For Public Release:
Friends of Oak Park Schools hosts 3rd biennial PTO Forum on November 12, 2009
Oak Park, CA. October 26, 2009 – Friends of Oak Park Schools has announced that it will be hosting the 3rd biennial Parent Teacher
Organization (PTO) Forum on Thursday, November 12th at the Oak Park Community Center Pavilion. The Forum will begin at 9:00 am, and
will then be followed by breakout sessions at the Community Center. A Q&A session will conclude the day at around 11:15 am.
This year’s forum is making an extra push to appeal to the public at large, and all are encouraged and welcome to attend. The forum is
designed to bring all of the Oak Park School’s parent volunteers together in one location to share ideas that will hopefully enhance each of
the Oak Park School’s Parent Teacher Organizations. “We are especially proud that past meetings led to online school registration used
throughout the district for the first time this year, and that people will have the opportunity to witness the collective experience and
enthusiasm that our tremendous Parent volunteers bring to our district” said Barry Myerson, Chairperson of Friends of Oak Park Schools
and Event Organizer.
The forum will begin with short addresses by Barry Myerson, Chairperson of Friends of Oak Park Schools, and followed by opening remarks
by Dr. Anthony W. Knight, Oak Park Unified School District (OPUSD) Superintendent, and Jan Iceland, President of the OPUSD School
Board. They will share their vision of where the district currently stands as well as issues that the district will be facing in the future.
It is also an opportunity to meet many of our School Board members, District Administrators as well as many of the School's Principals that
you may not have met before. After the remarks, there will be three facilitator led breakout sessions.
The breakouts will include:
Session #1
How are schools financed, why isn’t everything funded by the State?
Moderators: Susie Harris and Darian Cohen
This session will begin with a short presentation regarding how our district is financed. This will cover areas such as funding from the state
and where it goes, bonds and parcel taxes and how those funds are legally earmarked, and the role of parent/teacher funding.
Session #2
Teaching/Learning—Share your ideas:
Moderator: Larry Greene
This session will have a short presentation on the successes in programming and API scores that the OPUSD has had in spite of declining
funding from the State. This session will also provide you an opportunity to share your ideas and comments on any subject related to our
schools.
Session #3
What is the Role of the School Board?
Moderator: Rob Brown
This session will have a short presentation on the role of the School Board, how is the School Board elected and how are some decisions
are reached.
The 3rd session is meant to be a constructive and positive session to ensure that the board has the opportunity to understand and
appreciate the challenges from a parent perspective.
About Friends of Oak Park Schools
Friends of Oak Park Schools is a non-profit organization with IRS 503(c)3 status. Dedicated to providing the Oak Park Unified School
District (OPUSD) with additional private funding to supplement increasingly limited public funding. By working with dedicated parents and
generous business partners in Southern California, we raise money to support educational programs that would not otherwise be funded.
Through fundraising events like the Slam ‘n Jam in 2006 and Slam ‘n Jam II in 2009, Casino Royale in 2007, and Viva Las Vegas in 2008,
as well as generous contributions from our Letter and Email campaign, Friends of Oak Park Schools have made close to $500,000 in
donations to the OPUSD in our five years of existence.
Our work is intended to complement existing school-based fundraising by addressing the district-wide needs. By working together as a
community, we can sustain smaller class sizes and quality education. For more information on Friends of Oak Park Schools, please visit
www.friendsofoakparkschools.org.
About Oak Park Unified School District
The Oak Park Unified School District in Oak Park, California is made up of approximately 3,800 students from six schools in the District:
Brookside, Oak Hills and Red Oak Elementary schools (K-5), Medea Creek Middle School (6-8), Oak Park High School (9-12), Oak View
High School (continuation 9-12), and Oak Park Independent School (home schooling K-12). Student achievement at all levels is high and
over 98% of the graduating seniors go on to college. Brookside, Oak Hills, Red Oak, Medea Creek and Oak Park High have all been named
California Distinguished Schools. Brookside, Oak Hills, Medea Creek and Oak Park High have received recognition as National Blue Ribbon
Schools. Oak View High has been recognized as a Model Continuation School.
