Oak Grove News

Allison Sherman photoSubstitute Teacher Appreciation

On Friday, February 17, we celebrated our substitutes with an appreciation breakfast to start the morning! Each of our subs make a world of difference to our students and staff everyday. We simply could not do the job we do without them. Please see the names below of each of these individuals who positively impact Oak Grove. We are grateful!

Oak Grove Substitute Teachers
Deborah Balma, Diane Bleck, Elisabeth Cobb, Cynthia Considine, Jann Coroneos, Hayli Crusco, Mary Deleon, Jaspreet Gill, Jett Halverson, Dana Huennekens, Joni Kane, Donald Kaufman, Jacki Lewis, Kathleen Mackinnon, Carol Mendrygal, Jeffrey Moore, Susan Nigro, Danny O'Donnell, Shannon O'Donnell, Nicole Owen, Eileen Pavletic, Melissa Sallmann, Bill Schmidt, Jodi Schmidt, Mary Ann Schroedle, Shannon Schweiger, Karen Seveska, Marie Sorensen, Muizza Suglatwala, Beth Williams

Mr. Murrary photoNews from Mr. Murray

5 Essentials Survey - Reminder
The 5 Essentials survey is open now and closes on March 31st. For more information, click HERE, and for direct access to the link please click HERE. Thank you all for your input and support. 

Family Input for Class Placements - Reminder
Final week! If you would like to offer insight, share your perspective, or express a need on behalf of your child, we invite you to complete THIS FORM prior to Friday, February 24th.

Spring Conferences - March 2nd
Conferences will take place from 1 - 8 pm (virtual 1-4 pm and in-person 5-8 pm) on March 2nd. Please use the email sent to you last Friday to sign up through the “Meet the Teacher” platform.

SEL- Responding to Put Downs
One of the most important pieces of SEL and Restorative practices are creating opportunities to build relationships from peer to peer, student to teacher, and teacher to student. We were working on these types of activities during our most recent lessons.

The main focus of the lessons transitioned into sharing put downs that students have heard or said at school, on the bus, playground etc. We had a snowball fight throwing put downs back and forth at each other to “mix it up.” I didn’t want to know who said these things but did want to practice ways to respond. We role played by having students put me “the teacher” down. Our focus wasn’t on being an upstander by telling the person saying it to stop but refocusing our energy on how to be kind and supportive of the person who had been targeted.

Feed My Starving Children
The National Martin Luther King Day of Service challenges Americans to use Martin Luther King day as a day of volunteer service. The 5th grade students and teachers, along with 25 parent volunteers, participated in a morning of packing meals at Feed My Starving Children on Valentine's Day. 135 Boxes were packed and 29,160 meals made.

Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) believes hope starts with food. FMSC works with food distribution partners that stay with communities for the long haul, empowering them to move from relief to development.  Nutrition allows children to grow, thrive and develop to their full potential.
Students at Feed My Starving Children

 

 


Author Jason Chin
The JH Library is delighted to welcome award-winning author/illustrator Jason Chin on Friday, February 24. Mrs. Chin will talk with 4th and 5th grade students about his career as an author/illustrator and discuss his new book, The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey to the entire school!  If you would like to order a book, please click HERE.

Anvi & Congressman Schneider1st Grader Anvi Gupta and Congressman Brad Schneider
Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10)  announced that Anvi Gupta, a 1st grader from Oak Grove Elementary School designed the winning artwork for his 2022 office holiday card. Schneider asked for holiday card submissions from Tenth District students illustrating the theme “Home for the Holidays.”  Anvi and her family were able to meet with the Congressman, where he told her he loves reading and was happy to see “home for the holidays” sitting by a cozy fire with a book,  was also a joy to Anvi.  Congratulations Anvi on your creative holiday card.
 

NASA - 7th Grade
NASA is planning on coming back to present to our 7th grade students in April. Shout out to Mrs. Pusateri for her continued commitment to providing this opportunity for our students.

