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  • Oak Park Weekly January 22, 2023 - Lindero Canyon Co...

    Oak Park Unified School District Newsletter   |  January 22, 2023          In this Issue   Lindero Canyon Construction Update Important Dates ROES and OHES are 2023 CA Distinguished School  Resident Enrollment for 2023-24 Dec 13 Board Meeting Summary OPHS Student Newspaper The Talon OPHS Speech and Debate Team visit BES Alumni Spotlight  Happy Lunar New Year   Lindero Canyon Construction Update Calleguas’ contractor, Kiewit, has commenced trench excavation and pipeline installation at the intersection of Lindero Canyon Rd and Kanan Rd. Work is scheduled to occur nightly, Monday - Friday, with extended 24-hr closures on Saturdays and Sundays. Construction activity is currently anticipated to occur continuously through the end of February 2023.  Calleguas’ contractor will also perform daywork within Lindero Canyon Rd, north and south of the Rockfield St intersection. Work activity will include trench excavation, pipeline installation, and trench backfill. Traffic control will remain in place on Lindero Canyon Rd. Work will also continue at the Pump Station/Pressure Reducing Station (PS/PRS) site located at 10 Lindero Canyon Rd. Traffic control and detour signage will be in place along Lindero Canyon Rd, Kanan Rd, and surrounding local streets.  We request families to please plan ahead and take the time to read the  project update  for more details and maps.  Important Dates Jan. 22 - Lunar New Year  Jan. 23-27: New to the District Student Enrollment for Oak Park Residents  Jan. 24: Board of Education Meeting, 6:00 pm OPHS Room G9 Jan 27: International Holocaust Remembrance Day Feb. 15: OPHS Course Advisement Night - 6:00 - 8:00 pm for current 9-11 grade families Feb 17:  No School  Feb 20: No School Presidents Day Holiday  Feb 23: Future Freshman Night (for families of students attending 9th grade at OPHS in 2023-24) 6:00-8:00 pm Feb 28: Board of Education Meeting, 6:00 pm OPHS Room G9   OPUSD SCHOOLS ARE DISTINGUISHED AGAIN State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that two OPUSD elementary schools are among the 356 elementary schools statewide to be selected for the prestigious 2023 California Distinguished Schools award by the California Department of Education (CDE). Red Oak and Oak Hills are the schools to receive this year’s recognition in OPUSD, and only 6% of elementary schools earned this recognition in 2023.  The announcement marks the return of the California Distinguished Schools Program, which had been put on hold when the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily suspended the reporting of state and local student data. Since its inception in 1985, the California Distinguished Schools Award remains one of the essential ways to celebrate exceptional schools, districts, teachers, and classified employees for their innovation, talent, and success in supporting students.  Schools no longer need to submit applications to be selected as a California Distinguished School. Elementary and secondary schools are recognized in alternate years, and awardees hold their titles for two years.  According to the California Department of Education (CDE), the exceptional elementary schools recognized this year are illustrative of the hard work, dedication, and resilience shown by educators and schools across the state after communities struggled for multiple years with urgent effects to physical and mental health and unprecedented challenges to delivering education.  The Distinguished Schools program recognizes schools based on state performance and progress indicators specified on the 2022 California School Dashboard, including assessment results, suspension rates, chronic absenteeism, and socioeconomic data. The 2022 dashboard can be found on the CDE California School Dashboard and System of Support web page at  https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/cm/index.asp .   “ On behalf of the Board and my leadership team, I want to congratulate our outstanding elementary schools on being recognized as California Distinguished Schools. This recognition validates the commitment to student learning and well-being, which has been at the forefront of all our efforts despite the impact of the pandemic. This is only possible through the commitment of students, staff, administrators, and our families’ continued collaboration and support. ” OPUSD Superintendent Dr. Jeff Davis stated,  “ Thank you to our staff, students, families, and community for their hard work and dedication in contributing to our student learning and success during these challenging times.” For more information on the California Distinguished Schools Award, please visit the California Department of Education Distinguished Schools Program  https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cs/ .  Read State Superintendent Tony Thurmond's press release at    https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr23/yr23rel01.asp . RESIDENT ENROLLMENT OPEN FOR 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR If you are an Oak Park resident and have a child that will be a NEW student at Oak Park USD for 2023-2024, now is the time to enroll them. Please contact our office staff below to start the enrollment process.    