CONTACT:
Robert Brown
Friends of Oak Park Schools
638 Lindero Canyon Road
Suite 126
Oak Park, CA 91377
Phone: (818) 970-9104
Email: info@friendsofoakparkschools.org
Web: www.friendsofoakparkschools.org
Friends of Oak Park Schools hosts 3rd biennial PTO Forum on November 12, 2009
Oak Park, CA. October 26, 2009 – Friends of Oak Park Schools has announced that it will be hosting the 3rd biennial Parent Teacher
Organization (PTO) Forum on Thursday, November 12th at the Oak Park Community Center Pavilion. The Forum will begin at 9:00 am, and
will then be followed by breakout sessions at the Community Center. A Q&A session will conclude the day at around 11:15 am.
This year’s forum is making an extra push to appeal to the public at large, and all are encouraged and welcome to attend. The forum is
designed to bring all of the Oak Park School’s parent volunteers together in one location to share ideas that will hopefully enhance each of
the Oak Park School’s Parent Teacher Organizations. “We are especially proud that past meetings led to online school registration used
throughout the district for the first time this year, and that people will have the opportunity to witness the collective experience and
enthusiasm that our tremendous Parent volunteers bring to our district” said Barry Myerson, Chairperson of Friends of Oak Park Schools
and Event Organizer.
The forum will begin with short addresses by Barry Myerson, Chairperson of Friends of Oak Park Schools, and followed by opening remarks
by Dr. Anthony W. Knight, Oak Park Unified School District (OPUSD) Superintendent, and Jan Iceland, President of the OPUSD School
Board. They will share their vision of where the district currently stands as well as issues that the district will be facing in the future.
It is also an opportunity to meet many of our School Board members, District Administrators as well as many of the School's Principals that
you may not have met before. After the remarks, there will be three facilitator led breakout sessions.
The breakouts will include:
Session #1
How are schools financed, why isn’t everything funded by the State?
Moderators: Susie Harris and Darian Cohen
This session will begin with a short presentation regarding how our district is financed. This will cover areas such as funding from the state
and where it goes, bonds and parcel taxes and how those funds are legally earmarked, and the role of parent/teacher funding.
Session #2
Teaching/Learning—Share your ideas:
Moderator: Larry Greene
This session will have a short presentation on the successes in programming and API scores that the OPUSD has had in spite of declining
funding from the State. This session will also provide you an opportunity to share your ideas and comments on any subject related to our
schools.
Session #3
What is the Role of the School Board?
Moderator: Rob Brown
This session will have a short presentation on the role of the School Board, how is the School Board elected and how are some decisions
are reached.
The 3rd session is meant to be a constructive and positive session to ensure that the board has the opportunity to understand and
appreciate the challenges from a parent perspective.
About Friends of Oak Park Schools
Friends of Oak Park Schools is a non-profit organization with IRS 503(c)3 status. Dedicated to providing the Oak Park Unified School
District (OPUSD) with additional private funding to supplement increasingly limited public funding. By working with dedicated parents and
generous business partners in Southern California, we raise money to support educational programs that would not otherwise be funded.
Through fundraising events like the Slam ‘n Jam in 2006 and Slam ‘n Jam II in 2009, Casino Royale in 2007, and Viva Las Vegas in 2008,
as well as generous contributions from our Letter and Email campaign, Friends of Oak Park Schools have made close to $500,000 in
donations to the OPUSD in our five years of existence.
Our work is intended to complement existing school-based fundraising by addressing the district-wide needs. By working together as a
community, we can sustain smaller class sizes and quality education. For more information on Friends of Oak Park Schools, please visit
www.friendsofoakparkschools.org.
About Oak Park Unified School District
The Oak Park Unified School District in Oak Park, California is made up of approximately 3,800 students from six schools in the District:
Brookside, Oak Hills and Red Oak Elementary schools (K-5), Medea Creek Middle School (6-8), Oak Park High School (9-12), Oak View
High School (continuation 9-12), and Oak Park Independent School (home schooling K-12). Student achievement at all levels is high and
over 98% of the graduating seniors go on to college. Brookside, Oak Hills, Red Oak, Medea Creek and Oak Park High have all been named
California Distinguished Schools. Brookside, Oak Hills, Medea Creek and Oak Park High have received recognition as National Blue Ribbon
Schools. Oak View High has been recognized as a Model Continuation School.
