OHS Student Services Newsletter

On Tuesday, October 18, 2022, we will host our fall Career, College, and Life Readiness Day. The purpose of this day is to give each grade level specific learning experiences rooted in our school values of being grounded in our values and purpose, committed to our goals, and accountable to ourselves and each other. You can click here to read more about the purpose and plan for each of our days.

Outlined below are the details for each grade level’s attendance expectations and activities. Check out the details for your specific grade levels.

Freshmen: Day of Service and Academic and Career Planning Launch (CLICK HERE for details).

• Freshmen will report to OHS as normal at 7:20am. Buses will run on their normal schedule.
• During the morning hours, our freshmen will engage in a service learning project focused on a career interest they selected during the week of September 12. These projects will be done in partnership with members of the Oconomowoc Chamber of Commerce.
• Students will return from their projects in time for lunch at 11:00am. We will run our normal lunch operations.
• In the afternoon, students will meet with their counselor, associate principal, or a member of our Student Services team to launch their Academic and Career Plan. This plan will guide their four-year course selection and high school experience.
• Before heading out for the day, students will be able to connect with each other, learn more about the extracurricular activities at OHS, and have some fun as they head into the last weeks of the first term.
• Students will be ready to be picked up at 2:40pm and buses will depart at 2:47pm.

Sophomores: Career and College Visits (CLICK HERE for details).

• Sophomores will report to OHS as normal at 7:20am. Buses will run on their normal schedule.
• Around 8:00am, students will depart for job shadow and college visits related to a career cluster they expressed interest in during the week of September 19.
• Students are expected to dress in business casual attire and should either bring lunch or money to purchase lunch.
• We will return to OHS in time for them to be picked up at 2:40pm. Buses will depart at their normal time of 2:47pm.

Juniors and Seniors: Release Day for ACT Testing or College Visits

• Our staff will be busy supporting the freshmen and sophomore learning experiences. Therefore, juniors and seniors are not expected to report to OHS, unless you have pre-registered for the fall ACT test being offered at OHS. Registration occurred in early September. Please click here to review the details sent by Mrs. Anders earlier this month.
• Students not testing are encouraged to use this day to visit colleges, work on admission or scholarship applications, and/or participate in job-shadow experiences.

Last Chance to Complete the Free or Reduced Meals Application

There's still time to apply for free or reduced-price meals this school year! The application deadline is Friday, October 14.

If you think your family might qualify for reduced price or free school meals, please complete the application process. Families that qualify for free or reduced meals might also qualify for a reduction in some of their student fees.

How to Apply:

• Log in to your Skyward Family Access account

• Click the “Food Service” button on the left

• Once the food service page is open, click on “Applications” at the top of the page, near the center

• A pop-up box will appear; select the “Add Application” tab at the top of the box

• The application will open; please complete all of the steps and submit

• You can also download and print a paper application packet from the Free & Reduced Meal Information web page

Important Note: A new application is required every school year. If you participated in the free and reduced meal program last year, you’ll need to submit a new application for this school year.

Dear OHS Families,

On October 11, we’ll introduce a new resource to our students called Speak Up, Speak Out. We’d like to share more information about the program with you before it’s shared at school.

Speak Up, Speak Out (SUSO) is a threat reporting system created by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of School Safety. This reporting system is available to students through ClassLink on their OASD Chromebook. It is also available to parents, staff, and community members for free, 24/7. You can report a threat through this system by downloading the SUSO app, by making a report on their website at https://speakup.widoj.gov, or by calling 1-800-MY-SUSO-1. SUSO Resource Center staff members review reports, respond, and contact school administration, school counselors, or law enforcement if needed.

This anonymous threat reporting system, or tip line, can be used to identify safety threats to our schools, but also to share concerns like:

• a student who might hurt themselves

• a student who has something dangerous happening in their lives

• bullying happening face-to-face or online

• a student who is struggling with depression or other emotional hurdles

• a student who may be using drugs or other dangerous substances

OHS students will learn about SUSO during our ALICE Drill on Tuesday, October 11 and Officer Dawn and I will share information about the types of threats that can be reported. They’ll talk about things like:

• The difference between snitching and speaking up when something is unsafe

• Sharing truthful reports, not false reports

• The importance of telling a trusted adult or reporting situations where students could be hurt

• Students will be encouraged to use the reporting system themselves.

