Dear Parents, This month’s message is about maintaining focus on what’s immediately before us while preparing for what’s up ahead. Spring break gives us a chance to take a deep breath before our final kick to the end of the fourth quarter, and with only ten weeks of school left before the summer break, OPHS staff and students are working hard on the business at hand while strategically planning for the next school year. These remaining weeks are extremely busy, and there is much to distract students from their studies. So, it is critical to keep our focus on student achievement in the classroom and in the home. State assessments and the College Board Advanced Placement exams are near and final exams follow quickly thereafter. OPHS students are involved in many co- curricular activities, and while we encourage and support student success in all arenas, we stress the importance of academic preparation, attendance, and punctuality. Please help us support your child’s success by continuing to keep absences and tardies to an absolute minimum and by monitoring home study and assignment completion. Here’s an idea of just how much is happening between now and June 16 th . Twenty five percent of Oak Park High students (347) are participating in Spring sports. League and tournament competition is well underway in track and field, lacrosse, volleyball, baseball, softball, tennis, and golf. There are still two large dances, Spring Fling and Prom, one senior retreat, three awards ceremonies, two concerts, a rally, the Powderpuff game, Earth Week, play rehearsals, Senior Week, Commencement, as well as fundraisers and comedy sports. Various clubs and other on- The Principal’s Message pfc newsletter O A K P A R K H I G H S C H O O L April 2012 www.oakparkusd.org/ophs campus groups also have events and happenings that further impact the students’ schedules. This is all in addition to the class-work, homework, quizzes, projects, papers, and tests OPHS students have yet to complete. And this is a time when most academic courses are designed to peak, right before the standardized testing period as teachers prepare students to synthesize, apply, and demonstrate the cumulative knowledge and skills they have learned throughout the year. Seniors are looking forward to their senior activities, which start next month with the “must do” day, senior picnic, beach day and a trip to Magic Mountain. Their year ends with Commencement and Grad Night on June 15 th . We are trying to stave off senioritis, which sets in as they begin to get a glimpse of the finish line and make decisions about which college they’ll attend in the fall. It’s still important that they finish strongly so that their final transcripts don’t reflect a dip in effort and grades. Meanwhile, for the fall OPHS students, course advisement is almost complete as they currently finish up meeting individually with their counselors to finalize course selections for next fall. Summer school registration information is available online at www.friendsofoakparkschools.org, and staff and parents are confirming fall registration dates and arrangements for August. Summer conditioning and sports camp information will be made available in the upcoming weeks. Parents will also receive notification on registration in the next few weeks as we get the website updated. The PFC newsletter will publish the dates and times as well as other important information. We are ordering all the equipment and supplies Continued on page 3
Transcript
Dear Parents,This month’s message is about maintaining focus
on what’s immediately before us while preparing forwhat’s up ahead. Spring break gives us a chance to takea deep breath before our final kick to the end of thefourth quarter, and with only ten weeks of school leftbefore the summer break, OPHS staff and students areworking hard on the business at hand whilestrategically planning for the next school year. Theseremaining weeks are extremely busy, and there is muchto distract students from their studies.So, it is critical to keep our focus onstudent achievement in the classroomand in the home. State assessmentsand the College Board AdvancedPlacement exams are near and finalexams follow quickly thereafter. OPHSstudents are involved in many co-curricular activities, and while weencourage and support student successin all arenas, we stress the importanceof academic preparation, attendance,and punctuality. Please help us supportyour child’s success by continuing to keep absences andtardies to an absolute minimum and by monitoringhome study and assignment completion.Here’s an idea of just how much is happening
between now and June 16th. Twenty five percent ofOak Park High students (347) are participating inSpring sports. League and tournament competition iswell underway in track and field, lacrosse, volleyball,baseball, softball, tennis, and golf. There are still twolarge dances, Spring Fling and Prom, one seniorretreat, three awards ceremonies, two concerts, a rally,the Powderpuff game, Earth Week, play rehearsals,Senior Week, Commencement, as well as fundraisersand comedy sports. Various clubs and other on-
The Principal’s Message
pfc newsletterO A K P A R K H I G H S C H O O LApril 2012 www.oakparkusd.org/ophs
campus groups also have events and happenings thatfurther impact the students’ schedules. This is all inaddition to the class-work, homework, quizzes,projects, papers, and tests OPHS students have yet tocomplete. And this is a time when most academiccourses are designed to peak, right before thestandardized testing period as teachers preparestudents to synthesize, apply, and demonstrate thecumulative knowledge and skills they have learnedthroughout the year.Seniors are looking forward to their senior
activities, which start next month with the “must do”day, senior picnic, beach day and atrip to Magic Mountain. Theiryear ends with Commencement
and Grad Night on June 15th. Weare trying to stave off senioritis,which sets in as they begin to get aglimpse of the finish line andmake decisions about whichcollege they’ll attend in the fall.It’s still important that they finishstrongly so that their finaltranscripts don’t reflect a dip ineffort and grades.
