August 19, 2022
FIRST WEEK OF CONSERVATORY
We hope you all had a fantastic first week of academic classes! We would like to remind all parents and students that the first day of conservatory instruction will take place this coming Monday, August 22.

The regular bell schedule also begins on Monday. Please keep in mind that on Mondays through Thursdays, conservatory classes conclude at 3:25 p.m. for grades 7-8 and at 4:45 p.m. for grades 9-12. On Fridays, there are no conservatory classes and students of all grade levels are dismissed at 2:30 p.m. To review the bell schedule for the 2022-2023 school year, please click here.
DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP REMINDERS
Please help OCSA maintain positive relationships with the surrounding community and refrain from dropping off or picking up your student in nearby business parking lots. Please utilize the established drop-off areas at the start of the school day and at the conclusion of the school day. See below for additional morning drop-off reminders:

  • When dropping off your students, please pay attention and follow the instructions of staff members directing traffic.
  • Be sure to move your car as far forward as possible before dropping off students.
  • If dropping off on Main Street, please use your turn signal. If you intend to go right on 10th Street, signal right; if you intend to continue south on Main Street, signal left.

Thank you for helping us to be a good neighbor to our community and for making drop-off and pick-up a safe and efficient process!
WELCOME WEEK FESTIVAL TODAY
Don’t forget! All students and their families are invited to the Welcome Week Festival after school TODAY, Friday, August 19, from 2:30-4 p.m. at the Container Lot in front of the Humanities Tower. This annual OCSA bash features carnival-style games, food trucks, music, a dunk tank, and more! Meanwhile, parents/guardians can mix and mingle with school administration and other OCSA families at a Parent Social.

Please refer to our Campus Parking Map for parking options. Parents/guardians can park in any OCSA parking lot, in addition to the Sycamore Parking Structure near campus. If you park in the structure, be sure to get your parking ticket validated at the Parent Social. We hope to see you there!
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TRAINING
We would like to share that a fire and evacuation drill will be conducted this coming Tuesday, August 23 during Office Hours in order to prepare our students and staff in case of an emergency. After receiving instructions from their teachers, students and staff will practice by physically evacuating all buildings. We expect this event to take approximately 45 minutes to complete.

On Thursday, August 25 during Office Hours, teachers will discuss with students how to stay safe in the event of a violent intruder on campus. There will be no practice drill connected with this training.

If you have questions regarding our emergency preparedness training, please contact Assistant Principal of Facilities & Supervision Dr. William Wallace at [email protected].
UPDATED SCHOOL COUNSELOR DIRECTORY
In order to best serve our high school students and provide balance for our school counseling team, the Student Services Office is reassigning counselors amongst high school students to more equitably distribute students between the counselors and to ensure everyone continues to receive the guidance and support they need. 
 
Please see below for the revised 2022-2023 School Counselor Directory:


Please rest assured that the school counselors work collaboratively and any student or parent with questions or concerns can reach out for further assistance.
TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION
Please be reminded that students utilizing the Metrolink, Newport Beach/Bonita Park, or Rossmoor/Rush Park bus routes will need their passes to board the bus starting this coming Monday, August 22. Students must pick up their shuttle passes in the bookroom on the second floor of the Humanities Tower.

In addition, we would like to provide a few resources to help parents/guardians organize carpools:

  • The 2022-2023 Parent Directory is available through the Aeries Parent Portal under the Resources tab, which will allow you to connect with other families willing to be contacted/participate in carpools.
  • You can also connect to find potential carpools through the Transportation Facebook Group. Please answer the screening questions to become a member of this private group and find connections near you.

Please visit www.ocsarts.net/Transportation for additional information. For any questions, please contact [email protected].
STUDENT EMAIL ACCOUNT ACCESS
Earlier this week, we communicated that all student email accounts must be accessed through Outlook.com and that the Gmail forwarding feature from Outlook would no longer be available. Due to technical challenges, this transition has been delayed. Students will still be able to utilize the Gmail forwarding feature until Monday, October 3 to provide sufficient time for students to learn how to access their OCSA email accounts via Outlook.com. Please stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. For any questions related to this change, please contact [email protected].
JOIN US AT SEASON PREMIERE
Help us kick off OCSA’s 2022-2023 season! Join us at Season Premiere 2022 on Saturday, September 10 for a delicious multi-course dinner and waterfront concert featuring accomplished alumni and renowned guest artists, performing alongside talented current students. This captivating performance will include a wide array of musical styles and show-stopping numbers with special appearances by MONTAGE! and the Ambassador Jazz Orchestra.

To reserve your spot or for more information, please visit www.ocsarts.net/SeasonPremiere. You won’t want to miss this stunning event!
SCHOOL CALENDAR ADJUSTMENTS
Due to availability at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Season Finale 2023 will take place on Wednesday, May 31. In order to accommodate this date within the school calendar, adjustments have been made to the last two weeks of school. If you previously printed the Important Dates to Remember document, we recommend that you print the most updated version since some dates have changed.
PERFORMANCE PROGRAM ADVERTISING
If you plan to sell or purchase advertising space in our programs, please remember that the due date for ad forms, artwork, and payment is Wednesday, August 31. An ad in OCSA’s performance program is a great opportunity to give a shout out to your graduating senior, current student, or conservatory! Detailed information can be found on our website at www.ocsarts.net/Advertising. If you have questions, please contact Becky Parsons, Family Liaison, at [email protected] or 714.560.0900 ext. 5535.
HEALTH & SAFETY REMINDERS
The health and safety of our students, staff, and community remain at the forefront of our efforts. OCSA will continue to follow all guidance set by the California Department of Public Health. At this time, mask wearing on the OCSA campus is optional. Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 and/or are exhibiting symptoms should remain at home and fill out the COVID-19 Reporting Form. For more information on OCSA’s COVID-19 policies and procedures, please click here.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
Conservatory Instruction Begins: Monday, August 22

Labor Day (School Closed): Monday, September 5

Academic Back-to-School Night (No Conservatory): Thursday, September 8

Staff Professional Development Day (No School): Friday, September 9

Season Premiere: Saturday, September 10
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS
For more information, please visit www.ocsarts.net/BoxOffice.