The weekly eNews is our school community newsletter with information about O.H. Anderson Elementary School. All staff and families of O.H. Anderson Elementary School are subscribed to this newsletter.
Important Dates
May
May 20- 6:00- Aloha Night Incoming 3rd grade Welcome to OHA
May 21- Fun Friday: Picnic Lunch & PJ Day by Liza Moffitt in Nestrud’s class
May 28- Fun Friday- Obstacle Course
May 31-No School for Students or Staff-Memorial Day
June
June 1-3- Track and Field
June 4- All In Person Learning Students Turn in Devices
June 7- PTO Dilly Bars at Recess, 5th Grade Strategy Games Outside from 1:15-2:30
June 8- Yearbooks at Recess
June 9- Zephyr Time Celebration Videos
June 9- Distance Learners- 1:30-2:30, Pick Up Yearbooks, Drop Off Devices, Have a Dilly Bar with Friends on the Playground
June 10- Last Day of School- Classroom Celebrations
Principal's Message
Dear O.H. Anderson Students and Families,
As we are completing the school year we have been celebrating our hard work and learning despite the challenges. At our principal roundtables I shared our plans to support all students learning.
OHA Supporting All students: Disrupted Learning Plan
We know this past year and a half has been different for our students learning. We have experienced in person, hybrid, and distance learning models. Some students may have not seen as much growth in learning as we do in a typical school year. Our job as a school is to know our students' needs and support them in growing as readers and mathematicians.
Here is how OHA uses systems of support to support learning:
Every classroom will have morning meetings and use Second Step Lessons to support our SEL needs.
Our assessment days, the first 2 days of school in September, will determine students' instructional reading levels so we know students strengths and areas for growth. This will enable teachers to begin small group instruction sooner.
We will use pretests for math units so we can determine what students know and be able to adjust instruction based on their needs.
Our focus for instruction for 2021-22 is to utilize small group instruction with guided reading and guided math to optimize growth for all students.
We have prioritized standards to be shared with families as family guide at curriculum night so they can communicate and partner with us to support students.
We will spend more time with our writing standards in 2021-22.
WIN (What I Need Time) will be strategically used to provide research based interventions by our intervention team and by classroom teachers.
Interventions for Reading Comprehension
Interventions for Reading Fluency
Interventions for Accuracy- Phonics and Phonemic Awareness
Interventions for Math
Interventions for SEL
Reteaching for Math
Guided Reading Groups
Book Clubs to challenge students
Math Extensions
Organizational support
Other groups based on student needs
Our Summer All Stars program has increased the numbers of students enrolled. It has also been extended in the amount of instruction and transportation is provided to provide access for more students.
School wide reading programs will be utilized to ensure our students are reading 20-30 minutes every day.
One of the things our instructional leadership team discussed is the need for students to read for enjoyment this summer and next year. Our reading habit has been inconsistent this year. Research shows the more you read the better you become as a reader. To encourage reading this summer we will be filling book bags for all 3rd and 4th graders with 10 books of their choice for their summer reading.
May 17 - 21 - 3rd graders put 10 books on hold and Mrs. Hughes will deliver book bags. We will do it during media class this week. Distance Learners can put some books on hold too and get their bags on June 9.
May 24 - 28 - 4th graders put books on hold and Mrs. Hughes delivers books the next week. Distance Learners can put some books on hold too and get their bags on June 9.
You will bring back the book bag and the books in the fall. If you know you will be moving to a different school, please do not put books on hold for summer reading. Thank you for partnering with us to create a love for reading and learning with your child.
Tomorrow’s Fun Friday is a Picnic Lunch & PJ Day by Liza Moffitt in Nestrud’s class.
She won the ticket bowl challenge to pick a dress up day!
Also, with the heat warming up and kids spending time outside, please make sure you send water bottles daily as drinking fountains are closed with COVID. We do have bottle fillers though.
Please take care of yourselves, your family, and each other. #wecantakeithigher
✅If someone in your household has symptoms of COVID-19, is symptomatic and getting tested for COVID-19, or is symptomatic and awaiting test results, ALL household members must stay home until test results are known.
✅All Minnesotans age 16 and older are eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Safety- Bikes and Cars
With the nice weather, we see an increase of students walking and riding bikes to school. Please make sure during drop off and pick up you follow the loop through the parking lot. Some people are trying to take a quick left to the front of the building and cross through the crosswalk and it is not safe. Also, please make sure you are aware of all bikes and pedestrians as we .want to keep everyone safe
If you are walking or riding a bike, please walk your bike along the sidewalk and until you cross the street. After the kids cross onto Warner, they need to walk or bike in a single file line. Please review safety precautions with your child.
5th Graders at the Twins Game
All 5th grade households received an email earlier this week from Mr. Pontious about singing the National Anthem at the Twins game on the evening of Wednesday, June 9th. If you are interested in participating with us, please complete the Google form by Friday, May 21st at Noon. Contact Mr. Pontious if you have questions: robert.pontious@isd832.net
Bus Information for the 2021-22 School Year
Bus Information for the 2021-22 School Year
Bus transportation forms for the 2021-2022 school year are due by July 1, 2021. Please note, school transportation forms need to be submitted annually.
Mahtomedi District Residents:
If a K-9 student will ride the bus to and from the stop nearest home, a form does not need to be completed.
Nonresidents: If your student(s) are nonresidents to school district 832 and wish to use school transportation, an Out of District Transportation Request Form MUST be completed. Students may only access existing stops within or near the district’s boundary. Stops that fall outside the district boundary will be charged a fee for this service.