Meanwhile, for the fall OPHS students, courseadvisement is almost complete as they currently finishup meeting individually with their counselors tofinalize course selections for next fall. Summer schoolregistration information is available online atwww.friendsofoakparkschools.org, and staff andparents are confirming fall registration dates andarrangements for August. Summer conditioning andsports camp information will be made available in theupcoming weeks. Parents will also receive notificationon registration in the next few weeks as we get thewebsite updated. The PFC newsletter will publish thedates and times as well as other important information.We are ordering all the equipment and supplies
Continued on page 3
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Apr. 2 Spotlight Auditions, 3:30 pmApr. 2 Mock ACT Feedback, 7:00 pm, G-9Apr. 3 OPPAA Meeting, 7:00 pm, B-2Apr. 6-15 Spring BreakApr. 16-20 Earth WeekApr. 17 Site Council Meeting, 3:30 pm, Lib. CRApr. 17 School Board Meeting, 6:00 pm, Lib. CRApr. 12 Board of Ed Meeting, 6:00 pm, Lib. CRApr. 18 “What is the Electric Car” Documentary
Nutr. = Nutrition, Pav. = Pavilion Lib. CR = Library Conference RoomC&CC = College & Career Center
See complete listings for athletic eventsand more on the OPHS Master Calendar!
1. Click here or go to…www.oakparkusd.org/ophs.2. Hover your mouse on “Calendars” in the yellowmenu bar and select Master Calendar from thedrop down menu or select the athletic team schedule you wish to view.
3. If you selected Master Calendar, click on any event listed for more information!
Campus Calendar, News & Notes
Don’t Miss
ComedySportz!Friday, April 27th, Pavilion
7:00 p.m.Ticket Prices: $5 for adults,
$3 for students
Refreshments sold!
TeacherAppreciationLuncheonRaffle
Needs Your Help!!!Show your appreciation of our wonderfulteachers and staff by donating an item toour Teacher Appreciation Raffle.
The raffle will be held on June 4th at theStaff Appreciation Luncheon.
A gift card of any denomination wouldhelp make our raffle a success.
There is a drop box for donations locatedin the Administration Office, or contactLeslie Meyer who will pick up yourdonation: [email protected]
Watch the OPHS Website
For Registration Information
ComingSoon!
3
students will need to start the new school year off in agood way. When students return in the fall they will see
some significant facilities improvements that includeupgrades on and around the baseball and softballfields to meet the requirements of the Americans withDisabilities Act, modernization of the Administrationand counseling offices, and the boys’ and girls’restrooms. We are offering new courses in FinancialMath, AP Computer Programming, DigitalPhotography, Vocal Production, Keys to My Future,and Intro to AP Science. We anticipate a great startto the new school year and despite the dire conditionof the state budget, I am hopeful that we will maintainall of our programs. I wish you a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable Spring
Break and assure you that we will close this schoolyear safely and with celebration, and that we areplanning the next with care and optimism.
— Sincerely, Kevin Buchanan, Principal
O P H S T H A N K SJoAnn Tattersall, Kelly McGugan &
The Tattersall Team of Active Real Estate
Kelly McGuganTattersall Team
Cell: 818.207.7408www.tattersallteam.com
JoAnn Tattersall & Kelly McGugan sponsor Oak Park High School’s “All Call,” our computerized phone system -
A vital link to our OPHS families!
JoAnn TattersallBroker/Owner, GRI, SFR
Cell: 818.370.7688www.tattersallteam.com
PFC Senior ScholarshipsEight $500 Awards!
