District administration

Dr. Neil Gupta, Superintendent
Allyson Couch, Director of Educational Services
Dr. Kimbe Lange, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
www.oakwoodschools.org/district/board-of-education
Oakwood Board Office: (937) 297-5332

District mISSION

Doing what is best for students is our guiding principle. To this end, the Oakwood School community commits the resources, support, expertise and experiences needed for all students to achieve.

Directory

Principal & Special Education Supervisor - Suzanne Batten, batten.suzanne@oakwooodschools.org
Administrative Assistant- Della Felton, felton.della@oakwoodschools.org

Front Desk: (937) 299-8730
Address: 219 West Dorothy Lane Dayton, OH 45420

Kindergarten Team

Jodi Allen
Jodie Anderson
Erin Bourne
Erica Davis
Jane Lynch
Kathy McCready

Special Area Team
Debbie Drake - Music/Library/Art
Haley Goodwin - Psychologist
Beth Morrissey - Intervention Specialist
Deb Osterfeld - P.E.
Amber Perrott/Michael Wadham - Counselors

Building and Grounds
Kevin Roeckner - Maintenance         

Health Services
Abby Riedel - District Nurse                                                                                      

ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES

Ohio Revised Code, Section 3321.01:
All children between ages six (6) and eighteen (18) are of compulsory school age and must attend school.

Ohio Revised Code, Section 3321.03:
It is the parent’s responsibility to cause the child to attend school.

Although the compulsory attendance laws of Ohio and State Board of Education regulations on attendance require rigorous enforcement by the school administration and faculty, of far greater significance to the student should be the fact that his attendance record is frequently instrumental in determining his future.

Regularity in attendance and punctuality are recognized attributes of the “work ethic” and prospective employers are generally as interested in a student’s attendance record and pattern of absence as they are in his academic and social accomplishments.  Many personnel officers make the assumption that if a student is absent or tardy excessively from school, then he will not be the most dependable employee.  Habits established now will have an impact upon attendance patterns later!

Absenteeism also affects a student’s ability to function at an optimum level. Some work that is missed in the classroom cannot be adequately made up. Sometimes absenteeism can have a major impact on the final grade a student receives for a given subject.

Lange School provides no supervision of students prior to 8:45 a.m. when the doors open. Students arriving after 9:00 a.m. must report to the front office and parents need to sign in students.

ASSEMBLIES/SHARING PROGRAMS

An important Oakwood tradition is student participation in school-wide assemblies/sharing programs. Students at all grade levels are included as performers in a variety of assemblies and appropriate behavior of audience members is stressed. Each school will develop and schedule their respective programs. Please check newsletters for times and dates.

Adults attending need to realize that seating is limited. We ask our adult audiences to be role models for our student audience.

busING/Transportation

Our shuttle (provided by Centerville City Schools) is available at both Harman School and Smith Elementary.  Shuttle Service begins Monday, Aug. 21st and continues throughout the school year.  

• In the mornings, our bus will arrive at your home elementary school, you can place your student on the bus at 8:30 a.m.  Kindergarten students will not be allowed to access or wait inside our elementary school buildings.
• The buses will return to the elementary buildings at 3:05 p.m. to unload the kindergarten students. 
• Please bring your dashboard sign to the bus stop. 
• All after-school transportation changes must be reported to the office by email to our administrative assistant or by calling 937-299-8730. Emails to the teacher are not an effective way to ensure that we know changes to plans. Our teachers are busy working with students and do not check their emails in the same way as in the office.  
• If Centerville City Schools are canceled or on a two-hour delay for weather, shuttle service will be canceled. Oakwood Schools will send out a Message if buses are canceled. Lange families will need to provide transportation to ensure attendance.

Bus Discipline Procedures
If a child receives three bus behavior referrals (to be determined by bus driver, adults riding bus and principal) on the bus, they are removed from the bus for one week.  Parents will be notified of each strike when it occurs.  If a child is removed from the bus three times, they will no longer be able to ride the bus for the remainder of the school year.

Additional Transportation Notes
If there needs to be a change made to transportation, parents must call the office or send in written documentation.  We will always dismiss students according to the last directive received from the parent.

CHILD ABUSE

School employees are required by law to report any suspected evidence of child abuse or neglect to the Oakwood Safety Department and Montgomery County Children's Services. The school will also cooperate with the local law enforcement officials.

