Message from the Superintendent
August 16, 2022
Upcoming Events
- August 16: BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS - California ES; Panorama TK & Kinder; Anaheim Hills ES TK & K
- August 17: First Day of School
- August 18: McPherson Back to School Night; Board of Education Meeting
- August 23: BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS - Sycamore ES; West Orange ES; Lampson ES; Canyon Rim ES; Linda Vista ES; La Veta ES; Running Springs ES; Anaheim Hills ES; Imperial ES; Jordan ES
- August 26: BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS - Serrano ES; Canyon Hills ES
- August 30: BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS - Cambridge ES; Handy ES; Nohl Canyon ES; Chapman Hills ES; Fairhaven ES; Panorama ES; Palmyra ES; Villa Park ES; Crescent ES; Esplanade ES; Fletcher ES; Esplanade ES
- August 31: Villa Park HS Back to School Night
In this Message
- Welcome from the Superintendent
- First Day of School Printable Signs
- 2022-23 Health and Safety Plan
- Visitor and Volunteer Information
- Community Safety Forums
- Universal Meals
- Orange Unified Celebrates New Aquatic Center at El Modena High School
- School Site Administrative Assignments 2022-2023 School Year
- Discounted Home Internet for Qualifying Families
- Trustees Appoint David A. Rivera as Deputy Superintendent
- 2022-2023 Online Bus Pass Applications
Dear OUSD Community,
Welcome to the 2022-23 school year at Orange Unified School District!
We are pleased to continue to offer in-person instruction districtwide while providing a safe, equitable, and innovative culture of learning for each scholar to have a competitive EDGE as a leader. The success of each student is a collaborative effort between all stakeholders in the process of teaching and learning, and I encourage each of you to work with your child’s teachers and principal to help foster a positive educational experience.
Award-winning schools and academic success are a direct result of the hard work and dedication of Orange Unified staff in partnership with our parents and the OUSD community. Through technology-integrated, hands-on learning, our students graduate prepared for successful college, career, and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math experiences.
In 2021-22, our collaborative efforts resulted in numerous accolades received by our school sites: Canyon, El Modena, and Villa Park High Schools were recognized for the third consecutive year as U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools in the Nation; Anaheim Hills Elementary was named a National Blue Ribbon School; Richland was once again designated as a Model Continuation High School; and Jordan Academy of Computer Science and Language Immersion was honored with California School Board Association’s prestigious Golden Bell for Integrated Innovative Content: Biliteracy & Computer Science – the District’s sixth Golden Bell award in five years. OUSD is also proud to be the home to Orange County’s only two Verizon Innovative Learning Schools (Portola and Yorba) and 2021 Project Lead the Way Distinguished Schools (McPherson Magnet and Villa Park High School).
We continue to follow our strategic plan, The Orange Unified EDGE, and focus on actions that reinforce Excellence in academics and leadership, Dedicated and engaged communication, Genuine wellness and safety, and Efficient utilization of fiscal capital. The Orange Unified EDGE was designed to propel Orange Unified’s academic programs, community outreach efforts, student and staff support systems, and efficiency through 2025.
Thanks to Measure S, our Phase 1 projects collectively created over 200,000 square feet of new, state-of-the-art teaching and learning spaces at our comprehensive high schools. This school year, we will see our Phase 2 projects begin, providing additional campus upgrades, enhancements, and classroom modernization at our high schools. Campus improvements are also underway at our elementary and middle schools to ensure our students and staff have access to clean, modern, functional, and efficient facilities.
To keep up to date with the OUSD’s latest news and updates, please visit our website — orangeusd.org — and follow OUSD on social media.
I look forward to a successful school year!
Warmest Regards,
Gunn Marie Hansen, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
First Day Signs
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! To celebrate the start of the new school year, we are sharing FREE First Day of School printable signs that families can download from our website at www.orangeusd.org/1st-day.
Don’t forget to share those first-day smiles with us at firstday@orangeusd.org for a chance to be featured on our website and social media!
2022-23 Safety and Health-Driven Plan
Please be sure to check out our 2022-23 Safety and Health-Driven Plan, which outlines what we have implemented to keep our students and staff healthy in the new school year. We will continue our current health and safety mitigation strategies, including:
- Standalone air purification units in classrooms, offices, and other collaboration spaces
- Enhanced ventilation throughout our facilities
- Cleaning and disinfecting protocols
- Handwashing and/or hand sanitizing stations
We continue to provide community notifications of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases and track this information on the OUSD Covid Dashboard. Living Fit Nation will also continue to offer free PCR testing to the OUSD community at our four comprehensive high schools and the OUSD district office from 2:00-5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Please be sure to register for an appointment before showing up. Additionally, antigen iHealth kits can also be picked up from your school’s health office for student use (while supplies last).
