The OIS Tribune- April 2024
April
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.
Happy April, OIS Families!
As we welcome the month of April, I wanted to take a moment to share some positive thoughts and encouragements with all of you. April brings with it the promise of new beginnings, growth, and opportunities for us to embrace.
Let's embrace spring together! April marks the transition into the spring season, with blossoming flowers, warmer weather, and longer days ahead. Let's take this time to appreciate the beauty of nature and the renewal of life that spring brings.
April offers plenty of opportunities for fun and creativity. Whether it's engaging in outdoor activities, exploring new hobbies, or planning family outings, let's make the most of the month by incorporating moments of joy and laughter into our daily routines. From field trips, concert preparation to the excitement of getting outdoors, we will be offering plenty of enjoyable opportunities for all OIS students!
I encourage each of you to embrace the month of April with a sense of optimism, hope, and enthusiasm. Together, let's create a month filled with joy, growth, and memorable moments that bring us closer as a community.
Looking forward to a great month,
Julie
Spring Open House
Thank you for attending our Open House!! Your presence and engagement are always appreciated. It is wonderful to see families actively participating in our school community and showing support for education. It is through events like these that we strengthen the connection between home and school, creating a collaborative environment for student success.
Thank you once again for your attendance and for being such dedicated members of our OIS school community.
You still have time to register!!!
From June 5 to June 28, our summer school program will offer a diverse range of engaging activities, creative workshops, and outdoor adventures for students currently in grades 2nd - 4th. Whether it's hands-on science experiments, artistic exploration, sports activities, or literacy camps, there will be something for everyone to enjoy!!
We encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to keep your child's mind active and engaged over the summer. Our dedicated team of educators and counselors are committed to creating a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment where every child can learn, grow, and have a blast.
This month we will be completing the state assessment- the Wisconsin Forward Exam. The Forward Exam is designed to gauge how well students are doing in relation to the Wisconsin Academic Standards. These standards outline what students should know and be able to do in order to be ready for graduation and so on. In order to meet the state and federal reporting and accountability requirements, all 3 - 5 grade students will complete the exam.
Our hope is to work together and make this experience a positive and successful one for your child(ren)!! Here are some suggestions you can do to help support your child(ren).
Ensure your child arrives at school on time.
Ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep.
Encourage your child to do their very best!
The results of these tests are used to help us guide our instructional practices along with the State and Federal government to create our State and Federal Accountability Report Cards.
Every student at OIS will receive the following...
Understanding the Science of Reading: Empowering Our Young Readers
As partners in your child's education, we want to share important information about the science of reading and how it influences your child's literacy development. Research in education has shown that effective reading instruction grounded in scientific evidence can significantly impact a child's reading success and overall academic achievement. As a 4K-5 initiative, we are committed to following the Department of Public Instruction's directives and will be implementing the Science of Reading practices.
The science of reading emphasizes the following key components that are essential for proficient reading skills:
- Phonemic Awareness: Understanding and manipulating individual sounds in words.
- Phonics: Connecting sounds to letters and understanding the relationship between letters and sounds.
- Vocabulary Development: Building a strong vocabulary to comprehend texts and express ideas effectively.
- Fluency: Reading with accuracy, speed, and expression to enhance comprehension.
- Comprehension Strategies: Using comprehension strategies to understand and analyze texts effectively.
By incorporating these evidence-based practices into our literacy instruction, we aim to provide all students with the foundational skills and strategies needed to become proficient readers.
We encourage you to support your child's reading development at home by:
- Reading together regularly and discussing the story elements.
- Practicing phonics skills through games, activities, and word work.
- Expanding vocabulary through conversations and exposure to diverse texts.
- Encouraging fluency by reading aloud and listening to your child read.
- Engaging in meaningful discussions about texts to enhance comprehension skills.
Together, we can foster a love of reading and empower our young readers to succeed academically and beyond.
Thank you for partnering with us in promoting literacy and a lifelong love of learning in your child.
