The Acorn

September 22, 2017

My wife and I adopted our daughter from China in 2005 and in Chinese, her birth name translates as “beautiful autumn.” I always think of this when the season changes and how beautiful our children are to us. Well, the first day of fall is here and things are “falling” into place at Oakview with YOUR beautiful children. Routines are in place within the building each day and students and teachers are “working hard and playing hard.”

There are two upcoming events you want to remember.

• Boosterthon Fun Run, October 5 – The largest PTA fundraiser for the year and a new playground is our goal! Thank you in advance for supporting this child-centered event with your time, talent, and resources!
• Reading Tutor Training, October 6 @ 9:00 – If you are interested in volunteering some of your time to read with a student this year, please plan to attend this annual training. All materials are provided and no experience as a teacher is necessary!

School Safety

Based on national surveys, keeping children safe at school tops the list as a parent’s number one priority in school. Academic success used to be number one for decades. Recent school shootings continue to emphasize the importance of school safety so I thought it would be timely to have Sallie Sexton (Assistant Principal and Safety Coordinator for Oakview) share with parents information they need to know about safety measures at the school. Her article follows.

See you on campus soon!

Phillip Reavis, Ph.D.

Principal

A Note about School Safety from Mrs. Sexton

School Safety is a multi-tiered effort, with many moving pieces. As a parent, you may be aware of our Parent Friendly Safety Plan, found on the OES website, and our “Top 10 Tips” listed below. However, you might not be aware of some of the efforts taking place behind the scenes. School staff members go through extensive yearly training on safety guidelines. Select staff members are part of an internal team called the “Emergency Response Team”, which would be activated in times of crisis. The school is also equipped with lifesaving medical equipment positioned throughout the building. Students play an active role in maintaining a safe environment as well. Students are trained to respond to many types of drills throughout the year, including: Fire Drill, Earthquake Drill, Tornado Drill, Lockdown Drill and Reverse Evacuation Drill. Students are also taught basic safety tips for moving around the building and venturing outside. Oakview’s Safety Patrols help to lead some of these efforts. This year, the Safety Patrols helped to lead and organize the first Fire Drill. If you have a student in the EDP program, you can rest assured that the same safety standards apply. EDP workers and students practice the same drills and protocols throughout the school year.

School Safety doesn’t just happen; it is a conscious effort on the part of many! If you would like to learn more detailed information about Oakview’s Safety Plan and the Emergency Response Team, please plan to attend the School Improvement Council Meeting on Monday, October 9th at 9:00am or contact Sallie Sexton.

Top 10 School Safety Tips for Parents

1. Sign in at the front office and wear a nametag while on campus. Also, sign out in the office when you leave.

2. When visiting campus please stick with your stated business. An adult roaming the building causes alarm. An unannounced visit to your child’s classroom causes disruption and is not permitted.

3. Always complete school forms in their entirety and keep the front office and teacher updated with new phone numbers, home addresses, email addresses.

4. Report suspicious behavior to administration immediately, including a person who appears agitated, angry or out of sorts.

5. If hearing on the radio or television that there is an evacuation at Oakview Elementary, don’t drive to the campus. Chances are your children will be on their way to an evacuation site at Brookwood Church.

6. Always send a note to the teacher or call the office if there is a change in your child’s afternoon transportation.

7. Follow all traffic rules when driving to and from the school campus. Pay particular attention to directional signage and our NO CELL PHONE ZONE policy.

8. Remember that the campus will be under the command of law enforcement or the fire department during certain types of emergencies. School officials will yield to their leadership.

9. Know the school rules. Read Oakview’s Student-Parent Handbook cover to cover. The handbook is located on the Oakview website.

10. If on campus during an emergency, follow closely the directions given by faculty and staff. They have been trained to handle emergencies and will need your cooperation during a stressful time.

I have had all the Oakview families in my mind over these past couple of weeks as the weather has been crazy. I cannot believe we have already missed 2 days from school and we have only been in school for a month! Thank you to everyone that supported our Rush 2 Relief efforts for the Hurricane Victims; the firefighters were so very appreciative when they picked up your donations!

