Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Hey Raccoons!
I hope you are getting excited to make our return to school next week! I am SO
excited to welcome everyone to the new year!
We do have to acknowledge that the start of this school year is different than any other year. There are lots of ideas, opinions, and viewpoints regarding the virus, masks, and how we should reopen. The topic has sparked passionate debates and invoked a wide range of emotions within our community and on social media pages, and I completely understand why. The success of each Raccoon is dependent on the school experience. Access to rigorous academic programs, mental health services, and social outings helps form each student’s personal development. Trust that our team stands ready to continue to provide those experiences no matter what instructional model we find ourselves working in.
Over the last three years, we have rallied as a community to set a vision to ensure each graduate is Career, College, and Life Ready. With the support of our families and community, we have made strides that none of us could have imagined. The energy in our halls is electric, and we have created experiences that help each Raccoon to reflect and discern their calling in life. We are increasing the number of students in apprenticeship programs, we have improved results on the ACT exam, and achieved one of our highest ratings on the state report card ever! None of this would have been possible without our hardworking students, amazing team, and the unwavering support of our families. Our team of teachers and paraprofessionals is so talented, beyond dedicated, and more than ready for the year ahead. Regardless of the challenges or changes, this school year brings, we are determined to keep the momentum going and not skip a beat!
As we head into the new year, let’s work together to ensure that our vision and purpose define Oconomowoc High School. Whether you choose to go entirely online, support a hybrid model, or believe we should return in a full face-to-face setting, we have to stay united as a community and focus on our purpose.
Outlined below are several reminders about the start of school and our operations under the hybrid instructional model. Please reach out to me at CurtisJ@oasd.org if you have any questions!
Thank you for all of your support! Go Raccoons!
Jason
Thursday, August 27: Reminder! Open House/Picture Make-Up
Day (9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.)
It’s not too late to sign up for Open House and Picture Make-Up
Day. It’s an excellent opportunity to come back to campus and walk your
schedule before September 1. Sign-up is available by clicking
here.
Monday, August 31: Ocon Pride Live! Virtual Pep Rally (7:00 p.m.-7:45 p.m.)
Remember to tune into our Back to School Ocon Pride Live! Pep Rally at 7pm on Monday, August 31. You can access the event live or watch the recording through this link.
Schedule Week 1 (September 1-4)
You can click here for the schedule and attendance expectations for the first week of class. All students report to school on their assigned days beginning September 1. Traditionally, the first day of school has only been for freshmen. However, given all the changes this year, we want every Raccoon to have the chance to learn the new structure and changes. Freshmen Orientation will now occur in the afternoons of their 2 face-to-face days. Room assignments for this period will be posted around campus. Our teachers and senior leaders will help you find your room. You will report to these locations after lunch.
Sophomores and upperclassmen are invited to report to East Campus after lunch for some interest enrichment activities and to debrief on their first few days of school. Please email StefanK@oasd.org if you have any questions!
Purple/Gold Academic Calendar
Here is the Purple/Gold calendar that was shared with you earlier this month. Remember, the periods after the slash indicate the classes that are meeting in the afternoon. All students report to school the first week of school. For the first week, only freshmen are required to stay for the afternoon. During that time we will host our annual Freshmen orientation.
We are prepared to switch instructional models seamlessly throughout the year. For planning purposes, we have built a calendar for the entire first term. Putting this plan together does not mean that we will remain in this model the whole time; instead, we wanted to present a calendar for the entire grading period.
I know this is a lot of change at one time. Please remember that our team will be in the hallways and available for support in the first days of school. We also presented this video to families on all our reopening models. The review of the hybrid model starts at minute 17.
Resources and Social Media
With the start of the year approaching, I wanted to re-share the following resources with you for your reference or bookmark in your browser:
Also, please take a minute to follow us on social media:
- Twitter:
- Mr. Curtis: @OconCurtis
- High School: @OconHS
- District: @OconSchools
- Facebook (you will need to log in)