As a reminder, while masks are not required, anyone who wishes to wear a mask may do so at any time. Please see the updated California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines for schools for more information or visit our Health & Safety page for more information about OUSD practices and protocols.
Please keep students home when sick. If your student is confirmed positive for COVID-19, contact the school office. Our school office personnel are trained in explaining the isolation requirements for those students that are positive or expressing symptoms.
With these ongoing health and safety measures in place, we are excited to have all our students, staff, and parents back with us as we start the 2022-23 school year. Thank you for your partnership. We look forward to a wonderful year.
Visitor and Volunteer Information
As we begin the 2022-23 school year, we are excited to have our parent volunteers back on a more regular basis. This year, we will no longer limit the number of volunteers on any of our campuses. As is customary, volunteers must continue to complete the OUSD volunteer process through the Informed K12 system. In addition, masking is also recommended for all our volunteers working within the school.
Visitors to OUSD sites for events such as PTA Meetings, Back to School Night, athletic competitions, awards assemblies, theater performances, etc., no longer need to turn in any COVID attestations (for vaccination or testing).
We have been busy this summer! Here is some news you may have missed:
Community Safety Forums
In support of Focus Area 3.0 Genuine Wellness & Safety of the Orange Unified EDGE Strategic Plan, we recently hosted four different community forums to discuss safety on our campuses. If you were unable to attend and would like to provide feedback, please fill out the online input form at https://bit.ly/OUSD-SafetyForum.
The purpose of our forums and accompanying feedback is to gather engaged community input and coordinate a District Safety Task Force that will develop recommendations to be presented to the OUSD Board of Education.
Universal Meals
The Orange Unified School district participates in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program by offering one free breakfast and one free lunch to students during each school day, regardless of income status.
Learn more at https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=2501081743337031
Orange Unified Celebrates New Aquatic Center at El Modena High School
We were excited to celebrate the opening of the new Aquatic Center at El Modena High School with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the new pool deck earlier this month. The new facility will meet the long-term needs of the Vanguard aquatics programs and provide a premiere space where students can learn, train, practice, and compete.
The new pool deck sits in the same footprint as the old one, but the pool itself has increased from 25 meters to 30 meters, allowing more student-athletes in the pool at one time. In addition, the new facility was designed to better serve the needs of modern-day aquatics programs.
School Site Administrative Assignments 2022-2023 School Year
We are pleased to announce the Principal/Assistant Principal assignments for the 2022-2023 school year. See the list at https://www.orangeusd.org/about-us/news/release-article/~board/2022/post/orange-unified-school-district-school-site-administrative-assignments-2022-2023-school-year
Discounted Home Internet for Qualifying Families
Families can save money on home internet by applying for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). This program offers a $30 monthly discount on Home Internet and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a computer or a tablet. For information, please visit internetforallnow.org/applytoday
Trustees Appoint David A. Rivera as Deputy Superintendent
At its July 21 Regular Session Meeting, the OUSD Board of Education approved the appointment of Assistant Superintendent/Chief Business Official (CBO) David A. Rivera to the position of Deputy Superintendent for a term of three years, commencing July 1, 2022. This move will help ensure the District’s long-term solvency, continuity of leadership, and ongoing success of Measure S and facilities initiatives throughout the District.
Rivera will also continue to oversee the Business Services division, which includes Accounting, Budget, Facilities and Planning, Nutrition Services, Payroll, Purchasing, Maintenance and Operations, Transportation, and Risk Management.
Under Rivera’s leadership as OUSD’s CBO, savings, revenue enhancements, and/or direct benefits to District students total over $100 million.
Online Bus Pass Applications
Riding the bus to school? Online bus pass applications are open for the 2022-2023 school year. For more information and to submit your application, visit www.orangeusd.org/buspass or call the Bus Pass Office at (714) 538-8295.
Employment Opportunities
Orange Unified School District is gearing up for its spring recruiting and hiring initiative. Are you interested in a profession that makes a positive impact in the community? If so, please visit our website at www.orangeusd.org/jobs to view a vast array of employment opportunities that span from entry-level to upper management, classified and certificated. Join the Orange Unified family and Inspire our learners of today to be purposeful leaders of tomorrow.
Connect with Us
Email: communications@orangeusd.org
Website: www.orangeusd.org
Location: 1401 North Handy Street, Orange, CA, USA
Phone: 714-628-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OrangeUnifiedSchoolDistrictCA
Twitter: @orangeunifiedCA
We invite you to take a moment to follow Orange Unified on social media to receive the District’s latest news and announcements. Social media may also be a critical line of communication during emergencies and will be an excellent place for you to get up to date information: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube