Oak Creek Elementary

Oak Creek Families,

It was great to see so many families for conferences this week! We appreciate the time you give to partner with our school in your child's education. Thank you!

Our week long Coyote Spirit Week starts on Monday! Check out the PTO Corner below for all the details, including information on our daily dress up days, the Move-a-thon, and the adult only Auction/Casino Night on Saturday. It is going to be a fun week!

• Monday - Mix Match Day
• Tuesday - Western Day
• Wednesday - 80s Day
• Thursday - Pajama Day
• Friday - Oak Creek Spirit Day (wear OCE t-shirt, passed out in class on Thursday)

Read below for important information, including details about our Food Drive, and our upcoming Spirit Week, including our Move-a-thon and the Auction/Casino Night! If you have any questions, please see the FAQ section below, or feel free to reach out to myself or Tess Kristoffersson at kristoft@loswego.k12.or.us.

Thank you again for your support from home!

Barb Keeton

Updated in Every Edition:

• Principal's Message
• Dates to Remember
• PTO Corner

NEW In This Edition:

• Coyote Spirit Week Details!

Repeated Information:

• Walk4Water16!
• Purposeful People - April Focus: Courage!
• Nurses' Newsletter
• Food Drive
• Junior Windjammer Camp

LOSD District News:

• Recognitions, Observances in April
• Lake Oswego Football
• LOSD Cares
• Tualatin Food Pantry
• "I Love Lake Oswego" Clothing Closet
• SafeOregon
• Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App

April 10-21: Food Drive

April 17-21: Coyote Week (School-wide Spirit Week)

April 21: Move-a-thon

April 22: Adult Only Auction/Casino Night

April 22: Junior Windjamer Camp

April 28: 5th Grade to BizTown

April 29: Walk4Water16

May 3: PTO Art Lit Training

May 17: 4th Grade Music Performance

May 19: PTO Better Together Celebration

May 24 and 25: 4th Grade Field Trip

May 26: Grade Prep Day - No School

May 29: Memorial Day - No School

June 1: PTO Family Science Night

June 8: 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony

June 9: 5th Grade to Oaks Park

June 12: Last Day for Students! 11:00 Dismissal

Hello Oak Creek,

Next week, April 17th-21st, is Oak Creek Spirit Week!

The Coyote Week Online Silent Auction is live through April 22nd. Check out and bid on the amazing auction items now!

Next week is dress up week! Show your school spirit each day following the themes below:

Monday Mix Match Day

Tuesday Western Day

Wednesday 80s Day

Thursday Pajama Day

Friday Oak Creek Spirit Day (wear OCE t-shirt)

Throughout the week, students will be given some items to wear / keep. On Western Day they will be given a bandana. On 80s Day they will be given a glow bracelet. On Thursday they will be given an OCE t-shirt to wear for Friday’s Move-a-Thon event.

On two days, students will be given treats. On Thursday they will be given a donut hole. On Friday they will be given a dum dum sucker. Ingredients for each treat can be found here. If students are unable to have a donut hole due to an allergy, they can have a dum dum sucker. If you prefer students not to have a treat, please have them notify their teacher.

The Coyote Day Move-a-Thon is Friday, April 21st, 11:50a - 2:20p! All students are encouraged to participate by moving their body during their slotted time. All family / friends are encouraged to support from the sidelines during your child’s slotted time and for the Pep Rally. The schedule of events is below:

11:50a-12:20p 3rd/4th

12:20-12:50p K

12:50-1:20p 1st/2nd

1:20-1:50p 5th

1:50-2:20p Pep Rally

Students will move during their slotted time rain or shine. The Pep Rally, where we will have special guests from LOHS, is weather dependent.

Spectators are able to purchase blue shaker pom poms on site for $2 each. Please bring exact change.

If you haven’t already, sponsor a student today! We are nearly half way to our $30,000 goal. Please share this link with family and friends.

We need volunteers to set-up, clean-up, and pass out lap bracelets during our Move-a-Thon event. If you are able, please sign up to volunteer. Volunteers will need to complete the LOSD Application, check in at the office on the day of the event, and check in with Brooke (emcee) on the field before serving. All other supporters will need to remain on the sidelines, behind the designated track marked with cones.

We have limited tickets available for the Coyote Casino Night Auction, April 22nd, 6-9p at the U & I Event Center. This adult-only event will feature auction items, live music, casino games, food by Koi Fusion, and much more. Tickets are $75 and include 2 alcoholic drinks, dinner, and casino chips. No need to bring cash to this event. Buy now! The dress code for the event is black and gold - let’s party!

Additional Volunteer Opportunities!

April Art Literacy

May Art Literacy

Earth Day is April 22nd! We are celebrating by working in the city sponsored parks clean ups. See the flyer below and see links below for more information on dates and times.

Park Clean Up Opportunities, month of April

Lake Oswego Sustainability Resource Fair, April 15th

Westlake Woodland Tending, April 22nd

Shifting gears, gifting gear!

Rehome your sporting equipment on April 15th from 10a-2p at Lakeridge High School. Please read the event details and feel free to share.

