Oak Grove Elementary

Dear Oak Grove Families,

Throughout December, we have been focused on the Character Trait of Empathy, which is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. We have also maintained focus on building the reading, writing, and mathematics skills of our students, while also having some fun with the season!

As we approach the Winter Break, we wanted to take a moment to thank you for your continued support throughout the first part of the school year. Our students have been working hard, and we hope this break provides everyone with a well-deserved rest and time to recharge.

Winter Break will begin on Monday, Dec 23rd, and end on Friday, Jan 3rd. School will resume on Monday, January 6th. We wish you all a safe and joyful holiday season filled with happiness!

Warmly,

Amanda and Heather

Reunification

Safety and security are shared values in the Medford School District.

There are a variety of emergencies that can cause the need for a controlled release of students through a reunification process. Some reunifications may be for minor incidents and would take place at the school itself, such as police activity in the area or a weather event. Some reunifications are more major and would take place off site. We choose to be proactive, and believe that being prepared for one of these scenarios is critical.

What is Reunification?

Reunification is an organized controlled process that accurately reunites students with their parent or guardian. A well-planned reunification process increases safety and security through an orderly preplanned process.

What do I need to know?

The most helpful initial steps for you to know in a reunification situation are: Stay Home, Stay Informed, Be Ready.

Stay Home:

Staying away from the school site during an emergency is important so law enforcement and emergency responders can easily access the scene and respond to the situation. We know it is difficult to stay away from the school during an emergency, but we want the responders to be able to address the situation as easily as possible.

Stay Informed:

Monitor the MSD website for the latest information. Please make sure your student’s information is up to date with your school, including your emergency contact information so we can keep you informed. You will receive notifications via email, text, and phone messages throughout an emergency.

Be Ready:

There are multiple sites where a reunification can take place. When the reunification location is announced, only essential guardians should come to pick up your child. Please be sure to bring a photo ID.

What is the Reunification Process?

Upon arrival at the Reunification Site, you will be greeted by a Greeter Team, where you will be given a reunification card to fill out for each student you are picking up. When the card is filled out, you will begin the 4 step process. Please do not attempt to take your student home before they have gone through the process.

1. Check In - The reunification card will be checked and matched with photo ID

2. Verification - Confirmation of approved parent/guardian.

3. Staging - Waiting area while the student is called to make ready for reunification.

4. Reunify - When reunited with a student, a photo will be taken with the parent/guardian.

View our reunification video here!

We understand the urgency of wanting to reunite with your student(s). Reuniting you with your student safely is our goal as well. Please be patient with staff as they work through this important process.

The need for reunification after an incident is to regain accountability, provide support for students and families, and support law enforcement in a criminal investigation if needed.

Thank you for working with us to achieve the best possible outcomes during difficult situations. Ultimately, we all share the common goal of ensuring the health and safety of our most precious resource, your children.

6 No School for Students, Mid Quarter Grading Day

9 December Birthdays Celebration

9 PTO Meeting 4:00 PM

13 Ram Experience

16 Pajama Day, Holiday or Regular

17 Ugly Sweater Day

18 Hat/ Headgear Day (headbands, hats, earmuffs)

19 Holiday Character Dress up Day (Grinch, Santa, Elves)

20 Holiday Season Colors Day

December 23-January 3, 2025 Winter Break, No School

Official MSD Volunteer Application

All volunteers must complete an application and pass a background check for student safety. VIM status is valid for two years. For questions about the Official MSD Volunteer Application, becoming a VIM (Volunteer in Medford), or checking your expiration date, please call the Oak Grove office at 541-842-3830.

In order to keep things as equitable as possible for our students, we have made the decision to celebrate student birthdays monthly. Once a month, we will have a special celebration and provide a treat for all of the students who have a birthday that month. This will be in lieu of families bringing in class birthday treats and goodie bags. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday with them at school, an idea would be to have lunch with them in our Commons area by the front office. Just please remember to check in when you arrive. We understand that this is disappointing for some parents, please know that our ultimate goal is providing the most productive and equitable learning environment possible for all of our students.

As we enter the cold and flu season, it's important to spread cheer rather than germs. Here is a friendly reminder of our exclusion guidelines. If your child has a fever greater than 100.4, please keep them home until they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. If your child is vomiting or has diarrhea, please keep them home for 24 hours from the last incident. If your child has a new-onset cough that is not well controlled, please keep them home until it’s improved. Please contact your health provider with any health concerns.

Please communicate with the office and/or your student's teacher if you change plans for after school BEFORE 2:00 PM (by 12:30 on Wednesdays).

These timelines are so we can be sure your student gets notified in time.

Please call the school office for information or support ~

we're here for you!

Email: oakgrove@medford.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.medford.k12.or.us/oakgrove
Location: 2328 West Main Street, Medford, OR, USA
Phone: 541-842-3830
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/OakGroveMedford/posts/