Otter Outlook
October 5, 2017
In this issue...
A Message from the Principal
Need to Know!Calling All Dads!
Ocee Walk & Roll - Oct. 11
Picture Day is Coming - Oct. 17
National Custodial Workers Recognition Day
Ocee's Annual College Week - Oct. 16 - 20
FCS Announces Feb. 16 as Make-up Day for Hurricane Irma
The Coach’s Corner - Ann Scott Hanks, PBL Coach and STEAM Instructor
October Farm Fresh
National School Lunch Week
Parent University
Remembering One of our Own
From Our PTA
Donuts With Dad
Ocee Family Portrait Event
Water Art Calendar Contest
Community News
Community Meeting Set Oct. 12 for New STEM-focused HS in North Fulton
Community Safety Day
Reminders
Girl's Night
Think First and Stay Safe
Dates to Remember
Oct. 6 - 11 HAC Turned Off
Oct. 6 - Conference Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Oct. 9 - Columbus Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STAFF OR STUDENTS
Oct. 10 - Ocee Release Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Oct. 10 - School Board Work Session
Oct. 10 - Deadline for Water Calendar Contest Entries
Oct. 11 - Walk & Roll to School
Oct. 11 - Village Burger PTA Spirit Night, 5-9 p.m.
Oct. 12 - Community Mtg. STEM-focused HS in N. Fulton - 6:30 - 8 p.m. Milton Center
Oct. 13 - PTA ScienceX - All day in-house field trip for 4th grade
Oct. 13 - Pumpkin Math - 1st grade 8 a.m.
Oct. 16 - 20 - College Spirit Week
Oct. 16 - 20 - National School Lunch Week
Oct. 17 - Fall Picture Day
Oct. 17 - Girls Night Out - 5:45 - 8 p.m.
Oct. 19 - Pre-K and K classes participate in Read for the Record Day
Oct. 19 - Report Cards Go Home
Oct. 19 - Donuts for Dads 7:10 - 7:40 a.m., Last Names A-L
Oct. 19 - Sky Zone Spirit Night - 4-8 p.m.
Oct. 20 - Donuts for Dads 7:10 - 7:40 a.m., Last Names M-Z
Oct. 20 - PTA Exec Meeting 8 a.m.
A Message from the Principal
While I do not have all the answers to why these things have happened, I do believe that a focus on being kind is of the utmost importance for our community and our children. I've included an article about the power of kindness for you to read and consider. Click here for the article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-smalley/why-kindness-is-so-import_b_114669.html
The world is full of sorrow, violence, hate, and anger, but we pride ourselves on the joy, care, and love that is demonstrated at this school every single day. We hope Ocee Elementary School can continue to be a shining light in a world that seems a little dark lately.
Sincerely,
Ryan Moore
Need to Know
Calling All Dads!
As a father of a 1st grade boy at Ocee Elementary School, I can tell you that the support we provide for academics and social emotional learning is top notch. However, we have some male students who would benefit from having an adult male role model in their lives to help provide guidance, support, and structure as they become young men. I am asking for your help in this mission! We need 10-20 adult males from the Ocee community who can dedicate their time and wisdom for some of our Ocee Otters through our Ocee Boy’s Club!
Our volunteers will participate in exciting events with their assigned mentees including; athletic events, building projects, leadership activities, and guest speaker engagements. We will do most of the legwork by providing structure and material, so your time and energy is all we need!
Our Boy’s Club will meet one Friday a month from 7:40 a.m. to 8:10 a.m. Our meetings are scheduled for the following dates:
· October 27, 2017
· December 15, 2017
· January 12, 2018
· February 3, 2018
· March 23, 2018
· May 4, 2018
In the words of Josh Shipp, “Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story.” This recent article from The Atlantic discusses how great of an impact fathers and father figures can have on our students.
I hope you will join us on this journey to support our Ocee boys.
If you are interested in participating, please click here and fill out the survey by October 18, 2017.
Thank you for your support!
Best Regards,
Ryan Moore
Ocee Walk & Roll
We are so excited to announce this year's Ocee Walk & Roll Event! We have partnered with our Ocee PTA, the City of Johns Creek, and Chattahoochee HS to make this year's Walk & Roll Event the best ever! The event will take place on Wednesday, October 11th from 7:00AM - 7:40AM.
All Ocee students and parents are encouraged to walk or bike to school on October 11th and we will have giveaways, prizes, and support from our Johns Creek Government Officials and students from Chattahoochee High School.
Picture Day is Coming!
Tuesday, October 17, will be Fall picture day. Unlike Spring picture day, you purchase the pictures in advance. You may either order them online at mylifetouch.com using the picture day I.D. of AG207044Q0 or send in the envelope with payment to your child’s classroom teacher. If you do not like the picture when it comes back, you may have the pictures redone on our picture re-take day. This picture day is rescheduled from our original date so if you have already sent in the envelope or ordered online, that will still be good for this date.
