Updates from Mrs. Froning

December 12, 2021

Our Student Councils invites all students to join in "Spirit Week"

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Wednesday, December 15: No School for Students

Option Based Training

On Wednesday of this past week, you received a district communication regarding Options Based training. The Walled Lake Consolidated School District utilizes an “Options Based” (commonly known as ALICE) approach to school emergency/lockdown scenarios. Within this training, students and staff have the options to run, hide, fight (age appropriately) in the event that there is an active threat in the building.


Walled Lake Central High School students and staff made use of their training during the false alarm the school faced. Most staff and students stayed in their classrooms, barricaded the doors, remained quiet, and allowed for the police and the administration to assess, evaluate, and investigate the alleged threat. A small number of WL Central students ran out of the building as that was their choice within their training.

We are thankful that there was no credible threat and that our students and staff were never in any danger.


This coming week, each of our schools will have one day where building staff will be trained by local law enforcement along with the building administration in Options Based emergency response. In order to make this necessary training a reality, we will need to keep students home on each building’s designated training day to allow our staff and trainers to complete this important work. We recognize that this is inconvenient for parents and we apologize for this; however, we must continue to prioritize safety.


  • Oakley Park Staff Training Day (No School for Students) will take place next Wednesday, 12/15/21.
  • Oakley Park will have a school-wide training for students and staff in school on Thursday, 12/16/21.


Please note that I will send an email with additional details regarding the training that will take place on Thursday 12/16. You will receive this email on Monday, December 13. The Elementary principals have been collaborating together and with local law enforcement to ensure student training is developmentally appropriate and takes the needs of our elementary students into account. This training will NOT be ALL day, but rather, will last for about 1 hour while the rest of the day student will be engaging in their usual learning and activities.

This training is necessary so we can all be as prepared as possible to ensure the safety of everyone. Please know that we will have staff on-site to support any student who becomes overwhelmed with emotion during this time.


I continue to be so very grateful for a strong partnership between home and school!


Sincerely,

Kristin Froning

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSPORTATION

Despite an increase in applications and new hires entering the Dean Transportation training program, we’ve been informed that our recent bus route cancellations will remain with us for the next several weeks as new staff members are hired and trained. While we deeply regret the imposition this creates for our families, we acknowledge these cancellations were necessary to safely provide transportation services to as many of our WLCSD families as possible.

Out of fairness to the families already impacted by previous weeks’ cancellations, we will be cancelling different routes each week throughout the District to help share the burden this unfortunate situation creates.

Starting next week, December 13-17, the following buses/routes will be cancelled:

· Bus 129 - St Patrick's Shuttle, Walnut Creek MS, Oakley Park EL

The purpose of the Oakley Park learning community is to ensure social- emotional development for all students so they can reach their full academic and personal potential.

Oakley Park School Times

Drop off: 8:50 AM

First Bell: 8:55 AM

Tardy Bell: 9:00 AM
Dismissal: 4:00 PM
1/2 Day Dismissal: 12:25 PM


*Students who have access to Walled Lake Transportation will not be marked tardy at this time.

24 Hr Attendance Line: 248-956-4190

Reports Card will be available in Family Access after 4:00 pm Thursday, December 16th

Important Information Regarding Report Cards

Dear Elementary Families,

We are looking forward to sharing student progress in the coming weeks with you through our elementary report cards as well as conferences with our teachers. Last year, due to many logistical barriers involving reporting progress on students in virtual/remote settings as well as those transitioning back to in-person learning, we made some modifications to report cards and the reporting format. This year, however, with our students and staff back to in-person learning, we will once again return to our typical report card format. One exception that you may notice, though, is for our fourth and fifth grade students. At this point, we are asking teachers to continue to pause on assigning letter grades for science, social studies and mathematics. This is due in part to new curricular changes as well as the ongoing work with our elementary report card committee which is studying making recommendations in those areas this year. Thank you for your partnership in education! Please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher or the building principal for any additional questions regarding report cards this year.

Sincerely,

Catherine Kochanski

Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services

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Our annual Reflections contest is officially in the hands of the independent judges! Thank you to the following students for taking the time to get creative and share how they will change the world. Your work is impressive! We will have the results for the first round next week.


  • Isla Holdwick - Photography
  • Emmerson Savoie - Literature
  • Jack Toma - Visual Arts
  • Theodore Toma - Visual Arts
  • Claire Erickson - Visual Arts
  • Ava LaSota - Visual Arts
  • Hailey Koza - Visual Arts
  • Thomas Toma - Visual Arts
  • Grace Massoud - Visual Arts



Thank you for supporting the Fall Book Fair! The kids had so much fun shopping and browsing and it will bring a solid amount of funding right to our media center at OPE! Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time to assist with sales - we know it can be just as fun for us to be there!


Have a great week!

Jessica Maurer, OPE PTA President

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The updated school directory is here!

On Thursday, 10/21, you should have received an email from Directory Spot with a link to the directory.

If you are a member of the PTA and did not receive the email, please check your spam folder.

You can also access the directory by going to https://www.directoryspot.net and click “Login” and then “Reset Password”. Your username is your email address.

If you are not a member of the PTA and would like to be - You can join by clicking the below link.

https://www.oakleyparkpta.com/join-the-pta

Your membership provides funds that support academic activities, school field trips, school supplies and so much more!

You must join the PTA in order to access the school directory.

Important COVID Reminders

If a member of your household tests positive for COVID we strongly recommend a self-quarantine from last date of close contact, however WLCSD is not currently issuing quarantines.


