The end of the year

is rapidly approaching! Next week we will be hosting an end-of-the-year GATE program here at the school. Students will be showing the projects they have been working on recently.For those parents who might not be bale to make it that day, the projects will also be on display during Ocean Night as well. Tuesday, June 8th, there will be a Character Education assembly at 2:00 pm in the gym. Wednesday will be our annual PTA Luau Lunch! and Thursday night, June 10th will be our 2nd Annual OCS Talent Show!

The following week will bring 12:30 dismissals and Field day on Monday, June 14th in the morning and Ocean Night at 6:00 pm.

Graduation will be held at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, June 16th and the last day of school for students will be June 17th. On the last day of school we will also hold our Academic Awards ceremony as well.

Till next time...

This week and next....

This week is a little quiet around here... except that the 8th grade will be travelling to Washington, DC for their annual field trip! Should be pretty exciting. We are going to tour the White House, the Pentagon and the Capitol. We are also going to tour Mount Vernon!

Next week will be another week stuffed with activities for many of our students. We will be holding testing in grades K-2 next week in class and the brand new Algebra I test will be given to those students taking Algebra I this year. This is a new assessment being given as part of the American Diploma project... I do not agree with an added test! But my protests went unheeded. We will see what the impact of another test will be on our students.

We will also be hosting the Spring Book Fair, sponsored by the PTA. This year Ms. Dachisen and I will be trying to raise additional money so that we can buy more books from the Book fair to donate to the school library. Students will be "voting" via change they can drop in to one of two canisters in the lunchroom. The "winner" will be turned into a human ice cream sundae at the end of the day on Friday May 28th! Ten students will be selected to assist with the creation of the ice Cream sundae. Should be a cool way to raise some extra money for new library books.

Wednesday, May 28th will be the Spring Concert. Mrs. Firling and her music classes have been preparing a wonderful night of music and fun. The concert will begin at 6:00 pm.

Till next time...

Field Trips

Did you know that our field trips, from the Sterling Mines to the Washingotn, D.C. trip are all funded--in most cases wholly funded-- by the efforts of our PTA.

Thanks.

Till next time...

Interesting facts....

The museum that housed the largest collection of original Smokey the Bear memorabilia was burned to the ground by an arsonist. Sad!

The per pupil cost here in Oxford in 2009-10 was $13,100... $700 lower than the state average for K-8 districts....there are 47 K-8 school districts in the Garden State that spend more per pupil than we do here in Oxford.

Till next time....

New Budget Information

Ever wonder how to get a question answered concerning the school budget? Wonder no more!!
You can email us here at school, get your answer and then check our website and a new FAQ page that will be developed. The new email address is:

budget@oxfordcentral.org

Till next time...,

What???

In 1923, parts of China's rural Heilongjiang province experienced a severe thunderstorm during which thousands of cobras fell from the sky.

Kind of makes the snow and the rain seem pretty insignificant, doesn't it!

Doraphobia...

What it is: The dread of touching the skin or fur of an animal.

Probably what keeps me from being a farmer!

random thought of the day.

facts... are sometimes very funny!

The pope's official barber, who cuts only the pope's hair, earns an annual salary equivalent to $250,000 (US).

Sometimes, they can cause a great deal of discussion... such as the facts about our proposed 2010-2011 budget that will be presented here at the school on Thursday, April 1!

Till next time...

In case of snow....

if your power goes out and you are wondering how you can preserve the food in your refrigerator...

The Inca devised an effective method for refrigerating foods using nothing more than clay, corn husks, spring water and feces.

Just a thought... It worked, but was discarded in favor of ice....

Till next time....

There only 48 days until...

The 2010 PTA Tricky Tray!! This is the 6th Annual Tricky Tray! Doors will open at 5:00 pm and advanced tickets, that include an awesome dinner, are $30.00. You can download a ticket order form at www.ocspta.org.

Kindness Month is alive and well at OCS!

I have been fortunate enough to see many acts of kindness here at OCS over the past few weeks. Students have told me how they have volunteered in the community, donated their time with their Girl Scout or Boy Scout troops and generally treated others with a renewed sense of kindness. Did you know that Edgar Allen poe was a volunteer fireman? In the midst of writing literary classics and sufering thd winters of Baltimore, he took time out to be a volunteer fireman. Interesting.

Till next time...

Spring Sports at Warren Hills MIddle School

Spring sports sign ups are being conducted at Warren Hills Middle School... Our 7/8 grade students are eligible and encouraged to join. Looks like they don't have a boys baseball coach yet.

Anyone who would like information can contact Mrs. Joan Duryea over at Warren Hills Athletic Office, 908-689-3050, ext. 3047.

Till next time...

Punxsutawney Phil...

saw his shadow this morning and according to the rules of the groundhog weather prognosticators club..... six more weeks of winter.

I, by the way, did not see my shadow! AND I WAS LOOKING!!

Till next time....

Name Calling?

This week our students are participating in a nationwide awareness program called No Name Calling Week! This week the curriculum in Family Life classes will focus on channeling positive energy into the words we choose when interacting with our friends and family. Students will be making and wearing buttons that expresses this week's theme. The week flows nicely with our character education theme for January--Empathy. We are asking students to treat and speak to others as they would like others to speak and treat them. Sound somewhat familiar!? It is a simple rule that has been around for thousands of years and transcended many, many cultures. Please discuss the importance of positive words with your son or daughter, it does make a difference when they hear it from you!

Till next time...

More Study Tips...

Write down the questions that the teacher asks.

Remove all distractions when studying at home.

If you listen to music--choose music that has 60 beats per minute, such as Mozart.

Use index cards to create flash cards.

Write it to prove you know it.

JEEZ>>>

why didn't anyone point out to me that I had not added to this blog for such a long time. How many of you have been sitting by your computers anxiously waiting and muttering that you wanted a new entry!? I heard you! I can't believe it myself. But, let's move forward shall we?

Over the next few days I am going to use this space to throw out some ideas and hints for studying ! here goes a few...

--Study the teacher. Know what they expect, ask them questions. Ask your friends.
-Take deep breaths to help relieve anxiety or stress--trust me it works!
--Use Post-it notes to write questions that you may wish to ask your teacher or to highlight important ideas.
--Write up five review questions each night.
--Do your hardest subject first
--Take short breaks between subjects
--Review it one last time before you go to bed.

That's all for now. I will add a few more soon.

Till next time...