The Hoot Owl
OCTOBER 2022
Notes from the principal
We have a few big events this month, too. PTO is launching their Fall Fundraiser and we encourage you to help our PTO raise funds for our school. They use the funds to pay for field trips, technology, playground equipment, etc... This group does great things for our school so please consider participating.
Fall Family Festival is also in October. This is a great event for families where our teachers spotlight reading and math activities to support learning at home and our PTO hosts some fun carnival style games. Food trucks will be available so that your family can have dinner while enjoying the fun events.
ATTENDANCE
We all know that if students are not at school, they are not learning. Of course, if your child is sick, they need to stay home, but if it is something minor and not contagious, please encourage your child to come to school.
Starting in October, our Parent Liason and Registrar will be making calls to check on students who are absent and their parents have not called to let the school know. Please be understanding and patient when they call. Parents can also notify us through email at contactore@conroeisd.net or by calling our school at 832.592.5900.
PTO FUNDRAISER - ORE OWL DAYS Calendar Fundraiser
What is a calendar fundraiser?
Friends and family can choose a day or days on the calendar to sponsor. They pick a lucky number, special day, or just choose any day available, and pay that amount EX: pick the 1st and 31st = $32
When is it?
The calendar is for October 1-31st
****Calendars are due November 1st or when calendar is completed****
Individual Prizes
1 day- Treasure Box trinket
5 days- Bendy Pencil and above 10 days- Pop-it Keychain and above
15 days- Color changing cup and above
20 days- LED light strip and above
25 days-Squish/sensory ball and above
31 days- Squishmellow and above prizes
School Wide Prizes
$2,500- Extra Recess
$5,000- Pajama Day
$10,000- Pie the Principal/Cream the Coach
$15,000- Ice Cream/Snow Cone party
Top Overall Class will receive a GLOW PARTY!!
Top Class for calendars turned in will win a party of their choice!
Every child that turns in their calendar with any days filled in is entered into a raffle for a razor scooter!
The money we earn goes right back to our school and helps fund field trips, fun days, campus beautification, playground upgrades and so much more! We appreciate your support! -ORE PTO
BOOK FAIR COMING SOON
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming October 14-21, 2022!
Parents and students are welcome to shop in the library or online at https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/oakridgeelementaryschool13
BOOK FAIR eWallet is a safe alternative to sending money to school with children, and it can be used at the in-school Fair or online to shop from 5,000+ products. Any unused funds can be spent at The Scholastic Store Online or to fund an eWallet for a future fair. Just go to your fair website, https://www.scholastic.com/bf/ore13, to set up your child's eWallet.
Save these dates and view our school’s Fair site:
In-School Fair Dates: October 14 - October 21
Online Shopping dates: September 12 - October 25
https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/oakridgeelementaryschool13
Visit our school's homepage to get the latest Book Fair news, shop our Online Fair, and more!
bookfairs.scholastic.com
Book fairs connect your kids to notable books and inspiring characters — helping them become lifelong readers. Thank you for continuing to support our school. We can’t wait to you at the Fair!
FALL FAMILY NIGHT
October 20 from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Watch for more details coming soon!
GIFTED AND TALENTED NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN
Spring GT Testing Nominations
Nominations for Gifted and Talented testing will be accepted from October 3 - December 16. If you would like to nominate your child for GT testing, please fill out the following form and return it to Erin Anderson at eanderson@conroeisd.net. GT testing will take place at the end of January. (All 2nd graders are GT tested at the end of October. Please do not fill out forms for 2nd graders.)
LUNCH RESERVATIONS
- Make a reservation online from our school webpage.
- Lunch visitors will need to present ID at the front desk to check into the building. You must also be on the child's contact list, meaning a parent or emergency contact. If not, parents will be contacted for permission prior to entrance.
- Parents will meet their children in the cafeteria, go to room 300 to enjoy lunch.
- At the end of lunch, return the child to their teacher in the cafeteria.
