Announcements from the Office


Spanish Immersion Program
The District's Spanish Immersion Program is accepting applications from students who are eligible to begin kindergarten in the 2012-13 school year. The goal of this unique program is to provide an opportunity for children at an early age to develop literacy and fluency in both Spanish and English. Interested parents may obtain an application in their school office and will be required to attend a mandatory parent information meeting on either February 15, from 8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. or on February 27, from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. in the District Office Board Room, 181 Encinal Avenue, Atherton. To be considered for the program, kindergarten registration must be complete and Immersion application received no later than February 29.  For more information about the Spanish Immersion Program, please visit the District website.


Upcoming Project in need of Parent Volunteers

As part of our life skill of the month for March 'ACCEPTANCE AND COMPASSION' Oak Knoll and My New Red Shoes will be participating in a school wide community service project to help thousands of homeless children around the Bay Area.  We are looking for parent volunteers to help out with a shoe drive during morning drop off and gift bag sewing and card making during lunch recess. This is going to be a fun and rewarding experience for both kids and parents.  If you are available for any of these days & times please email Meredith Walsey at mjwalsey@gmail.com.  

Monday, March 5th - Friday, March 16th

12:00 - 1:00 Sewing and Card Making in the Library


Monday, March 12 - Friday, March 16th
7:40am - 8:15am Shoe Drive

 

Otter Weekly Paper Copies 

If you or someone you know, needs a paper copy of the Otter Weekly newsletter sent home with a child on Mondays, please send a note or email Barb Snow, Office Manager.


Volunteers at school

Parent Volunteers and Visitors:

Please make sure to sign in to the office and wear a School Visitor badge while volunteering at Oak Knoll. This is a safety precaution and we appreciate your support.

KNOL on Comcast


1) If you are a Comcast customer (and possibly AT&T U-verse) tune to channel 27.  This is the feed from the Community Media Center.  You will see Oak Knoll related programming  from 8:10 to 8:25.

2) Click here to access the programming on the internet.  It's channel 27.


Medication Administration at School

Please know that several rules must be followed if your child must have any medication at school.  This applies to over the counter substances as well as prescribed medication.  CA Education Codes and the Medication Advisory relating to the giving of medications at school states that any student who is required to take medication during the regular school day may be assisted by school personnel if the school has:

  1. A written statement from the physician detailing the medication, method, dose and time schedule
  2. A written request from the parent or guardian of the student indicating the desire that school district personnel assist the student in the matter set forth in the physician's statement.
If you have any questions, please contact School Nurse, Pat Christie by email or phone 650.321.7140 x4911

Lice Information

How do I know if my child has lice?


You can check your child at home. If you are unsure what to look for, read this brochure first. (english flyer/spanish flyer)

You can have the nurse or Cathy Garagozzoin the school office check your child. If you ask them, they are willing to check your child at school.


You can have a professional lice specialist check your child.

  • Love Bugs in Palo Alto will do a free lice check. If your child does not have lice, the check is free. If your child does have lice, you will need to pay them to remove the lice. Visit their website for more information. 
  • Lice Patrol will come to your home, check your children and help you get your home nit free for a fee. LicePatrol.org. 415-566-LICE (415-608-8336)
  • Hair Fairies in San Francisco. Will check and treat your child at their salon in San Francisco for a fee. Visit their website for more information.

If my child has lice, how should I treat it?

Cetaphil Treatment

See above resources (Love Bugs, Lice Patrol, Hair Fairies)

Other resources via American Academy of pediatrics website.


Any helpful tips from other parents?

Heat these in the dryer on high for at least 30 minutes:

  • anything made of cloth in your home that your child's head might have touched (pillows, blankets, etc)
  • backpacks
  • sweater/jacket in backpack
  • anything made of cloth in backpack
  • pillows and blankets

If items above would be ruined in the dryer, put in a garbage bag, tie it up tight, and leave it in the garage for 3 days.  Nits and lice cannot survive without human contact after 3 days.


Vaccuum the child's bed after you take all the linens off.

Vaccuum the child's room.

Spray diluted tea tree oil on their hair before sending to school.  Lice hate tea tree oil, so they will not want to enter your child's head.


What is the District Policy on Lice?

In order to return to school, your child must be checked by the nurse or Cathy Garagozzo to be sure that they are free of nits.  If they are confirmed to be free of nits, they will be allowed to return to school.  Read more....


More Information on Lice from the American Academy of Pediatrics


Whooping Cough Vaccination

New Immunization requirement 

There has been a change in school law to add the requirement of a pertussisbooster vaccine for students. This new requirement has resulted from the passage into law of Assembly Bill 354 on September 29, 2010.

In preparation for the new law, a key message to parents and health care
providers is to immunize with Tdap now to:

1) Protect students against the current threat
  • Whooping cough (pertussis) has been widespread, including nine infant deaths, in California during 2010.
2) Meet the 2011-12 school requirements 
  • For the 2011-12 school year only, all students entering 7th through 12th grades will need proof of a Tdap booster shot before starting school.

1895 Oak Knoll Lane, Menlo Park, California  94025 (650) 854-4433
webmaster@oakknollschool.com