OCSA Weekly Wrap - October 21, 2022

October 21, 2022

HALLOWEEN IS COMING

OCSA’s Leadership class is excited to announce the highly anticipated, annual Halloween Bash. Throughout the week leading up to Halloween, students are invited to learn the choreography to the song “Thriller” in their dance electives, reserve their spot for OCSA’s Halloween Maze, and procure their scariest, funniest, or most creative costumes to compete in the Costume Contest!

This year, the Halloween Maze will take place in the Studio Theatre after school on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28, presented in partnership with the Production & Design and Arts & Enterprise Conservatories. Those willing to brave the maze can reserve a timeslot for $2 through the Box Office until 8 a.m. on Thursday, October 27. There will also be a standby line available for $2 cash at the door.

All current students are also welcome to compete in the Costume Contest, which will be held during the long Lunch on Monday, October 31. Prizes will be awarded in the following categories: Scariest, Funniest, Most Creative, and Best Group. Students must sign up in person in front of Symphony Hall by 12:15 p.m. on Monday, October 31. Late entries will not be accepted. The winning costumes will be selected by our fantastic panel of teacher judges. Winners of the individual categories will win a $20 gift card, and the Best Group winners will receive a $50 gift card to share.

The Leadership class would also like to share the following dos and don’ts, which can help you plan your costume:

Do:

Make sure your costume doesn’t hinder your ability to learn.
Respect people’s decision to participate or not participate in Halloween festivities.

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 staff or administration may ask to see it and may stow it in their office if it is determined to be potentially dangerous.
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. If you would like to learn more about cultural appropriation, you can find a video resource from Teen Vogue here.

FALL DODGEBALL APPLICATIONS

It’s dodgeball season! Team applications are now available for this semester’s dodgeball tournament, to be held on Friday, November 18. If you would like to set up a team of six to eight players, please pick up an application form in the Student Information Rack outside of Student Services. Applications should be submitted to Leadership Advisor Chris Dion in Room T101 by next Friday, October 28. The tournament will be capped at 16 teams on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that only current OCSA students are eligible to participate.

PARENT EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY

Parents/guardians: OCSA’s PSO would like to invite you to the first part of their Parent Education Series on Thursday, October 27 at 6 p.m. Dr. Jerry Weichman will speak about the many challenges the pandemic has created for parents and their children as they navigate returning to school in person and growing up amid such difficult times. Dr. Weichman will offer perspective and advice for identifying social-emotional issues and tools to help foster resilience in your children.

Click here to RSVP for this event. Please note that this presentation is being held in person only and will not be recorded. For more information, please refer to this flyer for the event.

SOUTH COAST PLAZA TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY

Kick off the holiday season with cheer at the annual South Coast Plaza Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, November 17, featuring many of OCSA’s talented student artists. Sit back and enjoy as our singers, dancers, and musicians, with the help of our Production & Design students, whisk you away on a magical musical tour to the North Pole!

6:30 p.m. | Pre-Show Entertainment by Unplugged Holiday Carolers

7 p.m. | Main-Stage Show by MONTAGE! Performance Ambassadors

General and lawn seating will be available to the public at no cost on a limited first-come, first-served basis. We hope to see you there!

HOLIDAY EVERGREENS

The holidays are right around the corner! The El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory is once again holding their annual Holiday Evergreens fundraising drive. These beautiful evergreens add festive flair to any home and make wonderful gifts for teachers, friends, family, and business contacts! Please click here to view the stunning wreath options. The conservatory fundraiser also offers Chanukah gifts – please click here for hand-dipped candles. Your purchases will directly support The El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory as each student raises funds and competes for prizes.

The deadline to order evergreens or Chanukah gifts is Monday, October 31. If you live locally, your items will be available for pick-up from the OCSA campus during the first week of December. Evergreens can also be shipped directly during the two weeks after Thanksgiving, but unfortunately, shipping is not offered this year for Chanukah gifts. If you have any questions, please email ocsa.acting.wreaths@gmail.com.

AP EXAM PURCHASE DEADLINE

A reminder for students enrolled in AP classes: Be sure to register and save on your AP exams! The priority deadline for purchasing AP exams is Monday, October 31 at 9 p.m. at MySchoolBucks. The exam fee established by College Board for each test is $96, with the exception of AP Research and AP Seminar, which cost $144. If your family qualifies for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program (FRLP), the fee is $53 per test. Late registration will run from Thursday, December 1 through Tuesday, February 28 and will incur a $40 late fee per exam. For more information on AP exam purchasing and registration, please click here.

