Summer Newsletter

REQUIRED FOR ALL ODYSSEY FAMILIES
Annual Re-enrollment will open on July 14, 2025, and will need to be completed in your FOCUS Parent Portal before July 31, 2025. Parent FOCUS access will be limited until the re-enrollment process is completed and submitted. The Annual Re-enrollment process has been streamlined to make it more user-friendly. If you require assistance during this process, please feel free to contact the main office at (321)733-0442.

Mandatory Final registration will also take place beginning July 7. Families can come to the front office between 8am and 3pm Monday through Friday to complete registration.

On Thursday, July 17, we will be hosting an onsite Re-Enrollment & Final Registration event for ALL returning AND new students from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Our computer lab will be available for families for FOCUS support.

Please be prepared to complete the following for your student(s):

• Re-enrollment for each student (Can complete step in advance on Focus)
• Income Verification Form
• Questions Regarding Bus Assignment
• Before and After School Care Registration
• Health and Medical documents
• Uniform policy, school conduct, cell phone, technology, and bus behavior agreements
• OCS Elementary Student Fees 25-26 School Year (may be paid online or in person by check, cash or card). Student fees are $15 per student for Kindergarten through 5th grade and include: $6 Copy Paper, Interactive Notebook (3-5) OR Writing Folder/Fine Black Expo Markers (K-2); $6 Technology; $3 Student ID, pouch, & lanyard (includes 1 replacement)

FOR ALL Kindergarten and NEW students to Brevard County, the following documents must be provided in order to successfully complete the registration process for the 2025-2026 school year, which begins August 11, 2025:

• Birth Certificate
• Physical- School Physicals MUST be dated within one year of the first day of the next school year – August 11, 2025.
• Current Immunization records
• Legal Guardianship/Custody documents and Current copy of IEP, EP or 504 (If applicable)

For the 2025–26 school year, we’re excited to kick off a friendly competition between Odyssey Preparatory Academy, Odyssey Jr/Sr High, and Odyssey Elementary to see which campus will have the highest percentage of parents completing their expected volunteer hours by the end of the year!

           

New This Year: Earn Hours by Reading Newsletters!

Staying informed just got more rewarding! You can now earn 30 minutes of volunteer credit simply by reading our newsletters, including updates from the Classroom, School, Wellness, and Green Apple.

How it Works:

• Look for the Parent Volunteer QR code at the end of each newsletter.
• Scan the code or click the link to complete a quick survey.
• Once submitted, your name will be logged, and 30 minutes will be added to your family’s volunteer hours by the front office staff.

Volunteer Hour Requirements:

• 18 hours for families with one student
• 25 hours for families with multiple students

More Ways to Get Involved:

• Classroom Parent: Assist teachers with classroom needs
• Field Trip Volunteer: Help supervise off-campus learning adventures
• Annual 5k
• Read Aloud Club: Share your love of reading with your child
• Sponsor a Club: Share your talent with our students
• Attend Parent Educational Nights and/or Meetings: It takes a village – let’s support our schools and make them the best they can be!
• Guest Speakers and Mentors: Present career talks, lead workshops, or mentor students

Why Your Involvement Matters:

Research shows that when parents are engaged in school life, students thrive—with improved grades, attendance, behavior, and social skills. Your time and effort directly support your child’s success!

Ready to Start Earning Hours?

Click the link below to start logging your volunteer hours today:

Log Volunteer Hours

Let’s see which campus will come out on top—Prep, Jr/Sr High, or Elementary. The race is on, and every minute counts!

Our team would like to extend a huge thank you to our teachers, staff, and families for their support and encouragement last school year. Our teachers and staff worked diligently to provide your child with a strong educational foundation this past year and to make their learning meaningful. Your commitment to your child’s education and well-being, coupled with your child’s efforts every single day, helped your child achieve their best. Below are our end-of-year F.A.S.T. results for our campus:

We will continue early release days on Fridays throughout the school year following the same schedule as Brevard Public School’s schedule. We dismiss at 1:30pm on Fridays.

As a reminder, a great deal of time, care, and collaboration has gone into creating student class assignments for the 2025-2026 school year. With input from our teaching staff, we have thoughtfully considered each child’s learning style to ensure classrooms are balanced academically and socially, while maintaining equitable class sizes across grade levels. Because of this careful process, moving students can create imbalances and is very difficult. We appreciate your understanding and support.

