We hope that you are having a fun-filled summer and are ready for an exciting and productive 2008-2009 school year. The information in this packet should answer many of your questions regarding our upcoming school year.  Please feel free to share this information with your Oak Grove Eagle kiddosJ

Soar with the Eagles…

School begins on Monday, August 18^th and is a minimum day! School starts at 7:30 and will be dismissed at 12:18 (2:05 on regular days). The front gate will open at 7:10 am on the first day of school (7:15 daily thereafter.)

Registration Packets…

A registration packet was sent home with your child in May. We will be checking to see if your packet was complete. If the packet was complete, you may pick up your child’s class schedule on one of the following dates:

v      Thursday, August 14th – 3:30 to 5:30

v      Friday, August 15^th – 2:00 to 4:00

If your packet was incomplete, your schedule will NOT be available. We will make every effort to contact you prior to the pick up date to assist you with registration packet completion.

Please check your schedules carefully before leaving on schedule pick-up day.  Every attempt has been made to accommodate requests in developing each selection of classes.  Priority for changes will be given to students who have computer errors, such as 2 classes during the same period or duplicate classes.  No other class changes will be made during schedule pick up days.

School Supplies…

During the above dates for schedule pick up, you will be able to:

v      Purchase a PTSA card - $6.00 for students, $8.00 for adults, and $25.00 for family membership.

v      Order a yearbook

v      Buy a bus pass

v      Buy a lunch card

v      Buy PE clothes from ASB

Important Reminders…

If your immunizations are not up to date, you may not attend school.  In order to register for 7^th grade, the office must have proof of a second MMR and that Hepatitis B shots are current.

If you live out of the district, you must renew your Inter-District Transfer yearly.  Forms can be obtained at the Jamul-Dulzura Union School District Office or the district office of your residence.  Both districts must approve this transfer before registration can be completed.

Odds and Ends…

Student Handbook: The student handbook is included in the Student Reminder Binders, which will be given to each student on the first day of school.  Please take time to read through this information and share with your child.  There will be a signature page at the end of the student handbook for you and your child to sign and return to OGMS.  Some of the important policies to remember:

Attendance: School starts promptly at 7:30 am – after four tardies, students are issued detention.   Because it is extremely important that students attend school on a consistent basis, we will be strictly enforcing San Diego County SART/SARB policies.

Dress Code: Please dress appropriately for school.  Please remember that tank tops, bare midriffs and halter tops are NOT PERMITTED.  All shorts should fit appropriately with a hem that extends approximately mid-thigh (A good test is for students to place their arms at their sides, the hem of the shorts should extend past their fingertips).  Please NO flip-flops, slippers or backless shoes.  Specific guidelines are outlined in the Student Handbook (pg. 7).

Lunch:  Full lunch service will be provided on the first day of school.  Lunch costs $2.25.  If you would like to complete an application for free or reduced lunch before school starts, you may stop by the office for an application.  These applications will be sent home during the first week of school.

Transportation:  Bus passes are now available for purchase. Please call 669-7757 for details. During the first week of school, payment envelopes will be sent home. Students must have passes to ride the bus. 

PE Clothes and Locks for PE Lockers

v      PE clothes will be available for purchase through ASB. 

v      PE locks will be issued the 1^st and 2^nd day of school.

Textbooks:  Textbooks will be issued the 1^st week of school.  Any damaged or lost books will result in money owed, so please do not write any information in your books unless instructed to do so by your teacher.  Please cover your books and take care of them, they are expensive!  Due to the new traditional schedule, teachers will be informing students of procedures related to textbooks for home and school use.

School Pictures:  School pictures are scheduled to be taken on September 15^th.  These pictures will also be in the yearbook.  Information regarding the package plans available will be distributed prior to that date.

Office Hours:  Beginning August 18^th, the OGMS office hours are 7:15 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Student Tardies/Absences:  Although we encourage all Oak Grove Eagles to attend school every day, if needed, please call the 24-hour automated attendance line, 669-2784, to report absences.

Student Drop-Off / Pick-Up:  Due to safety concerns, we ask all students to be dropped off and picked up in front of the school building.  Students are NOT to be picked up on Olive Vista Dr. 

OGMS New Traditional School Schedule!

We are extremely pleased to inform you (if you haven’t heard alreadyJ) that we are no longer running on a Block schedule as in the recent past.  We will now be providing students with a more consistent daily schedule in which students will attend each class every day (similar to the old Monday schedule for you OGMS veteransJ) . 

We have worked diligently to make sure that our staff is ready to support our Eagles in order to make this the most successful school year yet.  Some of the benefits to the more traditional schedule (used by most of our neighboring middle schools) include increased class time (50 minutes per week!), daily contacts with teachers and related daily monitoring.  We have made a great effort to alleviate any concerns related to this schedule and are very excited about its potential for student learning.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. 

Monday - Friday:  All classes

Connections

This year, OGMS decided to include the Connections class (Homeroom) at the onset of students’ first period class in order to avoid lost instruction time between Connections and 1^st period.  The first 10 minutes of 1^st period will be used for recording attendance and tardies, communicating information via announcement and flyers and building positive relationships.  Teachers will support students’ organizational skills and study skills to promote their academic success.  Teachers will also try to make sure that each student is prepared and ready for a positive and productive school day.   The “Connections” teacher will serve as each student’s “advisor”, “counselor” and as a resource for parents.

Electives

Electives will now be opposite students’ lunch for a full period (55 minutes). Electives will be on a “wheel”, allowing students to attend 4 different electives throughout the school year (9 weeks per elective).  We are very excited about the electives we have to offer for each grade level, including Art, Technology and Health/Nutrition.  As in the past, we will continue to offer year-round electives for those students who qualify, such as Show Choir and ASB.

Back to School Night…

Save the date…Back to School Night will be August 21^st at 6 p.m. More information will follow!

We look forward to this next school year. Parents, please stop by any time. We encourage your involvement!

Sincerely,

Christina Callaway                           Mitchell Miller

Christina Callaway                                                                Mitchell Miller