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MARCH
2009
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March 3rd
OCC Budget Committee Meeting
March 4th
Celebration of 1st O-A Sports Season
March 5th
5th Grade Parents Meeting re: Middle School
March 6th
Principal's Coffee
March 7th
Safe Routes to School Meeting
March 8th
Daylight Savings Begins
March 10th
OCC Board Meeting
March 11th
Kinder Parents meet with Monica, Art Rom
March 17th
OCC Community Meeting
March17th
St. Patrick's Day
March 18th
LSRT Meeting
March 19th
Middle School Parent Meeting
March 23rd-29th
No School
Spring Break
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APRIL
2009
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April 3rd
HALF-DAY OF SCHOOL
(school dismissed at
12:15 pm)
April 3
Principal's Coffee--Parent Workshop Series
April 4th
**Oyster-Adams Annual AUCTION**
Katzen Arts Center,
American University
April 10th
SCHOOL HOLIDAY
April 13th
SCHOOL HOLIDAY
April 15th
LSRT Meeting
April 16th
DC Emancipation Day; SCHOOL HOLIDAY
April 21st
OCC Board Meeting
April 22nd
Earth Day
April 22nd
The Big Read
April 20th-May 1 DC-CAS for grades 3-8
April 27th-May 1st Elementary Science Fair (PreK - 5th Grades); Adams Campus
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MAY
2009 |
May is Pan-Asian Heritage Month!
May 2nd Oyster-Adams Fiesta/Raffle
May 5th
Cinco de Mayo
May 4th-8th Teacher
Appreciation Week
May 10th
Mother's Day
May 13th-14th
OCC Elections
May 15th
No School
Parent-Teacher Conferences; Teacher Appreciation
Pot Luck Lunch
May 15th
SCHOOL HOLIDAY
May 19th
OCC Board Meeting
May 20th
LSRT Meeting
May 25th
Memorial Day; SCHOOL HOLIDAY
May 27th
OCC Community Meeting
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JUNE
2009 |
June 10th
LSRT Meeting
June 15th
Last Day of School!
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MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL LIANG AGUIRRE
March 20, 2009
Dear Parents:
Procrastinators rejoice! This parent and husband finally made their OCC family contribution.
At the beginning of the year, I told the organizers of the parent campaign that I wanted to stay away from asking parents for money. After all, parents already do so much to support the school and our students. However, this spring's budgeting process with DCPS and OCC has made me clearly understand the enormous impact that parents have in ensuring that all of our students have access to an education that truly works towards our mission. So I wanted to share some thoughts.
The unique Oyster-Adams experience that your child lives everyday is largely due to the generous contributions of the parents and the OCC. I can safely say that few DCPS schools have the level of support that our school has. This upcoming year, we will have a much more robust staffing structure thanks to a generous DCPS budget. Yet if we truly want to fulfill our mission of creating an inclusive learning community that is bilingual and that fosters global citizenship, then we need more support. Furthermore, if we hope to establish a middle school that will be competitive to larger middle schools in the eyes of students and parents, then we need even more support.
On one level, this year's parent campaign has been overwhelmingly successful with $95,000 raised to date. On another level, we are falling very short of our goal of 100% participation. Currently, we only have 40% of families that have contributed with donations ranging from $25-$3,000.
Family participation is very important to help us access grants from foundations in the future. It is one of the key indicators they look at in deciding whom to fund, so the closer we can get to 100% participation, the better chance we have of winning foundation grants.
It doesn't matter how much you contribute-but please contribute. With three kids enrolled at Oyster-Adams, my husband and I fell short of the suggested $500 per child. However, I know that our contribution will play an important part in furthering our mission for our children.
Thank you for your continued support and fellowship as we work towards fulfilling our mission.
Enjoy your spring vacation!
-Monica Liang Aguirre
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Week of March 30, 2009
Playground construction is underway!
Spring Homework Packet for 3rd-8th graders. As you know, DC-CAS is right around the corner. The weeks in April are very choppy and difficult ones for teachers to maintain student focus on academics. We are sending home a packet of work for all students in 3rd-8th grade to continue practicing the skills they need to polish before the test and to keep them in the mind frame for testing. The packets are tailored to your child's class' areas of need. Please take the time to sit with your child during the break to work through the problems. They are not meant to overburden your family time, but simply as a way for our students to stay thinking about the skills they have been working on. That way, teachers can pick right up and continue working when we return from vacation. The time you will spend with your child talking through the problem, how to think about the question, and how to choose the bet answer will be invaluable. Thank you for your support.
