One of the most important things families can do before the school year begins is make sure they're connected through our two primary family tools: the Focus Parent Portal/ App and the OCSD App.
✅ 𝙁𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙋𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙡/𝙁𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙨 𝘼𝙥𝙥 Every parent or guardian should have a Focus Parent Portal account. Through Focus, you can:
• Complete important forms and annual updates
• Monitor grades and attendance
• Access student information
• Stay informed about your child's academic progress
📲 On the go? Download the Focus App for convenient access to your student's information anytime, anywhere.
📱 OCSD App The OCSD App puts important district and school information right at your fingertips, including:
• Rooms, our new family-school communication portal
• School and district news and updates
• Helpful links and resources
• Quick access to important information throughout the year
Taking a few minutes now to set up and familiarize yourself with these tools can help ensure a smooth and successful school year.
These apps are available for download in your device's app store!
The application for free or reduced-price school meals is officially open!
✅ Healthy meals help students stay focused and ready to learn.
✅ Applying is quick, confidential, and helps support your school community.
✅ Important reminder: Families must reapply each school year—even if you qualified last year.
Even if you're unsure whether you qualify, it's worth applying—eligibility can change!
Apply today and help ensure your child has access to nutritious meals every day.
Visit http://www.myschoolapps.com/ or access the link in the OCSD app!
Summer Reading Activities: Embark on a Literary Adventure
🌴 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 📚
➼Visit a public library and check out some books.
➼Create a map of your home.
➼Write a thank you note to your local fire station. Plan a time to visit the fire station and deliver the thank you note.
➼Take a walk around the neighborhood. Before going, make a list of things that you think you will see. When you return, review the list to check off what you saw and add other things to the list that you observed on your walk.
𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵—𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘯!
For more summer reading activities, visit the Florida Department of Education webpage: https://www.fldoe.org/academics/standards/just-read-fl/families/summer-activities-elementary.stml
Sign up today! Camp runs June 8 through July 31, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., for children ages 5–12. Weekly cost is $100 with a $30 registration fee per family.
Activities include Craftapalooza: Arts and Creativity; Experiment Extravaganza: Science and Discovery; Creatopia: Fantasy and Storytelling; and Splash-tacular: Water and Adventure.
Breakfast and lunch are provided, and ELC vouchers are accepted.
Contact information lists Ebony Smith, Childcare Coordinator, with email ebony.smith@okaloosaschools.com and phone number 850-833-3333, option 6.
See flyer here: https://aptg.co/3yZBTl
Register here: https://aptg.co/HtKdKy
The New Worlds Reading Initiative is Florida's free home literacy program for eligible VPK - 5th graders. New Worlds Reading was signed into law in June 2021 as a program to help Florida's striving readers strengthen their literacy skills, build reading confidence, and foster a lifelong love of reading.
Each month during the school year, eligible children receive a free book tailored to their interests with resources and activities for caregivers and children to use together. Books and materials are available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and braille.
To be eligible, kids must be VPK - 5th graders who are not yet meeting grade level expectations in reading in Florida VPK programs, public schools, and charter schools. You can enroll here: https://www.newworldsreading.com/en/enrollment/.
Good morning! Phones are currently down district-wide. Our provider is working to resolve the issue. We appreciate your patience and will update you when they are back up! Have a great day!
Stronger Schools Start with Involved Parents
Who Can Serve?
- Parents or guardians with a child currently enrolled at Edwins ES
- Willing to attend meetings in person
- Interested in school planning and improvement
Why Participate?
- Stay informed about school academic performance
- Develop ideas to support and improve student success
- Collaborate on solutions to school challenges
Meeting Commitment
- 4 meetings per school year
- In-person attendance is required
For any questions, contact SAC Chairperson, Alina Jackson (850) 533-7885.
This week we launch a new fundraiser with SchoolStore! The SchoolStore program allows supporters to donate a Caring For Classrooms gift card directly to a teacher’s classroom and they can use 100% of the value to purchase school supplies, resources, books, printables, and more! This program also allows supporters to purchase a variety of premium items, with up to 50% of the purchase price going to our school.
Anytime someone shops online at www.schoolstore.com and designates our school, we earn money! You can shop too! Just click the link below & that will automatically designate the school:
https://www.schoolstore.com/cgi/SSCHomePage?asd_number=0000144264
There are over 300 merchants and our school gets up to 50% of every single purchase for one full year. One of the merchants, Family Bookstore, is the sponsor of the prize program. When orders are placed from this merchant the child will get points on the prize thermometer. The more points, the more prizes. This is informational only; you will NOT have to keep up with this. Prizes will be shipped to the school.
*Please note that you have to go to SchoolStore.com each time you want to shop for our school to get credit.
Get Started:
Step 1. Show the kick-off video at https://www.schoolstore.com/video (only about 3 minutes long)
Step 2. Show the Book Buddy participation prize to your students
Step 3. Send home the Student Lanyards.
It's that easy and should take very little of your time!
All Secondary Schools, North & Central Elementary Schools
Open January 27- February 24
South Elementary Schools
Open March 2-March 30
Visit: https://www.okaloosaschools.com/page/controlled-open-enrollment
Kindergarten & New Student Registration
All Secondary Schools, North & Central Elementary Schools - OPEN NOW!
South Elementary Schools - Opens March 2nd!
Visit https://www.okaloosaschools.com/page/registration for more information!
Today we celebrate the incredible men and women who keep our students safe every single day. Whether rain or shine, hot or cold, our crossing guards greet families with a smile, guide children safely across busy streets, and help ensure a smooth start and end to every school day.
To all of our dedicated crossing guards: THANK YOU for your commitment, your kindness, and your unwavering focus on student safety. Our schools and communities are better because of you!
Mid-Year Data and Calendar Update
As you know, our students take a learning diagnostic three times a year. This information allows us to direct individual learning paths and also determine how we, as a school, are doing.
I am happy to report that Edwins' students performed VERY well on our midyear FAST diagnostic. When we compare our data to
last year, we are ahead midyear in nearly every subject and grade! Ask you child if they met their learning goal.
At Edwins we set GOALS because Goal Setters are Goal Getters! Our continued growth is a tribute to the students, teachers and families that make up the Edwins Community.
Check out the January 19th newsletter!
Thank you so much!!
