New Oxford Families Information (for 2006-2007)Welcome to Oxford School!
A Brief Guide for New Families
GENERAL INFORMATION
The teachers will send home more information during the year, but this is an
overview of the coming year at Oxford School, and hopefully will answer your
questions before they arise!
School Supplies
The only item every kindergartner needs is a bag or backpack, and a lunch
container if they plan to bring their lunch.
All other supplies are provided by the school.
Older students may need supplies, and will be informed of these on the
first few days of school.
*Note: The teachers and principal send home notes in the children's backpacks,
and the kids don't always remember to give them to parents. Please check your
student's backpack often, for notes, permission slips, school newsletters, etc.
The First Day of School
The supervised drop-off and pick up area, whether students walk, are driven,
or ride buses, is on Walnut Street. Oxford Street is too twisty and narrow to be safe, so please do not use
the Oxford Street loading zone. Each morning a teacher or staff member will greet the students at the
Walnut Street gate.
There is plenty of street parking (please be respectful of the neighbors, and
do not block driveways).
You can also use the drop-off zone if you choose not to walk your child
into the school.
Important note: Please do not park in the drop-off zone if you plan to
leave your car and walk your child into the school. This is a small zone, and
is used by both school buses and parents, so it is imperative that people do
not use that space to park for more than a minute or two.
On the first morning of school, the children will line up on the upper
play yard by class, and be led into the school to their classrooms by their
teachers. Parents are asked not to accompany the children inside for the first
two weeks, so the children and teachers can bond. Having the parents stay
outside at the beginning of school makes it easier for children to see the
classroom as a place for teachers and students, not for parents (except
Classroom Volunteers!).
On the first day, after saying goodbye to their children in the upper yard,
the parents are invited to come to the cafetorium at 8 am for coffee, to be
welcomed by the principal and to chat with other parents. This makes the first
day less stressful for the parents, and also for the kids, knowing their
parents are still at the school for a little while.
A note regarding strollers: Please be aware that the cafetorium has a few
stairs at both entrances; however, there is a wheelchair lift in the main
entryway. The rest of the school is stroller accessible via the elevator at
the western end of the school. Teachers and Staff
Photographs of all the staff and teachers are posted in the hallway outside
the school office soon after school starts. Please take a moment to look, and
become familiar with the faces of all the wonderful people who take care of
and teach your child each day!
The School-wide E-tree and Website*
The school website is http://www.oxfordelementary.org
The "E-tree" is a fast, free, easy way for the principal or other staff or
parents to send email messages to the entire Oxford community via the internet.
To subscribe, just send an email to this address:
everyone-subscribe@oxfordelementary.org
Please limit use of this email address to school or education-related issues.
School Newsletters
Every two weeks a Newsletter is sent home in students' backpacks. There are
messages from the principal and PTA leaders, as well as updates on school news,
upcoming events, meetings, etc.
Being a Room Parent, Classroom Volunteer, or Tutor
Parents, guardians or community members can volunteer to do these jobs.
Please see Tiana in the School Office for a list of volunteer opportunities.
A Room Parent helps organize classroom events, and generally is a liason for
communication between the teacher(s) and other parents. There may be one Room
Parent in each room, or several who work together. With the teachers' help, the Room Parent(s) will set up a Phone Tree. The tree
lists the class parents and their phone numbers, and is distributed to each
parent. When the teachers have an important message that needs to get to every
parent, they will call the Room Parents, who will then start to pass on the
message via the Phone Tree. However, most messages are passed from teachers to
the parents via notes in the children's backpacks. Room Parents help coordinate the other parents in the class during school
events, finding volunteers for various tasks. The Room Parents may also choose
to organize other parties or get-togethers, on or off campus, for their class.
Classroom Volunteers are welcome to help in the classroom on a regular or
drop-in basis (talk to your child's teacher about what he/she prefers). The
teacher may have you help small groups of children with a particular
task (writing, doing puzzles or an art project, etc.), read a book to the class,
serve snack, etc.
