Otsego Elementary Extra

There may be some bus delays from now until November due to 582 being closed. Thank you for your understanding.

The Elementary will be sending some emails through Final Forms in the coming weeks and moving forward. Please make sure you read anything that may be sent to your email from Final Forms! Thank you!

September 20: PTO Spirit Day - Wear Crazy Socks for $1

September 27: NO SCHOOL FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS (Staff Professional Development), No Extended Care

October 1: PTO Meeting, Elementary Commons, 6:00 pm

October 2-4: 5th Grade Camp

October 14: 2-hour Delay - Professional Development

October 18 - PTO Spirit Day - Wear Country Clothes for $1

October 23: 3rd Grade ELA State Test, Part 1

October 24: 3rd Grade ELA State Test, Part 2

October 24: 4th Grade Music Performance, 6pm, High School Auditorium

October 25 - End of the 1st Quarter

November 1: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Work Day

November 4: PTO Meeting, Elementary Commons, 6:00 pm

November 5: Parent/Teacher Conferences 10am-8pm - NO SCHOOL

November 21: 5th Grade Music Performance, 6pm, High School Auditorium

November 22: PTO Spirit Day - Wear your Favorite Team Gear for $1

November 25: Parent/Teacher Conferences 10am-8pm - NO SCHOOL

November 26-29: NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

Due to additional staff training needs during the 2024-2025 school year, there will be two days that the Elementary School will not have students.

On Friday, September 27th and on Friday, February 28th there will be NO SCHOOL FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. Students who attend the Junior High and the High School will have school.

There will be NO Extended Care on these two days.

A few things to note:

1. The first week and a half of school, different grade levels will be participating in staggered start. This mean that bus times will fluctuate based on the students that may or may not be riding each day. Thank you for your understanding and being flexible.
2. There will not be anyone available to answer the phone before and after school for at least the first 4 weeks of school in the Transportation Department.

• If you have questions, issues or information regarding transportation please email Eva Vasher (evasher@otsegoknights.org) rather than calling.
• If you need to get a hold of someone immediately regarding your student and their transportation please call the elementary office.

Start With Hello is a nationwide initiative dedicated to making new social connections and creating a sense of belonging among youth. Start With Hello simply means that we want everyone at Otsego Elementary to know that they are an important part of our school and that no one should ever feel alone.

Otsego Elementary will celebrate Start With Hello week September 16-September 20. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Ask your student about the different efforts that are made at school to make everyone know that they are an important part of our OES!

Hard copies of this form will be available at Open House, and will also be sent home with your student during the first couple weeks of school.

Otsego Elementary Physical Education 2024-25

The school year is off to a great start and as part of your child’s curriculum he/she will be taking physical education class. The physical education program’s main emphasis will be on motor skills, movement concepts, regular physical activity, health-enhancing level of physical fitness, responsibility and cooperation.

This carefully planned program for boys and girls is conducted both indoors and outdoors. We encourage students to wear clothing that is suited for physical activity; loose comfortable clothing. Tennis shoes are a must!!!!!!!! With our schedule, students have physical education 2-3 days per week. We suggest students keep a pair of tennis shoes in their locker/cubbies if necessary. Please no sandals, flip-flops, crocs, boots or Hey Dudes. Girls wearing dresses or skirts need to wear shorts or tights underneath. Also please limit jewelry, especially dangling earrings.

Students needing to be excused from physical education must bring a written explanation of the illness/injury signed by a parent/guardian. If lack of participation is due to an extended illness or injury (more than a week), please send a note from your physician.

We encourage you and your child(ren) to exercise together and we would appreciate your assistance in promoting an attitude of “active for a lifetime” within your family.

We are excited to be working with your child(ren) this year. Thank you for your support and please feel free to contact us with any questions and/or concerns at Akonoff@otsegoknights.org, Hszymanski@otsegoknights.org or (419) 823-4381.

Amy Konoff and Heather Szymanski - Physical Education Teachers

School Pictures are Ready!

If your child had their pictures taken at Back to School Day:

View and order at https://shop.jostenspix.com/login

• OTSEGO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• Event Code: FE76524

Otsego Schools is ALWAYS in need of having more substitutes on our list! At the Elementary, we are always in need of Aide Substitutes (HS Degree Needed) and Teacher Substitutes (Bachelor Degree Needed). If you are interested in helping out, or know someone that is, please apply using the link below:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eOEgL2bhHJLy9dEe7MQ5QoSpi68gMVTBmw9UXhSvGEQ/edit

We're excited to announce our upcoming "Donuts with Grown-Ups" event at Otsego Elementary School! This is a special morning where students can bring their favorite grown-ups to enjoy delicious donuts and quality time together.

Due to the overwhelming success of last year’s event, we kindly ask that each family limit the number of grownups attending to four adults. This will help ensure that everyone has a comfortable and enjoyable experience. We look forward to making this event another special experience for everyone involved!

