Welcome to Ohlone!

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Ohlone Elementary School is a wonderful place to learn and grow. We have a beautiful campus, a dedicated and talented staff, and an amazing community of students and families. We are very excited to offer a dual immersion Spanish-English program for entering kindergarten students for 2024-2025!

Thank you for considering Ohlone for your child. Read on to learn more about our outstanding school and our dual immersion bilingual program.

Welcome 2024-2025 Kindergartners!

We have a very important event for new kindergarteners to start off the year. We will be having a kindergarten orientation on August 8, 2024. Students and parents will be able to tour the school and get to know the kindergarten staff and classrooms. Our teachers and aides will be getting to know the children so we can make well-balanced classes. After we have met the new students and gotten to know their strengths and needs, we will make classes balanced for language and academic needs and assign teachers. We will post the classes and teachers by Monday, August 12. The first day of school for all students is Wednesday, August 14.

Kindergarten Orientation

August 8, 2024

8:00-9:30 Student Last Names A-F

9:30-11:00 Student Last Names G-L

12:00-1:30 Student Last Names M-R

1:30-3:00 Student Last Names S-Z

Kindergarten orientation will be approximately 1.5 hours. We will tour the school and have a snack in the cafeteria. Students will have a chance to play in the classroom and we will observe how they interact with others. We will assess their language (so we can balance the classes for English and Spanish proficiency) and their school readiness skills. Parents will be interviewed about their child’s developmental milestones, health, and school history.

These documents were mailed home to all registered kindergarten families. If you didn't receive them, you can read them here:

Getting Ready for Kindergarten (English)

¡Preparándose para la escuela! (Spanish)

Welcome Letter From the Principal (English and Spanish)

Kinder Orientation Schedule (English & Spanish)

Handwriting Packet (English & Spanish)

Beginning with entering kinders in 2024-2025, Ohlone's instructional program will be Two-Way Dual Immersion for all students! Read on to find out more about the dual immersion program and our beautiful school and community!

Research shows numerous benefits for children that are bilingual:

• Educational: Students who learn literacy in one language can transfer those skills to their other language

• Cognitive: People who understand two languages show more cognitive flexibility, multitasking skills, and delayed onset of dementia by up to two years.

• Creative thinking and problem solving: increase in abilities compared to monolingual students of the same age

• Socio-cultural: Understanding another language and interacting with students from diverse backgrounds promotes cultural awareness, greater understanding and acceptance

• Economic: Knowing two or more languages enhances employment opportunities when students enter the workforce

It is well known that languages are more easily and accurately learned while children are young. It is because of the brain’s elasticity and rapid neural formation that young children are able to learn languages at a faster rate with greater accuracy. This is sometimes referred to as the critical period. As the brain develops, it becomes more specialized and reinforces the neural pathways that are regularly used, making it harder to form new ones. Not impossible of course, it is never too late to learn, but it is much easier and more efficient when children are young.

Traditionally, many elementary schools have had the goal of all students learning in English. Later in middle or high school, students begin to take "foreign language" classes. Students who entered school speaking a language other than English, had that language completely set aside at school for 8-10 years during that critical learning period, just to try to pick it back up as teens. Students that entered school speaking only English were not given the opportunity to learn another language during that critical period when their brain elasticity and neural formation would allow them to learn quickly and efficiently.

In a dual language program, we take advantage of young children's natural ability to learn languages more efficiently to build their capacity to speak, listen, read, and write in both English and Spanish.

• Bilingualism (the ability to speak fluently in two languages)

• Biliteracy (the ability to read and write in two languages)

• Cross-cultural competence (understanding and appreciating other cultures)

• Research and evidence-based educational programs

• Grade-level academic proficiency in both languages

• Second language acquisition while students engage in the development of core academic knowledge, analytical practices, and discipline-specific uses of language

Starting in kindergarten, approximately 80% of the day will be taught in Spanish and 20% in English, with a gradual increase of English until we reach 50%/50%. This 50%/50% time allocation remains in place in all subsequent grade levels in elementary school.

Research has shown it is more likely that all students will achieve higher levels of Spanish achievement in 80/20 models because of the potential for developing stronger oral language in Spanish for all students. Biliteracy is therefore best assured through this model as compared to a 50/50 from kinder model.

