ORINDA UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
NEWSLETTER
December 14, 2018
SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE
Dear OUSD Families,

In just over two short weeks, all of us will be saying goodbye to 2018 and launching into 2019. As I reflect on 2018, there was much to celebrate in OUSD, including the creation and implementation of a district wide character education framework, CAASPP test scores that placed us in the top ten school districts in the state, advances in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) education at all school sites, and most recently, passage by our generous community of both Measures E and I to upgrade our school facilities. This year also brought tragedy to OUSD with the passing of Lily Aracic, the younger sibling of one of our students, and former student Luca Gero. The OUSD and Miramonte school communities have been deeply affected by the heartbreaking loss of these young lives. What has inspired me is the commitment of this community to step up and support Lily's and Luca's families in countless ways. Please continue to keep these families in your thoughts during the weeks and months ahead.

Budget Challenges
Our CBO, Teresa Sidrian, presented the first interim budget report to the Board on Monday. This report includes a multi-year projection showing the financial picture for the current school year and two years out:
By the third year out, OUSD's unassigned, unappropriated ending fund balance is estimated to be $43,164. State funding for OUSD and other CA school districts is essentially flat, with a cost of living adjustment (COLA) as the only expected increase. Unfortunately, escalating pension (STRS/PERS) costs are projected to deplete the majority of the funding increases in the two out years as displayed below:
To address these budgetary challenges, the Board and OUSD Leadership Team are examining areas where we can reduce our expenditures. The Superintendent's Fundraising Task Force, comprised of Parents' Club and EFO leaders, is examining ways to work together and implement fundraising best practices to increase our fundraising capacity beyond the parent community.

California's per pupil base funding is in the bottom quintile of all 50 states, and OUSD's per pupil funding is among the lowest in California. Even with generous local support provided by donations to EFO and Parents' Club and our parcel taxes, OUSD's per pupil funding is average for the U.S.

The Board and leadership from EFO, Parents' Clubs, the Orinda Education Association, and the California State Employees Association are discussing ways to advocate at the state and federal level for increased per pupil funding. I will share more information about these efforts as it becomes available.

Happy Holidays!
I wish you and your families the happiest of holidays. May the Winter Break provide you with opportunities to recharge, rejoice, and reflect with your extended family and friends.
To ensure you are accessing this newsletter in its entirety, you may need to select "Display images below" from your email and "View entire message." The last section is entitled, "Connect With Us!"

As always, I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions on any topic related to our OUSD schools.

Sincerely,

Dr. Carolyn Seaton
Superintendent of Schools
OUSD NEWS
District Calendar

  • December 21: Minimum Day for All OUSD Schools
  • December 24-January 4: Winter Break
  • January 14: Regular School Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., OUSD Office
  • January 21: MLK Observance - No School
Board Shorts
OUSD Board Member School Assignments for 2018-2019:
OIS: Jason Kaune
Del Rey: Hillary Weiner
Glorietta: Carol Brown
Sleepy Hollow: Cara Hoxie
Wagner Ranch: Liz Daoust
OUSD Board Meeting Email Distribution List

The next regularly scheduled Board meeting will be held Monday, Jan. 14, at 6:00 p.m. If you would like to be placed on the distribution list to receive information regarding future Board meetings, email Debbie Jamieson, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, at djamieson@orindaschools.org .
The Board of Trustees took the following actions at their December 10, 2018, regularly scheduled monthly meeting:


The Board discussed, but took no action on the following item:

The Board held a Workshop on Bond Measures E and I on Wednesday, December 12, to discuss the timeline, bond issuance process, and project priorities.

