Our First Week!
Wow! What a great first week of school! We have LOVED getting to know these students. We can confidently say that this is a great bunch of kids!
We hope your first week at home has gone smoothly too. Please remember to sign planners each and every night. Please also ask us questions if you've got any. Emails are always at the bottom of this newsletter.
Correction from last week: The office number listed was incorrect. If you need to call the office for an illness or questions, please call: 920-852-5480. You may also enter illnesses on Infinite Campus.
Odyssey Family Directory 2024-2025
If you wish to be included in the student directory, please fill out the fields below. If you do not wish to share certain information, please leave the field blank. By entering information, you are allowing your contact information to be shared with other parents/guardians of Odyssey School students. Participation in the directory is completely voluntary. All fields are optional, and entering information is at the discretion of the parent/guardian. Information should only be used to contact fellow students and families for unofficial matters such as homework questions, invitations to birthday parties or outside of school activities, and never for soliciting business or political interests. Those found abusing the form will be removed from the form and restricted from access.
For Grades 4/5
We are offering an Odyssey Boot Camp presentation/Q & A for our parents on September 16th from 6:30-7:15 PM in the Highlands/Odyssey LMC. The teachers will talk about how we do things at grade levels 4 and 5 and you will have a chance to ask questions about whatever you're pondering. We hope to see you there!
Blattner's Homeroom - Kati
Beloved Foods: Cheetos and Ruffle cheddar and sour cream chips
Desired Free-Time Activities: video games and YouTube (the theory video, video gamer, memes, etc.)
Cherished School Subjects: S.T.E.M…1 word: c-o-d-i-n-g
Self-Proclaimed Nerd About: WARRIORS, The New Prophecy (why does everybody forget that series)
Something Unique or Awesome About This Human: I’m left footed.
Tibbets's Homeroom - Lei
Beloved Foods: Strawberries & Spaghetti
Desired Free-Time Activities: Calling friends, playing video games
Cherished School Subjects: Social Studies, Math
Self-Proclaimed Nerd About: Dogs!
Something Unique or Awesome About This Human: ‘Lei’ means “fighter” in Chinese!
Vanevenhoven's Homeroom - Lucas
Beloved Foods: Literally any type of bread, except chocolate bread
Desired Free-Time Activities: All-you-can-eat vanilla ice cream and hour long recess
Cherished School Subjects: recess, lunch and snack and science
Self-Proclaimed Nerd About: Knowing if there is chocolate in my food
Something Unique or Awesome About This Human: I despise chocolate with 100% of my heart
Homeroom
We are all working to keep our classroom a calm, focused, organized, and relaxing space - with inspiration from The Muppet Show!
Sign the planner each day
Ask if there’s anything in the red folder
Ask if they have all the school supplies they need
Have them help pack their own snack or lunch!
This week, we worked together to make our class matrix with expectations for our classroom community. We have almost completed each area and will complete the remaining areas next week. Look for a copy of our classroom expectations to come home when we have it completed.
We also spent time connecting as we got to know each other through games and activities! Everyone was so excited to make new friends!
Homeroom
Bo joined us in class this week! We are all working to keep our classroom a calm, focused, organized, and relaxing space - with inspiration from The Muppet Show!
Sign the planner each day
Ask if there’s anything in the red folder
Ask if they have all the school supplies they need
Have them help pack their own snack or lunch!
ELA 2/3
We have organized our supplies, understood our ELA scheduled times, and helped Mrs. Blattner know us as ELA students by: SPELLING: pre-assessment of spelling skills WRITING: on-demand writing assessment TYPING: Typing Club introduction HANDWRITING: pre-assessment of handwriting leading to personal handwriting booklets READING: Drop Everything and Read expectations and daily time READ ALOUD: we read several short books and completed reading responses for each
;
Math
This year we will focus on handling the feeling of learning things we don’t already know (and all good math practices)…with some practice activities these first few days.
Math practices:
Keep trying
Think about math
Talk about math
Model math
Use math tools
Check your work
Look for patterns
Look for shortcuts
This week both levels of Odyssey French enjoyed the same activities, presented differently, as appropriate, based on developmental level and interest.
We began an imaginative group activity about animals. We will develop this activity over time, thereby extending the fun :).
We are practicing the habit of taking class notes.
We are learning useful classroom vocabulary and “phrases utiles,” which we will become accustomed to saying in class.
Social Studies
This Week:
Geography Pre-Test
What should Social Studies students know and be able to do in all five pillars of social studies? Brainstorming ideas…
Appropriate Chromebook behavior
Coming Up:
Inquiry practice–how do we read a non-fiction news article?
The Man in the Red Bandana
Students will receive their schedule for ‘On this Day in History’
Earth Science: (Tibbets homeroom)
This week:
Observations vs. Inferences
Naturalist Notebooks: We will practice making observations and inferences outside at school. Students will practice this skill at home a few times this fall!
Millions vs. Billions vs. Trillions: We will use this to begin to explore the immense age of the universe
Coming Up:
Naturalist Notebook #2
Age of the Universe modeling
Homeroom/SEL
We had a fantastic week! Thank you all for filling out the information forms helping me learn more about your child! If you haven’t turned in your open house forms yet, please do so. Students also have the opportunity to apply for a classroom job this week.
Math 4/5
We did a week of inspirational math to work on our math thinking, collaboration and perseverance. Some of the activities include
Partner Puzzles
Keep, Turn, Flip
Four 4s
Next week we will continue our week of inspirational math with Pascal’s Triangle and some conjectures, or world’s unsolved math problems. We will also take pre-tests to help plan our first units of volume and area.
