OCSA Weekly Wrap - October 9, 2026

OCTOBER 9, 2026

SPIRIT WEEK NEXT WEEK

Students: Get excited for the first spirit week of the 2026-2027 school year! We look forward to seeing your spirited fits each day next week. Please see below for each day’s theme.

Monday, October 12 – Undercover Celebrity

Avoid the paparazzi with oversized sunglasses, baseball caps, and more.

Tuesday, October 13 – Fall Fashion

Embrace the autumnal season with fall colors and boots.

Wednesday, October 14 – Corporate vs. Country

Heading to the office or the rodeo? Choose between blazers or cowboy boots.

Thursday, October 15 – Neon

Shine bright in vibrant neon colors!

Friday, October 16 – Class Colors Day

Show your class pride by wearing your class colors. As a reminder, 7th grade is yellow, 8th grade is orange, 9th grade is red, 10th grade is purple, 11th grade is green, and 12th grade is blue.

PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF REMINDERS

OCSA would kindly like to remind families of our drop-off and pick-up processes in order to ensure that we continue to focus on being safe, responsible, and good neighbors to the surrounding community. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the Parking & Drop-Off/Pick-Up Guidelines Map and keep in mind the following reminders:

Please pay attention and follow the instructions of the staff members directing traffic when dropping off or picking up your students.

Students should cross streets only at designated crosswalks.

Move your car as far forward as possible before dropping off or picking up students.

Please do not stop your car in a traffic lane, in the middle of the street, or in a bus stop area while your student exits or enters your vehicle. This includes side streets like Bush and Spurgeon.

Please do not stop or park anywhere there is a “No Stopping at Any Time” sign or in a red zone (this has become a safety concern and at times parents are blocking exits and entrances).

OCSA parking lots may be used for drop-off and pick up only if there are open and available parking spots in them; do not double park or sit and wait in the lots as it blocks members of our community from exiting the lots. Most OCSA lots are available 30 minutes before school and 15 minutes after school to be used for drop-off or pick-up. Parents are not permitted to park and leave their car without a valid OCSA parking permit or a Visitor’s temporary permit.

Please do not block the entrances to any of our neighbors’ parking lots or facilities or utilize nearby business parking lots to drop off your student. The parking lot at 909 N. Main Street is NOT a drop-off and pick-up lot. Many of our neighbors, including the Department of Child Support Services, are supporting public safety related operations, and it is critical that the exits and entries to their lots are unobstructed.

We appreciate your cooperation as we work to keep our community safe and the traffic running smoothly.

PROGRESS REPORTS

The first nine-week progress report of the fall semester will be available in the Aeries portal starting at noon on Friday, October 16.

To view:

To print: Go to the “Report Card History” tab and click the blue word “English” to open the report.

Important reminders:

Progress reports are a snapshot of your student's current performance and are not included on high school transcripts. Prospective colleges will not see them unless you choose to share a copy.

Plus/minus marks are used to encourage students to continue a strong effort. They do not appear on semester grades.

As a policy, grade changes are not made on progress reports unless there is a clerical error.

Please download/print the progress report for your records. OCSA does not mail paper copies.

The Aeries portal provides 24/7 access to progress reports, unofficial transcripts, immunization records, test scores, and more.

If you have questions about grades, please contact the teacher directly. For Aeries access issues or password resets, email our Tech Support Team at techsupport@csarts.net.

OCSA HALLOWEEN IS COMING

It is almost time for OCSA’s Annual Halloween Bash! Students: If you are interested in competing in the costume contest, there are five categories: scariest, funniest, most creative, best cosplay, and best group.

We would like to share the following do’s and don’ts, which can help as you plan your costume this month:

Do:

Respect people’s decision to participate or not participate in Halloween festivities.

Make sure your costume doesn’t hinder your ability to learn or others’ ability to learn.

