April
2017
BOBCAT BEAT 
A Monthly PTA Publication 
A Message from the Principal  
By Dr. April Williams
Principal of Oak Forest Elementary School  

Dear OFE Families,
 
Happy Spring! I am excited about the last few weeks of the school year. Students are well on their way to advancing their learning. I can see so much growth in them as I look back at the beginning of the year to now. March brought us some wonderful things, including the celebration of Dr. Seuss, our phenomenal Auction, an Arts in Schools performance from the University of Houston and, of course, Spring Break! Genius Hour has really come to fruition this year and I couldn't be happier. Be sure to ask your kiddo about it and reach out to your teacher to join in the fun!
 
As w e enter the last seven weeks of school, I would like to thank our parents, staff and community for their 
unconditional continued support of student learning. Keep in mind that teaching and learning will happen right u p until the last  day of school. I appreciate your efforts in ensuring your students are here every day at 10  a.m. for attendance. It is equally important that they enjoy a full day of school with their peers. Please refrain from picking up your students early from school on a consistent basis. As always, every once in a while is understandable.  
 
Please join us on April 20 at 8:15 a.m. in the Library for a parent meeting with an FBI agent about online safety.
 
All the best,
Dr. Williams

Attendance Counts! To date, we have lost $63,147.92 due to absent students. This money could pay for an additional teacher, classroom libraries, more field trip experiences for our students, more technology and so much more!


Importan t April Dates to Remember

April 12 - Spirit Night at Pink's Pizza on Shepherd, 5-9 p.m.
April 14 - Spring Holiday (no school)
April 17-21 - Spring Book Fair
April 20 - Parent Meeting - Online Safety, Library, 8:15 a.m.
April 20 - PTA Association Meeting (Elections), 6:30 p.m.
April 21 - Muffin Man Mornin', 7 a.m.
April 28 - Kona Ice Truck
April 28 - OFE Spring Musical, Willy Wonka Junior, 6 p.m.
Apr il 29 - OFE Spring Musical,  Willy Wonka Junior 4:30 p.m. 
Putting on the Ritz: 2017 PTA Auction
By Ruth Mendez and Courtney Zavala - PTA Auction Chairs
auction@oakforestpta.com
  
The 2017 OFE Auction was a tremendous fundraising success.  Thanks to the generous donations and purchases received prior to and during the 2017 OFE Auction. Preliminary numbers indicate that we were able to raise over $110,000.  

A heartfelt thanks to:
  • Dr. Williams, OFE teachers and staff
  • OFE Auction Committee members who worked tirelessly to support all of the efforts required to make the auction a success:
Beth Bernal, Nikki Brewer, Jade Brooker, Amy Cao, Jodi Berger Cardoso, Colleen Cockrum, Candice Croker, Kara D'Agostino, Jill Davis, Brenda De La Vega, Betsy Denson, Yanira Dudley, Jennifer Gallun,  Jennifer Kruppa, Marysia Norris, Julie Osterman, Brooke Persyn, Bobbi Porter, Suzanne Ragsdale, Melissa Santiago, Laura Spiller, Wendy Taylor, Laura Tilley, Stephanie Van Walleghem, Theresa Velasquez & Emily Zihlman
  • Our volunteers, which included OFE parents and four volunteers from Durham Elementary PTA
  • The following business and family sponsors of this event: 
Dinner
Adolf Hoepfl Garage
El Tapatio

Ritzy
Mathnasium
Liberty Kitchen

Charleston
Fieldhouse, Hargis, Leffler, Rodrigues and Yoburn Families 
United Healthcare
Logistics Group International
Ana Needham

Prohibition
Frey-Brinker, Kennedy, Roach, Scogin and Wallace families
Atkinson, Rathke, Gipson, D'Agostino and Maddox families
Brooker, Caldwell, Clark, Dwyer and Peterson families
Benesch, Cockrum, Persyn, Norris and Malveaux familes
Bernal, D'Souza, Lam, Nguyen and O'Connor families
Chavez, Diedericks, Holoubek, Horvath, Pratt, Grayum, Vance and Zihlman families
Autry, Brewer, Kirklin, Marsh and Sykes families
Dahlmeier, Jacobs, Marrow, Tilley and Velasquez families
The Mendez Family
IndyQuest Properties
HPOU
AAA Blast-Cote
The Powis Firm
The Law Offices of Guerra & Farah PLLC
Comeaux, Dudley, Solak, Schoene and Torregrossa familes 