CLASS PLACEMENTS

Class assignments are made with consideration to balancing each section in terms of academic ability, sex, individual needs, personality conflicts, learning styles, etc. Staff members review class lists. The final placement is the responsibility of the principal. Specific requests for class placement are not accepted.

CONFERENCES

Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled with all parents in the fall. Parents sign up for the fall conference at Parent Night. If any additional conferences are desired by either parents or teachers, please arrange a mutually convenient time. Walk-in conferences are discouraged.

DISCIPLINE

Parents are encouraged to support the teacher and reinforce the classroom rules and procedures. Additional information is located in the Student Code of Conduct.

DRESS CODE

Students are expected to come to school clean, well groomed and dressed appropriately. We recognize that proper attire fosters positive behavior and proper demeanor.

Clothing and accessories should not be distracting nor disruptive and should not present a danger to the student’s health or safety. The school does not permit halter-tops, bare midriffs or any top, which does not appropriately cover the upper torso. Extremely short skirts or shorts are also prohibited. Any attire with inappropriate pictures or words and/or reference or promote the use of alcohol, controlled substances, tobacco or drugs is prohibited. Clothing should not disrespect nor discriminate against ethnic, cultural, gender, sexual or religious differences. Hats and other head coverings are not permitted (except for religious reasons) in the building.

Safe and appropriate footwear is highly encouraged at all times. Shoes must be worn at all times in the classrooms and hallways. Flip flops are discouraged due to safety concerns at recess and on the playground. Students may not participate in physical education class wearing sandals, boots or hard soled shoes. Shoes for physical education class must be soft soled.

Electronic Devices/Toys

Toys from home are not permitted unless it is a designated classroom show and tell and/or theme day.  Cell phones, electronic devices, Pokémon cards, etc. are also not permitted at Lange or on the buses.  Also, please avoid key chains and hand sanitizer hooked on backpacks as they are not permitted. 

EMERGENCY CLOSINGS, DELAYS, DISMISSALS

In the event of bad weather or other emergencies that may cause a school closing, delay, or early dismissal, Oakwood Schools will communicate with parents and students through social media, the District website, One Call and the local media.  By default the “Home” number of the student's primary contact is automatically entered into the One Call Now system. If you would like to add additional numbers, see the Voice Notifications page.  

Arrangements for students must be made in advance by parents in case of early dismissal. PLEASE make arrangements for your child to go to a relative or neighbor's home if you will not be at home. Students may not be able to use the phones in some emergencies and parents may not be able to reach the school because of busy or damaged phone lines.

FAMILY TRIPS SCHEDULED DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR

Families are expected to maintain the integrity of the school calendar. However, the school does understand in special circumstances trips may be necessary during the year. It is the position of the school that assigned homework does not replace the personal instruction of the classroom teacher or the interaction that occurs among students and staff during the normal school day.

FIELD TRIPS

Parents will be asked to sign a "Field Trip Permission Form" for every field trip taken by the class. Teachers will make every attempt to make sure this form is sent home at least one week prior to the field trip. Without written permission, students will not be permitted to leave school.

FOOD ALLERGY GUIDELINES 

Oakwood City Schools has developed food allergy guidelines to address the safety, health and well-being of all our students who have food allergies. If your child has a food allergy, please notify the school so that we can work together to develop a plan that accommodates his/her needs throughout the school. Written documentation from your licensed healthcare provider with instructions and medications using a Medication Administration Form and Food Allergy Action Plan as a guide is required. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school nurse in your child’s building.

Reminder for Parents
Food brought in for classroom celebrations and parties should be pre-packaged and include a food label listing ingredients and possible presence of food allergens.  If parents are not sure a snack/food is safe for all students, they should communicate with the classroom teacher.

Please refer to The Food Allergy Guidelines.

Thank you,
Oakwood School Nurse

GIFTED IDENTIFICATION AND SERVICES

The Oakwood Board of Education has adopted a policy, in accordance with Ohio Revised Code 3324.01- 3324.07 and Ohio Administrative Code, for identifying children who are gifted. The state mandates that all students have the opportunity to be assessed for possible "giftedness" based on the state's specific definition of giftedness, which follows:

Children who perform or show potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared to others of their age, experience, or environment and who are identified in the areas of superior cognitive domain, specific academic domain (math, science, social studies, reading/writing), creative thinking domain, and/or visual/performing arts domain (visual arts, music, dance, drama).

