Oak Grove News

From the Superintendent

This Wednesday, November 15, is Board Appreciation Day - celebrated across our state. On behalf of the students, staff, and administration at OGS, we'd like to offer a sincere thank you to each of our Board members who volunteer for this critical role. We are grateful for their commitment to lead on behalf of our OGS community and look forward to the positive impact this leadership has on our school. Please take a moment to thank a Board member this week if you get the chance!
• Krysia Ressler, President
• Cathie DeMoon, Vice President
• Anthony Giamis, Secretary
• Raabia Khan
• Henry Liu
• Kim Rihman
• Emily Savino

From the Principal’s Desk

With Thanksgiving around the corner, the staff and I want to express our gratitude for the incredible support we receive each day from all of you in our OGS Community! On our volunteer list we have 15 parents offering to help in each of our K-8 classrooms (OGS Volunteer Form). This week the PTO is sponsoring the first of our two annual book fairs. Our school board meets tomorrow and we celebrate their passion for representing our community and the aspirations we all have for our children. We have the Foundation to thank for adding items to our Calm Spaces, and in coming months, the Foundation is planning opportunities for community wellness. We have Parent-Teacher Conferences next Monday and Tuesday and we look forward to thanking you all in person!

Mr. Rob’s Crew
There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes during the day at OGS and Mr. Rob’s Crew has a big role in keeping things running smoothly. We wanted to take a moment to share this crew with you!
Starting with the top row, from left to right: Ms Amy, Ms Jill, Ms Marian, Ms Sonia, Ms Neha, Ms Tammy, Ms Fabiola, Ms Rosie, Mr Hunter, Ms Munmun, Mr Parker, Ms Andrea, Mr Kent, Ms Siri, Ms Monick, Ms Lidia, Mr Rob, and Ms Marcia.

6th Grade After School Hang Time
This Friday, November 18th from 3:30-5:00 PM, the Junior High Gym will be open for basketball, and for those who want to hang in the cafeteria, we will have board games. Feel free to bring your own board game too. We will have snacks for everyone. Please complete this RSVP to let us know if your 6th Gr student will be attending. So far, 44 students have signed up for this event!

Babysitting During Parent Teacher Conferences
8th Grade student volunteers from the Honors Society will be available for babysitting in the Small/Rubber Gym during Parent Teacher Conferences on Monday from 1:00-8:00 PM. No babysitting will be provided on Tuesday since those conferences are virtual.

SEL Update
If you’d like to speak with Mrs. Kiefer during conferences, you may sign up for a time in person or virtual. If the times are all booked (and they usually book up quickly) she is offering a “drop in time” Monday November 21st 6:00-8:00 pm in the Elementary Library. No appointment necessary!

What’s happening in SEL?  
Perspective is everything! If you’re interested and want to learn more about perspective taking and collaboration please view our SEL Website.

Current Books in SEL
• ​​Kindergarten - Yoko by Rosemary Wells
• 1st Grade - The Sandwich Swap Queen by Raania Abdullah
• 2nd Grade - A Yummy Lunch by Mercer Mayer, Manners in the Lunchroom by Amanda Doering Tour
• 3rd Grade - The Peanut Free Cafe by Gloria Koster
• 4th Grade - This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamoth
• 5th Grade - The Barefoot Book of Children by Strickland, DePalma, and Dean

Important Dates
• 11/14-11/17: PTO Book Fair, Book Drive for Bernie's Book Bank
• 11/14: Conference Sign Up begins at 8:00 AM
• 11/15: Boys BB vs Sandburg @ 4:15 PM, COW @ 6:00 PM, BOE @ 7:15 PM
• 11/16: Report cards go home, Girls Basketball vs Neal @ 4:15 PM, Scholastic Book Fair Family Night from 5:00-8:00 PM
• 11/17: Boys BB @ Deer Path Gold 4:30 PM, Wrestling Parent Info Meeting 5:30 PM
• 11/18: Conference Sign Up ends at Noon, 6th Grade Hang Time 3:30-5:00 PM - RSVP
• 11/21: Parent Teacher Conf from 1-8 PM
• 11/22: Parent Teacher Conf from 8 AM-Noon
• 11/23-11/25: Thanksgiving Break - No School
• 11/28: Girls BB vs Edgewood @ 4:30 PM
• 11/30: Girls BB @ Highland 4:30 PM
• 12/1:  Boys BB vs Edgewood @ 4:30 PM
• 12/3:  Winter Market - PTO JH Gym
• 12/5:  Wrestling Begins @ 3:30 PM, Boys BB @ Northwood 4:30 PM
• 12/6:  Girls BB @ Milburn 4:30 PM
• 12/7:  PTO Mtg @ 9:30 AM, PTO BreakSk8 Assemblies, Boys BB vs Lake Bluff @ 4:15 PM
• 12/8: Girls BB @ Northwood 4:30 PM
• 12/12: DEI Virtual Mtg 5:30 PM
• 12/13: COW @ 6:00 PM, BOE @ 7:15 PM
• 12/21: Wrestling @ Viking
• 12/23-1/8: Winter Break - No School
• 1/9: School Resumes

Curriculum Corner

Veterans Day Celebration
Our Veterans Day celebration was a wonderful event last Friday! We recognized and showed appreciation for over 50 veterans and service members who attended the annual ceremony. More than 125 people were in attendance and many more viewed the live-streamed broadcast to join in from afar. The new “Honoring Our Veterans” display hung outside the Junior High Gym showcases the six branches of service. Thank you to the Treutelaar family for this special donation! Students personally created dedication pages accompanied by photos for veterans and current service members close to their families which surrounded the new display. Thank you to the 8th grade teachers and students, the band and choir directors, as well as all of those behind the scenes who helped to make this day special for all of our guests. This is a longstanding Oak Grove tradition that illustrates how important these members of the community are to Oak Grove and allows for our 8th grade students to take on leadership roles in the many aspects of planning and executing a celebration of this magnitude. If you would like to view a recording of the ceremony, please visit this link.

