___________________________________________________________________________________

It has been great to see the excitement of the students and staff as we move from

September to October. Everyone has been keeping busy participating in the variety of

activities that have been going on throughout the building. Homecoming week

wrapped up on Friday, September 25th after a week of fun activities. A big thank you to

the JH/HS Student Council and Ms. Hyland for creating activities to get the students and

staff involved. While there were a few changes to some of the activities and the game

on Friday did not end the way we had hoped, it was a great week for the students and

staff. Congratulations to Maddy Eich and Clint Misar for being chosen as the

homecoming queen and king. They are both great leaders for the senior class and

student body.

As schools were planning to start this fall, every district went through the process of

creating a back to school plan designed specifically for each district. Sure, there was

some sharing of plans going around, but I feel confident in saying that there are no two

district plans that are the same. Our Starting School Safely committee and the school

board developed a plan that was unique for Oldham-Ramona and was best suited for

the students and staff of Oldham-Ramona. During this process, there was discussion

about how the plan that was approved would affect individuals and families differently.

Just as each school district is different throughout the state, the families that make up

the Oldham-Ramona School District are also different. It was important that we tried to

factor in how the plan we developed would affect each of the stakeholders of the

district realizing that they were in fact different and had a different perspective on what

decisions would be best for the district.

Unfortunately, as the outside world has become very tumultuous, we are seeing

issues spill into the school. Our job as educators is to create a safe environment where

everyone is welcome to share his or her opinions and is treated with respect. We are

encouraging our students to learn to respectfully disagree with someone who does not

have the same beliefs as them. We are not always going to agree with each other, but

it is important to remember that we are all unique and have

different perspectives on life. It is imperative that everyone

feels safe at school. Please encourage your students to treat

others with kindness and respect

“In A World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind!”

Thank you and stay safe!

Michael Fischer, Superintendent

220 West 2nd Street, Ramona, SD 57054

Phone: (605) 482-8244 Fax: (605) 482-8282

“Providing students the opportunities and facilities to become productive citizens and lifelong learners.”

2020

Computers are an important tool to our students. Please encourage

your students to take good care of their computers and report any

issues they are having to Mr. Bergstrom as soon as it happens. Please

discourage your students from loaning out their computer, charger,

or stylist to other students, in case things get lost or damaged in

someone else’s possession. All of the computers and chargers come

with stickers that are used to identify those devices and chargers. If

these stickers are removed, it makes it very tough to identify

computers. Students that take care of their computers and follow the

guidelines are much less likely to incur fines at the end of the year.

Attention high school seniors and parents – now is the time to be applying for scholarships! Mrs.

Wiebe will be emailing your students about scholarship opportunities throughout the year. Please

make sure your students are checking their school e-mails regularly. You can look for additional

scholarships and grants by searching the internet, checking with employers, community and

religious organizations and/or the financial aid office at your post-secondary school of choice.

During Financial Aid Night on October 15 at 6:00 PM we will share information about the

FAFSA form and scholarships. There will be a short presentation and then time for Q & A. Please

watch for any Parent Teacher Conference updates as this would also impact Financial Aid Night.

Honor Roll will be calculated a little different going forward. The new honor roll will consist of an

“A” and “B” Honor Roll only. To be on the “A” Honor Roll students will have to achieve a 4.0-

3.67 quarter GPA. To be on the “B” Honor Roll students will have to achieve a 3.66-3.0 quarter

GPA. If a student receives anything lower than a “C-” they would not be eligible for either Honor

Rolls. Please contact me if you have any questions about the new Honor Roll system.

Lastly, senior privileges will begin later this month. Seniors and parents will receive a sheet that

outlines the guidelines of senior privileges and infractions that will get them revoked. Before

seniors will be allowed to take part in senior privileges, this sheet will need to be signed by both

the senior and parent and returned to Mr. Johnson. Like everything else during this time, please

understand that Covid may impact/restrict senior privileges.

Winter Sports Meeting and Elementary Basketball Information:

*The Winter sports meeting will be held on November 16 at 6:00 PM in Ramona. Coaches will

meet at 5:00 PM. Please meet in the multi-purpose room.

*Mr. Hanson and I will be having a meeting for all elementary basketball coaches on November

10 at 5:00 PM in Ramona. Gym times will not be able to be reserved until after this meeting.

See you at Parent Teacher Conferences on October 15!

Go Raiders!

Mr. Andrew Johnson

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sept. 27 28

*Cross Country

@ Dell Rapids

St. Mary

1:00 pm

29

30

*Cross Country

@ Colman

1:00 pm

October 1

*Arlington Oral

Interp Meet online

*VB v. Deubrook

@ Rutland

JH 5:00 pm

JV 6:00 pm

V to follow

October 2

*Friday School / Teacher Work Day *Football @ Chester

Varsity 7:00 pm

October 3

4

Fire

Safety

Week!