Homeroom
- We spent time getting to know each other.
- We named our pods.
- We named our fake class pets!
- We learned and practiced the routines of the classroom.
ELA 4/5
- We set up our ELA notebook.
- We took some notes on how to write an essay.
- We wrote our first writing assignment - a four paragraph essay, using our notes from the previous day. These are due on Monday.
- This week both levels of Odyssey French enjoyed the same activities, presented differently, as appropriate, based on developmental level and interest.
We are practicing the habit of taking class notes.
We have learned some important French words and “phrases utiles,” that, with practice, we will feel comfortable saying regularly in French.
We began an imaginative group activity about animals. We will develop this activity over time, thereby extending the fun :).
Grades 4/5: We Missed You
These documents are also located on each student's homeroom Canvas page. They have been taught how to get to this spot in each classroom.
McCann - colored sharpie markers
Blattner - colored sharpie markers
Tibbets- 🚫
Velpel -🚫
Witzeling - 🚫
Hedberg - 🚫
Lenaburg - 🚫
Please email the appropriate person from this list of Odyssey team members; we'll get back to you!
Jean McCann - Grades 2 and 3: mccannjean@aasd.k12.wi.us
Jenni Blattner - Grades 2 and 3: blattnerjennif@aasd.k12.wi.us
Brian Tibbets - Grades 4 and 5: tibbetsbrian@aasd.k12.wi.us
Abby Vanevenhoven - Grades 4 and 5: vanevenhovenab@aasd.k12.wi.us
Courtney Velpel - Grades 4 and 5: velpelcourtney@aasd.k12.wi.us
Stephanie Hooyman - French 3: hooymanstephan@aasd.k12.wi.us
Kirsten Hedberg - French 4 and 5: hedbergkirsten@aasd.k12.wi.us
Nate Ghiglieri - SEL Grades 2: ghiglierinatha@aasd.k12.wi.us
Melissa Fields - Music: fieldsmelissa@aasd.k12.wi.us
Kadie Smith - Music: smithkadie@aasd.k12.wi.us
Erin Sjostrom - Art: sjostromerin@aasd.k12.wi.us
Bryce Verheyen - Phy Ed: verheyenbryce@aasd.k12.wi.us
Melissa Gurholt - Strings: gurholtmelissa@aasd.k12.wi.us
Kelley Carpenter - Band: carpenterkelle@aasd.k12.wi.us
Torrie Kalkofen - Secretary: kalkofentorrie@aasd.k12.wi.us
Jessica Nesemann - Secretary: nesemannjessic@aasd.k12.wi.us
Kari Krueger - Principal: kruegerkari@aasd.k12.wi.us
Michael Dexheimer - Associate Principal: dexheimermicha@aasd.k12.wi.us
September
16 - Odyssey Parent Boot Camp - 6:30-7:15 in the LMC
17 - Badger Sports Park - 4:00-8:00 PM
30 - No School
October
5 - Tough Kid Challenge - 9:00 AM -1:00 PM
7 - PTO Meeting 3:45-4:45 PM - LMC
8 - Picture Day
22 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
24 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
25 - No School
November
4 - PTO Meeting - 6:00-7:00 PM - LMC
14 - Picture Retake Day
27 - No School
28 - No School
29 - No School
December
9 - Odyssey Open House - 6:30-7:15 PM
23-31 Winter Break
January
1 - Winter Break
2 - School resumes
6 - PTO Meeting - 3:45-4:45 PM - LMC
17 - No School
20 - No School
24 - Highlands/Odyssey Glow Dance - 6:00 PM - Gym
February
3 - 14 Interim - Mini-Society
3 - PTO Meeting - 6:00-7:00 PM - LMC
13 - Grades 4/5 Music Concert - 2:30 PM - Gym
17 - No School
21 - Market Day #1
25 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
27 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
28 - Market Day #2
March
4 - Grades 2/3 Music Concert - 2:30 PM - Gym
6 - Interim Mini-Society Showcase 6:30-7:15 PM
10 - PTO Meeting - 3:45-4:45 PM - LMC
21 - 30 Spring Break
31 - School resumes
April
7 - PTO Meeting - 6:00-7:00 PM - LMC
10 - Goodies with Grown Ups - 7:30-8:15 AM - Gym
18 - No School
29 - Strings/Band Concert - 1:15 PM AND 2:15 PM - Gym (choose one to go to)
May
5 - PTO Meeting - 3:45-4:45 PM - LMC
8 - Fun Run - 4:30-6:00 PM
13 - Odyssey Skate Party 5:30-7:30 PM
23 - No School
26 - No School
June
4 - Odyssey 5th Grade Farewell 5:00-6:30 PM
5 - Field Day/School Picnic
6 - Last Day of School - Dismissal at 11:27 AM
Odyssey Magnet School
Odyssey-Magellan Magnet School provides learners that are highly gifted with a challenging study of math, science, communication arts, social studies, and foreign language in a stimulating classroom environment, with experienced and dedicated teachers.
Students in grades 2 through 5 attend school on the Odyssey campus located at Highlands Elementary School. Students in grades 6 through 8 attend school on the Magellan campus located at Wilson Middle School.
Email: velpelcourtney@aasd.k12.wi.us
Website: om.aasd.k12.wi.us
Location: 2037 North Elinor Street, Appleton, WI, USA
Phone: (920) 8525480
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OMMagnetSchool