The next Board Coffee will be held Thursday, January 17, from 8:15-9:15 a.m. at Del Rey . The schedule for future Board coffees can be found here . All are welcome!
Curriculum Update
OUSD Partnership with Sandy Hook Promise
The OUSD Board of Trustees has committed to a three-year partnership with Sandy Hook Promise (SHP). SHP is a non-partisan national non-profit formed and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Today, December 14, 2012, marks the six-year anniversary of this tragic event. SHP's sole purpose is to prevent gun violence and other forms of violence and victimization. OUSD and SHP will work together to bring three separate programs to the District. Beginning in January 2019, OIS will participate in "Say Something," a program which teaches students to look for warning signs, signals, and threats, especially in social media, from individuals who may want to hurt themselves or others and to  say something  to a trusted adult to get that person appropriate help. Following in school year 2019-2020, OIS will introduce two additional programs, "Start With Hello" and "Signs of Suicide." "Start With Hello" teaches youth how to be more inclusive and connected to one another. After the initial introduction of this program at OIS, we plan to incorporate it into the lower grades, with the help of trained student leaders from the middle school. The agreement with SHP also includes the introduction of a third program, "Signs of Suicide," in the fall of 2019. This program trains youth in grades 6-8, and adults, how to identify, intervene, and get help for students who may be depressed or suicidal. These three programs will be embedded initially within the Leadership Class at OIS, taught by Kendra Hodder. We believe the introduction of these programs within our schools will help grow a sustainable culture of caring and support students' social and emotional health.

New Social/Emotional Supports for Struggling Students
In keeping with OUSD's strategic direction to nurture the emotional, social, and physical well-being of our students, the District has partnered with The Summit Center to provide social-emotional supports to help students develop into empathetic, confident, and resilient individuals. The Summit Center is a private organization in Walnut Creek that provides educational and psychological assessments, consultations, and treatment for children, their parents/guardians, and families. This partnership is made possible by the generous contributions from elementary Parents' Clubs. The program was launched in October and thus far has actively supported over 50 students through group and individual counseling. Should parents/guardians feel that their child is experiencing chronic turmoil at school and in need of social-emotional supports, they should discuss these concerns with their child's teacher or principal. 

Tools from Our Parent Education Session "Raising Strong Digital Citizens in a Technology-Addicted Society"
On November 28th, OUSD held the second of four events in our Parent Education series focused on student and family wellness. Nick Zefeldt, the Instructional Technology Coordinator from the Contra Costa County Office of Education, gave a compelling presentation about Digital Citizenship, entitled “ Raising a Healthy Digital Citizen in a Technology-Addicted Society.”  This was a highly engaging session, attended by about 50 people, and was very well received! Parents walked away with great resources and strategies to address a variety of complex challenges. For a look at Mr. Zefeldt's valuable and helpful information, click HERE .
Key Initiatives
Thank You, Orinda, for Your Continued Support of Excellence in Education Through Parcel Tax Measures A and B
 The OUSD Board, Administration, Teachers, and Staff are deeply appreciative of the community's support of our schools through the funding made available via Parcel Taxes (school support taxes) passed in 2003 (Measure A) and 2009 (Measure B). The Parcel Tax Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee meets to ensure that parcel tax proceeds are spent for their authorized purpose. We thank Chair Dan Pier, Vice Chair Linda Landau, Secretary Mary Ruppert, and members Yin "Gee Gee" Wong and Portia Meneau for volunteering to serve and share their areas of expertise and perspectives on this important committee. At last month's Board Meeting, Secretary Mary Rupert presented the committee's findings following their analysis of 2016-17 and 2017-18 parcel tax financial data for both Measures A and B. These findings included the following:
  • Parcel Tax funds are being appropriately accounted for by OUSD in accordance with accounting principles used by governmental entities.
  • Parcel Tax funds have been used solely for the purposes described in both Measures A and B ballot language.
  • Parcel Tax revenues were used solely for certificated teacher salaries and state mandated benefits.These revenues contributed greatly toward keeping our class sizes low in school years 2016-17 and 2017-18.

