The Oak Park Advantage
October 2021
Oak Park Public Library Updates Hours
The Oak Park Public Library will now only be open by appointment between the hours of 3 and 4 pm. This decision was made as a result of rising COVID cases and increased traffic during those hours, which requires additional staffing. As we continue to search for adequate staffing to ensure we can safely reopen the Library building between 3 and 4 pm, the following services will be available during those times:
- Information desk (by phone);
- Computers and study rooms (by appointment);
- Curbside pickup.
Other measures the Oak Park Public Library is taking to protect patrons against the spread of COVID is:
- Requiring all patrons to wear masks;
- Hosting Library Board meetings virtually;
- Continuing to meet the requirements of the Emergency Declaration approved by the Oak Park City Council in September of 2021;
- Hosting events virtually.
Contact Us!
14200 Oak Park Blvd
Oak Park, MI 48237
(248) 691-7480
Hours
Monday - Thursday: 10:00 - 8:00 pm
Only Open by Appointment 3-4 pm
Friday: 10:00 - 5:00 pm
Only Open by Appointment 3-4 pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 1:00 - 5:00 pm
PANORAMA SUPPORTING STUDENT SUCCESS AT OAK PARK SCHOOLS
We thank you and your family for being our valued partners as we work together to educate the children in our district. Oak Park Schools values input from our community – and we need to hear from your child or children! Students are important partners as we work to improve our communication, academic programs, and overall experience for everyone.
To learn more about student experiences at school, we will be asking for your child’s feedback via an online survey they will be completing at school. The survey shouldn’t take more than 20-30 minutes to complete and will be administered between October 28th and November 12th. If you have any questions, please contact your child's school.
MHSAA FOOTBALL: OAK PARK KNIGHTS VS. CLARKSTON WOLVES
Friday, Oct 22, 2021, 06:00 PM
Oak Park High School, Oak Park Boulevard, Oak Park, MI, USA
BE KIND TO YOUR MIND
Register for a virtual support group designed especially for 14-to-17-years-olds, hosted by our Stay Well counseling team. Sign up for one or more sessions at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcpcu6rqDooGdJDuHvQba3_y1TJc0BH3XU2
You’ll get a confirmation email with information to join the meeting. Be Kind to Your Mind.
Call the Michigan Stay Well counseling line for free emotional support. Dial 1-888-535-6136 and press “8.” Remain on the line until you hear the prompt to speak with a Stay Well counselor. This service is free, confidential, and available 24/7. For more guidance on coping with pandemic-related distress, visit Michigan.gov/StayWell.
OPS & GLEANERS COMMUNITY FOOD BANK ARE CONTINUING TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY THIS FALL.
We want to ensure all families wishing to receive meals can do so.
Families and individuals in need of food are encouraged to attend upcoming distribution provided by Gleaners Community Food Bank
The distributions will take place on Friday's 2:00-4:00pm
10/8/21, 10/22/21, 11/5/21, 11/19/21, 12/3/21, 12/17/21, 1/14/22, 1/28/22, 2/11/22, 2/25/22, 3/11/22, 3/25/22, 4/8/22, 4/22/22, 5/6/22, 5/20/22, 6/3/22, 6/17/22, at Oak Park High School
(13701 Oak Park Blvd, Oak Park 48237). PLEASE ENTER OFF OF COOLIDGE HWY.
Additional Details:
-30 lbs. of groceries - Items such as milk, canned fruits & vegetables, lean protein & other shelf-stable items.
-Drive-up or Walk-up - Stay in your vehicles, and groceries will be placed into your trunk. Walk up guests without vehicles or those w/o a trunk are welcome to obtain groceries from a self-service table. If walking, please be prepared to carry the groceries or have a cart.
-No appointment needed - You do not need to bring identification or proof of eligibility to receive food.
-Increasing safety - If you wish to pick up for another household, you may do so without their presence in the car.
Please check our website for up to date changes/cancellations: PANTRYNET.ORG/MOBILE-DISTRIBUTION-EVENTS/
HOFFMAN PLANETARIUM OFFICIALLY NASA COMMUNITY EVENT HOST
Please visit https://www.hoffmanplanetarium.com/ for more information on upcoming events.
ASCENSION SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTER INFORMATION
Oak Park Schools, in partnership with St. John's Ascension Health Center, is proud to provide health services for students from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday.
