Please see http://www.oakforestpta.com/fundraising-events/spring-auction/ to buy a ticket, or scroll to the bottom of the page to print out an auction donation form, a social donation form, or a basket or a theme basket donation form.

The Healthy Kids Committee is pleased to announce the winners of the 2cnd grade Activity Log Contest 

2nd Annual Healthy Kids Week

January 26- January 30

To kick it off on Sunday, January 25,

FUN FAMILY TIME - FREE EVENT

1-4 p.m. at the YMCA, 1234 W. 34th St.

FEATURING KIDS HIP HOP DANCE, ZUMBA, HOOLA HOOPING, KIDS SOCCER CLINIC, KICKBALL AND KIDS BOOT CAMP
 

Monday, January 26th

• Kids Triathlon, Inc.will come to school and meet with each grade level about signing up and creating an OFE team for the April 2015 Kids Triathlon
• Bring a box of cereal day for the Souper Bowl of Caring Donation
• Wear your orange Tri-Kid T-shirt if you have one

Tuesday, January 27th

• Support Anti-Bullying Day - wear something blue (a bracelet, sticker, bandanna)
• Bring dried beans, pasta or rice for the Souper Bowl of Caring donation

Wednesday, January 28th

• Be a responsible Bobcat locate your lost items in the Lost and Found
• If you find something that belongs to someone you know, take it to them. Tell the Healthy Kids Committee about it and win a prize!! Just take a note to the office and have them put it in the Healthy Kids Box
• Bring Mac & Cheese day for the Souper Bowl of Caring Donation

Thursday, January 29th

• Bring Tuna, Peanut Butter or Canned Meat for the Souper Bowl of Caring Donation

Friday, January 30th

• Mindful Movement for Breakfast
• Bring canned fruit or vegetables for the Souper Bowl of Caring Donation
• Get your mind and body ready for a fabulous day of learning!
• Meet in the multi-purpose room @ 7:45 room before school starts

 

"My senior year in high school is when I realized that I have this profound passion for music," he said. "Shortly after, I accepted my invitation to study music education at The University of Houston. I am currently still attending the University of Houston in my senior year."

 

In his sophomore year at U of H, he accepted a job as an after-school counselor at OFE and found out that the school had an elementary band. He attended the concerts that were held on campus and said he was "astonished" by the sounds he heard from elementary children.

 

In Spring of 2004, Principal Jenny Thomas asked Tim to take over the leadership of the band. Previous instructor Benjamin Proko was Tim's mentor during his first semester at OFE.

 

"Mr. Proko had been with the OFE Band the previous nine years and had the experience and knowledge I desired in order to keep the OFE band on its feet," he said. "At the time, Mr. Proko was a general music teacher at a different school. Nearly every day I would send Mr. Proko what we covered in class and asked for further advice. I could not have made it through my first semester at OFE without Mr. Proko's assistance."

 

By the start of this year Tim had his sea legs. He said that students decide which instrument they'd like to

try out for and that most students are granted their first decision unless their teacher notices a potential issue that may interfere with the ease of learning that instrument.

Options are Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium (baritone-voiced brass instrument), and Percussion. On the assigned days, students attend their tryout session where they learn how to hold and play their instrument.

 

After the students try out, their teacher grants them further permission to inform parents of their instrument of choice and then they rent or buy their instruments at Music and Arts or another vendor that's suitable.

 

Tim said that his favorite part of leading the band is definitely the students.

 

"Getting to know these students more each day and watching them improve daily is a privilege to me," he said.

 

"I love acting silly and being myself in class. These students offer me the flexibility of being humorous while maintaining respect. I've never had a younger sibling and for me, these students feel like they're all my little siblings and I truly care for each and every one of them. With the opportunity of learning musical instruments and the art of music, students gain access to another language. A language that only other fellow musicians can understand. Band is truly a fun, learning experience that children from around the world should have an opportunity to experiment with."

 

Make plans to attend their spring concert.

