Ocean Avenue Friday Notes

• 06/09 (Rain Date: 06/10): Field Day at OAES (Grades 3-5, 8-9:15 AM and Grades K-2, 9:30-10:45 AM)
• 06/10: Monthly PTO Meeting in the Library, 6:30 PM
  
• 06/12: Step Up Day for Grades K-4, 1-2 PM
• 06/14: OAES PTO Annual Spring Fair, 2-4 PM
• 06/16: Annual Egg Drop at OAES, starts at 9 AM (Grades 3-5) and 9:45 AM (Grades K-2)
• 06/17: Fifth Grade Farewell Celebration in the Gym, 9:15 AM
• 06/17: Last Day of School for Students, 11:10 AM Dismissal
  
  

⭐ Here is the link to BREAKFAST/LUNCH MENU.

⭐ Here is the link to the DISTRICT CALENDAR for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 school year.

• BREAKWATER: Last Day of Regular Programming was June 6th (Optional Programming on June 9th and 10th)
• BOYS & GIRLS CLUB: Last Day of Regular Programming was June 6th (Open for summer programming starting June 23rd)
• PORTLAND RECREATION: Last Day - June 13th

• MAINE OUTDOOR KIDS: Last Day - June 13th

• CENTERPOINT MARTIAL ARTS: Last Day - June 13th

On Monday, June 9th, Ocean Avenue School will be having a Field Day (replacing the Fun Run this year). Students in all grades will be participating in this fun-filled, 75-minute outdoor experience designed to promote teamwork, friendly competition and active play.

Field Day will include a variety of age-appropriate games and activities, giving students the chance to enjoy some movement, collaboration, and community spirit. Thank you to the parent volunteers that have signed up to support stations and help the day run smoothly.

The day will be broken into two sessions from roughly 8-9:15 AM (Grades 3-5) and 9:30-10:45 AM (Grades K-2). We're looking forward to a great day of energy, fun, and connection for all students.

Thank you for your help in making this a success! #BESTDAYEVER

Vegetables

So far this spring, we’ve watched the calendula, taragon, and lemon balm return, along with giant red amaranth, which is native to mountainous Central America.

Sarah planted garlic, a native of Central Asia, last fall and it’s growing nicely. Tomatoes, native to the Andean region of South America; cucumbers, native to Southern Asia; tomatillos, native to Mexico and Central America; and husk cherries, native to North and South America were all planted this week.

Staff Member Ruth from the custodial team is experimenting with growing cassava and potato leaf in one of the raised beds.

Native plantings

The native beds have woken up. The Serviceberries and Spiceberries were among the earliest, subtle, bloomers. The forbs Wild Geranium, Wild Columbine, and Foam flower are in bloom now and the two varieties of Pussytoes are starting to set seed. Look out for the three varieties of Iris (one quite small!) that are beginning to bud.

Some of the earliest plantings, like the Long-beaked sedges, have reached full maturity. Others, such as the forbs Lance-leaf Coreopsis and Hairy Beardtongue should get there this summer. The shrubs and trees will continue their longer journey toward maturity. Later plantings such as Liatris and Black-eyed Susan will mature in subsequent summers.

1st Grade Wabanaki Studies Plantings!

Our 1st Graders will be installing their Wabanaki Studies sunflowers into the circle beds during the final days of school!

Are you looking for a tangible way to volunteer at OAES? Do you want an on-going yet low demand opportunity to stay involved at school? Have an interest in vegetables? Know or want to learn more about native plants? There’re a few ways to tap in: Join the garden team, sign up to be a summer waterer or mower, or send us your ideas!

Join the garden team!

We’re looking for a couple more OAES caregivers to join us in taking care of and planning for the OAES vegetable garden and native plantings.

Help to:

• select, plant and harvest vegetables,
• water the vegetables and any newly installed native plants,
• weed the raised and ground beds,
• spread compost and mulch as needed,
• generally tend to the OAES garden, and
• think creatively about the space!

We rely on our OAES community to water the vegetables over summer break and do the occasional weeding. You may have seen these appeals before and may have pitched in. We thank you!

We’ll still need waterers (and weeders) and are now also throwing out an appeal for folks to mow if they can, though this last isn’t as urgent. You should still sign up even if you won’t be able to mow!

Sign up here to be one of our OAES Summer Gardeners: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094CAEAB22A6F9C70-57202986-oaes!

What vegetables would you like to see in the garden? We want to include your suggestions.

Tell us the plant, your connection to it, and its country of origin and we’ll do our best to add it to the vegetable garden!

Please bear in mind that we may not be able to honor your suggestion/request. Due to reasons such as Maine’s short growing season, seed/seedling availability, space requirements, etc., try as we will, we just may not be able to fit it in.

