A Letter From Ms. Burger:
Second Semester Thoughts
Oak Grove was recently notified that it is the recipient of a Bronze Award for student achievement as part of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement’s Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS) awards for 2009. This is the third year in a row that Oak Grove has been recognized for this level of achievement.
While we celebrate the accomplishments of last year, teachers have been asked to review the goals established for this year. Overall, Oak Grove has set goals to increase the percentage of students in the “exceeds” category in each curriculum area on the CRCT. To accomplish this goal, teachers must review student data to identify areas of weakness and develop a plan to strengthen the students in these areas.
Teachers may ask parents to assist in the classroom, but parents may also help their own students at home by helping their child access the online CRCT practice tests (teachers will send home information about how to login to this program); by reviewing the social studies personalities studied by each grade level (this list is available on the school’s website), and helping your child review key vocabulary concepts in each curriculum area (lists available on the Oak Grove website). We appreciate your support as working together is the key to helping your child improve academically.
Second semester is always busy as in addition to the focus on academics, our students also look forward to special events like the Spelling Bee, Geography Bee, Field Day, Career Day, and the many music programs and special presentations in the classroom that occur at the culmination of the year.
Another important part of the second semester each year is to begin preparation for the following year. Very soon you will receive announcements from the PTA about tour dates and information concerning the upcoming Kindergarten and First Grade Round-Ups. To assist with planning, we anticipate having the registration packets for all students distributed prior to the end of this school year.
Thank you for your continued support as we work together to make each day at Oak Grove count to improve our students’ learning and help them become productive, well-adjusted citizens of our nation and world.
Overview
| Much
has changed at Oak Grove Elementary
since its establishment in 1958.
The Oak Grove area has evolved from
a once sleepy dairy farm community
to what can now be aptly described
as a bustling metropolis where many
of its dual-income families are
employed by nearby Emory University,
the CDC and CNN. Despite this urbanization,
Oak Grove Elementary maintains a
close-knit atmosphere more commonly
associated with smaller schools
outside metro Atlanta. Deemed a
Georgia School of Excellence in
2000, the U.S. Department of Education
further honored Oak Grove with the
distinction of National Blue Ribbon
School of Excellence in 2001-2002.
The school’s 2003-2004 theme
“Building Excellence”
illustrates Oak Grove’s commitment
toward continual improvement, and
to the ongoing effort to target
instruction toward individual student
needs. Learn more about Oak Grove
at the school website: http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/~oakgrove. |
|
Our New Playground!!!!
Our new Carmen L. Dillard Playground is here!! The kids say it is “Way cool!” The teachers state, “The kids love the new playground!” What a great addition to our great school!
The new playground was made possible thanks to the many generous donors who contributed over $80,000 toward the cause. Seeing the project through within one school year also required the hard work and dedication of the Playground Committee (Carmen Dillard, Heather Howard, Helen Brownell, Robin Fink, Sharmi Lawrence, and Terri Russell).
The playground’s official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will occur at the Fall Ice Cream Social on Friday evening, September 5th. Ms. Dillard will make a special trip back to Oak Grove from Buford, South Carolina for the event. So, be there for the fun, ice cream, and celebration!
Our Garden
Oak Grove Elementary gained a new courtyard in 2005 after a classroom addition. This completely enclosed space has been developed as a butterfly/hummingbird habitat and an outdoor classroom. Plantings include nectar producing annuals and perennials for butterflies, plants for caterpillar food, and red tubular flowers for hummingbirds. The courtyard also boasts an herb garden and vegetable garden planted by the students. With many butterfly bushes, milkweed plants and sandy puddles, we arealso certified as a Monarch Waystation. Stop by during school hours and visit our wonderful garden space!
Mission
The mission of Oak Grove School is
to inspire creativity, curiosity, responsibility, and tolerance in
a safe and stimulating atmosphere where all learners are able to
achieve their personal best.
Belief
Statements
1. Individuals
are responsible for the choices they make and schools are
responsible for providing experiences that instill effective
problem solving and decision-making skills.
2. It
is the responsibility of the school to offer a variety of
instructional strategies and choices to address the individual
needs of students.
3. The
school is a nurturing, tolerant, safe environment where all
learners are able to achieve their personal best.
4. We
believe that creativity, curiosity, responsibility, and tolerance
are important qualities of education.
5. The
role of the teacher includes, but is not limited to, facilitator,
nurturer, role model, counselor, and friend.
6. The
collaborative efforts of the home, school, and global community
are crucial to positively influencing the development of an
individual.
7. High
academic and behavioral expectations yield higher results.
8. Education
incorporating the arts transfers to excellence in all learning.
Awards
& Recognitions
2007 Georgia School of Excellence
Award Recipient by the State of Georgia Office of School Improvement and
Georgia Department of Education for Student Achievement for the past three
years:
2007 Bronze Award
2006 Bronze Award
2005 Silver Award
2001
National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence - Learn more about the National Blue
Ribbon program at www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/BlueRibbonSchools/.
Our nomination package provides more
detail about Oak Grove:
1999
Georgia School of Excellence - Learn more about the Georgia
School of Excellence program at www.doe.k12.ga.us/budget/arp/soe.html
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