FAQ's for Incoming Families
When does school start?
The first day will be Wednesday, August 16th. The school day begins at 8:00am for all grades. Gates open and yard supervision begins at 7:50am. K-2 nd students are dropped off at the Addison Street gate; 3rd – 5th grades are dropped off at the Curtis Street gate. Pick-up locations at the end of the day are the same, except for students riding the bus (bus pick up is on Addison Street).
What time does school end?
Kindergarten ends at 1:20 every day. 1st – 5th grades end at 2:10 on M/T/Th/F, and at 1:20 on Wednesdays. If students are not picked up within 10-15 minutes of dismissal, they will be waiting in the office for pick-up.
When do we find out our teacher for the year?
Classes will be posted on Tuesday, August 15th by 5pm, on the school website which will be password protected. The password was sent out at the beginning of August. Click here for class lists.
What does my child need to bring to school on the first day of school?
Students should bring a backpack to school everyday throughout the school year. They do not need school supplies and common supplies are shared in the classroom. All students should bring a water bottle and either plan to eat school lunch or pack a lunch from home. Be sure to label your child’s personal items. You would be amazed at how quickly the Lost & Found fills up. Please leave toys and valuables at home.
How does school lunch work?
School lunch is available (and free) for all students. Students are welcome to bring their own lunch. If your child has food allergies or restrictions, please email Mary Fung, maryfung@berkeley.net, to let her know. For district funding purposes, we are asking everyone to go to ezmealapp.com and complete the form. It helps our funding and to offer school programs. Please take a minute to complete it!
What do I do about my child taking the bus?
If you want to sign up your child to take the bus to school, please contact Transportation via email, transportation@berkeley.net or at 644-6182.
Bus drop off and pick up is on Addison Street. Do not park in the bus zones. A staff member will be present at the Addison Gate during arrival and departure. At the end of the day, teachers will walk the kindergarten students to the after school bus.
Can I visit before school starts on August 16th?
Yes! The PTA is hosting a playdate on Sunday, August 13th. It will start at 1pm with the Kinder Lemonade, an Oxford Tradition that allows Kinders and their families to connect with their new Oxford community. The Kinder Lemonade will run from 1 - 2:30. At 2:30, the playground will be open for all families grades K - 5 to play and connect. The playground will remain open until 4pm. Please join us!
What does the PTA do? And what does PTA stand for anyway?
The PTA is the Parent Teacher Association and is the primary fundraising, event planning and community building organization for the school. Please consider joining the PTA and participating in meetings. Everyone is welcome!
Feel free to contact the PTA at pta@oxfordelementary.org.
Where can I find out more information about the school?
This website (www.oxfordelementary.org) has all kinds of information for families. We’re also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/oxfordelementary) and Instagram (BerkeleyOxfordElementary).
How do I find out about the school’s holidays and events?
That’s easy! It’s on the calendar on our website. You can connect it to your personal online calendar so that you always see what’s going on. You'll also hear about events from flyers in your Thursday folders and from your Classroom Coordinators.
How do I find out what is happening at the school and/or communicate with the
teacher?
Every child will have a Thursday folder that will contain a school bulletin and important information. The folder goes home on Thursdays and comes back to school on Fridays. School newsletters are emailed home weekly for the first few weeks of school, and after that, we will send them out every other week. If you want to talk to your child’s teacher, send them an email, leave a message in the office, or put a note in the Thursday folder.
What do I do if my child is absent?
Please call the school office on the morning of the absence, (510) 644-6300 and leave a message, or email oxfordattendance@berkeley.net. If you forget to do this, you will get an automated call from BUSD regarding your child’s absence. A note is also acceptable for clearing absences; please have your child give the note to Kaitlin in the office (not the classroom teacher).
What if my child arrives late and/or leaves early?
If your child arrives late to school, they must first check in at the office and get a tardy slip before going to class. We need a note regarding the reason for the late arrival. If your child needs to leave school early, please call the office to let us know. The Curtis St. gate is locked at 8:15a.m. Late arrivals can enter through the Addison gate or the 1222 University Ave. entrance. (Students can be buzzed in via those two entry points.) The University entrance is also a good place to drop off forgotten lunches, backpacks, etc.
What if I want to visit the school and/or the classroom?
Please do! Teachers will coordinate with families for volunteers within the classroom as well as room parent opportunities. Additionally, all parents are welcome to visit during lunch and at recess. We can especially use help with our kinders who are still working on peeling oranges, opening milks, etc.
How do I find out about the after school program, Berkeley LEARNS/OASIS?
If you are interested in having your child attend the site after school program, registration is done on-line at: https://www.berkeleyschools.net/schools/berkeley-after-school-programs/berkeley-learns/
Upon registration you will be placed on a waitlist. Mr. Grayson will move students from the waitlist to enrollment upon processing the application. The first day of the after school program is Wednesday, August 16th. The end time for LEARNS is 5:30pm.
If you have any questions, contact Aaron Grayson at 510-644-8883.
When is Back-to-School Night?
All BUSD elementary school Back-to-School Nights are on Thursday, August 31st. Additional details will be in the first school bulletin.