October 2020
Parent Surf Report - Ocean Lakes Elementary School
From the Principal's Desk
Linda M. Reese, Principal
Although we started the year out virtually, it has been a great first month of school. We had a pretty smooth first week of Face to Face learning with Option 1 students in pre-K to second grade. The students are adjusting very well to their new teacher, classmates and classroom. Students are really working hard learning the classroom expectations and routines. I look forward to welcoming our Option 1 third to fifth graders on October 6th for Face to Face learning. We appreciate your patience and help as we transition our students back to school. Our Option 2 students are continuing to rock their learning at home until the end of the first semester.
I am happy to report that we are fully accredited. We owe our success not only to the hard working teachers and students but our parents and community. Ocean Lakes Elementary is successful because of our dedicated parents. We thank you for all of your support and hard work with the students at home. We have done so well that we are recipients of the Board of Education Excellence Award for far exceeding state benchmarks in the areas of reading, math, science and social studies.
I would like to thank everyone that has joined the PTA. I know we can meet our 100% membership goal. PTA membership is only $5 for one person or $10 for a family. To sign up for the PTA just send in the attached form and the payment or go to the PTA Member Hub. The PTA is already hard at work planning activities. They are going to purchase a t-shirt for every student. Please go to this link for each child you have at OLES to record their t-shirt size.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1W0KKKYi7tmUFWqnRYaOniaQ8Mj3wENWXVXQOHV8KCjw/edit
When students take them home they should wear them for field trips (when allowed) and can also use them as a spirit shirt on Spirit Days.
For our returning parents and to all of our new parents, Ocean Lakes has a mandatory reading homework policy. Every child is to read for a minimum of 15 minutes nightly in grades K-2 and 20 minutes in grades 3-5. We have taught our younger students three ways to read a book: students can read the pictures, read the words, or re-tell the story. Also, your younger child can be read to by a parent, grandparent or older sibling. Do not forget to sign the reading calendar and return it to your child’s teacher at the end of each month.
Monday's are an instructional day so attendance will be taken. Teachers will be meeting with small groups of students. They may not be meeting with the same students each week. Students may also meet with the PALs teacher, Mrs. Thompson or the gifted resource teacher, Mrs. Aversa. Students are also expected to complete 100 minutes of asynchronous activities. Teachers will communicate activities for students to complete.
Have a great month!
Dr. Reese
Upcoming Events
10/9/20 – Progress Reports Issued
10/12/20 - Columbus Day--Students will attend school
10/15/20 – Red Cross Blood Drive 2:30-7:30 pm
10/16/20 - SPIRIT Day wear your school colors white and royal blue
10/23/19 – PTA Reflections Deadline
Progress Reports
Progress reports will only be issued to students performing below expected proficiency levels on October 9th. The electronic version of the progress report will be sent electronically to the parents unless they do not have an email address in Synergy. Paper copies will be provided to parents without an email address. Parents can also monitor student grades on ParentVue.
OLES Mission Statement
Ocean Lakes Elementary opens the door to learning to all by providing a nurturing environment that promotes 21st century learners. By engaging and being responsive to all students’ needs while creating opportunities for teachers, parents and community partners to collaborate and support successful achievement for all our students.
Compass to 2025 - Every Student, Every Day
Compass to 2025 is the new strategic framework for the division. It charts the course for teaching and learning across the division with the focus on ensuring that every student is challenged and supported to reach his or her full potential. The five year strategic framework includes six goals –Educational Excellence, Student Well Being, Student Ownership of Learning, An Exemplary, Diversified Workforce, Mutually Supportive Partners, Organizational Effectiveness and Efficiency – and multiple strategies to guide this work. Interested in learning more? Click: http://www2.vbschools.com/compass/2020/content/pdfs/Compassto2025.pdf
Follow us on Twitter:
Follow us @oceanlakeses on Twitter to learn about all the ins and outs of Ocean Lakes Elementary School. We will be posting updated information, pictures from school, and much more!
T-Shirts:
The PTA is once again going to purchase a t-shirt for each student. Go to this Google Form and complete one for each of your children at Ocean Lakes ES.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1W0KKKYi7tmUFWqnRYaOniaQ8Mj3wENWXVXQOHV8KCjw/edit
Clinic Notes
Check out this link for tips on how to make staying active a family affair. https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/active-at-home/
CLOTHING REMINDER:
Please remember to keep a seasonally-appropriate set of clothes in a Ziploc bag in your child’s backpack. Spilled lunches, restroom accidents, and mud that soil your child’s clothes can be quickly remedied if a clean set of clothes is available.
Reporting Student Absences:
Student absences and late arrivals should be reported daily. Please call 648-3200 and use Option 3 to report absences or late arrivals. Please leave the following information: student name, teacher name, state whether the student will be absent or tardy, and reason for absence or late arrival.
Solar Panels
You may have noticed the construction happening on the roof at Ocean Lakes Elementary. Workers are installing solar panels. Before installing the solar panels they replaced the roof. That phase of the work is complete. They are now installing the frames for the solar panels. The whole roof will be covered in panels. They will be fixed at 30 degrees facing south. Once complete we will be a zero net energy building. This combined with the new Geo Thermal system makes us an energy star building. We are going to use this project to teach our students about energy usage.
