April 9: Principal's Coffee (Adams)

April 10: PK and Kinder Orientation for NEW students (for 2010-2011)

April 17: AUCTION

April 19-30: DC-CAS (3rd-8th grade)

Spring Pictures and Class pictures will take place on Thursday, March 25th. Order forms are going home today. Please send order forms and payment with you child by Thursday.

Security. We have begun implementing tighter systems at the Primary Campus this week for late students and security. Do you believe that we had 58 students arrive after 8:45AM just on Thursday? (Our Kindergarten and 1st grades are having the most difficult time arriving on time. In comparison, we only have about 10 students who arrive late at the Intermediate Campus on a daily basis). Late arrivals are disruptive to the classroom-please work with us to have your child arrive by 8:40 at the latest.

We are also keeping the front door locked during non-peak hours to ensure the safety of our school community. Please ring the doorbell for access to the building and don't forget to sign in at the front office.

OA in El Pregonero. The Spanish language newspaper, El Pregonero, had a feature article on Oyster-Adams last week. Highlighting some of our 5th grade students, the article discusses the benefits of a bilingual education and why so many families are committed to having their children grow up speaking two languages. If you don't read Spanish, have your child read the article to you! http://www.elpreg.org/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=3868&SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&S=1

Workshop for Parents! Computer safety for families. Come and learn ways to chat with your kids about being On-Line. Learn about:�Blogs, facebook/twitter, chat rooms, hacking, privacy setting and more. March 23rd, 2009,6:00 p.m. Location: Tubman Elementary School3101 13th St, NW. For more information please call (202) 673-2028

Oyster-Adams' new parent program, PESA (Parent Expectations for Student Achievement), began on Saturday with a pilot program conducted in Spanish. Eighteen parents are participating in this six-week course. Thanks to kindergarten teacher, Magdalena Saavedra and 5th grade parent, Martha Sanchez for serving as co-facilitators. If you would like more information on the program, please contact Assistant Principal, Karen Lesmez.

Save the Date!

De-Dos Spanish Language Camp for grades K-5 will be held at Oyster Primary Campus, July 6-July 30th.

Middle School Science Fair:

Congratulations to all students who participated in this year's Middle School Science Fair! You are all winners!! Special thanks to our Science teachers, Mr. Hoeksema and Sr. Ames, for their work in making this year's science fair another great success. Students, again, outdid themselves and produced very impressive exhibits. Also, many thanks to the volunteers--especially our wonderful parent leader Margaret Ernst-for making this possible. The Science Fair is truly a community collaboration. Let's wish the best to students who will go on to the city-wide fair on March 27!

And the winner are:

Behavior and Social Sciences

1st Place / Primer lugar - Stephanie Guzm�n (qualified for city wide / calific� para la feria de D.C.)
HM/ Menci�n Honorable- Alaitz Ruiz (qualifief for city wide) & Marguerite Harris (qualified for city wide / calific� para la feria de D.C.)

Life Sciences

1st Place / Primer lugar - Anthony Rosa (qualified for city wide / calific� para la feria de D.C.)
HM / Menci�n Honorable - Abigail Castillo

Engineering Science

1st Place / Primer lugar - Aren Sahakyan and Veljan Mitrovski (qualified for city wide / calificaron para la feria de D.C.)
HM / Menci�n Honorable- Danyel Tharakan (qualified for city wide/ calific� para la feria de D.C.)

Medicine and Health Science

1st Place / Primer lugar - Patrick McGovern (qualified for city wide / calific� para la feria de D.C.)
HM / Menci�n Honorable- Charity Aschenbrener and Jesly Alvarez

Consumer Sciences

1st Place / Primer lugar- Ariana Paredes-Vincent and Delphine Uriburu-Wilder (qualified for city wide / calific� para la feria de D.C.
HM / Menci�n Honorable - Joseline Mejicanos and Sophia Claman and Ben Topa (qualified for city wide / calificaron para la feria de D.C.)

Physical Sciences

1st Place / Primer lugar - Matthew Jenney (qualified for city wide / calific� para la feria de D.C.)
HM / Menci�n Honorable- Zavier Northrup and Betsy Dennis

Animal Sciences

1st Place / Primer lugar - Ronit Schorr (qualified for city wide / calific� para la feria de D.C.)
HM / Menci�n Honorable- Allie Littleton and Celeste Williams (qualified for city wide / calificaron para la feria de D.C.)

Physics

1st Place / Primer Lugar - Otto Euller (qualified for city wide / calific� para la feria de D.C.)
HM / Menci�n Honorable- Mario Vel�squez

Earth and Environmental Science

1st Place / Primer lugar - Michael Song (qualified for city wide /calific� para la feria de D.C.)

Primary Campus Specifics

Student Leadership at Oyster Adams. This week the Primary Campus hosted a visit by a group of international guests who were interested in how we educate students at Oyster Adams Bilingual. As our visitors toured around the school led by Student Council representatives, I was impressed by the gracious and efficient manner with which our Student Council led this group of visitors. Theirs was a true example of student leadership. Student leadership is a topic of great importance that merits attention because I believe it is one piece of the educational roadmap that can enhance a child's future. Student leadership does not happen by accident. Instead, student leadership happens when parents, caregivers and the school partner to inculcate skills, traits, values, habits and perspectives that are commonly valued. The following list though not exhaustive, is meant to help us all consider how we might foment leadership in our students:

Leaders have a solid foundation in basic skills
Leaders are curious about the world
Leaders have a strong work ethic
Leaders look toward others who may be older, more knowledgeable and wiser to mentor them through the rough spots in life
Leaders know and value team work
Leaders are problem solvers
Leaders consider varying points of view
Leaders believe that greater privileges bring great greater responsibilities
Leaders nurture their regard for others by being honest, fair, humble, compassionate, kind, courteous
Leaders take pride in their work
Leaders believe in themselves
Leaders go the extra mile

Leadership is a high standard bearer but we must expect nothing less of each other and of our children at Oyster Adams.

--Ibis Villegas, Assistant Principal

Intermediate Campus Specifics

Come join the Chess Club at Oyster-Adams. All 6th, 7th and 8th graders are welcome to join. Come learn the basics, strengthen your moves and compete. The Chess Club will be held in room 313 with Sr. Cardenas every Wednesday.

Bake Sale: On Friday, March 26, OCC will have a Bake Sale during dismissal time (3:15 pm) at the Intermediate Campus to raise money for the victims of the Chilean earthquake. We ask the community to collaborate by bringing dessert items (cookies, brownies, cupcakes, etc.) for us to sell. Please stop by and support this cause by purchasing an item or making a donation. The Chilean community thanks you for your support. If you have questions please be in touch with Sandra Marin (smarin202@yahoo.com) or Jackie Alvarado (alvaradojay@gmail.com).