would not bring their own personal equipment (i.e. balls) from home. Thank you!
Trauma Support at OAES
We, at Ocean Avenue Elementary School, continue to add to our continuum of emotional supports for our students and have trained staff that are trauma informed. Incoming family will be receiving a Trauma Support Handout (see PDF link below) informing them about trauma and how we can help.
If you have any questions, please contact Chris Salamone or Karen Potenziano, Ocean Avenue Elementary School's Social Workers.
Classroom News and Happenings
Kindergarten News
SHARING THE PLANET: Reducing Human Impact
The central idea of this unit is: We share the Earth with all living things, and we can make choices to be good to our Earth. The key concepts emphasized within this inquiry are responsibility, connection, and reflection. Students are growing in their understanding of the impact that humans have on the environment and on ways to take care of the Earth. For example, “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.”
FIELD TRIPS
May field trips include a trip to the Maine Audubon to learn about pond life and a trip to Peaks’ Island to visit Peaks’ Island School and learn about the Peaks’ Island community.
Throughout the year, the Kindergarten classes have had the opportunity to participate in a variety of rewarding field trips and experiences. Many thanks to the PTO for their generous funding!
WHAT A YEAR!
It has been a great year for our youngest learners. They have grown in so many ways and are truly valued members of the Ocean Avenue Elementary School community.
Second Grade News
We are finishing up our hero studies in grade 2. We’d like to give a huge thank you to all the parents who took time to come in and talk to our students about heroes. Your contributions make this unit so rich and relevant. There are so many heroes among us!
In the next week, we will be starting our final IB unit of the year! In our Sharing the Planet unit, students will learn about the relationships between plants and animals. In reading, our students will start series reading and will be talking about books in book clubs. Our writers will end the year creating realistic fiction pieces. Please talk to your child about the series they are reading and about the realistic fiction pieces they are writing.
Third Grade News
Physical Education News
Students in Grades K-2 have been focusing on cooperative activities that highlight the foundational skills that they have already learned. Obstacle courses help the students understand the idea that movement is how they travel using their bodies.
The intermediate grades continue to work on striking skills using tennis equipment. Thank you to the PTO for providing us with new indoor tennis balls for this unit.
2019 ACES DAY Celebration!
May Music Notes
OAES Music Performances
Please save the dates and come hear our wonderful OAES musicians!
May 15th at 6pm: OAES Chorus sings the National Anthem at the Seadogs
May 22nd at 6pm: Chorus, Band, Strings performance at OAES
May 29nd at 6:30 pm at Riverton Elementary School: OAES Chorus joins students from all Portland Elementary schools to present an “all city” concert
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Materials needed:
Now that the Easter Bunny has come and gone, if anyone has any left over eggs that they want to donate to the music class please send them to Heather Sumner; Kindergarten and 1st grade classes will be making egg shakers and we’re looking for supplies for our project!
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Bravo!
Margo bean, Sophia Gavin, Evie Jones, Jack Jones and Bella McBrady attending the Elementary Honors Chorus Festival at Deering High School last month!
Art Room News
Library News
The Ocean Ave library is thrilled to be expanding our world language collection and will soon have hundreds of new, high-interest books in languages that represent our community. Our first shipment came in today, and they weren't even out of the box before they started flying off the shelf! Today's box includes 30 books in French, Swahili, Hebrew, Portuguese, Arabic and Spanish. (With many more to come!)
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The winners of the Chickadee and Maine Student Book Awards were just announced at our community meeting. Thank you to all who voted! And the winners are... Refugee, by Alan Gratz and Shark Lady, by Jess Keating and Marta Álvarez Miguéns. Which ones did your student read and love?
Nurse News
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is passed through the bite of an infected deer tick. People who work or play outside can be exposed to ticks. Ticks must be attached to the skin for 24-48 hours before Lyme disease is transmitted. Check for ticks daily and remove them before disease is spread.
The most common sign of Lyme disease is red, round rash with a red outer ring. This appears 3-30 days after a bite. Other symptoms include fevers, headaches, joint or muscle pain. Lyme disease can be treated with medication prescribed by a doctor. Avoid Lyme disease by:
- Keeping arms, legs and feet covered and wearing a hat.
- Use bug repellent.
- Perform daily tick checks after outdoor activities.
For more information, go to: www.maine.gov or call the Maine CDC at 1-800-821-5821.
Ocean Avenue Upcoming Events, News, Notices and More...
Welcome to Kindergarten!
Thursday, May 23, 2019, 3:30-4:30 PM
Ocean Avenue Elementary School
All incoming Kindergarten students and their parents are invited to attend!
This orientation will give you an opportunity to tour the school, visit classrooms, meet the Kindergarten teachers and other staff members, and ask any questions that you may have. We look forward to seeing you!
Save the Date ~ 2nd Annual OAES Rainbow Walk
Date: Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at 2 PM
Where: Ocean Avenue School Parking Lot
The rainbow crosswalks at OAES honors our diversity and represents our belief that everyone is equal and should be treated with dignity and respect no matter of race, religion, ability, gender, and sexual orientation.
