The Slate 2017-2018 Orchard Park Elementary Newsletter

September 1, 2017 Orchard Park Elementary 10404 Orchard Park Dr. S. Indianapolis, IN 46280 (317) 848-1918 www.ccs.k12.in.us/ope @OrchardParkCCS Principal: Rhonda Turner Assist. Principal: Nikki Raasch Secretaries: Elizabeth Hutton, Julie Garringer, Gale Runberg Orchard Park PTO Co-Presidents: Glenda Strohmier & Ann Bernard Vice President: Elizabeth Pilling Treasurer: Karla Walsworth Secretary: Adrienne Kelley Hospitality: Elizabeth Pilling Slate Editor: Cassie Hull Spirit Wear: Heather Moehl & Carli Houser Taste of Carmel: Karla Walsworth, Glenda Strohmier & Ann Bernard Box Tops & Stores: Anita Jahoney Dine to Donate: Cassie Hull Valentine’s Parties: Roger Sipe, Nicole Sipe, & Carli Houser Snacks: Suzanne Manning Muffins with Me: Heather Moehl & Lynette Williams Staff Birthdays: Patricia Altamirano

Orchard Park Elementary PTO

@CCS_OPE_PTO

Issue 1

Welcome Back Cubs!!! The Orchard Park Front Officer has some new faces! Stop by to say hello to our new secretaries. Here are some welcome messages from them: I’m Mrs. Elizabeth Hutton, the new Treasury Secretary at Orchard Park Elementary. I am happy to be part of the OPE team and am looking forward to a terrific year. Hi, my name is Julie Garringer and I am the new Enrollment Secretary at OPE. So far I am really enjoying getting to know all the students, teachers, and parents! Orchard Park is a great place to work and I look forward to being here for many years to come! Hi! I'm Gale Runberg, part time secretary at Orchard Park. I love working in the front office and am here to help everyday from 9 am till noon!

Orchard Park Spirit Wear: Deadline Extended! You now have until midnight on Tuesday September 4th to place your order for Orchard Park Spirit wear. There are a variety of shirt styles, sweatshirts and more. See what is available to order online at https://opespirit.itemorder.com/sale. A portion of the sales for all spirit wear will help support the PTO!

Important Dates September 4

Labor Day—No School

October 28

Ghost & Goblins Run

September 8

Family Tailgate 6-7:30 pm

November 3

International Festival

November 8

Dine to Donate Max & Erma’s

September 22 PTO Meeting 8:30 am October 2

Dine to Donate Chipotle 4 to 8 pm

November 17 PTO Meeting 8:30 am

October 13-16 Fall Break—No School

Nov. 22-26

October 20

December 15 PTO Meeting 8:30 am

PTO Meeting 8: 30 am Walk-a-thon

Orchard Park Family Tailgate Let’s kick off the new school year and the coming of fall with family-friendly tailgate fun! All Orchard Park students and their families are invited to join us for this PTO sponsored event. Hotdogs, chips, and drinks will be provided. Various games such as corn hole and ladder ball will be available. The event will be held outside and is weather-permitting. Don’t forget to come representing your favorite sports team!

Please RSVP on the PTO Facebook page! (link below)

Orchard Park Elementary

FREE for OPE students and their families Hot dogs, chips, and drinks provided RSVP: https://goo.gl/q4DGU9

Join us for food, music, outdoor games and lots of fun! *Weather Permitting* Wear your favorite sports team gear!

Thanksgiving Break—No School

Join the Spell Bowl Club! Spell Bowl is a before-school club for 4th and 5th graders. We will study 750 spelling words provided by the state of Indiana and compete at the Carmel competition in mid-November. To practice these words, we will play computer and people games at practices. All students who attend practices routinely will be Spell Bowl members. All members may attend the competition, but only the top 8 spellers will compete. Here's a link to the 750 word list: http://www.iasp.org/pdf/ spellelemwordlist.pdf If your child is good at spelling or would like to improve, please encourage your 4th or 5th grader to attend the introductory meeting on Wednesday, September 20 at 7:30 am in Ms. Graziano’s classroom (room 38). Direct questions to Holly Graziano at [email protected].

We Need You!

Walk like a Champion on Oct. 20 Our 3rd Annual Walk-a-thon will take place on Friday October 20th. This year, the PTO is fundraising to fund FIELD TRIPS! Our goal is to cover 100% of the field trips for grades K-5! In late September, pledge cards & envelopes will be sent home with students to help raise funds. Our walk-a-thon is fairly simple: make a donation in ANY amount to help raise funds for the PTO. We also accept PayPal donations in lieu of sending cash/ check to school in the provided envelopes. More information coming soon!

