Oak Creek Coyote News
November 19, 2021
Oak Creek Families,
Thank you for your ongoing partnership from home. I am grateful to be working in this community, and with such a strong group of professionals here at school. I hope you and your families enjoy the extra days without school next week!
If you have any questions, please see the FAQ section below, or feel free to reach out to myself or Carrie Beach at beachc@loswego.k12.or.us.
Thank you,
Barb Keeton
Principal
Oak Creek Elementary
In This Message:
Updated in Every Edition:
- Message from the Principal
- Dates to Remember
- Counselor Corner
- Message from Your PTO
In This Edition:
- Oregon Battle of the Books Sign Ups Open! - NEW!
- Picture Retake Day is December 1 - NEW!
- Kiwanis Virtual Santa - NEW!
- Vision Screening at OCE!
- Breakfast and Lunch Routines
- Student Illness Reminders: When to Keep Home from School
- Oak Creek FAQs
LOSD District News:
- Hunger Fighters
- How to Find LOSD Covid-19 Information
- Nutrition Services
- Back to School Clothes at Clothing Closet
- SafeOregon
- Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
Dates to Remember!
November 18: Poinsettia Pick Up!
December 1: Picture Day RETAKES
December 3: Vision Screening, Grades K, 1, 3, and 5
December 9: Square 1 Art Delivery to OC
December 20-31: Winter Break
January 17: No School: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 28: No School: Grade Prep Day
February 21: No School: Presidents Day
March 21-25: No School: Spring Break
April 1: 11:30AM Early Dismissal
April 7-8: No School: Conferences
May 27: No School: Grade Prep Day
May 30: No School: Memorial Day
June 10: Early Dismissal Last Day of Classes
OBOB: Oregon Battle of the Books!
OBOB sign-ups are open until November 30th!
We created a video tour of what OBOB looks like at Oak Creek Elementary in 2021/2022 if you and your reader are interested in watching.
All of the same information can be found in an informational Google Slide without the guided tour here.
Book Club Division
Competitive Division
Best,
The OBOB Team
For questions, contact Megan Lovelace, at lovelac@k12.or.us
Picture Retake Day is December 1!
Kiwanis Virtual Santa
Vision Screening December 3rd: Grades K,1,3,5
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Lake Oswego School District will be conducting the annual vision screening for students in your child’s school:
Oak Creek Elementary School on Friday, Dec. 3 at 8:45am.
Vision screening will be done by the Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation. The OLSHF uses a Spot screener to do the vision screening. It looks like a large camera that takes a picture of your child’s eyes.
More information about Spot:
You have the right to decline vision screening for your child. Please let your child’s teacher
know if you would like your child to OPT-OUT of vision screening.
If your child is referred to a vision specialist, you will receive screening results within two
weeks of the screening day.
If for some reason the Spot screener could not take an adequate picture of your child’s eyes; a vision screening will be done using a distance eye chart.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Oak Creek office at 503-534-2323.
PTO Corner
Message from PTO!
Dear Oak Creek Community,
Mod Pizza
The next Mod Pizza fundraiser will be November 28th. Use the coupon code of "GR199077Z" and 20% of your meal’s price will be donated back to Oak Creek Elementary PTO. Please sign up here: Mod Pizza Signup We need 20 people to sign up for this event.
GivingTuesday
Join the Oak Creek community in contributing to the global generosity movement put on by GivingTuesday! Learn more about the movement and how you can participate in the radical generosity here. Donate through our link here to join our community in giving back!
Spiritwear!
Oak Creek’s personalized spiritwear is here! Spiritwear These designs were made for our school community. Enjoy. Please make sure to order ahead of time due to the shipping crisis.
Teacher Appreciation
Signup here if you would like to help plan our teacher appreciation in May. Signup
Square 1 Art
All art will be delivered to the school by December 9th. Thank you for your orders!
Directory Spot
If you WERE a DirectorySpot user last year, please log in (same username and password) to review your families new data for this school year. Please make sure you have the latest version of DirectorySpot to see the new features (check the app store for any “updates”).
If you are a NEW user, you have been set up and can download DirectorySpot for free from the App Store (iPhone users) or Google Play (Android users), or you can also access the data from the web.
Here at Oak Creek, the PTO uses DirectorySpot to share information with our school community. DirectorySpot is a mobile, private, and secure directory platform customized for our school. It’s purpose is to provide a way to communicate with families about events and activities at Oak Creek as well as tools to help people stay connected. All schools in the Lake Oswego School District use DirectorySpot for this purpose. It can also serve as a way to look up class lists by teacher and as an online family directory.
