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!

• 04/14-05/30: Maine Through Year Assessment in Math and Reading (Grades 3-5)
• 05/09: Annual PTO Parents' Night Out Benefit and Auction at Rising Tide, 5:30-8:30 PM
• 05/13: First Grade Field Trip to Maine Audubon
• 05/13: Monthly PTO Meeting in the Library, 6:30 PM
• 05/21: Kindergarten Orientation at OAES, 3:30-4:30 PM
• 05/27: Fifth Grade Strings and Band Concert in the Gym, 1 PM
• 05/29: Family Belonging Potluck at OAES, 5-6:30 PM
  
• 06/03: Step Up Day for Rising 6th Graders at the Middle Schools, 11:30 AM-1:30 PM
• 06/04: Fifth Grade Field Trip to Portland Museum of Art
• 06/05: Fifth Grade vs Staff Basketball Game
• 06/09: 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
• 06/13: Multilingual Middle School Orientation Session at East End Elementary, Time: TBD
• 06/14: SAVE THE DATE ~ OAES PTO Annual Spring Fair, 2-4 PM
• 06/16: Annual Egg Drop at OAES, starts at 9:15 AM
• 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 school year.

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

Please bring a favorite family dish to share if you can, and join our school community for an evening of great food, catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, and a special presentation by Firefly!

BUS 1 ROUTE:

• 4:25 PM - 55 Chestnut St.
• 4:28 PM - Cumberland at Alder St.
• 4:30 PM - Back Bay Tower/Cumberland at Parris
• 4:40 PM - 44 St. John St.
• 4:50 PM - Falmouth at Payson St.
• 4:55 PM - Dartmouth at Forest Ave.
• 5:00 PM - Ocean Avenue School

RETURN:

• 6:30 PM - Ocean Avenue School
• 6:35 PM - Dartmouth at Forest Ave.
• 6:40 PM - Falmouth at Payson St.
• 6:50 PM - 44 St. John St.
• 7:00 PM - Cumberland at Parris St.
• 7:02 PM - Cumberland at Alder St.
• 7:05 PM - 55 Chestnut St.

Firefly (Jason Brown) is a multi-talented performer and innovative visual artist from the Penobscot Indian Nation, blending Wabanaki cultural traditions with cutting-edge technology to reimagine, Indigenous presence on contemporary stages nationwide.

Dear PPS Staff and Parent/Community Members,

A series of stakeholder engagement meetings will take place this month on a proposed policy that would ban students from having cell phones or other personal electronic devices on their person during regular school hours. The stakeholder engagement meetings are designed to get feedback from families and staff on the policy before the Board of Public Education votes on it. Separate stakeholder meetings for high school students also are being scheduled by their individual schools.

The Board is expected to hold a first reading on the policy at its May 20 meeting and then vote on it June 10. If approved, the policy would take effect in the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.

The proposed policy states that “students may not have cell phones, smart watches, earbuds, or other personal electronic devices on their person at any time while at school during regular school hours.” Students will be encouraged to leave their devices at home, when possible. If students do bring devices to school, there will be a process in place for the school to collect and safely store student devices at the start of each day and return them after classes end. Exceptions to this no-cell-phone policy will be very limited, and would only be granted in such cases as a personal device being required for documented health reasons.

The Board’s Curriculum and Policy Committee voted unanimously at its April 15 meeting to recommend the policy to the full Board. The policy has support from Phone-Free Portland Schools, a group of parents and educators advocating for a cellphone ban. The group says that “phone-free schools support not only academic achievement and focus, but also social development, resilience, improved mental health, and the face-to-face connections that our students desperately need.”

The Board’s current policy on cell phones says that all personal electronic devices must be turned off or silenced and out of sight during the school day at all school levels, but high schoolers can use electronic devices between class periods and during lunch. However, student cell phone infractions can occur on a regular basis, and many staff believe that cellphones have a negative impact on the learning environment, presenting a significant challenge to instruction.

The first stakeholder engagement meeting is a virtual meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Here is the joining link: Tinyurl.com/CellPhones57. A series of in-person meetings will follow, with the first in-person meeting on Thursday, May 8, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Deering High School.

Below is a complete list of the stakeholder engagement meetings. Please note that the May 28 in-person meeting at King Middle School is especially geared for multilingual families, with interpreters provided.