Families can find more information and an FAQ about the program on the Speak Up, Speak Out website.

This reporting system is another way that our district partners with local and state-level law enforcement agencies to keep our students and staff safe.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our schools safe,

Jason

On Wednesday, November 9th, we organized an amazing opportunity for OHS seniors to be admitted on-the-spot to a variety of colleges around Wisconsin and the Midwest. This college-ready experience includes specific upcoming PRIDE sessions (see below) to make sure you are set to EXPLORE, APPLY, and PREP for your interview with the colleges/universities in attendance. Please select any of the participating colleges or universities on this Google form you plan to apply to. By completing this form, you are committing to an onsite interview with each school you choose on November 9th.

College admissions counselors look at on-site admissions as a benefit to your application which makes you shine more than the competition!!

Required Admissions Experience dates:

• October 12th: Explore the colleges/universities that are coming

• October 19th: Get organized with letters of recommendation and get your application submitted.

• October 24-Nov. 8th: Individual interview practice with professionals in human resources.

• November 2: Final prep for college/university interview, essay, and application.

Any questions, please contact Jaime Regan, AVID District Director, at reganj@oasd.org or Susan Verhagen, School Counselor, at verhags@oasd.org

When: Tuesday, October 18th

Locations:

New Berlin High School from 9:00am-11:00am

Arrowhead High School from 6:00pm-8:00pm

WEF welcomes to its programs any person interested in postsecondary education and military opportunities. WEF includes in its participant list all UW state universities and centers, Wisconsin's independent colleges and universities, Wisconsin technical colleges, and many out-of-state institutions. In addition, many community colleges, trade schools, and the national service organizations, such as the armed forces are represented. Register here!

The Wisconsin Test Prep course consists of seven sessions that focus on all four ACT® test subject areas. Because our curriculum uses actual ACT® test problems, students gain a distinct competitive edge on test day. For those students choosing to take the writing test, we include preparation during the reading session.

Below are the schedules for the ACT Test Prep Courses at OHS:

Methodize is a free service for all OHS students as they prepare for the ACT. Students can access Methodize by logging into Xello, selecting the Methodize icon on their dashboard, and logging in with their single sign-on.

There are several perks that come with utilizing Methodize:

• There is a range of ACT lessons and resources that incorporates quizzes, evaluation tests and full-length tests
• Methodize utilizes resources including review packets that students can use to guide them through ACT lessons
• Methodize is a self-paced option that you can do when you have extra time during your day or want a little extra practice on a specific topic

Prospective Student Information Session

Sunday, October 9, 2022 - 6:00pm

Event Registration

Advance registration is required.

Attending a session is a great way to learn more about these schools, but it won't affect students chances of admission if they choose to apply to any of them.

Experience the best of both worlds at UWM at Waukesha: exceptional education from a top research university and small classes where you’ll know your professors. Students choose this campus to earn an affordable two-year degree and get a valuable start on a four-year degree.

At this event, you will:

• Take a virtual campus tour.
• Talk to current students about student life.
• Attend a financial aid presentation.
• Sample a college-level class.

Where to Register:

• November 16th -- Registration link

• December 12th -- Registration link

If you are a first-generation student looking to attend college, then this could be a great tool for you. In this 45 minute class, we cover many of the key components in the TCT 'Core' Class, but with a focus on first-generation students. When finished with your class, please enter your email address. Here we will send you your answers, along with a certificate of completion. You will have the ability to also share your answers with your teacher, counselor, or parents. Take the class here!

Walk-ins Welcome! We can't wait to welcome you to our campus for the WCTC Fall Open House! At Open House, you can:

• Tour our state-of-the-art classrooms and training labs
• Try out fun hands-on activities
• Take a free two-minute career assessment
• Make personal connections with WCTC instructors and staff
• Get detailed information about 150+ academic programs
• Find answers to questions about admissions, financial aid, advising and more

Plus, view industry-specific projects from WCTC students and have a chance to win fun giveaways. Just for attending, you'll receive a voucher to waive the WCTC application fee ($30 value). The voucher is not valid for a refund on previously submitted application fees; Not redeemable for cash; Not valid for partnership programs. Register here!

