Oakwood Schools

   

Growing together Timber Oakwood, Ohio

Timber aims to create an environment where staff and students work together to foster an overall sense of community.  Everyone is encouraged to participate, be kind, include everyone, and grow together and as individuals.

   

 

Welcome to Timber 2022 - 2023

This year, Timber is focusing on building relationships throughout our schools.  We are strongest when we grow together.

Timber dates can be found on each school calendar .

  

 

Timber 2021 - 2022

Timber 7: Working on Projects

From making bird feeders to creating cards to shuffling away scuff marks on the floors and planning bigger long-term projects, Harman students and staff spread JOY during Timber this week!

Timber 2022 Feb
Timber 2022 Feb
Timber 2022 Feb
Timber 2022 Feb
Timber 2022 Feb
Timber 2022 Feb

Timber 1: What brings joy?

Our 2020 - 2021 Timber program began with an introduction to the theme of joy.  

Students and staff had a great time reconnecting, getting to know their team members and sharing about what brings them JOY!

Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for Joy
Timber intro for joy
Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for joy
Timber session 1 for joy

Timber Tuesday, Sept. 21

On Tuesday, Sept. 21 students at Harman and Smith participated in a Timber Reconnect day.  Timber groups met for a short session to continue to build community through games and activities to get to know each other better.

group in circle
playing boardgames
getting to know you activities
sitting at desks
playing card game
sitting on the floor in circle
playing Connect 4
playing jenga
filling out sheet with teacher
two girls coloring
playing board games
playing large checker game
two girls playing game
large group coloring

Timber 2020 - 2021

Welcome to Timber

The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles

Timber Session 1: Connection with Your Timber Family

Smith and Harman had the first Timber Day lesson of the year Sept. 25!  Thanks to technology, Option 1 and Option 2 students were able to connect with one another.

Staff and students participated in different activities to make connections with others. The students were beaming with joy during the lessons and are excited for a great year ahead with this program!

Timber session 1
Timber session 1
Timber session 1
Timber session 1
Timber session 1
Timber session 1
Timber session 1
Timber session 1
Timber session 1

Timber Session 2: Connection with Humanity

students participating in Connection with Humanity
students participating in Connection with Humanity
students participating in Connection with Humanity
students participating in Connection with Humanity
students participating in Connection with Humanity
students participating in Connection with Humanity
students participating in Connection with Humanity
students participating in Connection with Humanity
students participating in Connection with Humanity
students participating in Connection with Humanity
students participating in Connection with Humanity

Timber Connection Song

Timber Session 3: Connection with Family

Timber session three's theme was connecting to our family.  Groups read a story about a family who was in a blackout. Having no power or devices left them to "plugging into the family."  A family activity was sent home which included a bingo board of family activities from baking a favorite treat to making a silly video. The fun will be had by all. After completing bingo boards, there will be a drawing for a gift basket to one lucky winner!

girl creating thankful list
boy writing thankful list
boy making thankful card
girl making thankful card
girl making thankful card
boy making thankful card
class looking at board talking about  being thankful
Mrs. Hennessey's class talking about being thankful
clas talking about being thankful
Mrs. Richardson's class talking about being thankful
class talking about being thankful

Timber Session 4: Connection with yourself

Student holding up her Timber letter
Timber letters about connecting with oneself
Timber letters about connecting with oneself
Timber letters about connecting with oneself

Timber Session 5: Connecting with Friends

Students playing games
Students playing games
Students playing games
Students playing games
Students playing games

Timber 7 Connection With School

Group posting at flag
two girls on sidewalk
Group doing chalk art
Two doing sidewalk chalk
Two doing chalk art
Timber group outside
Group for Timber

Timber Challenge 2020: Online Edition

boy making lasagne
Little girl pulling tile off wall
Little girl organizing closet
Two girls playing cards with dad
Family playing Sorry at dining room table
Little girl scrubbing the bathtub
Family around the table playing game
Family playing Life

In Week Two of The Timber Challenge: Online Edition, Harman students grades 1-6 earned points for demonstrating acts of "Service and Care" for their families. The Timber Challenge is a game that was designed to put concepts discussed in this year's Timber sessions into practice, and to keep the Timber spirit alive as we move into a distance learning model. Many students submitted photos for bonus points of some of their adventures so far. Some of the tasks represented include: cleaning up trash outside their homes, organizing a family game night, helping a caregiver complete a long overdue household task, or taking more responsibility in the kitchen. 

