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  • 2022-2023 Volunteer and Visitor Procedures

    Dear Parents/Guardians, We thank you for your patience and grace as we continue to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic. As vaccinations become more readily available, and hospitalization rates decrease, the California Department of Public Health continues to issue updated Health Orders. The latest update was issued earlier this week and as of tomorrow, September 17, 2022 unvaccinated school staff will no longer be required to participate in weekly COVID-19 testing.  As a result of this update, the Orcutt Union School District will no longer be requiring our volunteers and visitors to provide proof of vaccination, or submit to COVID-19 testing as of Saturday, September 17, 2022.  The latest Health Order only changes the requirements for staff to test. We will continue to offer free drop-in COVID-19 testing for students and staff who are symptomatic or who have tested positive on a home COVID-19 test and need an observed negative test result to return to school/work.  The Orcutt Union School District continues to follow current Health Orders and K-12 Schools Guidance from the California Department of Public Health and the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. Thank you for supporting our efforts to keep our school community and greater Orcutt community as safe as possible. 

    Friday, Sep 16 2022

  • September 2022 Newsletter

    CHILD NUTRITION DEPARTMENT Newsletter   |  September 2022   Message from the Director: Happy New School Year!   Welcome everyone. Reminding families that ALL STUDENTS can have ONE breakfast AND ONE  lunch meal for FREE, each day regardless if they qualify. P lease fill out the meal application, if you haven't already,   so you can help the Orcutt Union School District to qualify for funding of programs. This year, we will highlight many of the menu improvements that we will be doing in the Department of Child Nutrition. Here we have a photo of some local organic strawberries that we have been serving on all salad bars!  We are working hard to make several menu improvements, to return to our cooking from scratch and to purchase local this school year. The recipe featured this month is one of our very own. The very popular smoothie that is served on the junior high and high school menus.  A great end of summer or after school healthy non-dairy treat to enjoy.  Food Literacy Month   To learn more about Food Literacy Month visit: https://www.foodliteracycenter.org/what-food-literacy For activities, lessons & curriculum visit: https://www.foodliteracycenter.org/kids Family Friendly Recipes Strawberry Banana Smoothie                 ¾ cup orange juice 2 ounces apple sauce – non sweetened 1 cup frozen strawberries 1 frozen ripe banana   Directions Blend the orange juice, applesauce, strawberries and banana in a blender until smooth and frothy. Pour in a cup and enjoy! https://www.foodliteracycenter.org/recipe/baked-sweet-potato-and-black-bean-taquitos Important Information Meal Applications: Make Deposits: Menus: P-EBT Information: https://www.mymealtime.com/Apps/SignIn.aspx https://www.mymealtime.com https://www.myschoolmenus.com/instance/797/district/792 https://capandemic-ebt.org/ Child Nutrition Department Contact Information Marianne Heuchert, Office Manager 805-938-8926 mheuchert@orcutt-schools.net Cynthia Melendez, Office Clerk cmelendez@orcutt-schools.net 805-938-8924 Bethany Markee, Director of Child Nutrition bmarkee@orcutt-schools.net 805-938-8925

    Wednesday, Aug 31 2022

  • Device Collection for OUSD School Students in grades...

    Dear Orcutt Union School District Families, In preparation for the end of the school year, we want to share some information with you ​about returning technology: Students in grades TK- 8 and grade 12 will need to return any and all District devices to school no later than Friday, June 3rd.    Please return/turn in student devices (Chromebooks and iPads), please remember to return the power supply/charger with all devices.   Students attending summer learning opportunities  (must be currently enrolled in summer school), will need to keep their devices until the end of summer school.  At the conclusion of summer school, students attending summer school will return their device to their teacher.   Any student attending Jump Start sessions should return their device to their current school by Friday, June 3rd.  Jump Start students will be issued a device at Jump Start. When school starts in August, devices will be issued to students along with their other books and materials. Students should return devices:  fully charged, cleaned and with the power supply wrapped up in a plastic ziplock baggie. If you have a damaged device, please fill out the form attached to this message.   Thank you for your help with our device collection. ​ OUSD Technology Department

