Dear Otter Community,

It was another successful week in Otterville! Students and teachers are settling into their routines and becoming classroom communities! When I am out and about in the school visiting classrooms, I hear a healthy balance of fun and hard work taking place. Our teachers are AMAZING and are navigating the delicate balance of learning their students while also moving forward with the important learning of the grade level and setting high expectations for our otters.

I will begin my Tuesday Messages this week for students. Two areas I intend on addressing are the cleanliness of the groups bathrooms and everybody's responsibility to keeping it clean as well as the expectations on the bus. If you could also have a conversation with your child about the following, we would greatly appreciate it!

• Group Bathroom Expectations
• Do your business
• Keep it clean
• Wash your hands
• Go directly back to class
• School Bus Expectations
• Sit in your assigned seat
• STAY seated throughout the bus ride
• Use a voice loud enough to speak with your seat partner
• Use kind words and actions toward others

I am looking forward to a fun Boosterthon week and hope to see many of you at the Fun Runs on Friday! If you didn't already hear; if we meet our $20,000.00 goal, the school will get the Paint the Principal as their reward. The whole school voted on choices for the school reward on Friday. Paint the Principal won!

Otterly Yours,

Mrs. Anderson

Who’s ready for a weekend challenge?!🙋‍♀️ Get a $60 flat donation or $2 per lap donation before Monday and you’ll score a GOLDEN EDITION Dude Perfect keychain! 😮 Good luck!

Help us reach our $20,000 for Educational Experiences, PAWS Incentives, Resources to Support Community Events, Classroom Updates, and Classroom Resources ⬇️

1. SIGN UP your student(s) on MyBooster.com today.

2. SHARE with your family/friends using the SHARE tools on MyBooster.com.

3. GIVE a donation.

We’re currently at $3,407.00 towards our goal of $20,000. Every donation counts and brings us closer to Educational Experiences, PAWS Incentives, Resources to Support Community Events, Classroom Updates, and Classroom Resources for our students!

Reminder: Our big Oakville Otter Fun Run is coming up on 09/13/2024! We can’t wait to celebrate with you.

Thank you again for supporting our school! Let's make this weekend a huge success!

The office will be open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Please click on the links below to access public calendars.

The online application process to apply for free and reduced meals for the 2024-2025 school year is open. Click HERE to access information about the process and the application.

Monday, September 9th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Boosterthon Fun Run Fundraiser

Tuesday, September 10th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Boosterthon Fun Run Fundraiser

Wednesday, September 11th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Boosterthon Fun Run Fundraiser
  

Thursday, September 12th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Boosterthon Fun Run Fundraiser
  

Friday, September 13th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Boosterthon Fun Run Event
• 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th @9:30 am
• PreK, K, and 3rd @10:30 am

Check out the link below for all the information you need to know about and to register your child for Band, Chorus, or Strings!

Tentatively scheduled for September 16th.

Retakes are tentatively scheduled for November 15th.

More information will be provided as the dates draw closer.

St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) students use the Internet and other instructional computer resources in school. It is important that you and your student review this information each year. Within this policy is the Google Workspace for Education Additional Services Agreement. Students in grades PreK - 5th grade do not need to complete an AUP this school year. They will not be accessing additional services within Google Workspace for Education beyond the core features.

Now is a great time to find your laptop and charger. Please run all of the updates and make sure that it is working order. Chargers are to remain at home.

All SMCPS laptops come with the same responsibility of care and upkeep as any other loaned resources. Textbooks, novels, laptops and chargers can incur a debt if lost or damaged. Please refer to the student accountability newsletter that has been added to our weekly school newsletters.

Hello OES Otter Families,

I am Hannah Pratz, and I am so excited to be returning to the OES family this school year! I have been a school nurse for 25 years and have loved every minute! I love what I do and my door is always open! Don't hesitate to pop in the health suite or cut through!

All medications must be accompanied by an order before they can be given at school. We CANNOT give any medication without the medical order. Please contact me beginning on August 14th with any questions.

See you all soon!

FAQ for the start of the year:

When should I keep my child home from school?

• Fever >100.0, vomiting, diarrhea, or pink and crusty eyes
• Symptoms of COVID-19 like illness OR symptoms or an illness that do not resolve after home interventions
• Your child has been directed to quarantine by the local health department

One community committed to the learning and safety of all children.

Community is important to us. We strive to have the words "goal-oriented", "fun", "inclusive", and "thriving" used to describe our community. We believe that children learn and adults work best in an environment where they feel respected and safe. We are focused on four areas in our development of community: 1) Cultivating respectful, supportive relationships among students, teachers, and parents, 2) Emphasizing common purposes and ideals, 3) Providing opportunities for service and cooperation, and 4) Providing opportunities for independence and influence.

Email: lpanderson@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/oes/
Location: 26410 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 373-4365
Facebook: facebook.com/smcps.org