Weekly Family Update #38
May 9, 2021
Principal's Message
Hello Falcon Families,
Happy Mother's Day! I hope you are all enjoying a nice evening with family. Thank you so much for all of the kind words and goodies that were shared this past week as we celebrated Staff Appreciation Week. We have over 130 dedicated Falcon Faculty here at Oak Valley who work tirelessly to make this an incredible place for all students. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of this community as we celebrated our staff. Thank you to our PTSA for treats and surprises, the staff was so overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness.
Thanks for all you do for our Oak Valley Community! Go Falcons!
Beaming with Falcon Pride,
Mr. Young
Colin Young
Principal
Oak Valley Middle School
Schedule for the Week of May 10-14
New Information
8th Grade Yard Sign Distribution Information
Yard signs are ready! Signs will be available for Drive-through pickup on Thursday, May 13 from 3-5 pm and Friday, June 11th during the 8th-grade picnic. We can't wait to see these sprouting up all over our neighborhoods!
Congratulations to all of our Falcons!
8th Grade End of the Year Celebrations
We have several incredible activities planned to celebrate our promoting Falcons this year.
Friday June 11th
-8th Grade Picnic from 11am-2pm
Thursday June 17th
-Lunch with Your Falcon from 12pm-1pm
Friday June 18th
- Promotion Parade from 9am-1pm
8th Grade Picnic on Friday 6/11
As a special surprise to our 8th grade students, all 8th grade Falcons will have the opportunity to decorate a legacy rock with their name, words of encouragement or a special memory, and place it around campus. Our Forever Falcons will have an opportunity to decorate our campus.
Bring a lawn chair. Bring a beach towel to sit on. Bring a game to play.
We look forward to seeing you there!
More details and RSVP information will be coming later in May.
8th Grade Lunch with Your Falcon on 6/17
We are excited to announce our Lunch with Your Falcon event for our 8th grade promoting students on Thursday June 17th from 12pm-1pm. We are going to rearrange our bell schedule so that 8th grade students will have their own dedicated lunch period. Parents are invited to join their Falcon on campus during lunch for good times with family and friends.
We will have nice tables set up, promotion backdrops for pictures, a fun photo booth, and other activities and surprises. This will be a great moment for families and friends to celebrate together.
This event will be open to all 8th grade students. There will be a limit of two family members per student to ensure enough space for social distancing. Masks are mandatory for all those attending. More information and an RSVP will be coming soon.
8th Grade Promotion Parade on 6/18
Congratulations to our over 530 promoting Falcons this year!!
On Friday June 18th from 9-1 we will be host our Promotion Parade event. Come join all of your teachers and staff members from the past three years of middle school as we cheer on our Falcons as they embark on their next chapter and move into high school.
We have planned an exciting event to celebrate each Falcon. All families will be receiving a Car Decorating Kit to prepare for the celebration. Students will be receiving a traditional Promotion Program keepsake as well as other items including a custom OVMS Stole. Grad-Images will be onsite to take a professional photo of your student walking across the promotion stage/backdrop as they receive their certificate. Our 8th grade team and full Falcon Faculty are excited to announce your student's arrival and celebrate this milestone.
It is going to be an incredible special moment for each student. More details to follow.
8th Grade Open Campus for Pictures the Week of June 14th
Smile Falcons!!
Robotics Club Information
We have amazing news for all returning Falcons. We are looking for students interested in Robotics Club for next year. The club will be open to almost 30 students. Robotics club involves some coding and building. New students will also be able to work with current team members from the previous two years. Falcons, you do not need to have any experience in robotics, just an interest and willingness to have fun while learning all aspects of robotics.
There is a google form to fill out to begin the process of registering as a new member. You can use this link or go to the Oak Valley home page, click on students, activities, and see the robotics link for more information.
Please email Mr. Cox, jcox@powayusd.com, if you have any questions.
Falcon Foundation Dine-Out Thank You!
Thank you to all families who are supporting our monthly “Dine Out” nights. Through your annual fund donations, and by feeding your families, the Oak Valley Falcon Foundation has been able to approve a wide variety of teacher and staff grant requests that supplement learning for all our Falcons. Be sure to follow the Oak Valley Falcon Foundation on Facebook to learn more.
Save the date for our May Dine Out Night at Luna Grill in Del Sur, May 13 from 11 am-9 pm. Luna Grill will be donating 20% of sales to the Foundation. Hope to see you all there!
Continuing Information
Positive Prevention Plus
Please click here or open the attachment below, to read the information regarding the annual Positive Prevention Plus unit that will be taught to 7th & 8th graders beginning May 24, 2021. Materials viewing is available to parents May 3-May 14. If interested, please contact Dr. Shannon Chamberlin to request a time.
Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
We invite you to join us in the celebration as we honor the cultures and experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Throughout the month of May, our school will be sharing resources and information on AAPI Heritage Month. This week I encourage all families to visit the the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center which brings history, art and culture to you through innovative museum experiences and digital initiatives.
You can find the museum website HERE.