Red Oak Elementary School - Susan Crumpley at  scrumpley@opusd.org  or 818-707-7972  Oak Hills Elementary School - Maureen Frey at  mfrey@opusd.org  or 818-707-4224 Brookside Elementary School - Virginia Standring at  vstandring@opusd.org  or 818-597-4200 Medea Creek Middle School - Pam Norton at  pnorton@opusd.org   Oak Park High School - visit  https://www.oakparkusd.org/Page/10182  or contact Kim Ramirez at  kramirez@opusd.org   Kindergarten & Universal Transitional Kindergarten Age Requirements for Fall 2023 Kindergarten:  Students must turn 5 years old by September 1, 2023. Universal Transition Kindergarten (TK): TK provides access to public school for all four-year-olds. Students who turn 4 years old by September 1, 2023 are eligible for Transitional Kindergarten (TK). In order to attend TK in the 2023-2024 school year, your student must have a birthday that falls after 9/1/2018 but before 9/2/2019. Students who attend TK will attend Kindergarten the following school year. If your child(ren) is currently attending our schools, you do not need to do anything.  Please spread the word to any interested families who live in Oak Park and may not have children currently enrolled in our schools.     BOARD OF EDUCATION - REORGANIZATION MEETING SUMMARY The Oak Park Unified School District Board of Education held its annual organizational meeting on December 13, 2022. At this meeting, newly elected Board members Soyon Hardy, Megan Lantsman, and Jim Moynihan took the oath of office. The Oak Park Unified School District Board of Education reorganized as follows:   Denise Helfstein, President Tina Wang, Vice President Soyon Hardy, Clerk Megan Lantsman, Member Jim Moynihan, Member For Board member bios and additional information about our district’s governance, please visit the district website at   https://www.oakparkusd.org/page/7 . At this meeting, the Board also selected the following regular monthly meeting schedule for 2023.  January 24, 2023 - Single Regular Meeting in January* February 28, 2023 - Single Regular Meeting in February* March 21, 2023 - Single Regular Meeting in March April 25, 2023 - Single Regular Meeting in April* May 16, 2023 - Single Regular Meeting in May June 20, 2023 - Single Regular Meeting in June August 15, 2023  - Regular Meeting in August September 12, 2023 - Regular Meeting in September* October 17, 2023 - Regular Meeting in October November 14, 2023 - Regular Meeting in November* December 12, 2023 - Organizational Meeting in December* *Denotes meetings that deviate from a third Thursday due to statutory deadlines or holidays. Regular monthly Board meetings are typically held on the 3rd Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at Oak Park High School Presentation Room, G9 unless otherwise specified. Special Board Meetings will be added as needed with a 24-hour notice.  The agenda is posted 72 hours before a regular meeting and 24 hours before a special meeting at all our schools and is also posted on the District website at  www.opusd.org/BoardMeeting .  Click here  to read the summary and read about other actions that were taken at the December 13, 2022 Board Meeting. The next meeting is on January 24, 2023 at 6:00 pm, at Oak Park High School Presentation Room, G9. The meeting will also be live-streamed at www.opusd.org/livestream . The  agenda is posted on our district website  HERE .  OAK PARK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT NEWSPAPER - THE TALON  High school newspapers have allowed students to find new ways to express their views, concerns, and values while learning important lessons in journalism, management, leadership, and collaboration. Supported by several state and national organizations, these student-created media rival their for-profit counterparts in quality of writing, use of graphics, and importance to their readers. The Talon is a student-run newspaper of Oak Park High School. The student journalists strive to discuss and bring attention to current events through a student forum and inform the student body in a reliable, relevant, and timely manner. Targeted by the newspaper staff for their peers, now more powerful than ever in supporting the collective efforts of the school community, giving notice of accomplishments by members of the student body, and bringing attention and focus to issues of concern. All stories and topics are student-produced under the guidance of their adviser, Ms. Nicole Carter. The Talon online is the official website for the Talon newspaper and is published by members of the OPHS journalism program alongside the student-run Talon club. They publish primarily through an online forum but also publish one full-length, full-color magazine per semester. And starting this semester, they plan to print monthly newsletters.  