Oak Ridge Elementary News
4350 Johnny Cake Ridge Road
Eagan, MN 55122
(651) 683-6970
www.district196.org/or
“Educa ng our students to reach their full poten al”
April 2016
April 2016
Dear Oak Ridge Families,
Spring has sprung at Oak Ridge. There are so many exci%ng events going on yet this year
while at the same %me we are in the midst of planning for next year. My own learning
curve has been steep and I have appreciated all that is made available to our students
through our own PTO, our teaching staff, and our community partners from organiza%ons
such as Easter Lutheran, Ecolab, Target, and so many more. I have been able to see Fine
and Applied Arts Residencies in many grade levels and have heard great excitement
around our 4th and 5th grades’ first ever par%cipa%on in StarBase Minnesota. We are truly
fortunate to have our children par%cipate in such meaningful extensions of our
curriculum. I encourage you to support our PTO fundraising efforts that make so many of
these extensions possible.
Laura S%rmlinger,
Media Specialist
PTO has planned a unique fundraiser that will take place at Oak Ridge for the first %me
ever in May. The BoosterThon is a fundraiser that was selected to encompass some of the
Oak Ridge core values as well as to highlight our magnet school themes. Students will
spend a week learning about the values through character lessons. During the event week
they are encouraged to collect pledges for a culmina%ng event which is a pledge-based
run that takes place here at Oak Ridge. We invite you to join us at the end of the day on
May 16 for the kickoff which will take place in our gym and then to the actual race which
will be held outdoors on May 25th throughout the day. In between those events we
encourage you to talk with your students about the character lessons as well as to collect
pledges for the run.
As the year comes to a close I invite you to join us in saying goodbye and good luck to
three of our long-%me Oak Ridge staff members who will be re%ring at the end of the
school year. We are excited to wish them well as they take some much-deserved %me to
pursue their life dreams a8er many years of dedicated service to students and families.
Kim Koth, Grade 1
Teacher
Laura S%rmlinger has been at the Librarian at Oak Ridge for 12 years and was in St. Paul
prior to coming here. Although it will be hard for Mrs. S%rmlinger to say goodbye to Oak
Ridge and the staff and students who have touched her life in immeasurable ways, she is
looking forward to realizing her dream of moving closer to St. Louis where she can be a
nearby grandma rather than a faraway grandma. She will have plenty to do to prepare for
the move but first she will go to Florida with family a8er her re%rement. They have rented
a house near Daytona Beach and are going to spend a week there.
Kim Koth came to Oak Ridge from Diamond Path elementary in Apple Valley. She has
been at Oak Ridge it opened, star%ng as team leader in first grade. She has taught both
first and second and did a 1st to 2nd grade loop for the first four years and has been 1st
grade since that %me. In addi%on to teaching children at Oak Ridge, Ms. Koth has helped
many teachers learn about best prac%ces as she supervised their student teaching. Mrs.
(con%nued on page 2)
PaEy Egan, Grade 2
Teacher
Page 2
(con%nued from page 1)
Koth’s claim to fame at Oak Ridge is that she is
the only teacher who has been here since opening that has never changed rooms. Ms. Koth will
especially miss watching first graders grow in
their reading over a year's %me and singing with
them and watching the fun and joy in their faces! Ms. Koth has recently triumphed over a serious baEle with cancer. She will be returning to
teaching on April 4th a8er being out all year. Her
plans are to live life to the fullest! She plans to
enjoy life and do the things that come up
throughout the next many years. She hopes to
spend %me golfing, enjoying her parents who
have recently moved here from Iowa, spend %me
with nieces and nephews and to travel when she
wants to travel, possibly finding a warm place to
spend a couple of winter months. She can't imagine traveling at a %me other than the holidays
or summer vaca%on!