You can come to the Health Clinic to schedule an appointment for your physical. The Health Clinic is located at Oak Park High School. You can also print the Ascension paperwork here or pick the paperwork up in the Health Clinic.
Services include:
Medical – General health assessment, school/sports physicals, sick care, immunizations, vision and hearing testing, laboratory screening, health education, and nutrition counseling.
Counseling – Counseling and referrals for various concerns related to school-age children and adolescents including depression, behavioral issues, personal relationships, violence prevention, family problems, and substance abuse.
Health Education – Student and parent educational programs related to the school-age child’s health issues: i.e., asthma, hypertension, diabetes, nutrition, abstinence, substance abuse prevention, and conflict resolution.
As a state-funded center that bills insurance, uncovered costs do not get billed to our students or their families, so we encourage your students to utilize these services.
For more information about Ascension MI School-Based Health Centers, please contact District Nurse Vanessa Long District Nurse Vanessa.Long@opsk12.org, or visit www.stjohnprovidence.org/communityhealth
IMPORTANT CHILD TAX CREDIT INFORMATION FOR MICHIGAN FAMILIES
Oak Park Schools Families,
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was recently signed into law and it contains numerous relief provisions for individual taxpayers, including some significant changes to the Child Tax Credit.
As for background regarding this Advance Child Tax Credit, please look at the attached Publications 5534B and 5534C.
The Advance Child Tax Credit is not just available to taxpayers with children that file tax returns, but also to people with children who have low or no income. Which could help many children escape poverty in America.
To qualify for Advance Child Tax Credit payments, individuals must:
· Have a main home in the United States for more than half the year (the 50 states and the District of Columbia) or file a joint return with a spouse who has a main home in the United States for more than half the year; and
· Have a qualifying child who is under age 18 at the end of 2021 and who has a valid Social Security number; and
· If have earned income, made less than Modified Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of:
- $75,000 or less for singles,
- $112,500 or less for heads of household and
- $150,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return and qualified widows and widowers
Advanced Child Tax Credit payments are not considered income and will not affect your access to government benefits like SSI, SNAP, TANF or WIC.
See #IRS info at https://go.usa.gov/x6fyE
OPS TECHNOLOGY - DEVICE REPAIRS & EXCHANGES
Dear Oak Park Families,
If you have a student device at home that needs to be repaired or exchanged, we are asking that you please place a service request with the Oakland Schools Service Desk. Please describe the nature of the issue your device is experiencing.
Oakland Schools Service Desk
Phone: (248)209-2060
Email: osservicedesk@oakland.k12.mi.us
Online Ticket submission/LiveChat: Create service ticket
We will have Office Hours beginning Tuesday September 7th, at the times and location below for you to be able to come and exchange your device. We will be offering two free repairs per student. After two repairs there will be a cost associated.
NOVA Academy
22180 Parklawn
Oak Park, MI 48327
Near the corner of Granzon and Parklawn, see map below. Please come to the door where it is labeled, Device Exchange. Look for signs that says, Device Exchange
Tuesdays: 7am-9am
Thursdays: 2pm-4pm
If you are new to Oak Park Schools and do not yet have a device at home, these will be distributed at your students school, the week of September 13th.
Thank you!
Oak Park Technology Team
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS: WAYNE STATE C2 PIPELINE
C2 Pipeline is a program sponsored by Wayne State University's College of Nursing. We are funded through the Michigan Department of Education's 21st Century Community Learning Center funds. Our program focuses on increasing graduation rates, improving academics, and helping to ensure students are college and career ready. It currently operates in twenty-four Metro Detroit high schools, serving grades 9-12. C2 Pipeline consists of three main components: 24 afterschool programming centers, annual summer programs, and the Innovation & Curiosity Center. Our overall program goals include the following:
- Preparing students to be college and career ready
- Increasing academic achievement in student learning
- Expanding student awareness through enrichment activities and other non-traditional learning
- Provide a safe and nurturing environment for all students
- Provide family services
Afterschool programming operates for a total of 32 weeks during the academic school year. Oak Park High School is one of 24 program centers, programming runs for two and a half hours daily, Monday through Thursday. During these two and a half hours, students are served dinner or a snack and also have a chance to participate in academic center and enrichment. C2 Pipeline's academic center offers students the opportunity to receive assistance with homework, projects, and any school related work in a small group setting. Our enrichments cover topics that would not normally be covered during the school day in a fun and exciting, hands on atmosphere. Examples include: Anatomy In Clay, Fashion Engineering, Traumatic Brain Injury, Need for Green Speed, SAT Prep, STEM Busters, and Empowerment Improv. Each center considers district goals and school improvement plans when determining programming activities. All enrichment curriculum is aligned to Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and state curriculum standards.
