Covering the Orange Unified School District Volume 15, Issue 71 September—November 2020
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FREE Education + Communication = A Better Nation ® Covering the Orange Unified School District Volume 15, Issue 71 September —November 2020 Board of Education John H. Kathryn A. Kristin Dr. Alexia L. Andrea Rick Ortega Moffat Erickson Deligianni-Brydges Yamasaki Ledesma President Vice President Clerk Member Member Member www.SchoolNewsRollCall.com SUPERINTENDENT Welcome Back: A Message from Our Superintendent Dear Parents and Community Members, Orange County could be placed back on the watch list Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year should it be flagged for exceeding any one of six different at Orange Unified School District! This COVID-19 metrics for three consecutive days. These new school year brings with it some unique metrics are the case rate, the percentage of positive tests, challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. the average number of tests a county can perform daily, The health and safety of our students, staff, changes in the number of hospitalized patients, and the and families are of the utmost importance, percentage of ventilators and intensive care beds available. and we have worked throughout the summer To track the number of days Orange County has been off Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen to disinfect our sites and implement the monitoring list, please visit the OC Health Care Agency enhanced health and safety measures on website and click on the online dashboard. our campuses. While we began the school year with 100% Despite the stresses of the current situation, exciting distance learning, we are ready to welcome students back things are underway throughout the District. Measure onto campus as soon as public health guidelines allow. S construction is still in progress at each of our four When schools reopen, on-campus learning will look much comprehensive high schools, and we are excited to see different than previous years, including fewer desks in our new Science Complexes come to fruition. This fall, we classrooms, new campus signage, Plexiglas barriers, look forward to completing construction at Orange and El handwashing stations, and more. Modena High Schools. Our 2020-2021 OUSD Re-imagining Schools/Health & Facilities district-wide are also being revitalized and Safety-Driven Reopening Plan, approved by the Board of updated, and the finishing touches are underway at the Education on July 23, will allow us to pivot between 100% newly rebuilt Fred Kelly Stadium. Our high schools have distance learning, blended (elementary only), and full-day updated track and field facilities, many of our elementary on-campus instruction for the 2020-2021 school year, as schools have new playground equipment, and The Little public health guidelines permit and in accordance with all Theater at Orange High School is receiving a long-overdue mandated public health and safety protocols. This dynamic renovation. Thanks to a generous donation from the plan aligns with The Orange Unified EDGE, which focuses Canyon High School Foundation, a complete overhaul of the on Excellence in academics and leadership, Dedicated and Canyon High School gym will also be underway soon. engaged communication, Genuine wellness and safety, The success of each student is a collaborative effort and Efficient utilization of fiscal capital. The Re-imaging between all stakeholders in the process of teaching Schools Plan will continue to be updated based on the most and learning. Award-winning schools and academic current guidance from public health officials and state achievement are direct results of the hard work and agencies. dedication of Orange Unified staff in partnership with On Sunday, August 23, Orange County was removed our parents and the OUSD community. I encourage each from the California COVID-19 watch list as public health of you to work with your child’s teachers and principal to officials successfully reported three consecutive days of data help foster a positive educational experience. Together, below all of the state’s monitoring thresholds. The state we are reimagining our schools and are ready to open mandates a county must be off the watch list for 14 days our campuses for student instruction as soon as we are before all schools can reopen for on-campus instruction permitted to do so, and in alignment with public health and without getting a waiver. Provided Orange County’s daily safety guidelines. COVID-19 numbers remain below state-set thresholds for Please stay up-to-date on important district 14 consecutive days, Orange Unified School District would communication by visiting www.orangeusd.org and be allowed to move to Phase 2 of the 2020-2021 OUSD Re- following us on social media. The most current version of imagining Schools/Health & Safety-Driven Reopening Plan, our Re-imagining Schools/Reopening Plan, as well as other pending approval by the OUSD Board of Education. relevant information and resources, are also available on The district will be evaluating the best date for students our website. to return to on-campus learning once state guidelines Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we