Dear Otter Community,

We have had an uptick in students using their hands to solve problems this week. Please continue to have conversations with your children at home about other ways to solve a problem when at school.

• Hand to Self
• I reiterated to students that there are no games or any reason whatsoever for them to be putting their hands on one another at school.
• I also reiterated that we do not use our hands to solve a problem. We use words like, "That bothers me, please stop.", or we move away from the problem, or we ask the nearest adult for help. Never, under any circumstances, do we use our hands to solve a problem

Our Trunk or Treat event, hosted by the PTA, is this Friday beginning at 5:30 pm. There will be plenty of trunks to visit, food trucks onsite, as well as games and prizes. We hope you can make it!

Otterly Yours,

Mrs. Anderson

The office will be open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Please click on the links below to access public calendars.

Our school's overall attendance rate, as reported to MSDE, for the school year so far is 94.66% (-0.47%). The goal is 94%.

Unfortunately, all grade levels have seen a decrease in attendance with only Kindergarten and 2nd grade still meeting attendance expectations.

Below are the attendance rates for each grade level for the period of September 30th - October 11th.

PreK: 90.91% (-3.59%)

Kindergarten: 94.2% (-1.4%)

1st Grade: 92.52% (-1.88%)

2nd Grade: 95.23% (-0.37%)

3rd Grade: 90.52 (-3.58%)

4th Grade: 92.55% (-2.95%)

5th Grade: 93.6% (-2.2%)

OES will be having a Fall Book Fair from Fri Oct 11th - Friday Oct 18th.

The Book Fair will run Fri Oct 11 through Friday Oct 18 in the OES Media Center during school hours.

Parents are invited to shop Fri Oct 18 (Trunk or Treat) 5:30 - 7:00.

Online Emergency Information Update Messaging: Effective communication is critical to the success of St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS). This will be crucial not only for emergencies but for our ability to communicate with families in general. Online Emergency Information Update Forms are now available through the student’s Home Access Center (HAC). Once logged in, directions to access the online form can be found HERE. A video with instructions is available HERE. It is vital that all information is updated in eSchool. The deadline for the online submission of Emergency Information Update forms is October 31st, 2024. Please click here for the Blank Emergency Form. If you have any questions, please contact The Department of Student Services at 301-475-5511 ext.32150.

Parents of young children and local Childcare Providers are invited to participate in a Conscious Discipline workshop Tuesday, October 15, 2024, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. The Building from the Beginning workshop will be held in the Dohrman rooms at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career & Technology Center. Mission BBQ has graciously offered to provide dinner to the first 100 people who register. Childcare is not available. Please refer to the flier here for more details. Use this Registration Form if you are interested. Local childcare providers may register here and SMCPS will pursue MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours on their behalf.

Keep this list somewhere handy!

October 14th - 18th is Digital Citizenship Week. Click the button below for a link to a SMORE focused on how to speak with your children about the importance of digital citizenship.

Monday, October 14th

9:00 am - 1:45 pm

• Two Hour Early Release Day - Parent/Teacher Conferences
• PTA Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
• Book Fair

Tuesday, October 15th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• PTA Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
• Book Fair

Wednesday, October 16th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Spirit Day - UNITY DAY - WEAR ORANGE
• PTA Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
• Book Fair

Thursday, October 17th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• PTA Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
• Spirit Day - COLOR WARS
• Book Fair
• PTA Spirit Night and Slice House

Friday, October 18th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• Two Hour Early Dismissal - Professional Responsibilities
• PTA Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
• PTA Trunk or Treat Event
• Book Fair open during Trunk or Treat event

October 28th - November 1st

St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) students use the Internet and other instructional computer resources in school. It is important that you and your student review this information each year. Within this policy is the Google Workspace for Education Additional Services Agreement. Students in grades PreK - 5th grade do not need to complete an AUP this school year. They will not be accessing additional services within Google Workspace for Education beyond the core features.

Now is a great time to find your laptop and charger. Please run all of the updates and make sure that it is working order. Chargers are to remain at home.

All SMCPS laptops come with the same responsibility of care and upkeep as any other loaned resources. Textbooks, novels, laptops and chargers can incur a debt if lost or damaged. Please refer to the student accountability newsletter that has been added to our weekly school newsletters.

Hello OES Otter Families,

I am Hannah Pratz, and I am so excited to be returning to the OES family this school year! I have been a school nurse for 25 years and have loved every minute! I love what I do and my door is always open! Don't hesitate to pop in the health suite or cut through!

All medications must be accompanied by an order before they can be given at school. We CANNOT give any medication without the medical order. Please contact me beginning on August 14th with any questions.

See you all soon!

FAQ for the start of the year:

When should I keep my child home from school?

• Fever >100.0, vomiting, diarrhea, or pink and crusty eyes
• Symptoms of COVID-19 like illness OR symptoms or an illness that do not resolve after home interventions
• Your child has been directed to quarantine by the local health department

One community committed to the learning and safety of all children.

Community is important to us. We strive to have the words "goal-oriented", "fun", "inclusive", and "thriving" used to describe our community. We believe that children learn and adults work best in an environment where they feel respected and safe. We are focused on four areas in our development of community: 1) Cultivating respectful, supportive relationships among students, teachers, and parents, 2) Emphasizing common purposes and ideals, 3) Providing opportunities for service and cooperation, and 4) Providing opportunities for independence and influence.

Email: lpanderson@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/oes/
Location: 26410 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 373-4365
Facebook: facebook.com/smcps.org