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![Oakwood City Schools Portrait of a Learner Graphic on a blue background]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1774291051/oakwoodschoolsorg/to5vfzdjn99nl5zzk0jf/PortraitofaLearnerWebNewsGraphic.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1774291051/oakwoodschoolsorg/to5vfzdjn99nl5zzk0jf/PortraitofaLearnerWebNewsGraphic.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1774291051/oakwoodschoolsorg/to5vfzdjn99nl5zzk0jf/PortraitofaLearnerWebNewsGraphic.png","width":575}])
After months of collaboration, Oakwood Schools was proud to unveil our Portrait of a Learner during the March 9 State of the Schools address. This framework serves as a guide, directing our approach to ensure students are prepared for life after graduation.
Reaching this milestone for our district required community input. Beginning last fall, our district leaders organized a series of conversations. They partnered with parents, educators, students, and residents to determine what skills and mindsets our students most needed to thrive. Through forums, surveys, and focus groups, we gathered feedback and listened to your priorities. The result is a vision that looks beyond test scores and focuses on the development of the student.
Our Portrait of a Learner rests on five competencies. Teachers and staff will integrate these concepts into the routines of our students from kindergarten through graduation. First, we aim to cultivate a Resilient Learner who overcomes obstacles and adapts to challenges with determination. Second, we focus on developing a Critical Thinker who analyzes information and makes decisions based on evidence. Third, we want to empower a Team Player who values differing perspectives and works alongside peers to solve problems. Fourth, we aim to nurture an Effective Communicator who articulates ideas and listens to others to build understanding. Finally, we strive to shape an Empathetic Citizen who demonstrates integrity and a commitment to their community.
These five pillars will shape our curriculum, instruction, and school culture moving forward. We thank everyone who shared their voice to help us define what it means to be an Oakwood learner.
![student holding popsicle stick while another student tears masking tape]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1756316693/oakwoodschoolsorg/ie03mpkubffcof3qsoye/DSC02866.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1756316693/oakwoodschoolsorg/ie03mpkubffcof3qsoye/DSC02866.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1756316693/oakwoodschoolsorg/ie03mpkubffcof3qsoye/DSC02866.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1756316693/oakwoodschoolsorg/ie03mpkubffcof3qsoye/DSC02866.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1756316693/oakwoodschoolsorg/ie03mpkubffcof3qsoye/DSC02866.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1756316693/oakwoodschoolsorg/ie03mpkubffcof3qsoye/DSC02866.jpg","width":2200}])
How far can you launch a pom pom with popsicle sticks, rubber bands, straws, masking tape, and a spoon? That was the challenge Principal Cassie Schoch gave Smith Elementary students during a recent STEM activity.
Working in teams, students designed and tested creative contraptions such as catapults and slingshots while discovering that problem-solving is about collaboration, experimentation, and celebrating progress along the way.
![student holding cup on head]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1749573939/oakwoodschoolsorg/hac3bddxyofjgp13wysj/rDSC01505.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1749573939/oakwoodschoolsorg/hac3bddxyofjgp13wysj/rDSC01505.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1749573939/oakwoodschoolsorg/hac3bddxyofjgp13wysj/rDSC01505.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1749573939/oakwoodschoolsorg/hac3bddxyofjgp13wysj/rDSC01505.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1749573939/oakwoodschoolsorg/hac3bddxyofjgp13wysj/rDSC01505.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1749573939/oakwoodschoolsorg/hac3bddxyofjgp13wysj/rDSC01505.jpg","width":2000}])
Smith students celebrated reaching their 4th quarter PBIS goals with a splash!
Students kicked off their summer break with several water-related contests, like relay races and shuttle runs.
PBIS is designed to promote positive behaviors, build relationships, encourage effective communication, and support self-regulation.
![Music Appreciation at Smith Elementary]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1730835985/oakwoodschoolsorg/krtxb85py7i4tkk5qnet/IMG_63271.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1730835985/oakwoodschoolsorg/krtxb85py7i4tkk5qnet/IMG_63271.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1730835985/oakwoodschoolsorg/krtxb85py7i4tkk5qnet/IMG_63271.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1730835985/oakwoodschoolsorg/krtxb85py7i4tkk5qnet/IMG_63271.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1730835985/oakwoodschoolsorg/krtxb85py7i4tkk5qnet/IMG_63271.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1730835985/oakwoodschoolsorg/krtxb85py7i4tkk5qnet/IMG_63271.jpg","width":2200}])
Smith Fifth and Sixth grades enjoyed field trips to the Schuster Center last month.
The Fifth grade took in the Young People's Concert Pure Imagination on Oct. 25th. They learned how music, opera, and dance come together to tell a story and evoke memories, emotion, and more. They explored drama and comedy with Mozart’s Don Giovanni and took a musical trip down the flowing Moldau River with conductor Neal Gittleman.
The Smith Sixth grade enjoyed a performance of the DCDC "Remember the Time" which highlighted the spellbinding artistry of DCDC through three enduring works. Tommie-Waheed Evans' Home/An Untitled Portrait wraps the Victoria Theatre in brilliant light, text and snapshots of "home" in all of its complicated glory. Stafford C. Berry Jr. transports viewers to a twilight time where a rain-soaked block party recalls the great migration. Sets and Chasers by Kevin Ward celebrates Duke Ellington's groundbreaking radio broadcasts of the swinging '40s.
![Together We Learn]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1730060492/oakwoodschoolsorg/yaacjuo7rrodih3yuefn/1.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1730060492/oakwoodschoolsorg/yaacjuo7rrodih3yuefn/1.png","width":390}])
TOGETHER, we invest in professional growth, align our curriculum, and foster critical thinking. We aim to ignite a passion for learning in every student, ensuring they are equipped with the skills needed for lifelong success.
![2024 Academic Decathlon National Photo]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1730060422/oakwoodschoolsorg/l4pb4dzume7d4rqyyaj8/TogetherWeAchieve.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1730060422/oakwoodschoolsorg/l4pb4dzume7d4rqyyaj8/TogetherWeAchieve.png","width":390}])
TOGETHER, we enhance physical safety and nurture an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued. Our goal is to create a learning environment where students not only feel secure but also seen, heard and respected.
![Student at OHS 2024 graduation smiling]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1730061003/oakwoodschoolsorg/lfjeiy8c5a5onwddzn98/TogetherWePrepareStudentsforTomorrow_1.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1730061003/oakwoodschoolsorg/lfjeiy8c5a5onwddzn98/TogetherWePrepareStudentsforTomorrow_1.png","width":390}])
TOGETHER, we maintain our community’s trust and manage our resources responsibly. We are committed to transparency and fiscal responsibility, ensuring that our operations are aligned with the best interests of our students and the Oakwood community.