When: Tuesday, October 18th

Locations:

New Berlin High School from 9:00am-11:00am

Arrowhead High School from 6:00pm-8:00pm

WEF welcomes to its programs any person interested in postsecondary education and military opportunities. WEF includes in its participant list all UW state universities and centers, Wisconsin's independent colleges and universities, Wisconsin technical colleges, and many out-of-state institutions. In addition, many community colleges, trade schools, and the national service organizations, such as the armed forces are represented. Register here!

HAWS Animal Career Exploration (HAWS ACE) is a program for high school students to learn about the variety of careers available in animal care. Members will get a chance to hear from speakers working in different animal-related jobs and learn what skills and training are needed to do those jobs. Veterinarian is usually the first career that comes to mind when thinking about jobs with animals. But how much do you really know about becoming a vet and did you know there are TONS of other animal related careers? Are you creative? Maybe you’d enjoy a job as a groomer. Good problem solver? Perhaps you could become a great dog trainer. Interested in law enforcement? What about a job as a Humane Officer? Participants will also learn more about HAWS and our mission, and get some hands on experience working with animals. Join HAWS ACE today! Meetings are held on one Wednesday a month per semester. To register go to https://hawspets.givecloud.co/product/HAWSACEFALL22/haws-animal-career-exploration-ace

OASD is committed to developing skills and habits that will ensure our students will graduate ready for success in career, college, and life. We have articulated these characteristics, or life-ready skills, in our Graduate Profile and they include strong communication, leadership, life balance, scholarship, citizenship, and problem-solving abilities.

This year, our students will learn, develop, and practice these life-ready skills and habits so that our OASD graduates are prepared to balance various life aspects including academic, emotional, social, physical, and financial well-being, to lead a healthy and well-rounded life after high school.

Students will learn about these life-ready skills in different ways, based on their age. This Life Ready Parent Information Guide contains information for 9th grade.

To help us better understand which life-ready skills our students have already learned and which may still need to be developed, our 9th-10th grade students will once again complete the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) in fall. DESSA is a research-based tool, where students can indicate how often they have demonstrated specific life-ready skills within the past month. The DESSA evaluates skills like persistence at challenging tasks, making good decisions, working well with others, and a variety of other skills that are included as desired characteristics of an OASD graduate in our Graduate Profile.

If you would like to opt-out of this assessment please email AJ Mueller in Students Services at MuellerA@oasd.org to make that request. Email addresses and contact information for our schools are available on our website.

Wednesday, October 12th-13th - PRIDE for Students, 6:30pm for Students and families

Explore Session for Seniors for College Admissions Day

• Come explore the various colleges coming for Onsite College Admissions day on November 9th!

• Click here to register
  

Show Me the Money: Financial Aid Bootcamp

• Come in and complete your FAFSA with support from financial aid experts.

Seniors

Wednesday, October 19th - 9:00am for students

On-Site College Admissions Day: Get your application done!

• Come get help with your College Application for On-Site College Admissions Day

Scholarships have begun to be added to our scholarship grid and our website for our Class of 2023. See all of the info below on how to access this information. We will also be reviewing this with our seniors during their small group senior meetings. Make sure you are following our Scholarship Twitter & Instagram for updates!

OHS WEBSITE: Local Scholarship Grid : highlighted scholarships are updated with application and new deadline!

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER:

OHS Student Services @OCONSCHOLARSHIP

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

OCONSCHOLARDOLLARS

SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is providing free at-home COVID-19 antigen tests (also known as self-tests) to public school districts this year. These tests are available to students and staff at no cost and while supplies last.

Each OASD student and staff member is eligible to receive one test kit which contains two BinaxNOW Antigen tests. Families can request their free test kit from the school health room. These test kits are available but optional for staff and students and should be used for at-home testing. The OASD will not be testing students or staff for COVID-19.

To request a test kit, please call our Oconomowoc High School health room at 262-560-3103. You can make arrangements with our health assistant to either pick up your test kit or ask for it to be sent home with your child. Please allow 1-2 school days to fulfill your request.

Please remember that students who test positive for COVID-19 need to follow the OASD Illness Guidelines and report the illness to the school attendance line.

Watch the first RCC on the Road to hear from Mike Funk on how he became a National Champion during the off road races in Crandon, WI: https://youtu.be/2x5Okh1olhk.

