El Rancho Charter School

Monday-Wednesday 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Thursday 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Friday 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM

Coyotes! If you plan to attend the dance on Thursday, the locker room will be open after school until 1:45 if you would like to change. If you plan to change, make sure you take all of your belongings with you. There will be a place to store backpacks and other items at the dance.

On Friday, March 14th (3-14), the Math 2 Honors classes celebrated Pi Day by having a competition to see who could name the most decimal digits of pi. The winner was Kahlil Dadabhoy who listed 164 decimal digits of pi in 2 minutes. Our runner up, Bredan Bui, listed 109.

Great job, Coyotes!

We're excited to invite you to El Rancho's Open House on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore our school and learn more about the exciting programs we offer for your child.

During the event, you'll have the chance to:

• Tour classrooms and facilities
• Meet our dedicated staff and teachers
• Learn about curriculum and extracurricular activities

Good luck to El Rancho's Science Olympiad team, ranked 4th in Orange County! They will compete at CalTech on April 12th!

Read the article here: https://newsroom.ocde.us/top-orange-county-teams-advance-to-southern-california-science-olympiad/

Good luck, Coyotes!

Students will be participating in Physical Fitness testing during their PE classes from 2/23 – 3/28. The five activities will be the mile run, curl-ups, trunk lifts, modified pull-ups, and the shoulder stretch. Please contact your student's PE teacher with any questions.

Canyon High School’s Model United Nations team is holding a joint conference at Canyon High School for El Rancho students as well as first-time delegates at Canyon!

The goal is to encourage students to engage in public speaking, policy discussions, world issues, and diplomacy. This is a valuable opportunity for students to gain confidence and teamwork experience, as well as introduce them to a unique extracurricular activity at Canyon.

This introductory conference will simulate conferences held at different schools. Committees would be split into “Novice” and “Middle School” and will be moderated by members of our MUN team at Canyon. Additionally, awards will be given at the end of the conference. Since the conference will mostly be facilitated by our team and our advisor, Mr. Heck, it will require minimal effort on El Rancho's end.

After the event, Canyon MUN would be pleased to invite interested students from El Rancho to compete in MUN conferences with our team in middle school committees.

We know that the last few months of school become a busy time in everyone's lives. At this time, we would like to share the SBAC Testing Calendar with our families to help you plan. During testing, we would appreciate it if appointments and vacations could be planned around the testing window. Students will test on the following dates and times:

April 14-18: 7th grade iReady Math

April 30-May 2: SBAC ELA

May 5-9: SBAC ELA

May 12-16: SBAC Math

May 19-23: SBAC Math

May 26-30: SBAC 8th grade Science & 7th grade iReady Reading

Students will test on BLOCK DAYS and Fridays of each week except for May 5-9, testing will take place daily.

More information to come.

8th-grade students can pick up Villa Park registration materials in the office starting Friday, February 28th. Villa Park High School counselors will meet with students on Tuesday, March 25th, to collect registration materials.

April 10th & 11th: Cheer Tryouts

April 14th: Song Tryouts

Tutorial begins next week! On each Wednesday and Thursday, we have Tutorial for 30 minutes before lunch. Students should use this time to make up tests, complete missing assignments, and get help from teachers when needed.

Students who are stamped by their teacher must attend that tutorial session. If stamped by multiple teachers, the subject that has priority that day takes precedence.

Students who have C grades or better, are not stamped by a teacher, and do not have any detention stamps, can go to PE or the lunch benches to complete homework. It is the students' responsibility to check their grades prior to Tutorial.

Students have the 5-minute passing period to get to their tutorial room. Once students arrive at their Tutorial destination, they stay there for the entire 30 minutes. Please use the menu below to make a plan for this week!

After-school programs are held Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 2:50 pm to 3:50 pm. Students are expected to stay for the entire hour.

Homework Club in the Library

Math Academy in Room 306

All games begin at 3:00 pm.

Girls' Schedule

Monday, February 24th @ Santiago Charter (Team A (W) 34-9; Team B (W) 37-0)

Monday, March 3rd @ Yorba Middle School (Team A (W 38-18; Team B (W) 40-2)

Monday, March 10th vs. McPherson (W 31-6)

Monday, March 17th vs. Cerro Villa (Team A (W) 35-15; Team B (W) 14-3)

Monday, March 24th vs. Santiago Charter

Boys' Schedule

Monday, February 24th vs. Santiago Charter (Team A (W) 74-32; Team B (W) 43-16)

Monday, March 3rd vs. Yorba Middle School (Team A (W) 71-19; Team B (W) 46-19)

Monday, March 10th @ McPherson (Team A (W) 32-24; Team B (W) 62-9)

Monday, March 17th @ Cerro Villa (Team A (W) 49-29; Team B (W) 45-17)

Monday, March 24th @ Santiago Charter

The bell schedule for this year will remain the same as last year's schedule. On Wednesday and Thursday, Tutorial is built in to provide student support during the school day. Thursday will be our early release day to provide time for our staff development and collaboration.

In the last week, we have seen an increase in students pulling on others' backpacks. To keep everyone safe on campus, students need to keep their hands to themselves.

Students should avoid pulling each other's backpacks for several reasons:

1. Personal Space: Everyone deserves their personal space. Pulling a backpack can invade someone’s boundaries and make them uncomfortable.

2. Safety Concerns: Tugging on a backpack can lead to accidents, such as tripping or falling. This can result in injuries for both the person being pulled and the one doing the pulling.

3. Damage to Belongings: Backpacks often contain valuable items like books, electronics, or personal belongings. Pulling can damage these items or even cause them to fall out.

4. Promotes Respect: Respecting others’ belongings and personal space fosters a more positive and considerate school atmosphere.

Encouraging respectful interactions helps create a supportive community where everyone feels safe. Students who continue to pull backpacks will receive consequences.

We want to remind all E-Bike riders that wearing a helmet is mandatory. Those who choose to ride their E-Bikes without a helmet may be pulled over and ticketed, which is a $25 fine to start.

For their safety, students riding E-Bikes to school must wear a helmet and should not ride in the parking lot.

Outside food delivery (Canes, In-N-Out, etc) is not allowed; no exceptions. Food is available in the cafeteria before school, at nutrition, and at lunch for free for all students. Again, outside deliveries, including fast food deliveries from parents, are not allowed.

We want to inform our families that Anaheim PD will occasionally patrol Santa Ana Canyon/Fairmont and Del Giorgio during school drop-off and pick-up hours. Families are expected to follow all traffic and parking laws when dropping off and picking up their students. Anaheim PD will not give warnings and will write tickets.

Del Giorgio:

Do not park in the cul-de-sac or any other red zone areas.

Santa Ana Canyon/Fairmont Drop-Off:

Do not stop or park in the red zone, pull forward to the white loading and unloading zone.

Do not double park.

Do not cut back into traffic, pull all the way through the drop-off area.

Do not block Fairmont Blvd.

Families can avoid crowded pick-up times by scheduling pick-up 10-15 minutes after school gets out. Traffic has drastically reduced by that time and it is much easier to pick your student up. We do not want our families to be ticketed, so please follow the laws.

Several of our students and staff are allergic to scented lotions, perfumes, cologne, and body spray. In the interest of safety and to minimize classroom disruptions, please discuss the following with your students:

Spraying scented lotions, body sprays, perfumes, and colognes in classrooms can create several issues:

1. Allergies and Sensitivities: Many students and staff have allergies or sensitivities to fragrances, which can trigger asthma attacks, headaches, or skin reactions.

2. Distraction: Strong scents can be distracting in a learning environment, making it difficult for students to concentrate on lessons.

3. Ventilation: Classrooms often have limited ventilation. Strong fragrances can build up in the air, leading to an uncomfortable environment for everyone.

4. Personal Space: Scent can invade personal space, and not everyone appreciates or enjoys the same fragrances.

5. Inclusivity: Some people may have cultural or personal reasons for avoiding scents, and creating a fragrance-free environment promotes inclusivity.

By keeping fragrances out of classrooms, we can ensure a more comfortable and focused learning atmosphere for everyone. Students who use these items will receive consequences.

Students who intend to use the bus for transportation to and/or from school will need to purchase a bus pass through Orange Unified School District.

Avoid the last-minute rush and get your bus pass now!

Bus Pass:

Tuesday-Friday
7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Closed daily for lunch
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Bus Pass Information

El Rancho offers a hot lunch daily, except for minimum days. Breakfast and lunch will be free of cost for all students this school year. OUSD requires a meal application to be completed by El Rancho families.

Online Meal Application

For student safety, students who have a late start or early release will need to be dropped off or picked up at the main campus. The gate at Santa Ana Canyon will close at the start of the 1st period and will not open until the end of 5th period.

Parking Lot Etiquette:

1. There are two lanes in the parking lot. The right lane is for drop-off and the left lane is for those who need to park in the lot.

