Campaign Focuses On School Attendance

Increasing student attendance rates and raising awareness about the importance of school attendance is the goal of a recently-launched campaign by the Oakdale Joint Unified School District.

Annual Benefit For Oakdale Schools Slated

In its effort to enrich the educations of students in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District, the Oakdale Educational Foundation is holding the "Music 'n' Motion" fundraising event on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Teachers Seek New Classroom Funding Options

When Sierra View Elementary School second grade teacher Linda Kraus finally decided that she needed a digital camera for her classroom, instead of always borrowing the school camera, she knew where to turn.

Show Kindness, Compassion - OJUSD Students Challenged To Step Up

An essay written by a student killed in the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado inspired a program called Rachel's Challenge to combat bullying and create a culture of kindness and compassion on school campuses.

Oakdale Schools Lead In Exit Exam Passage

Oakdale schools' pass rates of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) are higher than any other unified school district in Stanislaus County and surpass the county and state average pass rates, according to a report given to the Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees at the Sept. 10 regular meeting.

Bullying Presentation Due For Students, Community

Rachel Scott was the first student killed in the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. Her family found her diary that contained an essay called "My Ethics, My Codes of Life" and then developed a program called Rachel's Challenge, which in part, challenges students to eliminate prejudice, set big goals, and be mindful of their influence.

Pressing Tees, Raising Money

A project to raise money by printing T-shirts is gaining steam in the Oasis after school program at Oakdale Junior High School.

County Culinary School Cooking Up Cool

Whether learning life skills or prepping for a culinary career, Oakdale High School ROP students are enjoying the fruits - literally - of their labor as they learn how to cut, prepare, and cook as part of the culinary arts course offered at the newly opened Oakdale Community School campus on South Yosemite Avenue.

Fair Oaks Changes Parent Group Affiliation

Fair Oaks Elementary School has made a switch from the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to the Parent Teacher Club (PTC). The PTA group decided to disband and become a new type of parent-teacher organization because they felt a PTC would better meet the needs of the school.

Fall Previews Debut Today

As the 2012-13 school year ushers in a new cast of athletes for each sport, it also offers a chance for the Oakdale Leader to preview Oakdale High's perennially successful programs on their respective fields of play. Today's Aug. 29 edition of The Leader features the first of a three part series highlighting 'Oakdale's Most Wanted' athletes and the teams they play for. This week, team previews on Mustang football and volleyball teams can be ...

Oakdale Teacher Named Poet Laureate

Poetry is a passion for Gillian Wegener; she said it is a big part of who she is. Because of her commitment to the art, the Oakdale Junior High School teacher was recently named Poet Laureate in Modesto. Wegener has taught English for 22 years at OJHS, where she began her teaching career. Wegener applied for the Poet Laureate position in February and was recommended for appointment by Modesto's Culture Commission Committee in early April. ...

New Kindergarten Class Added

An increased number of kindergartners in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District has resulted in the establishment of an additional kindergarten class and the hiring of a temporary teacher for the school year.

Chance To Help Magnolia School Win Grant

The community and supporters of Oakdale schools have an opportunity to help Magnolia Elementary School win a grant from Raley's through an online contest. The contest is in its final days and ends this Friday, Aug. 31. "Magnolia Elementary has no shade on its playground and we are hoping to fundraise enough money to provide a much-needed shade structure," Magnolia Parent Teacher Club member Caryn Cummins said. "We have applied for the ...

Art Corps Kicks Off At Fair Oaks

Dedicated volunteers coupled with great support from teachers and family interest have made it possible to launch the Art Corps program this year at Fair Oaks Elementary School, a year earlier than expected.

Enrollment Up In Oakdale Schools

Student enrollment numbers appear to be up slightly this year, wrapping up a full week of school in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District. School started Aug. 14 and OJUSD Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Terri Taylor supplied enrollment numbers on Aug 20.

Salmon Study Spawns Learning

OHS Food Drive Slated

Oakdale High School's Leadership students are hosting a canned food drive from Monday, Nov. 18 through Friday, Nov. 22. Students and staff can drop off cans anytime to room K-3 on campus.

Valley Charter High School Hosts Open House

Outdoor Ed Report Stirs Audience Comments

A report on the status of the district's history of contributions and options on how it could contribute again to the sixth grade Outdoor Education program, also known as science camp, garnered pointed comments from Parent Teacher Club members, the Oakdale Teachers Association President, district administrators, and others at the Nov. 4 regular meeting of the Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees regular meeting.

Ag Day - Farm Learning Comes To School

Helping young students learn that the food they eat and the fibers they wear don't come from the store, but that those things have their beginnings on the farm, is what Ag Day is about. With dedicated teacher organizers and supportive volunteer presenters, Fair Oaks and Cloverland elementary schools were able to bring the farm to their campuses on Oct. 25 at their Sixth Annual Ag Day Roundups.

Valley Home, Knights Ferry Board Races Set

There will be races for the Knights Ferry, Valley Home, and Oakdale school districts' board seats in the Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 Consolidated District Election.

School Board – Candidates Vie For Three Seats

There will be races for the Oakdale, Knights Ferry, and Valley Home school districts' board seats in the Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 Consolidated District Election.

School Board Members Get Earful From Public

Public comments seemed to dominate the agenda at the Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees regular meeting on Oct. 14.

Pocahontas Production Opens Friday

Substitute Pleads Not Guilty

Appearing with his attorney for only a few minutes, Oakdale Joint Unified School District Substitute Teacher Bryan Thies pleaded not guilty on Monday to two counts of felony lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14 and three misdemeanor charges of annoying or molesting a child. Thies is a former substitute with the district; he is no longer employed by OJUSD. Stanislaus ...

Teaching Teachers About Tech

Providing meaningful technology support, learning, and community to teachers is the goal for the Tech Learning Community project, which is being facilitated in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District by Danesa (Jepson) Menge, a seventh grade Language Arts teacher at Oakdale Junior High School.

Annual Tobacco Slam Training For Youth

The Stanislaus County Office of Education Prevention Programs Department, in partnership with the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency, California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN), and Follow the Signs, will host the Ninth Annual PHAST Tobacco Slam training on Tuesday Oct. 1, 8:30a.m. – 2p.m. at the Martin Petersen Event Center, 720 12th St., Modesto. The keynote speaker this year will be La Tanisha C. Wright, a former Big Tobacco marketing manager, who will expose ...

School Honors – API Scores Reflect Growth

Academic Performance Index (API) scores were recently released and Oakdale area schools performed well, mostly seeing increased growth in their scores from their baseline scores last year.

Benefit Triathlon Saturday At OHS

The Oakdale High School "Get Amped" Club will sponsor the second annual Kim Stogdell Memorial Triathlon on the OHS campus on Saturday, Sept. 21, beginning at 5 p.m. The race will be a modified triathlon, beginning at the Mustang Aquatic Center where individuals will swim 10 laps. Competitors will next execute a three-mile bicycle ride around the OHS campus (competitors must provide their own bicycles). At the completion of ...

Constitution Day Observance, Speaker At MJC

The Modesto Junior College Civic Engagement Project will present a Constitution Day Observance featuring Stephen R. Routh, speaking on "The Congress, the President, and the Power to Make War" today, Tuesday, Sept.17 at 7p.m. in Forum 102 on East Campus, 435 College Ave. The event is open to the public and admission is free. Campus parking is available for $1 in student parking lots. Routh is the chair of the Department of Political ...