The kindergarten class of 2024-2025 will be our first dual language class. Our plan is to have a single bilingual classroom teacher in kindergarten through 2nd grade, and follow a two-teacher model (one teacher teaches in English and one in Spanish) in the upper grades.

PVUSD is currently in the process of developing bilingual programs at our middle and high schools so students can continue their bilingual education.

The biggest predictor of success in learning a second language is proficiency in the first language. The most important thing you can do is talk to and with your child. Ask open-ended questions and encourage them to expand on what they say. Rather than ask "How was school?" ask your child to tell you the best thing that happened, or ask them to tell you three things they learned. When they tell you something, ask for more details. As children get to school age, aim for 4 to 5 conversational 'turns' where they respond to you and you respond to them. Encourage children to speak to safe adults like friends or family members and professionals like the doctor or dentist. Sing songs, learn nursery rhymes, and play with words. These are all early reading skills and will help your child learn both English and Spanish.

If you would like to help your child start learning English or Spanish before school starts, PVUSD has a subscription to an online reading and language program for all children that live in the school district. Register in your preferred language, then once in the program you can choose to work either in English or Spanish. There are stories and songs and books to read in both languages.

PVUSD Footsteps to Brilliance/Paso a Paso

This is a video about a dual language program in another school district, but is similar to the program offered at Ohlone: The Importance of Dual Language Education

Kids from a dual immersion school explain why they love being biligual: The Benefits of Being Bilingual TEDxKids

In addition to all the wonderful things students learn with their homeroom teachers, Ohlone also offers classes with art, music, and science specialists. Last year we received a grant from the Save the Music Foundation and all classes in all grades have music class for 45 minutes per week. We have an art teacher and a science teacher that work with classes weekly, depending on grade. We also have a school garden with programs from Life Lab.

Ohlone Elementary, along with all PVUSD schools, has adopted PBIS. Positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) is an approach schools use to promote school safety and good behavior. With PBIS, schools teach students about behavior expectations and strategies. The focus of PBIS is prevention, not punishment, and recognizing students when they follow the rules.

Ohlone's school rules are:

Have a Positive Attitude

Act Responsibly

Work Together

Show Respect

If you do all of these things, you are Showing Your PAWS!

We do have other safety rules and procedures like walking in the hallways and playing appropriately on the playground equipment, and those are all taught within the PAWS framework. For example, students act responsibly when they wait for everyone to be off the slide and go down feet first. They show respect by throwing their garbage away in the garbage can and not dropping it on the ground. They work together by putting away playground equipment after recess.

Students that Show Their PAWS are recognized with Otter Tickets. Otter tickets can be used in our Otter Ticket Store and traded for fancy school supplies, books, games, puzzles, and experiences.

At Ohlone our school mascot is an otter. We use the book Do Unto Otters to teach students the importance of treating others the way they wish to be treated. The book teaches children that being friendly, polite, honest, considerate, fair, kind and cooperative help us all get along together for a safe and happy school.

The morning bell rings at 7:55 and school is dismissed at 2:30. Students may arrive as early as 7:30 to have breakfast and play before school. Our library opens at 7:30 and children are welcome to visit to check out books or do quiet activities.

In 2024-2025, Friday is our early release day and school is dismissed at 12:30.

We have an after school program available to all students from 2:30 (12:30 on early release days) until approximately 5:30. For more information about our afterschool program and other extended day options, please call 728-6977 ext 5727, or visit the PVUSD Expanded Learning Webpage.

Primary students (kinder-3rd grade) have a morning recess, afternoon recess, and a recess after eating lunch. Upper grade students (4th and 5th grades) have a morning recess and recess after eating lunch.

Ohlone has a FREE after school program for all students K-5. They have an after school super snack, academic and homework support, and enrichment opportunities. The program runs until approximately 5:15, and students can stay as late as 6:00 for parents that need care until then.

For more information about our afterschool program and other extended day options, please call 728-6977 ext 5727, or visit the PVUSD Expanded Learning Webpage.

The first day of school for 2024-2025 is Wednesday August 14. Please see the PVUSD 2024-2025 Calendar for the full year's schedule, holidays, and vacations.