CONTACT:
Robert Brown
Friends of Oak Park Schools
638 Lindero Canyon Road
Suite 126
Oak Park, CA 91377
Phone: (818) 970-9104
Email: info@friendsofoakparkschools.org
Web: www.friendsofoakparkschools.org
| FRIENDS OF OAK PARK SCHOOLS |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| info@friendsofoakparkschools.org * (818) 735-3270 © Copyright Friends of Oak Park Schools 2007-2010. All Rights Reserved. |
Communication between parents and the Oak Park Unified School District will be the goal of a forum at 9 a.m. Thurs., Nov. 12 at the Oak Park
Community Center, 101 Kanan Road.
The public is invited to attend the meeting, where educational issues will be discussed and parent input obtained. The forum is an opportunity for parents to
share ideas or ask questions in an informal setting, said Barry Myerson, president of Friends of Oak Park Schools, which is organizing the meeting.
“Our goal is to promote conversation,” Myerson said. “Our hope is that everyone will walk out learning something about our schools that they were not
aware of before.”
Myerson, Superintendent Tony Knight and school board President Jan Iceland will speak. Afterwards parent-led sessions will address the role of the school
board, the district’s successes, financing and anticipated future challenges. There will be opportunities for participants to comment and ask questions.
Issues have been raised at previous forums that alerted the school board to community concerns which helped shape direction and policy, said board
member Marie Panec. Forum input will also guide the future funding of school programs by the Friends, she added.
“In this unstable economic climate, when the board will be making decisions on what programs to cut and what to preserve, it is critically important that
parents and community members attend and voice their opinion,” Panec said.
The nonprofit Friends of Oak Park Schools raises funds to support educational programs that would not otherwise be funded. Panec commended the
group for its support.
“Given the current economic situation, the school board is challenged to meet the cost of basic programs with the curtailed funding from the state,” Panec
said. “Friends has stepped in with funds to support programs that integrate students’ book learning with hands on learning experiences.”
This is the third such forum Friends has held.
“This is a great chance for people to get together and talk about our schools,” Knight said. “Friends of Oak Park is good at bringing people together for a
common purpose—making our schools the best for our kids.”
The Acorn, November 5, 2009. Reprinted by permission.
Community Center, 101 Kanan Road.
The public is invited to attend the meeting, where educational issues will be discussed and parent input obtained. The forum is an opportunity for parents to
share ideas or ask questions in an informal setting, said Barry Myerson, president of Friends of Oak Park Schools, which is organizing the meeting.
“Our goal is to promote conversation,” Myerson said. “Our hope is that everyone will walk out learning something about our schools that they were not
aware of before.”
Myerson, Superintendent Tony Knight and school board President Jan Iceland will speak. Afterwards parent-led sessions will address the role of the school
board, the district’s successes, financing and anticipated future challenges. There will be opportunities for participants to comment and ask questions.
Issues have been raised at previous forums that alerted the school board to community concerns which helped shape direction and policy, said board
member Marie Panec. Forum input will also guide the future funding of school programs by the Friends, she added.
“In this unstable economic climate, when the board will be making decisions on what programs to cut and what to preserve, it is critically important that
parents and community members attend and voice their opinion,” Panec said.
The nonprofit Friends of Oak Park Schools raises funds to support educational programs that would not otherwise be funded. Panec commended the
group for its support.
“Given the current economic situation, the school board is challenged to meet the cost of basic programs with the curtailed funding from the state,” Panec
said. “Friends has stepped in with funds to support programs that integrate students’ book learning with hands on learning experiences.”
This is the third such forum Friends has held.
“This is a great chance for people to get together and talk about our schools,” Knight said. “Friends of Oak Park is good at bringing people together for a
common purpose—making our schools the best for our kids.”
The Acorn, November 5, 2009. Reprinted by permission.