December 9, 2018
Lots of News this week!
Scroll down to read more!
Upcoming Events
December 11, 2018*
ORE School Spelling Bee
AG Math Room, 8:00 AM


December 11, 2018*
PTO Board Meeting
School conference room, 12:45 PM


December 14, 2018
School Store is Open
Media Center Hallway, 7:20 - 7:45 AM
December 18, 2018
Domino's PTO Restaurant Night
Oak Ridge, 5:00 - 8:00 PM


*NOTE: May change given threat of inclement weather as of this writing.
A Message from ORES Principal Denise Francisco
As I write this week’s update, we are all anticipating winter weather to begin over the weekend. This could impact school early next week. We use our school’s Twitter feed and Facebook page to post announcements about school closings. You can also find district announcements on the GCS Twitter account and the GCS Facebook pages along with the district’s website, www.gcsnc.com. Of course, there is also the district’s TV Channel and the regular news stations that are also going to be communicating information as well as the district’s Connect Ed phone calls that will be sent once decisions have been made. So, there are many avenues of communication and we hope that you receive updates in a timely fashion that allows you to make necessary plans and adjustments. We also hope that everyone stays safe over the next several days. 

If we are not in school next week, we will reschedule several events including the Spelling Bee. Interim Progress Reports are scheduled to go home on Monday, Dec. 10th. If we are not in school these reports will go home the very first day that students are back in session. We will communicate all rescheduled events as soon as final decisions are made. 

 

Thank you for your continued support,
Mrs. Francisco
Colt's Kids
Congratulations to Brady Foster! He is our Superstar of the Week!

-- Mrs. Pritchett
The Oak Ridge Elementary PTO needs YOUR help
Looking forward to next year, we are need of two very important volunteers. 

1. Spirit Wear: we are looking for a very organized volunteer who will work with vendors to design our fall and possibly spring Spirit Wear lines. This person processes and delivers all orders, updates our online store and more. It’s a big but rewarding job!

2. Restaurant Night: we need someone to contact via email our current Restaurant Night partners and set up dates for the year. After it is all organized you just have to send home flyers, put out the signs and collect checks every once in a while. 

These are jobs that are so integral to our PTO. We would love for two people to come on board now and shadow the person currently doing these jobs. It will make it so much easier next year. Please email orespto@gmail.com if interested!!!
A Special Request from Mrs. Royal, our Music Specialist
The 2nd graders will have a musical performance, "December Round the World" on Friday, December 14 for their fellow students.

We would like to ask for your help to provide the following decorations for the performance:

  • A table top Christmas tree
  • A Chinese dragon (for Chinese New Year) -- we would love one that the kids might be able to wear, but other dragon decorations are most welcome.
  • A Kwanzaa kinara (candleholder with candles)

If you have any items that you can lend, please bring them to the Front Office by Wednesday, December 12. They will be available for pick-up by Monday, December 17.

Questions? Please email Mrs. Royal.
Attendance Matters! A school reminder
Every year, absences spike in the weeks before and after winter break. It’s time to break that cycle! 

If missing school is unavoidable, talk to your children’s teachers in advance to create a plan for making up missed work. But remember, a homework packet cannot make up for the interaction and learning that goes on in the classroom. 

Thank you for continuing to partner with us to support your child in all academic areas.


School Social Worker,
Melissa Warren
News updates from our STEM Specialist, Mr. Terzigni
Over the past two weeks, students have been participating in the Hour of Code , an international event that teaches students the basics of computer coding. Last week, students had the opportunity to work with our robots (Gr. K-2 with the  Dash Robots  and Gr. 3-5 with the  Sphero Robots ). Many students wanted me to make sure Mom and Dad knew the names of these before the holiday season 😊.
 
This past week, students worked through different modules teaching coding basics and creating digital content. Click here to read what your students have been doing during STEM Class!

We are excited about all the wonderful digital content our students are creating!

REMEMBER: Starting in January 2019, school starts 5 minutes earlier!
As Mrs. Francisco mentioned in last week's PTO newsletter, GCS has decided to start the school day 5 minutes earlier to address the inclement weather days we had earlier this year.

The school will open for students at 7:15 AM. Students will be marked tardy if they are not in their classrooms by 7:40 AM. Buses will also pick up your student 5 minutes earlier than the current 2018 schedule.
Sponsorship Opportunities
All of our sponsors, no matter how big or small, make a difference. Sponsoring our weekly newsletter, gymnasium banners, website and school planners helps us provide the school staff, our students and our families resources that the school's budget does not provide. If you are interested in a sponsorship, please contact us. 


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Important Links (just click on what you need)
ORES PTO SPONSORS
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The following materials/statements/programs are not endorsed by GCS nor do they represent the district’s position or policy.
Oak Ridge Elementary School PTO | orespto@gmail.com | www.orespto.com