Just Keep Swimming...

Students were playing a "go fish" card game a couple of days ago! It made me think of fun card games when I was younger. I loved "Old Maid." My friends and I seemed to always know where the Old Maid card was placed in the deck - that particular card had something a little different about it... maybe a dog-eared corner, perhaps a rough edge, or some inconspicuous marking! Card games were always a big part of my life growing up. All of my cousins were either much younger or much older than me, so when we visited my aunts and uncles, I got to play cards with the grown-ups - Pitch, Pinochle, Rummy, Spades, Hearts, FLIP, and more! Looking back, I cherish those memories - quality time with my mom, dad, aunts, and uncles.

Although I don't play a lot of cards anymore, what I learned from those days is that you have to accept the hand you are dealt. That is my analogy for the past several months. Oakhill has been dealt cards from the deck... and we have played them as strategically as possible throughout the reopening phase and beyond. Here we are in week 6...mid-quarter...day 25! I am so proud of this school... of this staff... of these teachers... of this strong community...and, of these incredibly resilient students! It has not been an easy journey; leading up to our opening day was exhausting both physically and mentally for all of us (including you). Yet, here we are, not just surviving the start of school, but I feel we are thriving! Regardless of all the COVID related protocols, we are happy, healthy, and grateful! I have never been as grateful to be at school as I am this year. 

As we began school, our approach to events and activities was simple - adapt, adjust, and reimagine. We threw out all of our past plans and expectations and started fresh! This approach has been refreshing; we have had to dissect events and activities to understand their purpose and goal. By doing this, we have salvaged all of our events and even created or recreated some new ones along the way. 

Our parent preview back in mid-August was a new concept, and it will be one we keep (hopefully without temp checks and social distancing). The PTO helped create a new back to school event, replacing the traditional carnival this year with a food truck fest. People came, people ate, and everyone enjoyed being outside and having fun. We did the best we could with Parents' Night videos, and our sports teams have been able to play, run, and participate! Sports do bring a sense of normalcy.

We look forward to more events to come - virtual panther PARTY time, virtual reading buddies, an outdoor global celebration (tomorrow night), a Global After Hours (on the north field), too! Next week, we will host our Fall Farmers Market - pumpkins, mums, food bundles, and more! Parent/Teacher Conferences will be virtual this year, but our spelling bee will be in-person distanced and safe. Our Halloween traditions will prevail with parties led by teachers (thank you, room parents, for coordinating), and the parade route will be outside for parents to view costumes (more info to come). Our winter concerts will be virtual; we can't wait to see the creativity come to play. We will be sending out details for all of our upcoming fall and winter events very soon.

When educators say THIS year is our new normal, I can't entirely agree. THIS is what we must do for the time being... to keep our community safe... to keep our students in school... to keep Oakhill going (we, too, are a business that must survive)! Will some events be better because of it? Absolutely! Will other events go back to the way they were? Probably! Bottom line... Oakhill provides incredible, high-quality education to children while embracing the whole child and the entire family. We are here to provide a safe and happy environment for our students of all ages! We are here to be your child's family away from home AND to be your child's home away from family. 

Going back to my card game analogy, we will continue to play the hand we are dealt! We will accept our cards (whether we like them or not), play them strategically, hope for a little luck along the way, and accept the "wins and losses." But, we will enjoy each hour, each day, and each week! I am grateful to be on campus! I am grateful to lead such an amazing group of strong educators and staff members! We are here for the students...they are our tomorrow - we must model what we hope to see! 

Never throw in your hand,

Suzanne

Fall Sports - Athletics Update

Oakhill Panthers Cross Country - Pembroke Hill Meet @ Loose Park (Top 10 Finishers) 

5th/6th Girls Division

• The 3rd - 6th grade Oakhills Girls took 1st place in the 5th/6th Girls Division @ the Pembroke Hill Meet!! Great job Panthers!!
• Top 10 Finishers
  • Addison Gerstner (4th Grade) - 1st Place
  • Alma Kirkpatrick (4th Grade) - 4th Place
  • Callie Draut (6th Grade) - 6th Place

5th/6th Boys Division

• The 3rd - 6th Oakhill Boys took 2nd place in the 5th/6th Boys Division @ the Pembroke Hill Meet!! Great job Panthers!!
• Top 10 Finishers
  • Ben Humiston (6th Grade) - 4th Place
  • Hudson Hurst (4th Grade) - 7th Place
  • Luke Rule (3rd Grade) - 8th Place

