The Weekly Bear News
School Calendar
OHS Spring Musical
"SHREK"
". . . There was a little ogre named Shrek." And thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you've got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there's one on hand... and his name is Shrek.
Based on the Oscar-winning Dreamworks Animation film, Shrek the Musical finds it way to the Oakdale Stage for a limited time on April 19, 20 and 21. Shrek brings all the beloved characters you know from the film to life on stage and proves there's more to the story than meets the ears.
You can purchase your tickets right now to make sure you and your family have great seats to enjoy this side-splitting musical. Reserved seating tickets are available at www.ShowTix4u.com Because of the popularity of this musical, be sure to purchase your tickets early so you don't miss out on the magic!
Like the film, Shrek the Musical is rated PG for language and crude humor. Shrek the Musical has a run time of approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission and, for the comfort and enjoyment of all theatre goers, is recommended for ages 8 and older. Questions should be directed to Michael Copen at michael.copen@fcps.org
Don't miss out on this Tony Award-winning musical! Purchase your tickets today for Shrek the Musical at www.ShowTix4u.com!
WHAT: BRAIN AWARENESS WEEK
WHEN: March 11-17, 2018
WHO: OHS students, staff, families
WHY: To increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research
Throughout the week, students will hear daily announcements about the brain. Announcements will include trivia questions. There will also be a display in the Media Center. If you would like more information about brain awareness, tips or activities, please check out the following information: Brain Awareness Week Tips for Parents and http://www.dana.org/baw/
Clothing items in the lost and found will be displayed, in the cafeteria, during lunch from March 13 – March 15. Any clothing items that are not claimed during these three days will be donated to a local charity. For lost keys or jewelry students will need to go to the AP office for these items.
Students are expected to ride their assigned bus each day. Students should not be riding another bus unless it is an emergency. If an emergency occurs, a signed parent note must be turned into the front office from both students. A bus pass will be issued to the guest rider. If there are any questions, please contact the school.
March is National Youth Art Month. In celebration, Frederick County Public Schools is hosting an All-County Student Art Show at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Center in downtown Frederick from March 3 – 29. Each teacher may only select three works to be part of the exhibit. The following student work has been selected from Mr. Bingman, Mrs. Pyles, and Ms. Stockman’s students:
The English department is busy with many wonderful celebrations, initiatives, and lessons. We celebrate the students who engage in classroom discussions and activities. We applaud the students who celebrated their knowledge with their outstanding performance on the English PARCC assessment. We also celebrate the four students who placed first or second in the FCPS Young Authors Contest, the three students who were awarded first or second in the Maryland Young Authors Contest, the student who won the Gold Award in the Scholastic Writing Contest, and the student who represented OHS in the regional Poetry Out Loud contest. We congratulate the seventeen inductees into the National English Honor Society and the three NEHS students who volunteered for Reading in the Mall. We herald the Mock Trial team who finished the season strong at three wins and a couple of close losses. We continue to read the articles that the Journalism students write and publish on oakdalepawprint.com. We encourage each of you to follow the Pawprint on Twitter and Facebook @PawprintOakdale. And, always, we continue to design lessons that incorporate blended learning and support student engagement. We encourage the joy and curiosity that is waiting to be discovered in reading, writing, and learning.
Tips for Best (and Safest) Use of FCPS Chromebooks:
The 1:1 Chromebook Program has successfully been underway for more than a year at Oakdale High School. Since its inception in January 2017, we have learned much about how students use and abuse FCPS devices. Here are some scenarios to avoid and a few tips to keep in mind to help your child make the best (and safest) use of his or her rented device.
So far this 2017-18 school year, we have filed 39 student reports of damage or loss, 29 of which were accidental or intentional screen breakage. Most of these mishaps could have been prevented had students kept their devices in the assigned protective cases, which is required in accordance with the User Agreement signed by all students and parent/guardians. More often than not, students leave their Chromebook cases at home and sandwich their devices in between textbooks and other items in their backpacks to avoid carrying more than one bag at a time; this is when most damage occurs, as the devices get squeezed between textbooks and enough pressure is placed on the screens to cause internal and/or external screen breakage.
TIP#1: Avoid the squeeze. Require your child to use their Chromebook case at all times.
When it comes to charging Chromebooks, it would seem that many students are not following through on this simple task each night. Anywhere from 6-10 students per day will come to the library asking for a loaner charger. Unfortunately, the library does not loan Chromebook chargers, as all chargers are paired with a device and there are now several different varieties of devices available within the 1:1 Chromebook Program and all have their own unique style of charger, so they are not universal. The library will loan a charged device to the student for the day three times during a semester, however, it is expected that every child bring their own charged device--FCPS or personal--daily to be prepared for class; this does NOT include a smartphone. A fully charged FCPS device will hold its charge for approximately 9 hours.
TIP #2: Remind your child to charge their device each night at the same time they charge their smartphone--which they rarely forget to charge!
It’s inevitable that some kind of technical issue will arise when your student least expects it. Whether it’s a loose or broken key, connectivity problems, a malfunctioning charger, damaged case hinge, unzippable case zipper, etc., we can provide assistance at the Library Media Center Help Desk during the school day. The only thing we ask is that students bring the complete device set (Chromebook, case & charger) with them so we can more readily troubleshoot and/or exchange the set for a new one without further delay. We will not accept a Chromebook for exchange or repair if it does not come back in its complete set.
TIP #3: For technical help, students must bring their entire Chromebook set with them to the library during SET (must sign up via the OHS Media Center webpage at https://education.fcps.org/ohs/mediacenter, see lower left corner) or in between classes.
Periodically, when your student logs in to their FCPS Google Apps for Education account she or he will be asked to change their password for security reasons. If this request is ignored your student will be locked out of their school account. Should this occur, your student will need to visit the Library Media Center during SET (sign up required) or in between classes to request a password reset. This will only take a few minutes, but it is an inconvenience to the user.
TIP#4: Remind your student to change their password upon request. If they get locked out, visit the Library during SET (sign up required) or in between classes.
In the past year, we have seen some mighty grimy Chromebook screens and keyboards. To help keep FCPS or personal devices sparkly clean, the Library Media Center provides a cleaning station near the Help Desk, which includes a microfiber cloth and 50/50 water & vinegar spray bottle. This is a self-help station with directions posted, whereby we ask students to spray the 50/50 mix onto the cloth (NOT the device) with one or two sprays and gently swipe the screen and keyboard (logging out first, is recommended). We do not encourage the use of paper towels or commercial window or surface cleaners, since they are known to cause damage to the screen and keyboard.
TIP#5: If your student’s device is dirty or grimy, please encourage them to use the Library Media Center’s Chromebook cleaning station.
Lastly, most students opt to pay the User Fee ($60/year or $30/semester), which covers the cost of most first accidental occurrences of damage. The payment of this fee has already prevented dozens of students from paying the cost of a broken screen, which can be higher than the fee itself. However, the User Fee does not cover the cost of a lost or damaged charger or case; nor does it cover the cost of intentional damage or accidental damage that may occur as result of not having used the protective case.
TIP #6: Don’t take a chance: pay the User Fee. If you’re unable to pay the fee, talk to your child’s administrator to determine if you’re eligible for a fee waiver. Our goal is to provide a device to everyone who needs one.
“If we can just let go and trust that things will work out the way they’re supposed to, without trying to control the outcome, then we can begin to enjoy the moment more fully. The joy of the freedom it brings becomes more pleasurable than the experience itself.” Goldie Hawn
http://ohs.sites.fcps.org 5850 Eaglehead Drive Ijamsville, MD 21754 Phone: 240-566-9400 Fax: 240-566-9401