Technology Campus Chronicle

Dear OSES Families,

This week we have welcomed out 5th class pet into the OSES family with Ms. Volden's Nugget. There are many benefits they bring to our school community. Having a class pet is not only a delightful experience for students but also an educational opportunity that supports their social, emotional, and academic growth.

Benefits of Class Pets:

1. Responsibility and Care: Taking care of a class pet teaches students about responsibility and the importance of caring for another living being. Students learn to feed, clean, and monitor the health of the pet, fostering a sense of accountability and empathy.

2. Emotional Support: Class pets can provide comfort and emotional support to students. Interacting with animals has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, creating a calming and positive classroom environment.

3. Enhanced Learning: Class pets can be integrated into various subjects, such as science, math, and language arts. Students can observe the pet's behavior, learn about its habitat and diet, and even use the pet as a subject for creative writing assignments.

4. Social Skills: Caring for a class pet encourages teamwork and collaboration among students. They work together to ensure the pet's well-being, which helps build communication and cooperation skills.

5. Connection to Nature: Having a class pet helps students develop a connection to nature and an appreciation for animals. This can inspire a lifelong interest in biology, ecology, and environmental conservation.

We believe that our class pets are a valuable addition to our school community, providing countless opportunities for learning, growth, and joy. Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our students' education.

Warm regards,

Michael Singleton

Principal

Dear OSS families,

Orlando Science Technology Campus (K-6) will be offering Saturday Leadership Academy for 3rd-6th grade students who would benefit from additional practice to master grade-level standards.

On each of the designated Saturdays listed in the link below, students will have a chance to get more in-depth, instruction with standards they are struggling with and take several practice tests/quizzes in preparation for the end of year FAST.

Based on the data from previous sessions, students who attended SLA experienced significant improvements in the end of year state exams. We believe that the additional support and tailored learning opportunities offered during SLA contribute to academic success.

Important Details:

• All students must have a completed waiver to attend, linked below.

• Instruction is from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

• Drop off starts at 8:30 AM and students MUST be picked up at 12:00 PM (no later than 12:30 PM).

• Drop of and pick up location is building 2 cafeteria.

• Limited spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Sign up only for the days your child can attend to ensure active participation.

• Two or more absences will lead to removal from the program.

How to Sign Up:

• Follow the link [Saturday Leadership Academy Sign Up] to register your child for SLA.

• Submission of a signed waiver, Saturday Leadership Academy Waiver, is mandatory before attending SLA.

• For any questions or assistance, feel free to reach out to Ms. Greene, Alicia.greene@orlandoscience.org.

Art Contest (Grades K-3):

• Eligibility: Open to all K-3 students in Florida.
• Theme: Celebrating Florida’s African American Heroes and Their Contributions to Freedom.
• Submission Guidelines:
• Entries must be mailed to Volunteer Florida: Black History Month Committee, 1545 Raymond Diehl Road, Suite 250, Tallahassee, FL 32308.
• All entries must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, February 3, 2025.
• Emailed, scanned, or faxed entries will not be accepted.
• Contestants are responsible for all shipping costs.
• Awards: Four statewide winners will each receive a $100 school supplies gift card and a one-year pass to Florida State Parks.

Essay Contest (Grades 4-5 and 6-8):

• Eligibility: Open to all Florida students in grades 4-8, including public, charter, private, home, or virtual schools.
• Theme: Celebrating Florida’s African American Heroes and Their Contributions to Freedom.
• Submission Guidelines:
• Essays should be no longer than 500 words, written in English, and typed.
• Each student may submit only one essay.
• Entries can be mailed to the address above or submitted electronically through the online submission form.
• All entries must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, February 3, 2025.
• Emailed, scanned, or faxed entries will not be accepted.
• Contestants are responsible for all shipping costs.

• Awards: Six winners will be selected: two elementary school students (grades 4-5), two middle school students (grades 6-8), and two high school students (grades 9-12). Each winner will receive a 2-Year Florida College Plan scholarship provided by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation and a $100 gift card for school supplies.

Excellence in Education Award Contest (Educators):

• Eligibility: Open to any full-time educator working in an elementary, middle, or high school in Florida, including public, charter, private, homeschool, and virtual schools.
• Nomination Process:
• Nominations may be submitted by a principal, teacher, parent/guardian, or student.
• Entries can be mailed to Volunteer Florida: Black History Month Committee, 1545 Raymond Diehl Road, Suite 250, Tallahassee, FL 32308, or submitted electronically.
• All entries must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, February 3, 2025.
• Contestants are responsible for all shipping costs.
• Awards: Four winners will be selected. Each Excellence in Education award winner will receive $2,500 from Volunteer Florida.