Variety Show - Reminder
Variety Show sign up during lunch periods Monday, February 27th and February  28th.  8th Grade emcee tryouts  on February 28th.  Wednesday, March 1st, 8th grade emcee will be announced.

Important Dates
2/21:   K-2 Yoga, Code Ninjas, 5-8 Board Games Club, 6-8 Math Counts, JH Choir, 8th grade musical rehearsals, COW @ 6:30 - BOE @7:45
2/22:  Chess Club, iCook, 8th grade musical rehearsals, 5th grade Art Club
2/23:  Early Dismissal @ 1:00PM
2/23:  8th Grade Musical 9 AM & 7 PM
2/24:  7th & 8th Grade Boys Volleyball vs Lake Bluff 4:15
2/24:  Author Jason Chin visit to OGS 8:00 - 9:30 AM for 4th & 5th grades,
2/24:  8th Grade Musical 7 PM
2/25:  8th Grade Musical 11:00 AM
2/27:  Variety Show Sign Up - during lunch periods, Film Club, French Club, 2nd grade Art Club, 7th Boys VB Lakeside Conference Tournament TBA
2/28:  Report Cards go home
2/28: Variety Show sign up - during lunch and 8th grade emcee tryouts, K-2 Yoga, Code Ninjas,  5-8 Game Board Club, JH  Choir, 8th Boys VB Lakeside Conference Tournament TBA,
3/1:  8th grade emcees announced,  4th Grade Art Club, 7th & 8th Boys VB Finals Lakeside Conference Tournament TBA
3/1: PTO Mtg @ 6:30 PM
3/2:  Parent Teacher Conferences 1 - 8 PM
3/3:  Teacher Institute -No School
3/6:  Filmmaking Club, 3rd Grade Art Club
3/7:  K-2 Yoga, 5-8 Board Games Club, Code Ninjas, JH Choir
3/08:  5th Grade  Art Club,
3/09:  4th & 5th Grade Choir, Italian Club
3/10:  Be Well Fitness
3/11:  Son and 1 Glow Bowl 6-8 PM @ Bowlreo Vernon Hills
3/13:  2nd Grade Art Club, Filmmaking Club,
3/13:  5th Grade Candor Virtual Parent Mtg 6:30 - 8:30 PM
3/14;  Code Ninjas, K-2 Yoga, 5-8 Board Games Club, JH Choir
3/15:  Variety Show Tryouts
3/16:  4th & 5th Grade Choir, Italian Club,  1st Grade Open House 6-7 PM
3/17:  Be Well Fitness
3/21:  K-2 Yoga,  5-8 Board Games Club, Code Ninjas, JH Choir
3/22:  iCook, Chess Club
3/22:  8th Grade Candor Virtual Parent Mtg 6:30 - 8:30 PM
3/23:  4th & 5th Grade Choir
3/24:  Be Well Fitness
3/27:  SPRING BREAK
3/28:  SPRING BREAK
3/29:  SPRING BREAK
3/30:  SPRING BREAK
3/31:  SPRING BREAK

Curriculm Corner LogoCurriculum Corner

IAR Spring Testing Window
The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), a state mandated assessment, will take place this year from March 13-17, with makeup testing March 20-22. Students in grades 3 through 8 will be assessed in both mathematics and language arts. More information will be shared closer to the testing window. 

BOE Meeting to be Streamed

We'd like to remind parents that the streaming of our first Board meeting is tonight, Feb. 21. You can access the stream HERE. This link and future links can be found on the "Minutes and Agendas" page of our Board of Education webpage. The recording of the meeting will be posted on the same page within 48 hours of the meeting's conclusion. Please note: Tonight's times have been adjusted to accomodate the 8th grade play dress rehesrsal. The Comittee of the Whole will meet at 6:30 PM, and the Regular BOE meeting will take place at 7:45 PM.
 
