kherold — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:45:21 +0000

A User’s Guide to Oak Park Unified School District

The Oak Park Unified School District (OPUSD) is one of the top ranked school districts in the state of California. We have four National Blue Ribbon schools and Standard & Poor recently named OPUSD as one of the top 29 Outperforming School Districts in California.

OPUSD’s small size allows us to treat each child within the district as an individual. We approach education on a holistic level – incorporating academics, social and emotional development, and a number of extracurricular opportunities for each student. We are deeply embedded within the Oak Park community, and are grateful to our many parent and community volunteers who make our programs even stronger.

Within the district, OPUSD focuses on working as a team with administrators, teachers, and support staff. We provide the best professional development possible to our staff to ensure a positive learning environment for our students. We keep teachers and students on the forefront of technology with in-class Smart Boards, iMac computer labs, and Computers on Wheels (COWS) that hook into our wireless network.

OPUSD comprises Oak Park High School, Oak View High School, Oak Park Independent School, Medea Creek Middle School, Brookside Elementary, Oak Hills Elementary, Red Oak Elementary, and the tuition-based Oak Park Neighborhood School early childhood program.

While we work diligently within the district to ensure the highest caliber education for our students, there are many other organizations that help keep OPUSD in top shape.

www.oakparkusd.org

A Message from OPUSD Superintendent, Dr. Tony Knight

When I walk through our school campuses, I feel uplifted because they are happy and productive places where students, faculty, and parents honestly care about one another and the work that they do. There is a clear sense of common purpose.

While I greatly admire the work ethic and dedication of the OPUSD staff, I recognize we are only part of a larger community picture. OPUSD parents put in thousands of hours of time and energy into the District every year. We also have a very special group of students who are enthusiastic and eager to learn. The results – a near zero drop-out rate and the highest student achievement in the county and state – speak for themselves.

As the state and federal governments continue to cut back on funding for our schools, our only hope for the future is to turn to our parents and community. We want more for our children than the mediocre educational program that the state supports. The only way we can maintain excellence is to ask for help and then deliver quality. I ask all OPUSD parents to stay informed and become involved with one or several of our many parent groups.

www.oakparkusd.org/superintendent

Board of Education

The Oak Park Board of Education is the governing body of the OPUSD. Our five members are elected on a staggered schedule by the Oak Park community. Each board member serves a term of four years.

The Board of Education employs and oversees the Superintendent of OPUSD. We work closely with the Superintendent to establish policy and short- and long-term goals for the district. We create the annual OPUSD budget based on state and local funding and ensure that the district stays in compliance with all regulations.

We welcome your attendance at Board of Education meetings, which take place on a monthly basis. As elected representatives, we strive to balance the interests of OPUSD and the community at large, keeping our children’s interest first.

www.oakparkusd.org/boardofeducation

The Friends of Oak Park Schools Education Foundation

The Friends of Oak Park Schools Education Foundation (Friends) is a District-wide Parent Organization. We create educational programs for OPUSD students that lie outside of the District budget. We are committed to our educational programs – once we fund a program, we ensure its ongoing financial support. In addition to our educational programming, we serve as the communication liaison for the various school-based Parent/Teacher Organizations.

Our mission is simple – to provide our children with the best educational experience possible. This year, the majority of our funding is directed to our elementary Music Program and our Science Specialist program (District-wide). We also continue to build the Friends endowment to ensure we fulfill our promise to OPUSD.

We invite all OPUSD parents to get involved and find out more about the Friends of Oak Park Schools.

www.friendsofoakparkschools.org

Parent/Teacher Organizations

Within OPUSD, there are Parent-Teacher Organizations at every school:

Oak Park High School Parent Faculty Club (OPHS PFC)
Medea Creek Middle School Parent Faculty Association (MCMS PFA)
Brookside Elementary School Parent Teacher Association (BES PTA)
Oak Hills Elementary School Parent Teacher Association (OHES PTA)
Red Oak Elementary School Parent Faculty Association (ROE PFA)

The OPUSD Parent/Teacher Organizations (PTOs) are based at each individual school and share a goal of providing volunteer and fundraising support for their individual schools. PTOs focus their efforts on supporting non-certified instructors and aides, facility enhancement, and school programming.