For detailed guidelines, entry forms, and additional information, please visit the official website:

https://www.floridablackhistory.com/student-contests/

https://www.floridablackhistory.com/educator-awards/

Due to supply issues at the OCPS level, we do not know if hot or cold lunch will be served. Please be prepared to have either lunch until further notice.

Breakfast and Lunch will be FREE for the 2024-2025 school year

If your child has food allergies and will require a special meal from OCPS please click on the link below to fill out the special diet order form

Special Diets for Food Allergies - Orange County Public Schools (ocps.net)

This week, OSES celebrated Florida Literacy Week. We saw classes reading with their Book Buddies, dressing as their favorite book characters, practicing vocabulary and phonics, and engaging in many more fun activities in the classroom.

Additionally, we are excited to share that OSS K-12 has purchased a new reading accountability program called Beanstack. It has been rolled out to teachers and students, creating new excitement to read in our current challenges. Students can access the program through their Clever accounts. Families can also add the app to their phones to read and log students’ books. See the flyer for additional information.

This weekend marks the start of the Saturday Leadership Academy for students in Grades 3-6. This program provides additional support with ELA and Math skills in preparation for FAST PM #3 in May. Please see the link in the newsletter to sign up, as it is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contact Ms. Carter with any questions at Cayce.Carter@orlandoscience.org.

In Kindergarten we have had a lot of excitement this week. Students have had a blast celebrating literacy week each day. Also, on Wednesday kindergarten was able to celebrate kindergarten's 100th day of school! We had some really cute and creative little old people wandering the halls!

Ms. Volden's class has a new class pet! Her name is Nugget, and she is a long-haired Syrian hamster. Students have already spoiled her by bringing in special treats and some new toys. Thank you so much! Students have had fun reading and researching about hamsters in Epic! Hopefully soon we can use our STEM skills to build her some tunnel mazes when she is ready to explore more.

As we continue our journey through this school year, we would like to share some of the exciting learning happening in our first-grade classrooms this week.

In our reading sessions, we have been focusing on Making and Confirming Predictions. We are currently diving into the book Monument City, where we identify the Elements of Drama. Additionally, we are exploring the author's opinion in our reading of Presidents Day.

In Math, we are learning to find numbers that are more or less than a given number. Our students are mastering the use of a hundred chart to determine 1 more, 1 less, 10 more, and 10 less than various 2-digit numbers. We are also utilizing place-value blocks to compare two 2-digit numbers effectively.

In Science, we are investigating the Law of Gravity. Students are discovering how objects are pulled toward Earth and making connections between everyday words like "pull" and "fall" with the scientific term gravity. We are also identifying the beneficial and harmful effects of the sun.

This week was filled with excitement as we celebrated Literacy Week and enjoyed various activities.

• We had Drop Everything and Read Day, where we each read our favorite books and shared them with our friends in the classroom.
• We were also amazed by the different costumes worn by students from various grade levels during our Book Character Parade.
• To wrap up Literacy Week, we had the wonderful opportunity to meet with our 5th grade friends, who read to us their favorite books.

It was a fantastic week that reinforced our love for reading and storytelling!

Additionally, we celebrated our 101st Day of School! The first graders looked adorable in their dalmatian costumes, marking this fun milestone together.

As always, we encourage continued reading at home, as it significantly enhances our students' learning experiences. Creating a daily reading routine can help reinforce the skills we are developing in the classroom.

Ms. DiNuzzo's class participated in a book tasting called Camp-Reads-Alot for Wednesday Drop everything and read along with learning about the Lunar New Year!

In honor of the 100th day of school and school choice week, our class brainstormed 100 reasons why we love our school. Many of the reasons the students came up with had to do with the wonderful teachers and staff who make each student feel loved and valued. In addition to the staff, our students also really love the playground and free breakfast.

Don’t forget Sea World permission slips and money are due by February 24th

Over the past few weeks, our students have been on an exhilarating journey of discovery and learning. We completed an intense Boot Camp, where we mastered the ins and outs of Factors, Prime, and Composite numbers. Our budding writers are hard at work editing their four-paragraph essays on the thought-provoking topic, "Do Animals Belong in Zoos?" Plus, we've just wrapped up our fascinating Energy unit!