Students have an opportunity to dress out of uniform on the last Friday of each month. Reminder, please ensure that your student follows the Brevard Public Schools dress code for out of uniform days. This year, our Dress Out of Uniform Days will be on the following dates: August 29, September 26, October 31, November 21, December 19, January 30, February 27, March 20, April 24, May 22

Led by our visionary founder, Ms. Constance Ortiz, Odyssey Charter School, Inc. is excited to share our growing vision for establishing a National Model for Healthy Schools. Through our Strategic Plan, we continue to implement key initiatives that prioritize the health, well-being, and success of our students, staff, and community, advancing our holistic education mission.

1. Healthy School Campus

Odyssey remains committed to creating enriched environments that promote sustainability and natural health. Alongside The Farm at Odyssey on our Jr/Sr High School campus and gardens at Odyssey Preparatory Academy and Odyssey Charter Elementary, we are proud to announce new greenhouses across campuses. These spaces allow students to cultivate vegetables year-round, supporting hands-on STEAM learning and providing fresh produce for our Healthy cafés.

2. Healthy School Lunch Program: From Garden to Plate

Our Healthy café staff has made impactful changes this year to our school meals by eliminating harmful glyphosates and seed oils. Our breakfasts and lunches continue to feature fresh, nutrient-rich meals sourced from our gardens and farm when possible. Nutrition education is also infused into gardening courses, teaching students how what they eat directly influences their health and well-being.

3. Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being

Supporting mental and emotional health is a cornerstone of Odyssey’s holistic mission. Alongside the continued implementation of Positive Discipline in the Classroom by Jane Nelsen, we have introduced the Resiliency Florida initiative, which provides monthly guides to help students build grit, perseverance, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills. Additional training for teachers will take place this summer to further strengthen these programs. Parents can visit this webpage HERE for more details.

4. Physical Fitness: Fitness for Life

Odyssey is embarking on a transformative journey to redefine Physical Education (PE) as Fitness for Life to encourage lifelong health and wellness in our students. Inspired by SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, PE teachers are completing professional development to transition their roles into Personal Trainers and Wellness Coaches. This summer, new PE curricula will be mapped out to align to the Fitness for Life goals, making sure to continue programs like the Annual 5K Run, Presidential Youth Fitness Program, and American Heart Month.

Through these Strategic Plan goals, Odyssey Charter School, Inc. is creating a vibrant, sustainable community that promotes the growth and success of every student. Stay tuned for updates as we set new standards for health and wellness in education!

Each year brings positive change, and this year we’re excited to welcome a few wonderful additions to our team. Mr. Mike Senick joins our administrative staff as Assistant Principal and Instructional Coach, bringing valuable experience and energy. We also welcome Ms. Rima Chakhtoura to her new role as Instructional Coach for our primary grades, K-2. We’re also excited to welcome Mr. Benjamin Horsley back to our campus in his new role as our Dean of Discipline, and to introduce Ms. Shelby Underwood as our new school Guidance Counselor. We look forward to a great year ahead with their support and leadership! We are also excited to welcome our NEW Titan staff members for the 2025-2026 school year:

• Margaret James – Kindergarten
• Dawn Jasiczek – Kindergarten
• Meagan Rieth – Kindergarten
• Kayla Harris – 1st Grade
• Sherry-Ann Austin – 4th Grade
• Wilhelmina Vickers – 4th Grade
• Gloria Hermes – Spanish
• Amber Oliveras – PE Assistant
• Adrianna Radford – Intervention
• Jennifer Greenwale – ESE
• Jessica Ragone – ESE
• Christine Eichenauer – ESE
• Javier Hernandez – ESOL Assistant

Dr. Brian Dawson, Principal
Dr. Brian Dawson joins Odyssey Charter School with nearly 30 years of educational leadership experience in Texas. He’s passionate about equity, student success, and creating strong school communities. Dr. Dawson began his career as a 1st and 5th grade teacher and went on to serve as a principal at both the elementary and secondary levels in Georgetown ISD. He later held district leadership roles in Pflugerville ISD and Hays CISD. He holds a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Concordia University–Portland, a Master’s from Tarleton State University in Education Administration, and a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Texas at Austin, with a specialization in Applied Learning and Development and Reading Instruction. He is certified in Elementary Education (1–8), English (1–8), and as a Principal (EC–12). Dr. Dawson is excited to partner with families, staff, and the Palm Bay community to support every student’s growth.

Mr. Mike Senick, Assistant Principal, Instructional Coach
Mr. Mike Senick was born in Philadelphia, PA. He is happily married and the proud father of four children. Since February 2009, he has been teaching and coaching, spending all but one year in the primary grades. Mr. Senick holds a master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language and is passionate about helping students learn to read. He regularly shares the latest research on best practices in reading instruction with colleagues. Outside of school, he enjoys going to the movies, attending concerts, and exploring new restaurants. Mr. Senick believes it’s more concerning when people never ask questions than when they ask too many. He looks forward to working collaboratively with everyone in his new role this school year.

