Parent Letter

"If we expect kids to be losers they will be losers; if we expect them to be winners they will be winners. They rise, or fall, to the level of the expectations of those around them, especially their parents and their teachers.”

~Jaime Escalante

Happy Sunday Ochoa Families,

Remember, attendance matters. Students should come to school daily and stay for the duration of the school day. They should arrive between 8-8:15AM daily; those with a zero period PE class will arrive by 7:15AM. On Mon, Tues, Thur, Friday, students will dismiss at 3:05PM; every Wednesday they dismiss at 1:30PM. Please do not allow students to wait longer than 15-20 min. after dismissal

The Quarter 1 progress reports will be completed by September 25th. Please encourage your students to check their Student Portal/Infinite Campus regularly to make sure all assignments are appropriately submitted. The first quarter ends on, October 18th.

Hallway locker distribution is in underway. Students have received a link to request a locker and they will be distributed soon.

Anthony Ochoa is doing a call for nominees for our School Site Council (SSC). School Site Council (SSC) is a legally required decision-making body for any school receiving federal funds. It includes teachers, parents, administrators, and interested community members who work together to develop and monitor the School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA). Ashley Totah-Mangum and Emmeline "Ms. Emmy" Tibon may be nominated for re-election for these positions. Click the red box/button below to make a nomination for upto two "Parents" we have two positions.

Current Membership:

Adrian Estacio, Staff member- up for reelection

Sumeet Naidu, Staff member- up for reelection

Sarah West, Staff member -up for reelection

Sonia Heister- "Other/Non-Teaching" Staff member through 2025

Emmeline Tibon, Parent Member- up for reelection

Ashley Totah-Mangum, Parent Member- up for reelection

Jacob M-Student Member 2025

Vacancy-Student Member- Do you know a student who might want to represent on our SSC? Encourage them to pay close attention to morning announcements this week.

Finally, Anthony Ochoa is being considered as a School to Watch. Are you a parent who would like to volunteer to be part of our documentation and writing team? Please email Ms. Andrews with STW in the subject line.

Warmly submitted,

-Principal Rowe-Andrews

Parents, many of our students walk through the Chabot campus to catch or be dropped off by the bus. Chabot's Safety Officers have come to site on several occasions to remind us that LOT E is under construction and is unsafe for students/pedestrians. This message has been shared over the past few weeks in the morning announcements, yet as recently as this past Friday, we received video footage of students walking through Lot E. This is a huge safety concern as large trucks are moving through this area to support their on-going construction. Please direct your students to walk through LOT G instead, which is accessible closer to the Hesperian side of the campus.

Additionally, over the past few years and now this year, we have had a number of students hit by vehicles on their way to school. Please remind students to walk with clear vision and to not be distracted by cell phone use as they are walking to and from school each day. Parents if you see something, please do not hesitate to report. On several occasions, the driver has left the scene without minimally checking on the student. This is against the law. Please be mindful of everyones safety and proceed with caution. "Drivers who accidentally strike pedestrians can face criminal and civil charges. Depending on the severity of the incident, you may face: Suspension of driver's license. Fines. and/or Jail time."

Thank you.

Student athletes must maintain a 2.0 GPA with no more than one "F: Grades will be monitored regularly and students will be advised by the athletic director. School games and evening events must follow school expectations.

• dress code is enforced
• students must attend school; If absent during the day may not attend events/sports etc
• school appropriate language required
• school appropriate behaviors required

Glad to be back on campus. Working on compiling comprehensive data to identify our diverse ELLs and find creative solutions to meet their varying needs. Also, following up with our 8th grade ELLs and focal list students. World House still impacted.

Click here to: Visit our Multilingual Learner Department's Webpage

Resources for Families of Multilingual Learners

Parents: Get Involved

District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC)

Site Level: English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)

Board Policy 6020: Parent Involvement & Family Engagement

My Schedule: I am at Ochoa the 2nd and 4th Wednesday/every Thursday and Friday.

Parent University is offering the "2nd Chance at College" program to help HUSD parents and guardians return to college!

Are there any costs to the program?

No, the program is entirely FREE to all participants. We ask for your commitment to the duration of the course.

Participants will commit to 9 weekly classes. Classes will meet from 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at the Parent Resource Center every Thursday. Class begins on September 19, 2024, and ends on December 12, 2024. Childcare will be provided for children in grades TK-6. Register on our website - the deadline is Monday, September 16, 2024. Those who submit the registration form will receive a confirmation email regarding the status of their participation in 2nd Chance at College.

Course Information

ECD 56: Child Growth and Development

Examines the progression of development in the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional domains and identifies developmental milestones for children both typical and atypical from conception through adolescence. Emphasis on interactions between biological processes and environmental factors. Students will observe children, evaluate individual differences, and analyze characteristics of development at various stages according to developmental theories.

For more information call Farial Nazari at 510-723-3857 ext. 34184 or by email at fj343@husd.k12.ca.us. Visit our website: www.husd.us/2ndchance.

