OLP UPDATES - FEBRUARY 7, 2025
Please refer to your latest Coordinator's Corner email for the full weekly updates.
- February Students of the Month – Please join us in
celebrating the our students of the month. We are so proud of these
learners!
- Student Absence Notes – When students are
absent for illness or other reasons, parents/guardians can upload a note
into FOCUS or send it to teachers, school counselors, or our
administrative secretary, Ms. Brown. Parents/guardians, who upload
the notes into the FOCUS portal are asked to notify us so the absence note
can be approved in the portal.
- Marking Period 2 Student Recognition – To recognize our
students with perfect attendance for semester 1 and Honor Roll for Marking
Period 2, we are going to host a live stream of student recognition on
Friday, February 14 from 7:50 am – 8:20 am. Please be prepared to
steam this event using this link. Students with perfect attendance will
receive a certificate to recognize their dedication!
- BCPS Inclement Weather Day Plan Update– As a reminder, the
inclement weather day plan will go into effect once BCPS has used three
inclement days. As of today, BCPS has used all three days,
therefore, during the next emergency closure, BCPS will follow the
Inclement Weather Day Plan. In the plan, schools will operate on a
two-hour delay schedule. Click here to see the modified schedule (on
page 2) that students will follow. Click here to see the full inclement weather day plan
message.
Also, please take note that all BCPS inclement
weather announcements regarding closures, delays, or early dismissals, apply to
OLP students, as well. Stay informed by checking BCPS.org for the latest
weather announcements.
- BCPS Climate Survey - The annual BCPS Climate Survey opens on Monday,
January 27, and closes on Friday, February 28. The survey focuses on
school climate and engagement, and all BCPS students in Grades 3–12,
parents/caregivers, community members, and staff are encouraged to
participate. The survey takes three minutes or less to complete and is
anonymous. Students will have the opportunity to take the survey
during Homeroom on Tuesday, February 11.
- Mind Over Matters – Annual Youth Mental Health
Fair –
Save the Date - The annual Mind Over Matter Annual Conference will be held
on Saturday, March 15, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at George
Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology. The goal of this event
is to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health and
substance use prevention. This event is for all BCPS students and their
parents/caregivers. and will include student performances, a keynote
speaker, and breakout sessions. There will also be vendors, free promotional
items, giveaways, face-painting, and more!
- MAP Testing – MAP testing is
currently underway. Testing began at home schools on January 27 and
will conclude on February 14. If your learner is going into the
building for testing, please be sure to notify your learner’s OLP
teachers, so students can be marked present when going into the building
for testing. See below for specific details:
·
Winter MAP - Opens January 27 and closes February
14
·
Math: All diploma-bound students in Grades 2-8
·
Reading: All diploma-bound students in Grades 2-9 and
all Read 180 students in Grades 10-12
As a reminder, all OLP students are required to
participate in high stakes testing, such as MAP. If your home school has not
contacted you, please contact them to ensure your learner participates in this
assessment.
- OLP Learning Environment – In recent weeks, we
have noticed an increase in distractions at home. As a reminder, all
OLP students are required to “have access to a quiet, safe, and productive
learning environment that is stationary”. It is imperative that you
create this learning environment at home for the sake of all learners.
A quiet environment ensures that teachers can call on students to
answer questions without disrupting the class. It also ensures that
learners are able to engage in their learning. Reasearch shows that
students who consistently engage in their learning yield higher instances
of success. Just as school buildings require structures to support
learning, as is the same for our students learning online.
For more details on the Talking Points app teachers use for communication with families and many other OLP updates, please refer to your Coordinator's Corner email.