 

And congratulations to those OFE students who made All-City Band:

Brittany Landeros

Bridget Martinez

Samantha Reid

Jacqueline Hickman

Reychal Gray

Claire Facundo

Russell Wong

Kaid Nygren

Ryan Guthrie

Brendan Kelley

Alexander Saber

Samuel Jones

Max Martinez

 

Shannon says that one of her favorite things about OFE is the encouragement for students to participate in activities beyond the classroom for the betterment of the school - activities such as volunteering in the gardens, helping the recycling club, and selling cookie dough, which promote pride in their school and themselves.

 

"Every morning, when I drop Tyler off in the carpool line, we are greeted with smiles and helping hands," she said. "It is obvious that the teachers are not only doing their jobs, they also genuinely care about each child - both emotionally and academically.  Children at this age need to feel valued, and I believe the OFE teachers work to make each child feel special in his own way."

 

From her first visit to the school, Shannon was amazed at the level of parent involvement.

 

"Reading the list online of all of the different committees is impressive," she said. "I am really excited to be a part of such a supportive and involved group of parents."

 

Shannon says she has observed that the PTA not only exists to provide support for the school and teachers, but also rallies community involvement. 

 

"The proverb, 'It takes a village to raise a child', speaks to this point," she said. "It is our job, as parents, to be advocates for all children and to spread this awareness to other members of the community." 

 

Shannon remembers the PTA being active in her elementary school too.

 

"I would get so excited to see my Mom at school (which was very often) and I was proud of the activities she organized for the school," she said. "I want to provide my children with the same memories and carry on her commitment to education."

 

If you want to join us, visit http://www.oakforestpta.com/about-pta/join-the-pta/

 

Members: look for your PTA card and directory next week. 

 

For the past 25 years OFE has had a spelling bee. According to OFE Librarian Ms. Campbell, it is for grades 3-5.  Each grade 3-5 class may send one or two top spellers to participate in the school wide bee.  Most teachers have a classroom bee to choose. 

The school is registered with the Scripps spelling bee. OFE's winner goes to an HISD regional bee (grades 3-8 competing).  The winner of the regional bees goes on to the citywide bee televised on PBS.  All these bees eventually lead to the national Scripps spelling bee.

Congratulations to our Spelling Bee runner-up, Jackie Hickman and our Spelling Bee Champion, Connor Walker!

 

 

 

K-2 (2x2 team):

Marcelle Crochet

Caroline Croker

Everette Denson

Melissa Galdamez

Ella Madi

Alexis Saha

 

3-5 (NTB team):

Landon Croker

Daniel Espinoza

Jackie Hickman

Samantha Reid

Mattea Rodgers

Mallory Tauser

 

Alternate:  Aidan Clark

 

Parents,

 

Kroger Community Rewards Program

Every time you use your Kroger Plus card, Kroger will donate money to Oak Forest Elementary. All you need to do is go to the following website and enroll in their Community Rewards Program. Choose Oak Forest Elementary PTA / Organization No. 90142 as your reward choice!

          

 

Either create an account or enroll in the rewards program if you already have an account set up. You must re-enroll every year so sign-up now.  Oak Forest Elementary is depending on you! You must sign-up online; you can't sign up in the store.  If you need assistance with signing-up, instructions on how to enroll can be found on the Oak Forest Elementary PTA website: www.oakforestpta.com.

 

Sign-up grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors, friends, etc.  Let's start earning money for our school! 

 

Don't forget to sign up for Kroger Rewards if you haven't already.  Every time you use your Kroger Plus card, Kroger will donate money to Oak Forest Elementary.  All you need to do is go to the following website and enroll in their Community Rewards Program.  Choose Oak Forest Elementary PTA / Organization No. 90142 as your reward choice!Good work Bobcats! In December you collected almost 1,260 box tops - that makes

12,400 for the school year so far! With each box top worth 10 cents, you've earned  $1,240 for OFE! If you already collect box tops, keep collecting! Please consider  collecting them if you don't - they really do add up quickly.

Congratulations to Adrian Salinas and Hannah Channell. They were the winners of the monthly drawing for a free ice cream cone. For every 10 box tops you submit, you are entered into the drawing once. 

The following Bobcats collected Box Tops during December and received a prize just for  submitting! Names in bold submitted 100+ Box Tops.

Olivia Barron 

Rachel Osterman
Sophia Braun