Ocean Avenue School News
November 2018 ~ Volume 30, Issue 30
A Peek at Ocean Avenue's Community Meetings!
As an IB World School, we practice and honor our Learner Attributes and Attitudes every day throughout our school community. On the first Thursday of each month, everyone gathers for our Community Meeting, where student voices, talents, actions and ideas are featured in an always-amazing half hour. It’s also where we introduce and demonstrate the monthly Attribute and Attitude that we will all focus on in the coming month. In November, we are focusing on:
- Being a Communicator
- Showing Cooperation
If you’ve never come to a Community Meeting, here are some highlights of our November 1st meeting. Click on the links to see some of the action! And you are cordially invited to attend our future Community Meetings.
November Community Meeting
Welcome by Gr 5 emcees Gabi and Moses
- Meeting Greeting by Dr. Stevens with cooperation in French from Elion, Christie, Serge-Henri and Carell. We communicated “Bienvenue a notre réunion!” (Welcome to our meeting!) and “Merci d’etre un ami!” (Thank you for being a friend!)
- Announcement by Gabi and Moses that Grade 1 will take action to lead the Stuff The Bus campaign over the next two weeks.
- Reminder and celebration by Mrs. Girsch of our PBIS promise to be respectful, responsible and safe.
- Introduction of the November Attribute Communicator and Attitude Cooperation by Ms. Sprague. Communicating these traits in Spanish Comunicador and Cooperacion by Señora Stevens
- Book-of-the-Month by Mrs. Platt: The Word Collector author Peter Reynolds PLUS
- Announcement by Mrs. Nogar of “How Many Books in the Library?” October inquiry challenge winner. The winner is...Trayvon!
- Presentation by Grade 4 students from Mrs. Guillaume Chimenti’s and Mr. Pike’s classes, of their problem-solving and expressive work exploring the Learner Profile, from their WHO WE ARE inquiry unit.
- Action Rally by Fifth Grade Civil Rights Team around making Ocean Avenue School a safe place for everyone, with Mr. Salamone.
- Who ARE WE?
- Ocean Avenue School!
- Safe Schools!
- WHAT DO WE MEAN BY SAFE?
- Everyone feels welcomed, respected and included!
- WHAT DO WE MEAN BY EVERYONE?
- Every race, every ancestry, every religion, every gender, every sexual orientation!
- WHO ARE WE?
- OCEAN AVENUE SCHOOL!!
- WHAT DO WE WANT?
- SAFE SCHOOLS!!
- Without Words by Sophie and Annie
Parent-Teacher-Student Conference Time!
Fall conferences offer a wonderful opportunity to view and discuss with your child and teacher your child’s academic and social progress to date. This is a chance to help your child understand that their efforts and perseverance make a difference. Numerous studies show that successful adults in life have a growth mind-set; they understand that success comes with repeated practice, persistence, and value personal grit.
Progress reports will be given to parents at the conferences, but our focus will be on student growth. Here are some tips to help you make the most of the conference:
- Compliment your child on his or her work. As your child shares his/her work with you, notice what was done well, and also praise them for their effort.
- Make a list. Before the conference, jot down any questions or areas of concern to discuss with the teacher. Questions to ask can include “Is my child meeting grade level expectations for learning and behavior? What can I do to support my child at home? Are there materials or resources that you would recommend?”
- Collaborate and offer your perspective. Many times, teachers will ask you about your child’s activities at home and your views of your child’s strengths and areas where help might be needed. Even if the teacher does not ask, speak up and provide your observations and any concerns.
- Plan to follow up, if needed. Writing down the plan of what will be done, when, and how often. Make plans to connect in the coming months, including how this contact will be made.
School is out early on November 19th and 20th for conferences (non-interpreted). Students are released at 11:30 AM. We will be holding our annual Book Fair during this time. Classroom teachers will have wish lists. If you are willing and able to purchase a book for the classroom, much thanks will come your way, including a book plate sticker showing them the book was donated. Thank you!
Classroom News and Happenings
Kindergarten News
In October, Kindergarten students completed “WHO WE ARE: Getting to Know You”, their first IB trans-disciplinary unit of inquiry. The central idea is: Learning about each other helps us understand and connect to others in the world. Students have enjoyed learning about each other, learning about others in the world, and making connections between themselves and others through a variety of activities.
“Getting to Know You” is all about making connections – finding ways that we are alike and different, respecting our differences, and discovering ways that everyone is special.
During the month of November, students will be immersed in their next IB unit of inquiry, “Journeys”. The trans-disciplinary theme is: WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME. The central idea of this unit is: “People come from and travel to different places in different ways and for different reasons.” Students will explore this theme through the following lines of inquiry: countries and places we are from or have traveled to; how we travel; and why we travel.
First Grade News
Please help OAES 1st graders and radio station REWIND 100.9 with DJ Chuck Igo stuff a school bus with non-perishable food items for the Preble Street Resource Center. Students can bring in items into their classrooms Monday, November 5 through Friday, November 16. The classroom with the most items in the end will receive a fun surprise after the Thanksgiving break!
