Kindergarten Information - 2022-2023 DK and Orion Oaks Elementary School

2022-2023 DK and
Kindergarten Information
     Orion Oaks Elementary School

Orion Oaks DK & K Staff
Mrs. Moore, K Teacher    Ms. Stewart, K Teacher       Mrs. Thorpe, K Teacher       Mrs. Van Arsdale, K Teacher     Mrs. Ursitti, DK Teacher

Mrs. Knapp, Principal   Mrs. Chodoba, Secretary   Ms. Solomon, K Interventionist   Mrs. Hill, Family School Coordinator

Orion Oaks Quick Facts
   DK – 5th Grade Building including 3 Programs
    for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
    (ASD)
   Special Subject Offerings:
        Art, Media, Music, Physical Education
   STEM Lab
   535 Students
   80 Staff Members
   At Orion Oaks, our mission is to be a
    community of caring and respectful leaders
   Helpful Websites:
        https://www.lakeorionschools.org/orion-
         oaks-elementary

Orion Oaks Points of Pride
   We are recognized as a Michigan Blue Ribbon
    Exemplary School
   We are recognized as an Energy Star School
   Our student philanthropic efforts have included
    donating time, money, and supplies to charities
    such as Orion Veterans Memorial, Mott Children’s
    Hospital, Lake Orion Lions Club, Team Seas,
    & many more
   Orion Oaks installed a core vocabulary board on
    the playground to increase students' opportunity
    to communicate outside of our school
   We partner with student groups at LOHS, such as
    the Leadership Class, High School Cadets,& NHS
    to host student mentors and volunteers

Orion Oaks Points of Pride
   Our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
    supports the Orion Oaks community through
    fundraising and hosting events such as our
    annual Fun Run, Trunk or Treat, & March
    is Reading Month
   We partner with several community businesses
    to put on a Day of Service that benefit our
    community and/or students including Pomeroy
    Living Assisted Care facility, Home
    Depot, Lake Orion Lions Club, & many others
   We partner with the Early Childhood Center
    (ECC) for service projects including the Day of
    Service Project and Holiday Support

Orion Oaks Points of Pride
 We will be reapplying to be a Michigan Green School for
  the 2022-23 school year
 Each week Orion Oaks highlights students, staff,
  leaders, positivity, giving back, and good news in our
  Community Circle that is shared building wide and with
  families
 We have a bi-weekly partnership with the Orion
  Township Library where a library representative reads
  to all kindergarten and second grade students via Zoom
  or in-person
 We have added a Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
  (DEI) Board in the building to spread monthly themes
  related to DEI

GAP/Enrichment Opportunities

   Multiple Enrichment Offerings
     Art   Club
     Girls   on the Run (GOTR)
     ROCK    Club
     ROLL Club
     Student      Leadership Council
     After   School Tutoring

Orion Oaks PTO &
Volunteer Opportunities
   Support Student Learning
   Assist Teachers with Classroom Preparation
   Assist in Orion Oaks’ Media Center
   Assist with School Wide Events
   For More Information Please Visit:
       https://orionoakspto.com

A Day in the
    Life of an
   Orion Oaks
Kindergartner

A Look At Our Day in Kindergarten
   Morning Work/Attendance/Lunch Count
   Morning Meeting/Calendar
   Read Aloud
   Reader’s Workshop
   Phonemic
    Awareness/Phonics/Handwriting
   Literacy Stations/Small Group Work
   Gross Motor Development/Snack
   Writer’s Workshop
   Math/Math Stations
   Lunch/Recess/Rest Time
   Science/Social Studies
   Purposeful Play
   Afternoon Meeting/Dismissal

Academic and Social/Emotional
Supports in Kindergarten
   Adopting Positivity Project and a PBIS plan for 2022-23 School Year
   Family School Coordinator & General Education Social Worker
        Caring Communities
        QuaverSEL
   Kindergarten Reading Interventionist Program
     •   Reading Interventionist staff member assigned strictly to Kindergarten level
     •   Collaborate with Kindergarten classroom teachers
     •   Analyze data and provide targeted instruction to meet student needs
     •   Instruction is delivered in small groups and/or within classroom
     •   Monitor student progress every two weeks to determine student achievement
     •   Interventionists deliver research-based interventions/strategies to students
         daily

DK and Kindergarten Options-Academic Rigor
LOCS KINDERGARTEN                                  LOCS DEVELOPMENTAL KINDERGARTEN
• Lake Orion Community Schools offers a full       • Traditional Kindergarten meets the needs of
day kindergarten experience in all six             all students, including socially and emotionally
elementary buildings for children who are 5
                                                   less mature.
years old on or before September 1.
• Full-day programs ensure the existing
                                                   • Some parents believe their child should
curriculum is taught to reflect the young          attend DK prior to Kindergarten.
learners’ needs and development.                   • Developmental Kindergarten is an option if
• Full-day programs allow kindergarten teachers    your child turns five years old between July 1
more time for formal and informal instruction      and December 1. This is a free option.
and feedback.                                      • LOCS will provide DK based upon applications
• They also allow flexibility to differentiate     and available classroom space.
curriculum to meet student's needs.
                                                   • Transportation is not provided for
• The additional time develops a student’s
social competence, creative problem solving,       Developmental Kindergarten unless you are
and gross and fine-motor skills.                   assigned to your home school.
• Experiential play and learning develops          • If DK fits your child, a screening process is
language, cognitive and social-emotional skills.   required to determine if your child qualifies.
                                                    • Indicate a DK preference when contacting
                                                   your neighborhood school. Then sign up for a
                                                   screening dates.

