The Owl Newsletter
OTTO PETERSEN ELEMENTARY
Leap into Spring Dance! A success!!
This 6th Grade Dance was by far THE BEST school dance that I have ever put on. And I have put on A LOT! All of our students were happy, joyful, and full of incredible dance moves! I would like to personally thank all of our chaperones for helping make this dance successful!
Laycee Kinsman
Hule
Rojo
Virginia Fenstermaker
Valerie Degerness
Brenda Squires
Steven Hansen
Erica Smith
Karli Shull
Beth Hull
I would also like to thank our 6th Grade Parliament students for setting up, cleaning up, and keeping things real!!
One School. One Book.
Introducing "The Ogress and the Orphans"
Listen.
We are one week away from launching our One School One Book initiative, and we are so excited! Come see our bulletin board for a sneak preview. Also, click on the links below to hear from the author herself and to see the official book trailer.
Discussion Question for Families:
What is neighborliness?
If you send Ms. Ticer your family's answer, she will publish it in next week's newsletter!
Doernbecher Movie Night - March 9th, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm - SHS Auditorium
Doernbecher Color Run - March 10th, 2:00 pm SHS
Doernbecher Disco Dance - March 15th, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm - SHS Cafeteria
Sixth Grade Outdoor School - The week of April 2nd - 5th
Dangerous Driving in Parking Lot
Unfortunately, we experienced a close call in the parking lot yesterday. This car blew through the crosswalk and narrowly missed students and a staff member. I am purchasing handheld, lighted stop signs and I will be increasing the amount of adult bodies in this area.
We have cameras in this area of the parking lot, and we are working with law enforcement. I can't stress this enough. Drive safely in the parking lot. Be aware of the humans who are existing in this space. My biggest fear is that an accident will occur.
-Principal Ticer
The Bobbers Represented OPE
The Regional battles of Oregon Battle of the Books took place on Saturday, March 2nd and the Bobbers, our sixth grade team, represented OPE with great sportsmanship and pride!
We did our best but we eliminated after two rounds of pool play.
March 16th is the next regional battle and we will see how our other team does!
2025 - 7th & 8th Grade Educational Trip
Would your student be interested in going to Puerto Rico in 2025 for an educational experience? Please register for our info session to be considered for our upcoming travel opportunity.
In our session, we'll cover everything from how this will benefit your child, what's included in the experience, how we'll keep the trip safe and affordable, and much more. Registration for this session is mandatory to help organize our meeting, and a parent or guardian must attend. Can't make it? Choose "No, but send info" so you don't miss out.
Our first in-person meeting will be Wednesday, March 13th in the SMS Library from 6-7pm. To register for this meeting click here,or contact Catherine Baggett, cbaggett@scappoose.k12.or.us.
OPE Families,
We'd love some chaperones to help with the Doernbecher Days dance fundraiser! All chaperones must have a current background check on file with the district. Thank you!
Sign up below.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A044AAAAD2EA6FC1-48223771-doernbecher
Interested in helping with a yearbook? Contact Chelsea Murphy ottopetersenpresident@gmail.com
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, March 12th, at 4:00 pm.
How is it March Already?!
THIS WEEK IN THE LIBRARY!: Last week was Dr. Suess’ birthday and you are never too old to enjoy some Dr. Suess, so we had some fun with this author this week. I love reading his tongue twisting stories to the kids. Did you know The Cat in the Hat was written because 1st graders in 1954 were struggling to learn to read? He was given the challenge to use the 236 sight words from the 1st grade list and create a book that kids would actually WANT to read! He did and the rest is history! Two of my favorite stories: What was I Scared of? and The Sneetches. Here’s to a great March full of fun reading!
THANK YOU MRS. RICHARD FOR A GREAT OBOB SEASON!: It has been so fun to watch all our kids battle each week! Mrs. Richard does such a great job with our OBOB season and we are so fortunate to have her! Many thanks to Mr. Anderson for helping with the battles and thank you to all the teachers who come to watch your students battle–they love having you there! And, a HUGE shout out to all the amazing coaches that guide our kids through the process–you are so appreciated!! I am proud of all our readers and I can’t wait to see how the season wraps up! The 2024-2025 OBOB lists are being finalized this month, so you can start reading ahead for next year! Thank you Mrs. Richard, all our coaches and all you super readers–you ROCK!
