Ortega Elementary

If your child is interested in sports, swimming, fishing, camping, and archery, all while having fun with friends, come to the school cafeteria at 6:00pm on Thursday, Nov. 21 to join Cub Scouts! The Cub Scout program is open to ALL boys and girls grades K-5 to participate!

Good morning parents! If you have not already, please make sure to turn in your child's student compact that was sent out a few weeks ago. This is a very important form. If you have not turned one in and need another one please let your child's teacher know and they will provide another one. Thank you so much!

Good Morning Ortega Families! Don't forget about our canned food drive happening now through November 22nd. The class who brings in the most cans (or other non-perishable food items) will win a popsicle party! Any donations help! Thanks so much!

Volunteer Opportunity: Join Us at MOCA’s Family Day to Represent Ortega Elementary! Saturday, November 16 Drop in any time 11:00–5:00 Museum of Contemporary Art 333 N. Laura Street Downtown Jacksonville Mrs. Kanji will be there to set up in the morning, and we’re looking for volunteers to help any time, ideally from 2 PM until closing (or until we’re out of materials). MOCA provides the table—we just need someone for the afternoon shift to: • Engage with families and share info about Ortega Elementary • Hand out brochures, activity sheets, and school swag • Assist with simple breakdown at the end by gathering the tablecloth and any extra materials Interested? Sign up by contacting Mrs. Kanji! Kanjij@duvalschools.org

We have a lot coming up at Ortega Elementary: *Picture day has been rescheduled for November 18. If you already purchased pictures for the initial day (which did not happen due to the hurricane), your order has been kept. However, if you have not yet made a purchase you may do so online at www.leonards.com/photoprepay using access code C661015. If you are an approved volunteer and can help on picture day, please let Mrs. Tibbits know (tibbitsm@duvalschools.org). We will need help from 8:30 until 12:30. *The Thanksgiving luncheon is on November 19. Parents who are approved volunteers may join their child for lunch on this day. Guest lunches are $4.50 and must be purchased using cash on the 19th. If you are attending you MUST fill out the RSVP form by Thursday, November 14. The link to the RSVP form is: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=TR3rjaTQBE2JrvcHbLqp-wyOpKmTK_9IgrLGF4KsaW1URUVIQ0Y5V0FEOFNNTEZWRVJFUU8xSkpMUy4u *There will be a coffee chat and SAC meeting on November 22 at 9:00 AM. If you are attending, please return the RSVP form or contact Mrs. Tibbits (tibbitsm@duvalschools.org). *PTA is sponsoring a movie night on November 22 at 6:00 PM. See Tuesday folders for the invite with all the details. Please RSVP by November 20 using the bottom of the invite.

We are entering our 2nd (and final) week of the Read-a-Thon. Remember to set up your reader page and record your minutes. Also, ask friends and family to donate to our PTA through our Read-a-Thon page. Congratulations to our top readers as of this morning: Valeria M. (140 minutes), Leonardo M (140 minutes), Braxton H (120 minutes), Farris H (120 minutes), Elena F (90 minutes), Melanie Z (90 minutes), and Camila F (77 minutes). If you'd like to donate you can do it directly to your child's page or using this link: https://www.read-a-thon.com/school/individual/59062

Good morning, Ortega Parents, Families, and Business Partners, MOCA Family Day is this Saturday, November 16th. Our wonderful Art Teacher, Ms. Kanji will have a table set up to represent Ortega. If you can volunteer to work at the table with her on Saturday, please send her an email at Kanjij@duvalschools.org. Your assistance is always appreciated. Thank you!

Parents, Families, and Community Members, Please join us online tomorrow, November 12 at 6:00pm for the annual DCPS Title One Meeting. See attached flyer for more information. Thank you

Good morning! We hope all of our families are enjoying reading The Wild Robot. Tonight all of our families should be reading pages 30-39. Don't forget that our PTA is sponsoring a read-a-thon right now as well. See the flyers sent home in Tuesday folders for information about how to create a reader page and record your minutes. Right now Leonardo (from Ms. Faciane's class) and Valeria (from Ms. Killgore's class) are in the lead for minutes read with 80 each. Let's see if we can get some other students to start recording their minutes. And, please encourage family and friends to donate to our PTA through the read-a-thon. Our PTA is working on a few projects to better our school and could use the funds.

Our annual Thanksgiving luncheon will be Tuesday, November 19. We are inviting families to join their students during their regular lunch times. Due to limited seating in the cafeteria, families will be asked to eat at the picnic tables outside. Ortega students eat for free and guest lunches are $4.50. Please do not send money in ahead of time. Bring it with you on the day of the luncheon. Please bring cash only and have exact change. All adults must be approved DCPS volunteers. This process can take up to two weeks so if you plan on attending and are not an approved volunteer you must complete the application ASAP. Visit www.duvalschools.org/volunteer to apply. Adults will only be allowed to eat with their child(ren). If you are attending, you must RSVP using the link below by November 14. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=TR3rjaTQBE2JrvcHbLqp-wyOpKmTK_9IgrLGF4KsaW1URUVIQ0Y5V0FEOFNNTEZWRVJFUU8xSkpMUy4u

Good morning, Please take the time to complete this the DCPS Federal Impact Survey. This funding supports our schools by helping to pay teachers and staff, purchase instructional materials, and cover other school expenses. The survey can be accessed through your parent FOCUS account. Thank you!