How it works

• drop off sporting gear in good / safe / working condition

• come shop for new to you gear for FREE

• donating gear does not guarantee that you will find replacement gear

• you can 'shop' even if you have not donated any gear (this is not an exchange, gear if 'gifted’)

Coming soon!

OMSI Night at Oak Creek, June 1st, 4:30-7:30. Free to all OCE families. More information to follow.

Order your yearbook! Pre-order for $25. If you make a “Direct Ask” donation, or a donation over $175, a yearbook is included. The last date to order is April 21st.

Get your OCE spirit wear! Use this link to shop for all of your coyote gear.

Follow us on social media!

Facebook @ Oak Creek Elementary

Instagram @ Oak Creek Elementary PTO

PTO General Meeting on Wednesday, 4/12, 7p in the Oak Creek Library.

Questions? OakCreekElementaryPTO@gmail.com

Oak Creek Elementary PTO Executive Committee

Kirstin Martin / President

Amanda Schade / Treasurer VP

Samantha McCaskey / Assistant Treasurer VP

Page Donnelly/ Membership VP

Brooke Mattern / Communications VP

Holli Hansford / Co-Events and Enrichment VP

Barry Hansford / Co-Events and Enrichment VP

Steve Farnham / Co-Fundraising VP

Heather Shoyer / Co-Fundraising VP

Lauren Terpstra / Parental Involvement VP

Rachel Wilde / Secretary VP

Teressa Raine / Sustainability VP

Our annual Food Drive will be held April 10-21. If your family is able to contribute, please send your student with healthy canned, boxed, or packaged food to be dropped off at the front of the school (large boxes will be marked). All food and monetary donations will be donated to Hunger Fighters Oregon. You may also donate money online using the link below.

Hunger Fighters Oregon

Thank you!

The Third/Fourth Grade Students

Maya Naik, a former OCE student who is currently at LRHS, is teaming with OCE to promote WaterAfrica and the Walk4Water coming to Lake Oswego soon! Maya and her team are going to create a short video for our teachers to share in class and we will be hosting a brief assembly on April 24th to share more about the project and to promote the walk the following Saturday.

Please read her note here:

Please join us for Walk4Water16 on Saturday, April 29!

Come down to Foothills Park in downtown Lake Oswego to “Finish the Job” in Zambia by 2025.

WaterAfrica raises money to provide clean water and sanitation for Zambians. On average, people in the developing world walk almost 4 miles every day to get water. 2023 is the 16th year for this fantastic family event for kids, parents, grandparents, and friends!

Sign up at WaterAfrica.org - Free Registration and Participation

Does your child like to sing? Join the Windjammers (advanced choir) of Lake Oswego High School for a morning of music and fun on 4/22 from 9am-12pm at LOHS. Learn a pop song and choreography to perform with the Windjammers that night at their Variety Show! Registration is $50 and includes the camp, snacks, T-shirt, plus an adult admission to the evening show. Register by 4/18!

Email director Tara Bamford bamfordt@loswego.k12.or.us with questions. Register here: https://forms.gle/tyY3M2jbddZ2AtTw7

Thank you so much!

Dear Oak Creek Families,

During April, we will turn our social emotional learning focus on Courage. One way to think about Courage is “choosing what is helpful, right, and kind even when it is hard or scary.” Courage is 1 of 3 traits we will focus on throughout the year that helps students Be Strong. Throughout the school, students will be developing skills like focusing, organizing, and goal-setting.

As we enter April, we will be talking about the virtue of Courage - to help our children be courageous and learn to conquer things that frighten or scare them. Children need reassurance that fear is one of our feelings and to help them understand that it’s okay to feel afraid. Courage isn’t fearlessness, but instead our ability to choose the right thing even when we are scared! The definition we will be talking about is: Courage is to choose what is helpful, right, and kind - even when it is hard or scary.

Have some fun connecting as a family this month while practicing Courage. Here are 3 “PurposeFul Pursuits” for you to complete together. How many can you do this month?

1. Reflect, think, and discuss with your child things you both would like to do, but find intimidating or scary. Maybe it’s a new hobby, trying a new game, sharing your art or invention with others, or going on an adventure somewhere. Give 1 of these things a try together and take a selfie to capture the memory!

2. Review Courage as a family! Remember that Courage is choosing what is helpful, right, and kind - even when it’s hard or scary. What’s something that you’ve been afraid to discuss with your child? Something that might be difficult to explain about our community or the world. Chances are they will hear about it eventually and it may come from someone who is less informed or less supportive than you. Have a courageous conversation. It could be about bullying, the environment, uncertainty, etc. Remind them that love and support are 2 tools that we can use to practice Courage. Discuss as a family ways they can practice Courage around the issue you discuss.

3. We have all demonstrated Courage in our lives. Many of us have seen people practice Courage in ways that have inspired us. Stories are powerful tools for connecting as a family. Protect time this week to share stories about Courage with each other (you can use the story prompts to get started). At the end of the conversation, think of 1 way you can practice Courage this week. Pursuit #1 Pursuit #3 Pursuit #2 Reflect, think, and discuss with your child things you both would like to do, but find intimidating or scary. Maybe it’s a new hobby, trying a new game, sharing your art or invention with others, or going on an adventure somewhere. Give 1 of these things a try together and take a selfie to capture the memory! Story Prompts:

• A time I (or someone else) showed Courage was _____.
• An act of Courage that changed/challenged me was _____.

