Otsego Elementary Extra
Principal's Weekly Update - May 5, 2017
Staff Spotlight - Jenny Bechstein
Jennifer Bechstein is a second grade teacher at Otsego. She has served in grades K,1,2 and 4. Prior to that, she was a head teacher in the Head Start preschool program. Ms. Bechstein earned her Bachelor's degree in K-8 Education from Bowling Green State University in 1983. She has two sons, Spencer and Cole. She is an avid reader, sometimes gardener and enjoys planning and going on vacations.
Summer 2017 Extended Care Program
Registration now open.
Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Monday, June 5, 2017 to Friday, August 11, 2017
Closed July 3, 4 and 5 for the holiday
Registration packets may be obtained from the elementary office, the Extended Care staff or on the district website.
The Registration Packet includes:
1. Registration form
2. Student ID card (also referred to as emergency contact info)
3. Behavior contract
4. Swim permission form
5. Calendar of activities/field trips (subject to change)
All items must be filled out completely and turned in to Extended Care staff along with the $10.00 registration fee prior to your child attending.
Students will need to pack lunch and snacks each day as there is no cafeteria service available. Brown bag lunches (all disposable) preferred on field trip days.
Field trip fees are in addition to the hourly rate and a fee sheet will be available as soon as all trips and fees are confirmed.
Please email Crystal Stough with any program questions at cstough@otsegoknights.org.
Right to Read Week - May 8-12
Field Day 2017: Volunteers Still Needed
Field Day 2017
Parents and Guardians,
Can you believe that field day is just around the corner? We are asking for volunteers to help with the activities. The activities are scheduled from 9:20am – 11:20am on Monday, May 15th (K, 2nd, 3rd Coates & 3rd Digby) and Tuesday, May 16th (1st, 4th, 3rd Luidhardt & 3rd Seeger). Please report to the gym by 8:50 am. Please note we have a rain date for Thursday, May 18th and Friday, May 19th if needed.
Please fill out the information below if you are able to help. Return this form to school by Friday, May 12th . You may also email me with the information at Akonoff@otsegoknights.org. Thank you so much!!
Amy Konoff
Physical Education Teacher
-------Cut Here---------------------------------Cut Here --------------------------Cut Here -------
Field Day 2017
_______I can help on Monday, May 15th in the morning (Grades involved K, 2nd, 3rd Coates and 3rd Digby). 5th grade Hunsberger & Nofziger will be working in the morning.
_______I can help on Tuesday, May 17th in the morning (Grades involved 1st, 4th, 3rd Luidhardt & 3rd Seeger). 5th grade Riley & Gregorsok will be working in the morning.
Parent/Guardian Name________________________________________________
Parent Phone # & Email________________________________________________
Child’s Name_________________________ Grade/Teacher___________________
Camp Invention
**Scholarships now available. Please fill out this google survey or contact Jessica Martinez (jmartinez@otsegoknights.org) for more information.**
Otsego Local Schools will be partnering with the National Inventors Hall of Fame to host Camp Invention, the country’s leading program inspiring creativity, innovation, and STEM interest in children in incoming grades K-6. (open to all current PK students who will be KDG next year and current 5th Graders) The program’s all-inclusive cost is $225 per child. The camp be held June 12-16 8:30 am to 3:00 pm at Otsego Elementary.
The program director will be our Elementary Technology Teacher, Jessica Martinez and will be instructed by other Otsego Elementary Teachers. Please click the following link for more information. OTSEGO STEM CAMP FLYER
We are working with local businesses to provide scholarships to students. Please register your child now to take advantage of discounts, and if scholarship money becomes available, we will reimburse as needed.
YouTube Videos – Below you will find videos that you can share with your students in class or post on social media:
· Launch™ Overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OiFeEzgJwA
· Duct Tape Billionaire ™: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1La-KUenj1g
· Have a Blast™: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEoebK5xqhw
· Mission Space Maker™: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHiavm6TwIg
· Operation Keep Out™: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StVtc5AQYtc
Imaginations get their rocket fuel at Camp Invention! An exciting, weeklong summer adventure awaits with activities that explore connections between science, technology, engineering, and innovation while sharpening their 21st century STEM skills. A program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Camp Invention allows children in kindergarten through 6th grade to experience real-world problem solving, creative thinking, invention, and teamwork. Children work together to transform the terrain and ecosystem of a distant exoplanet. They take risks as budding business owners, blast rockets, air cannons, and rubber chickens, and wire a circuit to create their own Spy Gadget Alarm Box! Local, certified educators lead a week of hands-on activities that fuel children’s confidence in their natural ability to dream and create. Early registration discounts are available so don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity. Visit campinvention.org or call 800.968.4332 for information.
