September 2015
Informational Meeting-People to People MS Exchange Program
There will be an informational meeting for parents/students interested in the PTP middle school exchange program to Esslingen, Germany on Thursday, November 5th at 6:30 p.m. at the Mead Public Library (Rocca Room). See the “Forms & Flyers” folder for more information.
Boys’ Basketball – NWBBL Winter League
Information sheet can be found in “forms & flyers” folder on the website. Return form by October 9th if interested.
7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball
Information and permission forms can be found in “Forms & Flyers” Folder. Sign up in office and pay the sport fee before the first practice on Monday, October 5th at 6:15.
American Cancer Society Road America Walk/Run
Information available in the “Flyers” folder for the run/walk on October 24th which will include a Kids’ Fun Run.
Preparing students for the job market opportunities of the future.
Good morning, Parents.
Homecoming Week Spirit Days
Homecoming dress up days next week:
Monday – Pajama Day;
Tuesday – Crazy Mismatched Day;
Wednesday – Neon Day;
Thursday – Twin Day;
Friday – Spirit Day (Red & White)
High Interest Courses get a Facelift at OMS
The schedule at OMS was revamped after a year of brainstorming and problem-solving the best way to meet the needs of the students at OMS while maximizing learning and efficiency. One of the biggest changes this year has to do with our High Interest classes. Traditionally, these classes were held in unison with intervention time. This created some obstacles as students that were needed for intervention where not able to participate in high interest programming and made running a classroom difficult for the high interest teachers as students were in and out of their class depending on their intervention needs.
Our solution was to create two separate periods for high interest and intervention time. In order to make this happen, we shortened both the high interest and intervention periods and made intervention required for all students. Students that need specific intervention with a teacher receive this, and those students that don’t need specific intervention Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) for those 20 minutes.
As a school, we created some new high interest courses this school year. We have made it a goal to make these courses focused on problem-solving, critical thinking, and creative thinking skills. We would like this time, whenever possible, to be focused on student directed learning where students are able to explore and collaborate to find solutions to problems presented to them. Therefore, along with Art (6-8), Spanish (7-8), and Tech Ed (7), students are participating in Chess/Critical Thinking, Journalism Club, and Scratch (computer coding) in grade 6, Engineering Science Toys and Photography in grade 7, and Genius Hour and Coding in grade 8.
We are excited about these changes as it brings us closer to our mission of getting all students to learn at high levels. It gives more students the opportunity to participate in courses that are more open-ended and exploratory. I’ve been impressed with the new courses thus far and the level of ownership students are taking in their own learning!
Sherri Stengel
District Goals
Greetings!
In addition to cooler temps and beautiful colors, Fall also brings our School District Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting provides District residents with the opportunity to exercise certain powers entrusted to them through state statute. Specifically, electors at an Annual Meeting may consider and vote on the following subjects:
- Set board members’ annual salaries or a payment based on each meeting attended.
- Authorize payment of actual and necessary expenses of board members who travel in the performance of their duties.
- Designate sites for school buildings.
- Authorize the board to acquire real estate through purchase or condemnation.
- Vote a tax for the operation of the schools, to create a capital expansion fund and for other purposes enumerated in s. 120.10.
- Authorize the sale of school property.
- Direct and provide for prosecution or defense of any legal action or proceedings in which the school district is interested.
- Direct the board to furnish school lunches to district students and appropriate funds for that purpose.
- Authorize the board to furnish textbooks to students under conditions prescribed by the meeting or school board.
- Vote a tax to purchase vehicles or finance contracts for the use and services of transportation vehicles.
- Adjourn the annual meeting from time to time or establish a different date and time for a subsequent annual meeting.