Beau Bauer
Beau is the hardest worker I have had while teaching 3rd grade. Beau's kind and helpful presence makes him a great friend and classmate to all of his peers. Beau has shown an amazing work ethic and shown that he can go above and beyond academically. Keep up the awesome work Beau!
Brandi Mickus
Nominated by Mrs. Christensen:
Brandi is a joy to have in the classroom. She always has something positive to say or share and is a good friend to everyone. Brandi shows safety, kindness, and respect in the classroom every day. Keep it up, Brandi!
Skylar Johnson
Nominated by Ms. Busick:
Skylar is a great student and a friend to all. She is an enthusiastic learner and maintains a positive attitude throughout her school day. She is creative and a joy to be around.
We are excited to announce our Spring Concert is quickly approaching! Our talented musicians have been working hard to prepare a memorable performance for all of you to enjoy.
Here are the details for the upcoming music concert:
- May 10, 2024
- 9:30 am and 1:30 pm
- Intermediate School Gym
The theme for our upcoming Spring Concert is DECADES!! Songs will be from the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, '00's and current.
3rd Grade News
Math: Students will be starting Unit 7 in April. Students will identify different types of Quadrilaterals (parallelograms, rhombuses, trapezoids, etc.) Unit 7 also works with different types of measurement (pounds, ounces, grams, kilograms, liters, etc) Finally, students will review past units to prepare for the Forward Exam!
ELA: Students will start out April taking their Unit 4 Assessment. This assessment will cover topics such as compare and contrast, poetry elements, contractions, theme, and helping/main verbs. After this assessment students will begin prep for the Wax Museum, which will involve researching a famous person in history. They will learn all about their person, and share it with the community!
4th Grade News
Math: 4th-grade students just wrapped up Unit 7-Fractions and Decimals. In April, the students will begin Unit 5-Measurement. The kids will learn about Customary and Metric units of length, liquid volume, and mass. They will review time. They will also learn about perimeter and area. Students will be completing the Math Forward Exams in April as well.
ELA: 4th Grade students are going to start Unit 5 this month. Our classes will be learning about what we can discover when we look at things very closely. We will be discussing how water changes from one state to another. We will read different texts in the genre of expository text. For writing, we will begin a new focus on personal narratives. Students will focus on sequencing ideas and use transitional words and phrases in their writing.
5th Grade News
Math: 5th Grade students are in the home stretch of their math curriculum. Students have recently learned how to solve expressions following the correct order of operations, they have described and analyzed numerical patterns and also practiced graphing points on a coordinate plane. Students are now starting a unit focusing on topics of geometry and measurement. While learning the new material, students have been reviewing past topics to prepare for the Forward Exam which is set to take place in the middle of April.
ELA: 5th grade students are in the middle of Unit 5 and exploring a theme of change. Change over time, adapting to change and more. We are also in the middle of a research essay where students have had an opportunity to choose what they want to research and write about. We are soon going to dive into the process of compiling all the information we have found in our research and organizing it into our essay and making sure we use our own words in the process.
Music
Music: We are excited to announce our Spring Concert is quickly approaching! Our talented musicians have been working hard to prepare a memorable performance for all of you to enjoy.
Here are the details for the upcoming music concert:
- May 10, 2024 at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm -- Intermediate School Gym
- The theme for our upcoming Spring Concert is DECADES!! Songs will be from the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, '00's and current.
We invite you to join us and show your support for our dedicated students as they showcase their musical talents and hard work. The concert will feature a variety of performances, including instrumental pieces, vocal performances, and ensemble presentations.
Art
Art: Students are working hard to get ready for the spring concert! 3rd graders are focusing on value and shading, 4th graders are working on printmaking and sculpture, and 5th graders are learning about painting techniques. In addition, all grades just finished glazing clay pieces for the Empty Bowls event which will be held at the high school on May 1st.
Library - March Madness Fun!