To ensure ethical journalism, all articles are fact-checked through the author accuracy check, in which writers check with their sources to confirm veracity. The ombudsman oversees this process. A key component of Talon ethics is the four principles of the  Society of Professional Journalists , which staff members must follow in all journalistic pieces. These ideals are: Seek truth and report it  Minimize harm Act independently Be accountable and transparent Students participating in the Talon classes and club are assigned articles to write based on multiple factors. For example, not every topic that a student hears about and brings to the table is one they have to write about themselves. Additionally, students may feel free to volunteer for any piece they are interested in writing. This allows a lot of creative freedom in terms of how students are assigned articles, so that process varies depending on what’s being covered.  Here are a few articles showcasing the outstanding journalism of our Talon staff writers:  OPUSD TAKES STEPS TOWARD DISTRICT-WIDE SAFETY MEASURES  -  Benioff and Pentis detail plan for school safety - by Sahana Sri, Ombudsman, published December 15, 2022 ACKNOWLEDGING LAND AND HISTORY  -  As OPUSD recognizes its presence on indigenous land, the community can also reflect on its origins - by Mara Hankins, News Editor, published December 20, 2022 OAK PARK’S NEW ADDITION – THE WELLNESS CENTER  -  A safe haven for our student population - by Megan McCoy and Andrew Hearst, published December 20, 2022 To read more articles, visit the OPHS Talon website at  https://oakparktalon.org/ . OPHS DEBATE TEAM VISITS BROOKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL   This month the   Brookside Elementary School 4th graders had the wonderful opportunity to learn about the Public Forum Debate as part of the Writing and Reading Workshop Unit on Debate. BES 4th grade teacher Mrs. Denise Keane invited the OPHS Speech and Debate Team to provide this experience. Mrs. Irene Lyle, OPHS Speech and Debate Advisor, and Manas Garg, Captain of the team, helped make this happen. The team spent 2 weeks preparing topics relatable to elementary students. The OPHS team used the format of a Public Forum debate which usually argues current events, and instead debated whether Ice cream is better than Cake . The team also showcased an example of an Impromptu speech and a prepared speech.  A special shout out to the OPHS students: Nick Lyle, Manas Garg, Isha Varrier, Tiarra Joseph, Aliza Lam, Catherine Cheng, Lincoln Reyes, Brystian Heine Van Fossen, Andrew Hearst, and Casey Hirsh. The BES students enjoyed the performance and actively participated. Many students are looking forward to participating in debate when they reach middle and high school. Here are some photos from the event.   ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT  We are looking for ways to highlight the many outstanding Oak Park alums who impact their community and careers. We are launching Alumni Spotlight, a monthly initiative of the OPUSD. The objective is to provide our current students with information regarding various career choices and life lessons from our OPUSD Alumni.  If you know an alum who would like to be featured in our monthly spotlight, please ask them to send, or you can send their name (with their permission), graduation year, email address, and a few sentences about their education, accomplishments, and any tips for our high school students to OPUSD Communications Coordinator Ragini Aggarwal at  raggarwal@opusd.org . Please share this information with OPUSD alums and ask them to visit the  OPHS Alumni Page  for more ways to stay connected. HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR Best Wishes for a happy, peaceful, and prosperous Lunar New Year from #TeamOPUSD to all our families celebrating Chūnjié (China, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan), Imlek (Indonesia), Seollal (Korea), & Tết Nguyên Đán (Vietnam).  Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, began today, Sunday, January 22, 2023 and is observed by millions of people worldwide. It is a time for families to get together and celebrate with one another. Traditions include sharing large meals and eating foods with symbolic meanings, passing out red envelopes with money to younger generations for good luck, wearing clothes in the lucky color red, and hanging up red lanterns and other decorations. Learn more at:  http://bit.ly/3D4hogg .  Oak Park Weekly is a newsletter that helps connect families, staff, students, and the community to our schools. We will share information on events, successes, reminders, and content to help keep you in the loop and excited about what's to come. We hope you enjoy exploring the information and links below, and we look forward to staying connected with you.  The Communications Coordinator, Ragini Aggarwal, acts as a trusted resource for schools, students, families, staff, and community members. If you want to share a story of interest or have a question or suggestion, we want to hear from you! Please get in touch with our Communication Coordinator for questions and information at raggarwal@opusd.org. In case you missed any of the previous editions of the Oak Park Weekly, you can find them on this  page on our website : Follow us on social media @OakParkUSD          