PaEy Egan has taught in District 196 for the past
25 years, having spent 23 amazing years at Oak
Ridge Elementary. Except for one year in first
grade, she has been part of the second grade
team. PaEy taught her first 4 years out of college
in Catholic schools, then spent 12 years out of
educa%on raising her three children. She con%nues to speak of her hiring in this district as one of
the best and luckiest things to have happened to
her. With so many applicants at the %me, she is
s%ll amazed that she was chosen. During the
past 25 years, she has valued each and every student in her classes. She is now ready to start a
new chapter. Her slate is open to new adventures and experiences. She is excited to see what
comes her way. One thing that is especially exci%ng is the ability to be more helpful with her
grandchildren. She is also lucky to s%ll have her
mom, and at age 92, she knows the years are
precious. With excitement and sadness, PaEy is
ready to pack up her classroom and see what life
has in store.
In Partnership,
Cindy Magnuson, Principal
MCA Tes ng Informa on
In April and May, students in third, fourth and fi8h
grade will take the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) tests in reading and in math. Fi8h
grade students will also take the Minnesota Comprehensive Science test in April. These tests were
developed by the State of Minnesota to evaluate
district, school and individual student progress on
the state’s academic standards. Students do not
pass or fail the MCA tests. They are among the
many assessments our district uses to measure the
progress of individual students.
The window for MCA tes%ng for Oak Ridge students
runs from March 30 to May 6. Dates and %mes for
each 3rd, 4th and 5th grade can be found on the
Oak Ridge web page.
Math
The math test will be taken on the computer and
will include ques%ons involving shape, space and
measurement, number sense, chance and data handling. Each class will have 2 sessions in the computer lab during the tes%ng window.
Reading
The reading test will also be taken on the computer
and is made up of mul%ple-choice and interac%ve
response ques%ons that assess skills in comprehension, interpreta%on and evalua%on. Each class will
have 2 sessions in the computer lab during the
tes%ng window.
Science
The science MCA will be a computer-delivered, webbased test with the capacity to deliver innova%ve
science assessment items to students. These assessments will include mul%ple choice, constructed response and figural response items. The test is given
in one siFng in the computer lab to one fi8h grade
classroom at a %me.
Individual results on MCA tests will be shared with
parents as soon as they are available. For more informa%on about the MCA tests, you may check out
the state web site at hEp://educa%on.state.mn.us.
Page 3
Important Dates
March 30—May 6
MCA Tes%ng Window for Grades 3-5
April 4 & 5 Last Days for A8er School Classes
April 11-15 Grade 1 Ar%st in Residency—Bob
Walser from “Shake These Bones”
April 12
Grade 2 Field Trip to Science Museum 9:30 a.m.—2:00 p.m.
Oak Ridge Camp Propel
Oak Ridge Camp Propel is a three week summer
program that will run from July 25-August 11,
Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. un%l
3:00 p.m. , for students going into K through 5th
grade (students entering 6th grade in the fall will
have summer classes at BHMS.) The goal of
Camp Propel is to improve student achievement.
Bussing is available. Lunch will be offered.
April 14
Statewide Tornado Drill
Grade 3 Parent Music Ac%vity Night 6:30 p.m.—Gyms
If your child has been recommended to aEend
Camp Propel, a registra%on form was sent home
in your child’s report card. The registra%on
deadline is Friday, April 8th.
April 18
PTO Mee%ng—6:30 p.m.—IMC
Spring Track and Field Dates
April 19
Grades 1 & 2 Field Trip to Inver Hills
Community College Play (Grade
1 from 9:30—11:30 a.m. and Grade
2 from 12:00—2:00 p.m.)
April 21
“Around the World at Oak Ridge” Free
Family Event—6:00—8:00 p.m.
April 22
NO SCHOOL—Data Analysis and
Instruc%onal Alignment Day
April 25
Grade 2 Field Trip to Ames Center
Advisory Council Mee%ng—6:30 p.m. Conference Room
April 28
Grade 5 Band Concert—6:30 p.m.—
Gyms
PTO Boosterthon Fun Run
May 4
School
Grade 5 Tours Blackhawk Middle
The Oak Ridge PTO annual fundraiser this
year will be the Boosterthon Fun Run to be
held at Oak Ridge on Wednesday, May 25,
during the school day. A kickoff event will
be held on Monday, May 16, for students.
