The Middle Matters
August of 2021 OMS Parent Newsletter
Inspiring Excellence. Every Learner. Every Day.
Calendar
August 31
A Day
6-8 First Day of School - All Attend
No Tech Tuesday
September 1
B Day
College Wear Wednesday
September 2
A Day
September 3
NO SCHOOL
September 6
NO SCHOOL
September 7
B Day
No Tech Tuesday
September 8
A Day
College Wear Wednesday
September 9
B Day
September 10
A Day
No Visitors
During this unique time, we are not allowing visitors into the building unless it is under special circumstances or by appointment only. If you do have a scheduled appointment you will need to present a valid ID in order to enter.
Lockers
Give a BIG OMS Welcome to our New Staff
A/B Day Calendar
Bell Schedule
Classroom Interruptions
Learning is taken very seriously at OMS; therefore, we try to keep classroom interruptions to a minimum:
-Please do not bring or arrange deliveries of bouquets, balloons, stuffed animals and the like to students. They will not be accepted.
-Encourage students to remember their Chromebooks, lunches, gym clothes, musical instruments, etc. We do not have staff to deliver these items, nor do we call the classrooms to have the students come down and pick up the items.
-Make afterschool arrangements with your student before school, if possible. We do not interrupt classrooms for these types of messages.
We believe that taking these simple steps will reduce interruptions to the classroom and will help our students stay more focused on their learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
My child has an unplanned absence. What should I do? Call the attendance line at 444-8705. Leave your child’s name, grade and a reason for absence. To ensure the health and safety of all students and staff, please list specific symptoms of illness for Public Health Tracking. Please leave parent's name and a phone number where we can reach you at in case we have further questions.
My child is going to be absent in the future. How should I handle this? You may call the attendance line in advance at 444-8705. Leave your child’s name, reason for absence and the date(s) they will be gone.
If I have questions about my child’s attendance, who should I call? You may call Mrs. Denton at 444-8711.
My child will be late coming to school due to an appointment or leaving early due to an appointment? What should I do? For late arrivals: Please call the attendance line at 444-8705 before 9:00 am. State your child’s name and reason they will be arriving late. When they arrive, they may enter through the 15th St NE doors and go directly to the office to check in with Mrs. Denton to get a pass to class.
For early dismissals: Call the attendance line before 9:00 am. Leave your son/daughter’s name, reason for dismissal and the time you want them dismissed. They will receive a pass before their departure time. They may keep this pass to show their teacher. The student then proceeds to the 15th St NE doors and shows the Security Guard their pass. When they see you pull up, they may head out to your vehicle. It is not necessary to come in to the building.
The 15th St NE entrance are the only doors students may enter and exit through between 8:10-2:40 pm.
Can my child get homework if they are absent? Homework can be requested if the student has been gone more than two days. You may call or email the teachers to gather the homework. Typically we require one full school day to gather the homework for students. If possible, the teachers may email you the homework; otherwise, it may be picked up in the office at the end of the school day.
How is my child doing in school? Parent Portal is a very useful tool to follow your child’s progress in school with grades and attendance. If you have not yet requested a username and password, please contact your child’s counselor.
Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa: Students A through K 444-8724
Olivia Gullickson: Students L through Z 444-8548
If you have any questions about grades or assignments, please contact your child’s teacher. If you are concerned about a pattern that you are seeing with academics, please contact your child’s counselor. Their contact information can be found on the website.
Conferences are also held two times per year. You are encouraged to attend with your child. The dates are October 25 and 28 and again on March 10. All conferences are held in the gyms and run from 3:30-7:00 pm. (These dates may be subject to change.)
Who do I contact if I am concerned about my child’s mental health and personal well being. Please contact the school social worker that corresponds to your last initial.
Sue Schroeder: Students A through K 444-8727
Chely Flores: Students L through Z 444-8719
How do I pay on my child’s lunch account? There is a payment box outside the office where your son/daughter can drop off payments. Please put it in an envelope and write your child’s full name and grade. You may also pay online on the My Payments Plus site. It can be found on the OMS Homepage.
We are at home and having problems with our Chromebook, who do I call? Please call the Chromebook Technology Hotline at 444-8630 or fill out this form.
I have to work late and want to pick up my child late. Can they just hang out at the school? Can I drop them off early? All students must be dropped off after 7:55 a.m. and picked up by 2:50 p.m.
OMS Activity Night
- Admission: $5.00
- Must have a valid ID.
- Students must be present in school in order to attend this evening.
- If a student leaves during the Activity Night they will not be allowed back in.
Friday, Sep 17, 2021, 07:00 PM
Owatonna Middle School, 15th Street Northeast, Owatonna, MN, USA
Chromebooks
Every student must bring their Chromebook to school every day, fully charged.
Teachers will be using these on a daily basis; it is crucial your child brings his/her computer to school every day!
Morning Choir is Back
What is it?
Morning Choir is an opportunity for students who are current members of 6th, 7th, or 8th grade band or orchestra to be a part of a choir during middle school. Morning choir will perform at choir concerts in December and May. Students who are already enrolled in choir at OMS do not need to be in morning choir. This is a choir meant for students in band and orchestra who can’t fit choir into their schedule during the day.
When are rehearsals?
Morning choir will meet on Monday mornings at 7 a.m. in room 202 (the choir room). Our first rehearsal will be on Monday, September 13. Students will rehearse every other week for the first 6 weeks and then rehearse every week until the concert. There will be a break in rehearsing from December 21- January 30.
How Do I Sign Up?
During the open house on Thursday, August 26, there will be a sign up table and you can pick up a printed schedule. You may also sign up by emailing Gina Mathison Elstad at: gmathisonelstad@isd761.org Feel free to stop in and visit with me or email me if you have any other questions as well. I look forward to meeting you/seeing you again!
Drop-Off and Pick-up
We just wanted to remind everyone that there is no student drop-off before or after school hours on 15th St NE. The cones will be out as a reminder. Please do not drive around the cones.
When dropping off in the morning, please drop off on St. Paul Rd. If you use the parking lot, pull all the way around the lot to the outdoor basketball court to drop off at Door 13. You may do the same in the afternoon for pick up. We do not want students dropped off at the athletic entrance. When you are leaving the parking lot, as the signs indicate, it is right turn only.
We are concerned with the safety of our students and continue to look for the best way to handle student drop-off and pick-up. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Another reminder that students do not enter the building until 7:55. Likewise, we'd like all students to be out of the building by 2:50. Teachers and staff may have meetings, etc. Please keep this in mind when determining your child's drop-off and pick-up times.