From the Superintendent
Outdoor Recess Procedures
We are making a slight change in our noon outdoor recess procedures. Under current practice, if the “feels like” temperature is 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or above, and not raining, our students go outside for noon recess. They are outside for approximately 15 minutes. Starting on Monday, December 8th, if the “feels like” temperature is 0 degrees or above, we will take the students outside.
We have polled area school districts and several of our immediate neighbors, including Lake Bluff and Rondout, and they use the 0 degrees threshold. Our supervision staff and MANY of our students have asked us to allow them to go outside, even if the weather is a bit colder. We strongly believe it will be good for them to get some exercise and fresh air, rather than being confined to our lunchrooms.
Before school, we will continue to use a “feels like” threshold of 10 degrees. Some students arrive as early as 7:35 a.m. on the bus and can be outside for up to 40 minutes. We also have considerably more space available inside before school than during school hours.
We are confident that you will continue to send your sons and daughters appropriately dressed, as you do now. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Heckel or Dr. Lemon.
7th Grade Smarty Pants PADS Project
Who: 7th graders supporting PADS of Lake County
What: We are collecting new and gently used sweatpants and flannel pants
When: December 2-19th
Why: We are supporting people in need and giving back to the community
7th graders are also challenged to collect travel size toothpaste, lotion and disposable razors. Can your homeroom clean up the competition and collect the most?
Ready, Set, Go!!
Science Club
Hello Science Club members!
Science Club is open to any students in 5th through 8th grade. The main focus of the club will be chemistry related topics, in order to prepare for the annual YBTCC (You Be The Chemist Challenge) where a team of students will compete against other teams from local schools. The Science Club will be meeting in Mrs. Edelson’s science lab on the following Fridays after school:
December 6, 2019 (3:30pm-4:30pm)
December 13, 2019 (3:30pm-4:30 pm) Qualifier Quiz
January 10, 2020 (3:30pm-4:30 pm)
January 24, 2020 (3:30pm-4:30 pm)
February 7, 2020 (3:30pm-4:30 pm)
February 21, 2020 (3:30pm-4:30 pm)
More dates will be announced as needed once the Challenge Date is finalized. Please arrange for a 4:30pm pickup from Science Club meetings.
The You Be the Chemist Challenge Qualifier test is much earlier in the year this year. For those interested in competing in the You Be the Chemist Challenge, you will need to be prepared to take the Qualifier Quiz on December 13, 2019 at our Science Club meeting.
Students can join Science Club 2019-2020 on Google Classroom
Class Code: dwg4pd
Here is a LINK to the You Be the Chemist Qualifier Study Materials.
Here is a LINK to the You Be the Chemist Qualifier Suggested Additional Resources.
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Edelson or Mr. Mehnert via email: edelson@ogschool.org mehnert@ogschool.org
Band News
Parents,
Please keep your child's instruments safe from extreme temperature swings this winter. Instruments should not remain in the cold for prolonged periods or in a car overnight! If this should happen, bring it inside to warm up gradually and do not play it until it has returned to room temperature.
Also, as the weather changes, please be sure your child has plenty of lip balm on hand to protect them from getting chapped lips during the cold months. It is very uncomfortable to play an instrument in this condition.
Symphonic Band
We have permission to have students who wish to play holiday music in the coming weeks for the school in various activities. This is a volunteer effort and a fun way to show some spirit around the halls!
The first time will be this Saturday during Holiday Halls. See Mr. Farris for details.
This week we will send the Solo and Ensemble packets home via email for you to review, then sign and return the last page. We are hoping to fill three rooms this year with musical events!
Jazz Band
We are looking forward to performing at the Jazz Café next Thursday evening! We still need parent volunteers to make this a special evening. Please contact Mr. Jones if you can help out.
Beginning Band:
Parents, our first big performance is this Wednesday evening, Dec 4th! Bring your video recorders; this will be a blast!
Beginning Band students should be dropped off in the band room a few minutes before 6 p.m. on Wednesday so we can run through our concert selections together as a big band before meeting you down in the Pat Patt Gym at 6:30. Students should dress in their “Sunday Best”, and remember to bring their instruments and music books for the concert. After the concert, the Thursday lesson group may leave their instruments in the band room for the following morning.
PTO News
PTO MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY!