You can access the directory, once you have your account and password set up,via the internet here or via the Android or Apple app.
For your security, the directory is by invite only. As a new family to Oak Creek, you should have received an email on how to set up your account. The email detailed how you can download the app and directs your family to set up a password for your account. Only Oak Creek families and staff can access our directory. Information for the directory is pulled directly from the school district’s enrollment data. If for some reason, information is missing or incorrect, you can edit the information yourself at any time and choose which information you
wish to share or not share. If you log in and see your family’s data, note that you are the only one who can see this information aside from the DirectorySpot Oak Creek Admin.
If you have questions please refer to this helpful guide.
Still have questions?
Email us at ocedirectoryspothelp@gmail.com
Holiday Cards – Minted
Check out Minted.com before you order your holiday cards. Use the code ”FUNDRAISEOAKCREEK” to save 20% and 15% goes to our Oak Creek PTO.
Donations
To make a donation, please click here: OC Donation
Your employer may match your donation. Don’t forget your spouse’s company too!
Yearbooks
Yearbooks are up for pre-order and are $20 until February. Pre-orders will be unavailable, and you will need to purchase them in person for $25 each after they arrive. Pre-Order Here
Oregon Battle of the Books
We have added the option to donate $25 for a bundle of OBOB books to the school library. All students may use these books, not just those participating in OBOB. Order HERE. We are looking for helpers to record themselves reading the first book chapters. Book Titles Sign up in the volunteer sign up, below. More information is HERE.
Volunteers
We are still looking for volunteers. Please sign up HERE for events and activities you would like to participate in this year. No commitments required. Sign up and we will reach out to you. No volunteers are allowed in the school yet but we are planning ahead!
PTO Website
Check out our new website. It is still under construction so check back for updates on this page. PTO Website You will find the link to the ordering site here also. We still have two positions available this year. Contact OakCreekElementaryPTO@gmail.com if you have questions or would like to join.
Thank you for your support and doing your part in our wonderful community.
Sincerely,
Oak Creek Elementary PTO Executive Committee
Kirstin Martin / President
Samantha McCaskey / Treasurer
Jesse Nguyen / Assistant Treasurer
Juli Webster / Membership
Rachel Wilde / Secretary
Wendy Jenkins / Parental Involvement
Iris Tilley / Sustainability
Grayce Moody / Communications
Counselor Corner
Oak Creek Resources and Programs
Oak Creek is very fortunate to offer services for students or families experiencing need, thanks to the federally funded Title IA program, the Lake Oswego School District, generous donations from our community, PTO, Lake Grove Presbyterian Church, BeeLine Foundation, Love Inc., Kiwianas, and the Lake Oswego Rotary Club.
This form: OC Resources and Programs can be returned to your student’s teacher, the school counselor, or the front office. It will be kept confidential.
*****
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us. Your privacy will be respected.
Jodi Pope, School Counselor 503-534-2323 popej@loswego.k12.or.us
Message from OC Counselors (Snack Donation Requested)
Dearest Oak Creek Families,
For the month of November through our Social Emotional Learning (SEL), we will be exploring the character trait of GRATITUDE. Gratitude has been shown to be one of the best ways to reduce anxiety, increase happiness, & improve relationships. The practice of gratitude is a tool that both grounds us and also inspires hope, peace, and joy. For when we are grateful, we are stronger to “be the good” to our world.
The definition students will be learning this month is Gratitude: choosing to notice and appreciate things in our life, things in others, and things in the world.
We want to make sure we share with students that Gratitude is 1) a choice that we get to make over and over again on where we put our focus and 2) does not always have to be about something positive. We can feel grateful even for tough or challenging things in our life! There is plenty of research that shows a strong connection between Gratitude and reduced anxiety, increased happiness, and better relationships. Over the course of the month, we will talk about amazing people who demonstrate Gratitude in various ways. We will talk about what we are grateful for in ourselves and in others. Lastly, we will even find Gratitude in some things we would not expect to be thankful for!
We believe involving families in our Social Emotional Learning is important. The letters linked below include activities, conversation starters, reading lists, and more for you to explore GRATITUDE further as a family:
K-2 Gratitude Family Letter (English) 3-5 Gratitude Family Letter (English)
K-2 Gratitud para Familias (En Español) 3-5 Gratitud para Familias (En Español)
Thank you for teaming with us to empower our students socially and emotionally. Please reach out if you or your student would like more support.
