Today is National School Resource Officer Day! We are celebrating our SRO, Keaton Verner. Keaton has been a part of the Milford Police Department for several years and began his role as SRO for the Okoboji School District this year. Keaton works each day to ensure safety and develop positive relationships with students, staff, and families.
Keaton also serves as a great connection for increased partnership between MPD and OCSD. In his first few months in the role he has helped identify and lead training opportunities for our staff, informative assemblies for our students, and much more.
We are grateful for Keaton and all he does every day for our students, school, and community!
We are all keenly aware of the tragic events that occurred on Thursday at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa. As a district, we stand with and grieve with the students, staff, and community of Perry. Parents and students should never have to feel unsafe at school or worry if their kids will come home safe at the end of the day. As we continue to process this situation, we want to share some of the proactive measures we have taken over the last several years and continue to use to prevent and respond to such a situation. I've attached a letter outlining some of the steps and programs we have implemented to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
Please read the attached letter for more information. You can access a clickable version of the letter at the link below. That version will allow you to follow the links for more information.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AcpSZtPvDQ0FEj6JGJLYhjhj2jlqVxT2/view?usp=sharing
Okoboji Community School District stands with the students, staff, families, and community of Perry as they walk through this terrible tragedy. Educators in Perry and across Iowa work hard every day to make school a safe place for kids to grow and flourish. We will continue to offer our support in any way we can.
Hug your kids tonight and every night.
Two of our very own have been nominated to be University of Okoboji Winter Games Cheerleaders! Congratulations to Katie Luinstra and TJ Simington for being recognized for this awesome community honor! It is well deserved! Voting opens today and closes by 5 PM tomorrow!
https://www.uofowintergames.com/cheerleaders/
OMS Marketing Team Press Release -- Milking Memories: Jones Dairy Farm Field Trip Delights 5th Graders
https://www.okobojischools.org/o/oms/article/1346727
🎉 Congratulations, Okoboji Middle School! 🎉
We are thrilled to announce that OMS has been named one of the Top 10 (out of 700) middle schools for 2024 in the state of Iowa by the prestigious U.S. News and World Report. This incredible achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the educators, families, and students in Okoboji!
Your commitment to academic excellence, innovative teaching methods, and nurturing environment is admirable. This recognition is well-deserved, and we couldn't be prouder of this outstanding achievement.
Congratulations again on this remarkable accomplishment! 🎉🎓🌟
The Okoboji School Board recognizes that it takes a community to Pioneer our youth. Through two programs, Board Salute and Pioneer Student Recognition, we want to hear from you about those exceptional individuals who stand out. For November, please take a moment to honor those that go above and beyond! Below is the link to access the programs.
https://www.okobojischools.org/o/ocs/page/board-recoginition-programs
Thank you for your ongoing support for our school district!
We will have a send-off at ALL THREE buildings on Thursday afternoon to send our State-Bound Esports Team off in style and wish them luck! They will walk through the halls of OES at 2:40, OMS at 2:55, and OHS at 3:10 before heading for Des Moines! They will compete on Friday for a state championship! If any parents or community members want to join the send-off, please come to OHS via the main entrance before 3:10 on Friday!
We encourage all eligible voters in the Okoboji Community School District to cast their vote in today's election! Polls are open from 7 AM - 8 PM.
A reminder of our OCSD Board Candidate Forum tonight at 6:30 in the OHS Auditorium! This is your chance to hear from all of our board candidates this year. If you are unable to attend, a recording of the forum will be made and shared on our district social media tomorrow.
We will have a send-off at ALL THREE buildings on Friday afternoon to send our State-Bound Cross Country Teams off in style and wish them luck! They will walk through the halls of OES at 2:40, OMS at 2:55, and OHS at 3:10 before boarding the bus for Ft. Dodge! If any parents or community members want to join the send-off, please come to OHS via the main entrance before 3:10 on Friday!
The tailgate for tonight's football game, sponsored by Central Bank and Central Insure, will be moved into the upper commons at OHS!
Congratulations to our September Pioneer Student recipient, Caleb Simington, for his outstanding work with youth. His commitment to helping them grow into confident individuals and his efforts to shape future generations are invaluable. This is a testament to Caleb's character and positive influence.
Congratulations to our September Board Salute recipients for going Above and Beyond. Brock Holman, Erin Clary, and Brenda Martin for their remarkable efforts that have not gone unnoticed for their pursuit of excellence, willingness to lend a helping hand, passion for students, and volunteering. They consistently exceed expectations and set a shining example for others to follow. Your efforts are recognized, valued, and deeply appreciated.
Tomorrow we celebrate High Five Friday, with emergency responders here as our guests. DON'T BE ALARMED if you see flashing lights at the school, that's just how we roll when the emergency responders are the High Five Friday guests at OMS.
Please make plans to attend a public forum with candidates running for a seat on the Okoboji Community School Board. The forum will be held on Tuesday, October 26th beginning at 6:30 PM in the Okoboji High School Auditorium. Candidates will field questions read by moderator Brad Simington and have the chance to share their views, goals, and opinions.
A recording of the event will be shared on the Okoboji Community Schools Facebook Page for those who are unable to attend.
We are excited for our 2023 Homecoming Parade this afternoon at 2:15! Here is the map of the route! We hope to see you there! Bundle up and join in the fun!
Okoboji Schools has been recognized by the Iowa State Auditor’s Office for efficient use of public funds. Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand has announced the 2023 Public Innovations and Efficiencies, or PIE, Award recipients. Okoboji Community School District was recognized as the state-wide runner-up among Class 3A schools. The awards are given to schools and public entities that are implementing the largest amount of money-saving practices laid out in a 10-page checklist from the state auditor’s office. Created in 2019, the PIE program encourages public entities across the state to explore different ways to save public funds and allows the State Auditor’s Office to highlight local entities doing the right things across the state.
Today is a special day as we honor and appreciate the individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure our schools are clean, safe, and conducive to learning. Happy Custodian Appreciation Day!
Our custodians play an integral role in our school community. They are the first to arrive and the last to leave, dedicating their days and often nights to the upkeep and maintenance of our schools. Their hard work often goes unseen, but it is felt by all of us who enjoy the clean classrooms, shiny hallways, and well-maintained facilities. Their commitment to their work has gone above and beyond to ensure every nook and corner of our schools is sanitized and safe for all of us.
Thank you, custodians, for all that you do! Your hard work, dedication, and commitment do not go unnoticed. You truly make a difference.
'Boji Battle' is the theme for next week's dress-up days. These will be a blast! Let's have some fun as we showcase our Pioneer Pride!
