OGMS News

Keeping you in the Loop at Orange Grove Save the date for our first Dine-Out What can be better than not having to make dinner after a long day?   Not having to make dinner and helping your school!   Papa John’s Sunrise/Kolb, Wed Sept 21 st 20% back all day long on all orders. No flyer needed. They will deliver out of area but you must call 299-3232 to place your order. 100% Participation for 100% of the Students If you attended Pick Up and Unpack or Back to School Night, you are familiar with the Panther Pride Direct Giving Campaign.   We like to focus on participation in this fundraising effort because every donation counts whether is $5 or $500, and it all stays at Orange Grove to benefit all our students and teachers. Thus far we behind on our goal, but it isn’t too late to make a donation!   If you would like to contribute any dollar amount look for the orange envelopes in the office, contact Linda Gee at lsgee@comcast.net or click on the foll...

It was a pleasure meeting so many parents at Open House. I hope that you found the “lunchtime” presentation valuable on how to use teacher websites and ParentVUE. If you were unable to attend the presentation, I have updated the OGMS Technology Tips page to include the presentation. I have also included the link to the survey asking you to let us know how we are doing communicating with you regarding your student’s grades, assignments, and connecting with teachers. Finally, if you need support with activating ParentVUE, login issues, or other questions about using OGMS technology, don’t hesitate to email solson@cfsd16.org or leave a message at the Tech Helpdesk, 520-209-8295. For more immediate assistance, email is the best contact method. Please remember to take the survey and let us know how we are doing. Sincerely, Stephanie Olson Your OGMS CTI

Counselor’s Corner    September Edition September’s theme is “Aspirations.”   Students and staff will have celebrated “College Colors” this past week, making it a perfect opportunity for your child to begin thinking about his/her own future college goals.   Middle School is the appropriate time to begin talking with your child about their long-range goals and aspirations. Investing in meaningful conversations early in the year will pay off in positive dividends as they go through the ups and downs of the school year.   When speaking with your child, you may want to include the following talking points: “What academic and personal goals have you set for yourself this year?” “How will these goals help you prepare for high school and college?” “What thoughts/dreams do you have for your future self?” We are always here to offer support and guidance to your child.   Please contact us should you need anything.   We look forw...

Each month our newsletter highlights a different department at OGMS.  Our hope is to provide you with an overview of what is happening in classes within the various departments or just provide gentle reminders on ways to help students have success.  This month we spotlight our specialists: PE/Health - The year in our Physical Education/Health classes, we have gotten off to a great start as students have settled into the routines of our work. Most of the students are showcasing responsible behaviors in a number of ways. Mrs. Atkins, Mrs. Brandhuber, Mr. Collinsworth and Mr. Souza have been impressed with the work-ethic, positive behaviors, and high levels of mental-engagement shown by the students this year.  PE uniforms are generally being taken home for laundering weekly--and most kids have established a system that ensures that the uniforms are back on campus for class. A common strategy used by the students is to bring the uniform  on Monday ...

Parking is still challenging and we continue to encourage you to drive slowly, watch for children crossing and walking behind cars as you pull in and out of the front lot. Remember, safety is our number one priority. Thank you all for your patience as you let cars turn into the school before you exit the school onto Orange Grove.   Try exiting to the right and you will move out of our lot much faster than turning left onto Orange Grove. Thank you for not dropping your children off in the bus bay and respecting that the bus bay is for buses only.     Thank you for slowing down in the parking lot and staying on the inside lane to drop your children off in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon, and of course...  Thank you for your sense of humor as you pull all the way forward hoping your child won’t miss you as he/she leaves the school in the afternoon.   Our parking lot still isn’t perfect, but you have all helped to make sure that...

Does your child need homework help? Is your child falling behind in a subject? Are you feeling like you aren’t sure what to do to guide your child? Below are several resources to remind your child to tap: There is help both lunch periods from an adult and peers, in what we call the Panther Den. So, remind your child to bring his/her lunch to the ‘Panther Den’ room 301 for help. Have your child attend academic assistance on late start Wednesdays starting at 8:55 in all classrooms across campus. Have your child attend Zeros Aren’t Permitted (ZAP).   This program was created to support students who need time to catch up because they were absent or need extra help with classes.   This space is staffed with four adults and peer tutors and is open at 7:30 on a late start.   Your child may be invited to this learning opportunity or you can talk to your counselor about getting this support for your child. Speaking of counselors, o...