    Tuesday, May 24 2022

  • COVID Test Kits Available Next Week

    April 6, 2022   OUSD families,   The Orcutt Union School District will be distributing free COVID-19 test kits for our students  through a series of drive-throughs next week.    This is a voluntary distribution being done as a service to OUSD families who would like to have test kits available when needed. While COVID-19 cases have declined dramatically, it is recommended that if a family travels out of the area during Spring Break, parents administer a COVID test at home before their children return to school on Monday, April 25.   With the exception of Olga Reed School, test kits will be distributed via a drive-through in the parking lot of Orcutt Academy High School , 610 Pinal Avenue in Old Orcutt. To streamline the process, we have assigned each school a day/time next week. Here is the schedule:   Monday, April 11, 4:00-5:00 p.m.  – Alice Shaw, Orcutt School for Independent Study, Orcutt Academy K-8, Orcutt Academy High School   Tuesday, April 12, 4:00-5:00 p.m.  – Joe Nightingale, Ralph Dunlap, Orcutt Junior High School   Thursday, April 14, 4:00-5:00 p.m.  – Patterson Road, Pine Grove, Lakeview Junior High School   Olga Reed School in Los Alamos will host its own drive-through distribution on Thursday, April 14, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. The distribution will be in the school’s front parking lot off Centennial Street.   Parents will be issued one test kit per OUSD student. The parent picking up the test kit will need to state their student’s name and school. Parents who have children at multiple schools may choose one day/time to drive through.    Parents not able to come to a drive-through may pick up their children’s test kits at the Orcutt Union School District Office, 500 Dyer Street in Old Orcutt, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, April 11, through Thursday, April 14.   Thank you. We look forward to seeing many of you at our drive-throughs in the days to come!   Respectfully,   Holly Edds, Ed.D. District Superintendent 

    Thursday, Apr 07 2022

  • Orcutt Schools Enrolling for Next School Year

    The Orcutt Union School District is now enrolling students for the coming school year. Parents/guardians of new students who will be in transitional kindergarten through 8th grade in 2022-2023 are invited to contact their neighborhood school or the district’s Enrollment Office at 805-938-8946. The district’s enrollment web page can be accessed here .   Transitional Kindergarten: More Students Eligible   Like other schools statewide, Orcutt will offer transitional kindergarten with an expanded age eligibility window in 2022-2023. Children born between September 1, 2017, and February 2, 2018, may be enrolled in transitional kindergarten for the coming year.    TK will be a half-day program, with classes based at either Joe Nightingale School in Orcutt or the district’s Los Alamos campus. Our district welcomes all students who fall within the age eligibility for TK!   Kindergarten: Full-day Schedule a Success   In 2022-2023 Orcutt will continue to offer a full-day program in kindergarten at all of its elementary and K-8 campuses. The district launched full-day K this school year, and the new schedule has earned high marks.   “I think full-day K has been a great thing for everybody,” says Joe Nightingale School Principal Kate McInerney. “Teachers have had more time to take a developmental approach to addressing social, emotional, and academic needs. We can take children where they are and help them to progress at a pace that is comfortable for them.”   The Enrollment Process   Enrolling a student is convenient for parents/guardians in that the process begins with online registration accessible from the district enrollment web page  here . Once online registration is complete, parents/guardians can bring a birth certificate, immunization records, and proof of residence to the district Enrollment Office. The Enrollment Office is located just west of the Orcutt Junior High School Gym on Dyer Street in Old Orcutt.   Interdistrict Agreements   Orcutt schools are accepting students who have signed interdistrict agreements from other school districts. Acceptance is based on space and program availability.   Orcutt Academy Enrollment   Orcutt Academy High School likely will have seats available for 2022-2023, so prospective families are invited to submit a post-lottery enrollment application accessible  here . The Orcutt Academy K-8 campus is full, with wait lists established for each grade level, but families still may submit a post-lottery enrollment application.   For more information on enrollment in the Orcutt Union School District for 2022-2023, please contact Carol Sutton of the Enrollment Office at 805-938-8946 or csutton@orcutt-schools.net.  