The teachers appreciate any help you can give them, and the
children benefit from the extra attention, and knowledge that other adults
in their community care about them and their education.
If you have a project (cooking, artwork, science, etc.) that you would like to
do with the class, please talk to the teachers about planning a visit. They are
very open to the idea of special presentations by the parents.
Tutors are volunteers from the neighborhood, college students, parents, and
anyone else who is willing to work one-on-one with students in need of extra
help in various subjects. The Tutor Program is new at Oxford, and our
long-term plan is for every student in the school, regardless of academic
achievement level, to have a tutor!
Snacks (Kindergarten, First Grade)
Each morning, students are given a snack which is provided by parents.
Your child's teacher will distribute a 'snack schedule' every month, indicating
your assigned day that month. Please bring a healthy
snack (no cake, cookies, candy, etc.), ready to serve, enough for all the students in
your child's class.
Some suggestions are: crackers and cheese, cut-up fruit, carrot or celery
sticks, etc. Please do not send items containing nuts, as some students may
be allergic.
There is a school rule that no candy is allowed at school, except during
special events such as the Harvest Faire.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Three times during the school year, parents will be asked to schedule a time
to meet with their child's teacher(s) to discuss their progress. Parents are
asked NOT bring their student to the conference. You may be allowed to bring
younger siblings if necessary; check with the teacher ahead of time. During the
week of Parent/Teacher Conferences, the school days are shortened,
and there is one Friday when classes are not held (so that the teacher can meet
with parents).
Community Meetings
Once a week the children gather in the school cafetorium for an assembly.
They discuss current events, see performances by classes, and see special
presentations by guest speakers on topics like earthquake safety procedures,
recycling, and cultural awareness.
Oxford PTA (Parent Teacher Association)
The PTA raises money through fundraisers, and spends it on a variety
of enrichment and community events, such as art classes, Kindergarten music
classes, and Reading Coaches. ALL parents of Oxford students are automatically
members of the PTA (Parent Teacher Association), so you may participate in any
and all events. There is a monthly PTA meeting (6:30 - 8:00pm on the second
Tuesday of the month), where PTA business is reviewed and there is a guest
speaker on topics of interest to parents, such as school finances, Emergency
Preparedness, and how to help your own children with reading skills at home.
Dinner (usually pizza) is provided for everyone, and a capable, caring
babysitter provides childcare in one of the classrooms. Dinner and childcare
are free.
There are many ways to be active with the PTA, and the school. Please
be as active as you can in the PTA and the school; every bit of support
creates a better school for our kids.
Birthdays
Teachers handle birthday celebrations differently, but in general, parents
usually are welcome to bring cupcakes or other treats to the class on or near
their child's birthday. Check with the teacher to find the best day and time,
and to discuss details.
EVENTSBack to School Night
This evening event occurs a few weeks after school begins, and is one of the rare
times when the school requests that you not bring your children. This is your
time to visit and explore your child's classroom, and meet his/her teacher(s).
The principal and teachers will welcome you and give you brief orientations
about the school and class.
The Harvest Faire
A fun, fundraising event for the Oxford community, the Harvest Faire takes
place in the upper play yard on a Saturday in October. There are several
established booths, with activities like a Cupcake Walk, Fishing Hole, and
Bean Bag Toss, where adults and kids can try their luck and skill to win
prizes. There is also a 'food court', where various foods and baked goods
(pizza slices, cupcakes, cookies, etc.) are donated by the Oxford families and
sold at the Faire.
Live music is usually provided by staff members, parents, or anyone else who
would like to volunteer their time and energy to entertain the crowd.
Each teacher picks which booth their class will run, and the parents and
teachers work at the booths in shifts. The same equipment/booths are used
every year, and are ready to set up the morning of the Faire. Tickets are
purchased for 25 cents each, with which the kids (and adults!) can do an
activity at a booth. If they win, they receive tickets of a different color,
which they then redeem for prizes (which are purchased ahead of time by the
Harvest Faire Coordinator).