Each school hosts a large group of dedicated teachers and parents. Following are some examples of the work done by our PTOs over the past few years:

OPHS PFC: Provided $19,000 to the science department; purchased textbooks, software license, a new Ceramics kiln, and folding mats for the gym; paid for a Choir Accompanist; provided Senior awards and scholarships; supported various school programs; offered parent education programs; offered mock college entrance testing for students.

www.oakparkusd.org/OPHSPFC

MCMS PFA: Funded Library, P.E., and Music Programs; purchased supplies for teachers and classrooms; funded student clubs, campus improvements, and school-wide enrichment programs.

www.oakparkusd.org/MedeaCreekPFA

BES PTA: Funded over 70 programs and events including Book Fair, Jog-a-thon, Camp Out, Reflections Art Contest, Science Exploratory, Music and Physical Education; enhanced the playground with new equipment; renovated the multi-purpose room.

www.oakparkusd.org/BrooksidePTA

OHES PTA: Funded Library, P.E., Computer, and Music programs; funded various Classroom Aides; purchased supplies for art, teachers, and classrooms; funded various assemblies and student/family programs.

www.oakparkusd.org/OakHillsPTA

ROE PFA: Funded P.E., Computer, Art, and Library programs; provided Classroom Aides for upper grade levels; provided money toward computers, campus maintenance, playground equipment, assemblies, and Kindergarten workshops.

www.oakparkusd.org/RedOakPFA

The PTOs encourage all OPUSD parents to participate, create, and inspire a school community of spirit and pride in our Oak Park schools!

OPHS Athletic Booster Club

The OPHS Athletic Booster Club is a fundraising organization that provides supplementary financial support for all OPHS athletic teams. We believe that academics and athletics go hand-in-hand to help students become successful adults. The Booster Club supports student athletes and the OPHS athletic programs. We also promote good sportsmanship and parent/community involvement.

The Booster Club has annual and ongoing fundraisers to support OPHS athletics. The money we raise goes towards scholarships to graduating student athletes, OPHS athletic facility improvements such as a new gym floor, and equipment purchases.

www.oakparkusd.org/OPHSAthleticBoosterClub

Oak Park Performing Arts Alliance

The Oak Park Performing Arts Alliance (OPPAA) is the parent volunteer booster organization for the OPHS Drama department. OPPAA acts as the producers for OPHS’ three annual plays by taking on all production tasks, including organizing fund raising, renting script and music licensing agreements, funding choreographers and accompanists when needed, costuming, props, and much, much more. OPPAA also assumes almost all financial responsibility for these productions.

Aside from OPPAA’s production responsibilities, OPPAA raises funds for permanent improvements to the Drama program whenever possible. OPPAA also has an annual Senior Scholarship Award for college-bound seniors who have participated in the Drama program. Our main goal is to support the OPHS Drama department in maintaining a safe and fun environment where our children can really thrive.

www.oakparkusd.org/OPPAA

School Site Council

School Site Council (SSC) develops and oversees School Improvement Plans (SIP), mandated by the California Education Code. The SIP is the program set for individual schools to improve instruction, school services and environment, and the organization at the school site. The SSC is also typically responsible for reviewing and changing school policy, as needed.

There is an SSC at each individual school in OPUSD. The SSC comprises parents, teachers, administrators, staff, and students (junior high and high school levels only).

www.oakparkusd.org/OPHSSiteCouncil

www.oakparkusd.org/MCMSSiteCouncil

www.oakparkusd.org/BrooksideSiteCouncil

www.oakparkusd.org/OakHillsSiteCouncil

www.oakparkusd.org/RedOakSiteCouncil

For more information on Site Council at Oak View High School and Oak Park Independent School, please contact Principal Lou Tabone at ltabone@oakparkusd.org.