To be eligible, Senior must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 with plans for continued education after graduation.
Submit completed application along with essay portion. Applications are reviewed through a blind process, where student
names are hidden from the Scholarship Review Committee.
Winners will be announced on Senior Awards Night.
Applications due by 3pm April 18th.Parents - please encourage
your Senior to apply!
Principal’s Message Continued from page 1
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PFC Update
President’s LetterDear Parents and Friends of OPHS,I wish everyone a fabulous Spring Break, and
Happy Pesach and a Happy Easter. Hopefully the sunwill come out and we can have some fun! This year is going by quickly and I would like to
take this opportunity to thank some of the chair peoplewho have been instrumental this year! Uma Narayanan, our eNews editor – has done afabulous job! Every Sunday evening without fail, weall receive our eNews. This has become a criticalcommunication tool and we could not do it withoutUMA!! Lucky for us, Uma will continue to be oureNews editor!
Suzie Bock has been our Newsletter Editor, shehas put in many hours publicizing our well designednewsletters and has done a marvelous job! Suzie toowill continue in this position for next year. Thank you!
Stacey Lindenau, our Emergency PreparednessChair, replenished and refreshed the water andemergency supplies in our classroom black boxes andour Emergency Storage Container! She is workingwith administration to make sure our campus is readyin case of an emergency – thank you so much! Staceywill continue for the 2012-2013 school year. (We arelooking for a co-Chair to take over from Stacey in2013-2014).
Barbara Shubin-Galaif, our DirectoryChairperson, is already working on ways to improvethe directory for next school year! Barbara did anamazing job with the new directory software, and weare looking at ways to improve the directory evenmore. Kudos to Barbara!! Fortunately for us she iscontinuing in this role!
Linda Cohen, has been working on our E-Scriptand has been doing a wonderful job in remindingpeople to renew their eScript. Unfortunately Linda,will not be continuing next year and we are looking fora replacement.We are making good strides toward having most of
our PFC chair positions filled with many talented anddedicated parents for next school year, but we are stilllooking for a few more willing volunteers to completeour PFC team:
Treasurer (Board position): This person shall beresponsible for the recording of all income andexpenses of the OPHS PFC, and maintainingappropriate paperwork. This person will also beexpected to attend a monthly PFC Board meeting andGeneral Meeting.
Disaster Preparedness Co-Chair: This person willwork with the current chair and then take over theposition during the 2013/2014 school year. Inventoryneeds to be updated, bought and dispersed to thecorrect locations around campus.
E-Scrip Coordinator: This person will help signup new applications, update old applications and workwith the stores.
April 18th, 12:30 pm is the deadline for PFCSenior Scholarship applications. Parents pleaseencourage your student to apply.
April 23rd, 12:30 pm is the deadline for entries forthe PFC Senior Art Award. The entries will be judged
by the OPHS staff on May 2nd & 3rd and by theparents on May 4th at our PFC General Meeting.
All of our spring sports teams are into their league play in attempts tosecure play-off spots. Listed below are the league and overall recordsfor each of our teams to date:
League OverallTRACK
Boys Varsity 0-3-1Boys Jr. Varsity 2-3Boys Frosh/Sops 3-0Girls Varsity 2-3Girls Jr. Varsity 3-2
BASEBALLVarsity 1-1 3-5Jr. Varsity 2-0 7-0
Frosh 2-3
BOYS TENNISVarsity 2-0 4-4
GOLFVarsity 10 pts. (2nd) 0-4
BOYS VOLLEYBALLVarsity 4-0 14-4Jr. Varsity 4-0 5-1
SOFTBALLVarsity 1-1 8-2Jr. Varsity 2-0 6-2
GIRLS LACROSSEVarsity 2-1 6-6
BOYS LACROSSEVarsity 4-2 4-3Jr. Varsity 4-0 6-0
Please come out and support our teams as they head towards leaguechampionships and play-offs. All the information for game times andlocations is located on the OPHS website under Athletics.
SUMMER SPORTS CONDITIONING – Information regardingour summer sports conditioning program is being completed andwill be posted on the website shortly after spring break.
Eagle Athletics Update
Attent ion Fami l i e sAttent ion Fami l i e sw ith Sen iors w ith Sen iors
Graduat ing inGraduat ing inJune ! !June ! !
