Important Dates
●Sept. 7 — Restaurant Nt-Jersey Mikes
●Sept. 8 — Back to School Night 5:30pm
●Sept. 13 — PFA meeting 3pm
●Sept. 14 — Parent Volunteer Training
Workshop 6-7:30pm - Childcare available!
●Sept. 16 — Picture Day
●Sept. 19 — SCOPE 2:45pm Rm 26
●Sept. 23 — Dinner and Movie Night
Back to School Night
Back to School Night is THIS THURSDAY, September 8th and our 2-3 grade will start in the classrooms at 5:30pm. Welcome Address (whole school) will be 6:30-7:00pm. Please, this night is for parents only! Come find out what the 2-3 grades will be doing for the year!
Teacher News
Getting to Work!
Your child will be assessed over the next few weeks by the teachers, to see where he/she fits for math, reading, and other skill sets. If your child tells you something was too easy or too hard today at school, please remember that assessments are happening so that lesson plans, homework and individualized assignments and small groups may be created to best meet the needs of each student. Meanwhile, we are all working together on units in math, science and language arts, to learn basic skills and learn how to work together as a team.
In science, we are continuing the investigation of seeds, by watching lima beans sprout and by dissecting the embryos of these seeds. We are realizing that seeds are “baby plants” and that’s why they have an “embryo.” We are also comparing and contrasting different seeds, such as the corn, plum and peach seeds. Ask your child what he/she discovered about the differences between these seeds!
In math, the 2nd graders are learning about the number line using the 10’s, 100’s and 1000’s, and using “greater than” and less than.” The 3rd graders started learning about how to look up information and find math games within our reference book.
We will all learn more about our classrooms at Back to School Night on Sept. 8th at 5:30—see you there!!!
Ms.Wendy Needs Supplies
Ms. Wendy would like to request the following supplies for her classroom
● EMPTY paper towel rolls
She needs them for a math project, thanks if you can save and supply!!!
Helping Hands—the Heart of OCLM
Why do we have parents volunteer a minimum of 90min. per week (per child)? Our program is unique in that the teachers work to individualize the lesson plans, homework, and teaching to the particular group of students they have that year. Your child might get individualized math, reading and spelling work both in class and for homework. We also have many hands-on, innovative activities and centers within each classroom. All of this can only happen if parents participate as much as possible in our program, so that the teachers can take the time to give special thought to each student. The heart of our program is parent participation—without it, our program doesn’t work. OCLM is a community of parents, teachers and children working together to create the best learning environment to fit each student’s individual needs. Everyone is welcome to contribute, so please make sure you have signed up for a volunteer spot in your room, and if you have trouble volunteering in the classroom, please contact Paula at pmluvspooh@aol.com OR 805-498-6054 and we will help you work out how to meet your volunteering requirements. Let’s all come together and let our helping hands support our children’s learning!
Ms. Wendy’s class still needs classroom volunteers in every time slot except for Friday mornings.
Parent Volunteers
Ms. Jennifer and Ms. Wendy would both like to thank everyone for signing up to volunteer this year. For classroom volunteers, please remember that the teachers make their plans with your helpful hands in mind. If you cannot make your scheduled time, please find a replacement and let your teacher know directly. Also, if you are an at-home volunteer, but would be willing sometimes to “sub”, please let your teacher know and you will be put on a list as someone who can help out in a pinch—thanks!
Tips for Classroom Volunteering
● Sign in/out of both the office & classroom
● Please turn off your cell phone
● Please be on time so teachers can brief you on the day’s lessons/tasks
● If you are not “assigned” anything, walk around/help out students who are working
● Show, don’t tell when helping (let the children figure it out themselves as much as possible)
● Emulate the classroom management and discipline policies (model the teacher)
● Watch what you say/keep things confidential when inside the classroom (about anything—other children, your views on the school, etc)
● Remember you’re here for the whole class (not just your child)—expect to work with other children, not just your own
● When there’s “nothing to do,” find out what the teacher needs done on a regular basis and help out (ex: clean desk surfaces, sharpen pencils, organize or hang up things, etc…)
● Volunteer time is not the best time to meet with the teacher to discuss your child—the teachers are more than willing to arrange a meeting time, please call or make an appt.
● Observe/respect school rules—please review school rules/policies with your children, such as dress code, games rules, where children need to be before and after school, and follow them yourself—you’ll set a very good example!
● Before/after school—students may not be in the quad area unless given permission or unless with a parent who has a pre-arranged meeting.
Communicators
Your child will be bringing home a Communicator, which is a notebook in which he/she will write thoughts, ideas, and comments on things that took place during the day. Parents, this can also be your Communicator, in that after you read and sign what you see your child has written, you can write a note to your teacher inside the Communicator. It’s another way to keep the lines of communication OPEN between school and home.