The Beacon
Olive Chapel Elementary PTA News & Information
~ March 2 - March 6, 2020 ~
CALENDAR
March 2 - 6 Teacher Appreciation Week, Tracks 1 & 3 (see below)
March 2 - Spirit Day: Read Across America Day - Dress Like Your Favorite Book Character Day!
March 4 - Walk to School Wednesday
March 9 - NO SCHOOL, Teacher Workday
March 9 - 13 - Teacher Appreciation Week, Tracks 2 & 4 (see below)
March 16 - 20 - School Social Worker Appreciation Week
March 19 - PTA Meeting, 11:00 a.m.
April 1 - Walk to School Wednesday
April 9 - PTA Meeting, 11:00 a.m.
April 10 - NO SCHOOL, Holiday
April 20 - 27 - Spring Book Fair
April 23 - Artapalooza
April 24 - Grandparents' Breakfast, Tracks 1 & 2
Dress Like Your Favorite Book Character Day
So all you Harry Potters and Little Red Riding Hoods and Princesses in Black and Wimpy Kids and Mice with Cookies and Arthurs (like Ms. Lanier!), we look forward to seeing you in the halls of OCE on Monday, March 2nd.
For a complete list of spirit days, please click here for the OCE PTA website. If you want to plan ahead, you can check out new details for the upcoming grade Color Wars later in May at that link as well!
Staff Appreciation
Tracks 1 & 3 - March 2nd - 6th
Tracks 2 & 4 - March 9th - 13th
The Staff Appreciation team has created some suggestions of ways you can celebrate throughout the week:
Monday - Treats
The Staff Appreciation team is putting together a breakfast for our teachers. Please check the sign-up if you are able to contribute something.
Tuesday - Colors
Bring something in their favorite color or wear your teacher's favorite color.
Wednesday - Supplies
Pick up a supply the class may be running low on (dry-erase markers, hand sanitizer, tissues, etc...).
Thursday - Knowledge
A new book for the teacher's classroom library
Friday - Thanks
Bring a gift card to their favorite place or personalize a thank you note to show them how much you appreciate them.
Advocacy Corner
Early voting ends this Saturday February 29th. Remember to vote before then OR head to the polls on Tuesday, March 3rd to make your voice heard! Our schools, our teachers and our students need your vote.
While we cannot endorse any specific candidates, we encourage you to check out endorsements from pro-education groups before voting. One such group is the North Carolina Association of Educators. If you want a glimpse of your ballot before heading to vote, check out the Board of Elections website. Wake County’s website can help you figure out where to vote on Election Day and for early voting. Poll hours are included, too.
Attention Rising 5th Grade Parents: Selecting Electives
Dear Parent/Guardian:
As we near the end of the school year, it is time for you and your 5th grader to begin planning for middle school. Your child's counselor, teachers, other staff members and I want to ensure that you are prepared for this experience.
Your child will be recommended for core courses (Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies) and any support services that are received (IEP,504, ESL). This information will be provided to you on a course verification sheet, and you will have the opportunity to review and approve the information on the sheet.
Your child will also be able to select elective courses. These courses are not required subject areas like reading and math, but instead are optional courses that may be of interest to your child. Each middle school offers unique elective courses that your child can choose to take.
Your child will choose his/her elective courses online using PowerSchool. School staff will guide each student in this process, as the courses will be selected during the school day.
This process will occur:
Tracks 2, 3, & 4: March 17th - March 24th
Track 1: April 6th - April 17h
Once students have selected their elective courses, you will receive a course verification sheet to review and approve along with the core courses previously referenced.
We encourage you to review the elective course options available to your child prior to the course selection period. You can view the electives offered at your child's assigned middle school by visiting: www.wcpss.net/rising6th
REMINDERs
Kids Heart Challenge!
It's time for the Kids Heart Challenge!
Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death for all Americans and up to 80% of heart disease may be preventable through lifestyle changes?
Kids Heart Challenge is a service-learning program that will teach your child the importance of heart-healthy habits, share inspirational stories of children who have been touched by heart disease, and help raise life-saving funds for the American Heart Association.
Go online now and donate in honor of in memory of someone that you know has been affected by heart disease or stroke or simply have your child take the Heart Healthy Pledge.
From WCPSS: Summershine Camps Fair
Food4Kids Pantry Help Needed
The OCE Kids Corps Food 4 Kids program provides a weekend supply of nutritious food for children when school lunch and breakfast are unavailable over the weekend. All food is nonperishable and provided to children FREE of charge. It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior and achievement of every student at OCE that participates.
The pantry, however, is running low. KidsCorps is challenging each grade level to send in non-perishable items for the Food 4 Kids pantry, if you can.
Kindergarten
Instant Oatmeal/Grits
Individual Size Box Cereal
1st Grade
Macaroni & Cheese
Canned Soup/Stew
2nd Grade
Ramen Noodles
Canned Meat (Tune, Chicken, etc.)
3rd Grade
Beans (Canned or Dried)
Rice (Small Bags)
4th Grade
Granola Bars
Individual Bags of Snacks, Crackers, Pretzels, Goldfish, etc.
5th Grade
Individual Fruit Cups (No Heavy Syrup) or Applesauce
Canned Vegetables
You can also send in Publix Gift Cards or donate directly to Food4Kids here so KidsCorps can keep the pantry stocked.
TGA Golf & Tennis Lessons
Check the flier below for more information! Registration is open now - sign-up here!
No Fuss Fundraiser
You can continue to donate to the No Fuss Fundraiser!
Click here to donate with a credit card anytime this year. A link is also included at the bottom of this newsletter.
PLEASE NOTE, you will still be contacted about our other fundraisers, it will be your choice to participate.
100% of your donation goes to the OCE PTA.
CREW BIRTHDAYS - FEBRUARY
2/7 - Brittany Ford
2/7 - Irene Miller
2/17 - Christine Martin-Byers
2/18 - Alice Geiss
2/19 - Siobhan Williams
THANK YOU TO OUR 2019-20 PLATINUM LEVEL SPONSORS:
To submit to the Beacon, please email oce.communications@gmail.com
Olive Chapel Elementary PTA
Website: https://www.ocepta.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Olive-Chapel-PTA-1834721613423092/
Twitter: @olivechapelelem