Thank you for taking the time to engage your family in these activities.

In Partnership,

Roxanne Davidson

School Counselor

Handwashing

While hand sanitizer is a great option, it cannot replace good handwashing. Be sure to wash your hands after using the restroom,sneezing or coughing, or touching your face to help keep our community healthy.

Allergies?

If your student has a health plan that includes an Antihistamine (Benadryl), please be aware that you must provide it. If your child has an allergic reaction or potential exposure to allergen and you have not provided it, we will have to call 911 per the regulations and guidelines of OHA/ODE/CCESD.

If you would like to speak to your school nurse, click the link below for contact information.

Contact your District Nurse

Please click here to: Learn when to keep your children home from school.

We have much to celebrate, acknowledge, and observe in April. In particular, our district and schools will be bringing attention to Arab Heritage Month and Autism Acceptance Month. All teachers and staff are encouraged to find ways to recognize those and other awareness opportunities to help create a culture of belonging in our schools.

Arab Heritage Month, April 1-30, celebrates the Arab American heritage and culture and pays tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans.

Autism Acceptance Month, April 1-30, aims to promote acceptance, celebrate differences, and be more inclusive towards autistic individuals around us.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month, April 1-30, recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect.

National Day of Silence, April 14, is observed as a movement against the harassment and bullying of individuals identifying with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community. Students protesting for this movement typically take a day-long vow of silence to symbolically represent how the students from the LGBTQ+ community were silenced throughout the years.

National ASL Day is remembered on April 15, 1817, when the first lasting school for the deaf in the United States opened. Students gathered there over the years and at subsequent deaf schools across America. The children intermingled Native American Signs, French Sign Language, and Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language. This process brought forth modern American Sign Language.

National Volunteer Week, April 15-21, is an opportunity to recognize the impact of volunteer service and the power of volunteers to tackle society’s greatest challenges, build stronger communities, and be a force that transforms the world.

Yom HaShoah, April 17-18, is a Holocaust Remembrance Day when Jews from all over the world stop to reflect on the afflictions their ancestors faced.

Earth Day, April 22, demonstrates and promotes environmental awareness and calls for the protection of our planet.

National School Library Week, April 23-29, is a time to celebrate librarians' contributions and promote library use and support.

Take Your Child to Work Day, April 27, encourages parents to bring their children to work with them and show them the wide range of jobs available to them.

National Arbor Day, April 28, is America's oldest environmental holiday and celebration. Founded in Nebraska in 1872, it was created to encourage people to plant trees in Nebraska, as it was largely a treeless state.

Observances:

Passover, also called Pesach, April 5-13, is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Recommended accommodation: Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines, events, or activities on the first 2 days and the last 2 days. If planning an event, provide food accommodations (Kosher restrictions apply)

Good Friday, April 7, commemorates for Christians the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Recommended accommodation: Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines, events, or activities.

Easter, also called Pascha, Zatik, or Resurrection, April 9, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Recommended accommodation: Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines, events, or activities.

Orthodox Good Friday, April 14, commemorates for Orthodox Christians the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross. Recommended accommodation: Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines, events, or activities.

Eid al-Fitr, April 21-22, is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan. Recommended accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, or activities on this date. If planning an evening event, provide food accommodations if requested (Islamic dietary restrictions apply).

If we've missed a recognition opportunity, please email mary.kay.larson@loswego.k12.or.us.

I Love Lake Oswego Clothing Closet has received an overwhelming amount of support and donation during the pandemic. We want to give back to our community and encourage our community to lean on us not for just hard times, but for up cycling, sustainability, and for our environment. In the past the closet was just for students, and since the pandemic we have opened our doors to anyone within our community.

Visit https://www.ilovelakeoswego.com for more information.

Parents-guardians who have concerns about a student’s well-being are encouraged to reach out to their principal and maintain strong lines of communication and partnership between students, families, staff, and other resources. SafeOregon is also an effective way to report a tip regarding safety threats or potential acts of violence to our students or schools. Students should also be aware that intentionally providing a false report is a serious offense. https://www.safeoregon.com/

In addition, below are reporting methods for parents-guardians or students to use to report issues related to racist, bias, or harassment incidents.

· Incident Report for Elementary School

· Incident Report for Middle Schools

· Incident Report for High Schools

Stay connected to the district and your school(s) and receive urgent notifications by subscribing to the Lake Oswego Schools App.

Reach out to us if you have any questions or need anything!

• Principal; Barb Keeton: keetonb@loswego.k12.or.us
• Administrative Assistant; Terese Kristoffersson: kristoft@loswego.k12.or.us
• Administrative Assistant; Tanya Goodwin: goodwint@loswego.k12.or.us

Address: 55 Kingsgate Rd., Lake Oswego, OR 97035

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakCreekPTA/

Interested in OCE Spirit Wear? Check out this website sponsored by our PTO! OCE Spirit Wear