To ensure everyone has a great experience, we've divided the event dates by the student's last name:

• March 24th:(Last Names A-D)
• March 25th: (Last Names E-K)
• March 26th (Last Names L-R)
• March 27th (Last Names S-Z)

Keep an eye out for the RSVP link, which will be sent out closer to the event. We can't wait to see you there!

Every 2 weeks, a different staff member will be highlighted.

Freda Rehbein: Music Teacher

Ms. Rehbein will teaches elementary music grades K-2 and 4-5. She has worn many hats over her tenure at Otsego.

Prior to the opening of the new OES building, she was a longtime music
teacher at Grand Rapids Elementary School and JHS. She also has
assisted with the OHS choirs, taught sixth grade music, taught
elementary PE and Art and even coached OHS Cheerleading for four
years. As a graduate of BGSU College of Musical Arts with a Bachelors of
Music, she was hired at Otsego Schools in 1986. Ms. Rehbein is certified
to teach Music K-12, and holds a special license to teach PE and Art K-
12. She currently resides in Bowling Green, Ohio. In her spare time, she
enjoys trying new recipes, going to amusement parks like WDW, and
traveling to visit friends and family. Her daughter, Courtney, ’08 works
in advertising in Columbus, OH.

Morning Drop-Off

1. Please use the entire length of the drop off zone (even past the crosswalk) to keep the line moving. If all cars pull up as far as they possibly can we can fit more vehicles along the sidewalk and more students can exit at a time. This will make drop-off go quicker while maintaining safety.

2. Students should only be let out on the side of the car that is next to the curb. This is to avoid students being hit by a moving car in the lane farther away from the curb. If your student needs to get out on that side of the car, please park in a parking spot and have your student walk into the building using the crosswalk.

3. Please do not stop in the crosswalk. If you are dropping a student off, please do not stop your car in the crosswalk. This is a safe place for students to cross, and when there are cars in the crosswalk it creates a safety concern.

4. The second lane is for driving only. No students should be let out of the car in the lane farther from the curb. Students should only be exiting cars onto the sidewalk so that we can ensure their safety.

5. Please remember to NOT park your car in front of the school! The line needs to keep moving to efficiently get students into the school in a timely manner, and when there is a parked car in the drop-off line, the whole process gets backed up. If for some reason you need to leave your car, please use the available parking spaces.

Afternoon Pick-Up

1. Please use the entire length of the pick-up zone (even past the crosswalk) to keep the line moving. If all cars pull up as far as they possibly can we can fit more vehicles along the sidewalk and more students can get into their vehicles. This will make pick-up go quicker while maintaining safety.

2. Please do not stop in the crosswalk. If you are picking a student up, please do not stop your car in the crosswalk. This is a safe place for students to cross, and when there are cars in the crosswalk it creates a safety concern.

3. The second lane is for driving only. No students should get into their car in the lane farther from the curb. Students should only be entering cars from the sidewalk or by using the crosswalk so that we can ensure their safety.

4. Please remember to NOT park and leave your car in front of the school! The line needs to keep moving to efficiently get vehicles out of the pick-up zone in a timely manner, and when there is a parked car in the line, the whole process gets backed up. If for some reason you need to leave your car, please use the available parking spaces. If you are parked while you are waiting for your student (and you are IN the car), that is fine.

5. Students must be picked up by 3:35pm. At 3:35pm, students will be taken to Otsego Extended Care at the cost of the parent/guardian (unless previous arrangements have been made).

THANK YOU so much for your understanding and compliance with these procedures to ensure our students’ safety. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Katrina Baughman, Elementary Principal.

The Otsego Hall of Fame is designed to recognize individuals who have brought honor to themselves by making significant impacts or contributions to the school, community, or students. The Otsego Hall of Fame also exists for all alumni who have earned distinction beyond graduation. These individuals have made noteworthy achievements as successful adults in their chosen careers and/or have served as benefactors of mankind. The Otsego Hall of Fame also recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Otsego Local Schools as a staff member, coach, or friend of Otsego.

2024-2025 Hall of Fame Nomination Form

2024-2025 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Friday, January 17, 2025 (6:00 pm at the High School)

Nomination Due Date: Monday, November 18, 2024
Nominations can be submitted via Google Forms or to the Otsego Central Office.

Please review our updated cell phone policy. Students and parents will be expected to adhere to these guidelines to minimize distractions and maintain a focused learning environment.

At OES, we celebrate ALL student birthdays by providing cupcakes at lunch for ALL students who have birthdays during that month! (June and July birthdays are also assigned a month).

This means that we do NOT allow birthday treats in the classrooms. So, please keep the birthday treats at home!

Greetings!

The Ohio School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention & Early Intervention (SBCOE) is thrilled to announce the launch of our No Wrong Door – a growing online resource library offering curated mental health materials for schools, parents, and pediatricians across Ohio.