All students currently enrolled in an AP class at OCSA are eligible to take the corresponding AP exam in May. Students are encouraged to register and pay only for those exams they are committed to taking. Due to the sizable monetary obligation and extensive study time involved, it is important for students and parents to discuss how many exams the student can realistically manage.

We highly encourage both students and parents to be present when ordering exams to ensure that the correct exams are ordered. Please print and save your emailed receipt of payment for your records, as students may need it for future reference or refunds. A full refund will be issued for exams canceled by Saturday, November 12. After that date, only partial refunds will be available. No refunds will be issued after Saturday, April 1.

HELP RECRUIT THE NEXT OCSA CLASS

Do you know a student entering grades 7-12 next fall who may be interested in joining our welcoming, creative, and unique school culture? Please let them know that the application for the 2023-2024 school year is now available on the OCSA website! The application deadline for prospective students and current students wishing to apply for a conservatory transfer is Tuesday, January 17. If you have questions, please contact our Admissions Office at admissions@ocsarts.net. Thank you for helping spread the word about our amazing school!

STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH OCSA

Did you know that you can read the latest from OCSA on the Blog & News page of our website? The OCSA Blog & News page is updated monthly with exciting posts that highlight upcoming special events, insights into students’ lives, exclusive interviews with faculty and alumni, and special behind-the-scenes moments. Click here to check out the most recent blog post to learn about some of the fun and exciting ways to celebrate Halloween at OCSA!

SENIOR INFORMATION

This is an exciting and busy time for the Class of 2023! Please click here to review the Class of 2023 Senior Bulletin, which contains important information and links regarding senior year. To review other informational documents relevant to the senior class, including details about senior yearbook information, senior ads, and more, please visit our website at www.ocsarts.net/12thGrade.

Senior deadlines are fast approaching! Below are some important dates to keep in mind.

Diploma Name/Address Verification – Friday, October 28
Recommendation Letter/Transcript Requests – Monday, October 31 for December 1 deadlines and Thursday, November 10 for January 1 deadlines
Yearbook Information/Senior Ad Submissions – Friday, January 13 (senior portrait, quote, and baby photo)
Panoramic Picture – Wednesday, March 22 at 10:45 a.m.
Cap & Gown/Ticket Distribution – Monday, May 22 during Office Hours and Lunch
Graduation – Thursday, June 8, Cottonwood Church at 6 p.m.
Grad Night – Friday, June 9, Disney California Adventure Park

Seniors and their parents will receive an OCSA Commencement Packet in the spring that will include detailed information on graduation and Grad Night.

We are here for you, Class of 2023! If you have questions after reading the information provided regarding senior deadlines and graduation, please email student.services@ocsarts.net.

MENTORS NEEDED

The OCSA Administrative Team is trying to finalize mentorship pairings for as many students as possible for this year’s Professional Mentorship Program. There are students interested in the following fields who are still in need of a mentor:

Animation
Art Conservation
Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
Chemical Engineering
Comic Book/Game Lore Writing
Computer Science
Concept Design
Creative Writing
Green Engineering
Journalism
Film Production
Film/Television Screenwriter
Marketing
Music Production
Otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist)
Professional Modeling
Professional Musician
Published Author
Recycling and Waste Reduction
Screenwriting
Video Game Design
Violin Performance
Visual Effects Editing

If you or someone you know might be willing to support one of our OCSA students this school year, please complete this Professional Mentor Interest Form. Professional mentors will be paired with interested juniors to help them explore career options and receive guidance about postsecondary opportunities. If you have any questions, please contact Assistant Principal of Student Services Becca Freeland at becca.freeland@ocsarts.net.

FALL SEMESTER SUCCESS STORIES

As previously announced, State of the Art will now be updated biannually at the end of the fall and spring semesters. State of the Art is OCSA’s way of celebrating the outstanding accomplishments of our students, faculty, and staff through a special webpage that features successes large and small: castings, certifications, awards, scholarships, jobs, special performances, and more. Past State of the Art accomplishments are always available to view at www.ocsarts.net/Accomplishments.

Please continue to submit your successes year-round through the form found at www.ocsarts.net/StateoftheArt. All accomplishments will be posted at the conclusion of the semester in which they were submitted. An email will also be sent out once accomplishments for the semester are available for viewing. We can’t wait to see all the exciting things you have been up to!

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.