Okoboji Elementary School

The 2025-2026 Okoboji Community School District Calendar is now available on the OCSD Webpage and App! You can link directly to the calendar here: file:///C:/Users/BrianDowning/Downloads/2025-2026_OCSD_Calendar.pdf A few dates of note: *First Day of School: August 25-26 *Thanksgiving Break: November 26-28 *Winter Break: December 22-January 2 *Spring Break: March 16-20 *Class of 2026 Graduation: May 17 *Last Day of School: May 21

Join us for a powerful presentation on sex trafficking in Iowa, revealing how this devastating crime is happening RIGHT HERE IN OUR HOMETOWN. This eye-opening event will not only raise awareness but also equip attendees with practical steps to protect our community. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how you can take action and make a difference. Okoboji CSD has been working closely with Stacy Besch from Team Iowa to bring awareness in the Lakes Area to an issue that affects communities everywhere- including our own . We strongly encourage everyone to attend this important presentation, as knowledge is the first step in protecting our children and our community. Parents of younger children, in particular, are urged to come, as traffickers often target kids at a much younger age than many realize, using technology and other deceptive methods. Together, we can stay informed, take action, and create a safer environment for all. See the attached flyer and information below for additional details: There are two opportunities for you to engage in this learning, both on Monday, May 5. The first is from 2:00-4:00 PM at the OHS Auditorium. The second is that evening from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Majestic Pavilion in Arnold's Park. Note for parents: Minors are encouraged and welcome to attend, but please be aware that the presentation includes direct and graphic content as there is no other way to address this information. We encourage parents to use their discretion in determining whether the material is appropriate for their child.

There may be new snow on the ground Spring Conferences are just two weeks away! Parents of students at Okoboji Elementary, Middle, and High Schools should be receiving an email with a link to sign up for conference times. As a reminder, OES will have conferences on Tuesday, February 25th and Thursday, February 27th while OMS and OHS have conferences on Thursday, February 27th only.

Mark your calendars! Our PK and New Kindergarten Parent Night is scheduled for March 11 at 6 pm in the OES lunchroom! Check out the image for more information! We can't wait to meet our future Pioneers!!

The Okoboji School Board is excited to announce the hiring of Will Dible as the next superintendent of the Okoboji Community School District, following the retirement of Mr. Abrahamson on June 30, 2025, after eight years of dedicated leadership. A 2004 graduate of Okoboji High School, Will’s return to lead our district is a special full-circle moment for all of us. Mr. Dible's hiring will be made official at the board meeting on January 8, 2025. Will is a dedicated and accomplished leader with a student-centered approach to education that aligns perfectly with our district’s vision. We are confident that his leadership will continue to move Okoboji forward in a positive direction. Please join us in welcoming Mr. Dible to his new role. He will officially begin his duties as superintendent on July 1, 2025.

Thank you to Ralph Covet for stopping by OES this morning! All grade levels were able to enjoy one of his concert sessions immediately following our monthly assembly! We had a blast singing and dancing to his awesome songs!

Cross Country made it over this morning before school! This team is off to a great start this year! Thanks for stopping by! The kids loved seeing you there!

Attention Okoboji School District Resident Families! Mark your calendars for a special opportunity to participate in satellite voting on October 21st from 1:00 to 7:00 PM at the elementary school. This is your chance to make your voice heard and have a say in the future of our community and schools! Voting at your convenience helps ensure that every family can engage in the democratic process. Your participation matters whether you're a first-time voter or a seasoned pro. Don't miss out on this important event—let's come together to shape the future of our Okoboji School District!

A Message from Okoboji Superintendent Todd Abrahamson: Pioneer Families, I am writing to inform you about a change to our school calendar regarding the upcoming Parent/Teacher Conferences. Initially scheduled for November 5 and 7, the conferences have now been moved to October 21. On October 21, conferences will be held from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Details on signing up for conferences will come out in early October. This change aims to minimize disruptions for you, as we understand that many families have already arranged daycare for October 21. As a result, we will have full school days on November 5 and November 7. Additionally, November 8 will remain a no-school comp day, and November 11 will continue as a Professional Development day. Furthermore, this adjustment allows the district to host a satellite voting station for the upcoming election from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the elementary school. The ballot on October 21 is the same as the ballot on November 5. This allows parents to cast their full vote on October 21 or November 5, providing greater flexibility in their schedules. Thank you for your understanding and support as we make this adjustment. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Warm regards - Todd Abrahamson, Superintendent