Daily reading is important for students to strengthen their literacy skills and we seek to provide a variety of reading materials for students to access at school. We also want to ensure that parents have the ability to review their child’s reading choices and provide input on the types of materials they can access.

If you would like to access your child’s district library account to view their check outs, you can do so by logging in as your child through Classlink (our single-sign-on system available through the district website Quick Links). Once logged into Classlink, users have access to a listing of all of the books available to check out through our school libraries by clicking on Destiny (physical books) or Sora (electronic books and audiobooks). Students can provide parents/guardians with their login information for Classlink.

Access to digital and print library books is determined by grade level (K-5 Juvenile/Elementary, 6-8 Young Adult/Middle School, 9-12 Adult/High School). If you would like to request restricted or extended access for your child(ren) that differs from this list, please complete this online form.

Questions about this information can be directed to library@oasd.org. All other inquiries should continue to be directed to your school libraries.

Click here to view an article from Newport Academy about how to support students struggling with anxiety.

“When kids know they can talk to their parents and teachers about whatever they’re feeling, it gives them the strength and support to navigate not only back-to-school transitions but also bigger changes and challenges.”
—Danielle Roeske, PsyD, Newport Healthcare Vice President, Operations, Residential Services

The 2022 CCC season of giving has officially begun! This year, CCC is looking for more than 1,000 enthusiastic sponsors to fill the stockings and hearts of children in need this season.

Applications to sponsor a child are being accepted now through Dec. 4, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.*.

We will begin matching sponsors with families when our office opens the week of October 10th.

This application is available below:

https://www.cognitoforms.com/ChristmasClearingCouncilOfWaukeshaCounty/ChristmasClearingCouncilOfWaukeshaCounty2022SponsorSignUpForm

If you have questions regarding sponsorship or other ways to help CCC this season, please email us at info@christmasclearingcouncil.org.

Thanks to you, our generous givers, we can make Christmas a magical time for children in Waukesha County each year!

*Please apply early. CCC cannot guarantee the availability of families meeting your sponsorship preferences as the deadline approaches.

Healing Hearts expanded its Children’s Grief Group programs this Fall to provide greater access for families in Southeast Wisconsin. Our Children’s Grief Group program is now offered in Waukesha, Menomonee Falls, and Oconomowoc locations at no cost to families!

The need for our Children’s Grief Group program keeps growing so we’ve added program locations to reach more families closer to their homes.

For over a decade Healing Hearts has delivered compassion, care, and connection for children and families grieving a loss from death, divorce, abandonment, overdose, incarceration, military deployment, and deportation.

• Oconomowoc (6-week program): Thursdays, Nov 10 – Dec 22

Visit www.healingheartswisconsin.org to select groups and submit an inquiry to participate.

Questions? Contact Healing Hearts at:

Info.hhwc@gmail.com

262-751-0874

The 2022 Christmas Clearing Council Client Application is now available online! Parents struggling financially may apply to receive Christmas gift assistance for their children this season.

Please click the link below to apply:

http://www.christmasclearingcouncil.org/application

Deadline to apply is Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.

Please note:

1. NEW for 2022: Parents will now submit qualifying information when they apply. We will only be contacting agencies on an extremely limited basis to confirm information, if given permission by the parent to do so.

2. Families may begin applying now. The sooner they apply, the faster we can confirm eligibility and get them assistance. Families may contact the office (email preferred, applications@christmasclearingcouncil.org) to check the status of their application at any time.

3. If a client has a change in address or phone number after filling out the application, they must contact us at applications@christmasclearingcouncil.org with this update immediately. It is imperative sponsors and the office have the correct information to contact the family. If we cannot reach them, we cannot serve them.

4. If a family has extraordinary circumstances (major/sudden medical issue, death of a parent/child, military deployment of caregiver, etc.) that would be beneficial for us to know about when determining eligibility, please have the applicant email us at applications@christmasclearingcouncil.org if they have not already indicated this on their application. We will combine this information with the client’s application. They MUST STILL fill out an online application or call us to do so over the phone. We understand there may be several reasons a family may need assistance.

5. Families who qualify may be served through our sponsorship program, teen gift card program, OR at our Toy Shop event. Each child will be served from ONE of these programs, not from multiple. Regardless of program, each child accepted into our program will receive $75 worth of gifts/gift cards. Our Toy Shop event will be held on Dec. 17.