Important Dates for September: Check the OGMS website for game schedules Sept. 5 th              No School - Labor Day Sept. 7 th             No Late Start - School starts at 7:30 Sept. 9 th             Check ParentVUE for your child’s current mid-                                  quarter progress report Sept. 22 nd          FFO meeting 8:30 a.m. in OGMS Library Sept. 30 th           CFSD Foundation Taste Sensation for Education at Hacienda del Sol 6pm

B efore we know it, conferences will be here. At OGMS we want our students to be able to reflect on their learning, set goals for improvement, and learn how to construct support for the work they select as their portfolio pieces.  We ask our students to discuss how they will continue to grow and learn as well as what they have learned about themselves. Helping our students take ownership for their learning is key and we believe, one of the most powerful ways to help students take ownership for their work ethic and achievement. However, we recognize parents have a need to be able to talk to teachers and often feel uncomfortable emailing staff, so we run two types of conferences at OGMS. In the fall, we run a modified conference schedule. Parents sign up to speak to a teacher during conferences. Each teacher will have 10 minute slots to support a meeting with you and your child. It is critical to involve your child in this conference because parents and teachers ...

Last month we provided tips on helping your child have a successful start to their day, this month we wanted to review our attendance policy as found in the student handbook/planner. Regular attendance at Orange Grove Middle School is expected for successful completion of our rigorous curriculum.   Parents and guardians are charged by law with responsibility for the student’s consistent school attendance. For purposes of safety, parents are asked to call the school or the attendance line by  8:00 a.m . ( 10:00 am  on late start) if   a student is going to be absent from school, regardless of the reason.  Any students absent without permission will be unexcused for the day and the absence will not be excused without a written note from the parents or a doctor. The attendance line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 209-8290.    Please notify the front office staff in advance of planned absences.   Verification of medically e...

To learn about how your child is doing, remember to use the link on our website to go to ParentVUE. If you need password help, please contact Stephanie Olson at solson@cfsd16.org or 209-8218. You can also get to our Teacher Websites from the OGMS website to get assignment and homework information.    cfsd16.org/schools/orangegrove  

I am excited for our new school year to begin.  It will be wonderful to have students back on campus.  A special welcome to our new sixth grade families from Manzanita, Sunrise Drive and other elementary schools!   The staff at Orange Grove Middle School extends a warm welcome to all new and returning families. Please contact us if we can do anything to support a smooth transition into the school year for your child. At Orange Grove Middle School, we receive students who have been prepared at the elementary level, and in turn, we prepare them to transition smoothly to the high school level.   This preparedness begins on day one as we begin to help students gain a sense of belonging and we help our young adolescents develop ownership for their learning.   Taking ownership for one’s learning is David Conley and his research team’s work.   Teachers and staff will model and express the importance of what it is to be persistent, self-aware, seek help and ...

Dr. Julie Nikolas, Assistant Principal - I am excited to be a part of CFSD! I choose to serve in education because I believe the mind is beautiful & I love helping others. I grew up in South Dakota & earned my professional degrees in Educational Leadership from the University of South Dakota. I completed undergraduate degrees at Northern State University in elementary/middle school education and K-12 Music Education. This year I am blessed to serve as the Assistant Principal at OGMS and as a Learning Support Specialist for the District. I dedicated my professional life to 22+ years classroom teaching and 15+ years leadership, supervision, human resources, and training & development. I love learning. I am a widow but have a wonderfully supportive and fun family with two children enrolled in college. I love to inspire others to optimal performance and build healthy relationships, utilizing creative problem-solving solutions, while being attentive to detail. I look forward ...

Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year! We are excited to be joining you again as your counseling team here at OGMS. Caryl Altman is the 7th and 8th grade counselor and Mary Brannen is the 6th grade counselor. Together, we will be available for your questions/concerns or any way we can support you. Mrs. Altman is on campus Mon-Friday and Mrs. Brannen will be on campus Wed-Friday. Please see our website for more information on how to contact us and resources available. https://sites.google.com/a/cfsd16.org/ogms-counselors/ We look forward to a fantastic school year!

Keeping you in the Loop at Orange Grove I’m sure you will all agree that the summer flew by! Ready or not, here we go!   It is a busy time for everyone and I hope you and your student will transition back to school smoothly.    I’d like to say thank you to all the wonderful volunteers that have helped to make our Pick Up and Unpack days run smoothly.   We couldn’t have done it without you! For those of you new to OGMS, welcome!   As a parent at Orange Grove, you are already a member of our Family Faculty Organization (FFO) , and we invite you to learn more about our group by attending the first meeting of the school year on August 26 th at 8:30 a.m. in the school library.   We realize that it isn’t possible for everyone to make these meetings, especially working parents, but it isn’t the only way for you to find out about what’s going on at school.   The FFO has a website where you can learn about our fundraisers, the various opportunities ...

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