To read the committee's findings in greater detail, you can access their 2016-17 report here and their  2017-2018  report here .
Spotlight on Liz Daoust,
New OUSD Board Member
From L to R: Lucy (9, 3rd grade), Phoebe (5, Kindergarten), Liz, Annie (7, 1st grade), Mark, and Theo (dog) Daoust
Education and public service have always been highly valued in Liz’s family. Her great-grandmother was one of the first female graduates of the University of Minnesota in 1910, and she went on to become a teacher and a principal in St. Paul and later in North Dakota. Her son, Liz’s grandfather, was on the state board of higher education in North Dakota. They were a family who always gave back to the communities in which they lived, and that was a tradition continued by Liz’s parents. Liz has always been deeply passionate about and committed to education, and prior to having her own children, she was both a middle school teacher and a Dean of Students. Liz has always wanted to run for office, and serving as a Trustee on the Orinda Union School District Board married both her interests in education and public service.  

Liz grew up in a suburb of St. Louis, MO, and graduated from a large public high school before heading east to Williams College for her undergraduate years, where she majored in Anthropology and American Studies. Her parents have since relocated to Colorado, and aside from Northern California, that is where her heart lies. She and her husband moved to Boston after graduating from Williams, and she then attended Harvard's Graduate School of Education and received her M.Ed. in Education Policy and Management before she started teaching.  

When asked what she is looking forward to most while serving on the Board, Liz stated that it is working with her fellow school board members as well as OUSD staff and administrators in a very collaborative, high-functioning team environment. Liz feels the district is poised to make great strides in the coming years in terms of facilities, social and emotional learning, and overall curriculum. 

Liz and her husband are the proud parents of three Glorietta Gophers: Lucy, Annie, and Phoebe. Their girls also love the outdoors, reading, music, and art. The Daousts feel so grateful to be part of the Orinda community and all that it offers for their family, from the wonderful schools to the amazing library to the natural beauty. Fun facts about Liz include that she was raised Jewish, but never had a bat mitzvah, so she is studying now with six other women to have a group b'nai mitzvah in March. Other fun facts about Liz are that she plays the cello and loves Oreo cookies. She greatly misses teaching but is so honored to serve the Orinda community and our schools in this way. Welcome to the OUSD Board, Liz Daoust!   
SITE NEWS
OIS
One of OUSD's strategic directions is cultivating ethical and respectful citizens who contribute as members of local, national, and global communities. The OIS community has a generous spirit of giving and always looks for ways to help when others are in need. Recent events, both locally and in nearby Butte County, have made OIS' giving efforts imperative. In seeking ways to best support those directly impacted by the devastating Camp Fire, OIS recently launched a sponsorship of three families who lost their homes. The goal is to collect money to purchase items ranging from a backpack to a dining room table for these families. OIS leadership students have helped with the fundraising, and students in OIS computer graphics electives made posters to promote the sponsorship. 

With the support of the OIS Parents' Club, EFO, and the Lamorinda Arts Council, OIS has been able to address another important strategic direction: nurturing emotional, social, and physical well-being by allowing students to express themselves through the arts. Last week, audiences were dazzled by the performances of the nearly 90 students who participated in the fall musical production of  The Addams Family . The casts and crew members of all three Bulldog Theater shows were truly impressive, demonstrating the hard work they put in over the past three months. It's always a joy to watch our young thespians shine! OIS will continue its partnership with Bay Area Children's Theatre for the spring production of  Footloose .
Upcoming Events :

  • December 15: Debate Tournament at OIS
  • December 15: OIS Strings and Jazz Band Performance at Jelly Belly Factory
  • December 17: Campaign for Camp Fire Families Continues
  • December 18: Registration Opens for Spring Musical
  • December 19: Where Everyone Belongs (WEB) Cookie Lunchtime Event in MPR
  • December 21: Minimum Day
  • January 21: MLK Day, No School
DEL REY
Rehearsals are in full swing at Del Rey for the school musical Aladdin Jr . There are so many students enrolled that the show will have two completely full casts! Go arts! Performances are scheduled for April 24th, 26th, and 27th. 

