Ocean Avenue School News
February 2019 ~ Volume 33, Issue 33
NO SCHOOL ~ FEBRUARY BREAK ~ Monday, February 18 through Friday, February 22
Kindergarten Registration
Pre-K Application and Kindergarten Registration ~ February 25-March 8, 2019
Do you have a child who will be…
- 4 years old by October 15, 2019-Pre-register your child for Pre-K
- 5 years old by October 15, 2019-Enroll your child in Kindergarten
Pre-Registration forms will be accepted from February 25 – March 8, 2019.
Pre-K Lottery will be held the week of March 11, 2019 to fill the available seats. You may pick up a Pre-Registration form at any of our Portland public elementary Schools, at Central Office, at our Multilingual Center, or online at www.portlandschools.org. Completed Pre-Registration forms should be returned to your neighborhood elementary school.
Kindergarten Enrollment will be completed online February 25 thru March 8, 2019.
- You may login to our website at www.portlandschools.org, click on “Families” and then “School Enrollment”. Once your registration is complete you will need to go to your neighborhood school and present supporting documents to have your online registration completed and verified.
- You may go to any of our public schools in Portland to use our online registration kiosk.
- If you speak a language other than English and would like assistance with your online registration, you may call to make an appointment at our Multilingual Center (874-8135).
You will need to present these documents to the school:
- Original proof of birth document (will be reviewed, not kept)
- Immunization records
- Proof of residency in Portland (electricity/cable/internet bill or lease agreement)
Principal's Message ~ 2nd Annual 5210 Math Night
Mark your calendars for our 2nd annual 5210 Math Night. It will be on Thursday, February 7, 2019 from 5-6 PM. A backpack notice and bus schedule was sent home with all students, but if you didn't receive this, please look below for all the information you need to know regarding Math Night and busing to and from school. We hope to see you there!
Kiss and Drop - No Parking Zone at Ocean Avenue
Please adhere to the parking rules at school. It is important for the flow of traffic and buses, and most importantly for the safety of our children.
Ocean Avenue is Currently in 6th Place in the CLYNK Challenge! WE NEED YOUR HELP!
The eighth annual CLYNK for Schools Recycling Challenge is taking place NOW through March 22, 2019. For every dollar raised in the Challenge period, OAES will receive a bonus 50 cent match from Hannaford Supermarkets, plus the opportunity to compete for other cash prizes provided by CLYNK. Please start collecting your returnables now and putting them aside for the challenge. CLYNK bags are available in the Main Office at Ocean Avenue.
OCEAN AVENUE IS CURRENTLY IN 6TH PLACE, BUT IT IS A LONG WAY TO 1ST! EVERY CAN AND BOTTLE WILL HELP! IF YOU HAVE SUPER BOWL RECYCLABLES THAT YOU ARE THINKING OF DONATING, PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE WILL SEND A BAG OR TWO HOME WITH YOUR CHILD! WE ONLY HAVE 50 DAYS LEFT!!
Last year, Ocean Avenue won the CLYNK Challenge, winning an additional $1,500 for our school, in addition to the funds raised from your redeemable container returns! In total, Ocean Avenue raised $4,077.08! Let's work together again this year to bring home the prize!
First ($1,500) and second ($1,000) prize will be awarded per state for schools who collect the highest number of redeemable containers. Third place ($500) will be awarded per state for schools that put forth an extraordinary effort, as identified by CLYNK. Cash prizes are awarded.
Thank you for your support! Happy CLYNKing!
News and Happenings from Our Specialists
Physical Education News
In Physical Education class, students have been working on object manipulation skills. Students in all grades are using basketballs, fleece balls and playground balls in activities that incorporate throwing, catching and dribbling. These are just some of the object manipulation skills needed for participation in both individual and team sports. Students learn to reflect on their practice and use what they have learned to improve their skills. They are also learning how they can improve their skills by understanding some basic science concepts like force and motion!
Library News
The new year has brought a lot of excitement to the library as we dive into poetry, award books and digital citizenship.
The 5th grade has begun to explore poetry and what it means to them. We began by looking at words and combining words with book spine poetry. Exploring the library shelves not only led to a discovery of new books we might like to read, but it also allowed for combinations of words and phrases that formed unexpected meanings or emotional response by creating poetry.
Important Information from Nurse Laurie
Thanks for your support in encouraging healthy habits and if anyone wants to donate a box of tissues, I am happy to accept!
- Nurse Laurie
HEADS UP for MARCH LITERACY MONTH!
FRIDAY, MARCH 1: 2019 READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY!
We will welcome guest readers into our classrooms at Ocean Ave. Guest readers will visit between 9:30 AM and 2 PM.
MARCH 4-8: POEM IN A POCKET WEEK!
Each grade will visit the Poetry Pile in the library and then share a chosen poem with a friend. Everyone can visit the posted poems around the building as well. Hallway poetry will remain posted through Conference days March 14-15.
THURSDAY, MARCH 28: FAMILY LITERACY NIGHT!
Our Ocean Avenue families are invited to come CELEBRATE WORDS from 5 PM to 6 PM. From 5-5:30 PM, we will have “spine poetry” and poem reading/recording in the Library, along with Build-A-Poem activities in the hallway. At 5:30 PM, families will gather in the Cafeteria to celebrate the Ocean Avenue results of Chickadee and Maine Book Award voting. We will then hear from our special guest Jonathan Warner discussing the BALANCE of technology use in our daily lives (think 5-2-1-0 limiting recreational technology time every day!) Light snacks will be available.