Reserved graduation andReserved graduation andparking passes will beparking passes will beavailable beginningavailable beginning
April 16th. April 16th.
Each seating and parkingspace "package" will be sold
out on a first come firstserved basis for $200 each. (Package includes one parkingspace and 4 seats on the field).
This offer is limited to 38 packages only, so be sure to
check eNews the weekbeginning April 16th to find
out more information!
Proceeds to benefit ASB and theAthletic Booster Club
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Friends of Oak Park Schools isexcited to present our second yearof administering the SummerSchool Program for OPUSD
students. This program is designed to enhance yourstudent’s education experiences and opportunities inour own backyard. Friends of Oak Park Schools is proud to step in
where the cuts in education from the state made itimpossible for the OPUSD to afford this program.All classes taken at the high school will be taught by
our Oak Park certified teachers and the course/gradeswill be transferred to the student’s transcripts.This year's course offerings will include traditional
classes offered during previous summer school sessionsas well as some new classes never taught before insummer school.
Friends will also have a Middle School SummerSchool Program at Medea Creek!Classes will commence on Tuesday, June 19, 2012.Class information as well as registration and
impacted class lottery information can be found on theFriends' website at:http://friendsofoakparkschools.org/If you have any questions or require further
information regarding the High School Summer SchoolProgram, please contact Sharon Russell [email protected] better way is there to spend your
summer.....with "Friends?"
Summer School with FRIENDS!
SPRING FORWARD: WORK TO DO!!SPRING FORWARD: WORK TO DO!!
The Spring and Fall time changes are great reminders
for improving home safety.
Check List:
• Smoke Detectors: Change Batteries. Hard Wire Smoke Detectors may need to be
replaced every ten years-Check Manufacturer’s Recommendation
• Fire Extinguishers: Check Status-Replace if expired or inadequate in size, number,
or location
• Clothes Dryer & Vent: Clean accumulated lint
• Kitchen Hood Fan: Clean accumulated grease
• Kitchen: Replace Water Filters
• Furnace/Air Conditioner Filters: Replace at least every 3-6 months
• Garage: Recycle old paints and chemicals www.toaks.org/gogreen
• Yard: Ensure a 100 foot defensible space around your home- cleared of flammable
materials and vegetation http://fire.countyofventura.org
• Disaster Supplies: Rotate/Replace/Add to Water, Food, First Aid, Sheltering
equipment and supplies www.daretoprepare.org
October 2012 Community Emergency Response Team Training will be
offered once again by the Ventura County Fire Dept
Friends of Oak Park Schools Education Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing the Oak Park Unified SchoolDistrict with supplemental funding for programs that benefit ourschools and children
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PFC Senior Art Scholarship Award
New Submission Guidelines…
Choose from three categories:DigitalFine Art3-D
Enter:1. Fill out the Art Scholarship Form (click here for form)
2. Art must be submitted to Ms. Lovejoy by deadline date to be considered.3. Only three submissions will be accepted per person.
Scholarship Money Will Be Awarded as Follows:$250 will be given to the 1st place winner in each category
ANDAND
An ADDITIONAL $250 will be awarded to the overall first place winner chosenfrom the first place winners in each category - this art will be permanently
displayed in the Oak Park Library.
Not So New…
1. Winners will be notified at the Senior Awards Night2. Current enrollment in an OPHS art class is not required
3. Submissions must be original and unframed.
For more information, please see Ms. Lovejoy, room C8 or
“Barbershop Mania”Thursday, April 26 from 7 – 9 p.m.
OPHS Pavilion
Ticket prices will be $10 for adults and $5 for students
COME CHEER ON YOUR FRIENDS &
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE BARBERSHOP GROUP!!!!!
*15 OPHS Groups Competing!!
*Special Performance from: “The Edge”
Judges:“The Edge,” an award winning quartet will serve as judges!
1st Place Judges Prize:$100 prize money for the winner AND a spot to perform at the OPHS Spring
Concert (Friday June 1 in the OPHS Pavilion at 7 p.m.).