    Tuesday, Apr 05 2022

  • Your Input Sought for Orcutt USD LCAP

    April 3, 2022   Orcutt Union School District students, parents, and staff:   I am writing to ask for a few minutes of your time to give the Orcutt Union School District some valuable input.   As you may know, California requires school districts to develop their own Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) .  The plan aligns a school district mission and educational goals with the financial resources it receives.     School districts s are asked to seek input from stakeholders for their plan.  Accordingly, we in the Orcutt Union School District once again are inviting you, as members of our school community, to give input through a survey on your own priorities for educating children in our schools.  We have done a similar survey in each of the past five years, and we will be comparing your feedback this year to what our stakeholders told us then.   The link to the survey is HERE . Thanks in advance for your time … we know how busy everyone is right now! Joe Dana Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services Orcutt Union School District

    Monday, Apr 04 2022

  • Suicide Prevention Webinar for Parents

    April 1   Orcutt Union School District families,   Courtesy of the Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness, we would like you to know about an upcoming free webinar and Facebook Live event, Suicide Prevention 101 for Parents: Recognizing Signs and What to Do .     This free webinar will provide information about suicide prevention for parents ,  including warning signs for suicide, how to have a conversation with their teen, actions to take if their teen is having a suicidal thoughts, and resources.  The webinar is provided in partnership with the California Department of Education, the California Mental Health Services Authority, the Directing Change Program, and Teen Line.    The webinar is offered in English and Spanish.  Please register at the following links:     In English: Wednesday, April 20, 2022 from 5 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MeEZUYOnQueJn2RNILq1zw   In Spanish: Jueves 21 de abril del 2022 de 5 a 6.30 de la tarde https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TuvFZDTkRGiQu4Fj_3diTw   Thank you!   Joe Dana Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services

    Friday, Apr 01 2022

  • Message from the Superintendent: Regarding Masks 2/2...

    Message from the Superintendent: Regarding Masks 2/28/22. CLICK HERE This is Holly Edds, Superintendent of the Orcutt Union School District, and I would like to share an update with you about the mask requirement for students in schools.   As you may have heard, Governor Newsom earlier today made an announcement about ending mandatory masking in schools. As of midnight on March 11, 2022, face coverings no longer will be required for students in school settings. The first school day this would be in effect is Monday, March 14. If any school related activities such as athletic events are scheduled to take place after midnight on March 11th, those activities fall under the new guidance.  We do expect to receive updated K-12 Schools Guidance to address additional areas that will be affected by this change.  These areas include required testing for our athletes that participate in indoor sports, the modified quarantine requirements that require testing of close contacts to stay in school, and how CalOSHA, which sets the guidance for our employees, will address these changes. We will continue to inform you as these shifts take place, especially if your student is affected by them.  We also understand that masks will still be required for mass transit, and this may effect our school buses both for daily transportation as well as field trips.  We expect to receive more information on this in the coming days and will keep you informed. I would like to say thank you to our entire Orcutt community for your patience and grace as we have navigated this pandemic together.  None of this has been easy, for anyone and our entire community has been affected in so many ways. As our state shifts from a pandemic to an endemic phase, and moves toward managing the COVID-19 virus instead of eradicating it, we will continue to adjust our safety protocols to meet the current guidance from the California Department of Public Health and the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.  I continue to be proud of our community and how we have rallied and responded to this public health crisis, and feel incredibly fortunate to live here and raise my own children here. Orcutt is a very special place, and we will continue to thrive as a school district because of each of you and the amazing students we have the honor of serving. Holly C. Edds, Ed.D.Superintendent Orcutt Union School District

    Monday, Feb 28 2022

  • Vaccination Clinic at Patterson Road This Tuesday

    January 30, 2022   OUSD families,   The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department will conduct a mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic in the cafeteria of Patterson Road School (400 Patterson Road in Orcutt)   this coming  Tuesday, February 1, from 2:30-6:00 p.m. This clinic will be done on a walk-up basis only, so no appointments need to be made.   The clinic can provide first, second, or booster COVID-19 vaccinations. P arents/guardians need to accompany their children and fill out the necessary forms. Spanish speakers will be present to translate as necessary.    Thanks to County Public Health for visiting another of our schools to provide this service to families.   Respectfully,   Joe Dana Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services

    Sunday, Jan 30 2022

  • Vaccination Clinic at Patterson Road on 2/1

    January 26, 2022   OUSD families,   The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department will conduct a mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic in the cafeteria of Patterson Road School (400 Patterson Road in Orcutt) on Tuesday, February 1, from 2:30-6:00 p.m. This clinic will be done on a walk-up basis only, so no appointments need to be made.   The clinic can provide first, second, or booster COVID-19 vaccinations. P arents/guardians need to accompany their children and fill out the necessary forms. Spanish speakers will be present to translate as necessary.    Thanks to County Public Health for visiting another of our schools to provide this service to families.   Respectfully,   Joe Dana Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services

    Thursday, Jan 27 2022