7th/8th Girls Division

• Top 10 Finishers
  • Ella Brown (8th Grade) - 2nd Place

7th/8th Boys Division

• Top 10 Finishers
  • Ben Yager (8th Grade) - 4th Place
  • Kai Somasegaran (8th Grade) - 5th Place
  • Roman Cowan (7th Grade) - 10th Place
     

Pembroke Hill Meet - Click Links Below to Access Full Results

Pembroke Hill 5th/6th Girls Results Click Here

Pembroke Hill 5th/6th Boys Results Click Here

Pembroke Hill 7th/8th Girls Results Click Here

Pembroke Hill 7th/8th Boys Results Click Here

Oakhill Panthers Cross Country - Parochial League Meet Results (3rd - 8th Girls)

PLKC 3rd Girls Results Click Here

PLKC 4th Girls Results Click Here

PLKC 5th Girls Results Click Here

PLKC 6th Girls Results Click Here

Oakhill Panthers - Girls Volleyball - Results

5th/6th Grade Girls

Record: 2 Wins - 1 Loss

• September 10th vs Pembroke Hill (WIN)
• September 15th vs Seabury Academy (LOSS)
• September 21st vs Seabury Academy (WIN)
   

7th/8th Grade Girls

Record: 2 Wins - 1 Loss

• September 10th vs Pembroke Hill (WIN)
• September 15th vs Seabury Academy (LOSS)
• September 21st vs Seabury Academy (WIN)

Booster Club - Purchase your 2020-2021 Booster Club Membership Package Today - Register Below

Click Here to Sign-up and become a Booster Club Member!

Thanks for your continued support of Oakhill Athletics and the Oakhill Day School Booster Club!

GO PANTHERS!!

Thanks,

Kellen Smith (Athletic Coordinator)

News from the Development Office

One of the best parts of working at Oakhill is the support and generosity of the Oakhill community.  Many families and organizations are stepping up with exciting sponsorships and donations.  Thank you!  We need you more than ever! 

Special gratitude and welcome to:

CEK Insurance - Silver sponsor for the Black and Teal Ball, and a Diamond sponsor for the Helen Wills Golf Tournament 
Security Bank - Community Partnership
Hollis & Miller - Diamond sponsor for golf
Signature Mortgage - Community Partnership and a hole sponsor for golf
Central Bank - Community Partnership
Gregg Engineering - Community Partnership and Swag sponsor for Golf
Clayton Apartments - Community Partnership and Hole-in-One sponsor for Golf
Gladstone Dodge - Hole-in-One sponsor for Golf

Thank you!!

If you are interested in purchasing a customized Community Partnership, or a sponsorship for one of our fabulous events, please call Leslie Gasser in the Development Office (816) 436-6228.  

Don't forget to sign up for the Global Celebration After Hours Party this Friday night!

Guests limited to 75 so register today!  

Oder delicious, fresh Florida fruit right from the comfort of your home! All proceeds directly benefit Oakhill Day School.

Sale ends September 28.  Choose Thanksgiving or Christmas delivery.  Makes the perfect gift for loved ones near and far!

Place your order today!

The Mighty Oak Fund Fall campaign is well underway!  Sincere gratitude and thanks to the following generosity to these donors who have made gifts to the Mighty Oak Fund so far:

Kathryn & Richard Dodson

Leecil & Kendall Culbertson

Bob & Jan Peterson

James Bartholomew

Barry Yantis

Stephen & Angela Tatum-Smith

Dan & Mary Lee Sturdevant

Larry & Sharon Blount

Terri Ferris

The Gasser Family

Kristin & Dan Smith

Kathy Trager

Darlene O'Dell

Ben & Elinore Brown

Amy Ganaden

Don & Deana Mason

Jerry & Lynna McManus

Bob & Gola McDonald

Bren & Leslie Rose

Ron & Sandy Diven

Eddie & Ellen Upton

Daryl & Julie Hercules

Linda & Jeff Hurst

Carol & Ronald Giddens

Thank you!!