Ms. Deb Berg, Assistant Principal
Ms. Berg joined Odyssey as the Assistant Principal in 2018 and has over 35 years of educational experience in several roles across several school districts. She has taught every grade level K-5 in General and/or Exceptional Education. Prior to coming to Odyssey, Ms. Berg spent 8 years as an Assistant Principal and 3 years as the Director of Elementary Education. She is married with 2 adult married sons. Both sons played collegiate soccer so she was a soccer mom for 20+ years. She loves watching sports and enjoy walks with her dogs and an occasional tennis or pickle ball game in the neighborhood. Ms. Berg is extremely passionate about helping children and will always make decisions based on what is in the best interest of the students. She feels it takes a team to ensure that everyone’s needs are being met and enjoys working with the staff, students and families of Odyssey Charter School!

Mr. Benjamin Horsley
Mr. Horsley is of Korean German Irish descent, born in Seoul, South Korea. He is an Army Iraq Combat Veteran and served as a Recon Scout. Aside from the enjoyment of family time with his wife and daughter, his hobbies include weightlifting, coaching and playing flag football, and DJ'ing. He continues to work towards becoming a better version of himself every day through building relationships and promoting an environment of positive culture. He is passionate about helping others by applying real-world principles, with a strong commitment to guiding our youth toward becoming respectful, responsible, and productive members of society and the future. GO UCF KNIGHTS!

Ms. Christina Hutchinson
Ms. Christina Hutchinson has been with Odyssey Charter School since 2015. She taught 3rd and 4th grades at Odyssey for 6.5 years before becoming an intermediate grade instructional coach in January 2022. Ms. Hutchinson has her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She is certified in Elementary Education (K-6), and is Reading, Gifted, and ESOL endorsed. Ms. Hutchinson is married and has two children who attend Odyssey Schools. She is grateful to be part of Odyssey’s unique and special mission and happy to be serving the children of Palm Bay.

Ms. Rima Chakhtoura
Ms. Rima Chakhtoura majored in Early Childhood Education with a focus in Special Needs from the University of Florida. Go Gators! She has been teaching at Odyssey for seven years, originally starting in Kindergarten for two years, then moving to first grade and becoming team lead the last five years. In her free time, she loves to read and spend time with her family and friends. Fun facts about Rima – she loves everything Marvel-related and can speak Arabic!

At Odyssey Charter School, Elementary campus, we proudly follow a Positive Discipline model that focuses on building compassionate, resilient students with strong communication skills. This approach helps students develop the self-discipline needed to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.

One key Positive Discipline practice is holding regular class meetings. These meetings build a sense of community, help students feel they belong, and encourage problem-solving and collaboration.

Our first morning meeting theme is: “Beginning the Almost Perfect School Year.” Students will be asked, “What do you want to do to make this the best school year ever?”

We’re excited for another year of growth and connection through Positive Discipline. Be sure to ask your child about their morning meetings—our goal is to make this a true partnership between school and family!

Please take a moment to review our Parent/Student Handbook, it is full of important information for you and your student and is available on our website HERE.

Odyssey Charter School grade level supply list will be available during registration on 7/17/2025. The list can also be found on our website HERE.

Florida House Bill 529 requires a moment of silence to be set aside for public school students during each school day. We will set aside 1-2 minutes daily for a moment of silence during morning announcement following The Pledge of Allegiance. The bill does not allow teachers to make suggestions about the nature of a student’s reflection during these moments. Parent should discuss the moment of silence with their children and make suggestions to their children about how they should use this time. Students may not interfere with each other’s participation in the moment of silence.View the bill HERE.

Odyssey Charter School Inc. Board of Directors recognizes the importance of communication and collaboration and provides several types of device access at the school for students to be productive in their learning. The Board also recognizes the importance of students communicating with parents/guardians in an emergency and provides access to school phones in each classroom and phones in the school clinic and administrative offices.

To keep the focus on academics and to reduce unnecessary distractions, the school enforces the following regarding personal cell phone use on school campus:

• Cell phones and all mobile devices shall be TURNED OFF when entering school campus.
• Cell phones and all mobile devices shall be kept in a student’s backpack – not in clothing pockets.
• Cell phones and all mobile devices are not allowed to be used in a classroom, library, common areas, or restrooms.
• Cell phones and all mobile devices are not allowed to be used during transition times or between classes.