National Custodial Workers Recognition Day
National Custodial Workers Recognition Day is celebrated each year on Oct. 2. This day is set aside to acknowledge the work done behind the scenes to keep schools, workplaces and public facilities clean and safe. Ocee would like to pay tribute and give thanks to Mr. Sahinovic and Mr. Carcamo for working tirelessly to make sure our building looks pristine and for ensuring that our staff and students have an enjoyable work space.
Ocee’s Annual College Week – October 16th – 20th
College football has officially kicked off, which means it’s time for Ocee’s annual College Week. College Week will take place October 16th – 20th. The purpose of College Week is to provide information about post-secondary education to our students and to help them make the connection between their current studies and options available to them in the future. Fulton County’s goal is to prepare all students to graduate ready to pursue and succeed on their chosen career path.
During College Week, teachers will participate in a bulletin board/poster contest displaying information and facts on the colleges/universities they attended. In addition, a bulletin board will be displayed outside the gym showcasing the many colleges/universities our staff attended - the student love to see where everyone went to school and which teams they cheer for!
We will also be sharing college facts on Otter Talk (video announcements) each morning. Teachers will be sporting their finest college apparel all week and we will conclude the festivities with tailgating munchies for staff on Friday afternoon!
College Week is a great time to engage your child in dialogue about college. The idea is not to stress students out about the specifics of the application process, but to help build excitement about the possibilities. Our goal for this fun-filled week is to create a college-going culture that will foster a path of lifelong learning for our students.
Fulton County School System announces February 16 as make-up day for Hurricane Irma
Fulton County Schools announces it will make up one of the three school days missed as a result of Hurricane Irma. February 16, originally a holiday for students and school-based staff, is now scheduled as an instructional day.
On September 11-13, the district closed schools due to widespread power outages throughout the county. Two of the days occurred during the Governor’s declaration of a State of Emergency, which allows the district to excuse those days.
“We, like thousands of others across the country, experienced the effects of Hurricane Irma and were forced to close schools for safety and recovery reasons,” said Superintendent Jeff Rose, Ed.D. “We have the flexibility for making up days based on the Governor’s declaration of a State of Emergency and based on our charter. We want to maximize our ability to provide instruction to our students, so we are making up one of the three days.”
The Coach's Corner - Ann Scott Hanks, Problem-Based Learning Coach and STEAM Lab Instuctor
Does the way we start conversations with our children affect their thinking processes? YES! Here are some suggestions for how you might open conversations with questions. This encourages your young scholar to analyze and plan. These directly match the styles of Driving Questions our teachers are using at Ocee.
Start with a Design Thinking Question to specify a problem to be solved for a specific audience: How might we, as ___(expert/role)___, ____(verb: do a task, create a product)____ for/to/so that ____(purpose and/or audience)__?
For example: How might we, as a family, decide what to do this weekend so that everyone enjoys the beautiful fall weather?
Start with a question based on what an expert might do: How might we, as ___(expert/role)___, ____(verb: do a task, create a product)____?
For example: How might we, as financial planners, predict how much the grocery bill will be?
Start with a debatable question.
For example: The scientist at the Nature Center said all snakes are good. Do you agree?
Start with something intriguing.
For example: I saw this picture in my book and I’m not sure what it is. What do you notice in the picture?
October Farm Fresh
The Otter Cafe Serves Farm Fresh Apples at Breakfast and Lunch all October!
For the entire month of October, crisp, farm-fresh apples served at breakfast and lunch are part of Fulton County’s School Nutrition Farm to School Program. These regionally grown apples are heading straight from a North Carolina family farm to your breakfast and lunch plate! Because the apples are grown close to home it helps support your regional farmers, and takes less fuel to get it to your cafe! Not only are these regionally grown apples good for the environment, but also, apples are great for your body, being an excellent source of fiber! Try a freshly harvested apple from the school café in October!
National School Lunch Week
Otter Café Celebrates National School Lunch Week October 16th – 20th!
Do you know what is being served in your child’s school café? The answer may surprise you! Thanks to sound nutrition guidelines, school lunch has changed for the better over the past few years! Fulton County School Nutrition menus feature healthier options, more fruits and veggies, locally-sourced produce, chef-inspired recipes, and more choices for kids! Mark your calendar for National School Lunch Week! The #NSLW17 theme is “School Lunch: Recipes for Success.” Throughout the week, Fulton County School cafes are ready to celebrate with special guest servers, a coloring contest, and a special prize giveaway! As part of the fun, all students can enter to win the school lunch coloring contest by coloring in the activity sheet! All coloring contest entries are due to the school café by Thursday, October 19th, and 1st place winners will be announced on Friday October 20th! To celebrate National Farm to School Month, we will host a Try-It Tuesday and provide a free sample of Cowboy Caviar. Students will also be automatically entered to win the Grand Prize every day they eat school lunch during the week! Winners will be announced on Friday October 20th! Join your school café to try one of our recipes for success!
