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This Week Around OHE:
- April 6 LAT – Grade 5 – Mathematics
- April 7 TAKS – Grade 5 – Mathematics
- April 9 Student Council Spirit Day – Hawaiian Vacation Day;
- April 9 Student Council Meeting – 2 p.m. – Cafeteria
- April 10 Student / Staff Holiday
Coming Soon:
- April 14 Spirit Night at Craig O's
- April 16 2nd Grade Program – 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 6 p.m.
OHE Prospective Parent Open House - need your help!
The Kindergarten Roundup Committee is looking for lots and lots of friendly OHE ambassadors to welcome prospective parents and students to our school for an OHE Prospective Parent Open House.
The Prospective Parent Open House is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. in the main building cafeteria.
The volunteer slots on April 22nd will be:
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and
- 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The goal of the open house is to provide parents an opportunity to ask questions and visit the school prior to Kindergarten Roundup (and registration).
We need as many volunteers as possible to help engage and inform these special guests to our school. Help us make a great “first impression!” To volunteer, please contact Casie Wenmohs at 891-6962 or ckw@austin.rr.com with your availability.
Still need nominations for a few PTA Officers for 2009-2010
You may nominate yourself but if you are nominating someone else, you must first be sure that they are willing and able to meet the requirements of the position.
If you are interested in serving on the PTA Board or have questions about the positions, please email Heather Sendera (hsendera@austin.rr.com) immediately. The nominees will be presented to the general body on Thursday, April 16th and will be installed as PTA officers on Thursday, May 21st.
“Turn Around-Don’t Drown” Poster Contest
by Cynthia Thomas, OHE 4th grade teacher
Congratulations to fourth grader, Saarila Kenkare, on winning third place in the “Turn Around-Don’t Drown” Poster Contest. The City of Austin Watershed Protection and Development Review Department chose her award winning work from over 700 entries. On Sunday, March 22, following a news conference by Austin Fire Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr, Saarila was treated to an exhilarating ride in a swift water rescue boat with the Fire Department at Festival Beach. She also witnessed a helicopter water rescue by the EMS staff. After the ceremony, she happily left with a $50 gift card, an official National Weather Service rain gauge, and a pass to tour the National Weather Service in New Braunfels. What a great afternoon she had!
The contest was designed to highlight the importance of NOT driving on flooded streets or bridges. More people die each year from flash flooding than by the combination of lightning and tornadoes. Turn Around –Don’t Drown.
Teacher of Promise
A school has the opportunity to nominate a first year teacher for the Teacher of Promise Award. This is given to an individual who has demonstrated excellence in teaching children. This year, OHE had a number of excellent first year teachers and it is our honor to be represented by Genna Reed, a Kindergarten teacher. She, along with other Teachers of Promis, will be honored at a reception at the Delco Center in April. Congratulations, Ms. Reed!
Teacher Appreciation: Thank You!
A Pasta Buffet of Epic Proportions leaves Oak Hill Teachers and Staff speechless. An enormous pasta lunch provided by the catering folks at Cannoli Joe's brought April in like a Lion for our wonderful staff. The Teacher Appreciation crew put on a lovely buffet style lunch of 2 pastas and 3 sauces, salad, and desserts to perk up our Teachers during this season of TAKS. Much appreciation goes out to Cannoli Joe's for the bounteous offerings.
May 4-8th is Teacher Appreciation Week--so mark your calendars to bring a little something for your child's teacher or just a simple Thank You will make a much needed highpoint for all our Soaring Eagle Staff!! |
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Help Make This Newsletter The Best It Can Be!
The OHE PTA Publicity committee has an immediate need for volunteers to write newsletter articles for the following events:
- April 9, Student Council Spirit Day – Hawaiian Vacation Day
- April 9, Student Council Meeting – 2 p.m. – Cafeteria
- April 16, 2nd Grade Program – 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 6 p.m.
- April 23, Kindergarten Field Trip – Crowes Nest Farm
- April 24, Friday Morning Assembly, Annex Assembly
To volunteer or for more information send email to Ileana Abounader at publicity@ohepta.org.
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Interview with a Teacher
By Jodi Picardat
Yolanda Faulkner, now, just who is she? She has a contagious smile, bubbly personality and abundant humor. Yolanda Faulkner is a person with humility, honor and fierce dedication to her students, co-workers, school, family and friends.
I have been very fortunate to work with Mrs. Faulkner for the past three years in promoting literacy. I wanted to know more about her and I asked her if I could interview her for this article. Of course, she humbly could not understand why I would want to interview her. The reason was I had learned that this is her 25th year of teaching at Oak Hill Elementary and she undoubtedly had a lot to share about her teaching experiences.
