Parent Letter

"It is important for all of us to appreciate where we come from and how that history has really shaped us in ways that we might not understand."

~Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Happy Sunday Ochoa Families,

Last week I had to send an emergency communication to families to help them learn about a recent event on campus. Many parents reached out in appreciation and gratitude that I chose to share and keep you all in the loop. This got me thinking and during a meeting with one of our on site school therapists we brainstormed various ways to try to help student learn how to make more informed decisions. For that parents, we need your help too! In an effort to support the whole child, Mr. Sherreard is going to contribute weekly to our bulletin, with tips and strategies for families to help student to be able to know when to stand out from the crowd when its most appropriate. Please check out the newest section to our weekly parent letter titled, Wellness Word of the Week Mr. Sherreard not only provides his professional commentary, but also resources that families my use to help empower their students to making better, more informed decisions and helping them to know when it is okay to say "NO" in the face of peer pressures. Check out this week's Wellness Word of the Day.

Also, on Friday in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, our students enjoyed an amazing performance from the South San Francisco Ballet Folklorico Alma de Mexico. They put on a performance to teach students about "Mexico and her culture, music, and history as well as to preserve her traditions and authentic folklórico dances." Students saw performances from Nuevo Leon/Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Queretaro, Chiapas, Guerrero, Michoacan and Jalisco. Click the purple link below and take a look at some of the performances.

Families, I am wishing you all a positive week of growth and learning! Thank you for your partnership.

Warmly submitted,

-Principal Rowe-Andrews

In mental health and wellness, ‘values’ means those things in life which play a role in shaping

who we are – our goals, priorities, identities and our futures. For adolescents, personal values

play a very important role in decision-making. If we want adolescents to make good decisions

(especially where it comes to risky behaviors like drugs and alcohol and trying to avoid

dangerous situations) we can help guide them by supporting them to understand their own

personal values.

Research tells us that as adolescents develop more understanding of their personal values,

they develop a greater ability to make decisions that support positive and healthy development.

If you are interested in supporting an adolescent you care for with understanding their personal

values these resources are useful (see below)… and what’s more, once you start talking to an

adolescent about their values, you may learn a lot about them that you didn’t know before!

Video: Responsible Decision Making for Teens & Tweens (youtube.com)

Resources: Values Clarification | Worksheet | Therapist Aid

~Mr. Paul Sherreard, Fred Finch

Our two parent winners for the School Site Council Parent Election are:

1. Emmeline Tibon (7th Grade parent)

2. Paulette Frichittavong (7th Grade parent)

Chat with these moms and tell them what you like and want to see at Ochoa or you can simply attend the meeting. All of our SSC meetings are open to the Ochoa community.

Our meetings this year are:

SSC Meets as follows: (*the team will decide meeting times/medium)

10/17/2024- Hybrid Mtg, 5:30PM

10/22/2024- SSC District Training (mandatory), 5:30-7PM @ The HUB

12/5/2024

1/16/2025

3/20/2025

4/17/2025

5/22/2025- if needed to finalize the SPSA for 25-26

Board Policy 6020: Parent Involvement & Family Engagement

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 and or on suspension during the day may not attend events/sports etc
• school appropriate language required
• school appropriate behaviors required

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.

*Agenda is posted 72 hrs in advance.

Next Meeting: October 7, 2024

Meeting Agenda_Oct. 7, 2024

Join Here: Google Meets Link or In person

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.

Board Policy 6020: Parent Involvement & Family Engagement

Monday, October 7, 2025

• SBDM Mtg, 3:30PM, Library

• Bridge to College, YEP class

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

• SBDM Member training, 8:30-3:30PM (Members Only)

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

• College Day- Wear College/University Gear to support a college going culture!
• Students dismiss at 1:30PM
• Bridge to College, YEP class
• Faculty Mtg 1:45PM
• Volleyball @ King
• Football @ King,

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Friday, October 11, 2024

• School Spirit Day~ Wear Black & Yellow

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Looking Ahead:

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

• AP Network Mtg
• LCC Mtg, 3:15PM

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 🎹🎵🎶🎤

• Fall Music Concert. 6:30pm (Redaniel & Holbrook)

Friday, October 18, 2024 🎬🍿🎥

• Family Movie Night, 6PM (students must bring families)

Thursday, October 31, 2024 🎃🎃🎃

• Halloween Dance, 3:30PM-5:30PM
• Costumes permitted; no weapons, blood, gore, full face masks

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.

YEP is offering BOXING from 10/7-12/6/2024

Boxing is open to ALL students. It's not too late to join if students are interested!

BTW Fun fact did you know that it was a woman named the Mitt Queen (Ann Najjar) who prepared Michael B. Jordan for his role in Creed 3? She's a woman and she is killing the boxing game! 😁

LINK HERE TO SEE "THE MITT QUEEN"

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 month/year.

September Attendance to date (through 9/20) = 93.48%

August Attendance = 94.19%

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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