Second Grade News
We are deep into our storytelling unit in grade 2. Students are learning how to use their voice to bring stories to life doing readers’ theaters. We are also comparing and contrasting different versions of the same fairy tale. Students have learned some important words used in comparing (both, and, like, also, too, same) and contrasting (one, but, other, different). We are currently learning about the features of fables and will be comparing and contrasting fairytales and fables. In addition, we are practicing telling our own stories, putting finishing touches on the “Three Little” stories we are writing and analyzing the morals of the stories we are reading. Actors from Portland Stage joined us in our classrooms to help us hone our story telling and we will wrap up this unit with a visit from storyteller, Antonio Rocha.
Third Grade News
Third Grade has spent the beginning of their year inquiring about who they are. Knowing who we are helps us make responsible choices. Students began the year with creating a self-portrait, which included some of their inherited traits. Students created monster glyphs based on inherited traits and also characteristics about themselves. Third-grade students added their own goals to a wishtree in the Forest Wing which was inspired by Katherine Applegate's Wishtree, which is told from the tree perspective. The book helped us think about tolerance and when to make the choice to stand up for what's right, even if it means breaking a rule.
Wishtree: 3rd-grade students hung their goals for the year from the Wishtree in the Forest wing in order to think about who they are and where they want or need to go. The inspiration came from the book Wishtree by Katherine Applegate.
Portraits: 3rd-grade students created a self-portrait to kick off inquiring about who they are and inherited traits they have.
Monster and Me: Students created a monster glyph based on physical and environmental traits. Each monster is unique but similarities can also be found!
Fourth Grade News
Students in 4th grade are beginning to realize that they can use narrative writing transitions in their persuasive writing. One kiddo declared, "If I use 'suddenly', it will make my argument better!"
In addition, Mr. Pike, Ms. Gurney, and Ms. Guillaume Chimenti are using books and personal narratives to demonstrate how to write opinion essays that are empowering to others in our community and the world beyond.
Enjoying our fabulous fall in Fourth Grade,
Mr. Pike, Ms. Gurney, and Ms. Guillaume Chimenti
Persuasive Writing in 4th Grade
Physical Education News
The Ocean Avenue School is a busy place. Students are finishing up their soccer units with activities like Hit the Cone, Four Corners Soccer and Inside Out Alley Soccer.
They have spent class time working on their dribbling and passing skills. In addition, they spent time reflecting on how to contribute to a team in ways other than skills, like demonstrating caring, being a good communicator, and taking responsibility for actions.
In November we will focus on the Health Related Components of Fitness. Students in the Primary grades continue to work on foundational skill. They have been using a variety of cooperative activities to illustrate what it means to work together as a group to accomplish a common goal!
Library News
This month, we've been collecting words in the library just like Jerome in The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds. The kindergarten classes started us off strong, and we kept on going. We looked at long words and short words, words we were curious about and words we liked to look at and say. We played with words, putting them together in interesting ways and we found that sometimes we don't need a lot of words to communicate a powerful message.
Thanks to all who participated in our word wall!
In addition, the library has been a technology hub this month as the 1st-grade classes began their exploration and inquiry about Homes Around the World. We used Google Home and the iPads to see, think and wonder about different homes from over thirty global locations. Google allows us to explore maps as well as the inside and outside of the homes. The students noticed that the homes were often made of materials they could find around them. They also wondered about how Google collects this information, who gives them permission, and how they decide where to explore.
A huge thank you to our library volunteers, Jean Phillips, Martha Donahue, Dottie Megna and Meredith Harriman who help to come in to shelve books and keep our library organized. They put new alphabetical spine labels on our Early Reader section and it looks fantastic and ready to go!
A big thank you to everyone who participated in our OAE Librarian Book Mobile as our library was being used for IB professional development. It was fun to pick from the mobile cart and they got a selection of the most popular, trending titles in the school.
Math Corner ~ Mrs. Nogar
Counting Collections
This month, our school will be launching a fun, exciting way for students to develop their number sense called “counting collections.” Basically, pairs of students will be given a Ziploc bag of objects to count, sort and organize. The partners will decide how they want to count their objects (by 2s, 5s,10s, 20s etc) and then they will represent their count by drawing diagrams and writing equations. Older students will have the opportunity to work with greater numbers and write complex equations incorporating order of operations.
We have begun collecting objects, but we need your help to make our collections complete. Here is what’s on our wish list:
*Legos
*Buttons with varying hole counts
Craft pom-poms
Plastic bottle caps
Dominoes
Pasta(wagon wheel, macaroni)
Flat glass marbles(used in aquariums and vases)
Shells
…anything else that’s fun to count, non-perishable and can fit in a Ziploc bag!
If you don’t have anything to contribute to our collections, but would still like to help, we can also use quart-sized and gallon-sized Ziploc bags.
Thank you for your help! I’m looking forward to seeing our students engaged in this joyful math activity that develops a deeper sense of number and place value.
