Oaks Road Academy

06/08/2026

06/07/2026

🔥 Parents, this is the week to LIGHT THE LAMP! 🔥

Last week was probably a week of rest, family time, and recovering from a busy school year. But now it’s time to get started!

One of the most powerful things you can do this summer is find out where your child is TODAY and then watch how much they grow by the end of the summer.

🎯 This week’s challenge:
✅ Complete 10 one-minute reading drills with your child 5-7 Days.

Before you begin, record your child’s starting fluency rate. That number is important! It becomes the starting line for their summer reading journey. You can refer back to my video that I posted on the last day but don’t overcomplicate it. HJust have your child sitting up, over the paper, finger on the text, and time him/her! Remember it is about repeated reads of the same texts for the week. Use the packets I sent home in a folder.

Imagine the excitement of looking back in August and seeing that your child went from:
📖 39 words per minute to 60+
📖 94 words per minute to 120+
📖 114 words per minute to 140+

Growth doesn’t happen by accident. It happens one minute at a time.

🏮 At ORA, this summer we are going to “Keep Our Lamps Lit.”

Every one-minute drill is another drop of oil in the lamp.
Every page read is another spark.
Every day of practice helps your child’s light shine a little brighter.

Don’t wait until August to wonder if your child grew.

Know where they are now.
Track their progress.
Celebrate every gain.

Let’s light a fire under summer reading and see just how bright our Owlettes can shine! 🦉✨📚

06/07/2026

🦉✨ HELP US FILL ORA WITH PICTURES OF OUR LIGHT! ✨🦉

We believe every family has a story, every child carries a light, and together we help that light shine brighter.

We would love for every family to send in ONE printed 4x6 photo that includes your child and a family member enjoying a summer memory. Whether it was a vacation, a trip to the beach, a day at the park, fishing, church, a ballgame, or simply spending time together, we want to celebrate the moments that made your summer special.

📸 Photo Requirements:
• One printed 4x6 photo (4x6 is the largest size…please nothing bigger)
• Must include your child and at least one family member
• Walmart Photo App and Shutterfly are easy printing options to have directly mailed to the school
• Blended family or unique circumstances? Feel free to send additional photos so every family connection can be represented

📬 Mail Photos To:
Oaks Road Academy
2811 Oaks Road
New Bern, NC 28562

📩 Or Drop Off Photos:
Monday–Thursday in the envelope located on the front door.

All photos will become part of a special school-wide bulletin board as we begin our year together.

🏮 Let’s fill ORA with pictures of our light and show our Owlettes that every family helps our school shine brighter! 🦉💙💛

06/05/2026

The other day I saw Mrs. Judy out pressure washing around campus. I’ll be honest…I thought maybe she was just finding something to do to pass the time before her summer officially started which I very much appreciated! I walked over, thanked her for helping beautify our campus, and asked when she officially started her summer break.

Her answer stopped me in my tracks.

“Wednesday.”

That meant Mrs. Judy had already completed her contract days for the year and was still showing up, working 8-hour days, simply because she cares about our school.

No extra pay. No recognition. No expectation.

Just pride in Oaks Road Academy and a desire to make our campus look its best.

Mrs. Judy is a perfect example of what makes ORA so special. Our school is filled with people who go above and beyond because they love our students, our staff, and our community.

Thank you, Mrs. Judy, for your servant’s heart, your hard work, and the example you set for all of us. ORA shines a little brighter because of people like you. 🦉💙

06/05/2026

Please Share!

06/02/2026

Dear parents….
If you do not fill out this form, you will be driving your kids to school the first 10 Days! No one wants to do that 🤣!
Sincerely,
Michelle

DIRECTIONS: Please fill out your student's bus needs for upcoming school year. Submit separate request for each child. Student ID numbers are required and may be found on report card, progress report or through Infinite Campus access. You may call your school with any questions.

06/01/2026

SUMMER TO-DO FOR ORA PARENTS! 🦉
Get Approved to Volunteer Before School Starts!
Want to:
📚 Read with students?
🎉 Help at school events?
🚌 Chaperone field trips?
❤️ Support your child's classroom?
Now is the perfect time to complete your volunteer application!
All volunteers must complete the Craven County Schools volunteer screening process before volunteering on campus or attending field trips.
☀️ Beat the back-to-school rush and get approved this summer!
Apply here:
Craven County Schools Volunteer Application
Be ready to make a difference when school starts!
🦉 Oaks Road Academy
"Together, we help our Owlettes soar!"

06/01/2026

☀️🥪 FREE SUMMER MEALS FOR KIDS! 🥪☀️

Did you know that Craven County Schools is providing Sun Meals To-Go all summer long?

Beginning May 28 through August 13, children can receive FREE meals at locations throughout Craven County, including Vanceboro, New Bern, Bridgeton, Havelock, Dover, and Cove City.

🍎 No cooking.
🥛 Nutritious meals.
☀️ Helping keep our children fueled and ready for summer fun!

If your family could benefit from this program, please take advantage of this wonderful community resource. Feel free to share this information with friends, neighbors, and family members who may need it.

At ORA, we believe every child deserves access to healthy meals all year long. ❤️🦉

06/01/2026

🦉🚌 NOW HIRING: Teacher Assistant/Bus Driver 🚌🦉

Looking for a job where you can make a difference every single day?

Oaks Road Academy is seeking caring, dependable individuals to serve in a dual role as a Teacher Assistant and Bus Driver. This unique position allows you to support students both in the classroom and on their journey to and from school.

✨ Help students learn and grow
✨ Build positive relationships with children
✨ Be part of an amazing school family
✨ Make an impact from the first bus stop to the final bell

If you love kids, enjoy being part of a team, and want a career that matters, we would love to hear from you!

Apply today:
[Craven County Schools Employment Opportunities](https://www.cravenk12.org/departments/human-resources/employment-opportunities?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

05/31/2026

🌿🦉 Beyond the Walls… and Into the Heart of Our School 🦉🌿

Today, the amazing members of Centenary United Methodist Church put their faith into action through their Beyond the Walls service project. Instead of gathering inside the church, they spent their Sunday serving the community, and Oaks Road Academy was blessed to be one of those projects.

What started as spreading mulch and cleaning out a trailer turned into something much bigger. When we realized we were nearly 60 bags short of completing the project, several volunteers generously purchased additional mulch so the work could be finished. That kind of kindness and commitment cannot be measured.

There is a concept called the Broken Windows Theory, the idea that when spaces are cared for, people are more likely to care for them. When we clean up our surroundings, we create pride, hope, and a sense of ownership. Children notice when their school is beautiful. Staff notice. Families notice. A cared for environment communicates that the people inside matter.

Today was not just about mulch and cleanup. It was about sending a message to every child who walks through our doors: You are worth the effort. You are loved. This place matters because you matter.

To every volunteer who gave up their Sunday, pushed wheelbarrows, spread mulch, cleaned, organized, sweated, laughed, and served, thank you. Your hands helped beautify our campus, but your hearts made an even bigger impact.

ORA is incredibly grateful for our partnership with Centenary and for a community that continues to show up for our students again and again. We are so very thankful for Mrs. Gayle Midyette for organizing all of the volunteer at ORA!!! We are so very thankful for every volunteer from Centenary that volunteer weekly at ORA 🦉!!!

💙 Together, we are building more than a school.
💙 We are building a community where children know they are valued.

🦉💙🌿