By implementing a March Madness Book Tournament, library classes created a love for reading, fostered friendly competition, and created a shared experience that encourages students to explore new books and authors. This engaging and interactive approach to the month of March has promoted reading with our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students!!
Physical Education
We are working on sportsmanship and communication during PE classes! Physical education plays a significant role in promoting communication skills and sportsmanship among students.
Teamwork: Physical education often involves team-based activities and sports that require students to communicate effectively with their teammates. By working together towards a common goal, students learn to communicate, coordinate, and collaborate with others to achieve success.
Verbal Communication: During physical activities, students engage in verbal communication to convey instructions, strategies, and feedback to their peers and coaches. Clear and effective verbal communication is essential for team coordination, decision-making, and problem-solving on the field or court.
Non-Verbal Communication: Physical education also enhances non-verbal communication skills, such as body language, gestures, and facial expressions. Students learn to interpret and respond to non-verbal cues from their teammates, opponents, and instructors, improving their ability to communicate non-verbally in different situations.
Social Interaction: Physical education provides opportunities for students to interact socially with their peers in a non-academic setting. Through group activities, games, and sports, students engage in conversations, build relationships, and develop social skills that contribute to effective communication both on and off the field.
Problem-Solving: Physical education encourages students to think critically, analyze situations, and make quick decisions during physical activities. Effective communication is crucial in problem-solving scenarios where students must communicate their ideas, collaborate with others, and strategize together to overcome challenges and achieve objectives.
By incorporating communication-focused activities, teamwork challenges, and cooperative games during PE, we are encouraging open dialogue, active listening, and positive interactions amongst our students.
Dear Parents and Guardians of our Future OMS Musicians,
It is the time of year to register 5th grade students for 6th grade music electives. We are looking
forward to meeting and working with your family and our new music students!!
Osceola Middle School has a strong music tradition that we are excited to introduce incoming
students to. Band and choir are elective courses in the middle school, but the response we
received at our performances for the fifth grade class was electric, and it was clear that we have
a lot of students excited to join our groups. We want to stress that students can register for
BOTH band and choir. This option is actually the preferred option. We love for students to
try everything, work together to build quality music ensembles, and work as a team to support
and lift each other as we try new musical endeavors.
You can register your child electronically (Google Form) or by using this paper form. Directions
are listed at the end of this letter. If you are registering your child for band (or BOTH), keep
reading for more information about instrument choices. If your child is registering for choir only,
you may skip ahead to the part labeled “FOR ALL MUSIC PARENTS”.
FOR BAND PARENTS:
As a band student, your child can choose among the following instruments: flute, clarinet,
saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, baritone, tuba, and percussion. Certain instruments
might have a number limit due to limited equipment (such as percussion, tuba, baritone, or
horn). If we have more volunteers than available equipment, I will follow up with students and
parents with a plan of how we would move forward.
Please do not rush out to purchase an instrument for your child until final selections are made
and I have an opportunity to follow up with you with more information regarding different options
for securing an instrument. That will happen over the next few weeks.
Lastly, Mr. Aytay and Mr. Campbell, the two band teachers, offer FREE BAND LESSONS during
June and July for our beginners. It’s a great way to kick start our band program before the first
day of school. Scheduling will happen during the last few weeks of the school year.
FOR ALL MUSIC PARENTS:
Thank you for joining the middle school music department. If you have questions about either
course, please contact Mr. Campbell for band questions (campbellc@osceolak12.org) and Ms.
Route for choir questions (routes@osceolak12.org).
School Board Meetings
DATE CHANGE
Osceola District Office Conference Room
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
5:00 P.M.
Committee Meeting
Osceola District Office Conference Room
Wednesday, April 10, 2024,
5:00 P.M.
Regular School Board of Education Meeting
Osceola District Office Conference Room
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
6:30 P.M.
Regular School Board of Education Meeting
Osceola District Office Conference Room
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
6:30 P.M.
My door is always open!
Osceola Intermediate School
949 Education Ave. Osceola, WI
715-294-2800