A gift to the Mighty Oak Fund matters because it helps us cover expenses not covered by tuition:

• Building cleaning and maintenance - your gift helps us keep our campus beautiful.
• Utilities - your gift helps keep our buildings heated and cooled and the lights on.
• Classroom materials and curriculum - your gift provides items teachers need.
• Educational technology and equipment - your gift ensures students have the technology needed in today's digital environment.
• Covid-19 - your gift pays for extra cleaning staff, sanitation equipment and other enhancements made to ensure our students and staff remain healthy.

Please consider making a gift to the Mighty Oak Fund today!

We are accepting auction items for the Black & Teal Ball. Please contact the Development Office at (816) 436-6228 for details.

Thank you!

Meet the New Student Ambassadors

Student Ambassadors represent the entire Oakhill student body to our families and the community. They exemplify our Lifeskills, are well rounded, and represent our school.

Eleven seventh and eighth graders applied this year to be your Student Ambassadors. These students had to complete an online application, submit two letters of recommendation (from non-Oakhill staff and non-relatives), AND had an interview with Oakhill staff and community members.

The students who applied this year did a wonderful job and all would be a great representation of our Oakhill Community! This year's applicants were:

8^th graders - Drew Clawson, Kai Somasegaran, Ava Wright, and Ben Yager

7^th graders – Elise Carter, Mia Flanagan, Victoria Martin, Olivia Masoner, Katerina McDonald, Lucas Peterson, and Kate Yager

A total of four students are chosen each year to represent Oakhill Day School as a Student Ambassador.

Ambassador roles may include, but are not limited to:

• Representing Oakhill in community events
• Speaking at various Oakhill events
• Welcoming visitors to Oakhill
• Representatives of the Oakhill Community
• Aid in marketing our school with The Admissions and Marketing/Communications Offices

Your 2020-2021 Student Ambassadors are:

• Katerina McDonald
• Kai Somasegaran
• Ben Yager
• Kate Yager

Congratulations to these 4 students and to all the applicants this year!

Let Auction Season Begin!

Fall is here, and it's time to THINK AUCTION! Each year, Oakhill Day School hosts our annual auction, which is the largest fundraiser of the year, raising anywhere from $150,000 - $200,000 in funds used on everything from curriculum development to keeping the lights on. All for Oakhill students today!

The auction would not be possible without the generosity of the Oakhill parents, staff, and surrounding community businesses. This year's theme is the Black and Teal Ball. Although the format of this year's event is yet to be known (virtual or live), what we do know is that no matter where the event takes place, we need everyone's support to make this event a success for our children! #ODSBTBALL

How can you help?

• Start collecting items for our silent auction! Please don't wait. The sooner things start coming in, the better!

• Volunteer to help pick up donations! We need all the volunteer support we can get to help pick up item donations from area businesses.

• Become a sponsor! We are looking for sponsors who can help underwrite the expense of throwing the school's largest fundraiser. With more sponsors, more money goes back to the students.

• Attend the event and/or sponsor a teacher's ticket to the live event! (If event is held in-person)

• Sell your raffle tickets! Each family is receiving 5 Glamping Getaway raffle tickets. Raffle tickets are 1 for $20 or 5 for $100. The easiest way you can help out the auction? Keep your raffle tickets for yourself! Not only are you supporting the event by keeping the tickets, but you also get entered to win this amazing trip! 

Please contact communications@oakhilldayschool.org to request additional tickets once you sell out of your original 5. Additional Glamping Getaway Raffle flyers are also available upon request!

*To recap, (and this is important) your 2020-2021 raffle options are:

• Sell your tickets

• Keep for yourself

• Purchase and gift raffle entries to a teacher, friend, or family member!

• Return unsold tickets before November 20, 2020. *Your SMART account will be billed for all raffle tickets not returned before this date (no exceptions). We recommend setting a calendar reminder or sending them back as soon as they are received to avoid unwanted charges*

Please notify Michelle McDaniel immediately if you have not received your raffle tickets via car line or US Postal by October 2! They will be sent home early next week!

Thank you for supporting Oakhill and this year's auction. We cannot wait to see you at the Black and Teal Ball!

2020 Scripps Spelling Bee

Dear Families,

Oakhill is excited to announce the return of the Scripps Spelling Bee this year. Scripps National Spelling Bee has helped students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage for over 90 years. Participation in the Scripps Bee is open to students in Grades 1-8. Scripps and Oakhill are both prepared to make this year's experience safe and successful. 