Sincerely, OAES Civil Rights Team
Parents of 5th Graders!
As of the 2018/19 school year, all 7th graders need to show proof of pertussis (whooping cough) booster. Take advantage of your child's next physical to talk with your provider about vaccines. Ask for copies of any shots s/he receives and a "sports clearance" note. Provide these copies to your middle school nurse in the fall. Your child will need a physical exam every two years in order to play sports in middle and high school.
Feel free to contact me if you need help in finding a doctor or making an appointment.
Thank you,
Nurse Laurie
cPort Aspiration Essay Award Winners
The awards ceremony for this year's cPort Aspiration Essay Winners was held on Friday, May 10th. All students in grades 3 and 4 were given a t-shirt to mark the event.
Below are pictures of last year's winners, who visited the University of Southern Maine on Monday, May 13. Congratulations!
5-2-1-0 Every Day!
Summer Picnics! Have some fun with fruits and vegetables!
News from the PTO
We have a delicious opportunity for you to enjoy a meal with your family AND help the Ocean Avenue PTO this spring! Mark your calendars!
On Tuesday, May 28th, join us at Chipotle on Kennebec Street in Portland! Chipotle will generously donate 33% of sales made between 4-8 pm to the Ocean Avenue PTO! You'll need to present the flyer seen below in order to support OAES! We will also have printouts of the flyer available in the Main Office closer to the event.
Ocean Avenue Night at the Sea Dogs!
We are out of tickets at Ocean Avenue School, but tickets can still be purchased directly at the stadium tonight!
Join about 150 (and growing!) other Ocean Ave students and families for a Sea Dogs game at Hadlock field TONIGHT - Wednesday, May 15th!
There will be a pre-game parade that students and family members can participate in. All interested families should meet at the first base gate by 5 PM and ask for Allison Casiles.
After the first pitch will be the singing of the national anthem by the OAES Chorus! Chorus students should meet Heather Sumner at the Slugger Statue outside of the stadium at 5 PM.
We are hoping to have a volunteer try to reserve a section in the bleachers for our OAES group to all sit together. Please wear your OAES gear and be on the lookout for others!
Summer News...Info on Summer Reading, Schooling, Meal Sites & More!
Summer Reading 2019
The Portland Public Library is excited to announce its summer reading program for summer 2019 "Camp Out". The program will run for 8 weeks, beginning the week of June 17th.
The goal for students is to read or listen to at least eight (8) books this summer. Each student is required to complete at least eight (8) activities on the adventure map. Participants will be given a reading log and adventure map to record what they've read. The adventure map contains suggestions for reading as well as outdoor activities that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Children who visit the library during sign-up will also receive a ticket voucher to a Portland Sea Dogs game! Those children who reach the reading goal and return their logs to the library will receive a certificate, a book, and a coupon from The Gelato Fiasco. Reading logs can be turned in to any Portland Public Library starting on August 1st.
Learning Works ~ Summer 2019 Programming
LearningWorks Summer Camp is a free education program that serves students in grades 1-4 at eleven schools in Biddeford, Portland, South Portland, and Waterboro. Summer Programming at Ocean Avenue Elementary will be from July 8-August 8 from 9 AM-1 PM. Breakfast and lunch is provided.
- Focused on engineering (math, science and technology)
- This summer is all about bubbles! More engineering fun with "Bubble Bonanza: Engineering Bubble Wands". Students will explore how bubbles behave and investigate the properties of different materials as they engineer bubble wands. They will also enjoy weekly field trips, physical fitness, arts/cultural activities, and enrichment clubs ~ and, of course, have lots of fun!
- Monday through Thursday, July 8 - August 8
- Continued learning during the summer helps students succeed by stopping the "summer slide" and results in more academic confidence during the school year.
Contact: Portland Program Director, Amy Pichette: 207-775-0105, x164, or apichette@learningworks.me for more information or to register your child. Or, you can speak directly with OAES' Learning Works Coordinator, Jean Ward Brown, at 699-6196, to receive a Summer Camp Registration Form.
Summer Educational Opportunities
All Kindergarten-Third Graders ~ Join in the summer fun!
This 8-week Brain Gain: Read summer program combines reading and fun activities, including:
- Reader's Theater, Raz Kidz Lit, writing workshop, craft projects, and new books each week.
- Friday field trips.
- Access to all of your Boys & Girls Club's summer programs, open until 4 PM, Monday-Friday
****FREE with your Club membership (only $5.00 for the year).
Given the opportunity to read and learn over the summer, children are better prepared for the school year, they learn the value and love of reading -- an essential life-long skill. The data-driven literacy program has shown the participants retain or progress reading skills throughout the summer and have fun at the same time!
For more information, please contact Sarah Clark, Education Director, Boys & Girls Clubs, at 207-874-1069 x247 or sclark@bgcmaine.org.