I’m not sure about you, but I am always amazed at how fast summers fly by so quickly. I am looking forward to seeing students and staff back energized and refreshed after their summer break. It gets far too quiet here in the summer!

We have a few new faces this fall at the high school. We are excited to welcome the following:

• Mrs. Dani Prado- MS/HS Dean of Students

• Mr. Garrick Garvens- English

• Mrs. Jessica Piper- Cross Categorical Special Education

• Mr. Kevin Hugo- Science

• School Counselor - this position is still open, but we will have part-time support from Mrs. Erin Carter and Mrs. Theresa Sonnleitner during the interim

We are also welcoming back

• Mr. Ryan Weber- Welding and Metals

We invite and encourage you to help us keep the lines of communication between home and school open throughout the school year. We know that strong partnerships between the school and families help students succeed. Please contact any of your child(ren)’s teachers any time you have a question, concern, or want more information on your child(ren)’s progress.

Special shout-out to our Buildings and Ground staff for all their hard work over the summer to get our buildings ready for this school year. Everything looks so fabulous!!

A big THANK YOU also goes out to many of our staff for spending some of their summer break training and preparing for another great school year. We had quite a bit of professional development as well as training that will help us to support our students this upcoming school year.

Please keep in touch with us through our OHS newsletter throughout the school year to see the wonderful things that are happing in our school.

I hope everyone has a wonderful 2024-25 school year!

• Mrs. Kathy Cady, OHS Principal

We have seen the impact of cell phones and other personal communication devices and how they are affecting our students' mental health and focus on learning. Personal communication devices like cell phones definitely have a place in our lives and can be very useful - but not while our students are trying to grow, learn, and become more confident young adults. Besides, we have phones in every room of the building and they all work! So, when your student needs to make a call, we can handle that. We will be following our Board Policy 5136. Students are required to keep their phones and other personal communication devices (such as smartwatches and earbuds) off and stored during any class periods, study halls, and Fox Times. Students may use the storage pockets in the classroom or keep the devices in their lockers. We are not responsible for lost or stolen devices, so if students have a concern with using classroom cell phone/device storage, they can keep them in the safest place - a student’s locked locker during the day.

Violations of these expectations will result in disciplinary consequences, such as a warning for a first offense. Subsequent offenses may include confiscation of the personal communication device(s) until a parent picks it up, checking the personal communication device(s) into the office during the school day, detentions, or suspensions. In some cases, a confiscated device will require a meeting with the student/parent/administrator before a device is returned. Please realize that this might not happen on the same date if the administrator’s schedule does not allow it. If a student refuses to hand over the device, they are subject to disciplinary actions including suspension.

Students still have access to their personal communication devices at passing time and at lunch. If you need to get in touch with your child - call the office. We'll get them very quickly if it's an emergency. If their employer needs to call them - tell them that they don't want their employees on cell phones at work and we don't want our students on cell phones during their classes.

I have included several introductory articles for you to look at and share with your kids regarding "why" we need to take these steps. If you don't like any of the legitimate sources I have referenced, you can find hundreds more that share the same thoughts.

Thank you for helping us to be a part of the solution for healthier minds, less anxiety, depression, stress, and re-gaining some of our mental focus and clarity.

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7012622/

• https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/research/research-areas/child-and-adolescent-psychiatry/sultan-lab-mental-health-informatics/research-areas/smartphones-social-media-and-their-impact-mental-health

• https://www.edutopia.org/article/cell-phone-bans-schools-principals-weigh-in

• https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/cellphones-in-school-what-to-know

• https://www.foxnews.com/media/social-psychologist-urges-parents-keep-smartphones-away-kids-protect-mental-health

• “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” by Jonathan Haidt

Thank you to the many families who have already completed registration for their child(ren). If you have not, please complete this important step prior to the start of school. Important notes regarding registration:

• Please refer to directions when completing online registration to ensure your registration is complete and submitted correctly.

• You must enter your child’s full legal name, this includes their full middle name (not just an initial).

• Your child’s online registration MUST be completed prior to the first day of school.

• All required fees have been added to the student’s fee management account. Student fees can be found on the last page of directions.

• If you need your login and password please contact the office (ndobb@omro.K12.wi.us).

On August 28th from 2 - 4 pm we invite our Freshmen students to Freshmen Orientation put on by the OHS Sources of Strength. The purpose of this orientation is to help build a strong connection between the Freshmen, the Upperclassmen, and the school community as a whole. This experience will help your child make a smooth transition into Omro High School. This event is for students only. Parents may join students for Open House which starts at 4 pm.