The Million Fathers March (MFM) is an opportunity for dads, uncles, grandfathers, coaches, mentors, clergy, men’s groups and organizations to show their commitment to the educational lives of their children throughout the school year by escorting children to school on this day.

"The Power of Presence: Fathers Engaged in Education", underscores the profound impact of fathers actively participating in their children's academic life. This involvement isn't just beneficial for the children; it reiterates the essence of community, love, and shared growth.

The Million Fathers March is an annual event during which fathers, father figures, and male role models across the nation come together to escort their children to school. This powerful gesture symbolizes their commitment to their children's education and sets the stage for an ongoing engagement throughout the school year.

*Agenda is posted 72 hrs in advance.

Site Based Decision Making (SBDM) was introduced to Hayward USD in 1996 as a strategy for ensuring that staff, parents, and students at individual school sites had a vehicle for engaging in the decision-making that most affected their own sites. Over the years, HUSD board and district leadership have affirmed the importance of SBDM as a means of exchanging ideas, data, and other information necessary to improving educational opportunities for HUSD students.

These are public meetings any member of the Ochoa community is welcome to join meetings, submit agenda items, voice concerns, support process improvements and spending (MAA funds), and offer input to the School Site Council (SSC) team at Ochoa Middle School regarding suggestions for spending that supports student academic achievement.

Monday, September 16, 2024

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

• District Curriculum Council, 4PM
• Secondary Subject Matter, 4PM
• District Safety Committee Meeting, 4PM
• SSC Nominations begin

Wednesday, September 18, 2024*

*Students participating in athletic programs must maintain at least a 2.00GPA.

• College Day- Wear College/University Gear to support a college going culture!
• Students dismiss at 1:30PM
• 1st Volleyball Game, 4PM
• 1st Flag Football Game
• Back to School Night, 5:30PM (Zero Pd) Link to Schedule

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Friday, September 20, 2024

• School Spirit Day~ Wear Black & Yellow
• Million Father March, Drop Off "Donuts for Father Figures"
• SSC Nominations end

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Looking Ahead:

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

• Vision & Hearing Screening, Library (PE Classes)

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

• Coffee with the Principal, 9AM-Hybrid Meeting (In Person/virtual)
• Volleyball & Football Games today
• HUSD Board of Education Mtg, 6:30PM

Friday, October 18, 2024

• Family Movie Night

Thursday, October 31, 2024

• Halloween Dance, 3:30PM-5:30PM

Could your student benefit from homework support? Some social time with friends in clubs? Please contact Mr. Ryan Edmonson at RE2216@husd.us, to enroll in the YEP program.

Ochoa has a nice sized garden and we are looking for families who might be willing and able to help us plan to revitalize it. Currently, we are growing grapes, apricots, pomegranates, and apples. Our Site Based Decision Making Team has been discussing the possibility of creating a garden to table home economics program for our students. If you or someone you know might be able to offer some expertise in this area, please reach out to Principal Rowe-Andrews or Ms. Hiester, Family Engagement Specialist.

We would love to hear from you.

Does your student require public transportation? If you would like to apply for a free AC transit card for your student please click the link below. This is not transportation specific to students with IEPs, but is available for ALL students.

SCHOOL SUCCESS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO GOOD ATTENDANCE. Ochoa strives for a 98+% attendance rate for our students each year. Poor performance in the classroom is often the result of poor attendance. If students are to achieve maximum value from their middle school education, 100% attendance is the goal. Did you know that the state of California only allows students to be absent, with *valid excuse for less than 10% of the year?

*valid excuses for absences from school are:

• Illness or quarantine
• Medical, dental, or optometry appointments

• Religious Requests, upto one per quarter with prior written notice and approval
• Attendance at funeral services for a member of the immediate family

California law requires all students 6 to 18 years old are required to attend school on time and regularly. Cal. Ed. Code § 48200.

A child is habitually truant if, without valid excuse, they are:

• Absent for three days in a single school year,
• Absent or tardy more than 30 minutes three times in a year,
• Any combination of the above. Cal. Ed. Code § 48260(a).

A child is chronically truant if they have missed 10 percent of the school year. Cal. Ed. Code § 48263.6.

Parents must Report Absences-Please call us!: All absences must be cleared by a phone call or a note within 72 hours of the absence from a parent/guardian to the attendance office (510 723-3130 extension 43111). When absences are not cleared in this manner the family can expect to receive a call from our office or automated phone system.

Students should plan to arrive to school each day between 8 and 8:15AM, unless they have a zero period class. Students with a zero period PE class must arrive at school daily no later than 7:15AM. The first bell rings at 8:20AM and students must be in their seats or on their PE numbers by that time. Even if a student arrives "just 1 minute late," they legally must be marked tardy according to the law. Help us to achieve our daily and annual attendance goals this year and help us to get to 98% or better.

Website: https://ochoa.husd.us
Location: 2121 Depot Road, Hayward, CA
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