2. When dropping off please pull all the way forward and have your student exit the car quickly.

3. At drop off, please do not drop students off in the middle of the parking lot. Either pull up to the curb or pull into a parking stall to drop your student off. The safest option is to drop students at the curb.

4. At pick-up, please do not park in the red zone. This makes it difficult for buses to park and pick up students.

5. If you would like to avoid the traffic, plan to pick your student up a little later, about 3:05 PM - 3:10 PM, it is so much easier.

6. Please drive SLOWLY!!!!

7. Please follow all traffic laws.

Santa Ana Canyon Drop-Off Area

1. Please pull all the way forward.

2. Do not double park.

3. Avoid blocking the intersection at Fairmont and Santa Ana Canyon.

4. If you would like to avoid the traffic, plan to pick your student up a little later, about 3:05 PM - 3:10 PM, it is so much easier.

We DO NOT recommend picking up students in the Hibachi or Big Lots parking lots. Students should not be in either area after school unsupervised, even on early release Thursdays.

During the 2024-2025 school year, all visitors must come to the office through the main doors to sign in. Parents dropping off "forgotten items" or lunches will also drop off items at the main office cubbies, not the Attendance office.

The Attendance office should only be used for signing in late students and picking up students early from school.

Mrs. Cannon, our Attendance Clerk, appreciates your phone call if your child has to miss school. Please call the Attendance Hotline 714-628-5427 on the day of your student's absence.

Please check Google Classroom for work missed up to 3 days.

Students who have a planned absence that is more than 3 days should pick-up an absence form at the attendance office.

During Tutorial, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, please avoid picking students up early, between 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM.

The Attendance Office is for signing-in students who are late to school and signing-out students who are picked-up early from school.

Cell Phones are expected to be on silent mode or completely turned off and in students' backpacks from 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., with the exception that is used as an in-class learning tool under the supervision of the teacher. Cell phones may not be carried in pockets.

Students who need to call their parents should come to the attendance office to use the available phone. Students who are not feeling well should come to the health office to call home and rest until a parent arrives to take their student home.

Parents, when an emergency arises and you need to reach your student, please call the office and we will get a message to your student or have them come to the office and call you.

The Cell Phone Policy also applies to headphones, earbuds, Airpods, and iWatches.

Using the Binder Reminder is a great way to stay organized and keep track of homework. Every student is expected to:

1. Have their Binder Reminder at school every day.

2. Have their name on the front page of their Binder Reminder.

3. Have their Binder Reminder out and ready on Tutorial days (Wed./Thurs.)

4. Keep all pages intact for the entire year.

5. Write their homework and upcoming tests and quizzes down for each class, daily.

Students without their Binder Reminder on Tutorial days will earn after-school detention.

March 25: Villa Park Registration Pick-Up

March 25: Open House

March 31-April 4: Spring Break

April 16: Theater Show

April 24: Advanced Band plays the National Anthem at Angel Stadium

May 8 & 9: Musical Theater Production: Beetlejuice Jr.

May 13: Strings & Choir Show @ 6:30 pm

May 19: Awards Night 6:00 pm

May 20: Dance Performance @ 5:00 pm & 6:30 pm

May 21: Band & Drumline Performance @ 6:30 pm

May 22: Guitar Performance @ 6:30 pm

May 23: 8th grade T-shirt Distribution

June 6: Yearbook Distribution

June 9: 8th Grade Promotion Practice Periods 1 & 2

June 11: Minimum Day

June 11: Last Day for 7th Grade

June 11: 8th Grade Promotion

June 12: 8th Grade Knott's Trip

Follow El Rancho on social media to find up to date information, activities, and the talents of our fantastic students and staff. Click on each icon to get to El Rancho's accounts.

El Rancho administration works as a management team with three assistant principals, called advisors, who work alongside our principal, Mrs. Walker, to help students be successful. Advisors work with students in the areas of attendance, academics, behavior, and scheduling. The student body is divided into groups by their last name and assigned to an advisor who is like the principal for that part of the alphabet. Students with Section 504 Plans will have Mrs. Beard as their advisor.

Advisors are always happy to help answer general questions regarding school programs. We encourage families to first address questions regarding the grade book, assignments, and classroom interaction to the individual teacher and advisors can be cc'd on communications at any time.

• A-G..........Mrs. Ozuna.......... kozuna@orangeusd.org
• H-P..........Mr. Kilgore........... gkilgore@orangeusd.org
• Q-Z..........Mrs. Beard........... kbeard@orangeusd.org

March 14

March 7

February 28

February 21