Oak Park Program Hours: Monday - Thursday from 3:00 - 5:30PM
Any Oak Park Students interested joining the C2 Pipeline program please contact me at pamela.geeck@wayne.edu.
OAKLAND COUNTY HEALTH DIVISION WALK-IN WEDNESDAYS
One by one, get the #COVID19 vaccine! Residents 12+, Oakland County Health Division offers all vaccines needed for students.
Walk-in clinics: OaklandCountyVaccine.com
Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
North Oakland Health Center
1200 N Telegraph, Bldg 34E Pontiac
South Oakland Health Center
27725 Greenfield Rd. Southfield
DOWNLOAD THE OAK PARK MOBILE APP TODAY!
Oak Park Schools is excited to announce the release of a mobile app designed specifically to keep our families better informed and connected to what’s going on in our schools.
The new Oak Park Schools mobile app for both Apple and Android devices will keep you connected while you are on the go. The app is FREE and available for download today!
The app will deliver real time school news to your smart-device for fast, up-to-date access. With the app you can:
- Get the latest district and school news
- Select the schools you want to follow
- Get push notifications about breaking news, closures, weather, events, and more
- See the latest photos from school events
- Tap to see school locations, phone numbers, and staff information
Download the new app in 3 easy steps:
From a smart-device, go to the iTunes App Store® or Google Play®
Search Oak Park Schools
Then select the “Oak Park Schools” app for free download
School news in the palm of your hand, your new Oak Park Schools mobile app is just a few taps away. Download it today!
WHY OAK PARK?
Our mission is to provide a quality education that promotes respect for the individual and cultural differences of students and provides college and career readiness skills to become lifelong learners and productive citizens.
The Oak Park School District’s nearly 4,500 students are served at Einstein, Key and Pepper elementary schools (grades PreK-5), the Oak Park Preparatory Academy (grades 6-8), , Oak Park High School (grades 9 -12), NOVA (grades 3-12) the Oak Park Alternative Education Center (ages 16-19 years old) and My Virtual Academy of Oak Park (grades 5-12) in Oak Park, MI in Oakland County located in a suburban community near Detroit with approximately 30,000 residents. Our district consists of over 450 staff members, including 250 teachers and 11 building administrators.
Our school district boasts an abundance of educational and co/extra-curricular programs to meet the needs of a vast array of learners from Pre-K through twelfth grade. We encourage students to challenge themselves academically, explore comprehensive course offerings, and take risks to discover their individual gifts. We are dedicated to providing an intellectually challenging educational experience in safe, nurturing school environments that thrive on cultivating and empowering students to be their authentic selves. In addition, our academic and co/extra-curricular opportunities provide agency and shape self-identity, which are critical components to the adolescent development process.
Oak Park Advantage
The Oak Park Advantage is a holistic approach to education that not only prepares students academically, fosters a sense of belonging but creates long-lasting connections to the Oak Park community. While attending Oak Park Schools, students develop a confidence that is woven throughout their post-secondary, professional and social-emotional well-being years after they graduate.
Contact an Oak Park School District principal and take a tour! Get the Oak Park Advantage!
Our 2020 Goals
Maintain dynamic, healthy, and safe learning environments that inspire unlimited equitable opportunities for optimal classroom instruction to increase student achievement.
Implement ongoing transparent best practices to reduce operating costs to create opportunities to invest in human capital and professional learning, sustain quality facilities, establish a healthier organizational culture, and ensure fiscal stability.
Strategically design and implement organizational systems to increase efficiency, boost productivity to allow staff and students to focus entirely on student learning and social-emotional well-being.
Review and refresh curricular needs and resources employing planned adoption schedules based on current research with technology integration for classroom instruction.
Operate collaboratively district-wide and abandon ineffective silos.
Website: www.oakparkschools.org
Location: 13900 Granzon Street, Oak Park, MI, USA
Phone: (248)336-7700
Facebook: facebook.com/oakparkschools
Twitter: @oakparkschools