But that's not all! The classroom has been full of activity as students work on their in-class STEM projects. This collaborative effort is equipping them with all the tools they need to tackle their own Science Fair Projects, which will be due in March.

In January, our students took on the exciting role of "teaching the teacher" for their project. I've been learning all about incredible activities like Chess, table settings, planting vegetables, and even archery. It's been a fantastic experience seeing the students share their passions and expertise with me.

Keep an eye out for these future scientists and leaders ---- they're on a roll!

Stay tuned for more updates and adventures from Myers' class!

This week was Celebrate Literacy week! Students got to share their love for reading through different dress up days and bringing the books to school for some time to drop everything and read. Make sure to check out Beanstack so students can track their daily readings with their classmates and teachers!

STEM Fair is almost a month away! Make sure to check in with your child to ensure they are completing every component as this project is done at home. Can't wait to see all the hard work they have done.

St. Augustine permission slips and consent forms are due on Monday, February 3rd. Please make sure to get those in on time and reach out to your homeroom teacher if you have any questions or concerns.

On Tuesday, Ms. Coy and Ms. Kenney’s homerooms went to the Marine Science Center. We were able to participate in several fun activities. We went on a couple nature walks where the students learned about the birds they were hearing, picked up items on the beach to learn about the habitat and what should and shouldn’t be in the area, and learned about the importance of sand dunes. The students had a few hands-on activities which included building a Sandcastle STEM challenge so they could learn to always clean up after themselves and fill in holes for Sea Turtle nesting, Seine netting in the Estuary which was COLD, but the kids loved it, and bird watching. The students caught a blue crab and several small baby fish in their nets. Ms. Coy’s got to see a Bald Eagle when they were bird watching with the binoculars. The students also got to learn about the Sea Turtle Hospital at the center and what is needed to help maintain the Sea Turtle population in Florida.

We are starting to push the STEM fair along, so please look for updates and deadlines in emails to come from Ms. Coy. The final project is due by March 7th. We will be using Google classroom to submit and get feedback on the items that need to be on the poster board.

Animal Kingdom field trip- Permission slips and payments are needed by February 7th. We will not be able to extend this deadline due to the time it takes to order the tickets. Reach out if you have any concerns or questions.

Students Engaged in Inspiring Activities end of the semester

Our students had the opportunity to participate in two enriching events that broadened their horizons and nurtured their creativity.

1. Seminar on an Educational Trip to Turkey

A high school student shared their experiences from an educational trip to Turkey in an engaging seminar. The student highlighted the cultural, historical, and educational aspects of their journey, providing valuable insights into Turkish heritage and traditions. The session concluded with an interactive Q&A segment, where our students asked thoughtful questions, deepening their understanding of the trip.

2. Discovering the Art of Ebru

Our high school Turkish teacher introduced students to Ebru, the traditional Turkish art of paper marbling. The teacher explained its historical significance and demonstrated the intricate techniques involved. Following the demonstration, students had the chance to create their own unique Ebru designs, allowing them to explore their creativity while learning about this beautiful art form.

Both activities inspired curiosity and cultural appreciation, leaving students eager to learn more

Students Embrace Language Learning with Creative Projects

This academic year started with an exciting focus on classroom language and culture. During the first week, students learned about class rules and procedures to create a positive learning environment. Building on this foundation, the second week featured an engaging project that encouraged students to explore the importance of learning foreign languages.

As part of the project, students were tasked with preparing and presenting two topics: Why Should We Learn Foreign Languages? and Facts About Turkey. Each student showcased their creativity and research skills as they presented their findings to the class.

The presentations highlighted the value of learning a second language, including improved communication, cultural understanding, and career opportunities. In their presentations about Turkey, students proudly shared facts about the country’s rich history, traditions, and unique geographic features, fostering cultural appreciation among their peers.

The project not only enhanced students’ research and presentation skills but also motivated them to embrace the journey of language learning with enthusiasm. It was a remarkable way to start the year, setting the tone for an engaging and meaningful learning experience ahead.

In order to help keep our families informed of the latest legislative updates regarding their student's education, a Parent Rights Resources page has been added to the school website.

Recent updates include:

• Internet Safety
• District Health Care Services
• Special Magistrate

The mission of Orlando Science Elementary School (OSES) is to provide a well-rounded education with special emphasis in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), while using research-based and innovative instructional methods in a stimulating learning environment. OSES is committed to the social-emotional learning and character development of all students.