Today is the big day!! We will all begin reading our book, The Wild Robot. If you came to Trunk or Treat your family received a copy that night. If you did not come, your child will be bringing the book home today. As a family, please sit down tonight and read together. We are reading pages 1-9 tonight. We really want all of our families to participate. Reading together is a great way to bond and build literacy. It is a wonderful book and we feel our families are truly going to enjoy it.

We are excited to extend an invitation to the talented students of Ortega to participate in the prestigious International School Olympiads, an intellectually stimulating platform that celebrates academic excellence and fosters a spirit of healthy competition among students from around the world. The International School Olympiads, a global academic competition, offers a unique opportunity for students in grades 1-8 to showcase their knowledge and skills in various subjects. These subjects include Mathematics, English, Science, General Knowledge, Spelling, Reasoning, and Computer studies. The Olympiads are designed to encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and a passion for learning in a fun and challenging manner. Key Details: - Olympiad Subjects: Mathematics, English, Spelling, Science, General Knowledge, Reasoning, Computer Studies - Eligible Grades: 1 to 8 - Registration Deadline: January 25, 2025 - Single Level Exam - International, National & School topper awards will be provided to winners. - Participate here: https://taplink.cc/schoololympiads2024 - Fee: US$ 10 per student per Olympiad (students have the option to choose 1 or more Olympiads) To participate, interested students can visit the official School Olympiad website for comprehensive information, including registration details, syllabus, sample questions, and more. Participation in the International School Olympiads is not only a chance for students to demonstrate their academic prowess but also an opportunity to broaden their horizons, gain valuable experience, and compete on a global scale. The Olympiads aim to nurture a sense of curiosity, exploration, and a deep appreciation for learning. We firmly believe that the students of Ortega possess the intellect and the drive to excel in the International School Olympiads, and we would be thrilled to see their active participation in this global event.

Ortega Parents and families, Please see the attached flyer to learn more about Friends of Ortega Elementary a group founded by Ortega family member and residents to support Ortega school, families, faculty, and the surrounding community. Thank you for your continued support of our school!

Good morning, Ortega, Families! Today (and for the next few Fridays) our Safety Patrols will be selling Smelly Gel Crayons and Smelly stickers for $1.00 each at dismissal. This fundraiser will help them pay for their end of the year trip. Our patrols work hard all year monitoring our school, monitoring at car riders and busses, and raising the flag. We want to make sure they are able to fund their trip! Students can buy the gel crayons and stickers afterschool as well! Just make sure they bring their dollars on Fridays! Look for us at the pickup line this afternoon! Thank you!

Good morning, Thank you for all of our trunk or treat volunteers, those who donated candy, MOCA, Jacksonville Public Library, Ortega Safety Patrols, teachers, Ortega PTA, and food trucks we had a great event last night. Thank you all of the families that came out to participate as well!

For everyone attending tonight, we cant wait to see everyone! Enter through the front and get your book and information then head back to the basketball courts for trunk or treat. Our Safety Patrols will be selling smelly stickers and pencils for one dollar to benefit our Patrol program, so please stop by her table! PTA and the library will also have tables so be sure to visit them as well! Also don't forget to visit our food trucks to purchase some yummy food!

The side gate(at carriders area) for car entry is now open for our trunk sponcers. If you are hosting a trunk you are welcome to come set up now. Just park at a cone. Thanks!!

We look forward to seeing everyone tonight at our event! Please arrive at 6:00pm and enter through the FRONT GATE. Complete activities at the front and then continue to the back for Trunk or Treat!

2024-2025 SY Federal Impact Aid (FIA)   Survey Announcement   Dear Parents/Guardians, The federal presence in our community and the significant tax exemptions available to federally connected personnel, businesses, and agencies identifies Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) as an eligible applicant for the Federal Impact Aid grants. Federal Impact Aid programs and grants are designed to provide local school districts with funding to replace lost property tax revenue. The amount of funding received by the district is dependent on the number of federally connected students enrolled within the district. To qualify for this funding, the district is required to have parents verify the student’s federally connected status via an annual survey.   The Federal Impact Aid Survey is used by the district to identify our federally connected students and support our request for Impact Aid resources.  On October 28th, the survey will be released through the parent portal in FOCUS for all Duval families. We are requesting that parents/guardians complete the online survey for each school-aged child in their household. We are requesting that you log into your parent portal account and complete the survey form(s) by December 13th.   To access the survey, log in to the parent portal, the survey will be available by clicking the green box labeled “Not yet started – Click to begin in English”. A screenshot of the button is below for your reference. For any questions regarding the online Student-Parent Survey, please contact Eugene Hays, Director, Office of School Choice via email at hayse@duvalschools.org. Thank for your continued support!