In the event you have not heard, we just loss a wonderful member of our faculty and Oak Ridge High School family, Leonie "Ms. C" Chandersingh. Below we have included a segment which mentions the many areas Ms. C was involved with: academics, sports, community affairs, student organizations and more. When it came to education and giving of herself for the good of our students, you could really think of her as a "Renaissance Woman" who touched many lives. People like her who give so much of themselves to benefit others, young and old alike, are extremely rare in life. She will be greatly missed and Oak Ridge High School was blessed to have Ms. C as one of our educators who arrived every school day prepared to give all she could for the students.

Next week is only a four-day school week for students as there is no school on Friday, October 8th when teachers finalize grades for the first nine-week quarter. To any of our Pioneers who have incomplete projects or assignments, please get those turned in right away as these grades will be part of your permanent record. I also encourage all of our readers to please take a close look at this edition's upcoming events list as October is a very busy month across the board which includes a number of special events. 

As today is the first of October, I hope your month is already off to a great start and, as always, thank you for your continued support and involvement. Enjoy your weekend!

Mr. Alvarado

Principal

Oak Ridge High School

Pictured very top: Congratulations to our recently elected Senior Class Officers! This year, the seats for Treasurer, Public Relations Officer, and Class Representative are all held by JA Academy students!

Treasurer, Judens Emmanuel, wanted to help organize and facilitate activities for the Senior Class- which is why he hopes to "make the best out of the year by making it as fun and eventful as possible."

Public Relations Officer, Tasheki Hall, also hopes to have an enjoyable Senior Year, despite the pandemic, and wants to keep everyone well informed. She ran for office to "gain more experience with leadership and to step out of my comfort zone."

Class Representative, Manoach Saint-Vil hopes to plan multiple Senior events, making the necessary accommodations due to the pandemic. Saint-Vil ran for officer because "coming back from Covid-19 has been difficult for us all and if there's a way I can improve the year for my peers I should be in a position to do so." 

OCTOBER……SCHOOL-WIDE “PINK OUT” tradition on Tuesdays!

In observation of Breast Cancer Awareness month, PLEASE join us in our school-wide “PINK OUT” TUESDAYS.

Oak Ridge faculty, staff and students wear PINK every Tuesday during the month of October.

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Ms. “C” on Saturday, September 25, 2021. She came to ORHS in 2006 and has held many positions serving our students and community for over 15 years. She held positions as a Business Teacher, Lab Manager, 21st CCLC Program Director, Bowling Coach- where she coached the team to win a State Championship in the 2018-2019 season, Keeping It Classy Sisterhood Program Mentor, Angel Tree Event Assistant, Food Pantry Overseer, and her most recent position as a Parent Liaison Coordinator.

She was a mentor, mother figure, spiritual adviser, and safe haven for all. Ms. “C” was well respected by all that knew her- colleagues, students, and community members. The Pioneer Family is devastated and heartbroken by the loss of an amazing woman. At this time we do not have funeral service information but will share that as soon as it is acquired.

Please keep Ms. “C” and her family in your prayers. May she rest in peace.

Congratulations to our seniors on the volleyball team. We are so proud of you- #greattobeapioneer

A VERY proud moment for District 5! School Board Member Felder, Minority Affairs Office Officer Bellinger, Principal Alvarado, and Jones High School Principal Kirby showing love and admiration at the Oak Ridge vs. Jones football game! Pioneer & Tiger pride was abound! Great job to both teams!

"The JA Academy is one in a million." He knows, as a member of the final graduating class, things achieved this year will have a lasting impact on the legacy of the Academy and he looks forward to going out with a bang. He also participates in @l.i.f.e.orlando and enjoys the brotherhood they have. This group helped him foster many valuable friendships.

Jalen loves to volunteer in his community because of the connections made and the idea of giving back or helping out in any way is meaningful. He likes to volunteer at his church, JA, and the L.I.F.E. Mentor Program. He plans to attend an #HBCU and pursue his dream career as a record producer. "I'd like to share that producing and making beats, and sending them out to rappers is going to blow up this year. I guarantee it. So, anyone who isn't at least acquainted with me better hop on the wave before I take off off."

Students were asked this question during A & B lunches: “Who is your Safe Adult? Do you have an adult here on campus that you can go to if you need help, need some advice, or just need someone to talk to?”

Take a look at the SAFE ADULT SHOUT OUT BOARD!

Thank you Safe Adults for building trusted relationships here on our campus!

We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success.

Each student will submit one essay no longer than 500 words based on this year’s theme. Three winners will be selected: one elementary school student (grades 4-5), one middle school student (grades 6-8) and one high school student (grades 9-12). Each winner will receive a 4-Year Florida College Plan scholarship provided by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation.

Students who arrive AFTER 7:45AM will need to go through Ms. Echevarria in the attendance office to receive a pass to class.

