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BOBCAT BEAT
A Monthly PTA Publication
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A Message from the Principal
By Dr. April Williams
Principal of Oak Forest Elementary School
January was a busy month as we got back into the swing of things after the holiday, and now we are already in February and last Wednesday marked our 100th day of school!
We have some fun things going on this month. In addition to our 100th day celebrations last week, we also have
Mix it Up Lunch and Healthy Kids Week, and our very own 4th grader,
Daniel Hannah-Grimley, will represent us in the district Spelling Bee later this month! Congratulations, Daniel! I know you will a great job!
I hope to see you at the next Coffee with the Principal this Friday, February 10 at 8 a.m. in the School Library, where we will discuss the topic of Mathematics. Have a fabulous February!
Dr. Williams
Attendance counts! As of Tuesday,
we have lost $46, 806.38 due to absent students.
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Important February Dates to Remember
February 10 - Coffee with the Principal, Library, 8 a.m.
February 13 - PALS' Mix It Up Lunch (no guests on campus during lunch)
February 14 - Valentine's Party Day (reach out to your Room Parent or Teacher for info)
February 16 - PTA Association Meeting, Library, 7:45 a.m.
February 20-24 - Healthy Kids Week
February 22 - Early Dismissal, 12:45 p.m.
February 23
- Papa Murphy's (mention "OFE" all day)
February 27 - Texas PTA Rally Day in Austin
March 3 - Auction, SPJST Lodge 88, 7 p.m.
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Putting on the Ritz: 2017 PTA Auction
The 2017 Silent and Live Auction will be held on Friday, March 3, 2017, at 7 p.m. at SPJST Lodge 88 (1435 Beall St.). The auction is OFE's biggest fundraiser of the year, benefiting student enrichment, leadership programs and technology enhancements, and will include dinner, live music by Breakfast at Tiffany's and is a BYOB Adult-only event!
Ways to Get Involved:
Attend the Auction
Plan to join us for an evening of fun on March 3.
You can either purchase a table with your friends or purchase a single ticket. To purchase a table, simply fill out the Sponsorship Form and return it to the office with your check to secure your table today. Purchasing single tickets or rather purchase online? Visit our auction website to purchase! Individual tickets are $40; teacher tickets are $25. Please consider sponsoring a teacher/admin ticket.
A few things to note: 1) Only one individual per table can pay for their table group. That individual will be able to list the other members at their table. Those added members would then be able to enter their credit cards to do online bidding the night of the event. 2) If you have any issues with registration, please contact [email protected]. 3) You also should have received a paper registration form (for tables only) in your child's Wednesday folder. You can also write a check for your table if you prefer, but you would also need to enter your credit card with Qtego at a later date to do online bidding the night of the event.
Donate an Item
Please consider donating an item to the auction. Remember to fill out the Auction Donation Form and send it along with any items (such as gift cards) to the front desk at school. If your donation is a large item that your student can't carry, please email us at [email protected] and we will arrange for pickup.
Host a Social
Thank you to our 2017 PTA Auction Sponsors so far:
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Coffee with the Principal & Rally Day
By Rachelle Park, LaTrice Ferguson and Candice Croker - PTA Legislative Chairs
The next Coffee with the Principal is this Friday, February 10 at 8 a.m. in the Library. The topic for discussion is Oak Forest's Math Curriculum. Dr. Williams will be available to elaborate on this topic and will entertain questions. Please plan to attend as these topics are always enlightening.
Rally Day is February 27 and it will soon be here! This school year marks the 85th Legislative session. If there are any issues that you feel strongly about regarding the Texas Public School System, then you need to make a point to attend Rally Day. You will be able to meet with your State Representatives and discuss important issues to you and your school, as well as the state's listed priorities for that legislative period. There are many pressing items in today's education system that need to be addressed. There is no better time to make your voice heard and impact the decisions being made in reference to your child's education than on February 27 in Austin, Texas.
The Legislative Priorities for this session are as follows. Please plan to attend Rally Day to address any concerns you have with these initiatives before interventions are implemented:
Support Student Success
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Healthy Kids Week: February 20-24
By Kathleen Orr and Robin Day - PTA Healthy Kid Chairs
The Healthy Kids Committee is ready for Healthy Kids Week, February 20-24! We have fun things planned for the week, but we also need pictures of our healthy Bobcats! Send a picture of your students doing something healthy, like exercising, brushing their teeth, raking the leaves--it can be anything! You may prefer to send in a healthy recipe or do both. Pictures and recipes will be showcased in the OFE atrium all during Healthy Kids Week. Send them to: [email protected].