We also want to remind all attendees of the meeting that this meeting will be recorded and accessible by anyone in the public domain at any time, including local or broader-area media.  As such, please refrain from identifying OGS staff members and/or OGS family members by name, unless you have sought their permission.

We are looking forward to having these meetings more accessible to our entire school community and broader audience and appreciate your patience as our technology staff has worked hard in preparing to implement this new practice.

Frozen Jr. Logo8th Grade Play This Week!

Oak Grove School is proud to present this year's 8th-grade play, Disney Frozen Jr.! Shows will take place on Thursday, February 23, through Saturday, February 25. Tickets can be purchased at the door! We hope to see you all this week for another impressive play put on by our 8th graders. Dates/Times are as follows:
• Thursday, February 23, 2023 - 11:00 AM
• Thursday, February 23, 2023 - 7:00 PM
• Friday, February 24, 2023 - 7:00 PM
• Saturday, February 25, 2023 - 11:00 AM

And, just around the corner, we will be preparing for next year's play with tryouts this Spring. Please keep an eye out in OG News in the coming weeks for tryout dates/times for next year's play. The 2024 play will continue to be a daily class for all 8th-graders.  However, tryouts will take place at the end of this year to better accommodate student class choices and scheduling.  Please contact Mel Ludington with any questions (ludington@ogschool.org).

Noetic Math Contest LogoAttention all 5th - 8th graders!  Oak Grove School is hosting the Noetic Math Contest mid-April. It is open to all 5th- 8th graders and is free.  The contest will be taken during the school day on laptops and information can be found at:
https://www.noetic-learning.com/mathcontest

**Please let your MATH teacher know if you are interested and want to sign up.  All students must be registered by March 16th. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Phillips (phillips@ogschool.org)

PTO logoPTO News

Important Variety Show Dates
We are excited to announce the dates for this years 5-8th Grade Variety Show: "Keeping Dreams Alive". Please contact Christine Merrild or Ashley Wilson if you have any questions.  We are looking forward to a great show!

  • 2/27 & 2/28: Variety Show sign-ups in the JH Cafeteria during lunch
  • 2/28: Eighth Grade Emcee auditions (sign up with Mrs. Mann)
  • 3/15 & 3/16: Variety Show Tryouts 
  • 3/22: Mandatory Meeting & Pictures
  • 4/12 & 4/13:  Mandatory Dress Rehearsals
  • 4/14: Variety Show Performances @ 5pm and 7:30pm

Meet the School Board Candidates Night
On March 15th from 6:30 - 7:30 pm, the PTO will host a Meet the Candidates night to learn more about the individuals running for the OGS Board of Education. There are three seats up for election and three community members are running. LAST CALL: please submit your questions for the candidates HERE no later than this Wednesday, Feb. 22nd. We will compile the questions and condense the list, which means not every question will be posed to the candidates. Candidates will be invited to respond via written responses and these will be shared with PTO members before the Meet the Candidates Night.

PTO Exec Board Nominees Needed
At the April PTO meeting we will vote to confirm the PTO Exec Board for ‘23-’24. If you have any interest in taking a more active leadership role with the PTO, please reach out to Lynsey Wolfe to learn more about available opportunities. The Executive Board positions and approximate weekly time commitment are the following: Co-President (10+ hours each), Vice President (10+ hours), Treasurer (5+ hours), Secretary (1-2+ hours), Registrar (1-2+ hours). Starting next year, each of the positions can be split between two individuals so you could share any Exec Board role and lighten the workload.

St. Joseph’s Food Pantry Drive
The food drive for St. Joe’s continues through next Tuesday. Please continue to send items to school and be sure to check the flier in the Virtual Backpack for a list of the most needed items. Contact Brooke Schamber at 847-772-3055 with any questions. If you’d like to make a financial donation to St. Joseph’s Food Pantry, click HERE.

Virtual Backpack

Virtual Backpack

Please click HERE to view the flyers in our virtual backpack. Flyers are updated weekly, so please check back often so you won't miss any of the events going on in our community.

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