We hope all our families are already enjoying the long weekend! In addition to there being no school today for a Staff Professional Development Day, please remember that the school will be closed on Monday, September 6 in observance of Labor Day. We look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday, September 7 after some well-earned relaxation.
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ACADEMIC VIRTUAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT |
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Thank you to all OCSA parents and guardians who attended our Academic Virtual Back-to-School Night yesterday! If you still have outstanding questions that were not addressed in the teacher presentations, please reach out to your child’s teachers directly.
We also wanted to take a moment to apologize for the technology and access issues experienced during the Counselor’s Corner presentation. This was due to a settings issue that should have been corrected prior to the beginning of the presentation. The Counselor’s Corner session was recorded and can be accessed here.
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We are excited to announce the launch of our Free Lunch Program for all OCSA students, set to begin on Monday, September 13. Each day of the week, a different free lunch option will be available for students to reserve and pick up from a designated location on campus.
Please see below for the weekly free lunch specials. Each special will also include a piece of fruit and a beverage (water, milk, or orange juice).
Mondays: Penne Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Tuesdays: Bean and Cheese Burrito
Wednesdays: Cheese Quesadilla
Thursdays: Ham and Cheese Sandwich
Fridays: Hot Dog
Students will also be able to reserve a daily free breakfast of cereal and milk.
Students must reserve their meal selections each week by Sunday at 5 p.m. so that the Food Service staff can prepare the correct quantities of food. Students can access the selection form via the QR code found near food service locations on campus, or they can click here to select meals each week.
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Attention students: Club Rush is almost here! Find out about all of the incredible clubs you can join on Wednesday, September 8 and Friday, September 10 during lunch. Details are still being finalized, so keep an eye on the Google Classroom (code gxcobnc) for updates.
For those who are unaware, Club Rush is an exciting biannual event where club leaders showcase their clubs and attract interested students to join. Students can still join clubs after Club Rush, and there will be a file posted in the Google Classroom that lists where and when all clubs meet. We hope to see you all at Club Rush!
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REGISTER FOR THE PSAT/PRE-ACT |
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Sophomore and junior families: Don’t forget to register for the PSAT and Pre-ACT at www.MySchoolBucks.com. The registration deadline for both exams is next Friday, September 10 at 9 p.m.
It is recommended that students take both of these practice college entrance exams in order to discover which test they prefer. Both tests will be administered on the OCSA campus. The PSAT is scheduled for Saturday, October 16, while the Pre-ACT is scheduled for Saturday, October 23. Please note that these tests are for OCSA students only.
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ENCORE CONSERVATORY CHALLENGE |
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There is only one week left in the Encore Conservatory Challenge! Become an Encore member today and your child's conservatory could win a grant of $2,500 to support a master artist or an arts enrichment program of the conservatory director’s choice. The conservatory with the highest percentage of families who join Encore by next Friday, September 10 will win the Encore Conservatory Challenge!
Encore is a fun, social membership group for current and alumni families to meet, socialize, and receive exclusive benefits designed to deliver the ultimate OCSA experience. To learn more about Encore or join today, visit www.ocsarts.net/JoinEncore.
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OCTA YOUTH RIDE FREE PROGRAM |
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We are pleased to share that OCSA will be participating in the Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) Youth Ride Free Program! As of this month, children ages 6 to 18 are able to ride the bus anywhere in Orange County for free every day with a specialty pass. To opt in to this program, parents can pick up a release form at the front desk of the Tower. Once the completed form is returned to the front desk, a pass will be given to the student. Please visit the OCTA website for more information about this program.
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ENTERTAINMENT WORK PERMITS |
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With students back on campus, OCSA is returning to its regular process for handling Entertainment Work Permits (EWP).
Students applying for an EWP must have satisfactory semester grades of “C” or better in all classes from the previous semester and have maintained regular attendance in each class. Students who do not meet these criteria will have the opportunity to resubmit their EWP applications the following semester.
To request an EWP, please follow the steps below:
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Download the EWP application from the Department of Industrial Relations Labor Commissioner’s Office.
- Parents complete Section A and provide a signature under Section C.
- Students submit their EWP application to the School Registrar (Student Services Office, Humanities Tower, Room 101) for Section B approval, signature, and official stamp. Please allow a minimum of 24 hours turnaround time.
- Students can pick up their signed applications from the Student Services Office during Block 7 the following day. Please note that applications submitted on a Friday will not be ready for pick up until Tuesday of the following week.
During the first two weeks of school and after school holidays, please expect a longer turnaround time for EWP application approval and plan ahead.
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As a reminder, weekly COVID-19 testing is available to all faculty and staff, as well as to students and families as an extra health and safety resource. The school offers free weekly COVID-19 testing on the OCSA campus every Monday in the Symphony Hall lobby from 1:30-4:30 p.m. by appointment. Walkups may be possible based on availability.
Please visit our COVID-19 Dashboard for registration information and to schedule your appointment. If anyone arrives at the test site without a prior appointment scheduled, the nurse will have a QR code available that the patient can scan to schedule their test.
As a reminder, all K-12 school employees and volunteers will be required to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing as mandated by the State of California. OCSA Administration is currently in the process of collecting this information from employees, school contractors, and volunteers to be in compliance prior to the deadline of Friday, October 15.
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All information about OCSA’s COVID-19 policies and procedures, as well as important health and safety resources, is available on our COVID-19 Dashboard. In addition, the COVID-19 Dashboard serves as the primary resource for keeping our school community informed on active case totals and is updated regularly to reflect verified positive COVID-19 cases among OCSA students, staff, and visitors.
On this page, you can also access the COVID-19 Reporting Form. If you have been on the OCSA campus and receive a positive COVID-19 test, have a possible exposure to COVID-19, or experience COVID-19 symptoms, we ask that you please report it to the school through this form as soon as you can.
As a reminder, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 12 years and older should get a COVID-19 vaccination to help protect against COVID-19. For more information regarding COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens, please click here.
We will continue to update the OCSA community as we monitor and adjust to the most recent guidelines.
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FRANKENCITY NEEDS YOUR STORIES |
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This year, the Acting, Commercial Dance, Creative Writing, Digital Media, Film & Television, Musical Theatre, and Production & Design Conservatories are all teaming up to produce an original, social activism collaboration called Frankencity. This unique event aims to raise awareness and empathy for those experiencing a lack of adequate housing. The event directors are looking for OCSA students and staff who would be willing to share their true stories involving their experiences with housing insecurity. Such situations may include temporary shelter living, living in a hotel or motel, temporarily doubling up, or living unsheltered. Selected stories will be performed anonymously by Acting and Musical Theatre students.
Please email Creative Writing Director Josh Wood at josh.wood@ocsarts.net by Friday, October 1 to share your story. Mr. Wood is the only person who will be aware of your identity, unless anonymity is not preferred.
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CSARTS ACADEMY REGISTRATION CLOSING |
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Hurry, registration for CSArts Academy Fall 2021 classes ends this coming Monday, September 6. Saturday Series classes begin on Saturday, September 11 and are open to aspiring artists in the community, ages 8-15, of all levels. Register today for an arts experience unlike any other!
Before you register, be sure to browse our Fall 2021 Brochure of Classes to check out all of our impressive courses offered both virtually and in person on the OCSA campus! Please let family and friends who may be interested know about this exciting opportunity.
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Labor Day (School Closed): Monday, September 6
Season Premiere: Saturday, September 11
Homecoming Dance (Grades 9-12): Saturday, October 9
Veterans Day (School Closed): Thursday, November 11
Non Student/Teacher Day (No School): Friday, November 12
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UPCOMING PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS
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