Remembering One of Our Own
We will be dedicating the garden on November 2nd from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Please join us as we celebrate Ms. Hodge's memory with friends, family, and colleagues.
From Our PTA
DONUTS WITH DAD
Calling all dads...mark your calendar for Ocee PTA's annual Donuts with Dad breakfast!
WHAT
A special breakfast of donuts, coffee, OJ and milk for Ocee students and their dads
WHEN:
Last names A-L please attend on Thursday, October 19th at 7:10-7:40 AM
Last names M-Z please attend on Friday, October 20th at 7:10-7:40 AM
If you have a conflict on your scheduled day, you are welcome to attend the other session!
WHERE
Ocee cafeteria
No RSVP is needed. We look forward to seeing you there!
If you are a mom who is able to help make this event successful by volunteering these mornings, please contact Lisa Patchin.
OCEE FAMILY PORTRAIT EVENT
Tanner Portrait StudioTanner Portrait Studio teams up with
Ocee Elementary for an outdoor family
portrait event at Mill Creek Pond!
A $25.00 non-refundable donation to
Ocee PTA includes sitting fee and
an 11"X14" family portrait print courtesy
of Tanner Family Portraits ($120.00 value).
Friday, October 27 | 4:00pm-6:30pm
Saturday, October 28 | 9:30am-1:30pm
Limited Seatings Available!
Don't Wait! Hurry! Sign up is first come, first served!
Sign up at www.tinyurl.com/tannerocee2017
Direct questions to Manny Rodriguez at oceepta@gmail.com.
Water Art Calendar Contest
Calling all artists! Fulton County is now taking submissions for their 2018 Water Art Calendar. Thirteen winners will be featured in the calendar and win gift certificates. Let's show them the ways in which we use, conserve, waste, or misuse water. The submission deadline is October 10th, in the middle of break. Submit your drawing and entry form directly to:
Fulton County Department of Public Works
Water Resources Division
Attention: Gwen Brinkley
141 Pryor Street, SW, Suite 6001
Atlanta, GA 30303
Community News
Community meeting set Oct. 12 for new STEM-focused high school in North Fulton
Fulton County Schools invites parents and community members to a special October 12 meeting to view conceptual building and site plans for the new STEM-focused (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) high school campus set for North Fulton.
Anticipated to open in Fall 2020, the school will have college and career-focused curriculum pathways in a newly constructed, 244,000-square-foot school on the former Milton High School campus near downtown Alpharetta. The October 12 community meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Milton Center, located at 86 School Drive in Alpharetta.
Reminders
Who: All 3rd Grade Girls and their Mom, Grandmother, Older Sister, Aunt (any special woman in your daughter’s life is welcome!)
What: Join Mrs. Aronowitz (Mrs. A) to watch the movie “Chrissa Stands Strong”, enjoy a pizza dinner, and have a discussion about relational bullying amongst girls. Participate in a raffle to win prizes!
When:*Tuesday, October 17th from 5:45 – 8:00pm (*Pizza well be served in the cafeteria from 5:45 – 6:00 and the movie will begin promptly at 6:00 in the Learning Commons)
RSVP: Click here: Girls Night Out RSVP
or email aronowitza@fultonschools.org
Think First, Stay Safe
Think First & Stay Safe™ enables students to take an active and necessary role in protecting themselves from harassment, abduction, bullying, exploitation, and various forms of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional). The Health Advisory Committee reviewed and approved this program and selected components will be implemented through the elementary health curriculum by teachers and school counselors.
Please contact our counselor, Anna Aronowitz at 470-254-2960 to schedule a preview or if you have any questions. The materials will be available for preview from November 1, 2017 to November 17, 2017. In late November and early December, Think First & Stay Safe™ prevention lessons will be implemented for all K-5 students. You can also learn more about the detailed lesson plans and research behind this program at www.childluresprevention.com. Please be aware that more information is provided on the website than is actually used in Fulton County Schools.
If you prefer that your child not participate in the Think First & Stay Safe™ program, please fill out our Think First, Stay Safe curriculum opt out form. Unless opt out documentation is received by Friday, November 17, 2017, your child will participate in the Think First & Stay Safe™ program. Please click here to access the Think First, Stay Safe opt out survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LQ2CQZJ
Outstanding Character Educational Excellence
Ryan Moore, Principal @oceeprincipal
Jennifer Rosenthall, AP
Shannan LaPorte, CST
Anna Aronowitz, Counselor
Email: fowlerjj@fultonschools.org
Website: www.oceeotters.com
Location: 4375 Kimball Bridge Road, Alpharetta, GA, United States
Phone: 470-254-2960
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OceeElementary
Twitter: @oceeotters