During the week of November 1st, the 4th and 5th grade classrooms will be engaging in an experiential learning event promoting empathy and disability awareness called Welcome to My World. Welcome to My World is a school-board approved program developed by the Special Services Parent Advisory Committee as an opportunity for students to experience what life might be like for an individual with a disability. The students will learn together with three stations: Speech and Language, Dyslexia, and Sensory Processing Disorder. At the end of the session, each class will reflect on their personal reactions to the experience, their thoughts about what it is like for students with a disability, and a plan for how to be a supportive community member to a peer who may be experiencing this disability. Ask your 4th or 5th grader:
What new perspectives do you have after that experience?
How did you feel during each station? (ie. frustrated, confused, successful)
How will you show empathy to fellow community members, especially those who may be experiencing a disability?
SNACKS DONATION REQUEST
As in past years we're reaching out to families for snack donations for kiddos who are in need. If you're able, we're looking for store bought individually wrapped snacks. Thank you in advance!
Sincerely,
Roxanne Davidson (2-5th Grade Counselor)
Jodi Pope (K and 1st Grade Counselor)
Breakfast and Lunch Routines
In order to keep our students safe we will be eating lunch outside as often as possible. When we do have to eat inside, due to rain or other weather related conditions, classes will spread out into the hallways to ensure 6 feet of distance is maintained between unmasked individuals.
Breakfast will not be served at school in the morning. Instead students can order a Grab-N-Go breakfast to take home at dismissal to eat the following morning before coming to school.
Please see the current lunch/breakfast menu here: LOSD Lunch/Bfast Menu
Student Illness
If your child will be absent, please email your student's teacher and copy the office. Please list the date your child will be absent and any illness symptoms. See the guide below for information on when to keep your child home from school.
FAQ's
What is the daily schedule?
First Bell - 8:10 am: Students are welcome to enter the building.
Tardy Bell - 8:20 am: Students who arrive later must check in with the office and receive a Tardy slip before going to their classroom.
Dismissal - 2:40 pm: Students taking a bus home will exit the building through lower doors, students being picked up by parents will exit the building through the top floor doors, students staying for after care will go to the assigned classroom.
Early Release on Thursdays - 2:00 pm
Will students and staff be wearing masks?
Yes, currently all students, staff and anyone who enters the building are required to wear masks. Additional information about mask requirements can be found here.
If you are still looking for an answer, please let us know by clicking here to submit your question.
LOSD District News
How to Find LOSD COVID-19 Information
We have made all of our COVID-19 information easier to find on our district and school websites. Look for the new LOSD COVID-19 Information graphic (above) and find information about guidance, protocols, notifications and more.
Included is a new COVID-19 Dashboard, which notes all active cases in each school currently. Active cases are people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are currently in their 10-day isolation period. Once the isolation period is complete, the case is removed from the dashboard. The dashboard is updated with exposure notices.
Also new is the recording of last night's Information Session about exposures and quarantining. We anticipate making these Information Sessions regular events to make sure we address all of your questions and concerns. Look forward to notices about upcoming sessions.
Free Meals for All Students
This school year the Lake Oswego School District will be offering breakfast and lunch meals (one breakfast and one lunch per student per day) at no charge to all students. Breakfast meals will be served in Grab-n-go style as students arrive to school. Lunch meals will offer healthy tasty entrees, fresh fruits and vegetables with a seasonal rotation of local farm produce and organic products when available.
For information about Food Services, please click here to visit our web page.
For information about part-time job opportunities in Food Services, please click here to visit the employment web page.
Back to School Clothes at Clothing Closet
I Love Lake Oswego Clothing Closet is a donation-based closet that provides clothing items and hygiene products for residents, students, and employees that work or live within Lake Oswego.
Open Saturdays
9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Visit https://www.ilovelakeoswego.com for more information.
SafeOregon
Parents-guardians who have concerns about a student’s well-being are encouraged to reach out to their principal, and to maintain strong lines of communication and partnership between students, families, staff, and other resources.
SafeOregon is also an effective way to report a tip regarding safety threats or potential acts of violence to our students or schools.
(Students should also be aware that intentionally providing a false report is a serious offense.)
Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
Stay connected to the district and your school(s) and receive urgent notifications by subscribing to the Lake Oswego Schools App.
About Oak Creek
Reach out to us if you have any questions or need anything!
- Principal Barb Keeton: keetonb@loswego.k12.or.us
- Secretary Carrie Beach: beachc@loswego.k12.or.us
- Secretary Tanya Goodwin: goodwint@loswego.k12.or.us
Address: 55 Kingsgate Rd., Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakCreekPTA/