Hello new and returning OCSA students, parents/guardians, faculty, and staff, and welcome to the Weekly Wrap! This weekly email newsletter delivers the latest schoolwide news, announcements, and event updates right to your inbox every Friday. Be sure to keep an eye out for the latest news from OCSA!

We hope you are all excited for the first day of academic classes this coming Wednesday, August 14! Please be aware that the first three days of school, Wednesday, August 14 – Friday, August 16 are Friday/Non-Conservatory Schedule days, which begin at 9 a.m.

On Wednesday, August 14, dismissal will take place at 2:30 p.m. for returning students and at 3:30 p.m. for new students, due to Conservatory Buddy Activities. Please be mindful of these dismissal times when arranging carpools for Wednesday. On Thursday, August 15, all students will be dismissed at 2:30 p.m. On Friday, August 16, all students will be dismissed at 2:30 p.m., but are then invited to the Welcome Week Festival, along with their families! See the message below for more details regarding Welcome Week activities. Conservatory instruction will begin on Monday, August 19. 

We can’t wait to see you all on campus. Stay tuned for an email on Tuesday evening with final reminders for the first day of school!

To view the bell schedule for the 2024-2025 school year, please click here.

Below are some important reminders regarding the schedule:

• On Mondays – Thursdays, school begins at 8:30 a.m.; conservatory classes conclude at 3:20 p.m. for grades 7-8 and at 4:30 p.m. for grades 9-12.
• On Fridays and days when conservatory classes are not in session, the school day begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 2:30 p.m. 

Did you miss On-Campus Registration this week? If so, please come to campus on Monday, August 12 between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. to pick up schedules and textbooks in The Dhanidina Family Student Services Office, which is located on the first floor of the Humanities Tower. Otherwise, students can pick up their class schedules on the first day of school in The Dhanidina Family Student Services Office and their books in the bookroom on the second floor of the Humanities Tower.

We are pleased to share that our annual Welcome Week activities will take place during the first week of classes, from Wednesday, August 14 to Friday, August 16. We can’t wait for our students and their families to join us for this amazing multi-day event full of school spirit! Please click here to view the Welcome Week Schedule of Events.

All students and their families are invited to the big, culminating OCSA Welcome Week Festival on Friday, August 16! The Welcome Week Festival will take place from 2:30-4 p.m. on 10th Street and in the Container Lot in front of the Humanities Tower. Join us for carnival-style games, food vendors, music, a dunk tank, and more! Meanwhile, parents/guardians can mix and mingle with school administration and other OCSA parents at a Parent Social. Please click here to view the flyer. We hope to see you there!

For those of you who were on campus this week, you likely noticed the construction fencing around the planned Lisa Argyos Commons, which when completed will incorporate a grand staircase to the Cafeteria and a dedicated student commons. Construction has been going on all summer and will continue during the school year with consideration being given to minimize the impact on student learning. Stay tuned for announcements in future Weekly Wraps for construction updates!

If you are ordering school pictures, please note that they will not be distributed on campus this year. Pictures will be shipped directly to the student’s home. If you haven’t already ordered your pictures, click here for more information. Orders must be made online through www.mylifetouch.com. Use Picture Day ID code EVTRKMQ36 or your student’s ID number to order your package. Additionally, Photo Make-Up Day will be on Wednesday, September 18.

Students photographed at On-Campus Registration this past Tuesday who did not receive their ID cards should pick them up in The Dhanidina Family Student Services Office in the Humanities Tower, Room 101, next week during Lunch or Office Hours. We apologize for the inconvenience this caused for our students and families. Students who were unable to attend On-Campus Registration will not receive an OCSA ID card until Photo Make-Up Day on Wednesday, September 18.

Food services will be available daily for students in the following areas of the OCSA campus:

• Humanities Tower, second floor Cafeteria (Lunch and academic nutrition breaks)
• Humanities Tower Container Lot, “Tin Can” Cafe (Breakfast and Lunch)
• Media Arts Center, 10th Street kiosk (Lunch)

Students should pre-load their OCSA Student ID/OCard through MySchoolBucks to expedite food purchases. 

