The OIS Tribune- Dec. 2023
December 2023 - Osceola Intermediate School
OIS is committed to creating a safe, positive school environment that ensures academic, social and emotional growth for all learners through collaboration, respect and compassion.
Families of OIS students,
As we approach the month of December (already December 5!!), it is important to share some exciting news and updates with all of you!!
- Report Cards- Trimester 1 complete
- Wisconsin State Report Card- OIS specfic
- Holiday Concert info
- and, NEWS from teachers
December is a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness!!!
If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, please do not hesitate to reach out. Your input is extremely valuable in our ongoing efforts to provide the best possible educational experience for students at OIS.
We look forward to celebrating the spirit of December with all of you! Wishing you a wonderful month filled with warmth, laughter, and cherished moments.
Happy Holidays!
Julie
Overall Score increase of 7.8 points- Exceeds Expectations at 77.1
Below are some exciting pieces of information regarding the OIS State Report Card
(reflecting the spring data 2023)
OIS is above state average in both achievement and growth!! 😀
ACHIEVEMENT
Math and ELA grew students in both categories of proficient and advanced
Math increased the number of advanced students by 5%
Overall Math 6% better than the state
Overall ELA 5% better than the state
GROWTH
OIS is in the top 10% (better than 89.7% of schools) in the state!
Value added ALL above average (3.0 or higher)
In math, 100% of the non-target group grew and 92.6 % of the target group grew.
100 % test participation
Report Cards were sent home on Monday, December 4
Standard based grading (SBG) communicates how students are performing on essential learning targets that are created and identified from the Wisconsin Academic Standards. The purpose of standards-based grading is to identify what a student knows, or is able to do, in relation to pre-established learning targets, as opposed to simply averaging grades/scores over the course of a grading period, which can mask what a student has learned, or not learned, in a specific subject. Standard based grading allows students to take more ownership for their learning because expectations and targets are clearly presented to students ahead of time so they know what they are working towards.
Unlike traditional grading systems, a standards-based grading system measures a student’s mastery of grade-level learning targets by prioritizing the most recent, consistent level of performance. Therefore, a student who may have struggled at the beginning of a course, when first encountering new material, may still be able to demonstrate mastery of key content/concepts by the end of a grading period. A student who is at grade level at the start of the course can then work to apply the knowledge and background they already have to push themselves further.
In a traditional grading system, a student’s performance for an entire grading period is averaged together. Early quiz scores that were low would be averaged together with more proficient performance later in the course, resulting in a lower overall grade than current performance indicates.
Standards-based report cards separate academic performance from work habits and behavior in order to provide parents a more accurate view of a student’s progress in both academic and behavioral areas. Variables such as effort, participation, timeliness, cooperation and attitude are reported separately, not as an indicator of a student’s academic performance. At OIS, we call these personal accountability levels: self directed learner, community contributor, quality produce and effective communicator.
What do the numbers mean?
A student’s performance on a series of assessments: both formative (practice along the way) and summative (end of unit/chapter/topic test or project that summarizes the learning) will be used to determine a student’s overall grade in a subject area.
3- Proficient- Meets grade level learning target (this is our goal for ALL students). This means that a student consistently and independently demonstrates grade-level understanding of the learning target.
2.5- Developing PLUS- Making progress toward grade-level learning targets. This means that a student is putting the effort in, but has not yet shown, on a consistent basis, that they understand the content or the skills that we are utilizing in class.
2- Developing- Below grade-level learning target. Developing means that a student requires teacher assistance and support in order to demonstrate grade-level understanding of the learning target.
1.5- Basic PLUS- Making progress toward developing- This means that a student is putting the effort in, but has not yet shown, on a consistent basis, that they understand the content or the skills that we are utilizing in class and are one grade level below target proficiency.
1- Basic- Significantly below the grade level learning target. Basic means that a student demonstrates limited understanding of the grade-level learning target and is significantly below the grade-level learning target.
*- Not applicable at this time. This means there is not enough evidence to earn a score at this time.
