Bobcat Bulletin December 20, 2022
December 20, 2022
Raising awareness
On any given night in Minnesota, 6,000 young people are without a home. They’re sleeping in cars, couch-hopping or struggling to survive on the streets. On December 1st, 40 Oak View students braved the cold and the snow to help support Homeless Teens in Anoka County. Oak View's Student Senate organized the "Out of the Cold" event to raise money for the local charity HOPE 4 Youth, while having fun outside. HOPE 4 Youth is a nonprofit organization in Anoka County that helps young people, ages 16 to 24, who are experiencing homelessness in the northern Twin Cities metro area. The HOPE in their name is an acronym for their key focus areas: Housing, Outreach, Prevention, Education/Employment. The Student Senate members created a Gallery Walk of Homelessness Facts and Stories for the kids to learn more. We were able to raise about $1500 combined from individual donors and the 8th grade Change Wars donation. Donations are still being accepted if you are interested in supporting HOPE 4 Youth's mission of providing pathways to end homelessness.
Upcoming events and items of interest
Dec 23 - Jan. 2 - No school, winter break
Jan 3 - School resumes
Jan 16 - No school, District closed
Jan 19 - VIRTUAL parent/guardian conferences
Registration & Course Selection for the 2023-2024 School Year
- Parents of current 5th graders will receive communication the week of January 9, which will outline the process for registering for 6th grade at Oak View.
- Current 6th graders will receive registration information during their ELA class on Thursday, January 5. Students will bring the registration form home to complete with their parents and return the document to the ELA class on January 12 to enter into the system.
- Current 7th graders will receive registration information during their ELA class on Thursday, January 5. Students will bring the registration form home to complete with their parents and return the document to the ELA class on January 12 to enter into the system.
- Current 8th graders will receive 2023-2024 high school registration information from Andover High School on Thursday, January 12. The 8th grade parent/guardian/student Welcome & Exploration Night is scheduled for Tuesday, January 17 at Andover High School. Registration for current 8th graders is due on January 19.
Please work with your student to make careful decisions as they select classes for next school year. Schedules are built and staff are hired based on the number of students who enroll in individual classes. For these reasons, changes to registration selections are not possible after the registration process is completed.
Virtual Conferences
Winter parent/guardian conferences will be held VIRTUALLY through Google Meet. Conferences will be Thursday, January 18 from 3:20-8:30 p.m. Please watch for the Bobcat Bulletin Virtual conference e-newsletter, to be emailed in January, with sign-up instructions.
Parking Lot Procedure - Student Drop off and Pick up
Our goal is to ensure the safety of all students. In order to do so, we have specific procedures in place for drop-off and pick-up. With the large number of moving vehicles and foot traffic, we do understand that this process can take time.
- Please wait in the car line and patiently drop-off/pick-up your children.
- Use the entire curb area, at the main entrance, for pick-up and drop-off. (The first car in line should be almost to the stop sign.)
- Students should exit the passenger side onto the sidewalk.
- Do not cut through the middle of the parking lot.
- Students are not to cross traffic to get to vehicles or out of vehicles. (Do not let your child cross the parking lot.)
Several cars are able to pick-up or drop-off students simultaneously, which speeds up the process for cars waiting.
Student grades
We encourage students and parents to closely monitor student progress throughout the year. This year, the only official grading periods will be the end of trimester reports. Directions to access gradebooks for Student and ParenetVue are outlined below. If you have questions related to login and password support, please call 763.506.HELP for assistance. If you have questions specific to grades or assignments in a particular class, please contact the teacher directly.
Bobcat Den homework help
Oak View Students have a place, after school, to:
- Work on homework
- Get help from a teacher
- Get caught up from being absent
Bobcat Den is located in the Media center
- The Den began Monday, Oct. 24 and ends Thursday, May 25. (No Den on Jan. 19 or April 27 due to conferences)
- The Bobcat Den runs Mondays through Thursdays from 3:10 to 4:15 p.m.
- On Tuesdays and Thursdays there are activity buses students can take home - these buses usually depart by 4:30 p.m. On Mondays and Wednesdays, students will have to arrange their own transportation home (for safety reasons, students will not be allowed to linger in the building after the Den).
