Oak Grove Elementary
February 2019
Message from Principal Landon
Hello Oak Grove Families,
It is hard to believe that the school is half way over. This has been such an enjoyable year for all of us and I appreciate all the hard work that our students, teachers, and community members have put in so far. We want to personally thank all of our families who attended our STEM night, it was a huge success!!
With Valentine’s Day approaching here is rule #1 if your child’s classroom celebrates this day:
It’s generally expected that schoolchildren will buy Valentine’s for all of their classmates. It’s important in the early years that no one is excluded. Thank you for making this a priority.
I have learned it doesn’t take Valentine’s Day to remind us of the need to communicate kindness. We can recognize and acknowledge the inherent goodness in each other on a daily basis. We can make every day about kindness by banishing bullying behavior, showing respect to each other, and being kind to ourselves. We can show our affection for our school by keeping it free of litter, making safe choices at recess and making a commitment to come to Oak Grove each day, on time, ready to learn and contribute.
Speaking of Valentine’s Day, please plan ahead for a lunchtime activity titled COOKIES with KIDS happening here at Oak Grove on February 14th. This is an opportunity for family members to share the love and come have a cookie with your student(s). A flier will be released soon.
Please see the lunch schedule below for Valentine's Day Cookie with Kids:
Kinders: 10:35 - 10:45am
1st Grade: 10:50 - 11:00am
1st/2nd Split: 10:50 - 11:00am
2nd Grade: 11:05 - 11:15am
3rd Grade: 11:20 - 11:30am
4th Grade: 11:40 - 11:50am
5th Grade: 11:50 - 12:00n
6th Grade: 12:20 - 12:30pm
This month we are focusing on a Win-Win HABIT:
- I am a PROBLEM-SOLVER when an issue comes up with another person.
- I think about what other people want and not just what I want.
- I am kind to others and try to think of ways to help everyone be happy.
Thank you for helping us foster a Win-Win attitude and may our hearts continue to shine and may every day be like Valentine’s Day in all of our worlds.
Your partner in education,
Ms. Landon
STEM Night - Dry Ice Experiments
STEM Night - Polar Arctic Animal Explorations
STEM Night - Snowball Tower Engineering
STEM Night - Snow Slime
STEM Night - Paper Snowflake Investigations
STEM Night - Fun and Games!
Don't forget to turn in "The Great Body Shop" Form
As mentioned last month, the Medford School District has adopted a new health curriculum titled “The Great Body Shop”. This curriculum aligns closely with Oregon Health Standards. As the attached document specifies, the Human Sexuality Education Law (2009), the Healthy Teen Relationship Act (2013), and the Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Law (2015) collectively contribute to the Oregon Department of Education’s Comprehensive Sexuality Education policy framework, which is addressed within “The Great Body Shop”.
On Friday 1/11 a letter was sent home with information about the new curriculum, the locations of potentially sensitive material within the curriculum as it aligns to the health standards, as well as a parent/guardian opt out form in the event that you would like your child/children excused from any portion of the curriculum.
This grade specific curriculum will be presented on Thursday, March 21, 2019.
We are requiring that you read the cover letter and the entire packet of information.
Please sign and return the portion below (which states that you have read all attachments in their entirety) and any pertinent materials to your child’s teacher as soon as possible.
Copies of all grade appropriate forms are at the bottom of this newsletter.
The Effects of Sugar on a Child’s Academic Performance
We all like to indulge in sweet treats for Valentine's Day, but what do you pack in your student's lunch box every day? Did you know that too much process sugar can affect your child's ability to learn?
Sugar Decreases Attention Span and Memory
It’s been well documented that sugar activates the brain’s pleasure response, but scientists are discovering that it impacts the brain in a variety of other ways.
When people consume a lot of sugar and then attempt challenging tasks, like math problems, the brain’s hypothalamus allows the body to release a lot of cortisol. Known as the stress hormone, this substance impedes memory. When children’s bodies are flooded with cortisol at school, they struggle to pay attention to their lessons and find it difficult to sit quietly. When their attention is elsewhere, they find it difficult to retain information they’re taught.
Chronic Sugar Consumption Might Permanently Impair Memory Functions
In the short term, sugar consumption will only impair memory temporarily. If children reduce their consumption, they should find that they can reach their actual academic potential. However, studies suggest that overindulging in sugar early may have a long-lasting effect.
