A reminder that there is no school tomorrow, Friday, November 10, in honor of Veterans Day. Thank you to all who have served!
Our Civil Rights Team is preparing for the Day of Welcome tomorrow, by sharing books with an inclusive message in classrooms. Their mission is to make sure people feel safe, welcome, and respected at OTES
This week in the art studio several fourth grade students felt the need to create signs with positive messages and reminders of how others should be treated. The signs are on display around the school.
OTES is looking for a substitute for the months of November, December and January to fill the role of an educational technician (one-on-one or small group support) in our K-2 special education program. Ed. Tech. certification is not required. If you are interested, please contact Maggie Mitchell at 207-827-1544 or maggie.mitchell@rsu34.org. The application is available here: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/628/RSU_34/2315313/22-23_SUB_PACKET.pdf
Join us TONIGHT, Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 6 pm in the OTES Library for our monthly PTC meeting!
Agenda
1. Welcome
2. PCHC Update and School-Based Clinic
3. Holiday Bazaar
4. Update on Inclusive Space
5. Parent Night AT OTES?
6. Other?
Next Meeting December 6, 2023
Lost and Found is overflowing already! Take a look and have your student ask permission to go get their item. You can also email their teacher to help remind them.
Happy first snow!
We were lucky to have a group of Old Town Firefighters visit us this week to help during lunch blocks, talk, and eat with our students. The kids loved having them!
These fourth graders are practicing their fluency with fun reader's theater scripts. Reader's theater is a small play which students practice, but don't memorize, in order to read with accuracy, appropriate speed, and expression to build a better understanding of what is being read. These skills then carry over to other reading as well.
Thank you to our PTC for purchasing these parent resources! OTES school counselors, Mrs. Lunn and Mrs. Wilcox, will have them available as needed for families to sign out. Please feel free to reach out via phone or email. Mrs. Lunn and Mrs. Wilcox are also working on adding a tab/link to Mrs. Reesman’s library page, https://sites.google.com/rsu34.k12.me.us/rsu34-library/home with links to parenting resources. Finally, be on the lookout for a parent Book Talk about Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy coming in January!
Shared from our community: Husson Occupational Therapy students are hosting a sensory friendly trick or treat next week on October 26th.
Hope you will join in for our District Spirit Day on October 27th! We will all be wearing PINK in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. A $1.00 donation can be made here at OTES and the proceeds will go to the Layfette Center.
Shared from our community: Check out this event to support our local food cupboard. Tonight, Monday, October 16th at Governor's.
Shared from our community: Here are a few area Trunk or Treats!
Do you need a pumpkin for the book character pumpkin decorating contest? UMaine's farm donated these beautiful pumpkins today. Come grab one for free, decorate it with your student, and bring it into school no later than this Monday, October 16th!
The OTES Civil Rights Club has stated for this school year. The 4th and 5th grade group is 75 students strong! Their mission is to make sure everyone feels SAFE, WELCOME and RESPECTED at OTES.
A favorite fall OTES tradition is back! Decorate a pumpkin as a favorite book character with your student and drop it off at school on or before October 16th. Pumpkins will be displayed in the library and all students will vote for their favorites! Prizes will be awarded.
Information on the P-EBT cards you may have received recently in the mail can be found here: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi/programs-services/food-supplement
OTES fundraisers are due tomorrow, Wednesday, October 4th. Please send completed paper order forms and payments in with your student or drop them off in the office. Thank you for supporting OTES!
10/02/2023
Dear RSU #34 Families & Staff,
Some of our families have received or will be receiving P-EBT cards (known as SNAP) from the State of Maine. We were not aware this was going to happen and received some questions today; we are passing along information that we have found. The short version is that the state of Maine has changed how it gathers information about what percentage of students in communities would qualify for free and reduced-price lunch. These changes have resulted in widespread distribution of the cards in many communities.
Here is a link to the state's website explaining eligibility for the program, and why you may have received these cards.
https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi/programs-services/food-supplement#:~:text=To%20be%20eligible%20for%20this%20program%20individuals%20must%20meet%20the,19%20for%205%20consecutive%20days
There is a "Frequently Asked Questions" section on that website that includes information about other benefits, how to use the cards, and what to do with the cards if you do not wish to use them. There is also an email address for Maine DHHS on that website if you have further questions.
If we learn of more important details we will send them out to families.
Sincerely,
Jon Doty,
Assistant Superintendent