- The purpose of the Bobcat Den is to provide a safe, organized place for students to receive additional academic support. Students who are off-task and.or disrupt the opportunity for others will be removed from the Den and may lose the privilege of future participation.
(Students should bring all necessary materials when they report for help.)
View Bobcat Den Flyer (PDF)
Frequently asked questions
- I need to pick my student up during the day, what is the process? Please call the Attendance line at least 1-2 hours in advance or send a note with your student the morning of the appointment. (Attendance, Absences, Early Dismal and Late Arrival policy)
- Do I need to come in to pick up my student? Yes, a parent/guardian must sign the student out. (Attendance, Absences, Early Dismal and Late Arrival policy)
- Do I need my identification to enter the building during the school day? Yes, all visitors/parents/guardians must scan their identification, typically a driver's license, before entering the building.
- How do I report if my student is going to be absent, will be picked up early, or arriving late? Please call the attendance office at 763-506-5606. (Attendance, Absences, Early Dismal and Late Arrival policy)
- Can I report my student's attendance online? Yes (Directions to report student attendance online)
- How do I add money to my student's Lunch Account? (Directions to add money to student lunch account)
Upcoming concert dates:
Winter concert series in the OVMS Cafetorium
7th Grade Orchestra
Thursday, December 21, 2023 7:00pm
6th Grade Orchestra
Tuesday, January 9, 2024 7:00pm
6th Grade Choir
Thursday, January 11, 2024, 6:45pm and 8:00pm
8th Grade Orchestra
Tuesday, January 16, 2024 7:00pm
Yearbook
Interested in ordering a yearbook? ORDER TODAY! at jostensyearbooks.com
Have a question? Email: oms_yearbook@ahschools.us
Not sure if you ordered a yearbook yet? Call Jostens Customer Service Support: 1-877-767-5217
Student of the month
Grade 6:
Grade 7:
Grade 8:
Physical Education student of the month
Montgomery: (gr. 8) (gr. 7)
Nicols: (gr. 8)
Peterman: (gr. 8) (gr. 8)
Whiteford: (gr. 6) (gr. 6)
Community Education
Community Education Opportunities for OVMS students are after school and evenings.
Upcoming Winter/Spring Middle School Activities/Athletics:
• Strength, Speed and Agility Training
• Archery
• Wrestling
• Ski/Snowboarding Club
• Dungeons and Dragons
• Dance Team
• Rocketry
• Fencing
• 8th/7th/6th Grade Boys Basketball
• 8th/7th/6th Grade Girls Basketball
• Ping Pong
• Boys Tennis
• Boys & Girls Track
• Girls NFL Flag Football
• Boys Volleyball
Please view the district wide Community Education offerings online at https://ahschools.ce.eleyo.com/
If you have questions or need registration assistance, please contact Community Education Secretary Ruthi Bratsch Landaeta at 763.506.5642 or ruthi.bratschlandaeta@ahschools.us
Volunteer news
Oak View Middle School has many volunteer opportunities throughout the school year. We look forward to working with you. Please visit our volunteer webpage to find the two required volunteer forms (Volunteer Application and Criminal Record History Release form). Once you sign up to be an OVMS volunteer, you will receive regular email notices for current and upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Please direct volunteering questions to Volunteer Services Coordinator, Cindy Roerig at 763-506-5730 or Cindy.Roerig@ahschools.us
Transportation update
Real-time bus information through FirstView app
Anoka-Hennepin families can check where their bus is — live — through a transportation app, called FirstView. The app monitors regular school bus routes in real-time. Best of all, it’s free for parents/guardians and students to use.
To find your student's bus information follow these step-by-step directions. Contact the transportation department at 763-506-1125 with questions.
Technology Resources
MS Parent/Student Technology Resources
For help with your Chromebook, send an email to:
Michele.Dunleavy@ahschools.us and Lisa.Cole@ahschools.us
or call
Michele Dunleavy 763-506-5726 or Lisa Cole 763-506-5639
** Remember to try a Hard Reset before asking for help.
This e-newsletter is published by Oak View Middle School. Questions, comments or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.