Additionally, all students are eligible to receive a free breakfast and lunch each school day per the 2021 California state mandate. Each day of the week, a different free lunch option will be available for students to reserve and pick up from the Container Lot “Tin Can” Cafe during Lunch. Students wishing to participate must reserve their meal selections each week by Sunday at 5 p.m. so that the Food Services Team can prepare the correct quantities of food. Students can click here to access the selection form or may utilize the QR codes found near food service locations on campus. For more information about the free breakfast and lunch available to all students, click here.

Regardless of whether or not you plan to utilize the free meal program called out above, any OCSA family who qualifies (based on income level) for the Federal Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program (FRLP) is still encouraged to apply. If approved, your family would be eligible for additional discounts, including reduced prices on lockers, parking passes, yearbooks, school dance tickets, and more, and the school may be eligible for additional funding. If you think your family may qualify, please click here to apply.

The OCSA Foundation is pleased to invite you to an elegant evening by the bay as we kick off OCSA’s 2024-2025 season! Join us at Season Premiere 2024 on Saturday, September 14 for a stunning waterfront concert. This country-inspired showcase will include moving acoustic performances and show-stopping numbers by MONTAGE! 

Reserve your spot soon, as this event WILL sell out! To purchase tickets, reserve a table, or for more information, please visit www.ocsarts.net/SeasonPremiere.

NEW: Special Season Premiere Weekend Opportunity Drawing

Want a chance to WIN two free tickets to Season Premiere, as well as a one-night stay at the Balboa Bay Club for the evening of the event? Get your tickets here for the Special Season Premiere Weekend Opportunity Drawing by 12 p.m. on Friday, September 6. The winner will be notified later that evening. All proceeds support our deserving student artists!

Return to school in style with new OCSA gear! Be sure to place your order through the Back-to-School Apparel Sale by Friday, August 16 at 11:59 p.m. Don’t miss out on our current offerings, including a brand-new floral-design t-shirt, vintage bowling shirt, and cool crossbody bag! Visit www.ocsarts.net/FlashSale to browse and shop now. Your items will be shipped directly to you in late September.

Have you purchased a yearbook yet? We typically sell out, so act fast! Take advantage of the back-to-school discount price of $125 available for a limited time! Prices will increase on Friday, August 23. Reserve your copy at MySchoolBucks while supplies last.

Bundle and Save with Senior Packages

Save yourself time and money when you get all your important senior purchases with a senior package! These packages include everything your senior will need for a great year, including a yearbook, cap and gown, grad night ticket, senior t-shirt, and panoramic class photo, plus you can even add a class ring. Set your senior up for success and purchase through MySchoolBucks by Monday, October 7. Please click here for more information. 

Discount Prices on Senior Yearbook Ads

Want to celebrate your graduating senior? A senior ad in the yearbook is a great way to congratulate your student on their final year of high school and a special way for seniors to celebrate their years at OCSA with friends and peers! Now is the time to purchase your ad as prices are at their LOWEST! Discount pricing ends Monday, October 7! For more information, click here. Please go to www.yearbookordercenter.com and use OCSA’s order number 40412 to create your senior ad and lock in the current discount pricing.

If you plan to sell or purchase advertising space in our digital programs, please remember that the due date for ad forms, artwork, and payment is Monday, August 19. If you own your own business or know of one that may be interested, an ad in OCSA’s performance program is a great opportunity for exposure to our wide and diverse community. Detailed information can be found on our website at www.ocsarts.net/Advertising. If you have questions, please contact Becky Parsons, Family Liaison, at becky.parsons@ocsarts.net or 714.560.0900 ext. 5535.

Teacher Planning Day (No School): Monday, August 12

Staff Professional Development Day (No School): Tuesday, August 13

Academic Instruction Begins: Wednesday, August 14

No Conservatory: Wednesday, August 14 – Thursday, August 15

Welcome Week Festival: Friday, August 16

Conservatory Instruction Begins: Monday, August 19