Here it Comes!!!

This is art.

This is what makes summer great.

There is no better feeling than gazing upon a freshly waxed floor in your commons and seeing the shine and the reflection of the lights.

It truly is beautiful.

I almost don't want anyone to go in there and make a mess of any kind. :)

It makes me realize that we are getting close to the date in which students will grace our halls again.  We are getting close to the date when the joyous noise will return.  We are getting close to the date when teachers and students will embark on a 9 month journey of discovery and wonderment.

We are getting close to the first day of school.

I realize that we have about a month left until students actually come back.  But this is the best time of year.

Our custodial staff is working hard in a tight time frame to get everything ready for our students.  Along with the floors our custodians are cleaning carpets, windows, and lockers.  They are fixing desks, water heaters, and the air conditioning.

Everything is getting checked out to ensure that it is up to code and ready for our kids in a month.

But I keep coming back to that shine on the commons floor.

Wow.

We may need to find a different place to eat lunch this year!  :)

See you soon.

Mr. K

Scheduling

The teachers and staff at OMS have been feverishly working on a new daily schedule for the 2013-2014 school year.  The primary impetus behind this new endeavor is the implementation of the Common Core Standards.

The Common Core Standards are agreed upon learning expectations for students that most of the country is adopting.  With these new expectations come greater demands for teaching time in certain curricular areas.

With those expectations in mind, OMS will be moving to a "Block" schedule next year.  A student's day will consist of three 84 minute core blocks, two 40 minute allied blocks, a 40 minute intervention/enrichment period, and a 30 minute lunch/recess period.  Through this new schedule we will be adding time to math instruction, integrating our language arts and reading classes, and maintaining the same amount of time for Social Studies and Science.

There is much more to come and a great deal of work to complete.

Stay tuned.

Mr. K