New Option For Graduation Credits

Career Technical Education classes (CTE) offered at the high school level will now count toward graduation requirements in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District. The Board of Trustees heard the first reading of additions about the CTE option to board policy regarding graduation requirements at the Jan. 23 regular meeting. AB1330, which starts with the 2012-2013 school year, has made an option available to students to use CTE to meet graduation requirements. ...

New Valley Home Superintendent Looks To Future

Following months of obstacles and encountering new territory starting in the summer of 2011, the Valley Home Joint School District is starting 2012 anew. Rolanda Desrosiers-Lewis represents the new era for the 170-student K-8 district after being hired as the new Superintendent/Principal to be a permanent replacement for former administrator Thomas Kevin Hart.

Dog Previews His Sniff Power

"Dale" the detection dog was on the campuses of Oakdale High School and Oakdale Junior High School on Friday, Jan. 6 showing off his contraband-detection skills with his handler Debra DeShon.

Homecoming Festivities Slated For Friday

Oakdale High's freshmen, junior varsity and varsity basketball teams aren't the only potential big winners on Friday when Oakdale plays host to East Union at the Mustang gymnasium. The night is Oakdale's Winter Homecoming, where 2012 King, Queen, Prince and Princess selections will be made. Candidates for (junior) King are Spencer Thomas, Marcus Northcutt, Cameron Sluggett, Adam Lahey and Ericksen Dickens. Candidates for (junior) Queen are Tiffany Thompson, Tiara Marquez, Hayley Benson, Makenzie ...

Detection Dogs Due On Campus

This spring, Oakdale High School will begin having "detection dogs" on campus to assist in enforcing the student conduct code. An informational student assembly is slated for Friday, Jan. 6 during school and a parent assembly will be held that evening at 6 p.m. at Oakdale Junior High School.

Valley Home Hires New Superintendent

In an action announced at a special board meeting on Dec. 27, Valley Home Joint School District Board of Trustees hired Rolanda Desrosiers-Lewis as the new Superintendent/Principal.

Valley Home Hires New Superintendent

Valley Home Joint School District hired Rolanda Desrosiers-Lewis as the new Superintendent/Principal in an action announced at a special board meeting held Dec. 27. Her first official day will be when Valley Home School is back in session from winter break on Jan. 3, 2012. Her most recent employment was as Director of Education for Modesto City Schools. Desrosiers-Lewis is the first woman to serve as Valley Home's Superintendent/Principal. She ...

Students Ready To Deliver Post-Holiday Gifts

For several years the Oak Valley Care Center has been the recipient of Christmas gifts from students in Tara Vandermark's class at Fair Oaks Elementary School. The sixth graders have conducted an annual candy cane "candy gram" fundraiser to earn money to fill wants and needs at the care center. Vandermark's class sold candy canes with short notes attached to students and staff at Fair Oaks who paid a ...

OJUSD Responds To $$ Cuts

California Governor Jerry Brown recently announced that trigger cuts will take place due to an over-projection of income for the state of $2.2 billion. Most of the cuts automatically take effect Jan. 1, with school cuts taking place Feb. 1.

Art Students Raise Money Decorating Trees

To earn money to pay for an art field trip to San Francisco, National Art Honor Society students at Oakdale High School have found a way to apply their talents and offer community members a convenient way to complete their holiday home decorations. The students are decorating Christmas trees for $100. They use the decorations that people already own and help local residents save time and a few hassles ...

Trees For Troops To Be Erected

Oakdale High School's Interact club will once again put out collection bins and Christmas trees at locations in town where shoppers can drop off bags of necessity items for U.S. soldiers serving overseas. Interact club president Paul Perrone said they are starting the Trees For Troops project soon. Be on the lookout for bins and trees that will be located in Oakdale's Save Mart and River Oak Pharmacy. Each tree contains ...

Schools Help The Community

DeleteSome programs in Oakdale schools demonstrate caring and help others in the community all year round but during the holidays, the schools really step up their support.

OHS Bands March In, Jazz It Up

Oakdale High School Marching Band and Jazz Band competed recently at the Central California Band Review in Merced. Both groups took third place in their divisions, an accomplishment that district band director Ross McGinnis is pleased about, as they went up against some "heavyweight" bands. The OHS Jazz Band missed the second place spot by .65 of a point out of 100 points. McGinnis said that OHS is in a different division this year ...

District Broaches Subject Of Audience Behavior

In an effort to rein in certain behaviors at public performances, the Oakdale Joint Unified School District is trying to educate students and adults about proper audience etiquette.

Ag Day Brings Farm Life To School

Students at Fair Oaks and Cloverland elementary schools were able to get up close and personal with different kinds of animals, farmers and ranchers, and other people who work in agriculture on Oct. 21 as the schools both hosted Ag Day Roundups. The events each featured dozens of indoor and outdoor presenters and displays representing different facets of agriculture.

OHS Counseling Gets Social

The Oakdale High School counseling department is looking for people to "like" them.

OJUSD Classified Employees To Be Honored

School Care Closet Needs Restocking

Once donations have been made to local charities and the holidays are over, some people forget that there are continuous needs and those holiday donations can be quickly depleted.

School Trustees Hear Safety Plan

An overview of the Oakdale Joint Unified School District's safety plan and coordinated crisis response plan was presented to the district Board of Trustees at the Jan. 14 regular meeting. In the wake of the Connecticut school shooting, information about school district safety plans has been in the forefront of people's minds.

Public Invited To County Music Fest

General Fund Impact - Special Ed Costs Soaring

Special education costs are increasing for school districts, while the state and federal governments' contributions are decreasing, according to a 25-page report on special education in California released Jan. 3 by the state Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO).

Kids’ Museum Gives Glimpse Of Ancient Egypt

Breakfast Honors Kids Doing School Right

Oakdale High School's academic movers and shakers were honored recently with the "Doing High School Right" breakfast for the first semester. The Dec. 13 breakfast took place in the school cafeteria and is held each semester as part of the OHS Renaissance program to support academic achievement and improvement. OHS college counselor Denise Hitch reported that the students recognized were nominated by staff because they are ...

Students Offer Gifts In A Shoebox

School Safety Examined

In the wake of the school tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday, Dec. 14, questions about the safety plans of schools are on the minds of people in communities across the country, including here in Oakdale.

Stellar Students

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

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