Clothing Closet Needs
While we have a decent supply of coats and hats still (Girls Size 8/10 coats we could use), we are in need of snow gloves (All Sizes), snow pants (Size 5/6 and 10/12 are needed most, although we will also take size 14/16) and snow boots (Small Sizes - Kids 13, 1, 2 & 3). We also have a need for NEW boys and girls underwear in size Small (4-6), Medium (6-8) and Large (8-10). Socks are always needed too! Please note that we give a few pairs of underwear and socks to all of our newcomer students.
Our other need right now is girls leggings/pants/tights and long-sleeve shirts in sizes 6, 8 and 10.
**With all the wonderful donations coming in, our clothing closet is in need of a few volunteers to help organize and sort. Please contact the Main Office at 874-8180 if you are interested in helping. We appreciate your help!
Thank you for your help and generosity!
The Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness
The The Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness is a non-profit organization that presented in each of our 1st through 5th grade classrooms in January. Their mission is to promote safe, respectful and inclusive schools and communities.
Their interactive, lively, hands-on activities allow children to:
- Understand that disabilities are an aspect of human diversity and do not define a person;
- Break down stereotypes about differences and similarities;
- Explore the power of unkind words, exclusion, and bias;
- Identify and role play solutions to disability-related mistreatment and bullying; and
- Practice empathy and inclusion.
Ocean Avenue Students engaged in the activities with inquiring minds and an open heart.
Take the #ReadtoME Challenge!
The Read to ME Challenge is a month-long public awareness campaign to promote childhood literacy in Maine held annually during the month of February.
The Read to ME Challenge is an opportunity to contribute to a child’s literacy growth by reading aloud to one or more children for at least 15 minutes. The steps for taking the challenge are listed below and you can access resources to promote the challenge through the links on the left hand side of this page. You can also read about how the challenge is spreading across Maine by visiting the Read to ME Challenge articles.
Steps for Taking the Read to ME Challenge:
- Read to and/or have a child/children read to you for at least 15 minutes.
- Read an engaging book, chapter of a novel, newspaper or magazine article, comics, nursery rhymes or poetry.
- Capture a photograph or short video (15-30 seconds) of yourself reading to the child.
- Use #ReadtoME or #ReadaloudME to post the photo or video on social media with your challenge to others to read aloud 15 minutes to a child or children they know.
- Recommended social media platforms include: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Youtube.
- If you live a distance from a child you’d like to read to, use Skype or Facetime to read aloud via digital means.
- If you are unable to complete the challenge within 48 hours, consider:
- Donating a book to a school or public library, a food cupboard, a homeless shelter or a little free library near where you live.
- Volunteering your time at a library.
- Singing to or having a conversation with a child (these methods build language, too).
Visit www.maine.gov/doe/readtome to learn more.
5210 In Action at OAES!
Our school was visited by a Snap Ed Educator today. Students enjoyed sampling a baby kale salad. Informal voting indicated that most students gave it a thumbs up!
Some of our Kindergarteners said, "I've got to get that recipe!" and "That was so good!"
This was delicious and fun! By trying new foods we may learn that we really like them!
Kale Salad Recipe: Kale is the main ingredient, but you can add as many other vegetables as you would like. :) The dressing is equal parts olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and maple syrup! YUM!
News from the PTO
Join parents, teachers, and community members for a really fun evening. Free admission, potluck dinner, donation bar, and a huge variety of items to bid on!
This year's silent auction is full of great items, experiences, and gift certificates! Here are a few things you can expect to see:
Gift certificates to local shops and restaurants such as Rose Foods, Print Bookstore, Caravan Beads, Terlingua, Saigon, Pai Men Miyake, Woodford F&B, Little Woodfords, The Great Lost Bear, RSVP, Mr. Bagel, Green Clean Maine, and more!
Gift certificates for experiences/camps from Float Harder, Oak Street Studios, Sail Maine, EVO, Maine Red Claws, PAYSA, UNE Basketball Camp, Lisa Hicks Art Camp, The Telling Room, Lucky Catch, Riverview Martial Arts, GTFO Escape Room, Portland Symphony, Portland Ovations, O' Oysters, and more!
Priceless artwork by Ocean Avenue students, paintings by local artist Chris Dingwell, queen sized bed frame from Endicott Furniture, rug from Angela Adams, and more!
Gift baskets from LUSH cosmetics, Area Code Threads, Pinecone + Chickadee, Six Branches Acupuncture, EcoDough, and more!
Just think: You can support your child's school while at the same time enjoying and supporting a local business. A win-win!
Bring food! Homemade, store bought, snack, or main course...it doesn't matter! Just help us keep the auction an affordable, fun, delicious evening for all of us. CLICK HERE to sign up.
If you have any questions, please email Victoria at president@oapto.org.
SAVE THE DATE! MULTICULTURAL POT LUCK!
Multicultural Pot Luck on APRIL 25, 2018 from 5 to 6:30 in the Cafeteria. We will be welcoming a very special musical group, Pihcintu, to the stage to share a performance with us. Pihcintu is a girl's chorus, based right here in Portland, comprised of girls from our City's immigrant community, as well as girls whose families have been here for generations. They are frequent performers, recently at the United Nations General Assembly. We eagerly anticipate their performance here at Ocean Avenue, and hope you will join us. Many thanks to the PTO for sponsoring the event..
CLICK HERE to get a taste of their music, or just wait to be amazed when you hear them in person!
Keep your eyes out for more details about the Multicultural Potluck. But do Save the Date -- you don't want to miss this one.