ORINDA UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
NEWSLETTER
June 7, 2019
SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE
Pictured above from L to R: Dr. Carolyn Seaton, Ray Szeliga, Connie Boero, Tricia Newhart, Jennifer Woodman, Kathy Williams, and Hillary Weiner
Dear OUSD Families,

On this, our last day of school, I want to thank our incredible OUSD teachers for working tirelessly throughout the school year to provide each student with an outstanding educational experience. The influence of a great teacher remains with his/her students for a lifetime. Our talented classified staff members support our students, teachers, and administrators and enable our schools and classrooms to be clean, safe, and run smoothly. Classified staff include instructional assistants, secretaries, clerks, custodians, maintenance and operations craftsmen, technicians, and District Office personnel. Parents and guardians, we could not provide such an exemplary education for our students without your tremendous support in the forms of donations to EFO and Parents' Clubs, volunteering, and sharing your expertise. On behalf of the Board and all OUSD employees, thank you. Enjoy this summer with your family, and take every opportunity possible to read with your child(ren). I look forward to seeing you on our school campuses beginning with the first day of school, August 14.

Honoring Our 2019 Retirees
During the June 3 regular Board meeting, the Board honored five retirees for their distinguished service to Orinda Union School District: Connie Boero (OIS Clerk), Tricia Newhart (DR Teacher), Ray Szeliga (OUSD Electrician), Kathy Williams (OUSD Accountant), and Jennifer Woodman (OUSD Director of Student Services). These outstanding employees have contributed a combined 102 years of service to students, staff, and parents in Orinda!

Read more about these special employees and the important contributions each has made to OUSD.

Online Re-Enrollment for ALL Returning Students
We are excited to announce that re-enrollment for all returning OUSD families will only be available online through SchoolMint. Re-enrollment will be open July 1 - July 31. Families should have already accessed SchoolMint  to submit their intent to return last month. This same account will be used to complete the re-enrollment process. You will receive an email with a link to re-enroll your child(ren) before July 1. SchoolMint will be available Monday-Friday for technical questions at (855) 957-3535. School site secretaries will begin verifying submitted re-enrollment information starting on July 28th. Families will receive an email notification once the process has been completed.

Change in Enrollment Policy for Incoming Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Students
State guidelines provide TK for students who turn five from September 2-December 2 and allocate funding for those students beginning with the first day of school. During the Board Meeting on June 3, the Board passed a revision to Board Policy 6170.1, Transitional Kindergarten . Now when openings exist for TK district-wide, Orinda residents who have children turning five between December 3 and 31 will be able to apply.

Students whose TK applications are accepted will attend the school with available space in TK, which may not be the student’s home school. Students enrolled under these
conditions will begin TK on the first day of school. The
District will make every effort to notify families of their child’s TK application status as early as possible but no later than July 31. To apply for any available openings in TK in the 2019-2020 school year under this new policy, click here .

Eighth Grade Families - How to Save Your Child's OUSD Work from Google Classroom
Current eighth grade student Google accounts will be deleted on Monday, July 8th. Students need to copy any files they want to keep using this  guide . An alternative method can be accessed here . If a student forgets to copy a file, OUSD maintains backups of student Google accounts for three years.

Negotiations Update
The negotiating teams for Orinda Education Association (OEA), California School Employees Association (CSEA) and Orinda Union School District met seven times over the April/May time period. Five full-day sessions occurred with all three groups. Overall, the bargaining units agreed that the negotiations process this year has felt positive, collaborative, and productive. Bargaining team members also feel that there was a spirit of mutual respect and partnership in reaching consensus around our shared interests.

The District and CSEA held a separate session on May 22 during which a tentative agreement was reached. The agreement was ratified by CSEA members earlier this week and is expected to be approved by the Board on June 10. The District and OEA held a separate session on May 30 and created a potential package to consider in a tentative agreement. To read more, including the general interests, topics, and specific elements of a potential package for OEA members, click here .

Budget Update
Orinda USD is ranked near dead last (998 out of 1,000 school districts) in California for per pupil funding, and our employee pension and other costs continue to rise. Currently we are deficit spending. Without additional funding from the state, increases in fundraising, or revenue from other sources, the District will have to make cuts to programs and personnel. During the 2019-2020 school year, we will work with all stakeholders to prioritize items in our budget, collaborate with the Foundation and Parent Clubs to increase fundraising, and eliminate or reduce costs where possible to remain solvent. More information will be forthcoming.
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
  • June 10: Regular School Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m.
  • August 12: Regular School Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m.
  • August 14: First Day of School (Late Start for OIS only, 9:25 a.m.)
  • September 9: Regular School Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Please note that our 2019-2020 school calendar has been revised to move elementary conference week to September 23-27, 2019. The 2020-2021 school calendar is now available.

