Oshki Ogimaag Community School
May 24, 2024
Boozhoo Oshki Ogimaag Community School Families and Community Partners!
This phrase niminwendam omaa ayaayan is posted in our lunch room. It is a message that with our words, actions, attitude and mission, we intend to convey to each student, every day. It is a message that many of us greet students with daily (although we may need more practice in saying this in Ojibwe!). Each student adds unique attributes and gifts to our community and we learn from one another. The core values of the staff at Oshki Ogimaag Community School, in alignment with our mission, that each student feels safe, secure, valued and supported in reaching their personal and academic potential, and supported in exploring, embracing and preserving their language and cultural identity.
This week and last week, we have welcomed new students (our newest leaders!), as well as previously enrolled students, returning to Oshki Ogimaag Community School (Step-Up Pictures will be in next week's newsletter!). We are happy and filled with gratitude for each student and staff member at our school! And, while we look forward to celebrating the end of a pivotal school year, we look to next school year greatly energized and inspired by the changes happening at our school! Miigwech to Ms. James for her investment and leadership in Oshki Ogimaag Community School! Did you know that Ms. James and her brother Roger, were both part of the founding group, advising as Oshki Ogimaag Community School became a charter school nearly 16 years ago? Their names are on our initial charter contract, which makes it all the more meaningful that Ms. James is leading our school right now!
Miigwech to all of our staff, families and Community partners that have shown us amazing support this school year!
Because our school has a focus on environmental education and this is connected to our mission of contributing to the wellness of future generations; we devote a great deal of time to learning about and spending time in our natural environment.
As we approach summer break (it's hard to believe that next week is the last week of school already!), we encourage students to continue to explore the outdoors throughout the summer! There are SO many natural benefits to outdoor play for children!
- Outdoor play supports the development of motor skills, strengthens bones and muscles, and playing in the sun builds vitamin D in the body!
- Unstructured outdoor play contributes to cognitive development and supports the development of social emotional learning (SEL) skills! Time in nature also is shown to reduce stress and anxiety levels in children and adults.
- Outdoor play improves sensory skills and supports emotional regulation.
- Outdoor play has been shown to increase attention spans and even decrease symptoms in children with ADHD!
- Outdoor light stimulates the pineal gland, vital to strengthening our immunes systems and making us feel happier!
Our students reap the benefits of exploring the forests each week, learning about local plants and wildlife as they explore the natural world and spending time at Gichigami, listening to the waves crash against the shore or gazing out to the deep blue waters as they write observations in their nature journals.
To read more about the benefits of outdoor play, see the Sanford Health article linked below:
Community Connections and Service Work in the Community
This week our Community Connections Included:
Our last week of Yoga with Miss Carly! Miss Carly ended her last session of the school year with students, celebrating with a dance party!
Planting asemaa with Amy Bell! This work is part of our Environmental Education goals!
Ms. James and Mss Kat lead students on a clean-up hike. Ms. Jeana's class also helped with recycling. We are teaching students to be good stewards of their natural environment!
