 |
1605 E. Oakland Ave. |
|
Registration How do I register my child in Oakland School? What items do I need to bring to registration?
Arrival and Dismissal What is the earliest my child can arrive at school?
What do I do if my child has an appointment
during the school day?
Attendance What do I do when my child will miss school? My student doesn't feel well. Should he/she attend class? What are tardies and unexcused absences?
Lunch and Breakfast at Oakland School What choices are offered for lunch? What are the lunch and breakfast prices? What is the School Special by Request? What time does my child have lunch? May I join my child for lunch? May I take my child off the premises for lunch? How do I know how much money is in my child's cafeteria account? How can I make a payment on my child's cafeteria account? What time should my walker or car rider arrive for breakfast? Does my bus rider get breakfast when the bus arrives late?
Staying Informed What is the best way to know what's going on at school? What other ways can help me stay informed? What is the best way to get in touch with my child's teacher?
Visiting Oakland When can I visit Oakland School? Where can I park while visiting the school?
Transportation We live in a busing area. How can I find out what the bus schedule is for my child? What should I do if I need to make a change in my child's bus stop? Can my child ride the bus home with a friend? What should I do if my child will be going home a different way than normal?
Medical What do I need to do if my child needs to take medication at school? Is a dental exam required for my child?
Winter Weather How will I know is school is closed due to inclement weather? Do students go outside for recess during the winter?
Other Common Questions What should I do if I have moved or changed contact information? Does Oakland have a lost and found? What should I do if my child forgot homework at school? What should I do if my child forgot something at home? What is the best way to learn about volunteer opportunities at Oakland School? What types of extracurricular activities are offered at Oakland School? What can I do to help celebrate my child's birthday at school?
Have a question and don't see it listed here? Please feel free
to email
us. We would be happy to assist you.
Registration
How do I register my child in Oakland School? First you need to make sure you live within the boundary areas for our school. You can do this by phoning the office at 662-4302 or by checking our online map. You will need the FREE Adobe Reader to view this file. If you do not have it, you can download it here for FREE! Please keep in mind along the boundary edges, homes on the far side of the street may be in a different attendance area. Additionally, all K-5 students requiring bilingual services attend Bent School. Students can be registered during office hours - 8:00 am-4:00 pm. Students must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2010 in order to be eligible or the 2010-2011 school year.
What items do I need to bring to registration? Parents/Guardians will need to bring the following to register a student: 2 proofs of residency (current lease agreement, bank closing papers, or utility bills), an original certified copy of the student's birth certificate, and current physical and immunization records. If your student is transferring, we will request the records from your child's previous school. If your child has an Individualized Education Plan, commonly referred to as an IEP, it would be helpful if you bring a copy when you register.
Arrival and Dismissal
School is in session from 9:00 am-3:15 pm. The office is open Monday through Friday (excluding school holidays) from 8:00 am-4:00 pm. Students who arrive after the 9:00 am bell will be considered tardy.
What is the earliest my child can arrive at school? For safety reasons, students should not arrive before 8:45 am because there is no supervision until this time. The only time students may arrive before this time is to attend the breakfast program which begins at 8:30 am. The YWCA of McLean County offers a before and after school childcare program at Oakland School. All questions and arrangements for this program can be answered by calling YWCA staff at 662-7826.
What do I do if my child has an appointment during the school day? Appointments during school hours should be avoided whenever possible. If your child will not arrive in time for the start of the day, please call the office at 662-4302. If students will need to leave during the day, please send a note to your child's teacher informing them of the appointment. You will need to sign your child out in the office. A secretary will then page your child to come to the office. To allow for maximum instruction, students will not be sent to the office until you have arrived at school. Any student returning from an appointment needs to be signed in at the office.
Attendance
What do I do when my child will miss school? Absences should be reported to the office at 662-4302 by 9:30 am on the day of the absence. State law requires the school to attempt to contact parents when we do not have a reason for an absence. Failure to notify the office on the day of the absence will result in the absence being classified as unexcused. Homework requests should be made before 11:00 am and will be ready for pick up at 3:15 pm. Planned or extended absences should be reported to both the classroom teacher and the office.