continue allow. To ensure the safety of our students and staff, on- to navigate the new school year with the health and safety of campus instruction will be phased in, starting with the our students and staff at the forefront of our efforts. elementary grades. Given the current data trends, it is Warmest Regards, possible that students could begin a phased-in return after Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D. Labor Day. Superintendent of Schools Orange Unified School District 1401 North Handy Street • Orange, CA 92867 (714) 628-4000 • www.orangeusd.org ® Education + Communication = A Better Nation www.schoolnewsrollcall.com Covering the ORANGE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT FOUNDER/PUBLISHER: Kay Coop 562/493-3193 • [email protected] Kay Coop ADVERTISING SALES: Leslie Rawlings Neta Madison Founder/Publisher 714/856-9884 • Fax: 562/430-8063 Netragrednik CONTENT COORDINATOR: Barbra Longiny Welcome to a new school year. blast from the past enjoying a drive-in GRAPHIC DESIGNER/PRODUCTION: The only constant is change and movie on a rooftop parking lot. Along Emily Ung COPY EDITORS: that has been proven in the past with other moviegoers, we got an Lisa Brock, Kate Karp & Anna Zappia few months. The whole world has education when we discovered newer SOCIAL MEDIA: Nancy Lueder dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic. cars without keys automatically turn Netragrednik by Neta Madison Everyday when I see small children off after 15-20 minutes. (Some of @SchoolNewsRC with masks I marvel at how their you may be old enough to remember parents have helped them understand listening to the movie through SchoolNewsRollCall the reason. When graduates didn’t speakers on poles and not a car SchoolNewsRollCall have the privilege of walking across radio.) The bottomline is Americans SCHOOL NEWS ROLL CALL, LLC the stage to be presented with the adapt to change and innovate. P.O. Box 728, Seal Beach, CA 90740 diploma they earned, they seemed In the months ahead, we will 562/493-3193 to understand. (Parents may have continue to bring you updates from www.schoolnewsrollcall.com Copyright © 2006, School News Roll Call, LLC had a harder time understanding.) the classrooms. Thank you for Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited unless otherwise stated. Some of the necessary changes may continuing to include School News Opinions expressed by contributing writers and guest be permanent...more people working among your reading choices. columnists are their views and not necessarily those of School News Roll Call. This publication is privately from home. One innovation was a Our next issue is December 2nd. owned and the right is reserved to select and edit content. The Orange Unified School District does not endorse the advertisers in this publication. You have your crew. She needs one too! Now more than ever, Girl Scouts provides a safe space for your girl to develop friendships and discover a sense of self, preparing her to take on any challenge that comes her way. You’re invited to to experience Girl Scouts! You and your girl are invited to join us for a FREE Girl Scout party, where she can see what Girl Scouts is all about, participate in fun acivities, earn her first patch, and learn how she can keep the adventure going in a local Girl Scout Troop. Learn more at girlscoutsoc.org/discovergs ❧ 4 WWW.SCHOOLNEWSROLLCALL.COM OUSD Alternative Education / ROP Parkside Education Center: 250 S. Yorba St.. Orange, CA 92869 Greetings from Parkside! I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to serve as the Coordinator Learn about of Alternative Education. The 2020-2021 World History • US History school year marks my 5th year as the site Videos • Art • Music administrator here at the Parkside Education Center. I am very proud of all the hard work Study Habits Justin Stanfield and accomplishments by our students, staff Coordinator and families here. HistoryDepot.com Prior to my time at Parkside, I was an Assistant Principal at Villa Park High School for five years. While at VPHS I oversaw discipline, student records, guidance and curriculum. My time and Villa Park was amazing and I had the pleasure of working with some of the best administrators, teachers, students and parents around! Prior to my time in OUSD I was a classroom teacher and coach in the Irvine Unified School District. I taught middle school history and PE for 2 years at Sierra Vista Middle School and then spent 4 years in the same capacity at Creekside Continuation High School. I am extremely excited to serve the students and families of Parkside Education Center. If I can ever be of any assistance to you please do not hesitate to contact me. Award-Winning Schools Full Day Kindergarten Before & After School Programs 25 CTE Pathways World Champion Robotics Teams now enrolling Dual Language Immersion Early College Academy for 2020-2021 AVID College Readiness Program Technology-Integrated Learning Gifted & Talented Education Visual & Performing Arts www.orangeusd.org EDGE Virtual Academy (7-12) COVERING THE ORANGE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SEPTEMBER—NOVEMBER 2020 5 Anaheim Hills Elementary California Elementary 6450 E.