Dear Orca Families,
Welcome back to a new school year! It has been wonderful to see students return with excitement and curiosity, and we are especially happy to welcome our new Orca students and their families to our school community. The first month of school is always full of energy, learning, and opportunities to grow together, and we are so grateful for the support of our families as we start this year.
One of our biggest focuses this fall is helping students develop the ability to self-regulate and recognize their emotions. At school, we are using the Zones of Regulation framework, which helps students identify how they are feeling—such as calm, anxious, frustrated, or excited—and use strategies to manage those emotions. Self-regulation looks like taking deep breaths when frustrated, using kind words when upset, asking for help when unsure, or taking a short break to regain focus. Recognizing emotions and practicing these skills supports students in making positive choices and feeling more confident and in control.
The character trait of the month is Responsibility. We are encouraging students to take ownership of their actions, complete tasks thoughtfully, and care for themselves, others, and our school community. This ties directly to self-regulation, as responsible students are learning to manage their feelings and behaviors in order to be successful learners and friends.
Parent-teacher conferences are coming up in October, and we look forward to sharing your child’s progress and working together to set goals for a successful school year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions, need support, or want to discuss your child’s growth - communication between home and school is key to helping students thrive.
Thank you for partnering with us as we create a welcoming, supportive, and positive environment for all students. Together, we can help our Orcas feel confident, capable, and ready to grow every day!
Warm regards,
Sara Lucero
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Today our school sent out a Federal Impact Aid Program Survey Form in ParentSquare. It is important that you fill out this form as soon as you receive it, no later than Monday, October 6.
Impact Aid funds make up for lost tax revenue to local districts due to non-taxable federal property in their boundaries. The amount of Impact Aid we receive is determined by the actual number of our students with parents who live or work on NAS Whidbey Island or other federal property, including Native American lands and our schools on federal property: Crescent Harbor, HomeConnection, and Hand-in-Hand. To qualify for funding, we need a completed survey for every student attending our district. Our school relies on the Impact Aid funds to financially support programming that directly benefits our students such as special education, transportation, and instructional support.
This information is kept strictly confidential and is only used to determine the funding our district should receive. More information is available on our website. Please reach out if you have any questions. Thank you for your participation in ensuring that Oak Harbor Public Schools secures the resources it needs to serve our students better. We couldn’t do this work without your support.
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During September and October, students are learning and reviewing Zones of Regulation, an evidence-based self-regulation curriculum that helps students build awareness of their feelings and develop strategies to manage them.
The Zones use four simple colors to represent states of alertness and emotion:
- Blue (low energy, sad, tired)
- Green (calm, focused, ready to learn)
- Yellow (anxious, silly, excited, frustrated)
- Red (angry, out of control)
By learning to identify their “zone,” students gain the language and tools to better regulate themselves, problem-solve, and make positive choices throughout the day. Families can also use this language at home to support children in building emotional awareness and resilience. Let us know if you would like a Zones poster for your home! (options below) Contact smahoney@ohsd.net or the front office staff.
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Beginning Wednesday, October 22, from 6:00–7:00 PM, we are offering a five-week series of virtual meetings - Supporting Children with Behavior and Emotions. These sessions provide proven strategies to help caregivers respond calmly to big behaviors, strengthen connections with their children, and reduce everyday struggles at home. Mrs. Lucero and Mrs. Mahoney will facilitate the meeting and be available afterward for additional assistance. While it is not required to attend all five sessions, the material builds from week to week, so consistent participation is encouraged.
Families who sign up by October 15, 2025 will receive a free workbook.
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Dear OVE Families,
Consistent attendance is vital to student success. Each school day provides valuable learning experiences that build on previous lessons. Missing just two days per month—about 10% of the school year - can significantly affect your child’s ability to master essential skills, particularly in reading and math.
Even occasional absences or frequent tardiness can disrupt your child’s learning and make it challenging to keep pace with the curriculum. These disruptions not only impact academic progress but can also affect the classroom environment for others.
We recognize that life happens, and sometimes absences are unavoidable. Please know that we are committed to partnering with you to support your child’s regular attendance and overall success.
Thank You for Your Partnership
Parents play the most important role in supporting student attendance. We encourage scheduling appointments outside of school hours whenever possible. Your involvement directly impacts your child’s academic success, and we are grateful for your support in making every day count.