Flapper
Braun, Hampton, Huwar and Paschall families
The Weiss Family
The Lisewsky, Denson, Reed and Griffith families
The Bowman, Ragsdale, Mear, Shields and Majewski families
The Mitchell, Erwin, Salinas, Williams and Murphy families
Opportune LLP
Ryden Architecture
Blank Rome LLP

Bees Knees
JAGS Corner Store/Jennifer Scogin Design
Sherwin Williams
After 3
Resource One
Campos Roofing
RobRyan Custom Builders
Climax Lubricants

Bees Knees (cont.)
The YMCA
Stanco Home Improvements
The Gallun and Toner Families
The Park, Ferguson and Stuart families

Baby Grand
Southern Star Finishes
Body Rock
Braun Enterprises

In Kind
Shorty Yeaman
Kilted DJs
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Kroger
Kat Creech Events
CrowBar
Lot Five Studios
HouSalsa
Whataburger
Chic-Fil-A
Houston Panini and Provisions


    L to R: Auction Chairs Ruth Torres and Courtney  
    Zavala with Second Vice President Kara D'Agostino

Don't Miss the Spring "Happy Camper" Book Fair
By Cara Ramelow and Selena Crochet - PTA Book Fair Chairs
bookfair@oakforestpta.com

Oak Forest Elementary Library
April 17-21
 
Monday - Wednesday: 7:45am to 4pm
Thursday: 7:45am to 7:45pm (open late for PTA meeting!)
Friday: 7:30am to 12:00pm (open early for Muffin Man Morning!)

Healthy Kids Warming Up for Triathlon on May 20-21
By Kathleen Orr and Robin Day - PTA Healthy Kid Chairs
healthykid@oakforestpta.com

The Triathlon team is just over 170 participants! Way to go, TEAM OFE!  Keep the signups coming so you can join in on the fun. Register now  and be sure to put "Team Oak Forest" as your child's team name/organization. Once registered, send an email to healthykid2@oakforestpta.com so we know you're on the team. You will then be added to frequent emails about training information. Training has been underway since the week after spring break.  
 
Are you looking for a new chicken recipe? The Kruppa family loves this easy go-to recipe on a busy night. 
                                             
Best Chicken Drumsticks Ever

Ingredients
Raw chicken drumsticks (
I've done between 5 and 10 at a time. )
Olive oil or coconut oil 
(I use this organic coconut oil)
Salt

Black pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
Cinnamon  (Trust me!! It's awesome!!! Do not skip the cinnamon!)
Cayenne pepper 
(optional)
Parchment paper
Cookie sheet

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Take the chicken out and lay it on the sheet so none are touching. Coat the chicken either with olive oil or coconut oil, and then sprinkle evenly with all seasonings, being sure to start with salt.  Bake for 30 minutes. Turn them over. Bake for another 30 minutes. Bask in the awesomeness that is this chicken. 

This recipe was taken from everclevermom.com.
 
Do you have a healthy recipe you'd like to share? We need more!  Please send them healthykid@oakforestpta.com.


Sugar Land Skeeters Spirit Night
By Kara D'Agostino - PTA Second Vice President 
secondvp@oakforestpta.com

It's Oak Forest Elementary Night at the Sugar Land Skeeters vs. Lancaster Barnstormers game on  Saturday, May 13, at 6:05 p.m.  Tickets are $12.50 each (including a $0.50 online processing fee), and $4 from every ticket will go back to support Oak Forest Elementary.  Come out early to see your Oak Forest Elementary choir perform the National Anthem.

To purchase tickets, visit www.oakforestpta.com.


PALS Corner
By Jennifer Brown - School Counselor
jbrown32@houstonisd.org

Social Media Safety Awareness Week is April 17-21.
 
The PALS will have internet and social media safety tips for all students on the morning announcements. Every student will also receive a bracelet to wear all week and a pledge card to stop and think before getting online or using social media.
 
On Thursday, April 20, FBI Agent Morrison will visit our campus to talk with parents as well as fourth and fifth grade students about internet and social media safety. The parent presentation will be at 8:15 a.m. in the multipurpose room. All OFE parents are invited to attend the presentation. The student assembly will follow at 9:15 a.m. 
 