Thank you for taking the necessary steps to help ensure the health and safety of our entire learning community.


If a student tests positive for COVID, they will be isolated for a minimum of 10 calendar days based on the recommendations from the OCHD. All families in that classroom will receive a letter regarding the positive case. The letter also reminds recipients to monitor their child's health closely and if he/she begins experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, stay home, consult your medical provider and get tested for COVID-19.


Click the below to view the WLCSD COVID-19 Dashboard.

Daily Health Checks

We continue to urge all families to check your child's health daily and make decisions that will keep our community healthy and safe. Please check for the following symptoms:


  • Fever/Chills
  • Cough
  • Fatigue
  • Headache Sore throat
  • Congestion
  • Runny Nose
  • Nausea or Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Muscle of Body Aches
  • New loss of smell or taste



If your child has any of these symptoms, please err on the side of caution and keep them home until their symptoms subside. We appreciate your partnership as we continue to work together to keep our community healthy and safe! Health and Safe!

Cold Weather Clothing Reminder

As the fall temperatures begin to drop, please note that our children do go outside for recess each day for about 20 minutes and should be dress for outside play.


Coats/Jackets

  • 40-50 degrees - Recommended
  • 39 degrees and below – Required

Hats/Gloves/Mittens
  • 40-50 degrees - Recommended
  • 39 degrees and below- Required


  • Boots and Snow Pants: REQUIRED if there is slush or snow (or mud)


Please Note:

● If your family needs financial assistance purchasing these items, please contact Mrs. Froning or your child's teacher. We are happy to help!

● Please label all clothing with your child’s name.

Mark your Calendars!

The 23rd Annual MLK Day Celebration

“Together We’re Better”

Each school is asked to participate in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration

on January 17th, 2022


Our Keynote Speaker is Rabbi Yarden Blumstein. Rabbi Yarden Blumstein is a teen mentor who creates awareness surrounding teen mental health and empowers teens to support one another in school and elsewhere. He directs UMatter, a division of Friendship Circle Michigan that focuses specifically on teens that are struggling with mental health challenges. Under the guidance of Rabbi Blumstein, UMatter operates on a peer-to-peer model of teens helping their peers overcome stigmas and other obstacles related to mental health.

Dr. MLK Jr. Express Yourself Contest

Who? You! The students of Walled Lake Schools.


What? Speech, essay, picture, poem, drawing, video, or any other way you

choose to express yourself.


How?

  • Express the theme, “Together We’re Better!” in your own unique way. There

are lots of possibilities for creating a project. It can be a piece of writing,

music, art, or other visual that shows how you want to make a positive

change and/or impact in the world.

  • Fill out an entry form (see below) and attach your entry to the form.

Why? We are looking for entries for our annual Walled Lake Schools MLK Day

Celebration on Monday, January 17, 2022.


When? Turn in your entry to your school’s office by Wednesday, December 15.

Seeking Nominations for the "Alec Bender Friend of Diversity Award

The Walled Lake Schools is currently seeking nominations for the “Alec Bender

Friend of Diversity Award.” This award will honor individuals who are true friends

of multicultural diversity in our school district and community. The honor will be

bestowed upon the recipient(s) at the district-wide virtual Dr. Martin Luther King,

Jr. Day Celebration on January 17, 2022.


WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Any staff member, student, parent, or community member.


WHO MAY NOMINATE?

Any person in the community may submit a nomination.

Nomination forms for the “Alec Bender Friend of Diversity Award” are available

in each school office. Please submit your nomination to your school office,

attention Principal, by the deadline of Wednesday, December 15, 2021.

Breakfast & Lunch Information

UPDATED: Mask Reminder

You may have learned that the Michigan Legislator questioned the Oakland County Health Division’s Mask Mandate based on the recent Michigan Budget Bill. Provided, the Governor’s statement and in consultation with our attorney, we are required to uphold the OCHD’s Mask Mandate. Moving forward, the mask criteria as of the beginning of this school year will remain in place. If the Governor or the OCHD make further changes in the future, we will communicate in a timely manner.


Meanwhile, this update is also reflected in our FAQs, available to all parents.


Due to this OCHD mandate, the following protocols are required:


  • Masks are required in all of our schools and facilities.
  • Masks are required on our buses.
  • Masks are not required outside (ex. recess).
  • Masks are not required while eating or drinking.
  • Mask Breaks: Please note that teachers will take their classes outside for periodic mask breaks throughout the school day.


Water Bottles: Please remember to send your child to school with a reusable, plastic water bottle. Our drinking fountains are closed. Refilling stations are still open.

Prime Time Care

Registration for Prime Time Care/Teen Club is now open. Due to technical difficulties, registration will NOT currently be online. Please use the link below to access the Prime Time Care webpage. Registration packets are also available in our lobby area.

2021-2022 Student Voluntary Accident Insurance

Staggered Dimssal times:

3:45 pm begin calling Owl Pick Up numbers & Student sign out

3:56 pm Walkers & Prime time and first of three bus numbers

3:58 pm continue calling bus numbers and student names


4:07 Buses depart from Oakley Park


*Owl Pick Up numbers and student names will continue to be called throughout the dismissal period.

Contact Information

Kristin Froning, Principal

Karen Clark, Principals Secretary

Kim Waling, Building Secretary

Main Office: 248-956-4100

Attendance Line: 248-956-4190

Prime Time Care: 248-956-4199