Click here to view specific details on Eligibility Criteria

The timeline for the Scripps Spelling Bee is as follows:

September 25: Grade Level Spelling Word Lists, Great Words, Great Works book lists, and information regarding rules and study tips will be sent home with students.

*Due to Scripps Spelling Bee Rules, the word lists cannot be sent electronically. A printed copy will be sent home in your child's backpack. Additional copies of grade level word lists and the full 2020 Classroom Spelling Bee Study Lists are available by request.

Download 2020 Spelling Bee Rules

October 26-29: Classroom Spelling Bees

Your child's teacher will send home the date of their mini classroom bee so your child can prepare. The winner from each first-eighth-grade classroom will move on to the School-Wide Spelling Bee. Classroom bee participants will receive a certificate to commemorate their participation in the bee. The classroom runner-up will be an alternate should the winner be unable to compete in the school-wide bee.

November 17: Oakhill Day School Spelling Bee @4:30 PM

The winning spellers from the first-eighth-grades will compete for the title of Oakhill Day School Spelling Bee Champion. The winner will receive a personalized trophy and an invitation to proceed to the Jackson-Clay County Spelling Bee. All other participants will receive a medal to commemorate their participation as classroom winners. More information will be provided as this event approaches.

February 27: The Oakhill school champion will participate in at least one round of the Jackson-Clay County Semifinal Spelling Bee. More information will be provided as this local spelling bee determines how it will be conducted.

March 13: If the school winner successfully competes in the semifinal bee, they will compete in the Jackson-Clay County Championship Bee at Midwest Genealogy Center. The winner of this bee will proceed to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. in June.

How to Prepare

• We encourage every student to prepare for participation in the Classroom Spelling Bee. Your child should study their grade level list that will be sent home on September 25, but can ask for the complete school spelling bee study list as another study tool. Classroom bees will include words from the grade level study list, but may include words from other grade level lists if individuals in the classroom are spelling grade level words correctly. Classroom bees will continually advance into the next list until a classroom winner is determined. The classroom winner from each 1st-8th grade classroom will compete in the school-wide spelling bee on November 17.
• This year, all of the words from the Scripps 2020 School Spelling Bee Study List will be taken from engaging, grade-appropriate books, allowing your students to get to know these words in the context of great stories. You can view them on the Great Words, Great Works Book List.

Great Words, Great Works Book List 

• Visit the Scripps Spelling Bee website to find parent/student resources and study tips.
• Get a head start preparing for the district and regional bees through the Scripp's new app, Word Club. With the Word Club app for mobile devices and tablets, your child can have fun while mastering the 2021 Words of the Champions.
• Once students have mastered their grade-specific words provided, they can move on to the full 2020 School Spelling Bee Study List available by request.
• You can visit the Scripps website to find any of the above information at www.spellingbee.com

If you have any questions about the bee or how to prepare your student for Scripps, please feel free to contact your child's teacher or Kristin Forsen, Spelling Bee Chair.

Sincerely,

Kristin Forsen and the Oakhill Day School Spelling Committee

Fall is Here! Join us at the Farmer's Market!

With the coming of October, fall means soups, fresh veggies, cooler nights, and family time together. Join us for our 2nd Annual Oakhill Farmers' Market. This event was such a success last year that we had to bring it back this year...and extend it!

The Oakhill Farmers' Market will take place in-person on Tuesday, September 29 on the North Field at the Main Campus. Stop by and shop for home decor and fresh vegetable bundles to make your favorite soups, salsa, and stir fry. Grab fall holiday favorites from mums to pumpkins. Home decor from The Mercantile is available. And so much more!

Can't make it in person? No worries! You can shop online through Thursday, October 1. Orders will be available for pick up during car line at either campus starting on Tuesday, September 29.

Questions? Contact Maggie Newhouse or Chef Justin. See you at the market!

Shop the Market!

Halloween Plans are in the Works!

Can you believe it is the end of September already? The Halloween celebrations are already in the works by our fantastic room parents. 

A few things to note:

• We will still have parades for our students that day. We are asking parents to meet us outside for the parade.  Early Childhood will have staggered start times beginning at 9:00.  Lower School, Intermediate and Middle School will start at 2:00, also with staggered times. Details about the parade route will be sent out closer to the date.
• Room parents will be contacting you about providing items for those parties soon. Be on the lookout for how you will be able to help from a distance.
• As you are getting your costumes ready, please know that a costume mask is not a replacement for a face mask. Face masks will still need to be worn.