5

*JH Football

@ Chester

Jun. High 4:00 pm

6

*ASVAB Testing for Juniors *VB vs. JVC

@ Ramona

JH 5:00 pm

JV 6:00 pm

V to follow

7

*Cross Country

@ DeSmet

1:00 pm

8

*VB @ Desmet

JH 5:00 pm

JV 6:15 pm

V to follow

9

*Friday School / Teacher Work Day *FB vs. Howard

@ Rutland

JH at 4:30 pm

V at 7:00 pm

*Military/Firefighter/

Law Enforce./EMT

Appreciation Night!

10

11

*School

Board

Meeting

6:00 pm

Supt. Office

12

*VB vs. C/E

@ Ramona

JH 5:00 pm

JV 6:00 pm

V to follow

13

*VB @ Freeman

JV 6:15 pm

V to follow

14

*Cross Country

Region Meet

*Last Day to order Krispy Kreme Donuts for the GBB & XC Fundraiser!

15

*Early Dismissal at 2:00 pm *Parent/Teacher

Conferences

2:30-7:30 pm *End of 1st Quarter

16

NO SCHOOL!

*FB Game @

DVC Opponent

7:00 pm

17

*VB Varsity

DVC Tourney

@ White

9:00 am

18

19

20 *November Newsletter

items due to

kim.hyland@k12.sd.us

*VB @ Arlington

JH 5:00 pm

JV 6:00 pm

V to follow

21

22

*First Round

Football Playoffs

23

*Friday School / Teacher Work Day *VB vs. Castlewd.

@ Ramona

JH 5:00 pm

JV 6:00 pm

V to follow

24

State Cross

Country Meet

at Hart Ranch

in Rapid City

25 26

*VB vs. LP

@ Ramona

JH 5:00 pm

JV 6:00 pm

V to follow

27

28

29

*Quarterfinal

Football Playoffs

*Halloween

Costume Contest

for all grades!

30

*Friday School / Teacher Work Day

*VB vs Wilmot

@ Ramona

JH 5:00 pm

JV 6:00 pm

V to follow

31

*All activities are subject to change at any time.

*Athletic and other schedules can be found on the ‘R School’ calendar which can be accessed by going to the school’s

web page at https://oldhamramona.k12.sd.us/ and clicking on the ‘ORR Raiders Athletic Calendar’ link. Make sure to

check back often as schedules are subject to change. You can also have notifications sent to you by clicking on the

‘Notify Me’ link on the bottom right side of the calendar page. Go Raiders!

Elementary Lunch will be served from 11:00-11:55 am: Grades K-2 will eat from 11:00-11:25 am and Grades 3-6 will eat from 11:30-11:55 am.

Junior High/High School Lunch will be served from 12:32-12:57 pm: Grades 10-12 will be dismissed at 12:32 pm and Grades 7-9 will be dismissed at 12:35 pm.

*In the operation of child feeding programs, no child will be discriminated against because of race, sex, color, national origin, age, or handicap. If you believe you have been discriminated

against in any USDA related activity, write immediately to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Breakfast *Breakfast is served

from 7:50-8:05 am.

Lunch

*Cereal & Toast, fruit, & milk are also served as an option every day. In order to stay within the state

guidelines, breakfast can be either cereal & toast, fruit & milk or the entrée of the day, fruit, & milk.

It cannot be both and stay within the caloric guidelines the state has made mandatory.

*REMINDER – Children eligible to receive lunch at free or reduced price are also eligible to receive

breakfast at the same rate.

Get the free Nutrislice app

for your phone, or click on

the ‘Lunch Menu’ link on

the school website to view

or print menus and see

nutrition facts!

Students can stop in the office from

Oct. 12-14 and vote for their favorite

meal! The ‘OR Oscar Winners’ will

be announced on October 15!

Thank you to the kitchen staff for keeping us well fed and everything sanitized!

Congratulations to Queen Madeline Eich and King Clint Misar on being crowned at Coronation on Tuesday, September 22. The rest of the royalty are, from left to right: Joe Brinkman-Wall, Evan McKee, Triston Corbin, Jaden Thompson-Gartner, 2020 King Clint Misar, 2019 King Tristan Hageman, 2019 Queen Kylie Anderson, 2020 Queen Madeline Eich, Mackenzie Shankey; front: crown bearers Bretton Lingbeck and Madisen Bergstrom.

This year’s theme was ‘The Amazing Survivor,’ based off of the TV shows The Amazing Race and Survivor. Students were grouped into tribes, with each senior being a tribe leader. Throughout the week the tribes competed in a variety of challenges to receive points. Some of the challenges include dressing up, making tribe posters, cereal sort, Variety Show activities, hot shot, donut throw, kickball, dodge ball, bean bags, & a trivia game about the seniors called Kahoot, using their computers!