    Monday, Jan 23 2023

  • Information about the Oak Park USD District of Choic...

    Dear Parents/Guardians,  Thank you for applying under the District of Choice (DOC)  program to bring your child(ren) to Oak Park Unified School District. We recognize that there is nothing more important in your life than the education and well-being of your children. The DOC program has allowed families who live in surrounding areas to access our highly recognized, top-performing schools.  Oak Park provides a unique educational experience that is focused on the whole child, meaning that our educational model focuses on growing young minds and hearts. Our students are challenged to create, engage, explore, and experience - this is how people learn. They do this in a climate of care that surrounds them. We have the best counselor-student ratio of any school system in Ventura County and the surrounding areas that support our students' social-emotional needs and provide guidance. Oak Park High School had a 99% graduation rate last year. This attention to each student's needs makes the difference you can feel when you walk onto any of our school campuses.   We believe that with the proper support, students can learn and achieve more than they imagined possible. That is why our test scores are among the top 10 districts in the state and number 1 in Ventura County.  Oak Park Unified School District Board of Education has to officially accept the District of Choice applicants at January 24, 2023, meeting.  Families do not need to attend  the meeting to learn the status of their application, as we will be emailing all families of the acceptance status by January 31, 2023. Families who have applied for admission to the Oak Park Independent School or Oak View High School will receive information directly from those schools. All other applicants will receive a notification with details from the District and will work with Linda Gam  LGam@opusd.org  on the next steps.  If you have any questions along the way, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. I want you to know that your child will be welcomed, honored, and loved for who they are.   Sincerely, Brad Benioff  Director of Student Support and School Safety

    Friday, Jan 13 2023

  • Holiday message from the Superintendent (with the vi...

    Dear OPUSD Community,  As we prepare to celebrate the holiday season, the Board of Education and Leadership Team extend our warmest wishes to our staff, students, and families.  We have accomplished much together as a community in the first half of the school year. Our students have participated in various activities, including musicals, athletics, and band concerts, with great success in competitions. OPUSD’s mission to provide students with a strong foundation for learning, which meets the challenges of the present and future through a balanced education that includes academic achievement, personal growth, and social responsibility, remains at the forefront of our efforts. Our focus on student and staff safety and well-being has strengthened partnerships with local law enforcement and community members.  As we move into the second half of the school year, we will continue to work on achieving our district goals: increasing academic achievement for all students, investing in student and staff safety and well-being, improving engagement with educational partners, and utilizing resources efficiently and responsibly. We will build on what is working well in our schools and identify opportunities for positive change that will improve outcomes for every student.   I am grateful for the support of our school communities, who generously give back through acts of kindness, food and toy drives, and other efforts. I want to thank students, staff, families, and the broader community for your resilience and commitment to school safety and student wellness. As we enter Winter Break, I encourage everyone to prioritize their health and students to take the COVID-19 tests provided by the school before returning in January. Schools will have a minimum day on December 22 and will be closed from December 23 until January 6. Elementary students will return on January 9, and secondary students on January 10. I wish you a wonderful holiday season, with time for rest, celebration, and joyful experiences with family and friends. Happy Holidays,  Dr. Jeff Davis

    Thursday, Dec 22 2022

  • Holiday message from the Superintendent

    Dear OPUSD Community,  As we prepare to celebrate the holiday season, the Board of Education and Leadership Team extend our warmest wishes to our staff, students, and families.  We have accomplished much together as a community in the first half of the school year. Our students have participated in various activities, including musicals, athletics, and band concerts, with great success in competitions. OPUSD’s mission to provide students with a strong foundation for learning, which meets the challenges of the present and future through a balanced education that includes academic achievement, personal growth, and social responsibility, remains at the forefront of our efforts. Our focus on student and staff safety and well-being has strengthened partnerships with local law enforcement and community members.  As we move into the second half of the school year, we will continue to work on achieving our district goals: increasing academic achievement for all students, investing in student and staff safety and well-being, improving engagement with educational partners, and utilizing resources efficiently and responsibly. We will build on what is working well in our schools and identify opportunities for positive change that will improve outcomes for every student.   I am grateful for the support of our school communities, who generously give back through acts of kindness, food and toy drives, and other efforts. I want to thank students, staff, families, and the broader community for your resilience and commitment to school safety and student wellness. As we enter Winter Break, I encourage everyone to prioritize their health and students to take the COVID-19 tests provided by the school before returning in January. Schools will have a minimum day on December 22 and will be closed from December 23 until January 6. Elementary students will return on January 9, and secondary students on January 10. I wish you a wonderful holiday season, with time for rest, celebration, and joyful experiences with family and friends. Happy Holidays,  Dr. Jeff Davis

    Thursday, Dec 22 2022

  • Check out the latest edition of our newsletter (Oak ...

