OPUSD Back to School Resource Guide and Message from...

Dear Families, We’re very excited to be able to return to a full, traditional, five-day in-person instructional program on Monday, August 9 th . When the bell rings to begin instructional time at your child’s school, things may not be quite 100% normal, but with the proper mitigation measures in place (masking, screening, sanitization, improved ventilation, and air filtration), we are confident that our students and staff will be able to experience as close to a regular school experience as possible at this time. Please know that our staff will be working to re-engage your children into the regular routines of school through some welcome back activities, as our students adjust to being back in a school environment with other students and their teachers. As you know from my July 14th message , our return to a full, traditional, five-day in-person instructional program must adhere to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) K-12 School Guidance requirements. To help answer your questions and outline the safety protocols in place, we have created this Back-to-School Resource Guide for families. This guide has a wealth of information regarding our return to school. I strongly encourage you to review this document. This guide is also posted on the District and school websites for your future reference. We have a lot to be excited about and prepare for as the first day of school approaches. To ensure a safe start to the school year, layered prevention strategies will be in place in all schools, including mandatory mask wearing for staff and students while indoors. Read more about why these measures are important and how we will practice safety this fall. In our Back to School Resource Guide , you will find information on the following: Return to Full In-Person Learning COVID-19 Safety Protocols Extracurricular Activities School Meals, Recess/Nutrition, and Lunch Access to Technology Academic and Social-Emotional Support Independent Study Option Frequently Asked Questions Daily Morning Routine Checklist We know that return to full in-person school after more than a year of distance/hybrid learning will require increased social-emotional and academic supports for our students. This year at all levels, you will see a great focus on social-emotional supports for students, staff, and parents. The Board of Education has allocated funds to support outdoor and hands-on learning, both of which contribute to academic success, social-emotional wellness, and school connectedness. I can assure you that OPUSD will continue to monitor local conditions diligently and work closely with state and county health officials to respond quickly if circumstances change. In addition, we will share updates regularly to ensure families are equipped with the most current information. I want to remind you of our upcoming community event this week. The Superintendent’s Meet and Greet is scheduled for Wednesday, August 4th, from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm on the Great Lawn at Oak Park High School. This is an opportunity for me to introduce my Leadership Team to the community and introduce myself to you. Refreshments will be provided.  I hope you can join us. On behalf of the Board of Education and my staff, we look forward to welcoming our students back to campus on August 9th ! Please make sure to share pictures from your child’s first day of school with us using #OPopeningday. Thank you, Dr. Jeff Davis Superintendent Follow us on social media @oakparkusd