Triston and the Dream Team

Maddy and the Slick Bananas

Even and the Stones

Mackenzie and the Violent Violets

Clint and the Hot Shots

Jaden and the Infinite Pumpkins

Joe and the Greyhounds

Wednesday’s Challenge was for each tribe to create a human letter, and they spelled out the words “Go Clay!” to encourage Clay Misar on his battle against cancer.

Tuesday’s Challenge was for each tribe to put together a puzzle of Clay Misar, with instructions on the back to take a tribe selfie and text or Snapchat it to him as he is feeling well enough to have some fun with us this week, even though he is still in the hospital. Tuesday was also TRIBE COLOR DAY!

TRIB

E L

EA

DE

RS

& N

AM

ES:

Elem

enta

ry F

un!

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, October 15th from 2:30-7:30 PM.

School will dismiss at 2:00 pm with the busses running at that time. There will not be Friday

School on Friday, October 16th. Schedules for elementary conferences will be sent home

this week with students. Please return the bottom portion of the form by Thursday, Oct. 8.

Masks will be required for all attending conferences (staff and parents/guardians). We are

asking that only parents/guardians attend conferences. If you are not comfortable

wearing a mask, a Zoom option or phone call will be available. Sanitizer and masks will be

available at conferences. Shared areas will be disinfected between conferences. Unlike

previous years, coffee and cookies will not be available for parents.

Elementary conferences will be scheduled similar to previous years in which a time slot will

be scheduled for each student with their teacher(s). Conferences will take place in the

teacher’s classroom. If parents are not comfortable with attending conferences in person,

they will be able to meet with the teacher utilizing Zoom. Parents should note this when

they confirm their time slot on the schedule that is sent home. Once conferences get a

little closer, each elementary teacher will be sending out a class Zoom link for conferences.

Elementary conference times will be coordinated with JH/HS conference times.

JH/HS conferences will take place in the gym similar to previous years. In order to help limit

the amount of traffic in the building at the same time, we will be assigning times for families

based on last names. We ask that those with last names beginning with A-J come

between 2:30-5:00 pm and those with last names beginning with M-Z come between

5:00-7:30 pm. If your assigned time slot does not work for you, please find a time between

2:30-7:30 pm that does work for you. Please try to limit each teacher conference to ten

minutes. If parents are not comfortable with attending conferences in person, they should

contact their child(s) teachers or Mr. Johnson to set-up either a phone or Zoom

conference.

Thanks for your cooperation with the new procedures due to the Covid pandemic.

SCHOOL NOTES

*Please take a minute to send a card to our 8th grade student Clay as he battles acute myeloid

leukemia. His address is: Sanford Hospital, Attn: Clay Misar, 1600 22nd Ave., Sioux Falls,

SD 57117. Thanks for your support!

*Unfortunately, the MORE Craft Fair scheduled annually for the second week in November is CANCELLED this year due to Covid related reasons. Mark your calendars for next year though – November 13, 2021!

*Picture packets were sent home last week. You can still place your order online now.

Picture retakes will be on Tuesday, November 3. Please have your student bring back the

picture packet on retake day.

NEWSLETTER INFO

The newsletters and other items can be found on the school website:

https://oldhamramona.k12.sd.us/.

As part of an effort to reduce costs, we would appreciate residents

being able to access the newsletter via the website or have the newsletter

emailed directly to you! Just call Kim at 605-482-8244 to get on the list!

If you need the newsletter to be delivered via the regular mail, please call

the office and ask to be put on that list. Thanks!

Oldham-Ramona School District 39-5 Home of the Raiders 220 W. 2nd St. Ramona, SD 57054

Making Oldham-Ramona

Excellent is a group of parents,

teachers and community

members working to promote

and support Oldham-Ramona

school and the communities.

The MORE Group is currently taking donations for new

playground equipment! You can support us by

purchasing Scrip Cards – which are our main fundraiser.

You buy the card for the cost of the card and the

company donates money to our group! It doesn’t cost

you anything extra! Ask us how you can donate through

Amazon, too! We are also searching for new members

to join this great group! Check us out on Facebook at

Making Oldham Ramona Excellent (M.O.R.E.) for more

information!

Oldham-Ramona School has the following

positions open for the 2020-21 School Term:

*Assistant Boys Basketball Coach–ORR Coop

*Junior High Boys BB Coach–ORR Coop

*Junior High Girls BB Coach–ORR Coop

*Substitute teachers and kitchen staff

If interested, call Michael Fischer, Supt., at

605-482-8244 or email mike.fischer@k12.sd.us.

All positions close when filled. EOE.

Refer a friend or relative!

ACTIVITY TICKETS Purchase your Activity Tickets now from the office or

at the gate! Activity Tickets are $90.00/family;

$40.00/adult; $15.00/student. Regular Gate Fees are

$5.00/adult; $3.00/student. Double Header Gate

Fees are $6.00/adult; $4.00/student. In-District Senior

Citizens (age 62 & older) are FREE! If you can’t be an

athlete, be an athletic supporter!