Otter Outlook
September 28, 2017
In this issue...
One More Day of Iowa Testing!
Thank You to Our Ocee PTA!
The Coach’s Corner - Carolyn Hutcheson, METI
Ryan’s Resource
From Our PTA
Spirit Wear
National PTA Reflections Contest - Deadline Reminder
Water Art Calendar Contest
Family Events
Community News
Community Meeting Set Oct. 12 for New STEM-focused HS in North Fulton
Community Safety Day
Reminders
Ocee Walk & Roll - October 11th!!!
Girl's Night
Boy's Club
Think First and Stay Safe
Dates to Remember
Sept. 29 - IOWA Testing - Science/Social Studies
Sept. 29 - Deadline for PTA Reflections Contest Entry - "Within Reach"
Oct. 2 - Ocee Spirit Day
Oct. 2 - ESOL Parent Coffee 7:10 a.m.
Oct. 3 - SGC Budget Committee Meeting 7:15 a.m.
Oct. 5 - 5th Grade T-shirt Day
Oct. 6 - 11 HAC Turned Off
Oct. 6 - Conference Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Oct. 9 - Columbus Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STAFF OR STUDENTS
Oct. 10 - Ocee Release Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Oct. 10 - School Board Work Session
Oct. 10 - Deadline for Water Calendar Contest Entries
Oct. 11 - Walk & Roll to School
Oct. 11 - Village Burger PTA Spirit Night
Oct. 12 - Community Mtg. STEM-focused HS in N. Fulton - 6:30 - 8 p.m. Milton Center
Oct. 13 - PTA ScienceX - All day in-house field trip for 4th grade
Oct. 13 - Pumpkin Math - 1st grade 8 a.m.
Need to Know
One More Day of Iowa Testing!
Thank you so much to all of our families, staff, and students for a smooth week of IOWA testing! We appreciate you for getting our scholars here on time rested and alert. We have one more day of testing tomorrow and will conduct makeup testing for any of our students who missed a section next week.
Thank You to Our Ocee PTA!
Our Ocee PTA provided a decadent lunch for faculty and staff today! We appreciate everything that our PTA does to support the culture of Ocee Elementary School, and today was another prime example of why our PTA outshines the rest!
Thank you again to Jena Barber and Zenia Chen for organizing this event and to our 4th and 5th grade parents for the delicious food! Next time, leave some of the recipes!!!
The Coach's Corner - Carolyn Hutcheson, METI
In serving Ocee Elementary as the Media and Educational Technology Instructor, I deal with the need to educate students about ways to be safe online each and every day. As we incorporate more and more technology into the classroom, it is essential that we equip students with the skills necessary to become responsible digital citizens. Ocee Elementary is in the process of becoming a Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship Certified School as a demonstration of our commitment to teaching these essential skills. We have partnered with Common Sense Media to bring digital citizenship training to all students. We are dedicated to empowering kids to thrive in a world of media and technology. Common Sense Media has a wealth of great resources and we are very excited to have their support as we grow our 21st Century learners. Below are few Family Tip Sheets on Internet Safety. Please contact me at hutchesonc@fultonschools.org if you would like more information.
Digital Life (Elementary School)
Privacy and Digital Footprints (Elementary School)
Thank you,
Carolyn Hutcheson
This week, our administrative and leadership teams discussed the importance of engaging in meaningful and productive conflict. Many of us choose to shy away from conflict, but our conversations this week demonstrated how important these conversations can be to incorporate the opinions and values of others. The article this week takes a look at how we can manage conflict with our children. As a parent of one of our Ocee Otters, this is a topic that hits home. I like this article because it focuses on positive solutions when we encounter conflict with our children.
I hope you enjoy the article: http://www.positiveparentingconnection.net/15-positive-strategies-for-dealing-with-conflicts-arguments-back-talk/
Best Regards,
Ryan Moore
From Our PTA
Spirit Wear
Spirit Wear orders were distributed via backpack mail last Friday and if there are any errors in your order (missing item, incorrect size/style, etc…), please contact oceepta.waysandmeans@gmail.com immediately so that we may correct it for you.
