Moms` Night Out Open House Showcases OPIS Students
Transcription
Moms` Night Out Open House Showcases OPIS Students
S P R I N G 2 0 1 1 the Independent Barbara Harrison, Editor [email protected] Moms’ Night Out Open House Showcases OPIS Students Congratulations to all the students who worked so hard on their presentations for Open House on May 3. Dr. Tony Knight, OPUSD Superintendent, board member, Barbara Laifman, OPIS parents and prospective OPIS families responded to the displays with great interest and enthusiasm. Above, fourth graders Bianca Hofstatter and Courtney Faggin discuss the fascinating field of nanotechnology. Save the Date! OPIS High School Graduation June 16 Ceremony begins at 6:00 PM at OPHS 8th Grade Culmination June 9 – 11:30 – 1:00 Oak Canyon Park Picnic Pavilion OPIS Beach Party and Picnic June 13 11:00 Zuma Beach Lifeguard Station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rincipal’s Message Please enjoy this edition of The Independent. As we approach the end of the school year, I want all of you to know how proud I am about the outstanding accomplishments and progress demonstrated by our students. The faculty and staff are commended for their tireless effort in guiding and supporting the educational program for each student. On May 6th, teachers and our counselor were honored with an Appreciation Luncheon, sponsored by our site council parents. The food was wonderful! Also, kudos to our parents for their commitment and support at home. Our school is blessed with caring and loving parents! Principal Lou Tabone and teacher Jane Schulze enjoy the picnic. Independent School is truly meeting student needs and providing the opportunity for students to pursue their special interests. Read on and learn about our stellar students and the exciting activities in Independent School. Finally, I want to congratulate our 8th grade culmination students and our outstanding graduating Class of 2011. Best wishes on your continued success. Family Picnic April 14th was a beautiful evening at Oak Canyon Park where OPIS families gathered for OPIS’s annual picnic. Max Schulze, Jane’s husband, brought his golf clubs to the delight of several students who tried their hand at driving balls up the hill. Parents and staff relaxed and enjoyed each other’s company in this beautiful setting. As we close out the year, I wish all of you a safe and restful summer break. I hope to see all of you in the fall of 2011. Lou Tabone Marie Panec OPUSD Board Member It is with a tremendous sense of loss and sadness that we report the sudden and unexpected passing on May 3rd of OPUSD Board of Education member, Marie Panec. Marie was an ardent supporter of OPIS. Just a few weeks ago she visited our program and spent a couple of hours with the teachers learning how she could better support our program. Her dedication to the community and to the school district was recently acknowledged in the Acorn. Marie will be greatly missed. 2 Field Trip Fun NBC Studios On a drizzly day in February some very excited (and patient) OPIS students endured a long and slow commute to NBC Studios in Burbank. Unfortunately our trip was cut short due to our late arrival but we still saw some highlights. A short video with clips from dozens of NBC shows was shown before we toured the lot and wandered through hallways cluttered with sets, furniture, rugs, and even a coffin! Passing studios where soap operas were being filmed, we saw a wall of NBC peacock logos and saw how the logos have evolved over the years. Sadly, Jay Leno’s parking place was empty but a band was rehearsing on his set. Our guide told us that Leno keeps his massive car collection in a hangar at Van Nuys Airport and drives a different car to work every day! Bananas Anyone? A Visit to the Port of Hueneme Did you know that bananas are by far America’s favorite fruit? In fact, they are so popular that about 5,000 TONS of them arrive at Port Hueneme every week! On April 19, OPIS students and their parents learned all about bananas and their journey from South American to Southern California. We boarded a bus and were driven around the port so that we could see the bananas being unloaded. We also saw acres of brand new Mini Coopers and a few Maseratis that had recently been delivered. Our guide was full of facts and figures about how the port operates, how it compares to neighboring ports, its relationship to the city of Hueneme, the products it exports and imports and even information about how important its location was to the Chumash Indians hundreds of years ago. We left with a greater appreciation of how food is transported and each of us was given a “hand” of green bananas that we took home to ripen with the gas that is given off by other fruits! It was a very interesting trip! 3 A Rousing Jousting! OPIS families were transported back to 11th Century Spain on their January trip to Medieval Times in Buena Park. Here we were the invited guests of King Philippe and his daughter-in-law Lenore who presided over a gala feast and festival, complete with knights in shining armor astride their magnificently trained steeds. While enjoying a delicious four course meal (eaten with our hands, of course) we cheered for our knight as he competed with others, in a dazzling display of horsemanship, bravery and medieval pageantry. What a great way to experience this colorful time in history! Medieval Times Camarillo Ranch House The Camarillo Ranch House, built in 1892, was originally part of a 10,000 acre Spanish Land Grant created in 1837. Our tour of the house and grounds included many hands-on activities. Students made butter, planted beans, lassoed horses, cracked walnuts, modeled clothing, toured the stables (original home of the famous Camarillo White Horses) and played with authentic toys of the early 19th Century. It was a beautiful day to experience life as it was in early California. 