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Mothers,
fathers, grandparents, teachers and many other caring adults teach us the
lessons we learn in life. In Lynn
Plourde’s book, Thank You Grandpa, the grandfather shows his
granddaughter the beauty of nature. By
passing along his excitement, the grandfather teaches his granddaughter the
knowledge to be gained from observing life around her. His gratitude and joy is lovingly shared
and passed on to the granddaughter.
His steady, consistent influence in his granddaughter’s life serves as a reminder of the role of Oakland’s teachers, staff and parents in our
children’s lives.
Oakland’s parents, faculty, and staff work cooperatively to
achieve an enhanced learning environment for all of our students. The Oakland Math and Science night, a
collaborative event sponsored by the School Improvement Council, provided
interactive, hands-on science and math activities for all grade levels. The School Improvement Council recruited Wellness
Works of Self Regional Health Care as a community partner. Many teacher, parent and community volunteers were instrumental in the success
of the Get Fit to Learn program.
This program has motivated over one hundred children to begin a
regular physical fitness routine either at home or school. Additional opportunities for enrichment
came from outdoor learning activities in the Roots and Shoots Garden, off-campus field trips, the Chess
Club, musical performances, Accelerated Reader, and the Reading for
Treasures reading challenge.
We can never
fully express our appreciation to Oakland’s faculty and staff who work diligently
each day to meet the needs of our students.
New staff development opportunities such as balanced literacy and
Closing the Achievement Gap enrich the curriculum for all students. First grade teachers motivated their
students to read 100 books and everyone met the challenge. A school-wide balanced literacy program
allows for more individualized literacy instruction for all students while
a full-time literacy coach works with
teachers in grades 3-5 with reading strategies. Teacher-written grants totaling over $7,200
provide additional literacy support and much needed classroom materials. The addition of the computer lab assists
students using individualized and standards-based math software. Trail Time—Time to Remediate or Accelerate
Individual Learners provides time for students in third through fifth grade
to work with a teacher in a small group setting.
In addition
to striving for academic success, Oakland students, parents, faculty and staff
have shown their commitment to the community through their charity and
kindness. Oakland exceeded its United Way goal by an additional 30%. Oakland students raised over $2,836 for Jump
Rope for Heart and donated over $400 to the local Humane Society. Oakland’s strong parent and community support
led to several very successful fundraisers.
The spring carnival was a huge success and the new Blazer Bucks
program is off to a good start. The
purchase of ten new computers by the PTO for the media center allows students
more access to technology.
Oakland faculty, staff, students, and parents can be proud of
their accomplishments. We are grateful
for everyone’s contributions to Oakland!
Lori Housand,
SIC Chair and Rex A. Coates, Principal
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