Welcome to Odyssey Join the Journey for the 2016-17 School Year! - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Welcome to Odyssey Join the Journey for the 2016-17 School Year!

Odyssey Facts ● Accredited by SACS CASI, a division of AdvancEd ● All teachers are Certified or Highly Qualified ● Paraprofessional in all K-5 classes ● Open to any eligible child in Coweta County ● No tuition ● Average class size of 22 in K/1 and 25 in 4-8 ● Looping classrooms in K/1 and 2/3

Odyssey Facts ● Exceptional Gifted program for K-8 ● Excellent Special Education Program ● Chromebooks for all students in grades K-8 ● League athletics starting in 5th Grade ● Excellent Band and Art programs ● Language classes for K-8 ● Educational off-campus field trips, both local and long distance

Odyssey Facts ● Bus Transportation ● Before and after school care for K-8 ● Small school with family atmosphere ● Supportive and caring environment ● Strong community involvement ● Frequent community/school events ● Excellent PTO and strong parental involvement

Important Documentation It will seem that the new school year is all about paperwork because there is so much! Help us start the year off right by returning documentation as soon as possible. Here are some of the most important forms... ● Emergency Contact Form ● Authorization to Give Medication Form ● Free and Reduced Meal Forms (Complete whether you qualify or not!) ● Before and After School Registration Form ● Occupational Survey ● Student Bus Rules and Procedures ● Pupil Transportation Form (Complete tonight if scholar is to ride bus tomorrow) ● Personal Electronic Use on Buses Form ● Acceptable Use Policy and Chromebook Insurance (Page 17 & 18 of AUP) ● Car Line Placard - Keep in your car for scholar pick up during Car Line

The First Two Days Return your paperwork promptly. It makes your teacher’s job so much easier! You may enter the building with your scholar on August 4th & 5th only. You must park at West Georgia (behind Odyssey on Amlajack). Prepare your scholar for exiting your vehicle in car line starting Monday, August 8th. Always enter through the Front Door Only for security and safety reasons. Always check in at the front desk.

Helpful Hints - Throughout the Year As you prepare you and your scholar for the new year, we have a few helpful hints. ● Encourage your scholar to be responsible in school, to read often, and to always complete schoolwork to the best of their abilities. ● Check your scholar’s agenda every day. You will find important information about classwork, homework and behavior. ● Arrive on time, every day. Scholars should be in their seats by 8:25 am. ● Strive for Excellent Attendance. ● Participate in events, trainings, and teacher meetings. We are here to help your scholar succeed. ● Keep lines of communication open with your scholar’s teachers. ● Stress the importance of lifelong learning!

Helpful Hints - Bus Transportation Buses - Your scholar must have a Pupil Transportation completed BEFORE they are allowed to ride the bus. Complete your Pupil Transportation form tonight before you leave if you want your scholar to ride the bus tomorrow. Feel free to bring the form with you to meet the bus in the morning. Be prepared to pick your scholar up in car line or from After School if you have not completed the form. We will not put your child on a bus without it. If it is OK for your scholar to use his/her personal device on the bus at any time, please complete the Electronic Use Form for School Buses.

Helpful Hints - Morning Car Line ● Car Line starts at 8:00am. Do not unload until a staff member is present. ● Scholars should be in their seats at 8:25 when school starts. If a scholar is getting out of his car at 8:25, s/he is late for class. ● After 8:25, you will need to come into the building to check your scholar in as late. The staff will direct you to park. Please be respectful. ● Carefully watch the car line staff for directions but use good judgement. ● Right of way is to be given, not taken. ● Never pass cars waiting to turn onto the property. ● Do not allow your scholar to unload until directed. ● Do not move your vehicle until directed. ● Do not use your cell phone while in car line.

Helpful Hints - Afternoon Carline ● For K -3rd: 1st Afternoon Car Line is 2:45 - 3:10 pm ● For 4th - 8th: 2nd Afternoon Car Line is 3:25 - to 4:00 pm ● Do not line up sooner than 10 minutes prior to scheduled car line. ● If you have scholars in K-3 and in 4-8, you may wait until 2nd Car Line to pick up your scholars. Aftercare for K-3 starts at 3:10pm. ● Never exit your car at any time. ● Do not call your scholar to your car. Wait for staff to direct them. ● Do not move your vehicle until directed. ● Do not use your cell phone while in car line.

Before and After Care Odyssey offers Before School and After School Care at reasonable rates. Before School Care 7:00 am - 7:55 am After School Care Grades K-3: 3:10 pm to 6:00 pm Grades 4-8: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm For Afterschool, pull in up front like car line and wait for your scholar to be called.

Helpful Hints - Chromebooks Chromebooks will be handed out to the Scholars the week of August 8 - 12th. All scholars will be considered as “Waived” on insurance until a completed form and payment are received. (Page 18 of the AUP) No scholar will be able to use their Chromebook except for testing until the Acceptable Use Policy is received. (Page 17 of the AUP) Insurance through Odyssey is an affordable option to protect yourself against high repair bills.

Odyssey Insurance vs. Your Own Device Reasons it is a good decision to purchase Odyssey Chromebook Insurance for your scholar. Let’s face it - Kids Happen ! Bonus - If you qualify for F&R, you will receive discounts on your insurance and your claims.

Coming Up! Academic Parent Teacher Teams (APTT) this year for K-5! “Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) is a family engagement model, designed by Dr. Maria Paredes of WestEd, that strengthens teacher-family relationships by focusing on student academic growth and achievement. The APTT Model elevates the efforts of traditional parent-teacher conferences by inviting all families of the same classroom teacher to meet together rather than individually. “ Georgia DOE Federal Programs School Improvement (https://www.gadoe.org/School-Improvement/Federal-Programs/Pages/APTT.aspx)

Coming Up! An APTT meeting includes the following: ​ ● Team-building activity to build a rapport with and among parents and the classroom teacher ● Foundational grade-level skills that students must master by the end of the school year ● An anonymous graph of every child’s status on the skill ● Teacher modeling the activities that are targeted to improve the skill ● Parents practicing the activities together in order to use them with their child at home ● Individualized 60-day goal for their child on the skill All parents receive materials for the practice activities to take home. Teachers and parents meet for APTT meetings three times during the school year. ​ Our first APTT Meeting is Scheduled for Tuesday, August 23rd at 5:00 pm

Coming Up! PBIS “PBIS” is Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports ● Effective classroom management and preventive school discipline are essential for supporting teaching and learning. ● PBIS makes it possible for classroom management and preventive school discipline to work together with effective academic instruction to create a positive and safe school climate and to maximize success for all students.

Coming Up! Middle School Trip Each year, our middle school scholars have the opportunity to participate in an overnight field trip to various locations for educational enrichment. This year’s trip is to Washington DC. Start planning your scholar’s participation in this wonderful trip! It is only $629 per scholar. We work with Student Educational Tours and they split the cost into several payments. Complete a registration form at the front desk or contact Mrs. Beerbower at ebeerbower@odysseycharterschool.net for more information.

Coming Up! School Uniforms Next year during the 2017-18 School Year, Odyssey Students will wear uniforms to school. Some of the benefits of school uniforms include: ● Encourages discipline ● Help students resist peer pressure to buy trendy clothes ● Helps identify intruders in the school ● Diminishes economic and social barriers between students ● Increases a sense of belonging and school pride Improves attendance From Greatschools.org (http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/school-uniforms/) ● Look for more information on this topic as the year progresses.

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