I did want to give you a brief PTA update:

1. Spirit Wear Items have been ordered and we will, hopefully, be able to process them next week when all of the items have been received.
2. The Student Directory is off to the printer and we hope to have it back from them by the beginning of October so if you ordered one, we are working hard to get it to you as soon as possible.
3. Room Coordinators met last Friday to start supporting your child's classroom. You should hear from them soon with classroom needs, volunteer opportunities, and teacher support.

I am very excited that so many men embraced the Online Watch DOGS signup that went live this past Monday evening. We have almost 50% of the slots filled which is great; if you are interested in signing up, please go here for all the information.

As Dr. Reavis mentioned, Boosterthon is right around the corner! It will kick off with a Pep Rally next Tuesday and will conclude with our Fun Run on Thursday, October 5th. Your support of this fundraiser is greatly appreciated! To learn more, click here!

I hope to see everyone in the field on Thursday, October 5th! And thank you in advance for your support of the event!

Serving With You,

Jennifer Burns

#ONLYatOAKVIEW where we “Work Hard, Play Hard”

Email: president@oakviewpta.com

It's that time again! The Box Tops for Education Fall Contest has begun and will run from now until Monday, October 2nd. In order to be counted for the class contest, please return all of your collected box tops to your child's class or to the dropbox in the school lobby by the deadline!

3 Important Reminders:

1. Please make sure that you have not included any expired boxtops (we don't get credit for expired ones)

2. Make sure to cut put each box top on the black outline (we have to cut off all excess packaging in order for them to be counted)

3. Don't forget to include your child's teacher name & grade level on the baggie/envelope, that way their class will receive credit. Prizes will be awarded to the 3 classes with the highest total number of boxtops!

Please help us score a touchdown for Oakview by earning extra money for the PTA!

Parents, help us raise money for our school and save the date for this year’s annual Boosterthon Fun Run! It’s a 9-day program that kicks off with a Pep Rally on Tuesday, September 26. Families will then gather pledges for every lap that your student runs (30-35 laps) at the actual Fun Run on Thursday, October 5. With our goal of raising money to go towards a new playground, we’ve asked the Fun Run experts at Boosterthon to power our Fun Run and make it more profitable, easier, and fun. Get the full details on our webpage.

All families are invited to come out and cheer on your student at the Fun Run! Thank you for your support!

K-1st grade: 8:20 am
2nd-3rd grade: 9:25 am
4th-5th grade (Color Run): 1:00 pm

Website: http://www.oakviewpta.com/boosterthon.html

She's the first person to greet you in Oakview's front office. Now learn a bit more about the woman behind that wonderful smile!

• Where did you grow up?
  I grew up in Charleston, West Virginia.

• Tell us a little bit about your family.
  I have been married for 28 years and have two sons, Max (25), Jake (21) and a sweet dog, Roxie.

• You’re happiest when?
  I am spending time with my friends and family and if it were at the beach it would be complete.

• What is your favorite thing to do in Greenville?
  I love Greenville's downtown. I could spend hours upon hours just walking around downtown and enjoying all that it offers.

• If you were stuck on an island what three things would you bring?
  I would want to bring my family, chocolate and probably some tool that would help me survive.

• How long have you been part of the Oakview family?
  My family moved to Greenville in the summer 2000. My oldest son was in 3rd grade. I began volunteering at Oakview and was here so much after a few years I began working part-time in the office. I have worked at Oakview in some capacity since then and have been back in the front office full time for the last 5 1/2 years. I love working here and getting to spend time with so many children and wonderful families.

• What is your favorite event at Oakview?
  My favorite event has always been the Hootenanny because the children like it so much and are so excited for it to begin. There is nothing better than hearing sweet squeals of excitement and fun from children of all ages.

Email: jomckinn@greenville.k12.sc.us

See Oakview's Full Calendar of Events For More Dates & Details