Vol: 18 No: 3 September 2, 2019
Alliance of Parents & Teachers
APT is committed to OSA as a diverse, equitable and inclusive school community. A place where students thrive, and where parents, teachers, and students— together with the school leadership and board, partner to ensure the success of the school.
Please join us for the Monthly APT General Meetings! Download: 2019-20 APT Welcomes You!! – Info Slides
Sign-up for Konstella! This is how OSA’s APT provides you important information & updates on OSA!
Konstella Videos & Guides
See these useful Konstella Videos & Guides
CHARTER RENEWAL UPDATES
Dear OSA Community,
Thank you to all for your interest in OSA’s upcoming charter renewal and your active participation in meeting of August 29. As we discussed, there will be a need for stakeholder engagement (students, teachers, parents, administrators) at all levels to ensure a successful charter renewal. As is the case in a charter renewal process, we need to highlight OSA’s strengths and contribute to an authentic plan to address our weaknesses. We gathered data and ideas from students and parents at our meeting and that will continue over the next few weeks.
In addition, we encourage you to attend the next APT meeting on September 10th. We will also be gathering data and information through other means.
Here are the slides used at August 29 meeting. In addition, you can find OSA’s current charter here.
You can also find news on the latest legislation in Sacramento here:
San Francisco Chronicle
CalMatters
Stay tuned for more information coming your way from the APT in the coming days and weeks ahead!
Save the Date!
Back to School Night!
Time: Thursday, September 5, 6:00pm
We will be hosting all parents and guardians for our academic Back to School Night on Thursday, September 5th at 6pm. This is an opportunity for parents/guardians to visit each of your student’s classrooms and receive a brief presentation from each of their teachers. The first period presentation will begin promptly at 6:00pm so please be sure to account for the time it will take to park and make it up to the classroom. You can access your student’s schedule and room numbers through powerschool though students will also be compiling their schedule and room information in advisory that day to send to parents/guardians digitally.
We look forward to seeing you soon! Mike Oz, Principal, Oakland School for the Arts
General APT Meeting
Time: Tuesday, September 10, 2019
5:30-6:00pm Community Building
6:00-7:00pm General APT Meeting
7:00-8:00pm Arts Emphasis Meetings
Join other OSA parents & participating OSA staff in community building prior to the APT General Meeting.
Come to engage in the Charter Renewal process, which is CRITICAL to ensure the future of OSA. Meaningful parent engagement is a key ingredient to the success of the Charter Renewal. Please come out to learn more!
Location: OSA Student Center
PODS: Parents of Students with Disabilities
Time: Wednesday, September 11, 6:00-7:30pm (Konstella Event)
PODS is where OSA families can build community and support each other, and help the administration and faculty create and sustain an educational community where students with disabilities are fully supported and enjoy full inclusion, representation, respect, and dignity.
Chief of Staff Updates
Attendance Counts!
As many of you know, attendance is one of the primary factors influencing how much funding our school receives. Regular attendance is also vital for students to engage in classrooms, connect with peers, and stay on top of homework. We have submitted our monthly attendance report and can proudly say that overall school attendance is looking pretty good! Sixth grade has the highest level of attendance at 99.47%, and middle school overall is at 98.97%. High school is a little lower but still doing well at 97.81%.
Those who attended last spring’s budget meetings may recall that we build our annual budget on an estimated attendance percentage. If students don’t attend classes, and our actual attendance rate is lower than anticipated, we come up short on funds at the end of the school year. Please help OSA and help your student at the same time by sending them to school every day. Plan vacations for scheduled school closures only (see the academic calendar on our website).
New this year – OSA will host a pizza party for the grade who has overall highest attendance each quarter! Expect to see regular reporting on our attendance in future newsletters.
Pick up and drop off
We encourage everyone to slow down and be mindful of all the children in our OSA community when you drop off and pick up your student. Remember that middle and high school students look to us as examples – whether it feels like it or not! – in how to treat people courteously, cope with stress, and be part of a community. Be the kind of driver you’d like them to be, once they’re behind the wheel of a car.