Auction Update!
Not sure how to bid online? Never done an online auction before? No problem!
We have written out simple step-by-step instructions for you! Just go to http://www.oysteradamsauction.com/instructions.htm?username=oysterauction
We have fantastic donations from our wonderful teachers this year that you can bid on for your child. Imagine your child's face when you tell him/her that you won:
A Harry Potter Trivia Night with Ms. Roling!
Your child and five friends are invited to play the Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone Trivia Game with 5th grade teacher, Ms. Roling. Ms. Roling will provide Harry Potter treats and a prize for the winner.
A Mexican Cooking Class with Sra. Landa!
Your child and two friends will have a personalized Mexican cooking class with 1st grade teacher, Elisa Landa. For those budding chefs with exotic tastebuds!
Mozart with the Principal!
Principal Monica Liang-Aguirre will take your child to hear the National Symphony Orchestra play Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25 with Garrick Ohlsson on piano on May 15th!
2 days and 1 night backpacking and camping in Shenandoah Valley with middle school teachers Mr. Hoeksema and Mr. Petersen. Activities will include day hikes throughout the national park, learning survival skills, cooking camp food, and team building. This trip is intended for 3 middle school students on a weekend during the school year.
This is your only opportunity to bid on these items. These items will not be available at the auction on April 4th. Online bidding closes April 3rd, so start bidding now!
Go to www.OysterAdamsAuction.com right now to bid on these and other wonderful teacher donations, as well as gift certificates, art classes, sports event and more!
New Parent Workshop Series!
Next month's Principal's Coffee (April 3) will take on a different format because we are launching a new parent involvement program at Oyster-Adams. This initiative is led by Evelyn Manzano (Special Education Coordinator) and Melissa Shaw (Social Worker), together with the DCPS Parent Resource Center. At this first meeting, we will introduce the steps that parents can take to lead to a better education for your child. The meeting will also serve as an information gathering session to understand the strengths and needs of parents at Oyster-Adams. It is our hope to create a vibrant, multicultural parent information exchange.
Meetings will be presented in Spanish with English translation available. Also, the meetings will be held at both campuses at varying times in an attempt to include as many parents as possible.
The first meeting will be held at the Primary Campus on Friday April 3 from 9-10 am (during the regularly scheduled Principal's Coffee). Coffee will be provided. The meeting will be held again at the Intermediate Campus on Tuesday April 7 from 5-6pm (childcare and food provided). Please note that there is currently no parking at the Adams Campus.
Please join us!
Oyster-Adams Middle School Scientist Do it Again!
Washington DC Mathematics, Science, and Technology Fair 2009
Oyster Adams Middle School Winners - March 14, 2009
Stephanie Guzmán
2nd Place Grand Prize Overall
1st place Mathematical Sciences
Award for Women in Engineering
Rebecca Garcia Moreno
3rd Place Environmental Science Category
3rd Place Federal Water Quality Association
Recipient of an autographed book written by renowned scientist Hakim
Marcelle Snead
2nd Place Engineering Category
1st Place Alliance to Save Energy
Monetary award from the Walter Reed Institute of Research
Michael Song
1st Place Earth and Environmental Science Category
Ronit Schorr
2nd Place Animal Sciences Category
3rd Place Washington Statistical Society
American Optical Association Award
Aren Sahakyan and Veljan Mitrovski
1st Place Junior Division Team
Charity Aschenbrener and Amielia Wilson
2nd Place Senior Division Team
Max Cooper
HM Engineering Category
1st Place American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Naval Science Award from the Office of Naval Research
Monetary award from the Walter Reed Institute of Research
Ned Sanger
3rd Place Physics and Astronomy Category
Adam Racabaldo
HM - Physics and Astronomy Category
Patrick Paniagua
American Meteorological Society Award
Thank you also to our wonderful science teachers, Mr. Hoeksema and Mr. Ames for their hard work and dedication to make this year's fair another great success. We would also like to thank our parent volunteers Dana Cooper, Trish Mitchell, Deborah Durham-Vichr, and Margaret Ernst as well as many others for the many hours they worked on the Fair.