The PTO of Orchard Park Elementary is made up of moms and dads, working parents and stay at home parents - any parent that will help out! There are no membership fees, and you can still be part of the PTO even if you cannot attend the monthly meetings. We have several opportunities where we need a parent volunteer: 

Walk-a-thon: Someone to Coordinate distribution of pledge cards & envelopes

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Green Cubs: Need a Parent to work with the staff liaison for this club that meets after school once a month, which helps promote environmental conservation.

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PTO Website: Someone to update the PTO website periodically with news and events.

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Taste of Carmel Classroom Art Chairperson: Someone to coordinate details & meetings with other parents who are willing to help make classroom art projects for the Taste of Carmel silent auction.

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International Festival: Someone to coordinate the food trucks, be the liaison between OPE Staff & PTO, and head the decorating team

Do you shop at Kroger? Link your store rewards card to OPE and donate to OPE, too! https://www.kroger.com/ communityrewards

OPE

Select Orchard Park Elementary (16677)

If you’re interested in any PTO volunteer opportunities, please fill out the interest form here: https://goo.gl/auwDCi

OPE Choir & Orff start LABOR DAY WEEK! If you haven’t signed up yet  sign up via the link on your student’s Canvas music course, then join us for rehearsal next week! If you ARE signed up  rehearsals start next week!  Choir will meet bright and early Tuesday morning at 7:15 in the LGI room! Be sure to arrive a few minutes early so you’re ready to rock and roll right at 7:15.  Orff will meet at the same time (7:15) on Thursday morning in the music room! Try to arrive a few minutes early to help set up the barred instruments for rehearsal. PLEASE REMEMBER: the first rehearsal is VERY important for any ensemble. Please be on time and ready to begin right at 7:15. Feel free to message me with any questions! 

Julia Walker ~ Music Teacher ~ Orchard Park Elementary School [email protected] 317.848.1918 Ext. 1651

Welcome Back from Mrs. Lafferman & Mrs. Sweitzer! It’s wonderful to be back for another year as the Student Services Coordinators. We are licensed social workers and our role is very similar to that of a school counselor. We provide social, emotional, and academic support for students and we are available to address any parent needs or concerns. Some ways we support students throughout the school year include: - Small group counseling –topics may include social skills, changing families, anxiety, and school success. -

Individual counseling

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Support to parents and teachers

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Referrals to Resources

Please feel free to contact us. We are happy to meet with parents anytime! Mrs. Lafferman: (Kindergarten – 2nd) [email protected] Mrs. Sweitzer: (3rd – 5th) [email protected]

Send your Box Tops to School! The first-ever National Box Tops for Education Week is September 24 – September 30, and we’re holding a clipping drive to celebrate and earn cash for our school. You can clip Box Tops from hundreds of products, like Cheerios™, Go-Gurt™, Nature Valley™ granola bars, Kleenex® Tissue Bundles – even Ziploc® bags! There’s a full list of participating products at BTFE.com/participating-products. There are millions of dollars in Box Tops products out there just waiting to be clipped. There’s no easier way to earn cash for our school!

Custodian & Maintenance Appreciation Week September 11-15, 2017

To the OPE Custodians Thanks for making our school SPOTLESS!

Youth Wresting Leagues begin October 18th! In October and November, the Carmel High School Wrestling staff runs a 5-week wrestling league for young athletes in grades K-5. Participants are assigned to a team with a coach, and will have one night of instruction and one night of friendly competition each week. This is a great place to introduce yourself to our sport if you think you would like to try wrestling, and also for the experienced wrestler to continue to learn and get better.

2017 Youth Wrestling League Grades K-5 October 18th - November 15th, 2017 Mon./Wed. 6:00-6:50PM or 7:00-7:50PM Carmel High School Wrestling Room (enter door 21) Weekly competitions begin October 25th at 6PM! Cost: $80 Register online at www.carmelusawrestling.org Questions? Contact Coach Pendoski at [email protected]

PARENT NIGHT!

SEPTEMBER 12TH 6:30-7:30 @ COLLEGE WOOD ELEMENTARY OR SEPTEMBER 19TH 6:30-7:30 @ FOREST DALE ELEMENTARY

Carmel School District has recently partnered with Chaucie’s Place to provide Smart Steps: A Body Safety Program for Children™ Smart Steps™ is a child sexual abuse prevention and education program that teaches elementary school-aged children their bodies belong to them. This will be presented to Kindergarten, 2nd and 4th grade students ONLY. They have the right to say “NO!” to touches to their private parts and to tell an adult about any touches that make them uncomfortable. If you have any questions regarding this program and would like to learn more about the presentation, please join us at Parent Night. During Parent Night, you will not only learn more about the presentation but also different ways to safeguard your child from sexual abuse.

Please join us to learn more!