1st Place “People’s Choice Award:A second quartet will be awarded $100 as the “People’s Choice Award.”1 “Voter’s Ticket” will be given to each student/adult ticket purchasedfor the evening, which can then be placed in your favorite BarbershopQuartet’s Bucket. Additional “Voter’s Tickets” can be purchased at theConcert at $1 each, 6 tickets for $5 or 15 tickets for $10. The bucketwith the most tickets will be the “People’s Choice Award” winner.
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Superintendent’s Message
I hope you agree that it’s about time for a well-deserved spring break for everyone. Your studentsdeserve it! They work very hard and so do you asparents. Raising children in these times can be verystressful so we need to take advantage of the breakswhen they come along to maybe spend some lessstructured time together and break the routine.Some of the hard work that students have been up
to was evident with the success of Medea Creekstudents at the Ventura County Science Fair this year.Our students took the top prizes and more awards wentto MCMS students than any other school. Our sincerethanks are extended to the 7th and 8th grade scienceteachers at MCMS – Cindy Ligeti, Kelly Johnson,Katie Cohen, Marta Graves, and Roger Newell forguiding and inspiring such creative projects. Also, we have one team from Oak Park High
School who is a finalist in the USC Wrigley Institutefor Environmental Science and QuickSilver FoundationQuikSCience competition. Over 70 teams fromSouthern California entered. We have 5 teams who arethe finalists in the Ventura County/California StateUniversity Channel Islands Ideas To Impact Challenge.All of the finalists are from MCMS and OPHS! Weowe a debt of gratitude to our science specialist DebbyWest. We wouldn’t have Debby or these opportunitiesfor our students if it weren’t for our educationfoundation, Friends of Oak Park Schools. Of course,Friends wouldn’t be able to help us if it weren’t for yourgenerous contributions.
We are looking forward to celebrating Earth Weekfrom April 16-20, immediately upon our return fromspring break. The focus decided on by the EEAC(Environmental Education and Awareness Committee)is global climate change and how we can reduce our‘carbon footprints.’ Please plan to come to the movieevent on Wednesday night, April 18 at the Pavilion forour presentation of What is the Electric Car? and ourLow Carbon dinner. The menu has been developed forus by our partners at the California Health andLongevity Center at the Westlake Four Seasons Hotelin honor of Earth Week and will be a gourmet feast.The meal will be completely animal-free, which meansthat it will be meat-free and dairy-free. Most of theoptions will also be gluten-free. This is your chance totry a gourmet vegan meal and learn more about howour food choices have a greater impact on our carbonfootprint than just about anything else we do – evenmore than driving an electric car! Look for moreinformation to be emailed to you about the week andthis event.
— Anthony W. Knight, Ed.D.Superintendent
Eagles
Rock!Eagles
Rock!
Community Health Expo II
The Conejo/Las Virgenes Future Foundation in conjunction with Los Robles Hospital issponsoring a health forum on Saturday, March 31st from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM at theAgoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center. Free health screenings and much more. For information visit their website: http://www.clvff.org/2012/03/blog-post.html
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Advanced Peer CounselingHello all!It feels like a while since our last Peer Counseling
report—perhaps because we have much to catch youup on within only a month’s time!Our first annual Awareness Week (a continuation
of prior years’ Acceptance and Tolerance Weeks) was aresounding success; teachers, students, and parentsalike have acknowledged the genuine, positive impactthis week and its activities had upon them personally.We as Peer Counselors can say with certainty thatAwareness Week’s school-wide assembly andclassroom presentation, lunchtime and after-schoolactivities, and message of seeing each other “behind themask” were of the most meaningful and powerful wehave ever held, presented, and experienced. We extendour sincerest thanks to all those who participated inand helped to make Awareness Week possible andespecially commend Jane Desmond and DrewGregory for creating this week for our student body toenjoy.
This past March, our Peer Counseling program,along with the Safe School Ambassadors program, waspleased to represent our school’s bullying-preventionefforts at the Ventura County Carpe Diem Conferenceon students with emotional disturbance. We sharedour mission and modes of outreach with parents,educators, and community leaders in hopes of ensur-ing that all students can feel safe at school.Although only a few months of this school year
remain, there remains much we wish to accomplish!We are in the process of updating our website toinclude an online request to speak with a PeerCounselor so that students can contact us at theirconvenience; we’re also planning to leave our stampwith a Peer Counseling mural that will beautify ourcampus for the rest of this year and in years to come.As always, thank you for your continued interest in
our program. We look forward to updating you nextmonth!