Board Shorts
2018-2019 OUSD Board School Assignments:
OIS: Jason Kaune
Del Rey: Hillary Weiner
Glorietta: Carol Brown
Sleepy Hollow: Cara Hoxie
Wagner Ranch: Liz Daoust
The Board of Trustees took the following actions at their June 3, 2019, regularly scheduled monthly meeting:

  • The Board enjoyed a student STEAM presentation by Glorietta 5th grade students.
  • The Board honored five retirees for their distinguished service to Orinda Union School District: Connie Boero (OIS Clerk), Tricia Newhart (DR Teacher), Ray Szeliga (OUSD Electrician), Kathy Williams (OUSD Accountant), and Jennifer Woodman (OUSD Director of Student Services).
  • The Board approved the Board of Trustees 2019-2020 Regular Meeting Schedule.
  • The Board approved the adoption of the following updated OUSD Board Policies and Administrative Regulations:
  • BP 5131.2 Bullying and AR 5131.2 Bullying
  • BP 6170.1 Transitional Kindergarten which includes a provision for admitting Transitional Kindergarten students born outside of the State guidelines (December 3-31 birth dates)
Curriculum Update
Diversity and Inclusivity Focus for 2019-2020
Orinda USD continues to build our culture of student safety and wellness, where we support students' and teachers’ social and emotional learning and growth. Our focus in the upcoming school year will be on diversity and inclusion. As a part of this work, we will be partnering with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for training of our District and Site administration, along with our staff at all schools. We want to provide all school communities with increased capacity to make strong connections with every student. Stay tuned for a new District theme and other details of our continued work!

Local Control and Accountability Plan Highlights
A draft of the 2019-2020 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) was presented to the Board of Trustees on June 3rd. The LCAP has five major goals:
  1. Achievement for all students in English Language Arts and Math
  2. Develop a culture of professional growth for all teachers
  3. Achievement in Science and the Next Generation Science Standards
  4. Provide safe and comfortable learning environments that meet intellectual, social, emotional, and physical needs of all Orinda school communities
  5. Provide all students with a 21st century educational experience

Spotlight on Dr. Carrie Nerheim,
New OUSD Director of Student Services
Dr. Carrie Nerheim
L to R: Future Son-in-Law Brandon, Daughter Kate, Carrie, Grandson Wesley, Daughter Molly, Son-in-Law Justin
Orinda Union School District is thrilled to introduce Dr. Carrie Nerheim, our new Director of Student Services. Jennifer Woodman, the current OUSD Director of Student Services, is retiring after five years of outstanding service, and we wish her all the best. Dr. Nerheim begins her new position on July 1, and she is excited to get started. Teaching runs in her family. She is a third generation teacher who is following in the footsteps of her mother, a teacher of developmentally disabled adults for 40 years, and her father, a continuation high school teacher for 20 years. Her parents’ commitment to their students, coupled with Dr. Nerheim’s own school experiences, convinced her to become an educator.

Dr. Nerheim wanted to become a teacher to provide a safe and joyful learning environment where all students would learn at high levels. Her teaching experience includes first through eighth grades. She also served as the Special Education Program Coordinator for extended school year for eight years and a peer mediation coordinator for four. After fourteen years in the classroom, she was hired as a Teacher on Special Assignment/Assistant Principal of a K-8 school, and the following year, she became the Principal of Murray Elementary School in the Dublin Unified School District where she remained for seven and a half years, working side by side with teachers, parents, and students to create a climate of inclusivity, rigor, and joy. Most recently Dr. Nerheim served as the Director of Student Services for Albany Unified, and she is eager to learn and grow with the team here in Orinda.
EFO UPDATE
We're coming up short for the year! Summer may have started, but EFO's year doesn't end until June 30th. If you haven't made your annual contribution yet, or if you're feeling generous and want to dig into your pockets for a second time, please donate before June 30th! All donations made before June 30th will help meet EFO's commitments for this current school year. Your donation could be the one that pushes us across the finish line!
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