Please join us this Wednesday, December 4th, at 9am in the Professional Development Room. All are welcome!
HOLIDAY HALLS – THIS SATURDAY
Save the Date for our very own 8th Annual Holiday Halls – Saturday, December 7th, 9am to noon. Only 1 week and counting. A fun family event for all ages! Come see our very own OGS halls transformed into its holiday best. New vendors you won’t want to miss! Volunteers are still needed to make it our best ever. Please click HERE to see the volunteer opportunities.
TAKE & GO SPIRIT WEAR
Take & Go spirit wear will be back at Holiday Halls on Saturday, December 7th from 9-12pm. New this year: OGS baseball hats & athletic headbands! Plus, winter hats, gloves, socks, magnets, yard signs, and more. Lots of great gift ideas!
ELEMENTARY BOOK FAIR
The Elementary Fall Book Fair was a success! This sale earned our school over $600 in Scholastic Dollars that helped build our elementary and classroom libraries with new books. It also earned over $2,700 for the PTO to use towards our school activities. Thank you to everyone that participated. Thank you to all of the parents that volunteered to help. A special thanks to our Book Fair Committee: Jennifer Tippett, Elisabeth Cobb, Mia Hughes, Raabia Khan, Keli Likosar, Jennifer Liu, Aayshah Mirza, Sarah Roe, Becky Rynes and Jen Sahagian.
ALL FOR BOOKS
Thank you to everyone that participated in the All For Books Dollar Challenge. Together, we raised $845!! This was donated in Scholastic Dollars to Reading Power, Inc. to help them grow their in-house library. Congratulations to Mrs. Saia's 2nd grade classroom for raising the most money and winning the classroom shopping spree! Their classroom raised $84! Way to go!
ATTENTION KINDERGARTEN & 1ST GRADE PARENTS
Save the date for the 2020 K-1 Social on Wednesday, January 16th from 1:30-3:30 pm at the Libertyville Sports Complex. Students have early release at 11:30 am, so it’s a perfect day for an afternoon of FREE activities including a challenge course, gaga ball, the climbing wall, relay races and various sports! Watch the OG News in the coming weeks for additional information including where to RSVP and how to sign-up to be a parent volunteer.
Contact Melissa Sallmann (melissagroner@hotmail.com) with any questions.
B. BUNGALOW SHOPPING FUNDRAISER
Next Monday, December 9th, B. Bungalow will be hosting a Holiday Shopping Fundraiser for the Oak Grove School PTO. Holiday shopping made easy... can’t attend the Happy Hour (4-6 pm) stop by and shop anytime that day during store hours (10 am - 5 pm). Please check the flyer in the virtual backpack. We look forward to seeing you soon!
CALENDAR PICTURES
Are you attending a sports event or helping out in a classroom? We need your pictures to make our OGS calendar a success. It’s simple, just upload your best images here and comment on the event or child’s grade: https://photos.app.goo.gl/8JwU9UZcP1RYCeQn6
We'll be collecting photos through the end of June so save the link to add more as you collect them. Thank you!
Curriculum Corner
Hello Oak Grove Community,
Welcome back from Thanksgiving break! The third of the four areas of the new Social Science content standards is Economics and Financial Literacy. The economic & financial literacy concepts include:
Economic Decision Making
Exchange and Markets
The National and Global Economy
Even though these are K-12 themes, they look different across the grades. For example, in kindergarten that means we explain how people make choices because they cannot always get what they want. In second grade that means explaining that money can be saved or spent on goods and services. In grade four, students will analyze how spending choices are influenced by price as well as many other factors like advertising, peer pressure, etc. And in middle school it evolves into, “identifying how people choose to buy goods and services while still maintaining a budget based on income, taxes, savings, and fixed and variable interest rates.”
If you missed the last two weeks, we reviewed the Civics and Geography standards in November editions of the OG News. For more information, feel free to use the direct link to the Illinois Social Science Standards or the link to the ISBE page with Social Science Resources.
Virtual Backpack
Oak Grove School Board of Education
Click HERE to view Board Agenda and Minutes
Email: boe@ogschool.org
Website: www.ogschool.org
Location: 1700 S. O'Plaine Rd. Green Oaks, IL 60048
Phone: 847.367.4120