My student doesn't feel well. Should he/she attend class? Students who have a fever 100.0° or above, diarrhea, a contagious rash or illness, or vomiting should not attend school. In addition, students should be free of the above conditions for 24 hours before returning to school. You are the best judge of whether or not your child is well. If your child is under the weather and his/her condition would not be conducive to learning or would cause a disruption in the classroom, please keep them at home.
What are tardies and unexcused absences? Any student who arrives to class after the 9:00 am bell is considered tardy. An adult should come into the office to sign in late students. Regular and punctual attendance is expected for all students, therefore a before school detention will be given for every three unexcused tardies. In addition, students may also receive a detention for three or more unexcused instances of leaving school early. Reported illness, death in the family, medical appointments, student court appearances, and religious holidays are examples of excused absences. Other reasons would be considered unexcused. Examples of unexcused absences are: running late, oversleeping, having car trouble, errands, and being out of town. It is the student's responsibility to gather and complete all work as a result of absences. Please refer to the Elementary Student Handbook for more information regarding attendance.
Lunch and Breakfast at Oakland School
What choices are offered for lunch? Students have a variety of choices for lunch. Our menu repeats every three weeks, and the same menu is used all year long. In addition to the hot lunch choice students may also choose from grilled cheese sandwich, turkey ham & cheese sandwich, chef salad, yogurt with cheese and crackers, or Cheez-It crackers and cheese. When students choose the alternate entrée they also receive the sides for the day. Oakland School has several students with peanut allergies. Due to the seriousness of these allergies, our cafeteria does not serve peanut products. To help make our lunchroom as safe as possible, we request that students not bring peanut products in their lunches from home.
What are the lunch and breakfast prices? Regularly priced student lunches are $2.00 per day. Reduced lunches are $ .40. If you would like to join your child for lunch, an adult meal is $3.00. Breakfast for students is $1.50 per day. Reduced breakfast is $ .30. Extra milk for lunch or breakfast is $ .50. For more information about free and reduce meals, please call the office or download an application.
Menus are sent home with students the first week of school. Lunch and breakfast menus are also available on our website. Additional copies can be obtained from the office or online. Please note Oakland School does not offer peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; instead we offer grilled cheese sandwiches.
What is the School Special by Request? Every third Thursday, the hot lunch is School Special by Request. These are special or trial lunches that our kitchen staff select. The School Special can be found in the monthly newsletter and on our calendar page online.
What time does my child have lunch? 2nd grade......11:00-11:20 1st grade.......11:20-11:40 3rd grade.......11:40-12:00 kindergarten..12:00-12:40 5th grade.......12:40-1:00 4th grade.......1:00-1:20
May I join my child for lunch? Parents are welcome to join their children for lunch periodically. If you would like to eat the school lunch, please call the office before 9:30 am so you can be added to the lunch count. Parents pay as they go through the lunch line. You may also bring in lunch from home or from a restaurant. We ask that you please bring milk or juice instead of soda. Please remember to sign in at the office and get a visitor tag before heading to the cafeteria.
May I take my child off the premises for lunch? Parents are welcome to take children out to lunch during their scheduled lunch period. Students should be signed out in the office. Students should return before their recess is over. Recess is the twenty minute (15 for kindergarten) period after the lunch time listed above. Parents also need to sign their child back in when returning from lunch.
How do I know how much money is in my child's cafeteria account? Contact Tami in the cafeteria (by phone or email) to verify your child's lunch balance. Students receive payment reminders through student backpacks. Parents may also use www.mylunchmoney.com. With MyLunchMoney you can pay lunch accounts online, view balances, see student purchases and a spending history, set daily or weekly limits, and request low balance email reminders.