Monday, February 20: VEGGIE DAY! Wear green! Let's eat and drink our fruits and veggies! Students may enjoy a 3 oz. sample of JuiceLand's Kale Cucumber Aqua Fresca or AppleLilly (apple, cucumber, celery, kale, spinach and parsley) before school. Thank you, JuiceLand!
Tuesday, February 21:
TRIATHLON DAY! Wear your Triathlon shirt!
The Houston Texans Kids Triathlon representative will be teaching the Bobcats all about the triathlon during their ancillary class.
Wednesday, February 22: FREE DRESS! Come join us on the blacktop from
7:20-7:40 a.m. for a "Greet the Sun Run." Let's exercise our bodies before our minds get to work!
Thursday, February 23: HYGIENE DAY! Samples of sanitizer and toothbrushes will be distributed. Thank you, Oak Forest Dental!
Friday, February 24: ANTI-BULLYING DAY!
Wear your Bobcat bully buster bracelet with pride!
Looking for some more healthy recipes? This month our recipes are shared by the Andrew Family, who like to make healthy snacks.
Ingredients:
- Yogurt (we used honey Greek Yogurt)
- Dried strawberries*
*We used freeze-dried strawberries, available in many supermarkets. You can use fresh fruit, or even nuts, or any mix-ins of your choice. I chose to use dried to keep the moisture/mushy feel and frozen texture down since the bark is frozen.
Instructions:
1. Line a flat pan (with sides) with parchment paper and spread evenly with yogurt, make sure it's not too thin so that it breaks easily. I would say about 3/8 of an inch thick is good.
2. Sprinkle with your mix-in (fruit, nuts, etc.).
3. Freeze for a few hours until completely frozen. Ours took about 4 hours for an 8" square pan, but of course it will depend on the size of your pan. Remove frozen yogurt from the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Break into pieces.
No Bake Monster Cookie Energy Bites
Ingredients:
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- ⅓ cup ground flaxseed
- 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
- 2 Tbsp. wheat germ (optional)
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- ¼ cup mini M&M's
Instructions:
1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes then roll into balls.
Keep energy bites stored in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes:
This recipe can easily be adapted to your preference. M&M's can be omitted and substituted with your favorite nut or dried fruit, etc. You can also add toasted coconut.
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Four OFE Reflections Winners Move on to State
 By Hien Reynoso - PTA Reflections Chair
Congratulations to Reflections participants Andres Carrette, Lillian Jones, Griffin Pearson and Elijah Reynoso, who received an Award of Excellence at the regional level and whose work will now move on to state competition!
- Andres Carrette, Primary, Visual Arts, The Love Story
- Lillian Jones, Intermediate, Film Production, Over the Years
- Griffin Pearson, Primary, Photography, A Short Person's View
- Elijah Reynoso, Primary, Music Composition, Music is the Best
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PALS Corner
By Jennifer Brown - School Counselor
 It's that time of year again when we mix it up during lunch, get to know someone new and make a new friend or two. The Mix It Up Lunch will be on Monday, February 13, during all lunches.
We will have a closed-campus lunch to parents and visitors on
February 13,
so that our students can fully participate in the event.
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 Got Yearbook?
By Jennifer Scogin and Pam Huwar - PTA Yearbook Chairs
Thanks again for everyone's participation in the class competition and all the classes that won awards! A special congrats to Mrs. Llamo's class with 88% of her class ordering yearbooks!
It's not too late to order your yearbooks! Click on the "got yearbook?" link on the
PTA website and order yours today!
There are still a small number of dedication ads available for purchase. Please get those ordered in the month of February. You can also design your dedication ad through the link on the
PTA website.
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New on Wednesdays After School: Goofy Fitness Club
GOOFY Fitness Club is now part of the OFE after-school enrichment options this spring! We are new on campus so we wanted to take a moment to say "howdy" and introduce ourselves. The goal of GOOFY Fitness Club is to build an appreciation for physical activity and to teach good habits to support the fact that exercise is a part of a healthy life. We encourage children of all fitness
levels to join. The program curriculum is designed to build skills through fun and engaging games/activities because exercise CAN be fun.
GOOFY Fitness club is for ages Kinder to 5th grade
Spring dates: January 23 -
May 1, 2017
Wednesdays
3:30-4:30 p.m.
GOOFY Run and Fitness Club is the youth fitness arm of
Upgrade
Your
Happy
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Remember to use
Amazon Smile
when you make your online purchases - especially this Valentine's Day. When you select Oak Forest Elementary as your organization of choice, a portion of your purchase comes back to our school. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
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January Teachers of the Week
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Ms. Soria
Second Grade
Congratulations to Ms. Soria, our teacher of the week. Ms. Soria empowers her students to take ownership of their learning. Last week her students started writing Living Tree posts based on what they are doing in their classroom. Her classroom environment is inviting, and she has passed her creativity on to her students. Team OFE is lucky to have her.