Look for the packet coming home on how
students will be collec%ng pledges for the
Fun Run between May 16 and May 25. On
Thursday, May 26, the PTO will be hos%ng a
family event to celebrate the fundraiser (in
lieu of the Spring Fling held in previous
years). Watch for more informa%on on
the spagheF dinner including a DJ and other
fun ac%vi%es for the evening of May 26.
from 1:30—2:30 p.m.
May 6
Grade 1 Vocal Music Concert—2:30
p.m.—Gyms
5th Grade—Monday, May 9 (alternate date
5/16) from 9:45 a.m.—2:00 p.m. at
Eastview High School
4th Grade—Thursday, May 26, from 9:4511:45 a.m. (alternate date 6/2)
3rd Grade—Thursday, May 26, from 1:30—3:30
p.m. (alternate date 6/2)
2nd Grade—Friday, May 27, from 9:45—11:45
1.m. (alternate date 6/3)
1st Grade—Friday, May 27, from 1:30-3:30
p.m. (alternate date 6/3)
Kindergarten—Tuesday, May 24
Page 3
From the School Social Worker
Need Help With Tax Prepara on?
Prepare and Prosper is a volunteer Income Tax Assistance site that offers free tax assistance to individuals with an income of $35,000 or less and families with an annual income of $55,000 or less. Call 651287-0187 or go to prepareandprosper.org for more informa%on.
MCA and MAP tests
In April and May students will be taking the MCA and MAP tests. These tests can produce anxiety in children. There are a few things you can do to help alleviate the stress and anxiety your child may feel:
Explain that the tests will show how much they have learned.
Encourage them to do their best.
Make sure they get 10-12 hours of sleep the nights before tests.
Make sure they get a healthy breakfast including protein (eggs, yogurt, cheese, meat, and/or milk)
and carbohydrates (fruit, oatmeal, cereal, and/or toast.)
There are several paren%ng classes offered in the community this month. Please call me if you want
more informa%on.
Alisha Kaul, School Social Worker at 651-683-6970 voicemail 94822
Advisory Council Candidates Needed
Oak Ridge Elementary School has an Advisory Council that meets several %mes a year for the purpose of
making recommenda%ons and/or decisions concerning the opera%on of our school. The Advisory Council
is made up of parents, teachers and other staff members.
Each year, new parent members are elected to the Advisory Council for a two year term of office. We
are now seeking parents who are interested in becoming a candidate for a posi%on on the Oak Ridge Advisory Council for the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 school years. Parents who are interested in becoming
candidates are asked to complete an applica%on form and return it to the school by April 21, 2016. An
applica%on has been aEached to this newsleEer for your convenience. Candidate names and informa%on will be published in the May issue of the Oak Ridge NewsleEer. Elec%on, by ballot, will occur at
the Oak Ridge PTO Fun Run on May 25 or at the school office on May 23-25.
Please consider submiFng your name as a candidate to the Council. Through parental input, the Council
is beEer able to make decisions that help make Oak Ridge a successful school for all students.
Page 4
From Our School Nurse
We are entering the %me of year when head lice become more prevalent in our schools, although it is
safe to assume that one or more students may have head lice at any given %me during the year. We are
asking parents to take a proac%ve approach to preven%on and treatment of head lice so our focus at
school can remain on teaching and learning.
Head lice are not an infec%ous disease but are a tremendous nuisance. The district website
(www.district196.org/headlice) contains updated informa%on about preven%ng, detec%ng and trea%ng
head lice. We encourage all parents to read and familiarize themselves with this informa%on so they
know how to detect and treat head lice on their own children.
It is parents’ responsibility to check their children regularly for head lice whether or not symptoms are
present. It is very %me-consuming for our school nurse to check students for head lice and excludes students from valuable classroom %me. If a teacher believes a student is showing symptoms of having head
lice, the teacher will send the student to the school nurse to be checked. If your child has lice, you will be
contacted by phone or by leEer regarding your child. Once your child is home you must treat them for
the head lice and no%fy the school nurse that they have been treated for head lice before they can return.
