OAKHURST — Cool tech news and other info coming out of Oak Creek Intermediate (OCI): Principal Nicole White reports that the local middle school is “going Google.”
“The OCI Campus is now a Google campus,” says Mrs. White. “We have gone Google. Our students will all be working in Google Drive and using district filtered individual student gmail accounts for communication with teachers, as well as access to valuable web based learning tools.”
Among other opportunities, OCI will now have access to their own new Aeries student and parent portal. The Aeries browser interface is a web-portal that allows for real-time access to student data using any modern web browser. It is known to benefit parents, teachers and schools and improves the education of students by facilitating communication between school and home.
On Monday, Oct. 21, Bass Lake Unified School District IT coordinator Steffan John led the transition of the school’s computer system to Google, in the first of many professional development workshops focused on using technology in the classroom.
“We have been pushing our schools into the 21st century and will be incorporating the use of Google Chrome Books, which are laptop style computer devices for students to use in order to integrate technology into their everyday learning,” continues Mrs. White. “The teachers have been busy training to prepare for this shift.”
Students are responding well to the new program and with a terrific campus overall attendance record, it’s certain the students will be around to see the progression of the Google classroom. OCI held an impressive 97% attendance rate for the first semester of the 2013-14 academic year.
In other OCI news, students Rachel Mattos, Olivia Mattos, and Mickinzee Jacobs performed in a vocal trio at Vision Academy of the Arts Concert at United Methodist church on Sunday, Oct. 27. They performed “Safe and Sound,” “The Rose,” and “That’s What Makes you Beautiful” in three-part harmony. Mrs. White says they did a “stunning, beautiful job!”
Meanwhile, at Bass Lake, OCI Leadership 7th and 8th grade students and others pitched in to create a Haunted House as a fundraiser for the school’s annual Catalina academic field trip in May.
Now, in fall, the campus is littered with a lovely riot of leafy color, and whether it’s cheerleaders pausing to play during a break or anyone raising a healthy ruckus in the leaves, OCI welcomes students to participate in a wealth of different activities academic and otherwise.
“There have been many sights and sounds that have created an enormous sense of pride and joy for me,” notes Mrs. White.
“A big group of 6th graders were making piles of leaves in the yard this morning and jumping into them and then throwing the leaves up into the air and laughing. As I was sitting at my desk I overheard a student tell a sick student on his way out the door, ‘goodbye, I hope you feel better soon,’ So thoughtful! Many other special moments in and out of class. OCI Raiders are rock stars!”
Besides making great music, and having a haunting good time, and all the rest, OCI students are now getting picked up and dropped off in a brand new big yellow ride.
“Nothing but the best for our kids,” says Mrs. White. “Love that new bus smell! Thanks to a state transportation grant our kids are riding in style!”
The next OCI Parent~Teacher Club (PTC) meeting is set for Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 2:45 p.m. in the OCI library. “Please join us as parent participation is needed and appreciate,” says the PTC. For more information check out the Oak Creek Intermediate Facebook Page or visit the District website.