S- See IEP Progress Report-This means the student is getting services in Special Education for academics.
The OIS Holiday Concert
As we approach our upcoming holiday concert, we want to take a moment to address the importance of respect for everyone’s beliefs and traditions. This time of year is filled with celebrations that have deep cultural and religious significance for many people. It’s an opportunity for us to come together as a community, celebrate our intermediate school students, and foster an atmosphere of inclusivity and mutual respect.
The OIS Holiday Concert is scheduled for Thursday, December 21, 2023. We will again offer two concerts: a morning concert and an afternoon concert to accommodate as many families as we can!! Our concert is an occasion for students to showcase their talents, allowing families and friends to join in the festivities.
Doors will open 30 minutes prior to the performances:
Morning- 9:00 am (Doors will open at 8:30 am)
Afternoon- 1:30 pm (Doors will open at 1:00 pm)
Below are the songs that students will be learning, preparing and performing (a few adjustments since the first communication). There will be some minor revisions with some lyrics to ensure everyone feels comfortable and respected. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the holiday concert, please do not hesitate to reach out. We want this event to be great for everyone!
3rd Grade
Hot Chocolate, Edelweiss, Hip Hop Elves
4th Grade
Mele Kalikimaka, Where Are You Christmas, This Holiday
5th Grade
Candy Cane Lane, That's Christmas to Me, Here Comes the Snow
All Grades
White Christmas, Kids on Christmas
December's Character Trait - Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, and it is an essential quality that contributes to creating a kind, compassionate, and inclusive learning environment.
Lauren Muscha
Nominated by Ms. Krumm:
Lauren goes above and beyond to help her classmates in and out of the classroom. At any point during the day, she will drop what she is doing to help someone else out who is struggling in math or who simply just needs a friend. She is a great example of a leader that works hard everyday, is very independent and strives off being challenged! Over the last few months, I have only heard great things from her classmates and teachers. She does everything with a full heart and it shows!Dixie Droher
Dixie has a positive attitude and continues to challenge herself in class. She is motivated to do well and often asks for extra work to push herself. She is so kind hearted and helps others when needed. We are lucky to have her in class.
Sophia Hove
I would like to nominate Sophia Hove for Student of the Month for November. Sophia is extremely kind and always greets others with a smile. She is a hard worker and always puts forth her best effort. Sophia works hard to master the content each day in class. She helps others when they need it and looks for opportunities to help out around the classroom any way she can. She is very deserving to be the Student of the Month. Great job Sophia.
3rd Grade
Math: Students will continue Unit 3: working with addition, subtraction, rounding, and place value. Later this month students will be taking our Unit 3 test before starting Unit 4 which works with modeling fractions, representing fractions, and understanding fractions. Finally, students will continue to build multiplication and division fluency.
ELA: Students will be starting the final week before we take our Unit 2 Assessment. We will learn all about poems and the vocabulary that goes along with them. We will touch on similes, alliteration, and limerick poems. Our Unit 2 assessment will cover topics such as: cause & effect, theme, character development, and possessive nouns.
4th Grade
Math: This month 4th graders are working with Division-Unit 3. They are dividing with remainders. The kids will work on 2-digit by four-digit quotients, and learn different methods to divide. We will use estimation to check our quotients and work on division word problems. Continue to work on multiplication facts at home.
ELA: Students will be finishing up Unit 2 and taking our unit test. We will then begin Unit 3 where we will explore our roles in the community, how people can make a difference, and science advancements through argumentative texts, biographies, and realistic fiction. We will finish up our expository essays focusing on how writers find their inspiration.
5th Grade
Math: Students are continuing to work on their division skills in our math unit. Now that students have experience and strategies of dividing multi-digit whole numbers, they will be applying their knowledge to divide decimals. Students can look forward to a unit on fractions once our division unit is completed later this month.
ELA: Students are reading, researching and learning about cultures. They will also talk about the benefits that happen when people work as a group. We are continuing to read a variety of stories and practice writing argumentative essays.