If you have any questions please contact Jessica Martinez at jmartinez@otsegoknights.org
A Message from a few of our 5th Grade Students:
Dear Parents/Guardians:
We are going to be having a pet drive to collect gently used or new pet supplies and food. If you do donate food please make sure that it is not opened just for the safety of the pets. The collection dates are May 8th- 12th the donations will not be counted if they are turned in after 2:45 on Friday May 12th. If you would like to you can send your kids to school with any gently used or new pet supplies make sure that they have their class code on them. Some ideas are of things that you can buy them are, 1.Spray Cheese, 2.Long and short dog leashes, 3.Trixie Chess game, 4.Everlasting treats, 5.Large Kong Classic dog toys, 6.Plastic Gloves Medium, and Small, 7.Copy and Printing paper, 8.Paper towels, 9.Soft toilet paper, 10. Jif’s creamy peanut butter, 11. Trixie 5 in 1 Activity Center, 12. Clorox Bleach, 13. Water filter cartridges, 14. Grown catnip, 15. Tide, 16. Tick control, 17. Large brooms, and 18. Dog beds.
Those are some ideas but if you want more ideas you can go on the website http://www.woodcountyhumanesociety.org/. Go on the wishlist and you can see what they want. If your child would like to bring any gently used or new items, they need to put it in the bins in their hallway and we are going to see what grade can give the most things to the pets. This will all be donated to the Humane Society sometime the weekend after the Donation drive is over. We really encourage that you let your kids donate and there will be a small prize for the class that wins. REMEMBER EVERY DONATION COUNTS! Even if your class doesn't win. It can be for any animal you want.
Arrival and Dismissal
1. Please do not park in the circle drive. If you are getting out of your car and going into the building, you need to be in a parking spot. This way we can keep the flow moving.
2. Please make sure students are exiting the vehicle on the side of the school. This way we can ensure students are not hit by cars using the outer lane.
3. Avoid blocking or stopping in the cross walk. This way students can safely walk into and out of the building. This includes the crosswalk on both sides of the circle.
4. Please pull all the way up (past the cross walk) so that more cars can fit to allow students to exit their vehicles. This will make arrival and dismissal go much quicker.
Thank you for your assistance in keeping our students safe! As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns!
Kindergarten Registration
We are still accepting Kindergarten Registration for the 2017-2018 school year.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR CHILD MUST TURN 5 ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 1.
Please bring the following items to the Elementary office with you when you are registering: Birth Certificate, Proof of Residency (rental agreement, utility bill, real estate tax receipt) with full physical address and parent's name, and Custody Papers (if applicable). Also, when registering we will need the Registration Form and Transportation Form completed. Prior to the FIRST day of school we will need the Doctor Physical Form and Updated Immunization Form completed.
If you have any questions, please call the Elementary Office at 419-823-4381 option 4 or e-mail jhelberg@otsegoknights.org and/or barmitage@otsegoknights.org
PAX Kernel of the Month - May
Praise Notes
All too often, the negative part of our day is what sticks with us. The bad luck, our shortcomings, or things we did not succeed at tend to attract a lot of our attention and can cause us to dwell on them. These messages can also be passed down to young people and become overwhelming to them as well. Noticing only the negative can actually increase anxiety, aggression, and violence among young people.
The Solution:
Praise Notes are a strategy for identifying and thanking people for a job well done. Recognizing effort, performance, and goodness in young people through verbal praise and written letters of thanks helps identify and encourage the behavior we would like to see more of.
The Procedure:
1. Identify a behavior, effort, or act of kindness you would like to see more of from young people. Remember, this may also include staying away from some of the disruptive or problematic behavior they may typically be tempted to engage in. This may include things like finishing homework without being asked, earning a good grade on a project, or even not arguing with little sister in the car.
2. Write a Praise Note letting the young person know exactly what they did that you appreciated. Also, include how it made you feel or why it is so appreciated.
3. Post this note in a conspicuous place where the receiver and others can see. Team this note with matching verbal praise to let him/her know you appreciate the effort.
4. Create a collection so the young person can reflect on all the things they have done well that contribute to a more nurturing environment for everyone.
The Science:
Praise Notes utilizes research showing brain cells tend to learn to work together. That means whether it is a problematic behavior we want less of or a productive behavior we want more of, the brain will catch on and continue the behavior that gets noticed. This is why focusing on or harping on the negatives can be harmful--even though it is something we are trying to help the young person do better. This is also why establishing a structured way to notice and identify the goodness is so important to the brain, especially the young person's brain.
