Dear School of the Osage Students, Families, and Community-
We are extremely excited to welcome all Osage students back to campus next week for the official kick-off of The 2021-2022 Year of Cultivation! Some people have asked why we need a theme when we already have a mission AND we also have those core values that are displayed on the feather banners that we put up on game days.
Our annual theme functions as a “real-time” lens on the mission. The idea of using the word “cultivation” is boldly led by students from the class of 2022. Cultivation, as they envision it, takes the idea of “growth” (something all school districts theoretically care about) to a new level. Growth can be a happy accident. Cultivation encompasses intentional care, working together, and a willingness to embrace the challenge of adjusting the environment to ensure growth. Cultivation is not a happy accident. It is an exceptionally relevant idea for the world in which we currently find ourselves.
When we went into school closure in the spring of 2020, the “sharing economy” (think Uber, AirBnB, Etsy, and even the review process on Amazon) was already well under way. We had 3-d printers in our schools, owned Canvas, and were collectively shaking our heads as we watched (and continue to watch) as store by store closed at the outlet mall. Even back then, we knew the times were changing. And the past few months have taught us that this change isn’t going away any time soon- a fact we obviously can’t control.
What we can control is how we intentionally lean into and leverage the values that we as a District hold in common so that we can prepare our students for this world. Our school community is undeniably advantaged in our ability to do this because of the powerful chemistry of our individual and collective commitments to Tradition, Strength, Opportunity, and Innovation. These values underpin the partnerships that are at the core of our mission - and they allow for heroic deeds in everyday activities. For example, the Osage Family Partnership (OFP) members collaborated for months with district staff and community members to deliver an incredible resource fair last week that prepared students and families for the year to come. Hair cuts, physicals, tooth brushes, and immunizations were available with class schedules, school pictures, and parking passes. We are exceptionally grateful to all the parents, vendors, health care providers, and other stakeholders who made this night possible and to all the families who participated.
As you know, the year ahead presents challenges- and none of us can do it alone. But together, we’ve got what it takes to equip all learners for a lifetime of success. Our entire Osage team is deeply committed to partnering with you and our students to cultivate a vibrant learning environment as we work to deliver a strong, innovative, once in a lifetime education for your student. Thank you for all you are doing to lay the foundation for a wonderful school year. We can’t wait to see you next week!
- With school starting next week on Tuesday, August 24, we are encouraging you to use the hashtag #Osage1stDay on Facebook and other social media platforms. We would love to see your photos and stories on the first day as it relates to our School of the Osage Family and Community!
- If you still need to register your student(s) for the new school year, please note that online registration is still open. All families will need to fill out this application. Please log into Tyler SIS-K12 to complete the registration. Go to https://sdm.sisk12.com/
OT360x3/parent and ensure you are logging in as a parent with the email address we have on file for you. You will then click the blue “view” link in the yellow banner. If you have any issues getting logged in, please email [email protected]. If you have forgotten your password, please press “the “forgot your parent password?” link. You can also visit https://osageschools.org/ registration for more information and detailed guides. - We are asking all families to fill out the lunch status application this school year. The completion of this application for your children will cancel iPad insurance program fees for your children regardless of your child’s lunch status. Please note, a standard deductible will still be charged for lost or broken devices.
- Click here for the board approved 2021-2022 school calendar and here for building school supply lists.
- If you attended Osage Fest and/or Central Registration last week, we want to know what went well and/or needs improvement. Please click here to provide feedback on Osage Fest and here to provide feedback on Central Registration. All responses are appreciated and anonymous.
- September 3 is Community Night at our first home football game.
- We want to hear from our students, staff, parents, and community. Please fill out this quick survey and let us know your thoughts and suggestions (your answers will be anonymous) relative to the use of federal stimulus funds. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER III) provides over $122 billion to states and Local Education Agencies, including approximately $4.7 million to School of the Osage (SOTO). We are currently gathering input from a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process to help determine how it should potentially spend the federal dollars to address learning, COVID-19 preparedness and COVID-19 recovery. Click here to participate in the survey. Results from this survey will be shared with the Board of Education at the board meeting on 8/23/21.
- The 2021-22 SOTO Spirit Wear is available for purchase. All orders are due by midnight on September 2nd and are expected to be delivered by Homecoming, September 24th. Look for the “Official SOTO Spirit Wear Store” QR Code at your student’s school office. Your order will raise money to purchase requested items from students, teachers and principals that help make a direct impact in your student’s classroom. Click here to place your order. If you have any questions, email [email protected]. And visit the Facebook page at: SOTO Spirit Wear - OFP.
- The Lake Ozark Soccer Association (LOSA) registration is open for the Fall 2021 Soccer season for ages 4-15 years. Please click here for more information.
- If you missed it up above, you can check out our Welcome to the Year of Cultivation video here.
- You can easily access event information by clicking here for the Osage Fan Plan.
Sincerely,
Dr. Laura Nelson
Superintendent
[email protected]
*Indian Support Hotline:
573-552-8878 or [email protected]
OHS- 573-348-0115
OMS- 573-552-8326
UE-573-348-0004
HE- 573-365-5341
ECC-573-552-8899
Additional Community Support Resources:
Hope House Food Pantry at (573) 365-0099
Camden County Community Assistance Hotline at (573) 346-6145
Miller County Community Assistance Hotline at (573) 692-0426