4 Marcello Torraca – the Youngest “Red Rider” in the 32-Mile Ship to Shore Tour de Cure Marcello Torraca was diagnosed with diabetes at the young age of three. That year, his dad, Gianpiero, rode in his first Tour de Cure determined to raise funds for research that would lead to a cure for this disease, which is affecting more and more children annually. Marcello, now eight, and a third grader at OPIS, joined his dad on the ride three years ago and has been biking with him every year since. Red Riders to do so. (A Red Rider is a participant with diabetes, so named because of the bright red jersey they wear.) On April 30th, riding on a tandem bike, the father-son team pedaled the streets of Long Beach from the Queen Mary and across the Vincent Thomas Bridge. Completing a total of 32 miles, Marcello was the youngest of all the When asked if Marcello has any advise for others with diabetes, he replied, “Diabetes is something you can live with as long as you talk care of yourself.” That’s great advice for all of us, diabetes or not! Marcello and Gianpiero began training on weekends about two months before the event and increased their practice to every day immediately before the event. Together they raised about $3,000 for diabetes research with their efforts. Bandanas for Dogs OPIS Students Participate in Community Service Project Inspired by mother-daughter team, Debra and Gaby Reublin, elementary and middle school students met in February to make bandanas for dogs at the Agoura Animal Shelter. Decorated with creative designs and texts such as Take Me Home, Love Me, Cold Nose- Warm Heart and Be Mine, our bandanas were designed to make the pets irresistible for those looking for a pet around Valentines Day. We made over 100 colorful bandanas! Thanks for a great project! 5 Japan, and Mexico. The top tennis players play all of the same tournaments so I have many opportunities to spend time with my closest friends. Another benefit is through my sponsorship with Prince. I get free equipment such as racquets, bags, and grips. I also get a lot of new clothes and shoes for free. Sometimes I don't know what they are sending me, so when the large box from Prince comes to my house, it’s like Christmas. One of the biggest benefits is the privilege of being recruited by top colleges across the country. Spotlight on Shayne Austin My name is Shayne Austin, I am 17 years old, from Oak Park, California. I am currently a junior and have been in the Oak Park Independent Study program for 6 years. I play tennis on the Junior National and International Circuit, and I’m currently sponsored by Prince Athletics. Playing tennis takes me away from home for weeks at a time. OPIS has allowed me to continue living the dream and doing what I love while keeping up on my education, and preparing me for college. I’m currently being recruited by top colleges such as, UCLA, Notre Dame, Michigan, Washington, and Tennessee to name a few. I have taken unofficial visits to each one of these colleges and I’m looking to make my verbal commitment to one of them soon. The recruiting process has been very fun; I get free tickets to sports events, and even got to be on the field for the UCLA vs. USC football game. There are many things I am looking for in a college. One of the biggest is knowing that whatever college I do commit to will help me develop my game to the next level. In order to play at the level I am, I train for many hours on and off the court. I train at Weil Academy in Ojai and with my personal coach Blake Russ, at Sunset Hills Tennis Club in Thousand Oaks. At both places I train with other highly ranked tennis players. I train 4 to 6 hours a day on court and about an hour or two off court. On court training is about game strategy, technique and timing. My off court training consists of footwork drills, sprints, jump ropes, and core exercises. As a 16 year old I reached top 10 in the nation. I recently moved up to the 18s and I have had my ranking as high as top 30 in the nation. In order to train as many hours as I do, it requires a passion and love for tennis, and a willingness to make sacrifices. From long hours on the practice court, to sacrificing free weekends with my friends, it has all been worth it. Being sponsored, and recruited by top companies and colleges is extremely exciting and rewarding. OPIS has been a key part in allowing me to experience all these amazing things, and has helped me become successful not only in tennis but also in school. I’ve had to make many sacrifices over the past few years. The biggest sacrifice has been free time to spend with friends. I’m never in town when my friend’s schools have dances