2024-25 Tamika Dees, Head of Middle School
August 9, 2024
Greetings Middle School Families,
I hope you are enjoying these last few days of summer and creating long-lasting memories with your family. This summer I had an opportunity to host our family reunion and spend five fun-filled days at Disney World. It was indeed a magical place!
Our theme in the Middle School is “Discovery Zone”. At Oakridge, we believe that this adolescent period is all about seeking out new information, trying new things, thinking outside the box, and learning how to facilitate “Big” emotions. We believe in an intricate balance between the 3 A’s (Academics, Arts, and Athletics) as our scholars endeavor to discover their gifts, talents, and passions beyond the classroom. In addition, social emotional well-being is also vitally important. Therefore, as a Middle School Team, we will go over and beyond in helping our middle school scholars learn how to become self-advocates, and develop leadership and collaboration skills.
It is with great pleasure that I welcome a great group of talented, passionate educators to our team. Mr. Derek Harrington brings over 20 years of project-based experience and his love for teaching math. This year, he will be teaching Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, and Math Foundations. Mrs. Samantha Read is our new Lower House PE coach, and her passion for athletics is infectious. Mrs. Jodi Coke will serve as our Middle School Choir and 7th/8th grade Musical Theatre teacher. Jodi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Fine Arts Department. Finally, we are excited to announce that Mr. Michael Millians will be joining the Middle School family. Michael brings his creative approach to teaching to the History Department. He will be teaching 7th and 8th grade history.
As the adventures of summer are coming to end, we are extremely excited to welcome our new and returning Owls.
Below are a few reminder links. Also, to view your child’s class schedule for the 2024-25 school year, please log in to your “My Oakridge” parent portal.
Middle School Class Trip Information
“All Things Middle School” Video Message
In addition, please mark your calendars for the following upcoming events:
8.13.24- New Student (5th-8th) & 5th Grade Student Orientation, 2:00 p.m.
8.13.24- All Student Middle School Social, 5:30 p.m.
8.13.24- "Cool off in the Quad" for Parents, 5:30 p.m.
8.15.24 & 8.16.24- MS Locker Setup, 9:00-4:00 p.m. (Optional)
8.17.24- Back-to-School Bash, 9:00 a.m.
8.19.24- MS Parent Night, 6:00 p.m.
8.21.24- First Day of School
We are excited to announce that we have transitioned to a new, more streamlined parent portal system. To ensure a smooth experience, please take note of the following important changes:
Returning families: Please remove any existing bookmarks to My Backpack and Magnus Health. My Backpack is no longer in use, and the way to access Magnus Health has changed.
All families: You can now access Magnus Health directly through our school website. Simply click on the "My Oakridge" button, sign in with your credentials, and then click on the orange Magnus Health button on the left side of the screen. There is no longer a need to log in to Magnus Health separately.
We believe this new system will provide a more convenient and user-friendly experience for our families. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact technology@theoakridgeschool.org.
We look forward to partnering with our Middle School families this school year, as we endeavor to continue this amazing new journey in the “middle.”
Sincerely,
Tamika R. Dees
- 8.13.24- New Student (5th-8th) & 5th Grade Student Orientation, 2:00 p.m.
- 8.13.24- All Student Middle School Social, 5:30 p.m.
- 8.13.24- "Cool off in the Quad" for Parents, 5:30 p.m.
- 8.15.24 & 8.16.24- MS Locker Setup, 9:00-4:00 p.m. (Optional)
- 8.17.24- Back-to-School Bash, 9:00 a.m.
- 8.19.24- MS Parent Night, 6:00 p.m.
- 8.21.24- First Day of School
