Welcome to the 2024-25 School Year!
Dear OV Family,
As summer vacation draws to a close for our students, it’s time to start looking ahead to the 2024-25 school year and the exciting educational opportunities that await! On behalf of the faculty and staff, I welcome everyone to the new school year and look forward to your continued partnership as we strive to provide the best possible education for our Cubs. We are incredibly fortunate to have four new faculty members who are joining the teaching team for 2024-25: Our former paraprofessional and ELD teacher Mrs. Cassandra Castillo: TK/Kindergarten; Ms. TJ Leighton: HS Financial Literacy and Introduction to Investments; Mr. Jaeyoung No: MS History and Science, HS Spanish 1 and 2, and HS Health and Success; and Ms. Katy Simao-Florence: 5th/6th grade. Our new teachers bring myriad experiences and skills to our team, joining our talented and dedicated cadre of teachers at OV. Additionally, Mrs. McGuire has moved from the TK/K position into the 1st/2nd grade spot. And, on a final staffing note, we are also saying goodbye to Mr. Jeff Rodriguez, who is retiring, and hello to Ms. Karen Roberts, who has been a paraprofessional and will be joining our Maintenance, Grounds, and Transportation team.
Our work with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support continues in 2024-25, and we will provide even better individual attention to students’ educational, social, and emotional needs as our we build a repertoire of valuable skills through our training. Counseling support will, once again, be available for our students through the North Star Counseling Center, and our after-school ELO-P program will run from Monday-Friday afternoons, from 2:45-4:45, for students in grades TK-6 in 2024-25. We are going back to the model of sharing instruction for middle school students amongst the high school teachers for the upcoming school year, and we are extending the instructional day for all students in grades 5-8, who will now be dismissed at 3:35pm. Daily in-town/Fort and Lone Pine transportation will continue at 2:45 and 3:35pm. Minimum Day dismissal is at 12:30 this year.
Good attendance and scholastic success go hand in hand, and I want to remind everyone that both the District and the State expect students to attend school for a minimum of 90% of the school year. Beginning at the end of August, we will send letters home any time a student’s attendance rate drops below 90% to ensure that students are coming to school regularly. For the past few school years, families have been able to arrange for an Independent Study contract for absences as short as three consecutive days, with a one-week advance notice to the office and the teacher. An Independent Study contract will allow your student to miss school without impacting their attendance record, provided they complete and receive credit for their Independent Study assignments. If you know your child will be absent for three or more consecutive days, please let us know so we can prepare an Independent Study contract.
Family and community engagement plays a critical role in the success of our school district, and I hope that you will be involved at OV this year-- whether you dip your toe in the water to commit to attending a Booster Club meeting or two or you are ready to jump in with two feet and become a volunteer in your child’s classroom! We have many ways to help you keep abreast of what is going on at OVUSD-- from our District website (www.ovusd.org) to ParentSquare texts, ClassDojo, and our monthly newsletters, to name just a few. We are committed to accurate, timely communication with our community.
Please take time to look carefully at the enclosures that accompany this letter. We have several important events happening in the coming weeks, and I look forward to seeing our school community out in force for them! First, Booster Club is sponsoring a Back-to-School BBQ and Pool Party on Sunday, August 11 from 1-4pm. The following day, Monday, August 12, is our Middle and High School Orientation Dinner, in the LC (high school building) at 5:15pm for all students in grades 7-12 and their parents. Finally, the Elementary School Back to School Night is Monday, August 26 from 5:15-6:45pm.
I sincerely thank you for your continued support, feedback, and participation as members of our OVUSD family. I look forward to a fantastic 2024-25 school year and strengthened community involvement in our school district. GO CUBS!!!
Sincerely,
Rosanne A. Lampariello/Dr. L
Superintendent/Principal