therefore I never participate in them. Another sacrifice is my diet. Some people may consider my diet as a sacrifice because I don’t eat a lot of fried food, or candy, but the truth is, I believe I would continue that diet even if I weren’t playing tennis. I believe the benefits outweigh the sacrifices. There are many benefits to playing tennis at the level I do. I get to experience many parts of the country and even the world. I have developed close friendships with players around the world. I currently have close friends in Australia, Russia, England, 6 OAK PARK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Looking for New Families SPRING 2011 Teacher Appreciation Luncheon OPIS will be holding a meeting for prospective OPIS families on Thursday, June 2 at 6:30 PM in the Red Oak Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room. Please tell your friends and neighbors who might be interested in our program to attend. They will get an overview of our school and have the opportunity to have their questions answered. .-##/0&.1*""2& Friends of Oak Park Schools Education Foundation will be offering summer school for middle and high school students. For students currently in grades 5-7 classes will be offered in a six week session from June 21 – July 28 and a four week session from June 27 – July 22. Classes will be held at Medea Creek Middle School from 8:15 – 12:15 daily. Tuition ranges from $225 for a single one-period 4-week class to $550 for 2 one-period 6-week classes. For class offerings please visit www.friendsofoakparkschools.org. The high school summer school program for grades 9-12 is a 6-week program running from June 21 – July 28 at Oak Park High School. Classes will be held from 8:00-12:30 daily. Tuition runs from $200 for Drivers Education, $375 for a one period 6-week class and $575 for a two-period 6-week class or 2 one-period 6-week classes. For more information email mailto:[email protected]. Beach Party Grab your towels, sunscreen, beach toys and picnic lunch and head to Zuma Beach lifeguard station #12. OPIS is having a school-wide end-of-the-year party on Monday, June 13 at 11:00. Please join us! Above: School Site Council Members Terilynn Medrano with daughter Bella, Beth Marks, Debra and Gaby Reublin set up for a beautiful luncheon. Below: staff enjoys the lunch. The OPIS staff would like to send a huge THANK YOU to all of the parents who contributed to Teacher Appreciation Day. We are overwhelmed by your generosity! A special thank you to Jennifer McIntyre who put together beautiful gift baskets and our tireless SSC members – Debra and Gaby Reublin, Beth Marks and Terilynn Medrano who transformed D-54 into a classy environment complete with toile-covered twinkle lights and urns overflowing with roses. They served a delicious homemade lunch followed by the best cupcakes ever! We are so lucky to have such supportive parents and thoughtful, hard working School Site Council members. Thank you! OAK PARK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SPRING 2011 Hear Ye! Hear Ye! On March 25th OPIS students were treated to a performance of Willy Wonka Junior produced by Spotlight Creative Arts Academy at Calvary Community Church in Westlake. This stage adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tells the story of the famous candy man and his quest to find an heir. The score features many memorable songs including The Candy Man, Pure Imagination, Oompa Loompa and I Want It Now. June 17 – Last day of school August 31 – 1st day of school Check out our website www.oakparkusd.org for enrollment forms and information. Primary students prepare a mural for Open House Miss Chili Conejo Valley Pageant By Lauren Mendoza Lauren Mendoza, a junior at OPIS, recently competed in the Miss Chili Conejo Valley Pageant. The Miss Chili Conejo Valley Pageant was one of the most memorable experiences I have ever taken part in. I placed 2nd Runner-up out of 9 amazing girls who were selected to represent their high school in the Conejo Valley District. The pageant was for a scholarship of $1,000, as well as a chance to compete in the Miss Regional California Pageant. We also had the honor of attending a Thousand Oaks Rotary luncheon, where we met and were introduced to the entire rotary. The components of the pageant included multiple application essays, a 5minute personal interview with the judges, and an onstage interview. This wasn't a typical "Beauty Pageant"; this pageant was based on the ambition, goals, community service, academic excellence, and character of the participants. I had so much fun with the "Chili Girls", and was blown away by all of their wonderful personalities and accomplishments. I am so proud to have been selected to represent Oak Park in the pageant, and have taken many things, including new friends, away from the experience. I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream! Santa Barbara will be our destination for the last field trip of the school year. We have scheduled two tours of McConnell’s Ice Cream plant – one at 9:15 and one at 10:30 on Thursday, May 26. TIME magazine voted McConnell’s “the best ice cream in the world”! Following the tour, families may explore the Santa Barbara Mission, Natural History Museum, Maritime Museum or the Zoo.