The two discipline clerk’s offices: 6-102 (Mrs. Forsberg) and 5-111 (Ms. Wider) will write tardy passes throughout the day.

Students that wish to participate can get an application from Ms. Householder in Office 101FF in the Administration Building, or Ms. Lewis after school in the Media Center.

The dress and grooming of Orange County Public Schools’ students shall contribute to the health and safety of the individual, promote a positive educational environment, and not disrupt the educational activities and processes of the school. These standards of dress and grooming apply to all students in the public schools of Orange County, unless a specific exemption is granted by the principal. Any request for an exemption shall be made to the principal.

1. Clothes shall be worn as they are designed. For example, suspenders should be over the shoulders, pants secured at the waist, belts buckled, no underwear as outerwear, no underwear exposed.

2. Clothing must cover the body from one armpit across to the other armpit and down to approximately mid-thigh. Tops must have straps. Undergarments must not be viewable. Rips, holes, or tears in clothing must be below mid-thigh.

3. Shoes shall be worn at all times and should be safe for the school environment. The following shoes are not acceptable for any OCPS student: cleated shoes or shoes with wheels.

4. Headgear shall not be worn on campus during the school day, unless the headgear is approved by the principal.

5. Specialized courses may require specialized attire, such as sports uniforms, or safety gear and must be approved by the principal before being worn during the school day.

6. See-through, revealing, or mesh garments must not be worn without appropriate coverage underneath that meet the minimum requirements of this dress code.

7. Gang paraphernalia, garments and/or jewelry, tattoos, or other insignias, which display or suggest sexual, vulgar, drug, alcohol, or tobacco-related wording/graphics or may tend to provoke violence or disruption in school shall not be worn.

8. Clothing must not state, imply, or depict hate speech or imagery targeting groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation, or any other protected class.

9. Clothing and accessories that endanger students or staff shall not be worn.

10. Students shall wear a face mask/face covering/face shield if required by the Board, OCPS, Principal, or other official with authority to mandate the wearing of this protective gear. This requirement may be waived with approval from the principal only if a student is medically unable to wear a face mask/face covering/face shield.

After reviewing your child’s Progress Report, you may decide that your child would benefit from additional support. Every day, 2 p.m. - 11 p.m., students can receive FREE online tutoring and homework help through the Orange County Library System. Live tutors are available to help your student in a variety of subject areas (below). View the directions on how to access Brainfuse Live Tutoring. You can also find the information on the OCPS Current Families site under Help at Home.

The Valencia Bridges to Success Scholarship Program is an opportunity for Seniors to apply to a program that not only covers two years of tuition, fees, and books at Valencia College but also provides students with support as they transition to college.

The support includes learning strategies for success and academic achievement, structure that keeps you on track with your academic goals, weekly updates/reminders from an Academic Advisor and Program Director, early registration for courses, and more! The application is available through the Valencia portal. Students can access this application after they have been accepted to Valencia College. The fee to apply to Valencia College is $35.

The FAFSA process opens on October 1 for 2022-2023 school year.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®)

The College & Career Specialists have scheduled to have a monthly FAFSA Night to better serve our students. The proposed dates are listed below. Time for each event will be 5:00-8:00PM and take place in the cafeteria. Dates are subject to change- events will be announced monthly as well. We hope to see you there!

To register, follow the links above and create a account on each site. From there you will be able to select a test date, submit payment*, and print your admission ticket.

* Students on free/reduced lunch are eligible to receive two fee waivers for each test at no charge. Please see your guidance counselor to obtain a waiver.

Each year the Orlando Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc, hosts our annual scholarship workshop. This year, it will be held virtually and students and parents will have the opportunity to hear from college representatives about admissions requirements, campus life and much more. We will then have breakout sessions focused on Finding Your Fit, Financial Aid and Scholarships, Making Yourself Competitive and NCAA. To qualify for our annual scholarships seniors must attend one of our scholarship workshops.

Black College Expo – October 1

If you know any families or community members that would like to read about the happenings at ORHS please let them know how to sign up using the link:

This Saturday, October 2, Nemours Children’s Health will be providing free well checks and vaccines. Advanced appointments are needed for both services.

Please see the information regarding our free Nemours Mobile Clinic for uninsured children on:

Date: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2

Time: 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M.

Location: Mexican Consulate, 2500 Technology Dr., Orlando, FL 32804

Please click on the link below for information about vaccinations and testing locations and times.

Source: US Census Bureau

Source: J.P. Morgan Asset Management 

Source: Statista Read full article

Copyright Notice

Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and OCPS - Oak Ridge High School is forbidden without written consent. Thank you for your support of the Orange County Public Schools and especially Oak Ridge High School. Please contact Mrs. Laurene Householder at laurene.householder@ocps.net with any questions related to the program.

Oak Ridge High School | Mr. Alvarado, Principal | 407.852.3200 | ORHS Website