School Board Fills Vacant Seat

The Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees approved the appointment of former school trustee Rick W. Jones to fill a vacant seat on the board at the March 8 regular meeting.

Oakdale Teams Advance In Science Olympiad

Oakdale High School science teacher and Science Olympiad coach Cameron Nickerson said it best when he reported, "Oakdale Science Olympians rocked the Regionals."

Schools Join In Read Across America

Fair Oaks Elementary School Principal David Kindred made a special visit to Linda Kraus' second grade class at Sierra View Elementary School on Feb. 26 to kick off Read Across America, which was on March 2. Kindred read "Cat in the Hat" by Dr. Seuss, and taught a draw-along lesson of the Cat in the Hat to Kraus' students.

"Mr. Kindred has been a guest in my room for the previous three years," Kraus said. "I invite him in each year to do this lesson in preparation for Read Across America Day, which is March 2, Dr. Seuss' birthday."

Run Raises Money For Local Schools

Some Oakdale educators are sending out an "S.O.S." to help Oakdale schools. The Support Oakdale Schools (S.O.S.) Family Fun Run/Walk event has been organized in conjunction with the Oakdale Educational Foundation (OEF) to raise money for schools in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District.

Decade Of Dominance

It's been a decade of championships, a decade of dominance.

School Board Trustees Approve Budget Reductions

A total of $2.1 million in potential cuts to the Oakdale Joint Unified School District budget was approved by the Board of Trustees at the Feb. 8 regular meeting. The district must cut between $1.5-$2.2 million from the budget, depending on the state's final, approved budget. Adjustments to the budget will be brought before the board once the state budget is finalized and union negotiations are complete. The district knows that, at minimum, it must cut $1.5 million.

Academic Decathlon

Oakdale High School has taken the top prize in the county Academic Decathlon competition for the past nine consecutive years. Fair or not, there's a great deal of pressure this year on the OHS team to bring home its tenth win. The team members are fully aware of the other schools that are gunning for them, as well as the expectations from the school and the community that are upon them to achieve.

Students Get Educated About Job Market

The Careers In Manufacturing (CIM) Road Show made a visit to Oakdale High School on Jan. 26, bringing in approximately 170 people who were interested in finding out more about available jobs for students and recent high school graduates.

Change Coming? OHS Considers Closed Campus

A discussion on closing the Oakdale High School campus for lunchtime was on the agenda at the Jan. 11 regular meeting of the Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees.

Care Closet Helps Needy Teens

The lives of scores of underprivileged students are affected for the better because of the creation of a small, inconspicuous room at Oakdale High School. Actually, it's what's inside the room that has really made the difference: deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, ramen noodles, bottled water, paper and pencils, binders, clothing.

School Board Trustees Sworn In

Recently elected trustees were sworn in at the Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees regular meeting on Dec. 14.

Foundation Awards Local Education Grants

In a year when school districts have been hit especially hard financially, it was a welcome relief when 74 grants totaling $97,000 were recently awarded to teachers in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District from the Oakdale Educational Foundation. Grants were awarded to individual teachers and groups of teachers to benefit their students at an awards reception on Dec. 3 held at Oakdale High School.

Students Learn Salmon Lifecycles

Fourth grade students in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District have been learning about the life cycle of Chinook salmon and the lessons recently ramped up with a Salmon Day educational field trip to the Stanislaus River and information center in Knights Ferry.

Veteran Tells Students Of Sacrifices

Staff Sergeant Joe Evans met with second graders at Sierra View Elementary School recently, in honor of Veterans Day, and told them about his experiences in the service and the sacrifices made by him and his family, as well as others who serve in the military.

Elementary Students Hold Mock Trials

Elementary gifted learner students recently held mock trials where they learned about courtroom justice and all the work that goes into taking a case to trial.

Stellar Students

Knights Ferry Elementary School recently announced its Students of the Month for November 2012. Congratulations to students from front left, Jenna O'Neil, Levi Dickens, Carter Sturtevant, Emily Watson, and Rilyn Cassaretto. Back row: Presley Wilson, Brayden Sousa, Madison Willis, and Aleesha Harden.

School Projects Moving Forward

The Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees voted to move forward with a Request for Qualifications for architectural services for the district's new Central Kitchen and a multi purpose room design that will be for Fair Oaks and Cloverland elementary schools.

Robbins Closes Out Career At Riverbank Schools

Riverbank Unified School District (RUSD) lead grounds man, Ronnie Robbins, is settling in to a new role, retirement, after completing 33 years of service with the district. Robbins originally worked at Rio Altura Elementary School, which is now the site of Riverbank Language Academy, for 10 years. Then he moved to Cardozo Middle School and spent a year and a half as the groundskeeper there. The rest of his 22-year career was spent as the lead grounds man for the school district, working at a variety of locations.

Dissections Bring Knowledge About Organs

Animal organs helped elementary school students learn more about human body systems when they recently had the opportunity to analyze them during a dissection "party."

Orchestra Concert For Kids Of All Ages

The Modesto Junior College Community Orchestra, directed by Anne Martin, will present a concert for kids of all ages tonight, Tuesday, Dec. 4, in the auditorium of the Media and Performing Arts Center on east campus. The concert has an early start time of 7p.m. to accommodate families with young children.

Oakdale High Marching Band, Colorguard Take First Place

Driving rain, wind, and cold weather couldn't stop the Oakdale High School Marching Band recently as it took first place at the Lincoln Review of Champions in Stockton. On Nov. 17 bands from the Bay Area, Fresno, and the Central Coast flocked to the review because it's one of the last of the competitive marching band season, which coincides with the end of the football season.

OHS Essay Writers Dominate Contest

Oakdale High School students comprised 11 out of 19 award recipients and swept the top three spots at the recent awards ceremony for the American Heritage Scholarship Series essay contest.

More Salmon Spawning For Student Study This Year

The number of Chinook salmon returning to spawn in the Stanislaus River at the Knights Ferry recreation area appears to be one of the best in several years. Fourth graders in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District recently witnessed the spawning activity and did field studies as part of their state standards salmon unit.

OHS Scholars Honored With American Heritage Scholarships

This fall, 166 high school juniors and seniors from nine high schools throughout the county participated in the American Heritage Scholarship Series essay contest, a competition sponsored, in part, by Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) and other entities. Nineteen students were honored for their essays at an awards ceremony on Nov. 20 at the SCOE Board Room, Modesto. A total of $10,000 in scholarships awards were presented, which included one $2,000 scholarship, two $1,500 scholarships, two $1,000 scholarships, four $500 scholarships, and ten $100 cash awards.

Sierra View Students Meet Soldier In Honor Of Veterans’ Day

In honor of Veterans' Day on Nov.11, Sierra View Elementary School second grade teacher Linda Kraus hosted a veteran guest speaker in her class on Friday, Nov. 9.

School Board - Facilities Project Method Approved

The "lease-leaseback" method to build the new Central Kitchen facility on J Street was approved in a 4-2 vote by the Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees at the Nov. 5 regular meeting.

Students Plan For D.C. Trip

The President has been elected and seven sophomore and junior students along with one teacher from Oakdale High School plan to travel to Washington D.C. to watch his public inauguration on Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

Top Spellers Headed For County Contest

Top spellers from area schools will compete in Stanislaus County Elementary Spelling Championship today, Nov. 7, at Johansen High School, 641 Norseman Drive, Modesto. The Elementary Spelling Championship is for children in fourth through sixth grades.