WINNER-WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER: Congratulations to Mrs. Richard’s class for winning our Return Your Books On Time challenge for February! So many classes are improving their return rates and I love how many lost books we are finding! Way to go Owls!
Happy Reading ~ Mrs. Nudo
No Toys, No Tails
We make it a point at Otto Petersen to have fun each day while we are learning. However, it does take some effort to cultivate an environment of authentic learning and academic achievement. Otto Petersen 4th-6th grade scholars do need some boundaries at school so that they can focus on learning.
There are some items that are coming from home that disrupt the learning environment. As you send your students off to school in the morning, please make sure that they are not bringing:
- Wearable tails, ears, or paws
- We will have fun costume days (yes, even I get dressed up!) during the year, so please save those items for these events
- Hoodies that zip all the way up to cover the face.
- Stuffies/stuffed animals of all sizes
- Blankets
- Action figures
- Slime
- Copious amounts of fidgets
- Portable video game consoles (I do, sadly, have to leave my Nintendo Switch at home)
You may have noticed that "fidgets" are on that list. Sometimes, the fidgets that were originally meant to help students concentrate, become toys in the classroom. Fidgets should help provide students with a small movement break so that they can increase their concentration and provide better access to their learning. There are "fidgets" out there that are noisy or messy and are not best for use in the classroom. If you have questions about which fidgets are best for increasing concentration in the classroom, please reach out to Ms. Ticer, Mrs. Kinsman, or Mrs. McKedy.
-Principal Ticer
Parking Lot Safety
It pains me to have to keep writing about safety in our school parking lot. On my end, I am going to work with our staff to have a bigger adult presence in the parking lot itself to direct the flow of traffic. An ask that I have of the community is for any parent volunteers who would be willing to volunteer on a Drop-Off/Pick-Up Safety Team. I am looking for volunteers who would be willing to don crossing guard vests and help to direct car and pedestrian traffic.
I would need parents/guardians who are interested in sitting with me and developing a plan for safety in our parking lot during these times. Please email me if you are interested.
Toys at School
This is a friendly reminder that all toys, including stuffed animals and blankets, must stay home. We supply students with fidgets to use during instruction time if required. However, those fun little toys starting to pop up this time of year must wait patiently at home to be played with.
OPE Famlies,
Thank you again for your support in lowering our total building tardy rate over the past two weeks. We know that mornings can be tricky! We hope your students feel a sense of routine and connection by being here each morning for our announcements and Character Strong lessons.
If you have difficulty getting your students out the door in the morning, please feel free to reach out. Classroom teachers, our counselor, Ms. McKedy, and our Dean of Students, Ms. Kinsman, are happy to work with you and your learner to build strategies to make mornings go more smoothly. You can click the flyer below to read about the suggested guidelines.
Attendance Reminders & After School Change of Plans
Also, if you have to change your students' after-school plans, please try to do this one hour before students are released so that we have enough time to communicate with teachers and staff.
- Sue MacLachlan: smaclachlan@scappoose.k12.or.us
- Mary McNabb: mmcnabb@scappoose.k12.or.us
- Your child's teacher
We appreciate your support in making sure we know where your students are during the school day. Thank you!
Personal Electronic Device Policy
(Cell phones, Smart watches, Earbuds)
As an upper elementary school, O.P.E. will align with the Middle School policy concerning electronic devices. A personal electronic device is defined by the district as any “device capable of electronically communicating, sending, receiving, storing, recording, reproducing and/or displaying information and data.” The new policy will ask that students have their devices “off and away” while on campus. A private warning will be given if a student uses the device while at school. A second infraction will lead to the device being turned into the office for pick-up at the end of the day. Parents will be asked to pick up the device after a third infraction. The school is asking for parent support with this policy as we focus on building a positive learning environment.Here is the testing schedule for the rest of May.