There are many places children can be exposed to head lice. School is one of the least likely places for
that to happen. Play dates, sleepovers, and the sharing of brushes, combs, helmets and hats are all common ways head lice are spread. Direct head-to-head contact is almost always necessary for the spread of
lice to happen.
If you have ques%ons, please first review informa%on on the Nursing Department website. Thank you for
your understanding and coopera%on.
School Nurses
Karen Lindberg, LSN
Jessica Holland, LSN
Will you be leaving Oak Ridge?
Please complete this form if you are planning to move out of District 196, or to aEend another school
within our district, or are enrolling in a private school at the end of the school year.
Please be advised that my child/children _____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____ will be moving outside the district to
_____ will be aEending another school in our district, to
_____ will be enrolling in a private school at
Please return this form to the office as soon as possible. Thank you!
APPLICATION FORM
FOR
OAK RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’S
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Parent Name
Address
Home Telephone
Work Telephone
Child’s Name
Grade
Grade
Grade
Permission is granted to publish informa%on in May, 2016, Oak Ridge NewsleEer:
Yes
No
Please provide a brief statement about your background and interest in the
Advisory Council:
Please return to the Oak Ridge Administra ve Office by April 21, 2016.
OAK RIDGE PTO
Looking for ways to get involved??? We need your help!
Oak Ridge PTO has a number of different ways you can get involved! We support the school helping with family events such as the
Fall Fes%val, Spring Fling and Book fairs during parent/teacher conferences.
SO, do your part and get involved!
Elec%ons are going to be held at our May mee%ng. The average PTO Officer puts in 5 hours per week.
The PTO Board consists of 8 -10 members depending on the fundraising, social and teacher rep posi%ons. President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer are elected posi%ons. Fundraising Chair(s), Social Chair(s), and Teacher Representa%ve(s) are appointed posi%ons. The Oak Ridge Principal also serves on the PTO Board.
All Board posi%ons are elected every year with a maximum of 2 years served in each posi%on. Current board members are: Shannon Mar%n-President, Beth Ristow- Vice-President, Carissa Dahlen-Treasurer and Susan Bazzano-Secretary. The Fundraising and
Social Chairs are open for nomina%ons. Please let any Board member know if you are interested.
Here is a summary of PTO Board posi%ons and responsibili%es:
President: Oversees PTO. Responsible for managing PTO board and general mee%ngs. Acts as a resource for the rest of the Board
as needed and ul%mately responsible for the planning, execu%on and follow-up of all PTO ac%vi%es.
Vice President: Responsible for coordina%ng volunteers for events. Maintain volunteer page on school website.
Secretary: Responsible for maintaining PTO website, crea%ng and distribu%ng monthly agendas and mee%ng minutes for PTO General Mee%ngs and Board Mee%ngs. Manages the database of ac%ve PTO members.
Treasurer: Handles all financial transac%ons, tracking and policies for the PTO and prepares a monthly financial report. Also responsible for filing tax return on behalf of the PTO.
Fundraising Chair (appointed posi%on): Oversees all fundraisers (ac%ve and passive), helps coordinators with fundraising needs and
ques%ons.
Social Chair (appointed posi%on): Responsible for scheduling and overseeing social events sponsored by PTO such as the Spring
Fling, Fall Family Fes%val, Family Bingo Night and Around the World at Oak Ridge
Remember: Many hands make light work!
www.oakridgepto.org
oakridgeparents@gmail.com
APPLICATION FORM FOR
OAK RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’S
PTO BOARD
Parent Name
Address
Home Telephone
Work Telephone
Child’s Name
Grade
Grade
Posi%on interested in:
_____ President
_____ Vice President
_____ Treasurer
_____ Secretary
_____ Fundraising CommiEee Chairperson
_____ Social CommiEee Chairperson
Permission is granted to publish informa%on in May, 2016, Oak Ridge NewsleEer:
Yes
No
Please provide a brief statement about your background and interest in the PTO posi%on:
Please return to the Oak Ridge Administra ve Office by April 21, 2016.