Praise Notes are so effective because the written word impacts us so greatly. Some of our most cherished possessions are the cards and notes given to us by others. Writing these types of notes to identify and reinforce the goodness in others ensures our expectations and gratitude are conveyed clearly and helps establish a mutual understanding among adults and young people. In fact, Praise Notes have increased academic and work achievement, physical and emotional health, and decreased violence and aggression.
For more information about PAX and it's creators, visit wright.edu/prevention-science
Weather with Ronnie
Counselor's Corner
Goodwill Earth Day Donation Drive
Important Dates
May 15-16 - Field Day
May 16 - OES Literacy Night, 6-7pm
May 18 - Kindergarten Graduation
May 25 - Last Day for Students
2017-2018
August 9 - Back to School Days, 2-8pm
August 10 - Back to School Days, 12-6pm
August 17 - Open House
August 21 - 1st Day for Students
September 4 - Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)
October 9 - NO SCHOOL for students - District Professional Development (
October 20 - End of first nine weeks
October 27 - NO SCHOOL for students - Professional Development/Work Day
November 2-3 - NO SCHOOL - Conferences
November 22-24 - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break
Otsego PTO
“There’s a Minion reasons to join PTO”
Check out the PTO on Facebook and follow on Twitter @OtsegoPTO
The next PTO meeting is June 6 at 6:00 in the Elementary Library.
Fitted for Success
Wood County Department of Job & Family Services is now accepting applications for the Wood County School Supply Program. JFS will be assisting 500 Wood County students who will be in grades K-12 for the upcoming 2017-2018 school year with backpacks, school supplies, shoes, socks and possibly hats and gloves.
Income eligibility is for families at or below 200% Federal Poverty Level. For a family of 4, this is $4,100 or less in gross income per month or $49,200 per year.
Applications must be received by July 31, 2017. Applications can be picked up or mailed on request. See attached flyer for details. Assistance is provided on a first come/first serve basis.
Information can be found on Poverty guidelines at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.cfm. There is a chart calculating 200% of poverty on the following site,
Racing for Recovery
Volleyball for 4th-6th Grade Girls
SUMMER PROGRAM 2017: Wood County Hospital Ready Program
This summer program is for children with autism who are 3-6 years old and are able to engage in group activities without the support of a one-on-one personal aide. The focus will be on developmental skills and social interaction skills using a combination of teaching techniques, speech and occupational therapies. Monday’s session will have an emphasis on aquatic therapy. The focus will be on ADL’s for dressing/undressing for the pool, along with sensory, motor, cognitive and language activities. Thursday’s session will occur in a classroom environment and focus on teaching skills needed to improve picky eating, self-feeding, table manners and social interaction skills.
This 6 week program will begin June 19th and will meet two times weekly ending on July 27th. There will be a morning session and an afternoon session to choose from. This year we have received a Community Grant from Autism Speaks that will pay $150 of the pool costs for each child in June. Students must sign up for all 6 weeks of the program.
COST:
The cost of this program is $635 with a breakdown of the fees as follows:
CLASSTIME:
Afternoon Class - 12:30-2:30 – June 19 – July 27, 2017
*For more information or to register call 419-354-3099 or email beightlerb@woodcountyhospital.org
Follow Us on Twitter
Preschool: @OtsegoPreK
Kindergarten: @OtsegoK1st Grade: @OtsegoFirst
2nd Grade: @OtsegoGrade2
3rd Grade: @OtsegoGrade3
4th Grade: @OtsegoGrade4
5th Grade: @OtsegoGrade5
School Counselor: @OEScounselor
Reminders
SAVE ALUMINUM CAN TABS
Please help our students by collecting tabs from aluminum cans. Each tab is easy to remove and can be donated to the Ronald McDonald House. The tabs help fund various projects for Ronald McDonald Houses and its visitors. Send the tabs in a bag to the school and our students will do the rest!
SAVE BOX TOPS AND CAMPBELLS SOUP LABELS
You can help the school earn money for supplies by collecting Box Tops and Campbells labels from soup, juices and snacks. Our PTO collects and counts them and puts the money straight back into the school.
*This year our PTO is going to collect Box Tops monthly, and the class that collects the most will get a pizza party in May.
Heard a rumor or have a question?
Katrina Baughman
Email: kbaughman@otsegoknights.org
Website: www.otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4005)
Twitter: @kbaughman723
Mike Wiley
Email: mwiley@otsegoknights.org
Website: www.otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4009)
Twitter: @PrincipalWiley
Lianna Mikesina
Email: lmikesina@otsegoknights.org
Website: http://oesknightscounselor.weebly.com/
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4010)
Twitter: @OEScounselor
Bonnie Armitage
Email: barmitage@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4001)
Jenny Helberg
Email: jhelberg@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4003)
Deputy Brian Ruckstuhl
Email: bruckstuhl@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381