How can I make a payment on my child's cafeteria account? We have a computerized system for our lunch and breakfast programs. It is a prepayment system, not a charge account. Lunch money should be sent to school in an enveloped marked "lunch money". Be sure the envelope is also marked with your child's first and last name or student ID number. Payment can be made with cash or a check (payable to Bloomington Public Schools Cafeteria).
Breakfast is served daily from 8:30-8:55 am. Students should not arrive before 8:30 am.
What time should my walker or car rider arrive for breakfast? Students who walk to school or are dropped off by parents at side circle should arrive for breakfast between 8:30 and 8:45 am. Students who arrive after 8:45 am and get to class after the 9:00 am bell will be considered tardy.
Does my bus rider get breakfast when the bus arrives late? Students may eat breakfast as soon as the bus arrives at school. Students who arrive on late a late bus will still be given the option to eat breakfast.
Staying Informed
What is the best way to know what's going on at school? Checking your child's backpack on a daily basis, reading the monthly Oakland Newsletter, and reading classroom newsletters are the best ways to stay current on the events at Oakland. The Oakland Newsletter is sent home with students before the start of each month; it is also available on our website.
What other ways can help me stay informed? The school and teacher websites are excellent sources of information. Talk to your child about school over dinner. Attend PTO meetings. PTO meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm.
What is the best way to get in touch with my child's teacher? Communication between parents and teachers is very important. Please call, write a note, or send an email to your child's teacher anytime you have questions or concern. Please be aware that responses will be made as soon as possible. Sometimes, however, teachers may not have an opportunity to return calls or emails the same day. Be assured that teachers will reply as soon as their schedules allow.
Visiting Oakland
When can I visit Oakland School? It is always best to arrange visits with your child's teacher in advance. Scheduled visits allow you and the teacher to identify the types of activities that would be the most informative and interesting for you to observe. All visitors, including parents, are required by state law to first sign in at the office before heading to the classroom or lunchroom - even if you are only planning a quick visit. If you do not schedule your visit, please be aware of our non scheduled visit guidelines. Tours of our school must be planned in advance with our counselor. Most grade levels hold special daytime events where parents are invited.
Where can I park while visiting the school? Parents may park on the north/grass side of the front circle drive as long as it is not during arrival and dismissal (8:30-9:00 am and 3:00-3:30 pm). In order to allow passage of emergency vehicles, please do not park on the building side of the front circle at any time. There are also several parking areas on side streets adjacent to Oakland School.
Transportation
We live in a busing area. How can I find out what the bus schedule is for my child? Bus routes are posted on our website. Please call the school office with bussing questions.
What should I do if I need to change my child's bus stop? Please call the office at 662-4302 to make bus changes. It may require 2-3 business days in order for changes to be effective. Changes will not be made for a one day or a short term basis.
Can my child ride the bus home with a friend? Due to safety concerns and space issues, students may only ride the bus to which they are assigned. Please call the office in the event of a family emergency.
What should I do if my child will be going home a different way than normal? Children will only be allowed to go home a different way if the teacher receives a note from a parent or guardian.
Medical
What do I need to do if my child needs to take medication at school? Students must have a medication authorization form on file at school in order to have both nonprescription (cough drops, lip balm, lotion, acetaminophen, allergy medication, etc.) and prescription medicine (inhaler, nebulizer, epi-pen, benedryl, Tylenol, etc) at school. This form must be completed and signed by a physician. The parent/guardian should also sign the form. Parents are welcome to come to school to dispense medicine.
Is a dental exam required for my child? State law requires kindergarten and second grade students to have a dental exam by May 15 of that school year. Parents may utilize our free dental cleaning program in order to fulfill this requirement. Please contact Nurse Colleen for more information.
Winter Weather
How will I know if school is closed due to inclement weather? The announcement of a school closing for any reason will be posted on both the District 87 website as well as the Oakland website. Parents may also tune to WJBC (AM 1230) to listen for closing announcements.