Questions? Contact Maggie Newhouse.

What can your child do once their school day has ended?

Here at Oakhill, there are many activities that your child can partake in once their school day has concluded. We take much pride in providing an environment that travels with your student all day long even after the bell rings to go home. Your student can sign up for Kids' Club, Panther on the Prowl, or get ready to sign up for our brand new Panther Project Boxes! 

Kids' Club

Kids' Club is a service designed for your students to arrive early and or stay late at school. Each child has a tailored made program designed to fit their age group and provide engaging activities each day. All students who are signed up for the afternoon Kids' Club receive a snack. Last week our 1st-3rd grade students got to enjoy a special snack for excellent behavior in form of a Lunchable. The smiles that something so simple brought to these child's faces was truly remarkable. The Kids' Club team is continuing to work hard on creating outside the box ideas for all grade levels to share with our students soon. 

If you are interested in signing up for Kids' Club, please contact Taylor Clevenger

Panther on the Prowl

We have had so much fun this week practicing our soccer skills with our Toddler-Pre-K students!  The kids did a great job running, kicking the ball, and shooting on goal!  Some of the things we worked on this week were toe-touches on the ball, dribbling close to our body, and stepping forward to kick the soccer ball towards the goal. We also played red light, green light dribbling with students, teaching them to put their foot on top of the ball to control it whenever red light is called. Ask your kids to practice some of these skills with you at home!  Also, check out this list of upcoming Panthers on the Prowl activities and sign up today! 

• K-3rd Kickball: 9/28 & 10/5
• 4th & 5th- Kickball: 9/29 & 10/6
• Toddler Football: 10/19 & 10/26
• Pre-School Football 10/20 & 10/27
• Pre-K Football: 10/21 & 10/28
• K-3rd Gaga Ball: 11/2 & 11/9
• 4th & 5th Gaga Ball: 11/3 & 11/10 

Also, we are currently working on adding some more activities before Christmas Break, these will be announced soon! Maybe a Floor is Lava Class???

Click on this link to take you to the registration page:  www.oakhilldayschool.org/teamregistration

Panther Project Box

Panther Project Box is a brand new concept that is being introduced to our community very shortly. Our goal with this box is to provide a monthly activity for your child to do and have fun with. Think of how much fun your child has opening presents for their birthday, Christmas, etc. now only imagine you being able to provide that same excitement every month! There will be much more information announced soon, but just has a sneak peek there will be 2 different boxes based on age 0-4, and 5-10. Some activities that your child will get to create for the 0-4-year-old box; their own Sensory Box, a Sink or Float experiment, Race Car Art, and more!. Then for the 5 and older box, there will be; a Solar Oven, Paper Airplane Launcher, Shadow Puppet Theater, and more!

Much more information will be announced soon! 

For the month of September, we are having an admissions blitz @ Oakhill! We love our small class sizes but we truly are built for more. Now is a great time for families like yours to take advantage of the education, environment, and care students receive at Oakhill.  Share your love of ODS with others... family, friends, neighbors... the love of your school is contagious!

The integrity of the admissions process at Oakhill will remain in effect during the blitz. All prospective students will go through the same process as any other time of the year.

For new families who apply for admissions in September, there is no application fee so now is the time to apply for the 20-21 School Year!

When you share Oakhill with others and they apply, don't forget to tell your friends to list you on the application. As an incentive for YOU for the month of September, we are DOUBLING the referral credit amount for all new students joining us from your sharing! For every half day the new student enrolls, you will get a $100 tuition credit, up to $1,000, applied to your SMART Tuition account!

Testimonials/Reviews are so important to any private school. We'd love for you to share Oakhill online as well. Here is more information on ways to share Oakhill other than just word of mouth.

• Click here to leave your review on Google right now.
• Click here to leave your review on Facebook right now.

Interested in having a portion of your review filmed?

We would love to set something up to capture some of these on video! Contact Dot or Michelle in Marketing/Communications to schedule a quick session!

Are you a current Oakhill family with other students' Oakhill age that attend elsewhere? We'd love to talk to you about having them join us!

Call Admissions today to learn more about our incentives for current families!

Dorothy Beckham