    Oak Park Unified School District Newsletter   |  December 11, 2022          In this Issue   Important Dates Nov. 8 Governing Board Elections Farewell to outgoing Board Members Nov 15 Board Meeting Summary OPHS Marching Band Shines Pali Outdoor Education Camp Elementary Garden Program December Multicultural Dates  Alumni Spotlight Request For Submissions We are looking for ways to highlight the many outstanding Oak Park alums who impact their community and careers. We are launching Alumni Spotlight, a monthly initiative of the OPUSD. The objective is to provide our current students with information regarding various career choices and life lessons from our OPUSD Alumni.  If you know an alum who would like to be featured in our monthly spotlight, please ask them to send, or you can send their name (with their permission), graduation year, email address, and a few sentences about their education, accomplishments, and any tips for our high school students to OPUSD Communications Coordinator Ragini Aggarwal at  raggarwal@opusd.org . Please share this information with OPUSD alums and ask them to visit the  OPHS Alumni Page  for more ways to stay connected. Important Dates Dec. 13: Board of Education Meeting, 6:00 pm OPHS Room G9.  Dec.22: Last Day of Semester (minimum day for all schools) Dec 23-31: Winter Break - No School  Dec 31: Deadline to submit the District of Choice Applications for 2023-24 Jan 1-8: Winter Break - No School  Jan 9: Secondary Teacher Prep Day (No school for Secondary students, Elementary students return to school) Jan 10: Secondary students return to school NOVEMBER 8, 2022, GOVERNING BOARD ELECTIONS Dear OPUSD Students, Staff, and Families,  In the November 8 election, Oak Park USD had three positions on the Board of Education open for four-year terms. Election results were certified by the Ventura County Clerk’s Office on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. Thank you to all the candidates who participated in this election!   On behalf of the District, I would like to extend congratulations to our new members, Megan Lantsman, Jim Moynihan, and Soyon Hardy (appointed in January 2022 and elected in November 2022.) The new members will join Denise Helfstein (serving since 2014) and Tina Wang (serving since 2020) on the OPUSD Board of Education.      It is my honor to welcome this group of exceptional community members who have been elected to our District's Board of Education. We are inspired by the dedication of our community members to select individuals that will undoubtedly provide a great deal of valuable insight, healthy curiosity, and a level of collaboration that will continue our District's tradition of innovation and leadership. I look forward to collaborating with our new Board to discover new opportunities in the years to come.  The mission of the Oak Park Unified School District is to provide students with a strong foundation for learning which meets the challenge of the present and of the future through a balanced education which includes academic achievement, personal growth, and social responsibility. Elected by Oak Park community members, Board of Education members play a critical role in the success of our school district and in achieving its mission. School board members develop policies and make tough decisions that help shape the future of our education system. They do this with no compensation. Instead, a desire to serve and provide a great learning environment for our students drives them. Please join me in welcoming the newly elected members who will be sworn into office on December 13, 2022, at the Governing Board Organizational Meeting at 6:00 pm at Oak Park High School, Presentation Room G9.  Dr. Jeff Davis Superintendent FAREWELL TO OUTGOING BOARD MEMBERS DREW HAZELTON AND DEREK ROSS At the November 15, 2022, Board Meeting, I had the honor, along with Board members Denise Helfstein, Tina Wang, and Soyon Hardy, of recognizing the outgoing members Drew Hazelton and Derek Ross for their eight years of dedicated service. Their term ended on Friday, December 9, 2022.    Derek and Drew, we salute your willingness to contribute your time and expertise to our District over the past eight years. You are two of the hardest-working volunteers in our District. We realize that Board work has often taken you away from your own families, which has been incredibly challenging during the past couple of years, as our students and families needed us more than ever. We also recognize that the time we see you in Board meetings is just a fraction of the hours you have devoted to this District. And we know you have worked so hard because you care. You care about our students' education, our schools being the best they can be, and the community's future. You have listened thoughtfully at Board meetings, applied your keen intellect to the issues facing the District, and have been unafraid to state your opinion. We appreciate your service and will miss your guidance. This Board working with the administration, has been challenged more than any other. I want to acknowledge the tremendous and almost impossible job our Board has had these past couple of years and thank you for leading us through these difficult times. You’ve had to oversee the District during a once in a lifetime pandemic and a move to remote schooling. No Board had faced these issues in the past, and solutions were often not readily apparent. You devoted enormous amounts of time, energy, and care while working with the administration to arrive at the best possible outcomes. We know