 
Student Council Toys for Tots Drive
The Student Council is once again holding the Toys for Tots donation collection starting Tuesday, November 15, 2022. All the toys donated will benefit children in need. Did you know that Toys for Tots is a top rated charity? 100% of our donation goes to their mission of providing toys, books and other gifts to less fortunate children. During Parent/Teacher Conferences please consider taking a “snowflake” labeled with a certain age child and gift idea from either of the trees; one which is located by the main office, and the other by the administration office. We ask that the toys be new, unwrapped, and no stuffed animals. Then please deliver the toys to the labeled boxes by either office by Monday, December 19, 2022.  We truly appreciate your support with this endeavor!

The Buddy Bench
The Oak Grove School Education Foundation (OGSEF) is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Guided by parents, teachers, and administrators, OGSEF ‘s Board of Directors funds teacher-initiated grants and programs at Oak Grove School focused on engaging, empowering, and inspiring children and teachers to advance to new levels of learning.

This year, OGSEF is spotlighting mental health and funding special grants and projects to address this important topic. In line with this, and OGSEF board member and parent recently built a new “buddy bench” for use by OGS elementary students. Buddy benches, sometimes called friendship benches, encourage students to look out for one another so no one feels left out.

Recess can be a favorite part of the day, but for a student who feels alone it can be challenging. Our elementary students are taught if you sit at the buddy bench you are looking for a friend to talk with, play with, or hang out with. When someone asks you to play, you can join them! They are also taught if you see someone sitting at the buddy bench, invite them to join you or just reach out and talk with them.

Buddy benches can build empathy, combat isolation, and help foster a supportive school experience!

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Parents and Teachers….

Please stop by The OGS Express, our student run coffee shop, located in the junior high cafeteria during  conferences on Monday!
Hours 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm.
All Menu  items $1.00
(proceeds go to charity)
• Baked goods
• Coffee
• Hot Chocolate

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Preschool Screening
Preschool screening will be held at Oak Grove on Wednesday, November 16th from 12:30- 3:30 pm. The screening is for three and four year olds. The screening will examine a child's proficiency in speech/language and motor development, as well as assess pre-academic skills. Parents with questions or concerns about their child's development may schedule an appointment by contacting Julie Waehner at waehner@ogschool.org.
 

Special Education Meeting for Parents of Students in Private Schools or Homeschooled
Oak Grove School will host a virtual special education meeting on Wednesday, November 16th at 8:30 am.  The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the district's plan to provide special education services to students with disabilities who attend private schools and/or home schools within the district for the 2022-23 school year.  Any parent of a student who has been identified with a disability and attends a private school or is home schooled is encouraged to attend.  Please contact Julie Waehner at 224-424-4718 for further information.

Wrestling Meeting
Calling all current and potential wrestlers! There will be a wrestling meeting for parents and interested wrestlers next Thursday, November 17th. at 5:30 in the Oak Grove Junior High Cafeteria.  Come and meet Coach Liu!

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PTO News

Fall In Love With Reading
The K-5 Book Fair is this week! The Book Fair Website has everything you need to set up eWallet accounts, shop online, and check out the class shopping schedule. We still need a few more volunteers so please sign up on the OGS PTO Website under the volunteer tab or email
kelly.epley@gmail.com if you are able to help.
 
Book Fair Family Night is Wednesday, November 16 from 5-8 p.m. It’s a great chance to shop together...and you can pre-order and pick up dinner to take home from Pequod’s Pizza, a Chicago classic! Place your order here and then pick up in the school parking lot. $5 from each
order goes to the OGS PTO. More information is in the Virtual Backpack.
 

FMSC This Thursday
If you forgot to sign up for Thursday’s Feed My Starving Children event and want to come, go to www.fmsc.org and search for either the 4:30-6:15 pm or 7:00-8:45 pm packing group. You do not need to use a special code since the remaining spots have been opened up to the public. If you have questions not listed on the website please contact Brooke Schamber to inquire about this event at (847) 772-3055. We look forward to seeing you all there!
 

Winter Market Volunteers & Donut Presale
Join us December 3 from 9am-12pm for the Oak Grove Winter Market! We will have the Secret Shopping Village for students in the Jr. High Gym as well as multiple vendors throughout the halls. Stan’s Donuts will join us again this year! We encourage you to pre-order which will
guarantee your donuts - presale closes 48 hours prior to the event. Place your pre-orders here. A limited amount of donuts will be available for onsite purchase. See the flier in the Virtual Backpack for more information. We are also looking for adult and student volunteers to help with the event. Please sign up using the  volunteer form.

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Upcoming Band Performances
'Tis the season for performances! We have the following performances coming up:
-LHS Band Festival at LHS- Thursday, November 17 @ 7:30 p.m. (Symphonic Band only)
-Concert Band and Symphonic Band Small Ensemble Concert at OGS- Tuesday, December 6 @ 6:30 p.m. (Concert Band plus Symphonic Band volunteers)
-Jazz Café at OGS- Wednesday, December 14 @ 6:30 p.m. (Jazz Band only)
 
Emails will be coming out regarding details for each of these events.
 
**Open to all OGS families** If you are interested in donating baked goods to our Jazz Café Concert, please reach out to Mr. Jones (jones@ogschool.org) or Mr. Frankowski (frankowski@ogschool.org) for sign-up.
 

Virtual Backpack

Please click HERE to view the flyers in our virtual backpack. Flyers are updated weekly, so please check back often so you won't miss any of the events going on in our community.

 

 

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