Don’t:

Bring toy guns or weapons to school. If your costume includes a replica or foam sword or staff, that is acceptable; however, please be aware that OCSA staff or administration may ask to see it and may stow it in their office if it is determined to be potentially dangerous. It is recommended that these props be affixed to your costume, so that they cannot be removed.

Engage in cultural appropriation or wear a costume that makes fun of a specific religion, race, ethnicity, cultural group, or gender. True appreciation comes in the form of learning about other cultures, befriending different people, going to museums, researching, and listening to others’ stories. Dressing up for one day of the year is not an appropriate demonstration of appreciation. Please stick to make-believe costumes, such as superheroes, zombies, aliens, vampires, book characters, and all things imaginative or creative.

PAINTED PUMPKIN AUCTION

The highly anticipated Visual Arts Conservatory Painted Pumpkin Auction is officially open! Take a walk through the pumpkin patch in the lobby of the Humanities Tower, now through Friday, October 16. Then, be sure to visit the auction site to bid on your favorite ghoulish creations! If you are a winner, your pumpkin will be available for pick-up from the OCSA campus in time for Halloween festivities.

FALL MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE

Calling all middle school students: OCSA’s fall middle school dance, “Pajama Jam,” will take place on Friday, October 23 from 2:45-4:45 p.m. in The Callero Family Foundation Plaza (DMS Quad). Get cozy in your favorite pajamas and join us for an afternoon of dancing, food, drinks, and games. Please note: Pajamas are encouraged but not required and school dress code rules still apply. OCSA middle school dances are for OCSA middle school students only. Students must bring their student ID to enter the dance. Tickets are $20 and are available to purchase through MySchoolBucks beginning today, Friday, October 9, through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, October 19.

If you would like to suggest a song to be played at the dance, please submit your request here before the end of day today, Friday, October 9. All songs must be school appropriate. More information is available on the form.

ETHICS BOWL

High school students: If you are interested in ethics, discussion, critical thinking, and competition then you are invited to learn more about OCSA’s National High School Ethics Bowl team. The Ethics Bowl team explores real-world ethical dilemmas and discusses them in competition against schools regionally and nationally. Ethics Bowl rewards careful thinking, respectful dialogue, and the ability to see an issue from every angle. Meetings occur during Lunch on Gold Tuesdays in The Newkirk Family Visual Arts Center (VAC), Room 116. Come to the interest meeting on Tuesday, October 13 at 11:35 a.m. in the VAC, Room 116 to learn more about tryouts and the competition season. Join the Google Classroom (27wj53wd) for further updates!

FALL 2026 CLUB DIRECTORY

Students: If you would like more information regarding the variety of clubs available at OCSA and how to get involved in them, there is a Club Directory, which can also be found in the OCSA Club Google Classroom. The classroom code is laezehaw.

HOMECOMING TICKET SALES CLOSE MONDAY

High school students: Homecoming tickets are now available on MySchoolBucks! Get ready for a “Party in Paradise” at [AV] Irvine on Saturday, October 17. Ticket sales close this Monday, October 12 at 11:59 p.m.

Tickets are sold online only and will not be sold on campus or at the venue. Please note that the deadline to purchase guest passes has now passed. OCSA students must bring their student ID to enter the dance and non-OCSA guests must have a picture ID. The actual ticket is not required. For more information about guest passes and other dance details, click here. Please email ocsa.leadership@ocsarts.net if you have any questions.

LAST CHANCE FOR LA LUNA COSECHA TICKETS

The OCSA Foundation’s special event La Luna Cosecha is only one week away and only a limited number of tickets are still available! This is your last chance to secure your spot for this enchanting evening held on the OCSA campus on Friday, October 16. Guests will enjoy a hosted cocktail reception, live mariachi music, vibrant performances from the Ballet Folklórico Dance Conservatory, an exquisite three-course dinner prepared by our guest master chefs and the students of The Mekjian Family Culinary Arts & Hospitality Conservatory, and more. Click here to reserve your tickets today!

NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and OCSA is partnering with PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center to support a month-long focus on unity, kindness, inclusion, belonging, and standing up against bullying.

This week we put UNITY into action here at OCSA by making a commitment to supporting others who have been hurt, treating people with kindness, accepting differences, and including those who may feel left out. Every person has a role in creating an OCSA community where bullying has no place.

There will be a corresponding student-created unity art exhibit displayed in the Lisa Argyros Commons on Wednesday, October 21. Students and staff are invited to wear orange in support of unity and anti-bullying during this event.

SHORT-TERM INDEPENDENT STUDY

Does your student have a pre-planned absence, possibly to participate in an upcoming audition, production, competition, or for medical treatment? They may qualify for Short-Term Independent Study, a new program for the 2026-2027 school year.

A student may be pre-approved to use up to 10 consecutive or non-consecutive days in which the student will not incur absences, excused or unexcused, from their educational program as long as they complete assigned work from their current teachers either online or through designated means. The student is responsible for completion of work in order to meet learning goals while they are away from school.

For more information about the program, please watch a quick video explanation.

FOOD SERVICE AT OCSA

Please be reminded that all students are eligible to receive a free breakfast and lunch each school day per the 2021 California state mandate. We have noticed that some students have been utilizing the daily free lunch without completing the weekly sign-up form. We wanted to send a friendly reminder that students MUST complete the form before 5 p.m. on Sunday if they plan to receive free lunch any time that week. Weekly sign-ups allow us to better estimate the number of lunches needed, ensure we have enough food available, and minimize food waste.

Students can click here to access the selection form or may utilize the QR codes found near food service locations on campus. Click here for more information about the free breakfast and lunch available to all students.

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

Middle school students: Ready to explore, experiment, and compete? The OCSA Middle School Science Olympiad team is recruiting for the 2026-2027 season!

Science Olympiad offers students the opportunity to dive deep into hands-on engineering builds, laboratory events, and interactive scientific challenges. Whether you love building gliders, digging into food science, or solving forensic mysteries, there is a place for you on the team. Click here to fill out the interest form.

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY

Competition, history, research, awards! If this describes your student’s interests, then National History Day (NHD) is for them. NHD is a team of middle and high school historians competing at the school, county, and national levels. Research proposals for this year's theme "Innovation is History" are due Friday, October 30. Students can learn more at club meetings on Thursdays at Lunch in the Humanities Tower, Room 407. Email Club Advisor Nancy Alcala at nancy.alcala@ocsarts.net with any questions.

SENIOR DEADLINES & REMINDERS

Class of 2027 families: Please be aware of the following important dates and deadlines so that you don’t miss out on any part of your senior experience!

Monday, November 1 – College Application Materials Deadline

This is the next date to order transcripts and request a counselor letter of recommendation for college applications with a Tuesday, December 1 deadline. Please click here for more information on transcript ordering and check in with your teachers for their individual letter of recommendation timelines.

Monday, November 30 – Senior Packages or Cap and Gown Order Deadline

Bundle and save with a senior package! Purchase all the essential Class of 2027 items in one package, including a yearbook, cap and gown, Grad Night ticket, senior t-shirt, and panoramic class photo, plus you can even add a class ring. Click here for more information or purchase now through MySchoolBucks.

Monday, January 11 – Senior Ads Deadline

If you are looking for a great way to celebrate your graduating senior, consider purchasing an ad for placement in the yearbook. Go to www.yearbookordercenter.com and use OCSA’s order number 40412 to create your senior ad.

Senior Bulletin

Senior families should read the Class of 2027 Senior Bulletin thoroughly, as it contains all the information needed for this culminating year and will answer many questions you may have. Student Services will email detailed graduation information to the Class of 2027 and parents/guardians in the spring. If you have any questions after you have read the Senior Bulletin, please feel free to email student.services@ocsarts.net.

Please also refer to www.ocsarts.net/12thGrade often for Class of 2027 information, resources, handouts, and helpful links.