Spanish News
¡NO ES UNA CAJA! (IT IS NOT A BOX!) Below are some pictures of one of the assignments that our older Ocean Avenue Spanish students worked on in October. It is an extension of the book we read of the same name, by Antoinette Portis. Everyone got MUY CREATIVO (very creative) with their suggestions of what the box could be -- instead of a box! They are on display in various places throughout the school, including my classroom, and will hopefully stay up until after conferences.
Our younger students worked on learning songs, numbers, animals and more greetings! More to come!!
Gracias,
Señora Stevens
Morning Drop Off Reminder!
Students should NOT be dropped off at school before 8:15 AM, unless it is pre-planned or they are attending before school clubs or morning Rec.
Immunization Records Reminder
If you have chosen not to immunize your child according to state recommendations, you need to sign an exemption form EACH school year. Students must be in compliance with state laws in order to stay in school. Please call me at 874-8180 or email me at hessel@portlandschools.org if you have any questions.
- Nurse Laurie
Change of Clothing - Student Lockers
Winter Gear Needed!
Do you know that we have a school closet, stocked with donated clothing for children and adults? Or that we have at last count 45 students who are homeless? Or that many students moved to Portland from much warmer climates, just this school year?
Many of our students will experience our Portland winter without the clothing they need to enjoy winter and stay safe during cold weather. They need mittens, boots, and warm winter jackets.
For many of our families, our school closet provides a chance to “shop” for what they need. They are so grateful for the help. But our closet needs your help! Can you donate clothing your family no longer needs?
Do you want to help? Our closet needs warm winter clothing, in sizes 6 to 14 (give or take a little bit is okay, too). If you have unneeded winter clothes, clean and in good condition, we would love to put them to use again. We especially need:
- mittens and gloves, lots and lot of mittens or gloves
- warm boots
- snow pants and winter jackets
Thank you for helping all Ocean Avenue students stay warm this winter!
Spring Multi-Cultural Potluck Planning
Healthy Eating & Physical Activity at OAES
We are pleased to announce Ocean Avenue Elementary School is recognized as a 2018 Let's Go! Gold Site for committing to excellence in healthy eating and active living for children and families.
Let’s Go! is a nationally recognized program based out of The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center. Let’s Go! is helping create healthier environments in schools, child care and out-of-school programs, health care practices, workplaces, and communities—the places where children and their families live, learn, work, and play. Let’s Go! is centered around the common message of 5-2-1-0.
As a part of Let’s Go!, we work hard to continue to improve our nutrition and physical activity environment and adding 5-2-1-0 behaviors into our daily activities. As part of our work, you may hear your child talking about 5-2-1-0. Don’t hesitate to get involved or ask what we are working on.
For more information about 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go!, visit www.letsgo.org, or contact the Let’s Go! staff at 662-3734 or info@letsgo.org.
Sincerely,
OAES 5-2-1-0 Team
October News from the PTO
Join us for the November PTO Meeting!
Wednesday, November 14th at 6 PM
Ocean Avenue Elementary School Library
We hope to see you there!
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It takes a village to make Ocean Avenue School so special.
Here's how you can help:
- Auction. Help recruit sponsors, solicit auction items, or help students create art for our largest fundraiser of the year--the Bids4Kids Auction! The auction will be held on Saturday, February 2nd and planning is already well underway. We need lots of volunteers to make the auction a success! Email Victoria at president@oapto.org if you can be a sponsor, donate an auction item, or volunteer your time.
- Designing Women. Cook, bake, or volunteer your time at theDesigning Women Art Sale at Ocean Avenue School on Saturday, December 8th from 9-4. Drop off a crock pot of soup, a dozen muffins, or a quiche...or spend a few hours serving food and helping the PTO raise money for our school. Every bit helps! Email Tori atvolunteer@oapto.org if you're able to contribute.
- After-school Enrichment. Have a talent or skill? Of course you do! Consider teaching or co-teaching an after-school enrichment class or club! Email Caitlin and Sarah at enrichment@oapto.org to find out how you can be involved.
- Donate time. Let us know what you'd like to do and how to get in touch with you by filling out this online form OR printing a paper form and handing it in at the OAES Main Office. If you have already signed up to volunteer, thank you!
- Donate money. It's as easy as clicking here.
- Just show up! The next PTO meeting is November 14th at 6 PM at the OAES Library.
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Thanks for joining us at OTTO!
Our OTTO fundraiser in mid-October was a huge success. Many OAES families met and chatted over pizza, and even more ordered takeout and delivery! All in all, the PTO raised over $300!
Missed out on the OTTO night? You're in luck!
TODAY, November 6th, join us at Flatbread for another pizza fundraiser! A percentage of sales made between 5-9 PM will go to Ocean Avenue PTO. Can’t bear the thought of parking in the Old Port? Order takeout or delivery through 2dinein to support the cause. Plus, who feels like cooking dinner on election night!? Order takeout, or better yet--come hang out with Ocean Avenue School friends!