On Friday, April 21, we will have a leadership assembly for the PreK through 3rd graders. Dogs of Character will visit our campus with a presentation for our students on being a leader and keeping yourself and others safe. For more information visit www.dogsofcharacter.com.
 
Questions?  Email your school counselor at jbrown32@houstonisd.org .


 
Remember to use  Amazon Smile  when you make your online purchases - especially for your summer pool toys and birthday gifts! When you select Oak Forest Elementary as your organization of choice, a portion of your purchase comes back to our school. 

February & March Teachers of the Week


Mrs. Brown
School Counselor

Congratulations to Ms. Brown, our staff member of the week. Ms. Brown empowers her fifth grade PALS team by providing leadership opportunities at OFE and beyond, and also treating them with the empathy, respect and motivation that they are encouraged to share with others. Her calm and caring demeanor makes her office a safe haven for students of all grades and backgrounds to confide, heal and grow. Team OFE is lucky to have her.

Mrs. Gildersleeve
SLC

Congratulations to our teacher of the week, Mrs. Gildersleeve. Mrs. Gildersleeve has gone above and beyond with empowering her students. She put on an outstanding play with her students and the students in the PSI classroom. All had a unique role in the play and enjoyed acting out their part. Thank you Mrs. Gildersleeve for all you do to support students with exceptionalities across our campus. Keep up the great work!

Mr. Church
4th Grade

Mr. Church is our teacher of the week. He is an exceptional example to his students of the EMPOWER values. He uses humor throughout the day to motivate his students and inspire a love for mathematics. Mr. Church encourages effort and motivation in his students when they are faced with challenging academic tasks by setting expectations for each individual student. Students persevere to achieve whatever goals they set for themselves because Mr. Church instills the expectation that they will succeed. Congratulations, Mr. Church!

Mrs. Bagby
3rd Grade

Mrs. Bagby is our teacher of the week. Mrs. Bagby is our math department lead teacher. She is constantly finding ways to make math every Bobcat's favorite subject. She does this by having students create math projects to demonstrate their math genius and finding innovative ways for students to interact with math technology programs. Mrs. Bagby sees a math problem in everything and teaches her students to do the same.  
 
Mrs. Meaux
1st Grade

Congratulations to our teacher of the week, Mrs. Meaux. Mrs. Meaux's bright smile and warm demeanor goes a long way at putting anyone around her at ease. She is excited about seeing and teaching her students each and every day. One parent shared that Mrs. Meaux is amazing, and we couldn't agree more! Team OFE is lucky to have her. Congratulations again, Mrs. Meaux.

Mrs. Rogers
5th Grade

Congratulations to our teacher of the week, Mrs. Rogers. She goes above and beyond to EMPOWER her students to think outside the box and challenge their peers to do the same. Her students stated that she deserved to be teacher of the week because "she is awesome" and "so funny." Team OFE is lucky to have her! Congratulations again, Mrs. Rogers. 

Be sure to congratulate these amazing Teachers of the Week! 




OFE Volunteer Spotlight: Nell Baham
Nell Baham with 1st grader Emma Dazey
By Julie Osterman - PTA Third Vice President
thirdvp@oakforestpta.com 

Oak Forest Elementary is known for its amazing teachers and staff, but did you know there are a handful of volunteers (non-PTA and non-family) who come into our school to make a difference in the lives of our students just because they love children and our school?  One such special OFE volunteer is Nell Baham, a retired teacher with 54 years of experience. If you have ever been in OFE's hall in the 2 o'clock hour, you have likely encountered Mrs. Baham on her way to volunteer in a classroom or tutor students after school. You would know it's her because of her warm smile and vivacious welcome to everyone she meets along the way. 

I learned a couple months into this school year that Mrs. Baham was visiting my daughter's class (Mrs. Meaux) every Tuesday and Thursday to "read to the class." I have had the sincere pleasure of observing Mrs. Baham work her magic several times and know that her lessons go far beyond the words on the page. On one particular day, she was reading Charlotte's Web and every first grader was enthralled with not only the story, but with her engaging activities, like acting out the story and talking about the class being Mrs. Meaux's "litter." I couldn't help but giggle, but was acutely aware that they were  exploring literary devices without even knowing it! 

