Have website or newsletter technical questions? Send an email to webmaster@ohepta.org
School Supplies?
Looking for the OHE School Supply List? It's on our website. Click here to see it!
New to OHE?
Check out the School Info Menu on the OHE PTA Website for new parent information!
What are we missing?
If there is something you can't find or don't know the answer to, please let us know at feedback@ohepta.org. We'll find the answer and publish it here in future Eagle Eyes!
NEW Driving Laws!!!
Effective Sept. 1, 2009
New Laws Passed Regarding Teen Drivers and Child Booster Seat Usage
Parents need to be aware of recent new laws that go into effect September 1 regarding driving and child passenger safety!
HB 339 prohibits teens under 18 from texting or talking on a cell phone while driving.
HB 537 requires that everyone in the car, regardless of age and regardless of where they are sitting, needs to wear a seatbelt.
HB 61 requires that all children younger than 8 years and less than four feet nine inches tall be in a child safety seat system.
The first meeting of our Math Pentathlon Club (MPC) will be on Tuesday, September 22, from 2:45-4pm.
We will meet weekly on Tuesdays after that. More information regarding the club will be coming via email in the coming weeks.
If
for some reason you have decided not to participate or have any questions, please contact Ily Abounader.
FREE MONEY!!!
Did you know that our school gets money for EVERY search (internet search) performed using Goodsearch.com (make sure Oak Hill Elementary PTA is selected as the charity of choice!)? We also get money from your shopping online endeavors and it costs you NOTHING. Just go to goodshop.com and make sure Oak Hill Elementary PTA, Austin, TX is selected and then shop away at all the popular places... amazon.com, eddie bauer.com, etc. Check it out and start making money for our school! Click below for direct links!
Back-to-school Night Kinder, 1st, 2nd grades, Sept. 15th 6-7pm
Back-to-school Night 3rd, 4th, 5th grades, Sept. 17th, 6-7pm
Room Parent Meeting, Sept. 21st, 6:30-8pm
PTA General Meeting, Sept. 22nd, 6:30-7:30pm
PTA Ice Cream Social, Sept. 25th, 6:30-8pm
*please see our website calendar for the most up-to-date dates
Did you know?
Did you know that Mrs. Whistler, our beloved Principal writes a blog every week? Check it out and subscribe to it so that you don't miss any updates (subscribe at her blog): http://principalblog.ohepta.org/
Did you know that most of the Faculty's biographies are on our website? The newest faculty will be updated sometime in the near future. www.ohepta.org and click on the faculty menu
Have you seen the new Texas PTA website? It's been revamped: www.txpta.org
Mrs. Whistler throws pitch, gets $500 for OHE!
The Hit a Homerun for Reading program
is in its fourth year. This summer reading program is co-sponsored by A+
Federal Credit Union, the Round Rock Express and the Austin
American-Statesman. Students receive rewards for reading books and
newspaper articles over the summer break, including Round Rock Express baseball
tickets. 549 students signed up to participate this year and 808
tickets were awarded to students for reading over the summer. The school with the most participants receives $500 for library books from A+ Federal
Credit Union. The winner for 2009 is Oak Hill Elementary.
Cell Phone Usage in School Zones
As
the new school year begins, you should be aware that the Texas Legislature
recently enacted a new law regarding the use of wireless communication
devices in school zones (Transportation
Code § 545.425). This new law
prohibits all motor vehicle operators from using any wireless communications
devices within an active school zone, with limited exceptions.
The statute
becomes effective September 1, 2009.
You should be aware of the following important
provisions of this statute:
It
is considered a violation of state law to use any wireless communication
device within an active school crossing zone, including cell phones, PDAs,
computers, texting devices, pagers, and gaming systems.
The
law does not prohibit use if a hands-free device is used, such as a blue-tooth
headset, earpiece, or speaker phone.
Communications
made to emergency response, hospital, fire or police department, health
clinic, physician’s office, or for first aid treatment are also allowed.
Use
of wireless communication devices is not prohibited while vehicles remain
stopped.
Anyone
caught driving through a school zone on a cell phone where there is clear
signage banning it could face up to a $200 fine.
If you have any questions about the new
law or how it will be enforced, please contact the Legal Services Division
at 512-414-1706.
Attention: Kinder Parents!
Interested in Math Pentathlon for your Kindergartner?
Click here to find more information about
this fun program that helps your child learn valuable math skills by
playing games! Meetings would be weekly on Tuesday after school until
4pm. Registration fee would be about $35. You can also visit www.mathpenath.org
for more info about the program.
Print and return this flyer or watch your Kinder's Friday folder for a copy. Email Michelle Kinkade or call her at 891-7614 for more information.
Partners In Reading Volunteers Needed!