We need all families to attend a bands and choirs meeting following Open House on Wednesday, August 28 from 6-7 pm. Please join us for a family pizza night to hear all the exciting plans we have in the works for the upcoming school year, including a fantastic fundraising opportunity to benefit our programs! Please RSVP no later than MONDAY, AUGUST 26th to ensure there will be enough pizza for all to enjoy!

Safe & Healthy Schools is one of the four pillars of the District’s Continuous Improvement Plan, and

we are always looking for ways to make our school safer. An opportunity for improvement, when it comes to safety, was our morning bus drop-off procedures. In collaboration with Lamers Busing, we reviewed the procedures and came up with a plan that would be safer for our students and families. New for the 2024-2025 school year is the locations our students will be dropped off.

Bus Riders:

Last year, the buses dropped our students off on Fox Trail near the high school parking lot. Our new procedure will have the buses use the access road behind the school to drop the high school students off at the arch by the high school parking lot and enter the doors by the parking lot. Not only will this reduce the distance our students will need to walk to get into the building, it will also eliminate buses and parents/guardians competing for drop-off spots on the sidewalk along Fox Trail.

Parent/Guardian Drop-Off:

Please help us make our parking lot safer by dropping off your student on Fox Trail in front of the building rather than the high school parking lot. Parents/guardians can use the entire sidewalk along Fox Trail to drop their students off.

Student Drivers:

The access road behind the school will continue to be prohibited from use in the morning. Please use the parking lot entrance on Fox Trail to get into the parking lot.

Thank you for your assistance!

OHS Picture Information:

Network Photography will be taking school pictures on September 6, 2024. Preordering information is available beginning July 8 by clicking on the image in the links below:

OHS: https://www.canva.com/.../52zNGi35mEG68TuLEjHvYQ/view...

Message from Network Photography:

- Prepay orders are guaranteed to be sent to the school without a shipping charge regardless of when the photo was taken. Any orders mailed, called, or turned into our office after the prepay date are subject to a shipping/handling charge and will be mailed directly to the home.

- The Prepay link will not re-open for retake dates.

Retake Date: Monday, October 7

The School District of Omro participates in the National School Lunch/Breakfast Program which is a federally subsidized program that is designed to help eligible children receive free or reduced-price meals. Families that qualify for free or reduced-price meals can confidentially participate in both the USDA Lunch and Breakfast Programs at their schools. Free and Reduced price applications are mailed each August to each registered household in the district. Meal applications are available at all Omro School Offices and the District Office. Applications can be found online here.

**A new application must be filled out every year.**

The School District of Omro also participates in the Direct Certification Option. If one or more of your children are approved through this method you will get a letter in the mail stating so. If any other school-age children in your household were not directly certified, you must complete an application for the entire household. If you did not receive a letter and feel you qualify for benefits, please see the Food Service webpage for the forms to complete and return to any school or district office. Forms are also available from any of the school offices. New applications must be submitted every year and child(ren) must be on a direct certification list or have an approved Free/Reduced form in order to receive benefits

Meal prices: Breakfast $1.55, Lunch $3.00 (students with reduced meals: Breakfast $0.30, Lunch $0.40). Parents may pay online using e-Funds for Schools. Students may drop off money for their meal accounts in the lunch room during breakfast or lunch.

Students wanting to purchase breakfast may get their breakfast in the cafeteria before school.

When you register, you are also able to pay the fees for your child(ren)’s upcoming school year. Please note that if your child(ren) qualifies for free/reduced meals they are eligible for fee reductions as well, but only if a fee waiver form is completed. The free/reduced meal forms on their own do not allow for a reduction in school fees. Please fill out the waiver here (Spanish form) if you qualify for free/reduced meals and would also like your school fees reduced.

If you have any questions about your child(ren)’s bus transportation or setting up new busing, please contact Lamers Bus Lines at 920-685-2475 or email 17groupb@golamers.com.

The School District of Omro will continue to use the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) that Winnebago County is utilizing in emergency situations. Many communities and organizations in our county, and throughout the state, have adopted this as a means to have a common vocabulary and procedures in these situations. We will still be utilizing A.L.I.C.E (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate) as our response to active intruder situations. All of our staff has been trained in this model and we also review this with our students during the school year. Our first safety drill will occur the first week of school.

SRP Parent Information

SRP Parent Information (Spanish)

More SRP Information (iloveyouguys.org)

ALICE Information

Part of us keeping our school safe and secure is utilizing the main entrance for visitors. If you are visiting the school, before or during school hours, please come through the main entrance. Don't be surprised if we ask you for your name and business to enter the building.

Fox Time is a time each day that students can schedule for a variety of academic help or activities. Students can schedule to get support from a teacher, work with a tutor, do an assessment retake, work with others on group projects, participate in enrichment activities, get help with college and scholarship applications, career exploration, ACT prep. support, participate in club activities, attend guest speaker presentations, and many other activities.

