It is with gratitude and appreciation that we extend a HUGE thank you to our OCSA families and community for the overwhelming support shown to our sister school, California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV) and the families affected by the Los Angeles County wildfires. CSArts-SGV received thousands of donations in this week’s emergency relief donation drive. The kindness and generosity of all who rallied to support CSArts-SGV is truly inspiring. Thank you again to the PSO parent volunteers, Leadership students, and all the families that donated.

Please be reminded that the school will be closed this Monday, January 20 for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We look forward to seeing you back in class on Tuesday, January 21. Enjoy the long weekend!

Fall semester grades are now available in the Aeries student/parent portal under the “Grades” tab. Please note that OCSA does not mail home report cards, so it is important that both students and parents review the student’s achievements in Aeries and print a copy for their personal records, if desired. 

Any questions regarding grades should be directed to the specific teacher. For any technical difficulties with your Aeries account, please email OCSA Tech Support at techsupport@csarts.net.

Show off your OCSA spirit by dressing up next week, Tuesday, January 21 – Friday, January 24. Get creative, put on your most imaginative gear, and come out to 10th Street to celebrate with all your friends! Click here to check out the mood board for each day, and see below for the daily themes:

Tuesday, January 21 – Patterns Tuesday 

Mix and match your favorite patterns for a bold look full of stripes and animal prints!

Wednesday, January 22 – Wednesdays We Wear Pink

“You can’t sit with us” unless you rock pink from head to toe.

Thursday, January 23 – Disco vs VSCO Thursday

From Disco to VSCO – wear a style that shines through the decades!

Friday, January 24 – Class Colors Friday

Yellow for seventh grade, orange for eighth grade, red for ninth grade, purple for tenth grade, green for eleventh grade, and blue for twelfth grade.

High school students: Winter Formal is next Saturday, January 25 from 7-11 p.m. at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach! Don’t delay, as the deadline to purchase your ticket is Tuesday, January 21 at 11:59 p.m. Tickets are on sale for $82 through MySchoolBucks. If your family qualifies for the Federal Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program (FRLP), a discount is available. Please note that tickets will not be available at the door, and guest passes are no longer being accepted.

Course selection presentations with the school counselors for the 2025-2026 school year will begin in February. Please see below for the dates of the presentations, which take place in students’ Social Studies or Health classes. As a reminder, students select their courses in Aeries during the presentations; however, hard copies of the forms must also be turned in to The Dhanidina Family Student Services Office in the Humanities Tower, Room 101, with a parent/guardian signature. Please stay tuned for more information on the form deadlines.

Rising Seniors: Tuesday, February 11 – Wednesday, February 19

Rising Juniors: Tuesday, February 25 – Tuesday, March 4 

Rising Sophomores: Tuesday, March 11 – Thursday, March 20

Rising Freshmen:  Wednesday, March 19 – Wednesday, March 26

Rising 8th Grade: Wednesday, April 9 – Monday, April 14

Students: Are you considering taking Advanced Placement (AP) or Honors classes for the 2025-2026 school year? If so, please attend the corresponding AP/Honors Information session, hosted by the AP/Honors teachers, to learn more about the expectations for these courses. We highly encourage students to attend so that they can make an informed decision about taking one or more of these advanced courses.

AP Chinese: Friday, February 7  

12-12:25 p.m. | Annex, Room A07B

AP Environmental Science (APES): Monday, February 10 

Lunch | Humanities Tower, Room T505

AP Physics 1: Tuesday, February 11 

11:35 a.m.-12 p.m. | Dance, Music, and Science Center (DMS), Room D121

AP Biology: Tuesday, February 11 

Office Hours | DMS, Room D222

AP Chemistry: Wednesday, February 12 

11:35 a.m.-12 p.m. | DMS, Room D223

AP Physics 2: Thursday, February 13

11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | DMS, Room D122

AP Lang: Tuesday, February 18, Wednesday, February 19, or Thursday, February 20

1:45-2:10 p.m. | Humanities Tower, Room T303

Honors Chemistry: Thursday, March 6

Lunch | DMS, Room D223

From Dodgeball to OCSA Thrift, the Leadership class coordinates exciting events throughout the school year and serves as ambassadors for the OCSA community. Is your student interested in being a part of the action? Encourage them to apply to Leadership and be a leader on campus! Interest meetings will be held on Monday, January 27 and Tuesday, January 28 during Lunch in Michael F. Harrah Symphony Hall. The meeting will start promptly at 11:40 a.m. No students will be admitted after this time. Attending an interest meeting is mandatory to apply. Hope to see you there!

Seniors: Did you order a class ring? Class rings will be distributed by SoCalGrad on Tuesday, January 28 at Lunch in the Tower breezeway. Please pick your ring up on this date to avoid a mailing fee.

Students: Are you interested in joining the award-winning Dreamscape Yearbook staff and class next school year? Come to a mandatory information meeting on Wednesday, February 5 or Thursday, February 6 at Lunch in Dance, Music, and Science Center (DMS), Room D101 to learn more. Applications will only be accepted from students who attend a meeting. Questions should be directed to Ms. Courtney Harper at courtney.harper@ocsarts.net.

Join the Arts & Enterprise Conservatory at the Battle of the Bands – Sky's the Limit – on Thursday, February 27 from 5-10 p.m. at the Lyon Air Museum! Hosted by AMPCO Contracting, Inc, this will be a night to remember with live music, food and drinks, and a thrilling competitive band showdown featuring our talented students. The best part is that, as an audience member, YOU will have the power to vote for your favorite band of the night! Bring your friends and family, and help the Arts & Enterprise Conservatory choose a winner! Click here to purchase your tickets or sponsor the event. All proceeds go to support Stars & Stripes Children's Foundation and the Arts & Enterprise Conservatory.

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out the OCSA community’s inspiring off-campus accomplishments from the fall semester through State of the Art! This webpage highlighting the accomplishments of our students, faculty, and alumni is updated biannually at the end of the fall and spring semester; however, you can submit your successes year-round at www.ocsarts.net/StateoftheArt. All accomplishments will be posted at the conclusion of the semester in which they were submitted.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday (School Closed): Monday, January 20

Winter Formal, Grades 9-12: Saturday, January 25

President’s Day Weekend (School Closed): Friday, February 14 – Monday, February 17

Gala: Saturday, March 29

Spring Break (School Closed): Monday, March 31 – Friday, April 4

For more information, please visit www.ocsarts.net/BoxOffice.