Attention 8th Grade Parents and Students
On Wednesday, March 22, 2017, Libertyville High School will be here taking ID photo's during study hall and lunch, in the junior high gym entrance from 12:05 - 1:05. If you DO NOT plan on attending LHS in the fall of 2017, please notify Mrs. Azzato at extension 2029.
Change is Coming to Our Web Store
Our web store is getting a makeover!
The mobile-friendly design will simplify your experience when making payments from any device. Just visit the web store through any web browser on the device of your choosing – it’s that easy.
In addition to the responsive design, enjoy the following features:
- Quick, two-step checkout process
- Convenient login window
- User-friendly design
Click here to watch a video regarding making a payment with the new interface. We’re excited to share this update with you and save you time!
Oak Grove Book Drive
Our fourth-graders volunteered at Bernie’s Book Bank and are hosting a school-wide book drive. Bernie’s Book Bank is a local non-profit organization. Its mission is to collect, process, and distribute new and gently used children’s books to significantly increase book ownership among at-risk infants, toddlers, and school-age children throughout Chicagoland.
We ask all families and students to support our fourth-graders and Bernie’s Book Bank. Please clean off your bookshelves and donate any of your gently used children’s books. Our goal is to collect 2,000 books. With that goal, Oak Grove will be able to supply 166 children with 12 books they can call their own. The more books we collect, the more children we can serve.
Book collection bins will be located near the elementary school entrance from March 14th - 24th. To learn more about Bernie’s Book Bank, please view the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN--wCEDLq8&feature=youtu.be
The fourth-graders thank you for your support.
PTO News
Meet the Candidate Night - This Thursday, March 16th
The PTO will be hosting a 'Meet the Board of Education Candidates' night on Thursday, March 16th at 7 pm in the elementary gym. Please email any questions for the candidates to lisa@millcreekpkg.com. All questions must be submitted in advance and emailed by the end of the day, Monday, March 13th.
Variety Show
Attention 8th Graders - We are looking for some creative writers to write this year's script. If interested, see your ELA teacher to sign up before Monday, March 20.
Important dates
- Monday, March 20 - 8th grade emcee tryouts
- Tuesday, March 21st & Wednesday, March 22nd - Variety show tryouts. Everyone trying out must bring in your signed permission slip that you received at signups. You can also get a copy of it in the virtual backpack.
Box Top Contest Update
After our second collection of the year, the following classrooms are in the lead for the year-end treat. Our totals are down this year, so please keep clipping! Remember, we only collect Box Tops for Education (No labels from Campbell's soup, please!). Also, please submit the official Box Top, not just the logo that indicates it's a Box Top product - unfortunately, those don't count. You can recognize the official Box Top coupon because it always has a dotted line around it and an expiration date. Please don't save them for one big submission at the end of the year because they expire. Thank you for your support.
Our current leaders are:
K - Ms. Sweeney
1 - Ms. Miller
2 - Ms. Poore
3 - Ms. Dugan
4 - Ms. Seveska
5 - Ms. Rogers
We'd also like to thank all of the Junior High families, faculty, and staff who support the program! The next collection will be in May and will determine the classroom winners. Good Luck to all!
Save the Date
The K-1 Social is scheduled for Friday, May 19th at Libertyville Sports Complex from 12:45-3.
Curriculum Corner
Hello Oak Grove Community,
This week, we would like to share two opportunities for students to engage in mathematical competitions in grades K-8.
Purple Comet! Math Meet
What is it?
The Purple Comet! Math Meet is a contest conducted via Internet web form. Middle school teams are given 60 minutes to work on 20 mathematics problems. Each problem has a solution that is a non-negative integer. Contestants are allowed to work on the contest problems as a team and may submit solutions to problems until their clock runs out.
Who can participate?
Any 5th-8th grade student registered at Oak Grove
When is the contest?
Wednesday, April 26th, 2016 at 3:30 pm
How do I register?
If interested, email Mrs. Oesch by April 17th
More info?
Visit PurpleComet.org
DreamBox 2017 Spring Math Challenge
What is it?