Fox Time fits into many of the core areas of our Continuous Improvement Plan:

Learning & Academics:

• Better equity for all our students to have access to support (academic, career, social emotional), tutoring, get support on college applications or scholarships, collaboration on projects, guest speakers, etc. (removes barrier for students with transportation that doesn’t allow them to come early or stay after school to have access)

• Minimize stigmas for struggling students as they get the support they need

• Decrease the loss of instructional time due to class meetings, pep rallies, early release for athletics, etc.

• Continue opportunities for career exploration as well as ACT prep

Safe & Healthy Schools:

• Opportunities for students to build connections and positive relationships with fellow students and staff.

• 11/12th graders who qualify can apply for Merit Release

Communication & Engagement

• Increases student engagement and involvement in clubs and activities; opportunities to participate in enrichment activities

• Advisory teacher homebase on Wednesdays that can help monitor grades as well as provide support to student in making selection choices as they schedule themselves for Fox Time

• Increase supportive relationships between students and teachers

• Increase of student choice and voice by allowing students to self-schedule for where they want or need to go with support from their teachers.

We love our Fox Time program as a way to support our students and help them grow, as well as give them more opportunities to be involved.

Attendance in school is one of the top indicators of academic success. Your child’s attendance habits help prepare them for success in the workplace as well. The Federal Government considers a student to be chronically absent when a student’s attendance rate falls below 90%, regardless of whether or not the absences are excused. Nationally, chronic absenteeism has been associated with higher dropout rates and has been linked to poor outcomes later in life.

How can you help? We know that it is not always possible to plan for illness, funerals, and many of life’s unexpected situations; however, there are a few things families can do to ensure that their child attends school as much as possible:

• Schedule doctor, orthodontic, dentist, and chiropractic, and other appointments outside the school day whenever possible. If it can’t be avoided, have the child attend school prior to and after the appointment to miss as little school as possible.

• Take vacations on non-school days or during school breaks

• Schedule college visits on non-school days or during school breaks.

If you can't avoid planned absence, please pick up a pre-arranged absence form to have filled out at least 48 hours prior to the absence.

Students MUST be CALLED IN EVERY DAY that they are absent (unless they have a pre-arranged absence form filled out). Please call the attendance line and leave a message so we are aware that your student will not be in school. If the absence is illness related, please also note any symptoms they are having. Appointments may also be left on the attendance line. Call (920) 303-2300, extension 8. Thank you!

The wellness of our students is very important to their ability to learn. Many health services are available at school including free appointments/sports physicals with our Physician Assistant from Aurora, and dental cleanings with Bridging Brighter Smiles. For more information click on the links or contact any school office or health services.

Contact Health Services at 920-410-3378 to discuss any short term or long term health conditions that will require accommodations at school. (i.e. food allergies, broken bone, surgery, mono, etc.) You may leave a confidential voicemail or text at any time to receive communication back from the School Nurse or the Physician Assistant.

Stay in touch with how your child is doing in class by checking Skyward and Google Classroom. Here are some resources from the Family Resources page to help you:

• Parent's Guide to Google Classroom

• Parent's Guide to Skyward: Family Access

We are continually working on our students' ability to increase their literacy and reading skills. Please help us by making sure your child(ren) has a book, magazine, or other reading material to read for enjoyment every day at school. They can choose reading material from our school library, city library, or reading material you have purchased. We will be devoting some time each week for students to grow their love for reading.

In an effort to obtain game passes in the most convenient way, Omro High School Athletic Season Passes will now be sold online only. Omro High School Students will be able to use their school ID's to get into all home games (show your proof of enrollment by logging into your Skyward account until you receive your student ID's later in September.) You can purchase your Athletic Season Passes, as well as individual game tickets here. Please contact Mr. Tomaszewski with any questions. jtoma@omro.12.wi.us. This site also has some helpful tips.

• WIAA Has implemented a new rule

• If ejected from a game you must miss the next game and take a sportsmanship course

• You will not be allowed to attend games until you successfully complete the course

• We are all on the same team and want the same thing.
  
• To be competitive and for our athletes to have a positive experience
  
• We may differ on what we think is best to achieve this

School Year Calendar for school dates

Events Calendar for upcoming events and meetings

rSchool for athletics

Catch up with the latest student stories, events, and news updates. It's everything School District of Omro in your pocket. If you haven't already, download the app!

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Email: ndobb@omro.k12.wi.us
Website: http://www.omro.k12.wi.us/
Location: 455 Fox Trail, Omro, WI, USA
Phone: (920)303-2300