Model UN Team Returns With Awards

World politics didn't daunt Oakdale High School's Model UN team as they attended Stanford University's Model United Nations Conference Nov. 12-14. The 19-member OHS team was assigned to be the Russian Federation and came home with some awards.

FFA Rounds Up Support

Sitting at small, square tables of four, 185 women and a few men came out to roll the dice to support Oakdale FFA at its Fourth Annual Wild West Bunco Night and Dinner fundraiser on Nov. 17. Oakdale FFA advisor Ed Hartzell said attendance was up by about 20 people this year, and it showed, as the Gene Bianchi Community Center was abuzz with attendees who were ready ...

Care Closet For Teens Renamed For Teacher

Oakdale High School's "Care Closet" fills needs that underprivileged students have for clothing, food, and hygiene items. Now, it has been renamed as "Veronica's Care Closet."

Waiver Filed To Remove Magnolia From State List

Magnolia Elementary School has been named to the list of California's 1,000 lowest achieving schools, even though its API (Academic Performance Index) score is 807. A score of 800 is the state's gold standard that elementary schools hope to achieve.

Oakdale Girl Wins County Spelling Bee

C-h-a-m-p-i-o-n. That's the title that Oakdale Junior High School eighth grader Rachelle Pabalan earned at the recent countywide spelling bee. She tied for the first place award at the Stanislaus County Spelling Championship on Nov. 9.

Trustees Reduce Own Pay

Reducing board compensation and freezing travel and conference expenses were items approved by the Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees at the Nov. 8 regular meeting.

OHS Model UN Team Ready

Oakdale High School's Model UN (United Nations) team is gearing up to compete at the Stanford University Model UN conference, Nov. 12-14. Led by OHS teacher Stephen Mauchley, 19 OHS students, many of whom are team veterans, will participate in this year's event. This is Mauchley's third year working with the Model UN team, but his first as the team's advisor. <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: ...

Vendors, Shoppers Help School PTA

Over 20 vendors turned up to offer their home business wares to shoppers at Fair Oaks Elementary School on Nov. 5 at the first "Vendor Blender" fair. Hosted by the Fair Oaks Parent Teacher Association, the event also brought out a large number of parents who stopped in to shop when they picked up their children after school.

Dawn’s Column - Married And Adjusting

I'm still settling in and adapting to this new aspect of my life called marriage. People frequently ask me, "So how's married life?" My answer usually includes the words, "It's an adjustment."

Civility Campaign Launched For Schools

The Stanislaus County Office of Education launched a campaign called "Choose Civility" on Tuesday, Nov. 2 to address the issue of declining civility and to encourage people to choose positive, respectful behaviors.

Students Serve As Role Models For Red Ribbon Week

Following several days of activities focusing on being drug free, Red Ribbon Week in Oakdale schools wrapped up on Friday, Oct. 29. While all the schools planned events under the same "I am Drug Free" theme, they each had their own unique plans to bring awareness and education to students about living drug-free lives.

OID Farmers Hope For Rebate

Farmers were on hand to offer their two cents on the Oakdale Irrigation District's setting of water delivery fees at the Nov. 3 regular meeting of the board of directors.

Hats On, Ag Days Raise Student Awareness

On Oct. 22, Oakdale elementary students woke up in the morning and put on their cowboy boots and their favorite hats.

Boosters Support School Music Programs

"Music makes the people come together," so sang Madonna.

Superintendent - Search Process Under Fire

A special board meeting to decide how to proceed with the selection of a Superintendent for the Oakdale Joint Unified School District brought out about 50 concerned teachers, parents, and community members on Monday, Oct. 18, filling the OJUSD Technology and Staff Development Center.

New Games Lined Up For Challenge

The rivers of chocolate will flow at the annual Chocolate Challenge, where fun and games with chocolate will reign on the stage, Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, May 19 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. At the 21st Annual Oakdale Chocolate Festival, there will be a few changes to the Chocolate Challenge games this year, with some new, timed events where contestants will ...

Native American Life Studied

A "field trip" came to school for Fair Oaks Elementary third graders on May 8 to study the Yokuts people. The Yokuts populated this area at one time and consisted of a number of different tribes.

OID Vote - Westlands Water Sale Cleared

A one-year water transfer contract with the Westlands Water District (WWD) was unanimously approved at the May 7 regular meeting of the Oakdale Irrigation District Board of Directors. There are some conditions on the contract that first protect OID water users before any transfer.

Deadline Looms For Irrigated Lands Coalition

It's the "last call" to join the East San Joaquin Water Quality Coalition, also known as the Irrigated Lands Coalition, said Tom Orvis, Governmental Affairs Directors for the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, at the recent Oakdale Irrigation District Board of Directors meeting. He said the deadline is Monday, May 13.

2013 Volz Recipient Announced

Fifth Graders ‘Complete’ Space Mission

A trip to Sacramento turned out to be a simulated trip to outer space recently for fifth graders at Fair Oaks Elementary School.

Campus Concern - Board Addresses Discipline Complaint

Complaints about the handling of discipline of a student at Sierra View Elementary School was addressed by the Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees at the regular meeting on April 22.

River Flows On The Rise

The Bureau of Reclamation, which operates New Melones Reservoir, and the Oakdale Irrigation District recently released information about flow increases in the Stanislaus River.

Realistic DUI Tragedy Played Out

A drunk driver, a bloody crash scene, dead and dying vehicle occupants.

Rodeo Parade Entertains Masses

It's time to people-watch in Oakdale, and what better place than to watch them march down the middle of F Street to the beat of their own drums &ndash; or to the clip clop of horses' hooves &ndash; than at the 62nd Annual Oakdale Rodeo Parade? The parade starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 13 and features some of the best dressed cowboys and cowgirls of different ages, ...

The 'Write' Trail - Young Writers Close Book On Experience

Author, Author Event Slated At Lemmons Senior Center

Local Student Heads For State Contest

Oakdale resident and Valley Charter High School (VCHS) student Matthew Gery won a gold medal recently at the SkillsUSA California Region 5 Leadership and Skills Conference and will compete at the state contest in San Diego April 4-7.

Halting Student Tobacco Use Focus Of Class

A class focusing on raising awareness and to motivate teens to stop using tobacco or join a voluntary cessation program was part of a pre-cessation class held recently at Oakdale High School.

Sunny Spring Fest Draws Large Crowd