Free & Reduced Lunch Applications Open Now!
The deadline to apply for free or reduced lunch is October 1st. We strongly encourage everyone to fill out the application on our website, whether your child plans to eat a hot lunch at school or not! Besides receiving lunch daily, students who qualify will get lower fees for AP exams, SAT and PSAT exams, and free college applications. Additionally, each child who qualifies for free or reduced lunch triggers a higher level of funding to OSA from the state so that we can provide more intensive services for those who may need it. Please go to https://mealapps.ousd.org/ and fill out your application today!
OSA Chief of Staff: Please contact Romy Douglass with any questions at rdouglass@OakArts.org
SJDC Performs at BCF Saturday, September 7 @ 8pm!
OSA Dance at BCF Sunday, September 8 @ 3pm!
Afterschool Program near OSA
This Fall 3 O’Clock Rock will focus on writing your own songs for a new record called 3 O’Clock Rock Takes You to Dinner!
- Learn the basics on drums, guitars, bass, keyboards, and vocals.
- Learn Complete Songs and prepare for show – Sunday, November 3rd – 924 Gilman St. Berkeley, CA – 1pm
- Write an original song
- Students will also learn a selection of food related songs with their teacher.
- Draw Show Posters, Album Artwork and contribute artwork, comics, to the 3 O’Clock Rock Fanzine
Please contact Angela Engel with any questions at angengel@gmail.com or phone 510-384-8019
Middle School Ultimate Frisbee
Calling all Middle Schoolers, want to join our OSA ultimate team?
The middle school Ultimate Frisbee team, the Seawolves, is back for our second year this Fall. No tryouts; all genders and experience level are welcome. Once-weekly practice begins soon, the day is yet to be finalized based on availability of players. Players from other middle schools are also welcome to join. Ultimate frisbee is a fun, fast-paced, low cost, team sport. The team will participate in tournaments hosted by the Bay Area Disc Association, (bayareadisc.org), and financial aid is available. For more info, contact Coach Patsy Smith, mom to OSA 7th grade vocal student Monique Wethy, at carmengetit@gmail.com, join the google group at https://groups.google.com/
Other Important Dates
OSA 2019-20 Academic Calendar
Download: Calendar
Thursday, September 5
Event: Back to School Night
Thursday, September 26
Sweets Ballroom – Free Concert
Event: Kick-Off Annual Fund (More info coming…)
Weekly Announcements
Special Education Announcement
Please READ the following SPED Letter regarding 2019-20 Special Education Programming at OSA.
After School Program
Please READ and SUBMIT the following ASP Letter and Form regarding 2019-20 After School Programming at OSA.
OSA Student and Family Handbook
Please Download OSA Student and Family Handbook. Please contact Katy Zaugg for questions: kzaugg@oakarts.org
OSA Bell Schedule
Download OSA 2019-20 Bell Schedule. Be Sure To Be On-Time Everyday! Tardy Bell Rings at 8:20am for Middle School & High School.
A’s Game Announcement
Game: A’s versus Texas Rangers
6:00pm – welcome table in parking lot
6:30pm-7pm charter families/stakeholders seated
How to order tickets:
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Michael Rodgers, Ticket Office, mrodgers@athletics.com Tickets for this event are $5 each, a 75% discount |
Parent to Parent
Events, activities, and classes shared by parents for parents.
Upcoming Events to be Posted Here. More to Come…
Useful Links
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- Donate to OSA Annual Fund
- OSA Spotlight – June 2019 edition
- Hot Lunch Menu (Forthcoming…)
- My School Bucks – Add money to School Lunch Account
- OSA Commuters – Login to Konstella and JOIN the Commuter Sharing Social Group
- KOSA Radio – student radio
- smile.amazon.com – Use this link when shopping on Amazon. It brings money into the school!
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News item submissions (deadline-end of school-day Wednesdays) osanews@aptosa.org
Submission Guidelines
To View In Your Browser, Click Here: OSA News!