The district uses an approach of assessment and identification to identify students who perform, or show potential for performing, at high levels of accomplishment in these domains. To be identified as "gifted" a student must achieve the requisite cutoff score on an assessment instrument authorized by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), which sets cutoff scores. Children may participate in either whole-grade assessment or referral-based assessment. Whole-grade level assessment occurs at grades 2, 4, and 6 in Oakwood City School District. For referral-based assessment, children may be referred for possible gifted identification on an ongoing basis based upon child request (self-referral), teacher recommendation, parent/guardian request, child referral of peer, or other referral. Referral forms are available in the school offices, Gifted Intervention Specialists’ offices, and counselors’ offices.

While the State of Ohio requires that students have the opportunity to be assessed for giftedness, it does not require districts to provide services for students who are identified as gifted. Through local tax dollars, Oakwood employs three (3) Gifted Intervention Specialists (GIS) who assist teachers at Lange, Harman, Smith, and the Junior/Senior High Schools in working with students identified as gifted.

Differentiated instruction in the classroom is the linchpin of the program. Differentiated instruction requires modifying process, content, or product according to student need, readiness, and interest, and it is often performed in consultation with the Gifted Intervention Specialist. Our instructional program at all levels continues to evolve in order to meet the needs of our learners, and annually revised gifted services matrices are available from the Gifted Intervention Specialists.

At the elementary level, students identified as gifted will experience an enriched curriculum through a variety of ways such as differentiated instruction in the regular classroom, cluster grouping, and other appropriate plans-of-action established by instructional teams. Some students identified as gifted will receive additional levels of gifted intervention based on Oakwood’s Gifted Education Policy.

COUNSELING SERVICES

Professional school counselors are certified/licensed professionals with a masters’ degree or higher in school counseling and are uniquely qualified to address the developmental needs of all students. Professional school counselors deliver a comprehensive School Counseling program encouraging all students’ academic, career and personal/social development and help all students in maximizing student achievement.

The Oakwood Elementary School counselors each serve one building E.D. Smith and Harman, and support Lange School as needed. The counselors primarily deliver short-term solution focused services through individual, small group, classroom guidance, and career education. If longer-term counseling services are needed, the counselor can assist families with making referrals.

Confidentiality: The relationship between the student and counselor is a confidential one. The student client is entitled to privacy about personal matters. However, there are limits to confidentiality, which include situations where there is risk of danger. If there is suspicion that the student could harm him or herself, is in danger of being abused or neglected, or could be of risk to others, the counselor is legally and ethically bound to report this to the proper adults to investigate and take protective action if warranted. Because many of our students are minors, parents or legal guardians are entitled to general information about the nature of the problem and counseling interventions. Since many of the concerns brought to counseling by a student relate to situations where teacher or caring adults in the child’s life need to be involved in making changes to benefit the student, permission to involve these adults is frequently requested and received. For more information, please refer to the FERPA section.

To request service: Appointments can be requested by writing a note, calling, emailing or stopping by the counseling office. Students may self refer. Often referrals are made by teachers, parents, principals, or occasionally, even concerned friends. The counselors go to Lange by appointment.

HEALTH SERVICES

The district employs a certified school nurse and two full time clinic registered nurses to provide school nursing services. If your child has a chronic health condition that could affect his/her attendance or a medical condition that will require a nurse’s care during the school day please contact the nurse at your child’s school. No medication can be given at school without a medication administration form completed by a licensed health care provider and parent.

Home School Communication

It is essential good communication be established between home and school. To share general announcements, policies and procedures, the District relies heavily on email communication. In addition to regularly scheduled building and teacher newsletters, other information will be sent through email or, on occasion, home with students. Communication of a personal nature is addressed by conferences, telephone contacts, emails and written notes. The best times to contact teachers are between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Individual e-mail addresses for all staff members are located on the district website. Parents wishing to have a personal conference with a teacher are asked to contact the office, e-mail or send a note to the teacher requesting a conference. We ask parents please respect teachers' personal time.

INTRA-DISTRICT OPEN ENROLLMENT

Oakwood students are encouraged to attend the building in which they reside. Oakwood students who live outside an elementary’s attendance area may be considered for enrollment in that elementary provided specific criteria are met. Contact the building principal for information about the application process.

