Oviatt Elementary
Laura Sivadge, PK-2 Principal
Rodney Martinez, PK-2 Dean of Students
Welcome back to school!
You may be asking yourself, “Where did the summer go?” August is
here and the first day of school is Wednesday, August 22! We encourage
parents/guardians of Oviatt PK-2 students to review the Elementary Student
Handbook or Preschool Handbook as part of your family’s preparation for the new
school year! These handbooks are posted on the district’s website, www.norwalk.k12.ia.us, on the Oviatt or
Preschool link.
The Oviatt Elementary mission statement cites our desire to
“work collaboratively to develop the academic, social, emotional, and physical
self of the child into a self-directed, lifelong learner. Each student is
given the opportunity to achieve at his or her highest potential in a safe and
caring learning environment.”
You have our commitment that we will continually keep the
Oviatt mission statement in mind. With each decision made, Oviatt staff members
ask themselves, “Is this decision made in the best interest of the
child(ren)?”
K-2 Information
Registration
Walk-in registration for K-12 students is scheduled August 6
and 9, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. in the Eastview cafeteria. If you are the
parent of a kindergarten student, it is appreciated if you register at District
Office, 981-0676, prior to August 6, as enrollment numbers are more difficult
to predict for kindergarten when compared to the other grade levels.
Early notification allows us to be better prepared.
Class Rosters
Parent Portal can be accessed on Monday, August 13,
to find out your child’s teacher. If you have not signed up for Parent
Portal, you will want to check the website, www.norwalk.k12.ia.us and click on the
“Parents” link that leads you to the “Request an Account” form. For the
safety of each child, we do not post a paper copy of class lists.
Please note that we may need to adjust class lists if a
particular class size increases to the point that an additional class section
needs formed. If this happens, parents/guardians are informed by email
and phone of the placement change.
Classroom Supply Lists
Supply lists can be accessed on the district website.
Click on the “Parents” link, and then the link labeled, “Supply Lists.”
There is also a posted copy of the supply lists for each of the grade levels on
Entry Doors 1, 2, and 14.
Kindergarten Open House
Parents of incoming
kindergarten students will receive a postcard inviting family members to the Monday,
August 20, Kindergarten Open House, scheduled from 5:00-5:45 p.m. The Norwalk PTO and Watch D.O.G.S.
members are sponsoring the first annual Kindergarten Kick-Off for the new
school year! We ask that all
Kindergarten family members please join us for this special welcome from your
child’s kindergarten teacher! School
supplies can also be brought to this event. Childcare for siblings is provided.
First & Second Grade Open House
We have Open House for children in First and Second grade on
Tuesday, August 21, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. We hope you are able to join us so you
and your child can meet the teacher and see old friends and new
classmates! We have staggered the start and end time of the two
elementary open houses to better accommodate families who have children
attending both schools.
School supplies can be brought to school during Open
House, if you prefer one less thing to remember the following morning as you
pack for school. If you ordered your child’s supplies using the company,
Custom Classroom Supplies, your child’s supply box will be set out on your
child’s desk during Open House.
Parents are encouraged to use Open House as a time to
acclimate your child to the drop-off areas and the path to follow in walking to
his or her classroom. On those first days of school, we will have several
adults at Entries 2 and 14 to welcome the children and assist them in finding
their classrooms. If available, a school resource officer will be present
to assist parents in the parking lot areas.
Preschool
Oviatt Three & Four-Year Old Preschool Programs
The Oviatt Preschool Program follows the Norwalk Community
School District’s school calendar; however, the program begins a few days later
than the K-12 students due to scheduled Home Visits, etc., with the parents,
teacher(s), and children. Parents of Oviatt preschoolers recently
received a welcome letter from their child’s teacher.
Please note:
Four-Year Old Program: Classes meet four days per week, with
Wednesday a day of no school.
Three-Year Old Program: Classes for general education
students meet three days per week – M, T, & Th. Special education
three-year-olds meet four days per week, M, T, Th & F.
We have two morning sections that are multiage for three-and
four-year old preschoolers. The
afternoon preschool program is solely for the four-year-old population of
special education and general education students. The special education needs of the early
learners in our district guide the district in determining the preschool
program design each school year. Both preschool programs follow a full
inclusion model with general education and special education students playing,
learning, and thriving together in the same classroom. Program
modifications are individualized to match the needs of each child.
Please check the district’s website, www.norwalk.k12.ia.us, and access the
Oviatt Preschool Program site if you want more information on the Oviatt
Preschool Program.
Open House for all children in the Oviatt Preschool
Program is Thursday, August 30. We have
two sessions scheduled, from 5:15-6:00 or 6:15-7:00, in hopes one of the two
times works for our families. All family
members are welcome to join their preschooler(s) for this special event!
Preschoolers’ First Day of School
The first day of preschool is Tuesday, September
4. The morning session meets from 8:05-11:00, and the afternoon
session meets from 11:50-2:45. Miss Cole and Mrs. Sieren, Oviatt
preschool teachers, met with the general education preschoolers and their
family members during home visits and look forward to seeing everyone for Open
House and the first day of school!
As shared previously, the Oviatt Preschool Program Handbook information is posted on
the district’s website, www.norwalk.k12.ia.us.
Parents will want to check this document for information regarding arrival and
dismissal protocol and other pertinent topics. An adult shall accompany
preschoolers when they enter and exit the building. This adult stays with
the preschooler until the classroom opens at 8:00 a.m. for the morning session,
and 11:45 for the afternoon session.
Dates &
Times
School Hours
7:35 Doors
open at Oviatt (Students should not be dropped off before 7:35 a.m.,
unless attending Apple Tree, as there is no supervision of students before that
time.)
7:55
Classrooms open
8:05
Classes start/Tardy time*
2:50
Dismissal for students riding a bus
3:00
Dismissal for all other students
Early Out Dismissal:
One Wednesday each month, students are dismissed early allowing teachers to
attend professional development training.
11:50 Dismissal
for students riding a bus
12:00 Dismissal
for all other students
Important Oviatt
Dates – Beginning of Year
August 6 & 9 District
Registration 4:00-7:00 at Eastview cafeteria
August 20 Kindergarten
Open House 5:00-5:45
August 21 1st
& 2nd grade Open House 6:00-7:30
August 22-24 2:00
dismissal
August 28 Watch
D.O.G. Awareness Meeting
August 30 Preschool
Open House 5:15-7:00
September 3 NO
SCHOOL – Labor Day Holiday
September 4 Preschool
begins
September 7 Lifetouch
pictures*
Parent
Advisory Committee Meeting – 7-8:30 a.m. at Lakewood
Topic: Internet Safety
September 19 Early
Out, Teacher Professional Development – 12:00
*A prepay picture information package is sent home with the
students prior to picture day. A make-up day is scheduled later for those
absent on picture day, or those whose pictures were unacceptable. All
students are required to have their pictures taken for school records, even if
parents do not plan to purchase a picture package.
In Closing….Communications for Preschool-Grade 2
Oviatt staff will communicate frequently regarding
information specific to classroom or grade level topics. We will have a
Parent Advisory Committee for both the Preschool and K-5 Program. These
two advisory committees meet approximately three times during the school
year. You will be asked to share your interest in serving on Parent
Advisory during Open House.
We look forward to a great 2012-2013 school year with
everyone involved with the children in our Oviatt program!