The DreamBox Spring Math Challenge is a competition in which DreamBox classrooms across the nation compete to complete the most DreamBox lessons and win prizes. Every student walks away from the DreamBox Math Challenge with new math skills they can put to use every day. Plus, students who participate get early access to the best new DreamBox features.
Who can participate?
Any K-4th grade student registered at Oak Grove
When is the contest?
Monday, March 13th through Friday, March 31st
How do I register?
You are already registered. Your team is your math class. Good luck!
More info?
Contact Mrs. Oesch
Standards Based Grading Update
The administration would like to thank the parents who provided feedback at the Standards Based Grading booth during Thursday’s conferences. The information was helpful as we continue to plan for the future.
Next year, grades 6-8 report cards will continue to use traditional letter grades as they have in the past. We will continue to focus our work on differentiation through the use of assessments aligned to standards.
Letter to Parents and Guardians from the Illinois State Board of Education
Dear Parent/Guardian:
We appreciate your investment in your child’s education and want to share with you some information about state and federally required assessments. Federal law requires the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to administer certain assessments to all students who attend public schools in the state, including students who attend charter schools.
According to federal law:
- Students must take an achievement exam in reading/language arts and mathematics each year from third through eighth grade. In Illinois, students take the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam.
- Students must take an achievement exam in reading/language arts and mathematics once in high school. In Illinois, high school juniors take the SAT.
- Students must take an achievement exam in science three times from third through 12th grade. In Illinois, students take the Illinois Science Assessment in fifth grade, eighth grade, and after completing Biology I in high school.
- Students identified as English Learners must take an English language proficiency exam once per year until English proficiency is reached. In Illinois, English Learners take ACCESS.
- Students with the most severe cognitive disabilities must take alternate assessments in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science. In Illinois, students with severe cognitive disabilities take the Dynamic Learning Maps Alternate Assessment (DLM-AA).
These are the only ISBE-required student achievement assessments.
Assessments help improve standards, curriculum, and instruction at the classroom, school, district, and state levels. Assessments play a role in helping ISBE and school districts identify areas where schools need targeted support. The average amount of time spent on accountability assessments represents less than 1 percent of the school year.
However, we want educators and students to devote as much time as possible to learning, not testing. We are working with districts and schools to evaluate local testing programs and reduce the amount of testing for students, where we can.
We encourage students to do their best on all assessments. Individual districts and schools may have local policies for students who refuse to take assessments on testing days, but federal and state law does not authorize districts or schools to excuse students from testing. ISBE does not provide guidance on “opting out” because such an option would violate the law.
School districts must administer assessments to at least 95 percent of students and at least 95 percent of each student demographic group or face lower public school recognition status, which leads to increased state oversight and puts districts’ state and federal funds at risk. Individual high school students who had the opportunity to but chose not to take the required state accountability assessments (the SAT and the Illinois Science Assessment) lose their eligibility to receive a regular high school diploma. (Current high school seniors who may not have had the opportunity to take one of the required assessments will not be prevented from receiving a regular diploma.)
We encourage students to complete as much of each assessment as they can. If at any point a student feels they no longer can or wish to continue, they may indicate this to the test administrator.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the ISBE Division of Assessment and Accountability at (866) 317-6034 or visit www.isbe.net/Pages/Assessment.aspx.
We thank you for your dedication to supporting and serving all Illinois students. S
Sincerely,
A. Rae Clementz
Assessment and Accountability Division Illinois State Board of Education
Volleyball Reminder
Don't forget, Co-Ed Intramural Volleyball starts next week! It is open to 4th-8th grade boys and girls. We will meet in the Patt Gym from 3:30-5:30 Monday-Thursday. The fee is $10 per student. To register, fill out the permission form and pay online through RevTrak. Contact Mrs. Edelson with any questions.
Track and Field
The season begins Monday, April 3rd. It is open to 6th-8th grade girls and boys. The schedule is still being finalized. Track meets are listed on the main calendar through the Oak Grove website. Practices will be from 3:30 - 4:45 pm, four days a week. There will be a meeting for students in the upcoming weeks. Look for posters and listen to the morning announcements for more details. Contact Coach Edelson with any questions (edelson@ogschool.org).
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