LOST AND FOUND

Each year many articles are lost and unclaimed by our students. A "Lost and Found" box is maintained at Lange. Students are encouraged to check the box for lost items. Parents are also welcome to look in the "Lost and Found."  The Lost and Found bins will be emptied and donated twice a year, once at Holiday Break and again at the end of the school year. 

Parents are encouraged to put the students' names on all items.

LUNCHROOM

The cafeteria provides a hot lunch daily for students who wish to eat at school. The regular lunch costs is $3, extra milk is $0.50. Students buying lunch may choose the regular menu item, a peanut butter sandwich, a turkey and cheese on wheat sandwich or a jack pack. Students may also bring their lunches from home. Students who bring their lunches may purchase milk. Carbonated beverages or beverages in glass bottles are not permitted in the cafeteria.

The school will take a lunch count each morning by 9:00 a.m. Parents are requested to review lunch plans with their children.

The system will use a student PIN (personal identification number), which will remain the same throughout his or her school years. Each student will have his or her “own” account regardless of free, reduced, or paid status. The system will not allow students to charge more than three lunches. The students will put in their PIN to activate their accounts when coming through the lunch line, and the amount of the sale will automatically be deducted from their account. In the event of an emergency, the school does allow students to charge their lunches- up to three. Students owing three lunch charges will be given the option to contact a parent for a lunch or be served a PB&J sandwich and milk.

A peanut/nut-free table is available to accommodate students who have severe food allergies.

Students who go home for lunch are not to return to school until the end of the students designated recess time.

If there is a two-hour delay for Oakwood Schools a hot lunch will not be served.  Students will receive an alternative lunch consisting of either peanut butter and jelly or a turkey and cheese sandwich along with a fruit, vegetable and milk.

PARKING/PICKING UP AND DROPPING OFF STUDENTS

The areas around Lange are extremely congested particularly at the beginning and ending of the school sessions. We are extremely concerned about the safety and welfare of the students and ask that you also follow these guidelines:

*Do not go around buses.
*Do not use cell phones while in line.
*Have children enter and exit vehicle only from the curbside.
*Make sure adults and children use all crosswalks when they are walking to and from your vehicle.
*Refrain from driving through safety cones and van/bus pickup area.
*Refrain from parking, turning around, or dropping of students in private drives or alleys.
*If you need to come into the building, please park in the designated parking spaces.
*Go to the rear of the building and follow traffic flow indicated with arrows.
*If you are picking up, please display your child’s name card provided by the school on the dashboard.
*Please adhere to posted traffic flow patterns.

 *Oakwood City Safety Department may be called for enforcement of guidelines.

PROMOTION/RETENTION

The promotion/retention/assignment of students in any grade level should be in the best interest of the students. The first consideration for student retention is failure to meet at least minimum levels of knowledge, skills at the present grade level, and attendance. The final decision on all student placements is the responsibility of the principal.

RECESS - "IN DAYS" AND "OUT DAYS"

Students will be kept indoors during rainy weather or when the temperature or chill factor is 20 degrees or below. It is important that students be dressed properly for wet or cold weather.

SCHOOL FEES/TEXTBOOKS/Devices

Textbooks

All basic textbooks are loaned to students for their use during the school year. Students will be required to pay for all lost or damaged texts. The student’s name and grade should be written on the book label on the inside cover in case the book is misplaced or lost.

Supplies and Materials

The Board of Education has established a student fee that helps defray some of the cost for expendable supplies and materials. The fee is as follows: Grades K-6: $50.00. The fee is payable within the first week of school. If you find that due to financial difficulties, you cannot pay your child’s school fees, please contact the principal or the Board of Education (297-5332) to request a waiver of student fees.

Lange does not require families to purchase school supplies such as crayons, writing utensils, glue, etc.  Students will need a regular size book bag.  Teaches may make requests for supplies for specific lessons or projects throughout the year.  Boxes of tissues are always a welcomed donation.

Devices

Upon entrance to kindergarten at Lange School, your student will be assigned a computing device. The District intends for student to use their assigned device (specific model or device is subject to change due to replacement cycle, potential repair or other circumstance) until collection of the device upon exit of fourth grade or from Oakwood Schools. A fee of $20 is assigned each year of enrollment to defray costs and cover repairs. As part of the assigned fee, the District is prepared to make three repairs per year. Repairs beyond three, purposeful damage or damage from extreme neglect will be at the student’s expense. The student will receive a loaner device to use while the technology department makes the repair.

