October 2009
A note from the Principal, Springy Yamasaki and Assistant Principal, Jerry Black
It's hard to believe that we have finished our 7th week of school. I absolutely love being in Orting and working with students, staff and families. Below are some important upcoming dates and critical information that we want to share.
Your student's Administrator: Jerry Black works with students' last names A-K. Springy Yamasaki works with students' last names L-Z. Please call or e-mail if you have a concern or wish to give kudos for a job well done at OMS.
Conference Week October 27 - 30: Students will be released at 10:20. Conferences will be held in the 6th grade classrooms and in the Commons for 7th and 8th grade students. Night time conferences are available on Thursday night. Teachers will be released at 10:50 on Friday, October 30th because they are available Thursday night.
Learning Walk, November 5, 2009; 7AM - 10AM: We are opening our "practice" and inviting parents and community members to take a Learning Walk in all of our classrooms. The event starts at 7:00 a.m. in our Library Media Center (LMC) for an overview of our school and the process. Parents and Community Members will look for the WOW's in our school and leave the administrator's with some WONDERS. The purpose is to showcase what we are doing and to provide some Wonder's so that we can improve. Please call the main office at 893-3565 if you are interested in joining the Learning Walk.
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP): OMS did not make AYP in math or in Special Education reading. We are working hard to improve our instruction and need your help by checking your student's grades on Family Access, providing a quiet study area, having conversations with your student about what they are learning and communicating with teachers. In the past 45 days, we ordered a supplemental math titled Mountain Math and Source and Day Books for reading and writing. The Mountain Math has arrived and the reading and writing book is on their way. In addition, we are using our Collaboration Days for staff training.
Student Learning Plans: House Bill 2195 requires us to provide a written Student Learning Plan (SLP) for students who did not pass any section of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL).
If your student has an SLP, it will be available for your review and signature at the Fall Conference. The House Bill also requires that we keep a copy of the plan in your student's cumulative record. The plan includes WASL and MAP test scores as well as interventions the school, parent and student will implement for improvement. Parents who are unable to make conferences, will be contacted to come to school to review the SLP or it will be mailed home for signature.
Family Access: You can monitor your student's work by using Family Access. Go to the Orting School District Website at http://www. orting.wednet.edu Click on the bar at the top titled, Families. Scroll down to Family Access. Click on the Family Access icon. The login is always the same: first 5 letters of the last name, three letters of the first name and 000 (three zeros). If you forgot your password, click on the "Forgot Your Login or Password?"
Student Access: Students have been given their Login and Passwords during Advisory. The student page shows a calendar of assignments. If the assignment is red in color, it means the assignment is incomplete, not turned in and/or a future assignment. Grades, assignments and comments are viewable by clicking on the grade furthest to the right of the screen. Computers are available at the Public Library, the OMS Library Media Center (LMC) and many of the classrooms. It is a great idea to view grades each night while dinner is being prepared.
Boys Wrestling and Girls Basketball:
Contact Coach Turner and Coach Farrington for Wrestling and Coach Meines and Coach Bleha for Girls Basketball.
Fall Fundraiser: Thank you for your support of the OMS Frozen Food Sale. Our students sold over $12,000 worth of food. 40 % comes back to our student body to help pay for student activities, sports equipment, referees and recess games and equipment.
Free H1N1 (Swine Flu) Vaccination: The Franciscan Children's Immunization Program is offering influenza immunizations or nasal spray to students in the OSD for free. This is not an Orting School District sponsored event. However, we are providing the time during health and fitness classes should you opt to have your student vaccinated. A signed form is due in the school office by November 5, 2009. Questions: Please call our nurse, Diane Gonzalez, at 360-893-3565 x232.
Falcon Fridays: To build school spirit, students are asked to wear our school colors, royal blue and white. Spirit wear is available through the Orting Combined PTA. To order, pick up a flyer in the main office.
Upcoming Dates:
November 6: Teacher Collaboration Day: Students are released at 10:20
November 11: Veteran's Day; No School
November 25: Students will be released at 10:20 a.m.
November 26 and 27: Thanksgiving Holidays; No School