Join us as we learn about, champion, and celebrate, what makes us uniquely different as individuals and what binds us together as one Falcon Family. This is what makes us exceptional Falcons
California CAASPP State Testing Update
A final district decision has been made in terms of state testing for the Spring of 2021. Our district will not be administering the Smarter Balanced assessment for ELA and math in grades 3 to 8 and 11. We will also not be administering the Science test for fifth graders.
As you recall California applied for an assessment and accountability option to allow schools “to use the most viable option for assessment in their local context, including the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments and CAAs for ELA and Mathematics or other diagnostic, benchmark, or interim assessments.” Our district administers the iReady assessment which is one of the state's approved local assessments under this new flexibility.
- Our spring administration of iReady for all students including grade 11 will meet the federal testing requirements for 2020-2021 for ELA and Math. The spring window is May 17 to June 11.
- We also will not be administering the California Science Test (CAST) at grades 5, 8, and 12. Stay tuned for more information on this topic.
Falcons, Remember to Bring Your ID Card Each Day
Students need to continue to bring their ID cards each day as they will scan into our attendance kiosk each morning upon entry to campus. If you have not picked up your ID card, please come to the library for help.
Caring Connections Counseling (CCC)
Continuing Schedule and Reopening Information
Health Office Notes
Please remember to be proactive and prescreen your student at home prior to leaving for school. If your child has any of the following symptoms, please keep them at home. If your child has developed any one of the symptoms below while at school, they must be sent home immediately. Parent(s) will be notified to pick up their student immediately.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Per the CDC Guidelines (use link below of Decision Tree updates as of 2/22/21):
The individual may return based on one of the following:
https://covid-19.sdcoe.net/Portals/covid-19/Documents/Health%20Practices/COVID-19-Decision-Tree.pdf
a) 10 days from the day symptom(s) first appeared, AND improved symptoms and no fever (or fever reducing meds) for the last 24 hours.
b) With proof of negative PCR COVID viral test (no rapid results test accepted for negative results), may return immediately if symptoms are greatly improved AND student has been fever free (without fever reducing meds) for 24 hours.
c) A signed note from a licensed MD, DO, NP, or PA (who manages that condition) must: confirm the chronic diagnosis (i.e., cites labs, date-of record when diagnosed); include provider’s contact information; explain how symptoms are unrelated to COVID-19; and be accompanied by signed consent for school to interact with MD, DO, NP, or PA.
Please call Mr. Ennis in the Health Office at 858-487-2939 ext. 6129 for any questions or concerns.
Health Symptom Screening Information
If at-home screening is not possible, please come to the Welcome Center before entering campus to check your temperature.
More information on the self-screening process can be found below in the Health Office Notes message later in this newsletter.
We will return to our normal morning drop off route now that we are no longer taking temperatures.
On-Campus Students Reminders
For our families that are returning to campus. Please read over our Reopening Plan and Family Handbook carefully. There is lots of important information and reminders in those documents. All on-campus students must return a signed PUSD Health and Safety Agreement in order to be on campus. This form can be found HERE. We will be collecting these forms as students are dropped off and will have blank copies available in the Welcome Center if families need.
Here are some key reminders:
1. Please make sure you return the PUSD Health and Safety Agreement Form when you drop off your student. You can find the form HERE.
2. All students must come to school each day with a fully charged Chromebook.
3. All students will need to bring with them each day headphones, any needed school supplies, PE appropriate clothing (on the day they have PE), water bottle, independent reading book, and a packed lunch.
4. Students must wear a clean mask each day. We recommend bringing a second mask on the day they have PE.
5. Students who are on campus will go to their connections teacher for both connections and office hours. They will be able to zoom into to any classroom to ask questions. Students can also use this time to finish up work.
Learning Preference Change Request
We appreciate your patience.
PE for On-Campus Students
Welcome Back Falcons!
The PE team is so excited to have students coming back to campus – We have missed you!
Some information for an easy transition:
Students will not be dressing out in the locker room or using PE clothes. All Falcons must come to school dressed in appropriate athletic attire and tennis shoes on their PE days in order to receive credit for the daily activities.
Things you might want to send with your student on PE days are:
1. Extra face mask
2. Water bottle
3. Hand sanitizer
4. One warm days, a hat/visor, and sunscreen.
Weekly Bell Schedule and Monthly Calendar
Please see the attached weekly bell schedule HERE and below.
There is also a monthly calendar attached HERE and below. We will follow this same weekly schedule pattern for the reminder of the year, unless the School Board changes our current school model, with the exception of a few weeks where we have to adjust for holidays. Please look at both of these documents closely.
Asynchronous Fridays
Asynchronous Fridays are a day for students to work independently and for teachers to have time to prep, grade and collaborate as seen in the details presented at the last Board Meeting (bulleted below) as well as work with students needing support. This is still a work in progress and staff will continue the conversation to adjust as we move forward.
For Students:
· Review and preview work from the week to deepen learning
· Review feedback and complete corrections
· Independent learning time
· Reduce screen time
· Additional support time with peers and staff
For Teachers:
· Provide timely feedback to students; including grades
· Review assessments and plan based on student needs
· Complete required COVID attendance tracking
· Collaboration
· Professional learning
· Office hours to provide support to individual student
Parent Academy
Oak Valley Middle School
Email: coyoung@powayusd.com
Location: 16055 Winecreek Road, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: (858) 487-2939