Developmental Kindergarten (DK)
   Your child must be age eligible for DK, which means, turn 5 years old
    between July 1, 2022 and December 1, 2022
   DK students attend school for a full day
   Your child MUST attend the DK screening on May 6, 2022 at the Early
    Childhood Center (corner of Joslyn Road and Clarkston Road, next to
    Orion Oaks Elementary) to be considered
   Click here to sign up for a time slot:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080C4AAAAC2BA1F94-development1
   During registration parent/guardian should let the neighborhood building
    know (by email or phone) that you are considering DK for the 2022-2023
    school year
   For the 2021-2022 school year DK locations are at Blanche Sims,
    Carpenter, Orion Oaks and Webber
   A final decision regarding DK locations for the 2022-2023 school year
    have not been made yet

DK Screening

   To keep numbers limited we are requesting only one
    parent/guardian attend with the child and no siblings.
    The parent/guardian must stay for the entire screening
    process. There will be a short questionnaire for the
    parent/guardian to fill out regarding the child.
   The screening will consist of an academic piece as well
    as a social/emotional piece.
   Parent and child must follow must any covid related
    protocols in place for LOCS.
   A district committee will meet to determine eligibility for
    DK
   Parents will be notified of placement in DK, along with
    building location the week of June 1, 2022

Kindergarten
    Screening and First
    Day UPDATE

   Kindergarten Screening at Orion Oaks-
    Dates to be determined in May
   September 6 -- First Day of School

Kindergarten and DK Dates to Remember
    February 2022 -- Online registration begins by visiting New Student
     Enrollment page and following the process. After completing the
     process, a confirmation email will be sent. (Parents are encouraged
     to complete the entire process online, including the upload of
     required documents. High resolution photos on a clean background
     are accepted.)
    March 3, 2022 -- Parent Information Nights for all elementary
     schools, 6:30–7:30 p.m. This will be in-person.
    March 15, 2022 -- If unable to complete the registration process
     online, families can register/drop off documents in person on March
     15, 2022.
    Week of August 29 -- Open school event (check with individual
     school administration)

What to Bring With You to Enroll Your Child
  Enrollment information,
   including what documents to
   bring, can be found at
   Kindergarten - Lake Orion
   Community Schools
   (lakeorionschools.org)
  Please note it is required for DK
   and Kindergarten students to
   have a health appraisal and
   vision screening. Copies need to
   be provided to the building by
     the first day of school.

Age Waiver
              Your child must be 5 years
               old before September
               1, 2022 to enroll in
               Developmental Kindergarten
               and Kindergarten
              Age waiver is required for
               students born between
               September 2-December 1,
               2017
              Print and bring the
               completed waiver with you
               to enroll your Kindergarten
               student

Health Appraisal Form and Immunization
    Opt-Out Waiver Information
•Current Immunization
Record. Michigan Law
requires all children to
have ALL required
immunizations or a
valid waiver (dated in
the current calendar
year) from the Health
Department on file
PRIOR TO STARTING
SCHOOL.

After registering your incoming
  Developmental Kindergarten or
Kindergarten student the following
      slides may be helpful.

Teacher Information and
The First Week of School
   Teacher Information
        Elementary schools send home letters from the child’s teacher in August
        This letter will detail the first day of school for all DK and Kindergarten students
   First Week of School
        The first day of school (September 6) all Developmental Kindergarten and Kindergarten
         students will attend a 1-hour orientation at their neighborhood school and does not
         include lunch. Parents bring children and stay.
        The second day of school (September 7) for ½ of the DK and Kindergarten students (Last
         names A-L) will be a full day of school and includes lunch that the student provides or
         purchases from the cafeteria
        The third day of school (September 8) for the other ½ of the DK and Kindergarten
         students (Last names M-Z) will be a full day of school and includes lunch
        All DK and Kindergarten students will attend school on Friday (September 9) for a full
         day of school and includes lunch

How to Set Up a Lunch Account

   For general Food Service information please visit:
    https://www.lakeorionschools.org/departments/food-
    nutrition
   Visit this website: www.sendmoneytoschool.com
     Please  contact our building secretary for your
      child’s student number
   For lunch menus click on the link below:
    https://www.lakeorionschools.org/departments/food
    -nutrition/menus-and-nutritional-information

School Age Child Care (SACC)
   For more information to sign up for before or after school care,
    click on the link below:
   http://lakeorionschools.org/early-childhood-program-and-
    education/parent-information/forms-documents

Bus Transportation
   Bus letters are generally sent by U.S. mail to families the
    week prior to school starting
   Visit the district transportation website for information
    more information:
   http://lakeorionschools.org/departments/transportation-
    services
   Transportation phone number and hours:
     248-391-5455

     Office   hours: 6:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

We Look Forward To Seeing You In The
        Fall At Orion Oaks!