The Odyssey Cell Phone Policy link is HERE.

All Odyssey students are required to wear a school uniform. Our uniforms can be purchased from our uniform provider: All Uniform Wear (Address: 4335 W New Haven Ave, West Melbourne, FL 32904). (Note: Please be certain you select Odyssey Charter School Elementary uniforms and not Odyssey Jr/Sr High or Odyssey Preparatory Academy uniforms.). You can find our uniform policy on our website HERE.

• Reminder that students must wear their school-issued ID badge / lanyard at all times while on campus. The replacement cost for an ID badge is $5.

• All students are required to wear full-length solid-colored uniform-style pants, shorts, skirts or skorts. Inappropriately rolling or altering the pants in any way is in direct violation of the dress code. Shorts, skirts and skorts length must be at least mid-thigh. Leggings worn alone as pants are not permitted.

• Pants, shorts, skirts and skorts that are too big or too tight, as determined by Administration, are not acceptable and will be deemed in violation of the uniform code. Joggers are allowed. Jeans, stretch pants, and athletic wear are not allowed. Students may wear solid-color leggings under uniform shorts or skorts, but leggings worn alone as pants are not permitted.

• Students must wear a uniform t-shirt or collared polo shirt. Student shirts must be a solid color and in accordance with the individual schools’ uniform guide below. All shirts must bear the School logo.

• Any attire, including backpacks, displaying gang related paraphernalia or symbols, profanity or any inappropriate logos or displays are strictly prohibited.

·Students must wear an approved t-shirt, collared polo shirt, or dress shirt. Student shirts must be a solid color and in accordance with the individual schools’ uniform guide below. All shirts must bear the school logo.

• All headgear (hats, scarves, bandanas etc.) are prohibited on school property.

• Shoes must be closed or be strapped in the back. Flip-flops, slippers, or high heel shoes are prohibited.

• If a student chooses or needs to wear a jacket or sweatshirt due to cold weather, it must be a solid color of blue, black, or grey and in accordance with the individual schools’ uniform guide HERE.

At our school, Wellness, Health & Nutrition is one of our Essential Elements—and we’re proud to support it through our Healthy Café! We offer fresh, seasonal, local, and sustainably grown foods FREE to all students every day at both breakfast and lunch. These nutritious meals help fuel academic success and positive behavior. We encourage families to support healthy habits by making sure students take advantage of these delicious options. To view our wellness policy and monthly menus, visit HERE.

Odyssey Charter Schools provide bus transportation to students who live between two and four miles from the school. Students living more than 4 miles will be assigned a pick up and drop off location as per established bus routes, space permitting.

Each student is allowed one designated bus stop. Changes to assigned routes or bus transportation needs will not be permitted until a parent/guardian with proper ID completes a change of address form with the front office and then email greerr@odysseycharterschool.com. Please allow 72 hours for all changes. At the start of the school year, it may take longer.

Here is a snapshot of the enhanced Transportation Services for the 2025-2026 school year:

1) Student Identification badge (ID badges) - Each Odyssey student will receive one ID badge at the start of the school year. Students are required to wear their ID badge at all times as part of their school uniform. This is to support student safety, issuing of school breakfasts/lunches, and bus transportation. The replacement cost for an ID badge is $5.

2) Online Student Transportation Registration (EZRouting) – EZRouting is the online tool for bus registration. Computers will be available during summer registration on July 17; however, we recommend that families register from home or on a phone using Google Chrome HERE. Deadline for registration: July 31, 2025 to ensure proper routing of all students.

3) Student Tracker System (Here Comes the Bus “HCTB”) - This service provides real-time updates when your student’s bus is within 100 yards of the stop and notifies you when your student scans their ID onboard. Sign-ups begin August 7, 2025, using our district code: 29456.

Bus Expectations:

• Be kind to fellow students and staff.

• Follow the bus driver’s directions.

• Speak in a conversational voice.

• Scan your ID when entering the bus.

For additional questions or concerns, please contact:
Ms. Rosie Greer, Transportation Fleet Coordinator HERE
Ms. Amy Whitright HERE

Parents as Partners (PasP) is a collaborative partnership between parents, teachers, and administrators. The team develops ideas and plans programs to help support student success. This year, we are planning to offer in-person and zoom meetings to build our membership, which tapered off with the pandemic.

We are currently seeking a volunteer to serve as this year’s PasP Chairperson—a vital leadership role that helps guide and grow the program. Whether you can give a little time or a lot, your involvement truly makes a difference!

Interested in joining or learning more?