City-Wide Spelling Bee Results
Sixth graders Jacob Korn and Quinn Gavin participated in the citywide spelling bee on Tuesday and we are proud to announce that Quinn came in 4th place!
Oyster-Adams alumni, Sonia Schlesinger, won first place. Although she is now a student at Deal MS, in the official program she credited her former Oyster-Adams teacher Sr. Gamarra as the person she most admires saying "He cared about our education but at the same time enjoyed himself."
Congratulations and thank you to all of the participants this year and to Ms. Carrie Roling for all of her time and energy to coordinate this spelling bee season.
6th Grade: NextWeek in Shine
Students will continue their two-part lesson on "Learning About Our Bodies." The students will be divided into two groups - one boys and one girls to learn about the reproductive organs in more depth. | |
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Update from Assistant Principal Ibis Villegas
March 20, 2009
Primary Campus Student Council Leaders Exemplify Community Actions
On Wednesday March 18th while Student Council leaders and I were making a presentation about our school to 18 State Department visitors, one visitor asked, "What values does your school believe in?" It was a perfect opportunity for our Student Council leadership to speak about Community Actions. Just in case anyone has forgotten, our four Community Actions are:
- Act with Integrity
- Live Graciously
- Lead by Example
- Think Globally
I especially want to take a moment to thank Fiona Lynch (President), Isabel Morichi (Vice-President), Julius Ball-Heldman (Secretary), Emilia Majersik (Secretary) and Sophia Salvidis (Treasurer) for doing an excellent job of embodying those "Actions" during the presentation and tour given to our illustrious State Department visitors. Please join me in congratulating them and their Student Council Sponsors Jodi Cohen and Nora Bustios.
Spring Break and Ideas on Helping Your Child's Academic Achievement (Also Helps with Standardized Tests!)
With Spring Break upon us I have been reflecting on what would be the most useful information I could give parents so they in turn can help their children improve their academic achievement - even prepare for the upcoming DC CAS, without "teaching to the test"! Here are a few research based ideas:
- Engage your children in lots of conversation about your daily experiences. Include questions that promote what are referred to as "higher level thinking skills" by asking questions such as-
- What would happen if...?
- What do you mean by...?
- Give me an example.
- What exceptions are there?
- Is this the same as...?
- Is that a fact or an opinion?
- What is the relationship between...?
- How else would you...?
- Which is more important?
- Play word games! When students engage in word games, they are stimulating the brain (Jensen, 1995)
- Practice visualization strategies. Stephen Covey, author of the New York Times bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People states that everything happens twice, once in the mind and once in reality (Covey 1996). This is the power of visualization. Use visualization to enhance the comprehension of a concept you are reviewing in preparation for testing. Let's say for example, that you are reviewing a vocabulary word, math formula or scientific process with your child. First, the child looks at the information and you follow by removing the information and ask the child to visualize and then describe what he or she "sees". "Comprehension is facilitated when one visualizes because the act itself allows readers to make the words real, analogous to playing a movie inside the reader's head" (Keene and Zimmerman, 1997).
- Encourage your child to keep a journal of his/her Spring Break experiences. "Journal writing facilitates communication and combines the three processes of writing, reading and discourse" (Sousa 2003).
- Use humor to dissipate any tension associated with school work! "As a stress reliever, humor reduces physical and mental tension, shortens the school day, lightens the load, and helps people live longer" (Burgess, 2000).
If you like these ideas, I recommend you read "Sit and Get" Won't Grow Dendrites by Marcia Tate. We know more now about how the brain learns than ever before. Apply these strategies even after the break and you'll see more permanent results. Happy Spring Break!
Oyster-Adams Spanish Immersion Camp
What? Spanish Language Immersion Camp "De-Dos" at Oyster-Adams Bilingual!
When? July 6th - 31st, 2009
Who? Current and Incoming PreK-8 Oyster-Adams students may be registered for one week at a time. A discount will be applied to students who register for all four weeks. Classes will be organized by the grades as close to each other as possible.
What time? There are two options:
1. Arts Camp from 9 AM to 3 PM. Sessions will focus on reinforcing Spanish language skills through visual art, dramatic art, creative writing and music. Classes will be led by experienced teachers from De-Dos Theater.