this hasn’t been easy. But we also know that you’ve always done what you believed was best for the District. You will always remain an important part of our TeamOPUSD. With appreciation and gratitude,  Dr. Jeff Davis Superintendent NOTES FROM THE NOVEMBER 15, 2022, BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING The Board of Education held its regular meeting for November on November 15, 2022. At this meeting, the Board recognized Employee of the Month awardees for August, September, and October and outgoing board members Derek Ross and Drew Hazelton. The Board received a report about the student nutrition program, the Learning Recovery Block Grant, the Arts, Music & Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant, and Student Data Related to Placement in Mathematics Courses. The Board also authorized Measure S projects, amended board policies, and approved other items. You can read the meeting notes for details at this  LINK . Our next Board of Education meeting is on December 13th and is also the Organizational Meeting. Newly elected Board members will take the oath of office at this meeting, and the Board will also select its slate of officers, including the Board President, Vice President, and Clerk of the Board. The meeting will be held at Oak Park High School, Presentation Room G9, at 6:00 pm and will also be available to view at  www.opusd.org/Livestream . The agenda for the meeting is posted on our website at  https://www.oakparkusd.org/Page/10981 . OPHS MARCHING BAND SHINES The award-winning Oak Park High School Marching band is a hardworking group vital to the Oak Park High School music program. They compete or perform in field competitions and parades during the Fall Marching Band Season, in addition to cheering on the Oak Park Eagles at every home football game, performing a field show every week. The Brigade, consisting of the Band and Drumline, provides an opportunity for growth and enrichment through a very high work ethic. The marching band encourages students to work toward their fullest potential by intellectually, physically, and creatively challenging the members on and off the field.  e field. The Oak Park Eagle Brigade had a fantastic season in 2022. We could not be more proud of these students who started in July with leadership that remained positive and focused and the hardworking attitude of the entire band that was reflected in their high-performance level and music scores. Since marching band is a class that earns Physical Education credit, the students attended band camp two weeks before the school year started. They had physical activity, and music coaching for eight hours a day and began learning the field maneuvers for the fall show. Once the school year began, they rehearsed 3-4 days a week after school as an 8th-period class and performed at the home football games.  October 1st was a hectic day that began with marching in the Moorpark Country Days Parade and then performing in the county exhibition Sounds of Conejo at Thousands Oaks High School along with 11 other bands from Ventura County. The season's competition performances skyrocketed from here with a first-place performance at Royal High School Invitational, a first-place finish at Simi Valley High School, and finally, with the school's highest score in the competition, the first-place performance at Moorpark High School's Battle of the Bands. These high scores allowed them to compete in championships for only the second time in school history. Additionally, it was the first year they achieved this in the larger band class of 3A. Although they did not place in the top three at championships, their performance at Downey High School was one of the best of the season.   On Friday, November 18th, the Eagle Brigade visited each of the Oak Park elementary schools to perform and share their love of music. The icing on the cake was ending the season with the elementary school tour! Congratulations to the Oak Park Eagle Brigade! Thank you to Mrs. Elayne Roesner and Mr. Zach Borquez for your guidance and support of our students.   MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ENJOY OUTDOOR EDUCATION CAMPS Attending Pali outdoor education camp has been a 6th-grade right of passage for many years at Medea Creek Middle School. Due to COVID restrictions, our current 7th and 8th-grade students missed this opportunity when they were in 6th grade. This year interested students in all three grades at MCMS and OPIS attended the Pali Institution science camp in Running Springs, CA. This camp provided students with a fantastic experience geared towards increasing their knowledge and interest in science and hopefully sparking a life-long passion for learning. Students were challenged with outdoor education, leadership, collaboration, and science activities. Teachers at MCMS had input into the program choices to best meet the grade level needs of our middle school students.  