More information on the District's 1:1 device program can found on the District technology website- https://www.oakwoodschools.org/district/departments/technology

SPECIAL SERVICES/POSITIVE SOLUTIONS TEAM

Oakwood City elementary schools offer a variety of special services for students who have special educational needs. These services include guidance counselor, English Language Learners (ELL) tutor, school psychologist, gifted intervention specialist, reading intervention teachers, resource room teacher, learning center teachers, speech therapist, and paraprofessionals for special needs students. Home tutoring services are also available for students whose illness would prevent their class attendance for an extended period of time. Contact the building principal or your child's classroom teacher for more information.

The Positive Student Solutions Team is a committee of faculty that meets to intervene on behalf of students needing assistance for academic, social, or “at-risk” issues. Students may be referred to the Positive Student Solutions Team by parents, teachers, or self-referral. Contact the building principal or your child’s teacher for more information.

SPECIAL AREA TEACHERS

Special subject teachers serve Lange students in Art, Music, Physical Education, and Library (our SEL team leads).

report cards

Lange students will receive report cards twice a year electronically.

STUDENTS MOVING FROM THE DISTRICT

If you plan to move out of our attendance area, please notify the school office as soon as possible. A release of records form must be completed before records can be sent to another school district.

student well-being

Student safety is the responsibility of both students and staff. Staff members are familiar with emergency procedures such as evacuation procedures, fire and tornado drills, safety drills in the event of a terrorist or other violent attack, and accident reporting procedures. If a student is aware of any dangerous situation or accident, they must notify a staff person immediately. State law requires that all students have an emergency medical authorization completed and signed by a parent or guardian on file in the school office. Students with specific health care needs should deliver written notice about such needs, along with physician documentation, to the school office.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

In accordance with Federal law, the Board of Education prohibits the use, possession, concealment, or distribution of drugs by students on school grounds, in school or school-approved vehicles, or at any school- related event. Drugs include any alcoholic beverages, anabolic steroid, dangerous controlled substance as defined by State statute, or substance that could be considered a “look-a-like” controlled substance. Compliance with this policy is mandatory for all students. Any student who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, in accordance with due process and as specified in the student handbooks, up to and including expulsion from school. When required by State law, the District will also notify law enforcement officials. The District is concerned about any student who engages in alcohol or drug abuse and will facilitate the process by which s/he can receive help through programs and services available in the community. Students and their parents should contact the school principal or counseling office whenever such help is needed.

SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS

The school is directly responsible for supervision of students only while they are on school property and between the hours of 8:45 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. The school will cooperate with parents in stressing the rules of safety to and from school and will assist with discipline problems that occur between home and school when possible. However, misbehavior that occurs off the school property is a police matter.

TELEPHONE

Office and classroom phone use is limited to emergency calls and only with the permission of a staff member. We ask that students take care of personal matters before or after school in order to reduce the use of the office and classroom telephones during school hours.

VISITORS TO THE BUILDING

Visitors, particularly parents, are welcome at the school.  Visitors must report to the office upon entering the school to sign in and obtain a pass.   Visitors may be required to provide photo identification when entering the building.   Any visitor found in the building or on the playground without signing in or obtaining a pass shall be escorted to the office.  If a person wishes to confer with a member of the staff, they should call for an appointment prior to coming to the school in order to schedule a mutually convenient meeting time. Unfortunately, we are not able to extend an invitation to other children to spend the day attending classes with our students. 

VOLUNTEERS

Lange uses many volunteers each week. There are opportunities to assist in the school library, the cafeteria and other special times during the school year.  For procedures and guidelines for becoming a volunteer, go to our Lange Volunteers web page.

ELEMENTARY CODE OF CONDUCT

Students at Lange are expected to conduct themselves in a manner reflecting the basic belief in the worth and dignity of all people. Any behavior that could be expected to result in harm to oneself or to another person, in destruction of property, in disruption of school activities, or is in conflict with this basic belief is prohibited.

NOTE: This student/parent handbook is based in significant part on policies adopted by the Board of Education. Policies are periodically updated in response to changes in the law and other circumstances.