Message from the Superintendent
June 2024
You have the power to shape the future. Use your knowledge, your skills, and your voice to make a difference, and don't be afraid to take risks. Stay focused on pursuing your dreams and goals. This is only the beginning of even more great things to come for you! Congratulations, Class of 2024!
Sincerely,
Ernie Gonzalez
Superintendent of Schools
The recipients of the “YOU’VE GOT THE EDGE” award for May 2024 are Elena Dull, Teacher at Orange High School, and Johanan Guzman, Office Manager in the Special Education Department. Both Elena and Johanan go above and beyond to serve the staff and students of the Orange Unified School District in ways that reflect the core values of OUSD’s EDGE.
Orange High School Principal Sheryl Anderson had this to say about Elena:
“Elena has been an important and valuable asset to our AVID program. Since she became the Coordinator of this program 3 years ago, we have seen a tremendous growth in the implementation of AVID strategies as seen in our monthly WICOR walks. Orange High School recently received revalidation of being an AVID National Demonstration School in which only 203 schools have received this honor nationwide. Elena’s hard word and commitment played a critical role in this achievement. Her continuous passion for providing excellent teaching and opportunities to all our students is truly appreciated. Her positive impact on the students and school community is priceless."
Special Education Coordinator Sarah Dalton had this to say about Johanan:
“Johanan is a positive influence in the office and in everyone she interacts with. She handles the most challenging situations with ease and a smile on her face. She is always willing to support and go above and beyond to ensure the department is able to provide care, support, and service to the students. She demonstrates excellence by her high caliber of work and her willingness to jump in whenever a need arises. She brings creative and innovative ideas to help ensure support is being provided as efficiently as possible. We are grateful to have such a committed and invaluable team member."
Fletcher Academy kindergartener Mei W. wrote a poem that was ranked #1 in the United States and #3 in the world at the River of Words competition, the largest annual international youth poetry and art contest in the world. The River of Words competition invites students ages 5-19 to submit creative work exploring their environments and humanity's actions on the natural world around us. It also strives to celebrate students’ imaginative and artistic interpretations of nature, such as having the U.S. Poet Laureate honor previous winners and finalists at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Amongst the 2,500 submissions this year, Mei’s poem, “Royal Flowers,” was ultimately selected as the second runner-up in the kindergarten to 2nd grade division and will be published in the 2023-2024 River of Words Anthology. In her artist’s statement that will accompany the publication of her poem, Mei thanked her teacher, Ms. Lee, for helping her with her writing. Ms. Lee has been prioritizing literary work and written expression all year, and her kindergarteners have flourished under her guidance.
In addition, Mei was also chosen as one of the winners of the Sarah Mook Poetry Contest. This contest awarded her with a $50 check to buy books for Fletcher Academy. The Sarah Mook contest is a national poetry contest honoring a little girl who loved to write poetry. There were about 1,000 submissions this year, and Mei's poem was selected as the second-place winner for the kindergarten age group.
Go Falcons!
Nathan Ayala is the first Villa Park High School student to be recognized as a top five finalist in the OC Register 2024 Artist of the Year competition! From a pool of 85 deserving nominees, Nathan's talent in Media Arts elevated him into the exclusive group of 16 semi-finalists. This achievement not only showcases Nathan's artistic abilities but also highlights his hard work, creativity, and perspective as a photographer. We applaud Nathan for his remarkable achievement and wish him the best as he continues to pursue his passion for visual storytelling. Well done, Nathan!
Are you interested in a profession that makes a positive impact on 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
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orangeusd
Twitter: @orangeunifiedCA
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OUSD