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Ms. McLaughlin
Third Grade
Ms. McLaughlin is our teacher of the week. Ms. McLaughlin is a shining example to her students of the EMPOWER values. She uses empathy and respect to address students' problems and helps them find solutions to both academic and social struggles. Students persevere to achieve whatever goals they make for themselves because Ms. McLaughlin instills the expectation that they will succeed.
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Ms. Robinson
Kindergarten
Congratulations to Ms. Robinson, our teacher of the week. Ms. Robinson goes above and beyond in creating activities that explore the diverse needs of her students. Her engaging and thoughtful lessons bring out the best in her students and they are excited to learn every day! Team OFE is lucky to have such an outstanding teacher. Congratulations again, Ms. Robinson. Keep up the great work!
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Mrs. Williams
Science
Congratulations to our teacher of the week, Mrs. Williams! Mrs. Williams goes above and beyond creating exciting Science lessons and labs that all students can enjoy and learn from. She motivates her students to be creative, innovative thinkers and scientists. She does an exceptional job and Team OFE is lucky to have her. Keep up the great
work,
Mrs. Williams!
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Super Bowl Lunch Featuring Pink's Pizza!
By Jessica Kirklin and Laura Tilley - PTA Teacher Appreciation Chairs
Pink's Pizza on Shepherd Drive
donated pizza for a Super Bowl themed lunch for our wonderful teachers
on
January 25
. The lunch was a success, and the teachers were so appreciative!
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Christina Amos has two boys, Carson, 11, and Connor, 9, who attend Oak Forest Elementary. (Little fur sister, Zoey, 3, waits impatiently for them to get home every day!) Christina was born in Fort Worth, but she has been in Houston for about 35 years. She moved to Oak Forest because she loved the area and knew that it was great for families.
When they are not at work or in school, the Amoses enjoy playing games, watching movies at home and traveling. For the Amos boys, the most exciting part of school is taking field trips with their fellow Bobcats. The future chefs also like bringing home OFE garden vegetables to cook with their mom. As an OFE parent, Christina appreciates the "village" that our school provides. "I love the way that the teachers and staff have treated my boys like they were their own children," she said. "They really care about the students being their best and learning."
Christina joined the PTA so that she could be involved and support the school, but it has also helped her meet other parents and find friends in the community.
If you would like to join the Amoses in the PTA, you can become a member and find ways to volunteer your time and talents at www.oakforestpta.com.
Christina, Carson & Connor Amos
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Box Tops for Education
By Joan Dwyer and Beth Caldwell - Box Tops Committee Chairs
Even with the holidays, you kept the Box Tops coming. In December, you donated approximately 600 Box Tops! A big thank you to Renee Dahlmeier and Shannon Benesch, who stayed to count after selling snacks during the Vanguard testing on Saturday, January 14.
January was a big month with 52 students submitting over 1,700 Box Tops. Morghan and X'Zavier Green, Christopher Guthrie, Aiden Powis-Case and Ava Trevino all submitted 100 or more. Great job!
Staying in the lead for a spring classroom ice cream party is Mrs. Campbell's class. She is followed closely by Mrs. Llamo, Mrs. Valdez and Mrs. Fisher.
The December ice cream winners were Wyatt Dudley, Kole D'Agostino and Catherine Pennington. The January winners are Christopher Guthrie, Thomas Hickman and Evelyn Zamora. Congratulations! Thank you to all the parents for taking the time to support our PTA.
Thank you to the following January donors:
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Isabella Aceves
Cooper Allen
Sophia Braun
Ava Bujnoch
Carter Bertrand
Daniela Bustamante
Austin Caldwell
Sophia Chavez
Landon Collins
Presley Crabbe
Caroline Croker
Kole J D'Agostino
Logan Dwyer
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Karla Flores
Tyler Gallun
Morghan Green
X'Zavier Green
Cole Griffin
Christopher Guthrie
Thomas Hickman
Savannah Horvath
Tyler Horvath
Claire Jacobs
Taylor Jacobs
Renata Juarez
Isaac Keske
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Fouad J Khalaf
Elijah Kruppa
Olivia Lowe
John Lyons
Sophia Marcon
Jackson Martini
Conor McCue
Fiona McCue
Julia Mear
Adia Montes
Kalyan Munoz
Brady Murray
Luke Orr
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Eloise Orr
Aiden Powis-Case
Alexander Rathke
Brianna Reyes
Douglas II Reyes
Siena Rodrigues
Max Santiago
Zamantha Sosa
Isabella Sterr
Travis Tilley
Ava Trevino
Christopher H Williams
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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.
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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:__________________
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Available for OFE Box Tops Raffle
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