Please send us any suggestions or requests no later than next Friday, 6/13.

REACH OUT:

Contact Sarah Marshall sarahkatemarshall@gmail.com or Dara Lestrade imago72@gmail.com with interest and questions.

The Portland Public schools will be operating various summer meal sites at 11 locations across the city of Portland this summer.

Meals are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

All children and teens 18 years and younger may receive a nutritious meal free of charge to be enjoyed on site.

Most sites will be begin serving on Wednesday, June 25th. Meals will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis, at any of the following meal site locations.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/MQfp50W3Lu8

There is no meal service on Friday, July 4th.

In the summer, many children lose the free and reduced-price meals that they get at school. SUN Bucks provides families with a $120 EBT benefit for each eligible school-aged child to buy groceries when school is out of session.

SUN Bucks is designed to supplement families’ grocery budgets over the summer. Most eligible children will receive these benefits automatically, but some families will need to apply. This program occurs in addition to free meals that children of all ages may access at summer meal sites in their communities. Learn the details.

What a fantastic time we had at the Family Potluck! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us, brought a dish, and filled the room with warmth, conversation, and laughter.

From the delicious food to the amazing performance from Firefly, it was a great celebration of family and community. It was a joy to see everyone reconnecting, sharing good food, and having fun together.

We’re so grateful for each of you.

Below are some pictures we thought you'd enjoy!

First graders continued their learning this week about life cycles and paying it forward. They remembered harvesting potatoes as Kindergartners and then planting more potatoes last spring for the in coming K class to dig up. They remembered harvesting Sunflower seeds from the plants current 2nd graders planted and were excited to pay it forward with those saved seeds to keep the cycle alive. Very sweet!

• 6/09 - Match OR Mismatch Monday - Match OR Mismatch with a friend or another person!
• 6/10 - Old Time Tuesday - Choose a decade and dress like it!
• 6/11 - Wacky Wednesday - Wacky hair, clothes, hat, socks?
  BE CREATIVE and HAVE FUN!
• 6/12 - Team Thursday - Wear something with your favorite team on it!
• 6/13 - Fancy Friday - Be fancy!
  

The district let us know this week that the elementary schools needed to do the fifth grade celebrations in the morning, so we have set ours at 9:15 AM on the last day of school, June 17th! We look forward to seeing you there!

Here are some wonderful ways for students to stay engaged with books this summer!

Check out the document below for information on how to access FREE eBooks, audiobooks and library resources.

Ms. Eva will be coming around to classrooms with details, but as always, feel free to get in touch with questions.

Our library currently has 215 overdue books. We are getting closer...but we have a long way to go! Each book costs an average of $20, which could total nearly $6000 to replace. Please return any overdue or lost books to the library as soon as possible and let Ms. Eva know if you have any questions. (platte@portlandschools.org)

Thank you and Happy Reading!

With warmer weather fast approaching, please remember these few tips to help protect yourself and stay healthy this summer!

• Keep hydrated;
• Seek shade when possible and/or wear a hat;
• Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen and reapply frequently;
• Apply bug spray and/or wear long socks or pants when playing outside;
• Nightly tick checks especially around hairline and behind ears;
• Continue to wash your hands frequently;
• Always have a grown up around when playing near/in water of any depth; and
• HAVE FUN and get outside! :)

A big thank you to our United Way Volunteer Reader Ruby for coming in every Tuesday to read to a group of kindergarteners and 2nd graders during their lunch break. The students worked on literacy and had fun, while enjoying their special lunch time together each week. We look forward to having Ms. Ruby back again next school year!

Thank you to those that have responded to our requests for tshirts and shorts. We really appreciate it!

Our current needs are for socks, girls leggings, sneakers and summer-type sandals/crocs in all sizes.

Thank you again to your generous donations throughout the school year. We couldn't get through the school year without your partnership and support!

This is a crucial reminder: the School Budget Vote is on Tuesday, June 10th. Your participation is vital for our students' education, so please plan to cast your ballot.

Our recommended Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget is directly aligned with our Strategic Plan's five priorities: achievement, equity, whole student, people, and systems. This budget was put together through extensive community engagement and includes difficult tradeoffs to ensure both strong programming for students and fiscal restraint. This budget includes key investments aimed at priorities expressed by staff and community members alike, including:

• Strengthening high school music programs;
• Increasing academic rigor and support at middle schools;
• Enhancing elementary reading support; and
• Providing additional staffing and programmatic support for special education.

We're pleased to share that this budget received unanimous approval from both the Portland Board of Public Education and the Portland City Council, reflecting strong consensus on its value and fiscal responsibility.