Del Rey is looking forward to their annual in house Winter Sing on December 21st. All students come together in this wonderful event to share the gift of music, and end with a beautiful song together. Due to the MPR room capacity, Del Rey cannot invite families to attend, but promises to record this and post it on Vimeo for the community.
Upcoming Events :
  • December 21: Winter Sing, 10:30 a.m.
  • December 21: Minimum Day
  • January 21: MLK Day, No School
GLORIETTA
As a part of OUSD's "What You Do Matters," Glorietta held a great school-wide assembly in December acknowledging Kindness and Caring. The MPR walls are plastered with students' handprints with handwritten acts of kindness they've committed to doing for others including their family, classroom, school, and community. It's an uplifting sight!  

This year marks the third annual Glorietta One Warm Coat Drive started by Carson Blair, now a 5th grader. Glorietta hopes to collect both sweaters and coats and jackets for both One Warm Coat and a local organization, Grateful Gatherings, which is in need of warm clothes for children coming out of foster care and homeless shelters. Glorietta is also working with the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano to collect non-perishable food items to help feed the hungry. 

January will provide students with another opportunity to deepen their positive character traits. Tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion are the values the Gopher Community will celebrate during the annual  Diverse Abilities Awareness Week  (DAAW), which will take place from January 14-18. Highlights of the week include a performance on Monday, January 14, by Urban Jazz Dance Company , a dance troupe comprised of deaf and hearing dancers, and an interactive fair on Friday, January 18. 
Upcoming Events :
  • December 21: Winter Ensemble Concert, 10:30 a.m.
  • December 21: Minimum Day
  • January 14: Urban Jazz Dance Assembly, 8:00 a.m.
  • January 16: GPC General Meeting, 3:15 p.m.
  • January 18: Diverse Ability Interactive Fair, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
  • January 21: MLK Day, No School
  • January 24: Glorietta Coordinating Council Meeting, 3:15 p.m.
SLEEPY HOLLOW
With the November character trait of caring and kindness, Sleepy Hollow celebrated with a week long celebration of kindness. This included a day to dance for kindness (hip hop style), led by OUSD Director of Curriculum, David Schrag. It was a perfect way to spend a stormy day in November. Sleepy Hollow's focus on kindness continued with a successful canned food and coat drive. Bins for both food and coats were overflowing. Student council members stayed after school and helped sort the coats before donating them.

On November 28, many classes took part in a third round of Kidpower lessons. Students are getting better and better at using their calm and confident voice to express themselves.

Sleepy Hollow continues to work on gathering ideas to help create a recess that is safe and fun for everyone. Many of Sleepy Hollow's 4th and 5th graders are helping to write rules to games and create videos to show how games are played. The goal is to make Sleepy Hollow a fun place to learn, both in and out of the classroom.
Upcoming Events:
  • December 19: Second Grade Gingerbread Open House, 11:00 a.m.
  • December 20: Winter Sing, 9:15 a.m.
  • December 21: Minimum Day
  • December 24-January 4: Winter Break
  • January 14: After School Enrichment Classes Begin
  • January 21: MLK Day, No School
WAGNER RANCH
Wagner Ranch's intrepid 4th and 5th grade thespians will begin practices for their spring play. This year students will be performing Madagascar Jr., under the guidance of Bay Area Children's Theater.

Wagner Ranch 4th graders will be visiting the Oakland Museum of California in January. Students will experience a user-friendly retrospective presentation on our history.

On January 24, Wagner Ranch will host a Parent Education Night on the topic of student safety, and in particular emergency preparedness efforts and plans to respond to a fire and major earthquake.

Wagner Ranch has been hard at work developing an Innovation Lab in the former Science Lab. This project is possible due to contributions from the Wagner Ranch community and collaborative efforts between staff, teachers, and parents.
Upcoming Events :
  • December 19: Winter Concert Assembly
  • December 21: Minimum Day
  • January 21: MLK Day, No School
  • January 24: Parent Ed Night on Student Safety and Emergency Preparedness
EFO UPDATE
EFO is excited to announce that all contributions made by 12/31/18 will be matched  dollar for dollar up to $30,000  by a generous local donor! For more information, please contact EFO Executive Director Darcie Taylor ( dt@orindaefo.org ).
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