New School Year at Oaktree
Welcome Back Oaktree Students and Families!
We are excited to welcome our students and families back to Oaktree for another great school year! Our staff has been busy preparing for the year ahead, and we are eager to see our classrooms and hallways filled with students once again. A new school year brings fresh opportunities to learn, grow, build relationships, and create lasting memories. We value the partnership we share with our families and look forward to working together to make this a positive and successful year for every student.
As we prepare for the first day of school, please take a few moments to review the following important information to help us get the year off to a great start:
School Supply Lists
1st Day School Supplies purchased through the Martian PTO will be available for students at the Oaktree Open House.
Oaktree Open House
The Oaktree Open House is Wednesday, August 19 from 4:30 - 6:30.
There will be a new student orientation for first time 2nd grade and new to the district families at 5:00 in the cafetorium.
GEAR's Community Food Truck Event
GEAR's Community Food Truck Event will take place in our circle drive from 4:00 - 8:00 during the Oaktree Open House. There will be food trucks, music, and an inflatable obstacle course. The food trucks scheduled to be here are:
Clyde's Pit BBQMr. Italy
Mexi Crunch
Bubble Bee Tea
Weezie's Funnel Cakes
Staff Updates
We have some new staff and staff changes this year:
New to Oaktree:
Keri Bechtel – Art Teacher (Former 1st Grade Teacher at Reid)
Ellie Winter – 3rd Grade Teacher
Lauren Glinsky – Speech Pathologist
Kailyn Kline – Special Education Paraprofessional (Former paraprofessional at the middle school)
New Position:
Faith Canning – Literacy Specialist & MTSS Building Coordinator
Jessica Froats – 2nd Grade Teacher
Jody Smith – 3rd Grade Teacher
Stephanie Mellendorf – 2nd Grade Teacher
Classroom Placements
Classroom placements will be available on ParentVUE on Wednesday, August 19. We have worked diligently to place students to create balanced classrooms keeping in mind the needs of each student. We are not able to make changes to these classroom assignments.
Required Update to Student Online Registration (OLR) for 2026-27.
Please log into ParentVUE and update your contact information, emergency contacts, student's medications, complete the Free and Reduced application, and add or remove permissions needed to begin the new year, The Student Handbook for each building is available. Forms and documents needed for enrollment may also be uploaded directly through the online registration portal. If you need help with your ParentVUE account or have questions, please contact the Oaktree office.
ParentVUE must be updated before being able to view your child's teacher.
First Day of School, School Hours & Attendance
Our first day of school is Monday, August 24. This is a full day of school. Our school hours are:
Full Day: 8:20-3:40
Half Day: 8:20-12:00
Tardy: Students should be in their classroom ready to learn by 8:20. After 8:30, they are marked tardy. Students who leave after 2:55 but before the bell will be marked as “Left Early” and the time will be documented.
Half Day (AM or PM Absence): Arrive after 9:05 or leave before 2:55
Attendance Line (810) 591-5252: To ensure accuracy, please call the attendance line or login to "ParentVUE > Attendance" to report your child’s absence. Parents will receive an automated phone call, text, and email if an absence is not verified to the office by 9:15 am. After receiving these communications, please call the front office or attendance line or the absence will remain unverified.
Excused Medical Absence: In the case that your child missed school because they were under the care of a physician, please turn all doctor’s notes into the office within one week of their return to school.
Click here for directions on how to report your child’s absence on ParentVUE.
Please communicate all after school transportation schedules with your child and their classroom teacher. For same-day changes in transportation plans, please call the office by 3:00 and we will send a note to your child by the end of the day with their new instructions.
Student Drop-Off & Pick-Up Procedures
Morning Drop-Off: Student drop-off will take place along the west sidewalk adjacent to the gymnasium. Students will be able to enter the building through each of the three west entrances. Staff members will open the doors at 8:10 and close them around 8:25. In order to keep our students safe, please strictly adhere to the following:
Students are not to be let out until the school doors are open and a staff member is present.
Students must be let out when reaching the drop-off zone. Do not wait to let your child out when directly in front of the door. Parents who do this slow down the line and create an unsafe situation as cars begin driving around them.
Students are not to be let out in the large or small parking lots and allowed to walk in.
Students must be dropped off in the caravan line until 8:25. Do not enter the front circle drive to drop off your child until after 8:25 and the buses have cleared.
Afternoon Pick-Up: To ensure students’ safety and a properly supervised and timely pick-up procedure, students being picked up by a parent will be sent to the cafetorium at the end of the day. Parents may park in the large parking lot on the west end of Oaktree and enter through Entrance 8 located at the southwest corner of the building nearest the cafetorium. Doors will be opened at 3:35. When entering the building, parents must show their “Student Pick-Up Card” to staff and proceed to the gym to meet their child. Parents without their card will be asked to sign their child out and provide identification for verification. “Student Pick-Up Cards” will be sent home with students on the first day of school. Please contact the office if you need an additional card.
Medication
Please see the office for a Permission Form for Prescribed Medication if your student needs to take medication during the school day. A physician’s signature is required for all prescribed medications. Students are not allowed to carry any medications to, from, or during school.
Transportation
Please notify the bus garage at (810) 591-3454 if your student needs to change their bus route. Students must ride the same bus every day. They are not allowed to ride a different bus to or from school without prior approval from the transportation department.
School Meals
Breakfast and lunch will remain free for all students for the 2026-27 school year.
Volunteer I-Chat Form
Any adult in the building for any length of time, including parent volunteers and field trip chaperones, must fill out an I-Chat form. This provides us the ability to do a background check on any adult that visits our building. These forms are available online and through the link below. The I-Chat form will only need to be filled out once per school year. Volunteer I-Chat form.
We hope you enjoy your last days of summer vacation. and we look forward to seeing everyone at the Oaktree Open House on Wednesday, August 19.