2. Arts Camp from 9 AM to 3 PM & Extended Day Camp from 3 PM to 6 PM. Extended Day will include trips to a nearby pool (days to be confirmed), walking trips, picnics and outdoor activities. Activities will be organized according to age. Extended day staff will be mainly OCA after-care counselors. All OCA personnel are certified in First Aid and CPR.
Where? Primary Campus: 2801 Calvert St. N.W. Washington D.C. 20008
Fees: Maximum cost per Oyster-Adams child is $815. This is a discounted rate for Oyster-Adams children enrolling for all four weeks:
Option A1: All 4 weeks of Arts Camp (9am-3pm) plus Extended Day 3pm-6pm $815
Option A2: All 4 weeks of Arts Camp (9am-3pm) only. $775
Individual week(s) out of the four weeks are an alternative option for which the rates are:
Option B1: Select week(s) of Arts Camp (9am-3pm) plus Extended Day 3pm-6pm $265/week
Option B2: Select week(s) of Arts Camp (9am-3pm) only $250/week
Limited financial assistance based on need is available. Contact Ibis Villegas for more information.
To register: 100% of the tuition or a $50 deposit (the remaining fee must be paid in full by April 15, 2009) must accompany the registration form to reserve your child's spot.
Click here to download the registration form: Camp Registration Form
Return the completed form with tuition check payable to OCA to the Main Office. Include your child's name and "De-Dos Camp" on the check. One child per form.
First come, first served, subject to availability. We encourage you to reserve your spot as soon as possible. Spaces available after April 15, 2009 will open up to non-Oyster-Adams students.
Questions?
Ibis Villegas 202-671-3111
Nicola Deas (Oyster-Adams parent) mail4nmd@yahoo.com.
OCC UPDATE
March 20, 2009
"Dream 2009-2010 Budget" Posted on Web Site. Thank you to all who attended this week's community meeting and gave us your input on our proposed budget for the next school year. Your thoughts and comments are going to be very helpful as we move through the budgeting process. As promised, a copy of the Draft OCC Budget 2009-2010 School Year (aka our "dream budget") is posted on the web site. To all of you who could not make the meeting, we invite you to take a look at it online (and in paper form on the OCC bulletin boards on both campuses) and give us your input.
Send comments to the OCC board via email to denisehsenecal@gmail Spanish or in English with "budget input" in the subject line; on paper, submit your comments, again in Spanish or in English, to OCC Secretary Phoebe Schlanger's mailbox slot at the Oyster campus.
Let's Close the "Funding Gap." If you look at our "dream budget", you will notice that, with all the wonderful projects we are proposing to fund, because we are being very conservative in estimating our projected revenues from several events that have not yet taken place, we anticipate a budget shortfall of $35,340. This does not have to be! If you haven't yet, please make your contribution as soon as possible to the Parent Campaign, and we can close that "funding gap." The Auction is coming up on Sat., April 4, so please help us make this the most successful one we have ever had, and again, we can fund all of those projects and programs that make this such a special place for your child to learn and grow.
Funding Proposals Welcome from Community, March 18 - May 18. We are now at the point in our budgeting process where we are soliciting new spending proposals from the community for the 2009-2010 school year. So from now until May 18, the OCC board will be accepting proposals from the community which we will evaluate at our May 19 board meeting (6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Oyster campus in the cafteteria) and then bring to the community with the final budget for approval in a community meeting on May 29. Take a look at the Draft OCC Budget 2009-2010 School Year posted on the website and consult the "Notes" column -- that will tell you the budget lines that have no proposals submitted, so there might already be money budgeted for a project you have in mind. Those proposals will move most easily through the approval process. But we will be accepting proposals every kind of proposal, so submit them in the next two months.
We will be making decisions to fund proposals (or recommend that the community consider them at the May 29th meeting to approve the final budget) based on how well they express the mission of the school. (The mission is stated at the beginning of this and every Weekly Bulletin). In your proposal, please give us as many specifics as you can about your project (estimated cost, a dollar amount; approximate number of volunteer hours needed; how it carries out the mission of the school; who will be responsible for the project).