I asked Mrs. Baham to share with OFE parents a little more about herself and her passion for volunteering at Oak Forest Elementary. 

Tell us about your teaching career. 
As a youngster I imagined that I would some day be a teacher and work with young children. I actually had my first Sunday School class when I was a mere 15 years old. My love for learning and teaching has  continued to grow and I still love it as much today, after 54 years of experience, as I did the first day I stepped into a classroom as a young teacher. My ability to teach did not all stem from what I learned from textbooks and great professors. I have always had a special love for children and feel that God has blessed me with the talent of being able to teach children in a positive manner. 

Mrs. Baham leads Mrs. Meaux class in a fun activity.
How were you led to volunteer at OFE?
The University of Houston invited me to work there with seniors who were entering the field of education. It was through that experience that I was able to work closely with schools in this area and throughout the district. I am proud to say that some of my finest UH students are now Bobcat teachers, as well as at Sinclair, Durham and Garden Oaks.

How long have you been volunteering here? 
Through the past 18 years that I have been a college professor I have had opportunities to volunteer in Mrs. Brantford's class, Ms. Janish's class, Ms. Valdez's class, Mrs. Anderson's class [now retired], Mr. Church's class, Mrs. Phillips' class [now retired], and that is all I can think of right now. I also volunteer at Sinclair and Durham, where my church, St. Matthew's United Methodist, has a mentor partnership.  

And you also tutor at Oak Forest? 
I tutor all grade levels, all subjects; however, my favorite is the Language Arts/Writing geared to the state writing for fourth graders. Right now I have three students at OFE and quite a few from Texas A&M. I help them over the holidays and when they return they stay in touch.  My proudest product is a young man that was a student at St. Ambrose and I started working with him when he was a third grader.  Some of the teachers he had from St. Ambrose to St. Pius said he was not college material. Long story short...he just graduated from  Texas A&M at midterm with a degree in Construction Management.

 Do you have a favorite children's book or activity that you share with the kids?
Mrs. Meaux and I love what I do with chapter books in first grade. Who says it can't be done? Two of our very favorites are  The Courage of 
Mrs. Baham with Mrs. Meaux's class
Sarah Noble  and Charlotte's Web. Those two books are great, one based on a real little girl who has a lot of courage and the other about a very special friendship between a little girl, a pig and a spider (hence, teaching the main idea). Those books lend themselves to so many skills and great activities.  

I hear that you are also an active volunteer at your church.
I came to Houston to live with my brothers and to attend the University of Houston to finish my education. I was a Junior and only 18.
I have always been a churchgoer, so it didn't take me long to gather up all the children on Sikes Street and head to St. Matthew's United Methodist Church. Hence, many decades later I am still quite active there.  My husband and I were married there in 1957. We were the third couple to be married in the new and present sanctuary...  My son says the only thing I don't do there is preach! 
 
Do you have anything else to share? 
I have had such a blessed life and was happily married to Ronnie for 43 years before his untimely death in 2000.  I have two children, a daughter and a son (an administrator in HISD and a lawyer).  I have one grandchild that I absolutely adore. He is a TCU graduate and has a great job as a Senior Financial Analyst Supervisor. His name is Trevor. He fondly calls me Grand Nell, as all his friends do.  I am active in my neighbor hood and community, especially church.  I am also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma International, a key teacher's organization. I am currently president. We do many good things for teachers. In fact, Ms. Blanco's daughter, Veronica, who was one of my students at UH, just won our yearly award, Outstanding Young Educator. I have won many teaching awards over the years, but the one I am most proud of is the Outstanding Teacher of Texas History award. 

 
OFE PTA Member Spotlight: The Massarweh Family 
By Jennifer Solak - PTA Newsletter Assistant Chair
newsletter2@oakforestpta.com 

Lori and Nader Massarweh have a son, Cole, who is a first grader at Oak Forest Elementary. Nader is originally from San Francisco, but the couple met and married in Lori's hometown of New Orleans where Nader attended medical school. They subsequently moved to Seattle, where Cole was born, and eventually relocated to Houston for Nader to complete a medical residency. After deciding to make Houston their permanent home, the Massarwehs researched many neighborhoods and chose to live in Oak Forest specifically for Oak Forest Elementary. Cole's education has always been a priority for them and OFE met all the requirements they sought in a school. Since becoming a Bobcat, Cole has enjoyed many things about the school, but his favorite is the people, especially Ms. Brantford and his friends. When he's not in school, Cole also loves spending time with his friends, and playing soccer, baseball or video games.  
 