Thanks to the teamwork, collaboration, and support of MCMS teachers/chaperones, OPUSD district staff, and families, we were able to send each grade on a trip this year! Students had incredible, memorable experiences! After a hiatus of 2 years, our middle school students attended the science camps this year in October/November. Each camper returned talking about the ropes courses, squid dissections, archery, hikes, the weather, cabins, meeting new friends who aren’t in their classes at MCMS…and the delicious food! Thank you to all who contributed to making these trips possible for our students. Please enjoy some photos of their great time! We are excited to return next year with our future 6th graders. OPUSD GARDEN PROGRAM DIGS IN ON DROUGHT ACTION October 2022 saw the return of the OPUSD Garden Program. Now in its eighth consecutive year, the program delivers plant science and organic garden instruction at OPUSD campuses. It combines science, practical gardening, and organic techniques with a heavy focus on conservation, sustainability, and taking action. Each year there is a theme. This year’s theme is Water, and students are currently reviewing science processes in the water cycle and learning about more specialized techniques impacting plants and soil. Previous themes have included Trees, Flowers, Pollination, and Saving Monarch Butterflies. Elementary students in OPUSD receive a six-week block of the garden program. Fourth and fifth graders are in the garden during the fall, second and third graders during the winter, and DK through first graders during the spring. The program grows organic fruits and vegetables at the MCMS garden that go to our kitchens for student meals. It also provides weekly classes for preschoolers at OPNS and mentoring for garden clubs at MCMS and OPHS. Climate change and drought are a big part of this year’s water-themed program. Students began by discovering where our local water comes from, discussing conservation actions, and a water vocabulary challenge. Week two focused on drought-friendly plants. Students learned how to propagate their own low-water plants from cuttings of many different kinds of succulents while also learning about the wellness benefits of houseplants. In week three, students learned about water percolation through clay, silt, and sandy soils, overcoming the challenges of growing plants in these soils, and how soil percolation rate and saturation are significant factors in floods and mudslides. They also planted a seed to grow their own drought-tolerant fruiting tree – The pomegranate(Punica Granatum). Leading up to winter break, the program's second half has more STEM and hands-on opportunities for fourth and fifth graders with water engineering and learning about smart ways to manage water through various water-conserving irrigation techniques. The program then repeats in winter and spring for lower grades who study the same theme with lessons customized to each grade level. Our creative and compassionate global citizens are encouraged throughout the year to take action. Sharing knowledge is an integral part of acting and spreading good practice. So, if the drought has adversely impacted your plants and garden, try asking your elementary student for advice on how best to conserve water while still enjoying your garden, or let them tell you about indoor plants' health and wellness benefits! Learn About December Multicultural Dates/Events  December 10, International Human Rights Day (Global) commemorates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. December 12, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe   (Mexican) : Is celebrated in parishes and neighborhoods throughout the country with Masses, dancing, and celebration. The biggest celebration takes place at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, a site said to be visited by 20 million pilgrims annually. December 16-24, Las Posadas  (Mexican):  Is a religious festival in Mexico and some parts of the U.S and Commemorates Joseph and Mary's journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a safe refuge where Mary could give birth to the baby Jesus.  December 18-26, Hanukkah/Chanukah  (Jewish):  Hanukkah is an eight-day holiday commemorating the Holy Temple's rededication after the Jewish people reclaimed it from the Syrian Greeks in the second century BCE. While they expected a small amount of oil to light the temple only briefly, it miraculously burned for a full eight nights. This makes Hanukkah both a historical observance as well as a spiritually significant one. December 21, Winter Solstice/Yule (Global) : Many  cultures still celebrate the longest night of the year with unique winter solstice traditions.  December 25, Christmas  (Christian):  An annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, is observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people worldwide. December 26, Kwanzaa begins (African American) :  Since its founding in 1966, this weeklong holiday has been observed with candle-lighting ceremonies, feasts, and reflections on past struggles and future hopes. Celebrations honor African heritage.  December 31, New Year’s Eve (Global) : The last day of the year. Civilizations worldwide have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia. Oak Park Weekly is a newsletter that helps connect families, staff, students, and the community to our schools. We will share information on events, successes, reminders, and content to help keep you in the loop and excited about what's to come. We hope you enjoy exploring the information and links below, and we look forward to staying connected with you.  The Communications Coordinator, Ragini Aggarwal, acts as a trusted resource for schools, students, families, staff, and community members. If you want to share a story of interest or have a question or suggestion, we want to hear from you! Please get in touch with our Communication Coordinator for questions and information at raggarwal@opusd.org. In case you missed any of the previous editions of the Oak Park Weekly, you can find them on this  page on our website : Follow us on social media @OakParkUSD          

    Sunday, Dec 11 2022