February 2020: service and care for your community

Girl smiling with letter of hope
Group at table working on letters of hope
Group at table working on letters of hope
Classroom posing with blankets and letters
Students tying letters on blankets
Group posing with blankets
Six students posing with letters and blankets
girl writing letter
Student smiling and holding up letter
Students tying on letters to blankets
Blankets stacked in library at Smith
Students working on letters at table
Students writing notes

Oakwood students participated in their Service and Care for Community activity Friday, Feb. 28.  Our students joined students from across the country in a global movement of kindness with the Blankets of Hope program.

To learn more about the Blankets of Hope program and how Oakwood students participated, visit our Blankets of Hope page.

January 2020: Service and Care for Your School

Group making cards
Two students making cards
Three boys making cards
Three boys smiling at camera
Group of students at table making cards
Girl making card
Girl making card
Three girls making cards
To do list of kind things around the school
Students brainstorming of kind things they can do around school
four students making cards

Oakwood elementary students took part in their fifth Timber activity of the year Friday, Jan. 31. The focus was on service and care for school.

Students listened to the book Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller and then generated ways they could provide service and care across the school.

As a final activity, students made cards to show appreciation and caring for various staff members. Up next, service and care for the community.

November 2019: Service and Care for your Family

Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees
Making family trees

Fun run 2019

More than six bins of new socks are on their to children in need in the Miami Valley thanks to Oakwood elementary students and Shoes 4 the Shoeless.  Students donated the socks as part of their annual Fun Run Oct. 18.

The Fun Run is part of the character education collaboration between students and staff at Harman School and Smith Elementary.  This year, the program, called Timber, focuses on service and caring.  The morning of Oct. 18, elementary students ran from their schools to Mack Hummon Stadium where they donated socks and then heard more about the mission of Shoes 4 the Shoeless from the group’s founder and executive director Kris Horlacher.

“We really tried to relay the message about why we were asking for the donation of socks and I believe the kids understood.  Socks are such a basic necessity so when Kris [Horlacher] talked about how many kids don't even have one pair of their own, it was impactful.  The kids received the message beautifully, their attention was awesome,” Smith teacher and run organizer Lisa Henry said.

Horlacher says her organization will distribute more than 100,000 pairs of socks to local children this year. 

Timber activities will continue monthly throughout the rest of the school year, focusing on service and caring.  Some students will also have the opportunity to participate in additional Shoes 4 the Shoeless events.

Various photos of the Fun Run 2019 activities

2019-2020: Service and Care

Cover of The Giving Tree

The theme for the 2019-2020 school year will be Service and Care!  Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree provided a foundation as school counselors and principals made their way through their buildings, reading the book and discussing the concepts for the school year's Timber kickoff event.

Timber Song

Timber Session May 2019

Children writing chalk messages
Children writing kind chalk messages
Children writing kind chalk messages
Children writing kind chalk messages
Children writing kind chalk messages
Children writing kind chalk messages
Children writing kind chalk messages

Timber Session February 2019

Students writing I am statements
Students writing I am statements
Students writing I am statements
Students writing I am statements
Students writing I am statements
Students writing I am statements

Timber Session January 2019

discussing the importance of EMPATHY
discussing the importance of EMPATHY
discussing the importance of EMPATHY
discussing the importance of EMPATHY
discussing the importance of EMPATHY
discussing the importance of EMPATHY
discussing the importance of EMPATHY

Timber Session November 2018

Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Balance was the theme of the Nov. 9 Timber session.
Students talked about balance during Timber

Timber Session September 2018

Students collaboration on project for Timber session 2
Small groups of students design their project for Timber session 2
Kids take a break to pose during the Timber 2 session
Group members work together for Timber session 2
Students watch video for Timber session 2
Group members review the elements they have to solve the problem in Timber session 2
Entire class group poses for picture during Timber 2 session
All of the vehicles created during Timber session 2

Timber Session August 2018

Students trace their hands as part of an activity
Students watch the video introducing the new name for the character education program.
Harman student traces her hand on green construction paper.
Students cut out the tracing of their hands.
Students watch the introduction video for Timber.
Students discuss the word they selected as part of the first session of Timber for 2018-2019.
A sixth grade student helps a first grader doing the activity in the first session of Timber.
Harman students discuss their chosen words.
Harman students watch the video that revealed the new  name of the district's character education program.

Members of the GRIT/Harmanize team presented at a conference in summer 2018

The Oakwood Elementary Character Education Team at the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administration (OAESA) conference.

New Name ... Same Great Program

Learn Love Lead logo

Ongoing Topics

2017-2018 Topics

2016-2017 Topics

2015-2016 Topics

Character Education Q & A:

Character Education Resources