Art
3rd Grade: Third grade has been working on watercolor techniques and the additive and subtractive properties of sculpture. In the process, they have learned how to make castles as well as ceramic ornaments that will be delivered to local nursing homes for Christmas.
4th Grade: Fourth graders have been learning about shape and form, creating both two-dimensional and three-dimensional projects. They studied the artist Denitza Skorcheva and how she uses shape in her paintings before trying her techniques out themselves. They also created forms out of model magic and learned about color mixing as they added to their sculptures.
5th Grade: Fifth grade learned a wide variety of ceramic techniques this month and used that knowledge to create unique coil landscapes. They also focused on painting techniques such as color mixing, blending, and watercolor resist to paint their coil landscape and snowflakes.
Art Club: At the start of the year, 3-5 students from each class were chosen to be a part of Art Club. Those students have been busy this month working on the backdrop for our upcoming concert.
Team Building
During the month of November, students practiced Gratitude through activities that encouraged reflection of the strengths and interests that they each bring to the team. Students also shared their appreciation for what they saw in their teammates and brainstormed how they can work together understanding their differences.
Continue the conversation at home by asking your child(ren) these questions:
What strengths do you bring to the teams you're a part of (family, classroom, community group)?
How can you accomplish [certain task] even better together while knowing each other’s strengths?
As we move into December, we will be focusing on EMPATHY as we continue to develop team skills. Students will be given opportunities to grow their social awareness of others emotions when solving a problem together.
Physical Education
Rollerblading Unit
As part of our ongoing efforts to provide diverse and engaging physical activities, all students in grades 3 - 5 have been introduced to ROLLERBLADING!! (a fun and active way for students to develop balance, coordination, and overall physical fitness)
The benefits of incorporating rollerblading into our PE curriculum:
- Enjoyable exercise
- Agility
- Spatial awareness
- Motor skill development
- And, fosters a sense of accomplishment as students master new skills!
Library Check-Out
As we strive to promote a love for reading and a passion for learning in our students, the valuable rotation of library check-out plays a HUGE role in this educational journey at OIS. We inspire students to find books with knowledge, imagination, and inspiration to engage their reading, and most importantly reading skills!
As we continue to promote the OIS library, and the importance of library check-out, we also encourage you to engage with your child by discussing stories, ideas, and knowledge they gain from their chosen books. Your involvement in their reading journey can further enrich their learning experience and strengthen their library appreciation!
NEW- Digital Citizenship
In today's age, we are immersed in a world where digital platforms and technologies play a dominant roled in our children's lives. As technology continues to shape the way we all communicate, learn, and interact with the world, it is important for us to come together and empower students at OIS with the knowledge and skill to be responsible digital citizens.
Some key areas of focus:
- Respectful communication
- Privacy and Security
- Critical Thinking
- Responsible Digital Footprint
To ensure all students are receiving the knowledge and skills to be responsible digital citizens, we will be implementing Neptune Navigate (comprehensive online lessons that teach students to be smart and safe in the digital world).
“All this technology that most of us carry in our pockets can be really exciting and incredibly powerful. But as we learned from superheroes, with great power comes great responsibility” – Christina Jontra, Chief Navigator
OIS Holiday Concert- Thursday, December 21, 2023
Winter Break- December 25 - January 2 (school resumes on January 3, 2024)
Staff In-Service- January 2, 2024
Staff In-Service- January 15, 2024
Committee Meeting
Osceola District Office Conference Room
Wednesday, December 20, 2023, 2023
5:00 P.M.
Regular School Board of Education Meeting
Osceola District Office Conference Room
Wednesday, December 20, 2023, 2023
6:30 P.M.
Committee Meeting
Osceola District Office Conference Room
Wednesday, January 3, 2024, 2023
5:00 P.M.
Regular School Board of Education Meeting
Osceola District Office Conference Room
Wednesday, January 3, 2024, 2023
6:30 P.M.
My door is always open!
Osceola Intermediate School
949 Education Ave. Osceola, WI
715-294-2800