- Parents are asked to head to the front and check out immediately following lunch.
- Parents are not to be in classrooms or on the recess playground without prior permission from administration.
We look forward to having parents at lunch this year.
INFORMATION TO KNOW:
School hours: 8:00 - 3:10 p.m.
Doors open at 7:35 a.m. Please do not drop students off before that time as there is no supervision.
Students are tardy at 8:01 a.m.
Dismissal begins at 3:10 p.m.
Visitors on campus:
Things to know about visiting our campus.
*Arrive at the front door and ring the doorbell (facing the doors to your right)
*Let the front office staff know what your need.
*Once you have communicated with front office staff, you will be buzzed into the front vestibule.
*An ID will be required to enter the main part of the building or check a child out. Please make sure you have it with you as you will be sent to get it.
Volunteering on campus:
We are hoping to have volunteer opportunities back in place this year for parents. Please remember that in order to volunteer on campus (reading to a class, going on a field trip, helping with PTO, attending class parties, etc...), parents must have completed the Volunteer Background check for the district. This must be completed for every school where you will volunteer so if you have students at 3 different schools, you must complete it for all 3 schools.
TRANSPORTATION
CHANGES TO TRANSPORTATION -
if you need to change your child's transportation, it is best that you send a note to the teacher. Email and/or Class Dojo is not a great option in the event the teacher is absent from school.
We ask that you limit changes over the phone by calling the front office to emergencies only. These changes must be called into the front office no later than 2:30 p.m.
Early check out ends at 2:45 pm. After 2:45, you will be instructed to get in the car rider line.
CAR RIDER
Once the year gets going, our car rider line is typically completed in about 20 minutes from start to finish. The first few weeks, like everything, will be much slower as the students and parents learn the process.
Below is a map of our car rider line. We ask that parents who are coming north on the feeder road enter the car rider line from Oak Ridge School Road (between the hotel and Saltgrass). Parents who enter from our driveway will be forced to turn left and find the end of the line as the right turn lane will be blocked.
In order to help the line move quickly, please display your car rider sign where it is easily visible. If you do not have a car rider sign, you will be asked for an ID before your child will be released.
We do not allow parents to walk up to the porch for drop off or pick up for car riders. Students may not be dropped off in the parking lot nor near the playground fence and allowed to walk. This creates a safety concern and therefore, is not allowed.
If you are in the car rider line and picking up a sick child, please notify the lady walking the cars and she will direct you to park and walk up to get your child.
If you need replacement or additional car rider signs, please call the front office or email your request to contactore@conroeisd.net.
WALKERS
Students can be walkers only if they live in the no bus zone. This is for those who live within the 1 mile zone of the school according to transportation. If your child is eligible for bus service, they will need to either be a car rider or a bus rider.
We do monitor this and will notify parents if their children cannot be walkers.
Walkers are delivered to parents in the cul de sac at the fence cut through. We expect parents to be present to get their children from this area. If the weather forces you to drive your car to this location, we do ask that you carefully monitor all children to ensure that everyone arrives at their cars safely. Students who do not have parents present will be brought back to the school and parents will have to come over and get them.
Weather decisions are made at 3:00 p.m. and parents will be notified through Remind. Walker parents received an email with information on how to subscribe to that text message service. If you need assistance, please email us at contactore@conroeisd.net.
FREE/REDUCED LUNCH
As offers come in from different organizations to assist students with back to school clothes/supplies, Christmas gifts, food, etc...only those families who are on free/reduced lunch will be eligible to receive these services. Please use the link below to update your application:
CALLING ALL GARDNERS OR GARDNER HELPERS...
OCTOBER DATES TO KNOW
7 - Holiday for students
10 - School holiday for students and staff
14 - 21 - Scholastic Book Fair
20 - Fall Family Night
28 - Storybook Character Parade
OCTOBER
16 - Mrs. Katiyar
17 - Mrs. Santa Cruz
22 - Ms. Roller
27 - Ms. DeLaTorre