6. If a client is having trouble, or is not able to fill out the application, on their own, you may fill it out on their behalf if the client has given you permission to do so.

Understanding this year continues to present many challenges to families in Waukesha County, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions.

sarah.hein@christmasclearingcouncil.org or 262-771-0830 (starting Oct. 3).

Contact Us

HelpDesk@oasd.org
262-560-2126

What We Provide

• Students and families can contact our help desk for assistance with devices or technology resources.
• Students also have the ability to submit a help desk ticket, which can be found in their OASD Student Bookmarks when logged into Chrome.
• If you have questions or need assistance with your Skyward Family Access account, please email FamilyAccess@oasd.org.

Need Help Outside of School Hours?

• The Help Desk is staffed during school hours.
• If you have trouble or need assistance during non-school hours, please check the Technology & Innovation website for information or please email or call the Help Desk.
• Emails and voicemails will be returned the next school day.

We will continue to use Canvas this year. Parents can follow their student's courses on canvas and check grades, assignments, and work. Here are the tutorials to download the app and learn more about how to monitor your student on Canvas: https://sites.google.com/oasd.org/oasdtech/technology-tools/canvas

If you connected to your students' Canvas account last year you will still have access this year!

Yearbook Ordering

Our OHS yearbook is printed by Jostens and families can order their yearbook directly through Josten's.

Click here to order the 2022-23 Oconomowoc High School yearbook through Josten's.

Senior Photos Due December 1st 2022

Senior photos for the class of 2023 will be due by December 1st 2022. Photos can be submitted to the following link: https://images.jostens.com/0tKS2DuLtHnNWwUOiCKY1zQ. Please follow the guidelines below when submitting photos:

OHS Senior Portrait Information & Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines when you submit your senior photo. Photos might not be accepted if these guidelines aren't followed:

• Standard wallet size (2.5 x 3.5) - must be vertical
• Digital format preferred in .jpeg format with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi
• Full body poses will not be accepted - photos must be from the waist up or a closer image of the face
• Props are allowed at the discretion of the yearbook advisor and principal
• Background should not be busy or distracting (outdoor shots accepted as long as the background is suitable)
• High quality digital photos are preferred.
• Photos can be submitted via the following link: https://images.jostens.com/0tKS2DuLtHnNWwUOiCKY1zQ

If you only have a hard copy of the photo, please have your student bring it to Tera Loppnow at East Campus. Email Tera Loppnow at loppnowt@oasd.org with any questions or concerns.

Parents & Families - Create a Grad Ad for a Senior!

Parents and Families of the class of 2023! Use the link below to design a grad ad to congratulate your senior in the yearbook! This is usually where families choose to include a message and childhood photos of a student.

Grad Ads Deadline: May 2023

Click here to purchase and create your ad. Then follow the Yearbook Recognition Ads link.

Questions?

If you have questions about yearbook photos or ordering, please contact Tera Loppnow at loppnowt@oasd.org.

AJ Mueller

Admin Assistant

262-560-3115

muellera@oasd.org

Krissy Zimmer

Registrar

262-560-3130

zimmerk@oasd.org

Alex Eidman

School Counselor

A-D (9-12)

262-560-3127

EidmanA@oasd.org

Angela Fisher

School Counselor

E-I (9)

E-Ka (10-12)

262-560-3125

Fishera@oasd.org

Brianne McGuire

J-K (9)

262-560-3123

McGuirebr@oasd.org

Susan Verhagegen

School Counselor

L-P (9)

Ke-O (10-12)

262-560-3122

Verhags@oasd.org

Lauren Black

School Counselor

Q-T (9)

P-Th (10-12)

262-560-3124

Blackl@oasd.org

Carrie Schultz

School Counselor

U-Z (9)

Ti-Z (10-12)

IB/GT Coordinator

262-560-3282

Schultzc@oasd.org

Kylie Frederickson

School Social Worker

262-560-3128

fredericksonk@oasd.org

Brianne Decker (Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays)

School Psychologist

262-560-3126

Deckerb@oasd.org

Jennifer Hocevar (Thursdays and Fridays)

School Psychologist

262-560-3126

Hocevarj@oasd.org