Researchers from the University of Southern California fed adult and adolescent rats beverages with sugar levels comparable to that found in ordinary sodas. After a month, the adults showed normal brain function. However, the adolescent rats showed reduced memory and learning capacity. In addition to declined memory levels, these rats also had inflamed hippocampi. This part of the brain is crucial for forming memories and organizing and storing memories.
If sugar can impact young rats in this way, what’s it doing to your child?
Sugary Foods Crowd Out Brain Food
When sugar moves into the digestive tract, it sends a signal to the brain to tell the body that it’s full. So it makes sense that researchers from Pennsylvania State University have found that the more added sugar children consume, the less likely they are to eat healthy brain foods like grains, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products.
Too often children reach for a fruit-flavored candy, which contains empty calories, over a real piece of fruit, which could improve their cognitive function. They grab a soda from a vending machine instead of choosing memory-enhancing milk. And once they do, they believe they’re so full that they won’t touch the healthy stuff. So, the problem with sugar consumption isn’t just about the sugar itself, but also what children are giving up when they consume it.
What Can You Do?
Limiting your child’s sugar intake is essential for helping them achieve their academic potential. The American Heart Association recommends that children have no more than four teaspoons of sugar a day. Be aware of the hidden sugars hiding in unexpected places like sauces, dried fruits, and flavored yogurts.
Whether your children attend a traditional school or learn online through a program like K12, too much sugar can and will affect their educational outcomes.
From:
https://www.learningliftoff.com/the-effects-of-sugar-on-a-childs-academic-performance/
Chocolate Fun Facts
- Each cacao tree produces approximately 2,500 beans.
- It takes 400 cocoa beans to make one pound of chocolate.
- Most cocoa–70 percent–hails from West Africa.
- There are an estimated 1.5 million cocoa farms in West Africa.
- Benjamin Franklin sold chocolate in his print shop in Philadelphia.
- It takes two to four days to make a single-serving chocolate bar.
- A farmer must wait four to five years for a cacao tree to produce its first beans.
February Calendar
February 1: 8:10am 6th Grade Academy Parent Information Meeting (In Media Center)
February 7: Site Council 2:40pm
February 8: Red & Pink Spirit Day!
February 13: PTO Meeting at 5:30pm
February 14: Valentine's Day Please look for your student's classroom updates on possible activities.
February 18: Presidents Day - NO SCHOOL
February 27 - March 5: Book Fair
February 28: Family Literacy Night 5:30-7:00pm
Valentine's Day at Oak Grove - Cookies with Kids!
Oak Grove Art Gallery
February Power Words: PREDICT & TRACE
PREDICT: What will happen next? Say or estimate what will happen in the future or will be a consequence of something.
TRACE: Find or discover by investigation. Copy by drawing over an existing image.
PTO Corner
THE NEXT PTO MEETING
Will be held Wednesday, February 13th at 5:30pm.
SHARE THE LOVE!
Oak Grove's Ram Store is held every month to give kids the opportunity to buy fun stuff with the Ram Bucks they earn for good behavior and we are struggling to keep up with the demand! Is it possible for kids to be too good? We are looking for any gently-used items that your kids are done with - toys, games, puzzles, books, jewelry, stuffies... to resupply the store. If you have extra after the holidays, or just want to contribute new items you think the kids might like, we would love to accept your donations. We will collect boxed or bagged items the week of February 11th - 15th in a bin in the lobby. Please mark your items for "Ram Store." Thank you for your contributions to this worthy cause!
About Us
If your child is absent today, please call before 8:30am.
If a child has a temperature of 100 degrees or higher in the last 24 hours, is vomiting, has a colored discharge from the nose, or has other flu-like symptom, s/he should not be in school. When a child is recovering from an illness, we cannot keep the child in during recess. If a child is too ill to go outside, s/he is too ill to be at school.
Call in advance if: you need to pick up your student from school for an appointment or if they need to leave early for the day.
Call BEFORE 2pm if you are changing after school pickup plans.
Email: oakgrove@medford.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.medford.k12.or.us/oakgrove
Location: 2328 West Main Street, Medford, OR, USA
Phone: 541-842-3830
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/OakGroveMedford/posts/