Welcome back to what will be another great school year! I want to take this opportunity to welcome all our new families and welcome back everyone else for another exciting school year. We have much to celebrate! OKES received an “A” grade for the fourth year in a row and we achieved AYP, Adequate Yearly Progress, for the third time. AYP is achieved when students in all sub groups make gains. These achievements are due to our dedicated, competent staff, smart, motivated students and exceptional parent involvement and support. Together we are able to make a positive impact on the future of your child. I thank everyone for their continued efforts towards academic excellence at OKES.
As the year progresses, you will be hearing about the Positive Behavior System being implemented within all the schools, and we are planning a number of Parent Nights to give you information and strategies for you to better help your child in Math, Reading and Writing. Please watch the OKES calendar for these events because we would love your participation.
To maintain a secure campus and avoid disruption of academic time, we will not be dismissing students from the main office. The office gate is closed from 2:45 P.M – 3:15 P.M. to secure the campus as students move around. All parents whose students don’t take the bus are asked to use the car rider area except for special appointments or emergencies.
We ask that parents of bus riders practice the "animal" bus name with your child. Bus riders will start to dismiss at 3:20 P.M. We will have hospital style snap bracelets ready for all kindergarten students to wear for the first few weeks until they remember their bus name. If your child is a bus rider, please put him/her on the bus the first day. Students will be given the bracelets on the buses as they arrive. Parents/Guardians or authorized persons of Kindergarten students must be at the bus stop five minutes before the bus arrives for afternoon drop off. If a parent of a kindergarten student is not at the bus stop in the afternoon, the child will be returned to school.
As in all schools in warm climates, we constantly battle head lice and do not want to send children home to miss school. We will be checking all students for head lice the first week of school. Please carefully inspect your child's head at least once a month if not more often. All students sent home with lice and/or nits must be treated and returned the following morning to be rechecked. If the student fails to come in, this will be counted as an unexcused absence. If they come in to be rechecked and they are not cleared, it will be counted as an excused absence. The student will then be instructed to go home with their parents and be re-examined the next day.
We need your help with our students’ absences. Our sick line is available to you 24 hours a day at 517-2062. Please call when your child is absent. This year, according to State Law, a child must be reported for unexcused, excessive excused absences, or excessive tardiness.
Every student will be provided a School Planner. The planner is a wonderful tool for communication between you and the teacher. Please be sure to read the information located at the front of the planner. Your child’s teacher will instruct him/her in the proper use for short and long term planning. Please make sure your child brings his/her planner to and from school every day. If your child loses his planner, he will need to purchase a new one. Please read the student/parent handbook in the front of the planner and look for comments or notes from the teacher by the date.
We look forward to a great year.
Denise Haymes, Principal