Do students go outside for recess during the winter? Weather permitting, student go outside for recess when the temperature (including wind chill) is 20° or above. Please make sure students are dressed appropriately with coats, hats, and gloves as needed.
Other Common Questions
What should I do if I have moved or changed contact information? It is important to make sure we have your most current contact information on file. Please call or send a note with your child so that we can keep our records up to date. It is also important that students have at least two local emergency contacts. Emergency contacts are called only when we cannot reach a parent or guardian. If you move out of Oakland's area during the school year, your child can remain at Oakland for the rest of that same school year as long as you provide timely transportation to and from school.
Does Oakland have a lost and found? We do have a cabinet for lost and found items in the cafeteria. There are often a wide variety of hats, gloves, coats, and jackets in our lost and found. Small items such as glasses, books, and jewelry are kept in the office. Parents are welcome to stop by any time to check our lost and found.
What should I do if my child forgot homework at school? Students may come back to school until 4:00 pm to retrieve forgotten homework. Students (or parents) should first stop in the office to have a staff member accompany them to the classroom.
What should I do if my child forgot something at home? Forgotten items may be left in the office. A staff member will make sure items are delivered to the classroom or teacher's mailbox.
What is the best way to learn about volunteer opportunities at Oakland School? There are many opportunities to volunteer at Oakland School. Parents can fill out a PTO volunteer sign up sheet when they register for school. This sign up sheet includes a variety of short and long term situations. Attending PTO meetings is also another great way to learn about upcoming volunteer positions. Occasionally there may also be field trips which require adult supervision; talk you your child's teacher. If you are interested in volunteering to help a student who would benefit from one-on-one interactions, please contact Dr. Scharf. Classroom and field trip volunteers are required to have a completed background check on file with District 87.
What types of extracurricular activities are offered at Oakland School? Students in fifth grade have the opportunity at the beginning of the year to sign up to participate in band or orchestra as well as volunteer as safety patrols. Bloomington Parks and Recreation sponsors organized team sports (volleyball, flag football, basketball, and track) for fourth and fifth grade students throughout the year. Third, fourth, and fifth graders can participate in Student Council. Kindergarten through fifth grade students have the opportunity to participate in chess club. Oakland School also has several active girl scout and cub scout groups. Oakland School also has a chess club; meetings are held on Monday evenings beginning in October.
What can I do to help celebrate my child's birthday at school? Each teacher has a different routine for acknowledging your child's special day. Please contact your child's teacher before making any plans. Do keep the following in mind: -All treats should be relatively mess free and easily distributed to students. -Please do not send a cake, cupcakes iced together as a cake, or giant cookies that need to be cut. -Drinks may not be okay. Ask first. If drinks are acceptable, please make sure they are individual servings. -Students in the classroom may have food allergies; check with your child's teacher. -Balloons or flowers delivered to students at school will remain in the office until the end of the day. Students may not distribute party invitations at school. We cannot provide home addresses. Deliveries such as flowers, candy bouquets, or balloons should not be sent to school. Any such deliveries for students will be kept in the office for parent pick-up. Parents may also choose to recognize a child's special day by participating in Oakland's book club. Contact Mrs. Oberts for additional information.
Our store sells school supplies at reasonable prices. Inventory includes items such as pencils, paper, notebooks, erasers, and glue. The School Store is open most Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:45-8:55 am in the lobby. The store is organized by fourth grade teacher, Mr. Storrs. The store "employs" fourth grade students.
A lexile score measures a student's reading range. It is based on semantic difficulty (word frequency) and syntactic complexity (sentence length). The lexile scale for reading ranges from 200 for beginning reader material to above 1700 for advanced text. Students in grades 2-5 take the Scholastic Reading Inventory (S.R.I.) five times each year to measure and monitor their changing lexile scores. Students can use their lexile score to find appropriately challenging reading materials. Many of the books in our Learning Center are marked with lexiles. You can also search online for books within certain ranges. For more information about lexile scores visit The Lexile Framework for Reading or the Scholastic Reading Inventory.
|