What We Offer:

For Educators:

Access a variety of actionable materials for mental health, prevention, early intervention, and professional development, right at your fingertips.

For Pediatricians:

Find mental health screeners for well-visits and downloadable resources to share with patient families.

For Parents and Caregivers:

Explore tools designed to support your child’s well-being and expand your knowledge on mental health and prevention.

Key Features:

• An ever-growing library that includes training, screeners, downloadable materials, posters, guides, toolkits, videos, and more!
• Continuous updates to meet the needs of schools, doctor offices, and families.
• Credible, evidence-based resources linked directly in item descriptions.

Visit us today at No Wrong Door and explore the wealth of resources available to support children and youth in all 88 Ohio counties.

Visit No Wrong Door

This initiative is a collaborative effort by the SBCOE and Abre. We are dedicated to making high-quality, accessible mental health resources available to all who support children’s healthy development.

Together, let's make a positive impact on the mental health and well-being of Ohio’s young people!

Best regards,

Ohio School-Based Center of Excellence

for Prevention & Early Intervention

Dana and Cali will both be returning for the 2024-2025 school year. IF your student has allergies and/or fears related to dogs (and you did not already make us aware last year), PLEASE fill out the form below!

The Dazzled Dog

212 Farnsworth Road

Waterville, Ohio

419-266-4636

OES Extended Care is available for students aged 5 through the summer before entering 6th grade. There is a $10.00 per family yearly registration fee for the OES Extended Care Program. The registration fee will be applied from June 1 to May 31 each school year and will be charged to the credit card on file. If you are registering your child for the summer program you will not be required to pay an additional registration fee for the coming school year.

Contact Info and Hours

phone: (419)823-4381 ext 4408

email: extendedcare@otsegoknights.org

School Year 2024-25: August 21 (first day)

The program follows the school calendar

• Before School ~ 6:30 a.m. to THE START OF SCHOOL
• After School ~ END OF SCHOOL to 6:00 p.m.

In the event of a school cancellation after a two-hour delay, OES Extended Care will remain open. If school closed before 6:30, Extended Care is closed also.

Pricing and Registration Info

The hourly rate charged is $3.50 per hour for the first child, $2.00 per hour for the second child, and $1.50 per hour for the third child and any additional children. The hourly rate is billed to the quarter-hour. The Credit Card form in the registration packet MUST be filled out in order to register.

The Credit Card Form will be used to pay your Extended Care amount.

Please print out the registration form (all 5 pages MUST be completed in their entirety) and send it to the elementary school office, attention: Becky Hatfield.

Questions may be emailed to:

Billing: Steve Carroll 419-823-4381 extension 1101 or scarroll@otsegoknights.org

Becky Hatfield 419-823-4381 extension 4401 or bhatfield@otsegoknights.org

Registration: Becky Hatfield bhatfield@otsegoknights.org

Please use the following form to inform OHS Student Council about a family in need within the school district. While the family does not need to have students in the district, we do ask that they are a member of the Otsego Community. Please use this form to share information about their current situation as well as how they can best be assisted.

Please be sure to understand that while Knight in Shining Armor (KISA) would love to help all community members in need, we are still a new program, and may not have the funds to do so. With that being said, we will consider each request on a case by case basis. Filling this form out does not guarantee that we will be able to assist the family, but we will try our hardest to do so!

These funds are not for routine expenses such as utilities, bills, rent, etc. It is designed for assisting community members in an emergency situation. This can include, but is not limited to unforeseen medical expenses, medical related travel expenses, and household emergencies such as a fire, water leaks, etc. Please keep this in mind when submitting a nomination.

Please refer to this link at any point during the year as a need arises, and KISA will do their best to help out!

https://goo.gl/forms/mG7IctP7q8ZAaQOX2

Want to help raise some money for the school but hate cutting out all the box tops? Or forget they are there and throw them away? Well now you don't have to worry about that; box tops have gone digital! You just need to download the app, set up Otsego as your school, scan your receipt and we will receive the credit. Check out the Box Top website for more information- we will be adding more as well when we get it.

Don't want to download ANOTHER app?

Just send your receipts into school with your kid and we will scan them for you. Please make sure you put them in a bag or envelope labeled box tops for PTO so the teachers know where they go.

Please send me an e-mail or give me a call!

Principal

Email: kbaughman@otsegoknights.org
Website: www.otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4005)

Assistant Principal

Email: bbuchman@otsegoknights.org
Website: www.otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4009)
Twitter: @buchman_becky

School Counselor

Email: lmiller@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4010)
Twitter: @OEScounselor

School Counselor

Email: kphillips@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4105)

Administrative Assistant

Email: jhelberg@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4001)

Administrative Assistant

Email: anorman@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4003)

School Nurse

Email: kyeuler@otsegoknights.org
Phone: 419-823-4381 (4002)

School Facility Dog