We are working with Austin Partners in Education to implement their Partners in Reading Program in some of our 2nd grade classrooms this year. This program benefits all students in the class no matter their reading level. We are looking for English speaking and bilingual volunteers to spend 45 minutes per week (exact time of day TBD) in the classroom working with a small group of kids. Training will be provided in September and the program will kick off in October. You don't need to be the parent of a 2nd grader to volunteer. We would love to have anyone from the community who is interested. If you or your spouse work nearby and would like to include your work community we would love to explore that possibility with you. If you are interested in this extremely rewarding volunteer opportunity, please contact DeeDee Eastwood at 892-8765 or at meastwood@austin.rr.com.
Kindergarten & 1ST Grade Mentor E-MAIL List
Are you a kindergarten or 1st grade parent with
lots of questions, but you’re not sure who to ask? Do you need help maneuvering
around the annex or the main building? Would you love to chat with another
parent who is “in the know” and could help you navigate the new worlds of kindergarten
and 1st grade from a parent’s perspective? If so, you are in luck!
The Welcoming Committee is proud to announce the creation of a “Kindergarten
Mentor” and a “1st Grade Mentor” to informally support you as you
make these important transitions at Oak Hill Elementary with your child. If you
would like to sign up for this voluntary e-mail list, please contact
Lisa Moe, if you are a kindergarten parent or Lindsay Castaneda , if you are a 1st
grade parent. Many thanks to Lisa and Lindsay for taking on these important
volunteer roles!
Cub Scout Roundup
Pack 446 invites you and your entire family to join us for our Cub Scout Roundup and Information session on Tuesday, September 1 at 6:30pm at the Oak Hill Elementary Cafeteria. We will have games and ice cream for the kids, and information for the adults. Please feel free to contact Dave Read, Cubmaster, at dave@daveread.com with any questions.
Austin ISD Boundary Process Update
Austin
ISD will open a new southwest elementary school in August 2010 in the Meridian subdivision near the intersection of Highway 45
and FM 1826. AISD is establishing a
Boundary Task Force to determine the boundaries for the new school. Oak
Hill Elementary will have two representatives on the Task Force, which will
have its first meeting on October 6. The OHE representatives will be named by
our Campus Advisory Council before then. A Boundary Working Group has been
formed at OHE to begin preparing for the boundary process and to support our
school's representatives. If you would like more information about the school
boundaries or if you would like to help with the working group, please contact
Casie Wenmohs (Boundary Working Group Chair/OHE Strategic Planning) at ckw@austin.rr.com. To view an informative
flyer about the elementary school boundaries (including a map), please click
here.
Welcoming Committee Thank You!
Thank you to Annemarie Read, Geeta Suggs, Jill Ivie, Jodi
Picardat, Lisa Moe, Lisa Spedale, and Lindsay Castaneda for planning and
preparing for the new Boo Hoo Breakfast to welcome kindergarten parents on the
first day of school. Thanks also to the PTA volunteers and board members who
attended in support of this new event! Be on the lookout for more fun and
inviting events sponsored by the Welcoming Committee later this fall!
SCHOOL
SUPPLIES! SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND MORE SCHOOL SUPPLIES!
By
Susan Malachowski, Chair
The Oak Hill school
supplies were
separated and delivered on Thursday, August 20th. Thanks to all my wonderful helpers, Deena and Bryce
Perkins, DeeDee Eastwood, Kristie Peterman, Geeta Suggs, Stan, Kyle
and
Rhyan Malachowski, Julie, Oliver and Ben Awad, and Wendy and Lilly
Primeaux. Your efforts are appreciated on behalf of the PTA,
students, teachers and administrators.
1st Annual PTA Information Fair Update
Our 1st annual PTA Information Fair on Friday, Aug. 21st, held on the front
porches of the Annex and Main building was well attended and well received.
Oak Hill PTA Board members were present to welcome new families to Oak Hill Elementary and also to welcome back our existing Oak Hill families. Several volunteer board members provided invaluable information about our Oak Hill PTA, volunteer opportunities, fun Oak Hill events/activities, and programs like: Math Pentathlon, Partners in Reading and Reading Rangers. Parents were also able to purchase extra copies of last year’s Oak Hill yearbook and school directories.
Several parents signed up for volunteer opportunities! We had a total of 52
volunteers; with 22 of those volunteers being kindergarten parents! YEA! GO
OAK HILL!
I would like to thank the following members who helped me plan for this event:
Casie Wenmohs , chair of the Welcoming Committee, Lisa Moe, Lisa Spedale,
Annemarie Read, Jill Ivie & Lindsay Castaneda. My thanks also to the
Welcoming Committee for their help and for my PTA Information Table
volunteers:
Ily Abounader
Liddy Zierer
Tawnya Savoy
Heather Sendera
Mike Hemmer
Denise Rose
Jane Tumicki
DeeDee Eastwood
Annemarie Read
Jill Ivie
Cathy Cox
Geeta Suggs
I also would like to thank the Oak Hill PTA officers, chairs and members who
were present to welcome everyone back to Oak Hill. Plus, a HUGE Thank You
to our Oak Hill Historian, Jill Ivie, who helped with the PTA story boards: I