Ohlone has FREE breakfast, lunch, and midmorning fruit or vegetable snack (snacks offered Monday-Thursday) for all students. Students are also welcome to bring their own lunch and snacks if they prefer to. We have filtered water bottle-filling stations available for students. We are not currently a nut-free school. If your child has a serious allergy, please let us know.

Breakfast is served from 7:30-7:55. Lunch time varies by grade, but all students have 40 minutes for lunch- 20 minutes to eat and 20 minutes to play outdoors (weather permitting).

Students may be dropped off no earlier than 7:30. Drop-off is at the cafeteria door in the parking lot off Bay Farms Road. School is out at 2:30 and if you are picking your child up, please use the parking lot on Bay Farms Road near the playground.

There is a parking lot in the back of the school off Hillcrest Road. If you drop your child off there, please be very careful of the many parents and children that walk in from the neighborhood. Use the last row of the parking lot to drive around, not the bus lane near the sidewalk. The back gate is locked between 8:00 and 2:30. Anyone arriving between 8:00 and 2:30 must enter though the main gate off Bay Farms Road and check in at the office.

Thank you for helping us keep all of our Ohlone Otters safe!

Regular school attendance is a huge predicter of school success. If your child is ill or must miss school for some other reason, please call the office at 728-6977. Once a child is absent, the absence can be excused for 72 hours. After 72 hours, the absence will be listed as unexcused and we can not change it.

Most excused absences are for the child's illness or a medical or dental appointment. There are some other instances where an absence can be excused and can be found HERE. School attendance laws are set by the State of California.

Students with good attendance typically miss only 5-6 days of school per year. Students that miss 10% of the school year (18 days or more) often have their learning seriously impacted. The graph shows the impact on reading in second grade of the students that missed an excessive number of days of school in their early years. One of the ways we measure reading success is the number of words a students can read correctly in one minute. Students that have been absent excessively read 27 fewer words in second grade than their peers that have come to school regularly. Every day matters!

Students should come to school in clothes appropriate and safe for learning & playing. Shoes should be closed-toed and appropriate for physical education. Students may wear a variety of colors.

Students may not wear any clothing that depicts alcohol, tobacco, violence or other inappropriate images. Students may not wear clothing, jewelry, etc. that are evidence of affiliation with a gang (District Policy 4508.3.1)

Please contact your child's teacher if you would like to bring treats for your child's birthday or other celebration. Please note, PVUSD has a school board policy banning balloons on all school campuses.

Students have no need for a cell phone at school. Teachers and staff have cell phones and all classrooms have outside phone lines. We understand some parents would like their children to carry communication devices in case of emergency, or for after school communication. If that is the case, we have a permission slip that must be signed and turned in to the office, and all communication devices must be turned off and kept in the student's backpack while at school.

Students personal toys should be left at home. On some occasions (show and tell, special class occasions, etc), teachers may invite students to bring special belongings to school. In that case, they should remain in the classroom.

As otters, we gracefully glide through the waters of two languages, charting a course towards a brighter, bilingual future.

Como nutrias, navegamos con gracia por las aguas de dos idiomas, trazando un rumbo hacia un futuro bilingüe más brillante.

We are a vibrant bilingual community dedicated to empowering students to achieve their utmost potential. Embracing and celebrating the linguistic and cultural diversity of our students, we work hand in hand with families to nurture their children's education. Our students are equipped to pursue their aspirations, making meaningful contributions to both our community and the global society.

Somos una comunidad bilingüe vibrante dedicada a capacitar a los estudiantes para que alcancen su máximo potencial. Abrazando y celebrando la diversidad lingüística y cultural de nuestros estudiantes, trabajamos de la mano con las familias para fomentar la educación de sus hijos. Nuestros estudiantes están equipados para perseguir sus aspiraciones y hacer contribuciones significativas tanto a nuestra comunidad como a la sociedad global.

The main office is open on school days from 7:30-3:00

The after school program office is located in room 27, near the Hillcrest parking lot.

For information about our after school program, call 728-6977 extension 5727

Website: https://www.ohlone.pvusd.net/
Location: 21 Bay Farms Road, Royal Oaks, CA, USA
Phone: 831-728-6977
Twitter: @OhloneOtters831