Stop by the PasP table during registration on July 17th, or contact Ms. Kayla Senick by email at senickk@odysseycharterschool.com.

When families and schools work together, students thrive. We invite you to be part of this important partnership and help make this school year the best one yet!

All Odyssey Charter School students are required to read the grade-specific novels(s). The book(s), reading list and accompanying assignment was provided to students in late spring and is also available on our website HERE. We updated our summer reading assignment to allow more student choice! Stop by the front office if you still need your book(s).

The Read Aloud Book Club is a fun and easy way for parents to earn volunteer hours—simply by reading to your child for 15 minutes each night!

Reading aloud supports your child’s academic success by improving attention span, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. It also nurtures a love of reading and strengthens the parent-child bond—especially valuable for busy or single-parent households. So, turn off the TV, grab a great book, and enjoy this special time together.

How it Works:

• • Read aloud to your child for at least 15 minutes each night.
• • Use the Read Aloud Recommended Book List or choose other high-quality literature (including textbooks).
• • Record the book title, author, and minutes read on the Read Aloud Recording Form.
• • Submit the completed form to your child’s teacher at the end of each month.
• • Earn up to 1 volunteer hour per week (4 hours/month per child).

This program is recommended for Pre-K through 8th grade students and does not replace your child’s independent reading log. Additional information and links are available HERE: Let the reading adventure begin!

Odyssey is looking for leaders like you! Every Fall and Spring Odyssey Charter School and Odyssey Preparatory Academy host Afterschool Enrichment Clubs for our students. We are currently seeking enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to lead these clubs and contribute to enriching our students' experiences. This survey aims to identify the unique skills and expertise you can bring to enrich our afterschool clubs. Teachers and staff who sponsor a club will receive a stipend, while parents may choose to receive a stipend or have their time credited toward volunteer hours.

We kindly ask you to take a few moments to complete the survey by Friday, August 1st and indicate your interest in sponsoring specific clubs. Once the survey results are reviewed, we will reach out to interested sponsors to discuss further details. Club offerings will be tailored based on student interest and the availability of sponsors.

The survey can be accessed at Odyssey Club Leader Interest Survey 2025-2026.

For more information about After School Enrichment Clubs, please contact: Claudia Agosto at agostoa@odysseycharterschool.com.

Please go to the Brevard County Schools web page HERE:

1) Click the Parents and Students heading.
2) Scroll down to Volunteer Information and click on the link
3) On the left of the screen, click on the Fingerprint link (The application is at the bottom of the page)
4) Complete the Application ($35 for the first year, $8 for renewals)
5) After completing the Application and payment, please visit: District and School Security - 2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way Viera, FL 32940 Hours: Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (No appointment necessary)

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are planning to chaperone any field trip or volunteer at school, please complete this process as soon as possible so you are cleared and badged before any volunteering occurs. For volunteer questions, please reach out to Ms. Ionie Warren at WarrenI@odysseycharterschool.com.

We are delighted to offer our Before and After School Enrichment program to our families who need it. Registration forms are available in the front office of Odyssey Charter Elementary School. There is a one-time registration fee of $75.00 for one child and $100.00 for two or more children. Before and After-Care payments are due every Monday (ahead of the week and before service is rendered). Please pay online via the Procare app, or hand in a check to the front office. For more information about Before and After-Care Enrichment at Odyssey Charter Elementary School, please contact: Claudia Agosto at agostoa@odysseycharterschool.com

School Age Before-Care
Before-Care begins at 6:00am. Students participate in art, a variety of team-based games, and social fun. Every student enjoys a healthy breakfast in the café before the school day commences at 8:00am. The weekly rate for Before-Care is $40.00.

School Age After-Care
After-Care is available to students until 6:30pm each day, and every student is provided a healthy snack. Students are grouped by grade levels and activities include art projects, fun with movement, nature trail, digital learning, and homework support. The weekly rate for After-Care is $75.00.

Full Time School Age Before/After-Care
Full time Before/After-Care is available from 6:00am-7:30am and after school through 6:30pm daily. The weekly rate for Before/After-Care is $85.00.

AWe are always looking for parents or community members to join our OCS family as substitute teachers. We need positive and driven individuals looking to make an impact in our students’ daily academic goals. Training is provided! Substitute teaching rates are as follows: HS Diploma ($100/day; $50/half day); Bachelor’s Degree ($120/day; $60/half day); Certified Teacher Substitute ($160/day; $80/half day). If you are interested in joining our team as a substitute, please contact Barbara Marcus at marcusb@odysseycharterschool.com.