Principal’s Message
Dear Families,
I would like to thank you for your continued partnership and involvement in your child’s education at Oskaloosa Elementary! As a reminder, our spring break this year will take place March 13-17. We hope students enjoy the time off, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday, March 20!
Now, I would like to share updates from my March Board Report regarding each of our four areas of focus at Oskaloosa Elementary School:
To increase student learning and readiness (Focus Area #1), we are preparing for the upcoming ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) testing by administering practice tests to students in grades 3-5. These students will take the reading, writing, and math tests the week of March 27-31. In addition, 5th grade students will take an ISASP test for science.
Another great update in student learning is the Numeracy Project! Students receiving special education services in the area of math, as well as general education students receiving a Tier 2 intervention, have been piloting a new intervention resource: the Numeracy Project.
This intervention is tied to state standards and has been very successful in helping staff identify learning gaps for students. OES teachers will fully implement this intervention in the 2023-24 school year and will begin training on it this month, in collaboration with the middle and high school staff.
To create a culture that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for learning and working (Focus Area #2), staff have been engaging in professional learning around behavior management. This learning is aligned with our OES vision for behavior, as well as the work of behavioral consultant Scott Ervin.
The professional learning offered four mini-sessions for staff, where individuals had the option to choose the sessions they attended. Topics of the sessions included avoiding power struggles, using enforceable statements, and strategic noticing. Staff provided positive feedback about the professional learning and are currently implementing the strategies they have learned in their classrooms and across our campus.
To also improve our school culture and climate, we are excited to be updating the role of our Student Success Coaches to Student Behavior Leadership Coaches and Teacher Behavior Leadership Coaches! This shift has been made as a result of data showing a system need.
We would also like to celebrate our awesome OES Student Council! 5th grade Student Council members have been training to provide tours at Oskaloosa Elementary to new families and teacher candidates. Students have received several compliments on their professionalism during the tours from teacher candidates who have interviewed at OES.
Additionally, OES has been working on promoting staff, family, and community engagement and support this year (Focus Area #3). Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders have worked very hard on their Accelerated Reader goals this trimester, so we celebrated their success with pop floats parties! A huge thank you to Edward Jones advisor, Isaac Allmaras, for providing our students with the treats.
Finally, we are continually evaluating how to manage our resources effectively and improve our facilities (Focus Area #4). Our staff and administration continues to work on creating reunification plans in the event a serious issue happens on one of our campuses.
The district Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) team, consisting of assistant principals and the preschool director, met on February 24 to continue this work. The team also meets on Friday mornings at 7:00 a.m. to discuss EOP needs and to review upcoming safety drills.
On February 27, OES students and staff practiced our Shelter Drill, which is used in the event of possible tornadoes or situations requiring relocation to a safe and sturdy area. We are pleased to report that students and staff did an excellent job, with everyone reaching their shelter location in two minutes and 12 seconds!
Again, we wish our students a wonderful spring break, and we look forward to finishing the 2022-23 school year on a strong note! We appreciate your continued support of Oskaloosa Elementary and the students we serve.
With Osky Pride,
Alana Hutchinson, Principal
Oskaloosa Elementary
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
OES address:
1801 Orchard Avenue, Oskaloosa, IA 52577. Phone: 641-673-8092
How do I find out bussing information?
Call OCSD Transportation, 641-672-0128. They can tell you if your child qualifies to ride a bus and can give you pick up and drop off times and locations.
How will I get information from OES?
OES shares information in the following ways depending on the nature of the information being shared.
Email/Text - Important updates regarding student safety, schedule changes, etc. are sent through email using the address you provided while registering. It is important you keep this email address current within your Infinite Campus parent portal to ensure access to important updates.
District App, Website and Facebook -OES events are published on the calendar on our website and the district app to share upcoming events. You can sign up in the app to receive notifications of upcoming events. Our daily announcements are also published for you here. General news stories and photos of interesting things happening at OES are published on Facebook, the district website and the district app. Community organizations with approval, can share their events, programs and information. This information is shared with families on these three sites.
How do I turn in required paperwork to the school?
(ie immunizations, vision checks, physicals, etc.) - There is a place to upload on the district website (LINK), send them via email if scanned in, drop them off at the school office, or you can bring them with you to Kindergarten Parent Orientation or Back to School/Meet the Teacher Night. There will be staff who can accept these at that time.
What are the drop off & pick up times and procedures?
MORNING DROP OFF BEGINS AT 7:50 A.M.– Students are welcome at OES beginning at 7:50 a.m. (no sooner). This is when supervision begins outside and school doors are unlocked for students to enter. All students are to enter the school building through their designated door (see below). Parents are expected to say their goodbyes at their car or the front door of the school, unless entering the school to conduct school business. When coming into the building to conduct business it is necessary to stop at the office and check in through our Lobby Guard system (you will need your ID) if business is taking you beyond the school office.
ENTRY DOORS - Kgn-2nd = Enter through the K/1 Recess door (until 8:10 bell) / 3rd-5th = Enter through the Main Entrance
Car Drop Off – Entry to the OES drop off/parking loops has been revised over the summer. Each loop now has its own entry/exit point. Parents using the east loop (closest to main entrance) should enter from the EAST and exit to the EAST. Parents using the far loop should enter from the roundabout and exit back to the roundabout. If everyone follows these procedures, traffic should flow more continuously than in the past. Pull all the way forward and all the way over to the curb before stopping and allowing your child to exit the vehicle. NO DROP OFF IS TO OCCUR FROM THE LEFT LANE for safety reasons. If you wish to help your child exit the car, please utilize a parking space and not the drop off lane. This allows other traffic to move freely. Please use the painted crosswalk areas when walking your child up to the building. This models safe habits for our students and reduces the risks of accidents.
Bus Drop Off – Students will be dropped off on the east side of the building and supervised as they enter the building.
AFTERNOON PICKUP – Bus students dismiss at 3:10 (2:10 on Wednesdays) and Driveline begins at 3:12 (2:12 on Wednesdays)
Car Pick Up – All students are dismissed from the classroom when their names show up in the classroom Driveline application. Students travel to the appropriate color lane and enter their car. Once most cars in the front are loaded, those cars are released and the next wave enters the loop. On a typical day Driveline is complete by 3:25 p.m. Parents picking up at dismissal must utilize the Driveline system.
Bus Pick Up – Students are dismissed from classrooms by grade levels to board the buses. Kindergarteners and 1st graders are walked out to the buses to ensure our youngest students are safely on the correct bus. Older students (2nd-5th) are then dismissed to board the buses.
Walkers & Bicycle Riders - These students are dismissed with the first wave of Driveline students and are to head straight home once they leave the school.
What time will breakfast be served?
All students will be given the opportunity to eat breakfast every day beginning at 7:50.
What is the price for school breakfast and lunch at OES?
Student breakfast will be $2.00, and student lunch will be $2.85. Extra milk or milk to go with cold lunch will be $0.50. Adult breakfast will be $2.50, and adult lunch will be $4.13.
Where can I find answers to questions I have that haven’t been answered here?
The Elementary School Parent Student Handbook is electronic and can be found here on the District website. Also, feel free to contact the elementary school office at 641-673-8092 and staff will be happy to help answer your questions.