If you have any questions about the budget process in general, consult the web site or the school bulletin boards for an exhaustive description. If you have questions, submit them via email to denisehsenecal@gmail, in Spanish or in English, with "budget question" in the subject line; on paper, submit your questions, again in Spanish or in English, to OCC Secretary Phoebe Schlanger's mailbox slot at the Oyster campus.
Thanks again for your support,
Maribel Jimeno, OCC Co-Chair
Claire Taylor, OCC Co-Chair
LSRT UPDATE
MIDDLE SCHOOL/INTERMEDIATE CAMPUS UPDATE
The students from Spain have returned home after a wonderful two week stay with Oyster-Adams families. The students spent time getting to know our city, our students, language, and culture. For many of the students it was the first time they were exposed to native English speakers and had the opportunity to form relationships with people of different racial and socioeconomic groups. Highlights of their stay included a field trip to the Capitol with our 5th graders, a soccer match with our 6th graders, reading and sharing time with our pre-k and kindergarteners, a play at the Lincoln Theater, many visits to Smithsonian museums, a Wizards game, and a pot luck dinner with host families at Mrs. Liang- Aguirre's home.
The most important part of the exchange, however, was the lasting friendships that were made between the Spanish students and our own Oyster- Adams students. We look forward to hearing about the adventures from the fourteen 7th and 8th graders that will be traveling to Bilbao, Spain, in May.
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Week of March 30, 2009
DC CAS Countdown: 12 School Days To Go!
Monday
AM
8:40 a.m.
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Got-A-Book Campaign (primary campus)
Monday
PM
3:30
pm-
4th,
5th and 6th Grade Reading Tutorials (Mr. Dixon, Ms. Roling, Mr. Petersen)
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6th
Grade Math Tutoring (Ms. Redd)
Tuesday
AM
8:40 a.m.
-
Got-A-Book Campaign (primary campus)
Tuesday
PM
3:30
pm
-
4th
Grade Spanish Tutoring (Sra. Reyes & Sr. Alfonso)
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5th
Grade Reading Tutorial (Ms. Roling/Lemus)
-
5th
Grade Math Tutoring (Ms. Hainer)
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6th
Grade Math Tutoring (Ms. Redd)
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Middle
School CityDance (Room 309)
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Aqua
= Paz (Mr. Hoeksma's room)
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Cross-Campus
Ultimate Frisbee for 3rd & 4th graders (Mr. Golland)
Wednesday
AM
8:10
a.m.
-
4th
Grade Reading Tutorial (Ms. Fuller)
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Student council announcements (primary campus)
3:30
pm
-
4th
Grade Math Tutoring (Sr. Bustios)
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5th
Grade Math Tutoring (Ms. Hainer)
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Middle
School Digital Yearbook (Computer Lab)
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4th
& 5th grade Girls on the Run (Adams
cafeteria)
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Hoop
Ed for grades K-3 (primary campus gym)
Thursday
AM
8:40 a.m.
-
Got-A-Book Campaign (primary campus)
3:30
pm
-
3rd
grade Girls on the Run (meet in the Oyster cafeteria)
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4th
Grade Spanish Tutoring (Sra. Reyes & Sr. Alfonso)
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Middle
School Girls on the Run (meet in the Adams
cafeteria)
-
Drama
in Spanish (primary campus)
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Hoop
Ed for grades K-3 (primary campus gym)
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4th/5th
grade girls basketball practice (Adams gym)
8:40 a.m.
-
Got-A-Book Campaign (primary campus)
12:15 p.m.
- 1/2
Day: Students dismissed at 12:15 p.m. No after-school clubs.
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Family
Zumba with Ms. Villegas (at the primary campus for K-8 students and their
parents)
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AFTER-SCHOOL
PROGRAM NEWS
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OCA
[NO NEWS THIS WEEK]
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OYSTER-ADAMS BILINGUAL SCHOOL
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Monica Liang Aguirre, Principal
Ibis Villegas, Assistant Principal
Sandi Baer, Intermediate Campus Coordinator
Oyster Campus (PreK - 3rd Grade)
2801 Calvert Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 202/671-3111
Fax: 202/671-3087
Adams Campus (4th - 8th Grades)
2020 19th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Tel. 202/673-7311
Fax. 202/673-6500
__________________________
Email: contactus@oysterbilingualschool.org
Website:
http://oysterbilingual.devis.com/AboutUs/
__________________________
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