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821 Glenbrook Ave
Oakdale MN 55128
651-702-8500
FAX 651-702-8591
Principal Peter Mau
Hours: 8:45 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
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Principal's Page
Welcome to the beginning of a new school year! We are excited to have you back and to meet many new faces.
Oakdale made Adequate Yearly Progress!
Our staff, students, and families have worked especially hard over the last two years in an effort to significantly increase our performance on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments in mathematics and reading. Our hard work has paid off. We made adequate yearly progress (AYP) in 2009 in both subjects.
School Improvement Plan
A team of Oakdale staff worked again this summer to develop a new school improvement plan. The plan was designed to further our vision that “Every Oakdale Elementary student, regardless of ability or background, will be prepared to succeed in middle school and beyond.” We are continuing a number of great things in the area of mathematics and reading again this year that helped us to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the state tests last year. An overview of our plan, the school’s full vision statement, and a copy of our Annual Report on last year’s School Improvement Plan can be found on the school website.
Our plan focuses on continuing many of the structures and strategies that helped us make exceptional gains over the last two years:
• Additional intervention for students “at-risk” of not being proficient
• Release time for teachers to deepen their understanding of research-based instructional strategies
• Using student data to help make instructional decisions\
• Coaching from content area specialists to help teachers implement our instructional framework in literacy and the new curriculum materials in mathematics
• Strengthening class and school community through the Responsive Classroom approach
After School Bus
We will continue running an after school bus at 4 PM to provide transportation for students receiving after school interventions four times a week this year. We had hoped to open the bus up to students staying after for occasional enrichment classes, but will not be able to do so due to logistics with the transportation department.
Your child will never be held after school without the school contacting you first. If your child rides that after school bus you will get information about the bus stop and approximate drop off time prior to the start of the class.
School Spirit Days
Every Friday is school spirit day this year. Encourage your child to wear his or her Oakdale Elementary spirit wear. If you don’t have spirit wear, encourage them to wear blue, white, and grey.
School Hours
School will start at 8:45 AM and end at 3:15 PM again this year. All busses and walkers will arrive at approximately 8:25 AM. Students will go to the cafeteria if they eat breakfast at school. If students are not eating breakfast at school, they will go to a designated location in the building by grade level. Staff will be assigned to each of these areas for supervision. This will be an opportunity for students to read quietly, work on flashcards, finish homework, and possibly help other students. Students enter classrooms at 8:40 AM to take care of their morning routines. School will start promptly at 8:45 with the morning announcements.
For your convenience a staff member will be out at our parent drop off location on the west side of the building between 8:25 and 8:40 AM. In order for students to be on time to class they must be dropped off no later than 8:40 AM. If you arrive after 8:40 you must sign your child in at the office.
Parent Involvement
Research shows that parents’ involvement in their child’s education is one of the most significant factors in success at school. There are many ways for you to be an involved parent.
• Send your child to school ready to learn every day by making sure they get their homework done and get at least 10 hours of sleep.
• Know what is happening at school and what the homework expectations are by reading the weekly school and class newsletters every Friday.
• Volunteer – there are many opportunities, both during and after school. Contact our Family Involvement Coordinator for details (702-8583).
• Attend PTO meetings, held every other month starting in September.
• Come to our family nights – each grade level will be having a family night to showcase the work of its students this year in addition to our two school wide family nights.
• Check out the parent involvement section of our homepage for more information.
• Also look for the Reading Connection newsletter that comes home each month. It is packed full of fun and practical ideas for helping your child read at home.
Sincerely,
Peter Mau, principal
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