FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DESK

As we begin what is sure to be one of the best years ever in Oakwood Schools, I wanted to share a few thoughts on the on-going projects and enhancements we are working on in the district.

During the past 12 months, we have asked for and received a great deal of feedback on a variety of subjects. That feedback has helped us focus our efforts and you will start to see some of the changes we have made with the beginning of the new school year.

You will certainly notice continued improvements in the area of communications. These efforts have been bolstered by the creation of a communication committee of residents with various backgrounds and expertise to strengthen our communication efforts with the community. These committee members are helping us review the results of the recent Communication and Satisfaction Surveys and are assisting us in making adjustments to our processes for communicating with parents, residents, students and staff.

In an effort to keep you informed, we updated our newsletters at each of the buildings during the summer. You will see new streamlined versions of these important publications sent directly to you through our email service, eNotify. You can sign up or update your eNotify subscriptions to on our website.

One theme we heard from you in the survey results is that it can sometimes be difficult for new families coming to our district to know how to get involved. Whether it is joining the Oakwood Athletic Boosters or the Oakwood Arts Bridge, volunteering in the classroom or becoming a member of our excellent PTOs, there are a number of ways you can get involved. Information on all of our community groups can be found on our website (oakwoodschools.org) - just use the search function for the keyword.

Thanks to recent comprehensive reviews of our buildings, we are addressing additional repairs and updates that have come to our attention as part of our initial Master Facility Plan process. In addition to the normal summer projects of deep cleaning and painting, we have also made initial improvements to our student restrooms, updated heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controls at Harman and Smith and made technology upgrades across the district.

Along with those improvements, we have enhanced security at the entrances of all our buildings, and added a layer of safety to our transportation process. All volunteer drivers will now go through a security check that includes fingerprinting, background checks and drivers’ abstracts being reviewed.

We will continue to share our progress and updates as we wrap up a very busy summer and head into another terrific school year. If you have questions, concerns or comments, we want to hear from you. We look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to make their Oakwood experience a positive one.

Again, if you are new to the district or just want to get involved more in the schools, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Have a great first day of school!
#OneOakwood

WHAT'S NEW IN OAKWOOD

Volunteer Driver Forms Available Online

All of the district’s volunteer drivers are required to annually complete a volunteer driver form. Starting Fall of 2018, drivers will also be required to complete a BCI/FBI background check and have their driver’s abstract reviewed for any offenses for the previous three years. Currently, classroom volunteers in the district already complete BCI/FBI background checks at the Board of Education. Just like those checks, the new transportation security checks will need to take place every five years. The district has arranged for Secure Check on Wilmington Ave. in Dayton to conduct these new checks. Volunteers will not be charged for the security checks.

You can download the 2018 Volunteer Driver Packet and complete prior to your visit to Secure Check.

Safety Enhancements to Building Entrances

As part of our overall focus on the safety and security of our students and staff, Oakwood Schools have initiated a new security measure meant to add another layer of protection. At the main entrances of all of our buildings, new buzzers and cameras have been installed. When visitors arrive at these locked entrances, staff members will use a short script to ask visitors to identify themselves and state the reason for visiting the school. Visitors will need to answer these questions before they are admitted to the building. If staff members are unsure about a visitor, administrators will conduct further screening. It may be helpful for those planning to come to any of the buildings to call in advance and make an appointment so the staff is prepared.

We hope you understand this new practice and are patient with our staff as they do not want to upset any visitor, but know the importance of screening visitors and limiting access to the buildings. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact a building principal.