Oak Grove Elementary

Dear Oak Grove Families,

In February, we have been focused on the Character Trait of Honesty as well as celebrating Kindness Month. Students have completed their mid-year iReady assessments and have shown tremendous growth in both Reading and Math- we are so proud of them! Thank you for your continued support! In March, we will be focusing on Cooperation.

We would love to hear from you in Our Family Youth Truth Survey. Thank you to those who have already completed it; it will remain open until February 28th. Last year, we had 69% of families complete the survey and we are hoping to increase our participation rate this year. Your voice matters and we value your ideas and feedback!! Please take a few moments to share your thoughts here: ytsurvey.org/medfordfamily2

Sincerely,

Amanda and Heather

3 February Birthdays Celebration

3 School Counselor Appreciation Day

3 PTO Meeting, 4:00 p.m.

7 Ram Experience

14 Valentine's Day

17 No School, President's Day

24 No Student Day, Mid Quarter Grading Day

3 PTO Meeting, 4:00 p.m.

3-7 Read Across America Week/Classified Appreciation Week

10-14 Scholastic Book Fair

13 Family Literacy Night (Robot themed)

21 End of Quarter

24-28 Spring Break-Schools Closed

31 Grading Day-No Students

You won't want to miss this event! On Thursday, March 13th from 4:30-6:15 Oak Grove will having an special event with interactive stations, a free book, food and the Scholastic Book Fair.

We want to inform you that as part of our comprehensive health curriculum, students will receive age-appropriate instruction in human sexuality and sexual abuse education. This instruction aligns with Oregon state standards and is designed to provide students with essential knowledge about safety, respect, and healthy relationships. Teachers will notify parents/ guardians before sensitive instruction begins so that parents have the opportunity to preview the material and opt their child out of that lesson. A list of sensitive topics are itemized by grade level and found on the district website HERE.

It is highly recommended that name tags or inked names be place in all coats, hats, sweaters, jackets. It is also a good idea to label lunch pails and back packs.

If you are missing an item, please visit the Lost and Found rack located in the commons by the gym before and after school hours. Or you can have your student check the last and found on the playground during their recess. All items are brought to the commons after the final recess each day.

Ask for small missing item such as glasses, watches, jewelry and toys in the Office.

Unclaimed items will be donated to a charitable organization as the rack on the Friday before Spring Break, March 21st.

We really appreciate our Student Council! They have been reading to the younger grade levels a book about being a "Bucket Filler". This book encourages the students to be kind to others through their words and actions. The student council also designed a book and a poster for our school's SRO celebrating National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day on February 15th. Some of our 4th and 5th graders have volunteered to be a part of Safety Patrol. Medford School District's Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Julie Van Horn, trained the students last week. They will be helping the students be safe as they arrive and depart from school.

State assessments are more than just tests—they're tools that empower students, teachers, and schools to grow and succeed. Taking the OSAS state assessment is a positive step in your learning journey by showcasing your knowledge and skills, identifying your strengths and areas of growth, contributing valuable information about your school’s resources and needs and preparing for critical thinking and problem solving skills that you will need in your future. However, if you would like your student to opt-out of this year’s state assessment, please complete the following form to bring to your meeting with the principal: OSAS Opt-out English and OSAS Opt-out Spanish.

We kindly ask that you notify the office whenever your phone number changes. It's essential that we have the most up-to-date phone numbers for you and your emergency contacts. We have encountered several disconnected or incorrect numbers, which can make it difficult to reach you in case your child is sick or in an emergency situation.

You can update your information in person by visiting the office, through your ParentVue account, or by emailing us at oakgrove@medford.k12.or.us.

Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Reunification

Safety and security are shared values in the Medford School District.

There are a variety of emergencies that can cause the need for a controlled release of students through a reunification process. Some reunifications may be for minor incidents and would take place at the school itself, such as police activity in the area or a weather event. Some reunifications are more major and would take place off site. We choose to be proactive, and believe that being prepared for one of these scenarios is critical.

What is Reunification?

Reunification is an organized controlled process that accurately reunites students with their parent or guardian. A well-planned reunification process increases safety and security through an orderly preplanned process.

What do I need to know?

The most helpful initial steps for you to know in a reunification situation are: Stay Home, Stay Informed, Be Ready.

Stay Home:

Staying away from the school site during an emergency is important so law enforcement and emergency responders can easily access the scene and respond to the situation. We know it is difficult to stay away from the school during an emergency, but we want the responders to be able to address the situation as easily as possible.

Stay Informed:

Monitor the MSD website for the latest information. Please make sure your student’s information is up to date with your school, including your emergency contact information so we can keep you informed. You will receive notifications via email, text, and phone messages throughout an emergency.

Be Ready:

There are multiple sites where a reunification can take place. When the reunification location is announced, only essential guardians should come to pick up your child. Please be sure to bring a photo ID.

What is the Reunification Process?

Upon arrival at the Reunification Site, you will be greeted by a Greeter Team, where you will be given a reunification card to fill out for each student you are picking up. When the card is filled out, you will begin the 4 step process. Please do not attempt to take your student home before they have gone through the process.

1. Check In - The reunification card will be checked and matched with photo ID

2. Verification - Confirmation of approved parent/guardian.

3. Staging - Waiting area while the student is called to make ready for reunification.

4. Reunify - When reunited with a student, a photo will be taken with the parent/guardian.

View our reunification video here!

We understand the urgency of wanting to reunite with your student(s). Reuniting you with your student safely is our goal as well. Please be patient with staff as they work through this important process.

The need for reunification after an incident is to regain accountability, provide support for students and families, and support law enforcement in a criminal investigation if needed.

Thank you for working with us to achieve the best possible outcomes during difficult situations. Ultimately, we all share the common goal of ensuring the health and safety of our most precious resource, your children.

Official MSD Volunteer Application

All volunteers must complete an application and pass a background check for student safety. VIM status is valid for two years. For questions about the Official MSD Volunteer Application, becoming a VIM (Volunteer in Medford), or checking your expiration date, please call the Oak Grove office at 541-842-3830.

In order to keep things as equitable as possible for our students, we have made the decision to celebrate student birthdays monthly. Once a month, we will have a special celebration and provide a treat for all of the students who have a birthday that month. This will be in lieu of families bringing in class birthday treats and goodie bags. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday with them at school, an idea would be to have lunch with them in our Commons area by the front office. Just please remember to check in when you arrive. We understand that this is disappointing for some parents, please know that our ultimate goal is providing the most productive and equitable learning environment possible for all of our students.

As we enter the cold and flu season, it's important to spread cheer rather than germs. Here is a friendly reminder of our exclusion guidelines. If your child has a fever greater than 100.4, please keep them home until they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. If your child is vomiting or has diarrhea, please keep them home for 24 hours from the last incident. If your child has a new-onset cough that is not well controlled, please keep them home until it’s improved. Please contact your health provider with any health concerns.

Please communicate with the office and/or your student's teacher if you change plans for after school BEFORE 2:00 PM (by 12:30 on Wednesdays).

These timelines are so we can be sure your student gets notified in time.

Please call the school office for information or support ~

we're here for you!

Email: oakgrove@medford.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.medford.k12.or.us/oakgrove
Location: 2328 West Main Street, Medford, OR, USA
Phone: 541-842-3830
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/OakGroveMedford/posts/