Monday, Aug 02 2021

Important Return to School Information - 2021-2022

Dear Families, I am honored to serve as the new Superintendent of the Oak Park Unified School District and look forward to the 2021-2022 school year with great hope and enthusiasm. Welcome back to our returning families and a first-time welcome to our families new to Oak Park. Oak Park USD is prepared for a return to a full, traditional, five-day in-person instructional program for all students beginning on August 9, 2021 . While things might not be 100% back to normal, many activities and programs that students and families have missed will return this school year. The opportunity to return to in-person learning and reconnect with our classmates, colleagues, co-workers, and families is truly energizing. I am confident that our focus on a Climate of Care, student and adult wellness, and academic excellence will prove beneficial to all as we re-engage and return to full in-person instruction this school year. On Friday, July 9th, the Federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued new Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools , which serves as a set of recommendations for state and local governments.  In California, the opening of schools is determined under a complex web of regulations under the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Governor’s Office. On July 12, CDPH released its highly anticipated 2021-22 K-12 School Guidance in response to the CDC’s July 9th Guidance for K-12 Schools. Building on the CDPH’s guidance, Oak Park USD will be opening our schools for full, in-person instruction with the following mitigation measures in place:   FACE COVERINGS WILL BE REQUIRED INDOORS (ON-CAMPUS)   CDPH requires districts to follow its published safety measures for DK-12 schools. Face masks will be REQUIRED for students and staff at all schools when indoors with students present, with minimal exemptions per CDPH face mask guidance .   Masks will not be required outdoors, during recess, nutrition, lunch, PE, or outdoor instruction (but if a student or staff member wants to wear a mask outdoors, they may).  We are still awaiting guidance from CDPH for Band, Drama, Music, and Youth Sports, and we will update our Safety Protocols and FAQs document as soon as that is available.  SOCIAL DISTANCING Students and staff will not be required to maintain physical distancing indoors or outdoors. CDPH guidance indicates that in-person instruction can safely occur when other mitigation strategies (e.g., masking, hand hygiene, disinfection, ventilation, quarantine protocols for infected individuals) are implemented. SYMPTOM SCREENING All students and staff are required to self-screen at home prior to entering any school district facility. We request that individuals notify the school and stay home if they have had any symptoms related to COVID-19 within the past 10 days.  SANITIZATION AND SAFETY KITS All classrooms will be provided with COVID safety kits. These safety kits will include 3-ply adult surgical masks, student masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, face shields, alcohol wipes, Envirocare spray bottles, and paper towels. All staff and students must wear a mask when indoors with students present . This can be a cloth mask that they bring, or we will have masks available.  Custodians at all school sites have been trained in the necessary cleaning and sanitization protocols. Our custodial staff will regularly sanitize all classrooms, offices, and common areas.  ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT HEALTH AND SAFETY MITIGATION PROTOCOLS The safety of all students and staff is of utmost priority, and families can find more details on our return- to- school safety protocols in the following documents, which are also available on our website:  Return to School 2021-2022 COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols Return to School Frequently Asked Questions   AN ALTERNATIVE TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION   We feel confident about the strength of our safety plan.  However, I recognize that while many of our parents and students are excited about our return, some families may not want to return to the traditional, full, in-person teaching and learning schedule at this time. Therefore, for the 2021-2022 school year only, the District will be offering an Independent Study option through our Oak Park Independent School’s Virtual Program. Distance Learning (DL) that was offered last year will not be available this year.  Though DL will not be available this year, this Virtual Independent Study Program is available as an at-home option as described in detail below:   What is the Oak Park Independent School (OPIS) Virtual Program? The OPIS Virtual Program includes a mix of synchronous and asynchronous instruction and live interaction. Assembly Bill 130 requires an independent study option to be available for the 2021-2022 school year to students whose health would be put at risk by in-person instruction, as determined by the parent or guardian. The OPIS Virtual Program will follow the State requirements for the 2021-2022 school year: Discovery Kindergarten to Grade 3 — daily synchronous instruction for all students throughout the school year. Grades 4 through 8 — daily live interaction and at least weekly synchronous instruction for all students throughout the school year. Grades 9 through 12 — at least weekly synchronous instruction for all students throughout the school year. Terminology:  “Live interactions” means interaction between the pupil and local educational agency classified or certificated staff, and may include peers, provided for the purpose of maintaining school connectedness, including, but not limited to, wellness checks, progress monitoring, provision of services, and instruction. This interaction may take place in person, or in the form of internet or telephonic communication.  “Synchronous instruction” means classroom-style instruction or designated small group or one-on-one instruction delivered in person, or in the form of internet or telephonic communications, and involving live two-way communication between the teacher and pupil. Synchronous instruction will be provided by the teacher. “Asynchronous instruction” means that the student works independently.  Notice to all Parents regarding the Independent Study Option through the OPIS Virtual Program:   Please note the independent study is a voluntary option and is NOT the same as DL provided during the pandemic.  In the OPIS Virtual Program, students will complete their work independently at home based on an online, standards-aligned curriculum.  Student attendance will be monitored through virtual check-ins and completion of independent work. This program may not be appropriate for all students. Prior to enrollment, parents and students have a right to request a conference with the school administrator. Students will need to disenroll from their current school to enroll in this program. Students can return back to in-person learning at a traditional school within 5 days by re-enrolling at the desired school. We cannot guarantee placement back at their school for elementary students if they return to a traditional school. A student could be placed at any one of our three elementary schools.   If a student has an IEP or 504 Plan, enrollment in Independent Study is a placement decision and is only allowed if the Student’s IEP or 504 Plan specifically provides for that participation; an IEP or 504 meeting is required prior to any change of placement to OPIS. If your student is currently enrolled in OPIS and you would like more information about the OPIS Virtual Program, please contact Principal Kent Cromwell at kcromwell@opusd.org .  If you are interested in our Independent Study option, please complete the OPIS Virtual Program Interest Form by July 21, 2021 . Once you have submitted the Interest Form, Mr. Cromwell will contact you regarding the next steps. Please note that submitting this form does not automatically enroll your child in the program.   More details available here . SUPERINTENDENT’S MEET AND GREET: AUGUST 4, 2021 In addition, I want to invite you to an upcoming community event. The Superintendent’s Meet and Greet is scheduled for Wednesday, August 4th, from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm on the Great Lawn at Oak Park High School. This is an opportunity for me to introduce my Leadership Team to the community and also introduce myself to you. Refreshments will be provided.   Please be assured that all federal, state, and local guidelines, regulations, and protocols related to the safe reopening of schools are being met and exceeded here in Oak Park, as you might expect.  Because our team has been putting the necessary pieces in place and working toward this for quite some time, I am confident that the transition will be smooth. *Please know that because all public school districts take direction from CDPH, the above information and regulations are subject to change. We will continue to keep you informed of any changes.   I sincerely appreciate your support as we work towards reopening our schools and our teachers and staff get settled into the mode of a return to full, in-person instruction. I am confident that by working together and following all health and safety protocols our schools will be as safe as possible for everyone.     Please look out for school site-specific information in the upcoming weeks related to the annual registration, school schedules, and back-to-school notices from your school principals. Our Nutrition Services department will be providing school meals for FREE TO ALL OPUSD students in the 2021-2022 school year, with more details to be sent later this week.   On behalf of the Board of Education and my staff, we look forward to welcoming you back to campus on August 9th!   Thank you, Dr. Jeff Davis Superintendent #TeamOPUSD