National PTA Reflections Contest - Deadline Reminder
The deadline for entries to be submitted to the Reflections box at the front office is Friday, September 29, 2017. No entries will be accepted after this date. Full rules and the required entry form can be found on the Reflections Page of the PTA Website. Please take special note of the requirements for the area you are entering, including the requirement of a consent form for any recognizable image/voice in an entry.
Water Art Calendar Contest
Calling all artists! Fulton County is now taking submissions for their 2018 Water Art Calendar. Thirteen winners will be featured in the calendar and win gift certificates. Let's show them the ways in which we use, conserve, waste, or misuse water. The submission deadline is October 10th, in the middle of break. Submit your drawing and entry form directly to:
Fulton County Department of Public Works
Water Resources Division
Attention: Gwen Brinkley
141 Pryor Street, SW, Suite 6001
Atlanta, GA 30303
Family Events
Movie Night has come & gone, and our Family Events team is already looking ahead toward our next big family event, Bingo Night, which is coming up in January. Along with our traditional Basket Raffle, we are excited to bring you a Silent Auction this year. To make this a successful event, we need your help! If you have or know of an organization that would like to donate something for the basket raffle or silent auction, please reach out to Derek Scheidt at derek.scheidt@coldwellbankeratlanta.com or call 404-593-4754. All items donated are tax deductible. Items donated can be vacation rentals, date night excursions, movie tickets, sports tickets, sporting memorabilia, musician memorabilia, concert tickets, gift cards, birthday party entertainment, yard renovations, home renovations, theme park tickets, jewelry, new sports equipment, restaurant gift cards, etc. The sky is the limit. All money raised from the silent auction and raffle goes to help provide academic and student enrichment programs for the children of Ocee Elementary. All donated items need to be received by December 31 to prepare them for the baskets and silent auction. Thank you in advance for your help and consideration.
Community News
Community meeting set Oct. 12 for new STEM-focused high school in North Fulton
Fulton County Schools invites parents and community members to a special October 12 meeting to view conceptual building and site plans for the new STEM-focused (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) high school campus set for North Fulton.
Anticipated to open in Fall 2020, the school will have college and career-focused curriculum pathways in a newly constructed, 244,000-square-foot school on the former Milton High School campus near downtown Alpharetta. The October 12 community meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Milton Center, located at 86 School Drive in Alpharetta.
The conceptual plans were approved by the school board in August, showing an organization of three wings for the programs of Healthcare Sciences, Engineering, and Information Technology. Healthcare Sciences and Information Technology spaces flank the main entry while an Engineering wing allows for larger laboratories to have direct access to an outdoor classroom space as well as acoustical separation from the rest of the building.
Each of the three program spaces are situated around a "touchdown space" that creates a high energy environment to "see and be seen" in the act of learning. Ground floor spaces include the career and counseling center, food court, administration areas, and active learning classrooms. The cafeteria, on the first floor, and media center, spread across three floors, are housed in a combined touchdown space that increases space utilization, flexibility and collaboration in a 21st Century learning environment.
The school has safety elements in place such as clear visitor/student drop-off areas, student parking, and a dedicated bus lane. It also reflects the community's desire to have access to the facility by providing a separate auditorium building for after-hours and weekend events and by retaining the former school's existing athletic fields. While the school's interior will reflect a more modern design, the exterior structure will reflect a more traditional appearance.
The innovative design is the result of many months of engagement with district and school leaders, parents, business and community members, and partners in higher education. Beginning in January 2017, Fulton County Schools worked with Cooper Carry, an architectural firm, and Cooperative Strategies, a national programming consultant, to develop a preliminary floor plan that reflects the baseline academic program. Visioning workshops, community meetings, and site visits were held with STEM programs in K-12 schools and at colleges and universities. At the visioning workshops, district staff engaged principals, teachers, students, district leadership, and business partners for input on the proposed programs.
The high school also is a collaborative effort between Fulton County Schools and the business community to build programs that are aligned to student interest and workforce needs. The programs will provide students with the necessary tools and resources to make informed decisions about their paths of choice. Students who attend the school will have the opportunity to connect and work within local Atlanta businesses and industries as interns or observers.