Student Accident Insurance:
The school division is continuing to provide voluntary student accident insurance information. This information is available online on the school division website, http://www.vbschools.com/health/insurance.asp
REDcard at Target:
Did you know that Target donates 1% of their REDcard holder’s purchases to OLES? Please take advantage of this amazing opportunity for our school! Target offers a 5% savings on every purchase made at a Target and Target.com when you use your Target REDcard. To take advantage of the many benefits offered by owning a Target REDcard, parents should visit the local Red Mill Target store at 2233 Upton Drive and inquire with any team member at a register. To sign up for a REDcard credit card all you need is an ID, and for a REDcard debit a blank check and ID. The process is super easy and takes only a few minutes to help support the Waveriders!
Papa John's Dollars for Dough Program
Our school has been involved with this program for over a year! The Dollars for Dough (d4d) program is an on-going program that will earn our school funds of 10% each month! When ordering any items online from Papa John's, simply put in the code OCEANLAKES.
School Spirit Days:
Show your Waverider school spirit on the first and third Friday of every month by wearing a school t-shirt or school colors (blue and white). The class with the highest percentage of students wearing spirit wear, on each grade level, will earn the spirit banner for their grade level.
Parent-Teacher Conferences:
Teachers will be scheduling parent-teacher conferences from October 2nd to November 5th. Teachers will be contacting you to schedule a time to discuss your child’s progress. Please take advantage of this time to discuss your child’s personal goals and classroom progress.
VBCPS Bus App:
Catch your child's bus on time! VBCPS has introduced a new mobile app for tracking your child's bus. The new app is Edulog Parent Portal Lite and can be downloaded for free via the App Store or Google Play. Step by step instructions can be found on the vbschools website. The registration code you will need is 49520952.
Parent Portal now ParentVUE:
Parent Portal is now being provided via the Synergy ParentVUE. This change will require you to create an account on the ParentVUE portal. ParentVUE will allow you to access your child's information such as grades, schedules, assignments, and attendance. You will be able to sign up multiple children under one account. In order to set up your account you will need an activation key which the office can provide you. Please contact our office to receive that information. You can find out more information on our division website, vbschools.com and click on the parent portal tab.
School Lunches and Friday Friends:
Until December 31, 2020 the US Department of Agriculture has extended free breakfast and lunch for all students regardless of their parent's ability to pay for lunch. You can also pick up weekend meals at Ocean Lakes ES on Fridays between 10:30 and 1:30 for your children. This Friday pick-up time takes the place of Beach Bags. Unfortunately we cannot send the food home in backpacks. The food is pretty substantial and would be too heavy for most of our students to carry. If you need a different time please let me know at linda.reese@vbschools.com.
Yearbooks for Sale:
We still have a few 2019-2020 yearbooks for sale. They are $25.00. You can call or email Amy Imbriale at amy.imbriale@vbschools.com if you are interested in purchasing a yearbook.
Parent Drop Off and Pick-up:
Parent drop off and pick-up has been going very well. We appreciate everyone's patience as we work to safely accommodate the increased number of students being dropped off and picked up each day. When leaving the parking lot in the morning and afternoon we are asking that you make a right turn only. It is too difficult to make a left turn those times of day, and we have had many accidents resulting from left turns. I know it is an inconvenience for those of you that live down Upton Drive. While waiting for an opportunity to exit safely when making a left turn, the parking lot is filling with cars. We just need to keep the traffic flowing. In the long run it is probably faster.
Chromebooks:
Students will take their Chromebooks back and forth to school. Please keep the charger at home and charge for the next day. The charging carts are too large to put in the classroom with the social distancing guidelines we currently have in place. Students will need their Chromebooks to complete Asynchronous work on Mondays.
PTA membership:
Please consider joining PTA. Individual memberships are $5.00 each or $10 for a family . You can join at by completing the attached sheet and returning with payment. There are membership forms in the office. Or you can sign up through Member Hub by using the QR code on the flyer.
Upcoming OLES Events
PTA Reflection Contest
This year's theme for the PTA Reflection Contest is "Look Within". Entries are due by October 10th. Prek - 5th grade students create theme-based artwork in dance, choreography, film, literature, music, photography, and visual arts. For further details and rules please visit www.pta.org/reflections.
Coldstone Creamery Pie Sales
We will be selling Coldstone Pies beginning October 28. Look for a flyer to come home soon. You pay for the pies through Ocean Lakes Elementary. In turn you will receive a voucher to pick up the pies from Cold Stone at Red Mill Commons.
Red Cross Blood Drive
We will be hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive on October 15, 2020 from 2:30 - 7:30 in the cafeteria. Please come out and support our local red cross. You can go to Redcrossblood.org to register for the blood drive. We are also doing the Pint Size Hero Program this year. Students will get a certificate and medal if they recruit an adult to give blood . A flyer is attached with further information.
Special Recognition Weeks/Months in October:
October 6-12 – Fire Prevention Week
October 21-27 – National School Bus Safety Week
October – Virginia Disability History and Awareness Month, National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, and National Dyslexia Awareness Month