Thursday, Jul 15 2021

Summer Enrichment Resources and Free Online Tutoring

Dear OPUSD Families, After a challenging school year with way too much time spent inside, it is important that students spend as much time as possible outdoors this summer. As always, we encourage a healthy dose of PDF (Playtime, Downtime, and Family time) to the extent possible for our families. We also recognize that another aspect of summer for our students involves daily reading for enjoyment, catching up on topics that they are curious about or not sure about, and preparing for the transition into the next school year. Our Curriculum team has put together Summer Enrichment Resources for your families to explore: 'Paper' Online Tutoring Program , where students can work online on a variety of topics with a real, online tutor free of charge to families. These tutors are trained to support all learners across a variety of styles and needs. There are short videos to watch that clearly explain how Paper tutoring works. This valuable resource is made possible as a result of The Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) grant from the state that includes a wide array of learning and social-emotional support, giving Oak Park Unified the resources to offer more than ever before. This plan is specifically designed to offer expanded learning programs and supports for the elementary, middle, and high school levels.  One of the ways Oak Park USD is supporting students this year is by providing all students with 24/7 access to this online Paper tutoring service. Khan Academy is bigger and better than ever and has new Get Ready for Grade Level courses.   Wide Open School is a daily collection of the best online learning experiences for kids curated by the editors at Common Sense Media.  Summer reading logs for K-8 students are a must for every child.  Clever is a single sign-on, digital-learning platform for K-12 schools. Clever brings K12 applications into one secure portal and provides single sign-on (SSO) for students in the district. Clever allows school administrators and teachers to create a launch page for students with apps and resources that are aligned to the student's curriculum. Make sure to click on the Elementary and Secondary Enrichment Resources for additional programs and opportunities. We will continue to add to this list as we identify additional resources. These resources are available now on the District and school websites and will remain available to your students throughout the school year. Enjoy exploring these resources, and have a great summer! Dr. Tony Knight Superintendent

Tuesday, Jun 15 2021

June 15: What does it mean for summer programs at sc...