STEM is one of the fast-growing academic fields in the world and accounts for many of the new jobs being created in the workforce. It's estimated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that jobs related to STEM will grow by more than 9 million nationwide by 2022.
Reminders
Ocee Walk & Roll
We are so excited to announce this year's Ocee Walk & Roll Event! We have partnered with our Ocee PTA, the City of Johns Creek, and Chattahoochee HS to make this year's Walk & Roll Event the best ever! The event will take place on Wednesday, October 11th from 7:00AM - 7:40AM.
All Ocee students and parents are encouraged to walk or bike to school on October 11th and we will have giveaways, prizes, and support from our Johns Creek Government Officials and students from Chattahoochee High School.
More details to come about this wonderful event to promote wellness, safety, and collective impact!
Who: All 3rd Grade Girls and their Mom, Grandmother, Older Sister, Aunt (any special woman in your daughter’s life is welcome!)
What: Join Mrs. Aronowitz (Mrs. A) to watch the movie “Chrissa Stands Strong”, enjoy a pizza dinner, and have a discussion about relational bullying amongst girls. Participate in a raffle to win prizes!
When:*Tuesday, October 17th from 5:45 – 8:00pm (*Pizza well be served in the cafeteria from 5:45 – 6:00 and the movie will begin promptly at 6:00 in the Learning Commons)
RSVP: Click here: Girls Night Out RSVP
or email aronowitza@fultonschools.org
Purpose: The purpose of the Boys' Club Program is to provide male students with additional adults in their lives who will encourage self confidence and help our boys grow as leaders at Ocee Elementary.
When: Approximately one Friday a month from 7:40 to 8:10 a.m. (10/27, 12/15, 1/12, 2/3, 3/23, 5/4)
What: Our amazing Ocee Dad volunteers will participate in exciting events with their mentees - basketball games, building projects, leadership activities, guest speakers and more! Guidance and materials will be provided for each meeting.
Why: "Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story." -- Josh Shipp
How: Click here to volunteer.
College & Career Ready!
We need your help!
It may seem early, but college and career readiness actually starts at the elementary school level. There is a growing body of research that empirically supports the idea that important college-related decisions are being made during the elementary school years. In an effort to generate excitement and awareness about secondary education, the Ocee Counseling department would like to create a college pennant display. If you have a college pennant that you are willing to donate, we would greatly appreciate it. Pennants of all size are welcome. Please drop pennants off at the Ocee front desk.
Think First, Stay Safe
Think First & Stay Safe™ enables students to take an active and necessary role in protecting themselves from harassment, abduction, bullying, exploitation, and various forms of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional). The Health Advisory Committee reviewed and approved this program and selected components will be implemented through the elementary health curriculum by teachers and school counselors.
Please contact our counselor, Anna Aronowitz at 470-254-2960 to schedule a preview or if you have any questions. The materials will be available for preview from November 1, 2017 to November 17, 2017. In late November and early December, Think First & Stay Safe™ prevention lessons will be implemented for all K-5 students. You can also learn more about the detailed lesson plans and research behind this program at www.childluresprevention.com. Please be aware that more information is provided on the website than is actually used in Fulton County Schools.
If you prefer that your child not participate in the Think First & Stay Safe™ program, please fill out our Think First, Stay Safe curriculum opt out form. Unless opt out documentation is received by Friday, November 17, 2017, your child will participate in the Think First & Stay Safe™ program. Please click here to access the Think First, Stay Safe opt out survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LQ2CQZJ
Outstanding Character Educational Excellence
Ryan Moore, Principal @oceeprincipal
Jennifer Rosenthall, AP
Shannan LaPorte, CST
Anna Aronowitz, Counselor
Email: fowlerjj@fultonschools.org
Website: www.oceeotters.com
Location: 4375 Kimball Bridge Road, Alpharetta, GA, United States
Phone: 470-254-2960
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OceeElementary
Twitter: @oceeotters