Dear Otter Community,

Our Trunk or Treat event on Friday, October 18th was wonderful! Thank you to Mrs. Heemer, the PTA, and volunteers who made it possible. I just loved seeing everyone on their costumes and having a ton of fun! Also, thank you to Mrs. Cummins and her volunteers for hosting the book fair throughout the week and at the event! It was a great success!

It is a light last week of the 1st marking period. Don't forget to get your spirit week attire ready for next week's Red Ribbon week! See below for details!

• IT - Cyber Security Awareness Month: Taking data from several K-12 cybersecurity incidents, Phishing is the most common attack against a school’s network. Phishing comes in the form of an email, and invites you to click on a link or reply with information. Things to look out for include the following:

1. Urgent requests of action

2. Unusual sender email address

3. Spelling or grammatical errors

4. Unusual requests, such as your site administrator asking for your cell phone number.

If you see any messages that seem suspicious, don’t delay. Forward the message to spam@smcps.org immediately so that the IT team can look at the message and block any malicious threat to our network.

Have a happy week!

Otterly Yours,

Mrs. Anderson

The office will be open Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Please click on the links below to access public calendars.

Our school's overall attendance rate, as reported to MSDE, for the school year so far is 94.26% (-0.40%). The goal is 94%.

Below are the attendance rates for each grade level for the period of September 30th - October 11th.

PreK: 91.8% 90.91% (+0.09%)

Kindergarten: 92.7% (-1.5%)

1st Grade: 95.2 % (+2.68%)

2nd Grade: 91.5% (-3.73%)

3rd Grade: 85.1% (-5.42%)

4th Grade: 93.2% 92.55% (-0.65%)

5th Grade: 94.1% (-0.5%)

October 28th - November 1st

Online Emergency Information Update Messaging: Effective communication is critical to the success of St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS). This will be crucial not only for emergencies but for our ability to communicate with families in general. Online Emergency Information Update Forms are now available through the student’s Home Access Center (HAC). Once logged in, directions to access the online form can be found HERE. A video with instructions is available HERE. It is vital that all information is updated in eSchool. The deadline for the online submission of Emergency Information Update forms is October 31st, 2024. Please click here for the Blank Emergency Form. If you have any questions, please contact The Department of Student Services at 301-475-5511 ext.32150.

Keep this list somewhere handy!

Monday, October 21st

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• PTA Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
• 5th Grade Field Trip to Sotterly
• School Bus Safety Week

Tuesday, October 22nd

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• PTA Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
• School Bus Safety Week
  

Wednesday, October 23rd

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• PTA Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
• School Bus Safety Week

Thursday, October 24th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• PTA Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
• School Bus Safety Week

Friday, October 25th

9:00 am - 3:45 pm

• PTA Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
• End of 1st Marking Period
• School Bus Safety Week
• Community Gathering #2

St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) students use the Internet and other instructional computer resources in school. It is important that you and your student review this information each year. Within this policy is the Google Workspace for Education Additional Services Agreement. Students in grades PreK - 5th grade do not need to complete an AUP this school year. They will not be accessing additional services within Google Workspace for Education beyond the core features.

Now is a great time to find your laptop and charger. Please run all of the updates and make sure that it is working order. Chargers are to remain at home.

All SMCPS laptops come with the same responsibility of care and upkeep as any other loaned resources. Textbooks, novels, laptops and chargers can incur a debt if lost or damaged. Please refer to the student accountability newsletter that has been added to our weekly school newsletters.

Hello OES Otter Families,

I am Hannah Pratz, and I am so excited to be returning to the OES family this school year! I have been a school nurse for 25 years and have loved every minute! I love what I do and my door is always open! Don't hesitate to pop in the health suite or cut through!

All medications must be accompanied by an order before they can be given at school. We CANNOT give any medication without the medical order. Please contact me beginning on August 14th with any questions.

See you all soon!

FAQ for the start of the year:

When should I keep my child home from school?

• Fever >100.0, vomiting, diarrhea, or pink and crusty eyes
• Symptoms of COVID-19 like illness OR symptoms or an illness that do not resolve after home interventions
• Your child has been directed to quarantine by the local health department

One community committed to the learning and safety of all children.

Community is important to us. We strive to have the words "goal-oriented", "fun", "inclusive", and "thriving" used to describe our community. We believe that children learn and adults work best in an environment where they feel respected and safe. We are focused on four areas in our development of community: 1) Cultivating respectful, supportive relationships among students, teachers, and parents, 2) Emphasizing common purposes and ideals, 3) Providing opportunities for service and cooperation, and 4) Providing opportunities for independence and influence.

Email: lpanderson@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/oes/
Location: 26410 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville, MD, USA
Phone: (301) 373-4365
Facebook: facebook.com/smcps.org