This is a fun and easy way to get involved with the school, so please consider
volunteering!
Sally Foster Giftwrap Sales
Another big fundraiser at Oxford School is the Sally Foster Giftwrap Sale.
Sally Foster offers wrapping paper, chocolates, candles, and other assorted
gift items, which are sold by the students to family and friends. Oxford
School receives 50% of the sales price. Students are advised NOT to sell
products to strangers, only to people they know. Purchases can also be made
on-line.
School Pictures
A company comes each year to take individual and class pictures, usually
in October. You do not have to purchase any pictures, but if you would like to,
a form will be sent home in your child's backpack, which must be filled out
and sent back with payment, the day the pictures are taken.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If the photographer does not have the completed paperwork and
payment before he takes the pictures, you will not be able to purchase the
photos. Remind your child to give his/her teacher the form on the morning of
picture-taking.
Picture Day is another opportunity for parents to volunteer, running back
and forth to inform teachers that they need to bring their classes down for
picture-taking, making sure the children look as tidy as possible, collecting
paperwork, etc.
Winter Faire
In mid-December on a weekday evening, this is a fun, free event, in which
every classroom offers an activity, usually arts and crafts or cooking.
Some also might offer food items. The teacher, students and parents of each
class decide on an activity, and supply the materials and instructions. The
night of Winter Faire, families are encouraged to visit as many classrooms as
they like, making art projects, tasting holiday foods, and enjoying the spirit
and excitement of all the winter holidays.
Kindergarten Night
In January, the kindergarten rooms are opened one evening to parents of
prospective kindergartners. This is their chance to explore Oxford and find
out if it is right for their child. It is a parents-only event, and parents
of current students are encouraged to come and chat with the prospective
parents, answer questions they might have about the school, and even bring
cookies to serve!
Spring Raffle/Online Auction/Silent Auction/Spring Dance
In February, all the students will begin selling raffle
tickets to friends and family. Items to be raffled and auctioned are donated by
local businesses and individuals. Sales will continue for several weeks, and
parent volunteers will collect and tally tickets and money daily. Students
will sell as many tickets as possible, as this is Oxford's biggest fundraiser
of the year. Individual and class prizes are awarded for the students who
sell the most tickets.
At the same time, there is an on-line auction which features
anything from the very popular outings with teachers or staff, to a family
vacation to Europe.
The Raffle and the Auction come together on the evening of the Spring Dance.
Prize winning Raffle tickets are drawn, the online auction is closed, and an
additional Silent Auction takes place throughout the evening.
This is another great opportunity for parents to donate time and energy to
the school, helping with ticket sales, soliciting prizes, etc.
Open House and Ice Cream Social
In May there is a school-wide Open House. This event is for the whole family,
and is an opportunity for the children to show what they have been doing throughout
the year. At the Ice Cream Social that evening, students raise money for class projects
by selling ice cream treats to the students and families. It's a fun, festive
evening, where the children can really be proud of their accomplishments!
Talent Show and Bake Sale
This is a much-anticipated evening show that stars the students of Oxford School.
They will sing, dance, rap, act, and play their way across the stage, to the
delight of family and friends. Any student can participate (with a parent's
permission), and the auditorium is usually packed on this entertaining evening
(usually in April). Students provide their own costumes, music, scripts, etc.
A volunteer parent(s) helps with rehearsals and preparations as needed, and
there is a bake sale that evening as well.
Multicultural Potluck
This is a nice end to the school year, on a Friday evening just before
school ends. Families bring a favorite dish that is traditional in their
family or culture. Parents, children, teachers and staff of the school share
a meal, as well as fond memories of the past year.
...and there may be more events during the year...
We are open to the energy and
enthusiasm of parents, who are the real drivers behind any successful event! All
events will be announced in newsletters and flyers throughout the year, so
be sure to check your child's backpack for the latest information!
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