As OFE parents, Lori and Nader are extremely grateful for the "amazing teachers and attentive staff," noting that "their hard work and dedication have helped Cole grow in every way." The Massarwehs chose to join the PTA because of the importance that parental involvement plays in the public school system. They appreciate that our PTA works to continually educate families and encourage their involvement. "These aspects help to make a good school great," explained Lori. "OFE is already better than GREAT!" 

If you would like to join the Massarweh family in the PTA, you can become a member and find ways to volunteer your time and talents at  www.oakforestpta.com.   




Box Tops for Education 
By Joan Dwyer and Beth Caldwell - Box Tops Committee Chairs
boxtops@oakforestpta.com
  
In February and March, the Box Tops kept coming! In March, our 5th grade PALS helped count. A very special thank you to Jenn Brown (PALS sponsor) and the five students who helped. They quickly counted and recorded the submissions.
 
February was a short month but we still had 43 students submit over 1,100 Box Tops. Ava Trevino submitted 100, and Hunter Shunka beat everyone in March with 204 submitted. Way to go, Ava and Hunter!
 
The classroom lead for the ice cream party remains Mrs. Campbell with Mrs. Llamo in second by only 200 submissions.
 
We received an email from a very polite second grader asking why we no longer give toys for every submission. We explained our limited resources (time and money) and then felt guilty... So for the rest of this school year, we will have four ice cream winners each month!
 
The February ice cream winners are Kelly Vasquez (Meaux), Sarah Cruser (Toal), Juliana Woolbridge (Bagby) and Antonio Tomp (Graeve).
 
The March ice cream winners are George Velasquez (Robinson), Hunter Shunka (Herold), Kinley Faulk (Austin) and Marcina Thompson (Church).
 
Congratulations, and thank you to all the parents for taking the time to support our PTA.

Thank you to the following February and March donors:
 
Isabella Aceves
Jaden Anthony
Rudy Arroyo
Sophia Braun
Kirin Bunge
Sofia Buss
Daniela Bustamante
Sabine Cao
Jaxon Cheshire
Sarah Cruser
Gabriel Cruz
Gianna Cruz
Kole J D'Agostino
Carolyn D'Souza
Cecilia D'Souza
Dylan Dunlap
James Ekelmans
Evan Erftmier
Kinley Faulk
Sienna Garcia
Sophia Guerrero
Savannah Horvath
Tyler Horvath
Noah Hunt Cantu
Claire Jacobs
Taylor Jacobs
Renata Juarez
Isaac Keske
Olivia Lowe
Evan Malkowsky
Elijah Malveaux
Hailey Marrow
Carys McCracken
Carter Neil-Dobbs
Zoe Pisio
Blaise Rabo
Lisa Rodriguez
Klaudia Rogers
Alexis Saha
Austin Scogin
Marlowe Shields
Hunter Shunka
Isabella Smalley
Lucia Thomas
Marcina Thompson
Travis Tilley
Aden  Tinoco
Antonio C III Tomp
Nicole Tomp
Ava Trevino
Kelly Vasquez
Gia Velasquez
George Velasquez
Christopher Williams
Vincent Williams
Camryn Winfield
Juliana Wooldridge
Lucas Wooldridge
Evelyn Zamora


Box Top submissions can be turned into your teacher, or you can drop them in the blue basket located by the bench in the school office foyer. It is helpful to submit your box tops in groups of 10 in a Ziplock bag or envelope for easy counting by our volunteers. Don't forget to put your student's full name and teacher on the bag or envelope so he or she can be entered in the drawing. 

 
OFE

Box Tops for 
Education
"Ten to Win" 
Raffle Ticket 


Just attach 10 to be added to our monthly drawings Hint: Box tops can be placed in a ziplock bag or envelope and stapled to the form. 

Student's name: ___________________


Home Room Teacher Name:__________________________

Pod:____________        

Grade:_____


Entry Date:__________________

 Available for OFE Box Tops Raffle