If you have any questions, please contact trans@isd832.net or 651-407-2431
Mahtomedi High School Class of 2021 Celebration Parade
ALOHA Night Family Welcome for Incoming 3rd Grade Families
We would like to welcome you to the O.H. Anderson family and we look forward to meeting you in person in the Fall. Typically we hold an in person informational night for families to introduce you to all of the O.H. Anderson staff and important information about our school and third grade. We will do this virtually this year due to COVID. Please review the following resources to get acquainted with our school and think of questions you still wonder about. You will have the opportunity to have a Q & A Google Meet to answer all student and family questions on May 20, 2021 at 6pm. Our goal is to facilitate a smooth transition to OHA for students and families.
Families- Aloha Night
Click here to watch a 15 minute video presentation about OHA. Youtube
Here is the Family slideshow with all of the information linked.
Students- Third Grade Welcome- This will be shared with students at Wildwood.
Click here to watch a student video about OHA. Youtube
Here is the Student slideshow with all of the information linked.
Click here for a virtual tour of OHA from 2 current third graders.
Please think about things you wonder about and please Post a Question. Here are some answers to our questions. 3rd Grade Q & A
Meeting ID: 779 8733 3527
Passcode: wg8642
We look forward to meeting you and partnering with you to provide a great start to third grade!
Fifth Grade Outdoor Strategy Games
Save the date for a COVID friendly strategy games outside on June 7 from 1:15-2:30. It’s an opportunity to play fun games and socialize with friends.
Students will meet in the back of the school and 1:15 and can be picked up in the North parking lot by the bus lane. Thank you to the PTO for organizing this final tradition for fifth graders.
Grade Level Music Programs 2021
All students this year will participate in a grade level program. This will be very different from the past because they will be pre recorded videos shared via YouTube. Over the next few weeks, video recordings of students will be made during music class. All of those videos will be edited together to create our program. Performances will include songs by individual classes and songs by the entire grade level. All of the work for these programs will be done during music time. The distance learners will be making recordings at home that will be merged into a class video so they may also participate.
There will also be speaking parts that will separate each of the songs. All of these parts will be recorded during school time. There is no need for students to memorize their parts or practice them at home.
The program videos will be available during the last week of school. All recordings will be made in compliance with the CDC and MN Department of Health guidelines for the performing arts.
The programs will not be perfect, but they give us the opportunity to share with you what we have been learning in music this year. Please let Mr. Pontious know if you have any questions or need further information.
Starting this week, for students who are identified as a close contact at school, on the bus, or in an activity where the contact had a beginning and end, we are shifting to a shortened 10 day quarantine or 7 day quarantine with a negative test. If an entire class is quarantined it will be a 10 day quarantine with no test required. This change aligns with the minimum CDC/MDH requirements for quarantine. The increased access to COVID-19 testing and speed of results, increased availability to vaccine, decreasing community rates and our strong in-person mitigation practices allows us to shorten the close contact quarantine period. Students whose close contact is in the home are not eligible for a shortened quarantine and must quarantine for 14 days.
Order Original Arts
Hello Families!
It is now time to put in your orders for our amazing school fundraiser. Original Works takes your child's artwork they completed in school and brings it to life!
To order, please head to the website, enter the school code, and search by teacher. All artwork will be mailed directly to you. Orders need to be submitted by June 4th.
I am excited to give our Zephyrs a memorable experience during track and field day and I thank everyone who signed up to volunteer to help us during the events, the spots to sign up are all filled now and we appreciate your interest.
3rd grade students will be participating on June 1st.
4th grade students will be participating on June 2nd.
5th grade students will be participating on June 3rd.
We will be in contact with our volunteers as we get closer to the event days. Thanks again for your interest in helping with our special day. Now let’s hope for good weather!
Book Drive For Secondary Students
FREE BIKES!
Technology Support
Have an issue with your Chromebook or iPad?
Shut the device down (don’t just sign out).
Restart the device and check if the issue has been resolved.
Health Office Contact Information
Marcia Senkler, Building RN O.H. Anderson School Marcia.Senkler@isd832.net 651-407-2335
Nutritional Support
In order to help with our staff planning and food ordering, please submit the summer meal form to let us know if you intend to pick up weekly meals during the summer. Please submit the form by 5 pm on May 27.
During In-Person Learning, breakfast and lunch are FREE for all students at all of our school buildings on school days. Meal packs will continue to be available for distance learners, students in quarantine, and for all students on holidays and no school days.
Meal Pack Pick-Ups: April 9-June 4, 2021
Fridays from 11:00am-12:30pm
Summer Meal Pack Pick-ups June 11 - August 20
Mahtomedi High School, 8000 75th Street N., Mahtomedi
2) For students entering grades 3-5 in the fall: Order OHA School Supplies for next fall and support the PTO!
3) Book drive:
Donate your gently used children's books of all reading levels to the PTO book drive!
There will be book collection bins in the lobbies of both Wildwood and OH Anderson throughout the month of May.
Collected and purchased books will be distributed to elementary students when they are welcomed back next year
Spirit wear
Gear up for spring with new Zephyr wear! A portion of the proceeds go directly to the PTO to support our elementary teachers and students. Shop today at https://apparelnow.com/mahtomedi-pto-apparel
The PTO is committed to supporting Wildwood and OHA Students and invites you to play an active part of their organization. Visit mahtomedipto.com for opportunities to get involved and to sign up for their directory.
PTO Newsletter April 2021 Please click here for the April Newsletter
Follow me on Twitter to check out what’s happening at OHA! @prathesm 