Connection Between Property Revaluation and School Budget
We know many homeowners recently received preliminary property revaluation notices from the City of Portland, potentially showing a significant increase.

Your property tax is a combination of your assessed value and the property tax rate (mill rate) set by the city. While the assessed value has increased for many homeowners, we anticipate the mill rate to be lower next year. As a result, your overall property tax bill may be higher or lower depending on your individual circumstances. Your exact property taxes will be confirmed in mid-August once the new tax rate is determined by the city.

For more details on the property revaluation, please contact the City's contractor, Tyler Technologies, at tylertech.com/portland or by calling 1-844-651-3398. You can also find information on tax relief and the revaluation process on the City Assessor’s webpage: http://www.portlandevents.com/206/Assessor.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Portland Public Schools. We look forward to seeing you at the polls on June 10th. Go to the City’s website for Elections & Voting information.

Sincerely,
Sarah Lentz, Chair
Portland Board of Public Education

Mark your calendars! The Pride Portland Parade will be held on Saturday, June 21. The Portland Public Schools will continue its tradition, begun in 2015, of participating in the Pride Portland Parade to march for acceptance, equality, and inclusivity. Look for further details soon.

Check this page for summer reading programs for babies, children, teens, and adults.

Stop by your favorite PPL branch to learn more about summer reading activities including special giveaways and prizes. To be eligible for prizes, participants must be in PPL’s service area, but feel free to use our materials for your own reading challenge.

Get started with your summer reading today!

If you are an auction item winner and have not picked up your winnings, please contact Kim at Kimberly.turgeon@gmail.com to arrange this.

We hope you can join us on Tuesday, June 10th at 6:30 PM in the OAES Library! This will be the last meeting of the school year.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

We hope you'll join the OAES PTO at the Spring Fair on Saturday, June 14th from 2-4 PM! We have exciting activities planned such as an inflatable obstacle course, snow cones, glitter face paint, and more! This is the perfect time to connect with the OAES community and have some fun!

• Tuesday, June 10th, 6:30 PM: Monthly PTO Meeting in library

• Saturday, June 14th, 2-4 PM: OAES PTO Annual Spring Fair

• OAES PTO Facebook Page
• OAES PTO Instagram Page

The PTO is trying to reach a goal of 100 monthly donors who are willing to give $1-$10 each month. Can you help?

During the 2024-2025 school year, we are more eager than ever to support our students and teachers. If a teacher wants to do a special project with their class, we want to be able to say YES! If the library wants to add to their collection, we want to be able to write the check. If a grade level wants to go on a field trip, we want to fund it. If there is an opportunity to bring a visiting artist to the school, we want to make it happen.

Here are some enriching projects, field trips, and important items previously funded thanks to our Dolphin's Cove donors:

• Provided funds to replace all lost library books throughout the school year.

• Supplied funds for school garden upgrades and maintenance including 200 new plants.

• Sent third graders to the Desert of Maine for an ecological learning experience.

• Covered the membership cost for our school nurse with the National Association of School Nurses. One benefit of membership is the VSP Eyes of Hope® gift certificate program which covers a comprehensive eye exam and, if prescribed, new glasses at a VSP network doctor's office for students in need.

• Brought a Portland Symphony Orchestra Kinderkonzert ensemble to perform for the K-2 students. The brass quintet performed The Circus Ship, the beloved children's book story by Chris Van Dusen, while introducing students to this family of instruments.

• Sent second and third graders to a vibrant production of Wabanaki Stories at Merrill Auditorium featuring five Wabanaki artists coming from several different nations and traditions.

• Organized monthly teacher appreciation events for OAES staff including an ice cream truck, treats for teachers in the staff room, a gift card raffle, and an espresso cart service.

• Paid membership fees for Ruth’s Reusable Resources, a free store for teachers connecting them with surplus furniture, paper, books, office supplies and computers.

• Funded a visit from award-winning children’s book author and poet, Samara Cole Doyon, who is both a second-generation Haitian American and a deeply rooted Mainer.

• Covered the cost of math team t-shirts for fifth graders.

• Organized and funded our school spring fair with an inflatable obstacles course, snow cones, face painting, photo booth, martial arts demos, and lawn games.

• Covered costs for books from Maine Student Book Awards and Chickadee Book Awards to be added to our library.

Thank you to each of our current donors for the consistent support.

Please consider joining Dolphin’s Cove if you can!

• https://donorbox.org/dolphinscove-2-3

Email: westme@portlandschools.org
Website: https://oceanavenue.portlandschools.org/
Location: 150 Ocean Avenue, Portland, ME, USA
Phone: 207-874-8180
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oaesportland