Yolanda Faulkner, a native Michigander and graduate of Dillard University, has been married for 15 years and has a son, Jeremy, a 4th grader at Oak Hill Elementary. I asked Mrs. Faulkner when she knew she wanted to be a teacher and why. She responded, “When I was very young, I used to play school with the neighborhood children. I wanted to be a teacher because I love working with children.”
Mrs. Faulkner has been teaching first graders for 25 years at Oak Hill Elementary. I asked her what her teaching philosophy is; she responded, “It is to provide students with a rich learning experience and make them lifelong learners.”
The following are some insights into Mrs. Faulkner’s 25 years of teaching:
Fondest Memory: When her students come back to visit her.
Funniest Memory: When a student asked her to read a book, she did not preview the book before she read it, and when she turned the page, there was a snake. Mrs. Faulkner threw the book to the far end of the classroom. (Note: she does not like snakes!)
Best Thing Learned From Her Students: She said, “When I inject humor, students are more productive because happy teachers make happy students… and, I am a happy teacher.”
Changes She Has Seen In The Past 25 Years: She said that there is a more diverse population and higher standards of test taking have been raised each year.
What She Would Like To See Changed In The Next 25 Yrs: She would like specific testing to be based on the daily performances of the students in the classroom.
I asked Mrs. Faulkner what advice she would give to a new first grade teacher or teacher of any grade. She responded, “Be a role model, make clear expectations to your students, be able to communicate with your
students, parents and other teachers. Also, stay involved with the professional growth and recognize each student’s individual needs.”
Yolanda Faulkner loves teaching and it shows! She is dedicated not only in providing the expansion of knowledge for her students, but she is dedicated to her colleagues, school, family and friends. She is an extraordinary woman and I truly feel blessed to be able to get to know her better.
There will be a reception to honor Yolanda Faulkner for her 25 years of teaching excellence at Oak Hill Elementary on Thursday, April 23rd from 3:00-4:00 in the school library. All Oak Hill faculty, parents of current and former students, friends and family are invited. If you are able to attend, please email me at: jodipicardat@austin.rr.com.
I am thrilled to be able to honor this remarkable lady, and I look forward to honoring future teachers on their 25th anniversary of teaching at Oak Hill Elementary. |
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Prospective OHE Kindergarteners?
Know any future OHE Kindergarteners? If so, tell them about the Eagle Eye E-newsletter and how they can subscribe to it on our website: http://www.ohepta.org/ to get the latest information about news and events at our school, including Kindergarten Roundup on May 5th!
Did you love the Carnival? Share the love!
Please share your photos in the school scrapbook! Just send to the PTA Historian at: historian@ohepta.org. If you have photos already printed just e-mail Jill Ivie to find out where to send them. It was awesome event and raised a great deal of money to support school programs!
CALLING ALL VOLLEYBALL PARENTS
We need photos of Volleyball Playday. If you have any of the White Eagle Team (Coach Palmer's),
or the Gold Eagle Team (Coach Cuming's), please send copies to Mrs. Bergh. Thanks!
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Wanna save some money???
Did you know that as a member of the Texas PTA you can benefit from discounts from PTA partners such as BarnesAndNoble.com, Schlitterbahn, Fiesta Texas, Sea World, and T-Mobile? For more information visit http://www.txpta.org.
MIssing a jacket?
Be sure to check the school's Lost and Found ... lots of jackets are in there, not to mention other stuff!
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Catch Family Night
Friday, May 1st 5:30-7:30
Bring your whole family for a FUN evening at OHE. We will have a DJ and many fun filled activities. We will provide oranges, yogurt, pretzels, and water. This event is completely FREE. It is an incredible opportunity for parents to interact with their children, their children's friends and socialize. More info will come in your child's folder soon but save the date now!
School Supplies
OHE PTA will begin its annual sale of next year's school supplies on Friday, April 17th. Please keep in mind this is not a fundraiser. It is a service provided by the OHE PTA. By using this service, OHE families benefit from the convenience of having supplies delivered directly to the classrooms on the first day of school. The PTA sells the supply packs at cost. More information will come in your child's folder soon.
Yearbooks have been ordered!
OHE 2008-2009 Yearbook orders have been placed. A few extra copies will be available for purchase at the end of the year for $20 each. If you are interested in one of those, contact Jane Tumicki or Denise Rose at yearbook@ohepta.org. The yearbooks will be distributed during the last week of school.
Refunding
Just a reminder for you to keep clipping your Box Top coupons from hundreds of your favorite products such as Cheerios, Better Crocker, Juicy Juice, Ziploc, Kleenex, Hefty, and more! And don't forget to clip the UPC codes from Campbell soup products. The box top and soup labels can be deposited in the bins set up outside the offices in the annex and the main building. Thanks for your help in raising money for educational products for our school.
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