If you have further questions about your child’s attendance record or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
Michael D. Howard
Dean of Students, Olympic View Elementary School
📧 mihoward@ohsd.net | 📱 360.969.2652
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Excused Absences include:
- Participation in a school-approved activity
- Illness (fever 100.0+, vomiting, diarrhea), health condition, or family emergency
- Absence due to disciplinary action
- Military deployment/reunification – 1 day per occasion at parent request
- Pre-approved activities (e.g., academic contract for vacations) or circumstances that do not adversely affect educational progress
Unexcused Absences include:
- No statement provided by parent/guardian within 48 hours
- A request that does not meet the definition of an excused absence
What Parents Need to Do When a Student is Absent:
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Call the attendance line by 8:30 a.m. at 360.279.5159 (available 24 hours) or email oveattendance@ohsd.net.
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Send a dated and signed note with your child within 48 hours of returning to school, explaining the reason and dates of the absence.
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Request assignments from your child’s teacher so learning can continue at home.
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Provide a doctor’s note if your child:
- Misses 5 or more consecutive days, or
- Exceeds 10 excused absences in a school year
Call-Back Procedures:
If a child is absent without prior notification, the school’s automated system will email, text, or call the primary guardian listed on record. Please ensure your contact information (home and work) is current.
State Law Requirements:
- Schools must notify parents in writing or by phone after one unexcused absence
If a student accumulates:
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5 excused absences in a month,
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10 excused absences in a year, or 3 unexcused absences
we are required to schedule a meeting with families to identify barriers and provide resources to support consistent attendance.
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Please take the time to discuss library book care with your student(s). We discussed in class a few recommendations for avoiding accidental damage:
- keep books clean and dry
- store away from pets and small children
- keep clean hands while reading
- keep books away from food and drink
- do not draw or color in the books
Accidents can happen, and if/when they do, please reach out to me and we’ll figure out the best way to fix or replace a damaged item.
This is also an excellent opportunity to discuss book interests with your child. Our primary goal in the OVE library is to learn to enjoy reading! Talking about books in a positive way with family is an excellent opportunity to encourage your child to enjoy books and reading.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly.
Casey Jackson
OVE Librarian
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Starts Monday, September 22, 2025
To help keep walkers safe, walkers only at this time, no bike riders.
Details:
- Meet at the water tower on Meadow Drive at 8:20 am
- Walk down Meadow Drive towards the Heron Bus Shed and pick up additional walkers about 8:25ish.
- Parents are always welcome to join us, but not required.
- Walking club will only be 1st - 4th grade through December.
- Kindergarten students will be able join the Walking Club when we come back from Winter Break in January.
- If a student is not able to follow the walking club rules, they will not be invited back.
- If Walking Club is cancelled, a notice will be sent via Parent Square.
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Orca Families, we have been collecting bottle caps for our Orca Mural project, and we are in the home stretch! We could still use your help finding a few more bottle caps.
We need Large and Medium (approx. 2 inches across). We are no longer in need of small sizes, or water bottle caps. The best type of bottle caps for our project are plastic, and clear of writing/logos on at least one side. Example, peanut butter lids. Caps can be dropped off in the office and all colors are needed!
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Yearbooks are now on sale! Order by October 31st for a 10% discount!
School code: 1016951804052996
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Oct 6 | Scholastic Book Fair 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm in the Library
Oct 10 | Scholastic Book Fair 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm in the Library
Oct 10 | PTA Family Movie Night, 6 pm - 8 pm
Oct 23 & 24 | Parent/Teacher Conferences NO SCHOOL
Oct 25 | Spook Harbor Trunk or Treat @ OHHS 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Oct 28 | Picture Retakes
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Oak Harbor Public Schools and School PTAs are excited to host Spook Harbor Trunk or Treat on Saturday, October 25, from 4 - 6 p.m. at Oak Harbor High School’s student parking lot. This free, family-friendly event is open to the entire community and features decorated trunks, candy, and festive fun.
We’re currently seeking volunteers and local partners to host decorated trunks and help make this event a success. If you’re interested, please sign up here! Have questions? Please reach out to the Trunk or Treat planning team via email at
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A huge thank you to all the families who joined us for our Family Picnic in September! We had a fantastic turnout and it was wonderful to see our school community come together. A special thank you to all the volunteers who helped make the event possible - your time and effort are truly appreciated.
Congratulations to Ms. Cloudy's class for having the highest attendance at the picnic! You’ve earned a pizza party—great job showing up and showing school spirit!
We're actively seeking help for the Book Fair and Movie Night.
To sign up, please visit our PTA Facebook page or email us at pta4ove@gmail.com.
Interested in participating in the Truck or Treat event with the district?
Whether you want to volunteer or enter a decorated vehicle, please reach out - we’d love to hear from you!
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