Dear Students, Staff, and Parents,   California is open for business as usual and the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy sunset this morning, eliminating the color-tiered system of health orders. Starting today, June 15, 2021, there will be no capacity limits or physical distancing requirements for businesses. Fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks in most places. What does this mean for schools and workplaces?  The June 15th Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings released by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) states that “ school masking guidance remains in place and masks are required. Going forward, CDPH will continue to provide guidance around youth settings. ” As a direct result of this updated guidance, Oak Park USD's face mask requirements are as follows: Indoors, students and staff are currently required to wear a mask. Note: This may change as updated K-12 schools guidance is forthcoming, pending updates for K-12 operational guidance from the CDC.  Additionally, other safety mitigation measures will remain in place for our summer programs.                                 All schools must also follow the workplace guidance for their school and district employees as set forth by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). Fully vaccinated employees will have to wait a little longer before removing their masks in the workplace. The Cal/OSHA Board is expected to approve a new rule on June 17th, allowing fully vaccinated employees to stop wearing masks in most workplaces.   In summary, until further notice , all students and staff must continue to wear a face mask inside school buildings regardless of vaccination status. We anticipate that CDPH will be issuing directives for schools for the 2021-2022 school year by July for full, in-person instruction. We will share forthcoming information with our staff and families as soon as we know more. Oak Park USD remains fully committed to a regular and full reopening of our schools in August. Until that time, all of our educational facilities will continue to adhere to state and local requirements. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding. Sincerely, Dr. Tony Knight Superintendent

Tuesday, Jun 15 2021

NEW OAK PARK HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Mathew McClenahan  Dear Students, Staff, and Parents, We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mathew McClenahan as the new principal of Oak Park High School. The selection of Mat is the result of a comprehensive search process including a broad group of stakeholders made up of parents, teachers, support staff, administrators, and board members. Mat comes to us from High Tech Los Angeles (HTLA), a College Preparatory, Independent California Charter High School located in Lake Balboa. A founding teacher of HTLA since 2001, Mat has taught multiple subjects and has served as a Lead Teacher, Assistant Principal, and has been the Principal of the school since 2017. HTLA is known for its innovative teaching and learning methods that engage students. These include Project-Based Learning and Inquiry-Based Learning strategies, where students connect with real-world challenges that require them to integrate content knowledge with 21st-century skills. Mat was instrumental in developing an interdisciplinary English and Economics project modeled after the television show "Shark Tank," where students came up with business plans and presented them to real investors from companies like Merrill Lynch and Bain. Mat believes that students become deeply invested in their work by connecting classroom learning to the community and beyond. In November 2005, Mat received the prestigious Milken Educator Award for his hands-on instruction, innovative teaching, and support of fellow teachers. Under Mat’s leadership, HTLA has twice been named a California Distinguished School and received a California Gold Ribbon Award. While more than 50% of the students at HTLA participate in the Federal Lunch Program, over 91% of their students meet or exceed the state standards in English/Language Arts, which is an extraordinary achievement. The school also boasts a 100% graduation rate like OPHS. This speaks to Mat’s commitment to ensuring that every student succeeds. “ I am excited and honored to have been selected to join Oak Park USD as principal of Oak Park High School. At HTLA, we prepare students to become socially responsible and caring adults who contribute to our society. I am looking forward to getting to know the community and meeting our students, staff, and families at Oak Park High School, ” Mat said. Mat started his career teaching and coaching wrestling at Monsignor Farrell High School on Staten Island, NY. Moving to Los Angeles in 1998 led him to coach and teach at Birmingham High School and HTLA. Mat earned a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from New York University, an M.A. in Political Science from Columbia University, and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles. We want to thank staff, parents, administrators, and board members who took part in the selection process. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Mat McClenahan as the new principal of Oak Park High School. Dr. Tony Knight, Superintendent Dr. Jeff Davis Incoming Superintendent

Friday, Jun 11 2021