Ocean Avenue Friday Notes

• 12/23-01/01 - Winter Break - NO SCHOOL
• 01/02: School Back in Session ~ Welcome Back!
• 01/20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL
• 01/25: OAES Hockey Night at the Maine Mariners ~ PTO Sponsored Event, 6 PM
  
  

✅ Here is the link to BREAKFAST/LUNCH MENU.

✅ Here is the link to the DISTRICT CALENDAR for the 2024/2025 school year.

✅ To look ahead to future meetings, school events, etc, please click on the link below ⬇️

Thank you to our amazing Ocean Avenue families for your many contributions, including making sure your children arrive at school on time and ready to learn each day. I am grateful for each and every one of you. Have a wonderful break and a Happy New Year! See you in 2025!

Conferences were very well attended, with 99.9% of families attending. Teachers and students enjoyed sharing all the growth made in this first trimester. I am so proud of each of our students!

We have just passed the first trimester of this school year. There’s lots more learning to come. To get the most out of this academic year, students must be present at school. Read our Nurse Notes section below to see when illness should keep your child home from school.

Students get many positives from being in school – not just academic success and practicing social skills, but being part of the OAES school community and developing traits like confidence, curiosity, independence and cooperation. This past month the common words we focused on were confidence and courageous. Being in school can help students feel in control of their own learning and joyful in growing. Even as young as kindergarten students are learning habits for life.

Thank you so much to the OAES families for your major part in ensuring students are at school. My wishes for you are to have a peaceful and fun winter break!

In the video below, Kindergarten ML students have been learning letter sounds and are using chaining folders and small letter cards to practice blending those sounds into words.

Students have made such a huge leap in their skills! Thank you to our classroom teachers and ESOL teachers for all they do each day!

What is Roblox?

Roblox isn't a singular game — it's a huge online platform where users play, create, and share hundreds of thousands of games. It's like a virtual playground where players use Lego-style characters (called avatars) to explore millions of games created by other users. These games range from adopting pets to solving mysteries to running a pizza shop. With over 70 million daily players—including 32 million under age 13—Roblox has become a big part of kids' digital lives.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Don’t forget to explore the Translated Resources section for Family Tech Planners and extra tips on Technology Use.

This week, all 3rd grade students received a game called “Shut the Box,” a multi-player Math game that incorporates fact fluency, strategy, and fun for all! These games were purchased from district Title I funds and distributed to all elementary schools. Ms.Nogar introduced the game to the students and they had a chance to practice playing with classmates before bringing it home.

Alternate directions for how to play using different operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) were also sent home with the game. Students in grades 2-5 who get Math support from Ms. Nogar alsoreceived the game. “Shut the Box” can be played with up to 6 players, so it’s a great for playing with family and friends. Enjoy!

I hope the winter break coming up will give everyone time to rest up and reset so they are at their strongest when they return! Below is a reminder on when to keep sick children home from school.

• Fever: If your child has a temperature of 100.4F/38 C degrees or more, he/she should stay home until they are fever free (without fever-reducing medication) for 24 hours.

• Diarrhea or Vomiting: If your child has diarrhea and/or vomited more than twice in 24hr, he/she should stay at home until symptoms have resolved.

• Persistent Coughing: Your child should stay home if he/she has an active persistent cough that may disrupt learning. Your child may return to school when symptoms are resolving.

• Bacterial Infections (such as Pink Eye, Strep Throat): Your child can return to school 24 hours after the first dose of antibiotics.

• Rash: Your child should stay home until the rash has healed or a healthcare provider has cleared your child to return to school.
  
  

If your child is absent due to illness, please call 874-8180 or send an email.

Vaccinations Reminder!

We are fast approaching the 90 day mark to get the required immunizations completed. Please make sure to send in any updated immunizations records if you haven't done so already. If you have an appointment, please email the nurse at haberc@portlandschools.org so that your child is not marked non-compliant. Please see PPS Immunization Requirements for more information.

Carrie Haber, RN, BSN

School Nurse

Ocean Avenue Elementary School

Ph (207) 874-8180

FAX (207) 874-1021

As the temperatures continue to drop and the snowflakes start to fall, we have many cold hands needing a warm cover. We are currently very low on our waterproof snow glove supply and would love any donations - new or "gently used" to help us keep our student(s) hands warm this winter. Thank you for your donations!

Once again, our clothing closet is very low on girls leggings and sweatpants in sizes 7/8. Any donations of gently used or new leggings/sweatpants you have, please send them our way. We appreciate your donations always!

Join us for a virtual Pre-K Information Night to learn more about how the Portland Public Schools Pre-K lottery works! We select applicants from those who apply during the three-week application window, and the order of your application doesn't impact your chances as long as it's submitted by the deadline. After the initial lottery, we keep a waitlist open and continue to add families until October 1st of the new school year. Visit the Pre-K Lottery Process page to learn more about the Pre-K process.

We will be hosting a PTO Fundraiser at the Maine Mariners game on Saturday, January 25th at 6 PM. The OAES Community had a blast at this event last school year so we are heading back to cheer on the Mariners and enjoy a fun night with family and friends!

$1 from every ticket sold from our link will benefit students and staff of Ocean Ave School. Additionally, we will need 12 volunteers (must be 18+) to work a concession stand for the duration of the game. Please note that volunteers will need to be there at 4 PM and will work through approximately the end of the 3rd period. This is a really fun event and a great way to get involved!

Get your tickets here: Hockey Night with OAES

Concession stand signup: Concession Stand Volunteers

Each year the PTO hosts a benefit and auction in the Spring with proceeds going right back into our school! Thanks to our tireless volunteers, we always have a lot of great items & experiences up for silent or live auction! That’s where you come in - we need your help to make 2025’s auction better than ever!

If you’d like to participate on the auction committee or have questions, please contact volunteer@oapto.org.

We won’t spam your texts but we will send reminders about events! Signing up for texts or emails from the PTO is the best way for direct communication.

If you’d like to join our email list, please contact communications@oapto.org.

FOR TEXTS:

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