● May 15, 6-7 p.m., Portland High School
● May 27, 6-7 p.m., Casco Bay High School
● May 28, 5:30-7 p.m., King Middle School (interpreters available)

The final weeks can be both exciting and overwhelming for elementary-aged children. This time often includes testing, projects, fun events, and emotional transitions as they prepare for summer and a new grade. Parents can play a key role in helping their child finish strong, stay motivated, and feel supported. Here are some simple yet effective ways to help your child thrive during these last weeks of school:

• Add important end-of-year dates (events, last day of school, etc) to your calendar.
• Try to maintain a schedule (same bedtime, meal times, etc). This can help ease the hectic nature of the last month of school.
• Begin gathering items (library books, etc) that need to be returned to school.
• Talk with your child and acknowledge their feelings whether it be pride in what they have achieved or sadness that they are moving to a new grade (teacher, group of students, etc).
• Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge how much they’ve learned and grown this year, not just final grades.
• Declutter Together: Go through backpacks and folders weekly to stay on top of important notices and remove clutter.
• Encourage Creativity: Let them wind down with creative outlets like drawing, music, or storytelling after school.
• Keep Active: Encourage outdoor play or physical activity to help manage stress and burn off extra energy.
• Finally, please reach out with any questions or concerns. We are here to support your child (and you) as you acknowledge all they have achieved and look forward to the summer and new grade in the fall.

The OAES Math Team finished up their season on Tuesday, May 6th. Throughout the year, students had four math meets and competed with other fifth grade teams from the Southern Maine Math League. A big shout out to all of the team members working hard during our weekly practices! A special shout out to Teddy Brown, who came in second place at Meet #3 in the Individual Rounds! GREAT JOB EVERYONE!

• 6/09 - Matching Monday - Match 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!
• 6/12 - Team Thursday - Wear something with your favorite team on it!
• 6/13 - Fancy Friday - Be fancy!
  

Our 5th grade library STEM challenges are underway! Check out the Sphero Robot creatures and cars that Ms. Gurney's class is creating using the Design Process - or the LEGO robots coding that Ms. Cardona and Ms. Bakutis' class is starting. Soon, classes will switch so everyone will do both challenges. What an exciting way to wrap up the year!

All students in middle school need documentation of a doctor’s physical exam to participate in ANY school sport. Please make an appointment for your child to have a well child physical exam before September. Talk to your doctor about vaccines for your child. Ask for copies of any shots received and a “sports clearance” note. Provide copies to your middle school nurse.

Your child will need a physical exam every 2 years to participate in sports in middle and high school. Feel free to contact me if you need help finding a doctor or making an appointment.

Carrie Haber

School Nurse, OAES

Our clothing closet is in need of NEW socks for all ages and all sizes to fit children ages 5-11.

Thank you for your donations!

At its April 8 meeting, the Board of Public Education unanimously approved a 2025-2026 district calendar that includes Yom Kippur and Eid al-Fitr as new district holidays.

Starting in the fall, students and staff at the Portland Public Schools, Maine’s most diverse school district, can observe those major religious holidays with their families without having to miss school.

>>>Read More

The Parents’ Night Out & Benefit Auction is a fun-filled event for parents/adults only where we can come together for a social evening of drinks, snacks, community – and you can participate in our annual Ocean Avenue Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Annual Auction fundraiser that culminates that evening.

Admission is free & dress is casual.

We hope you can join us!

Online bidding for auction items is now open at this link. There are many exciting items and experiences that anyone can bid on, so please share with grandparents, friends, and neighbors! Some of the items up for grabs include:

• Tickets to Portland Sea Dogs

• Classes at Portland Yoga Project, Salud, and Casco Bay Movers

• Restaurant gift cards to Tipo, Portland Hunt & Alpine, and Bird & Co.

• And much more!

Note: There will be a few special live auction only items at tonight's event. Those are listed on the site above.

Teachers and staff play a vital role in shaping our communities, and dedicating their time and energy to support and inspire students every day. Showing appreciation for their hard work helps recognize their impact and reminds them how valued they are.

Join us in celebrating our incredible educators by signing up for the Teacher & Staff Appreciation Lunch on Friday, May 16th!

Your participation helps make this event special - signup today to contribute and show your gratitude!

Staff & Teacher Appreciation Lunch Signup

Note: The PTO will have a table set up to take food/drink donations at the parent drop off loop on the morning on 5/16. If you are running late, please bring the items to the office, but please try to have them in before 10:30am. Thank you!

The Annual Spring Fair is back! Stay tuned for more details as the event gets closer!

We hope you can join us on Tuesday, May 13th at 6:30 PM in the OAES Library!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

• Friday, May 9th, 5:30-8:30 PM: OAES Parents' Night Out Benefit and Auction at Rising Tide *TONIGHT*

• Tuesday, May 13th, 6:30 PM: Monthly PTO Meeting in library

• 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