You Belong at Oakland Elementary!

End of the Year Letter from Your Principal

Posted June 3, 2025

Dear Oakland Families,            

I have had the privilege of serving as a principal of this amazing school for the last five years and working a total of 11 years with the community in different capacities. I am very proud of our students and cannot wait to see them back next school year. They have grown in both academics and in their social emotional development and maturity.

Summer break is coming and with that is the opportunity for our students to spend more time with family and friends. We know that sometimes summer can be challenging because, we as parents, have to continue attending work. Please visit https://oakland.dpsk12.org/summer-opportunities/ for a list of some summer opportunities available to our students, including Discovery Link’s Enrichment Exploration Summer Camp. 

As we begin to plan for the 2025-26 school year, I would like to share some upcoming changes. 

  • Please take a look at our Oakland School Calendar 25-26 for the next school year. Days highlighted in yellow are Oakland Professional days – no classes for students. Please take note of these days to make the necessary arrangements for your students.  
  • Our school day will be from 7:50 am – 2:50 pm from Monday to Friday. 
  • Breakfast:  I would like to inform you about some important changes regarding breakfast at school for the upcoming year, as part of DPS’s Breakfast Program.

Students will continue to have the opportunity to eat breakfast in the school cafeteria not in the classroom. This change will allow teachers to be ready to start instruction at 7:50 am. For security reasons, and to ensure the safety of both students and adults in the building, no adult will be allowed to accompany students to breakfast. Students will go to the cafeteria independently.

To ensure a smooth and efficient start to the school day, we are implementing a new schedule:

  • Only students who will be having breakfast at Oakland will be able to enter the school at 7:35 am each day and go directly to the cafeteria.
  • The Oakland doors will open for students not eating breakfast at 7:48 am.
  • Instruction will begin promptly at 7:50 am. Students arriving after 7:50 am will be considered late.

Please note, no adults will be allowed in the building from 7:35 to 7:50 am. The office will open at 7:50 am for families who need assistance.

For a more detailed explanation of the new breakfast procedures, please click here.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we work to improve the school experience for our students.

  • Our tardy bell is  7:50 am. If your student arrives after 7:50 am, they will need a tardy slip from the front office. Please bring your student in time. Instruction starts at 7:50 am.
  • Discovery Link will be available again next year for families who need additional after-school support.  We will also have different Enrichment programs throughout the school year. More information will be shared with all families soon.
  • School Uniforms: Uniforms are mandatory at Oakland. The uniforms will be sold in the school office, and can be purchased through the Parent Portal. Students who do not arrive at school in uniform will be sent to the office to change.
  • Next school year we will use Sources of Strengths as our Social Emotional Curriculum K-5 and Conscious Discipline in ECE. 
  • The office will be closed from June 4th, 2025 through July 25th, 2025. 
  • This summer, we are remodeling several key areas of the school to better serve our students and families. More information about this here.

Please mark your calendar for these important events happening in August:

  • Registration: Registration can be done online through the Parent Portal (recommended) or in the school office on Wednesday August 6 from 8-2 or Thursday August 7 from 12-6. 
  • Back to School Night Presentation and Ice Cream Social: Aug. 14th  from 4:30 – 6:30 pm.
  • The First Day of School is Monday, August 18th for grades K-5! Tuesday, August 19th for ECE!

We are looking forward to working with all of you to continue supporting the success of our students. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us via email or phone. 

Gabriela Quiroga-Beck

Principal 

gabriela_quiroga-beck@dpsk12.net