A Message from Okoboji Superintendent Todd Abrahamson: Pioneer Families, I am writing to inform you about a change to our school calendar regarding the upcoming Parent/Teacher Conferences. Initially scheduled for November 5 and 7, the conferences have now been moved to October 21. On October 21, conferences will be held from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Details on signing up for conferences will come out in early October. This change aims to minimize disruptions for you, as we understand that many families have already arranged daycare for October 21. As a result, we will have full school days on November 5 and November 7. Additionally, November 8 will remain a no-school comp day, and November 11 will continue as a Professional Development day. Furthermore, this adjustment allows the district to host a satellite voting station for the upcoming election from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the elementary school. The ballot on October 21 is the same as the ballot on November 5. This allows parents to cast their full vote on October 21 or November 5, providing greater flexibility in their schedules. Thank you for your understanding and support as we make this adjustment. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Warm regards - Todd Abrahamson, Superintendent

Our very own Keaton Verner (School Resource Officer) was recently on the Okoboji Broadcast with Jeff Thee. Officer Verner was there to go through some bus safety reminders as school has started back up for the year! Please check it out when you have time so we can all work together to keep our kids safe! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BnMiBqYNKc

We are excited to be spending the day with our new team members today! We have new staff from all three buildings who will be serving our students as teachers and paraprofessionals this year. We are spending the day getting to know them and teaching them about our district and the great things they will do here!

As you are likely aware, Okoboji Commuity School District Superintendent Todd Abrahamson will be retiring at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year. The OCSD School Board has partnered with Grundmeyer Leadership Services to lead the search process for our next great school leader. A first step in the process is to gain input from all stakeholders as to the qualities , skills, traits, etc we are looking for in our next leader. In that effort, a brief survey has been created to gather this input. If you have not yet done so, we encourage everyone to take a few moments to fill it out and share your thoughts. You can access the survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfBkLPcRjqYnQ1oEI59E4T7sGDTnLsOvKnfJl7zoIm6tyebWw/viewform Survey deadline is August 31, 2024.

Online registration for the 2024-2025 school year is now open! New and current families should visit the link below to complete this quick and simple process! Current families received an email this morning with more information and the same link. https://www.okobojischools.org/o/ocs/page/enroll-at-okoboji

BIG NEWS! At the July Board Meeting, the OCSD School Board voted to increase daily subsitute teacher pay from $135 to $150! This represents an 11% increase in pay and a nearly 50% raise in pay over the last ten years PLUS the addiiton of a free lunch every day! Substitute teachers play a vital role in the health of our schools and the growth of our students. If you are interested subbing at Okoboji Schools, please contact Danni Bockman at the OCSD District Office. You can email her at dbockman@okobojischools.org, call the office at 712.338.4757, or stop in the office at 1205 7th Street in Milford during business hours!

As you may or may not know, Mr. Abrahamson (our current Superintendent) is retiring at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year. The Okoboji Board of Education recently hired Grundmeyer Leader Services to support the search for a district superintendent. The search will begin immediately and conclude with the hire of a successful leader. Your feedback regarding what desired qualifications is most important for this position will ensure the hire is a good fit for both the school district and community. Please see the link below to provide input and feedback for this incredibly important position! https://bit.ly/OkobojiCSDSuptSearch2024

Our 4th grade Talent Development students have been working on their leadership, cooperation, and planning skills over the last few weeks. They were able to put those skills into practice with a few visits to our TK classroom by reading books and leading the younger students through activities that they actually prepared!

Today is School Lunch Superhero Day! It is a day to celebrate and thank the school food service team members that work hard every day to make sure all of our kids (and many staff members) have the nutrition they need to grow, learn, and succeed! They are often here well before the start of the day ensuring that breakfast and lunch will be ready for all of our hungry learners! Thank you to OCSD Food Service Director Carrie Stethem and her outstanding team! OHS Brieanna Nabb Naoko Menting Deb Malchow OMS Carrie Stethem Lindsey Chaffin Tia Hofmeyer Michal Nabb Mia Bacco OES Sherryl Jones Patty Hofmeyer Jackie Anderson Mary Demuth Sandy Hoffman Nancy Kissner

Northwest Bank came to visit our TK class to teach us how we can save money, where to keep money safe, and also teach us the difference between a need and a want! What great skills for our students to learn about! Thank you, Northwest Bank, for coming over!

Today is Administrative Professionals Day! We depend on our outstanding team every day and quite literally could not make our school run without them. They do countless things to support the learning, physical, and mental health of all of our students and staff every single day and we want to show them our appreciation today and EVERY day! Thank you Gayle, Lenae, Amanda, Kizze, and Missy, for all you do for all of us every day!