— Sincerely,Moe Scott, Vivian Rotenstein,
and the Advanced Peer Counselors
Vo lu nte e r s Ne e d e d ! ! ! !Vo lu nte e r s Ne e d e d ! ! ! !Collate and Assemble STAR Test Materials
Work involves matching preprinted booklet names to class roster lists, and
counting/separating materials by classroom.
Volunteers meet in the warehouse of the District Office, at the back parking lot.
Bring your coffee and reading glasses!
If you can help for one or more hours,
contact Linda O'Gara at [email protected] and indicate date and time
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No Frills Donations AppreciatedThank you to the following families for their generous donations to our 2011 No Frills Campaign. Without theircontributions, the PFC could not continue to support Oak Park High School teachers and students.
S i g n U p W i t h C o n e j o d e a l s . c omS i g n U p W i t h C o n e j o d e a l s . c omLearn how people are saving 50-90% off Learn how people are saving 50-90% off retail prices on local services, restaurants,
products and activities!All While Giving Back to OPHS!!!!
Get all the details at ConejoDeals.com andremember to check “Oak Park High SchoolOak Park High School” from the
school list so OPHS gets the donation from your deal purchases!
Santa CruzSantiagoSaravisSandersSaucedoSchaferJ. SchapiroSchlatterSchroederScheimanM. SchwartzK. SearsSeeganShaevitzShiresShortsSilverstoneSimonsSimmonsSklarL. SmithS. SmithSteinhardtStutzL. SnyderT. SnyderD. Stark
J. StarkStevensSwedelsonTaylorThedingaTobiasTooTorigianTreitmanUckerVermaWagonerWaldmanWalshWangWayneWelinWheatleyWhiteleyWiederspahnWooWuWulfYeomanYipZaitlen
Click Here to use
PayPal to make your
No Frills Donation!
Oak Park High School PFC Newsletter published monthly September - June
by the OPHS Parent Faculty Club (PFC)for families of Oak Park High School
students.
Oak Park High School • Oak Park Unified School District
Principal: Lynn McCormack899 N. Kanan Road, Oak Park, CA 91377
OPHS Main Line: 735-3300 Attendance/Temp. Off Campus Pass Line: 735-3311
“March went out like a lion”, the lyrics from thesong in Carousel sure seems to fit the weather this yearbut thankfully things in the district seem to havecalmed down somewhat this month. The Board ofEducation held two meetings this month. At the first of these we approved a Positive
Certification on the District’s Second InterimFinancial Report. This action was made possible bythe changes in the number of District of Choicestudents for next year and to class sizes which Ipreviously reported to you in addition to otherproposed cost reductions. We are still facing thepossibility of more cuts later in the year due to thecontinuing saga of the state budget and our reliance onthe passage of one of the proposed tax initiatives. Other items covered in the Board meetings
included approval of expenditures utilizing Measure C6 Bond funds, the organization and implementation ofsummer school by The Friends of Oak Park Schools,our education foundation, for the second year, andseveral district policies.
Some of the policies amended were updatedgraduation requirements for Oak View High School,Absences and Excuses, and the districtComprehensive Safety Plan. We also honored Vanessa Heller, a Medea Creek
teacher for receiving her GATE Teacher Certification.This has been a busy month for everyone. Our
Community Outreach Committee published theirfirst School Watch community newsletter which wentout to all Oak Park residents. Some of the events atvarious schools have been Medea Creek’s first HistoryDay competition and Pi Week, Oak Hills’ Farmer’sMarket, Awareness Week at OPHS and the SchoolRocket Team has been going out for practice andqualifying flights. Districtwide we had the ChineseCulture Night which involved students fromelementary, middle and high school and we have hadseveral open houses.
Until next month my best to all of you,— Jan Iceland
OPUSD Board President
News from OPUSD Board President
Athletic Booster Club Scholarships
The Athletic Booster Club will be providing two (2) $1,000scholarships this year to graduating seniors. Students interested in applying for
these scholarships will need to submit an Oak Park High School Common Scholarshipapplication, provide a copy of their transcript, and a 2-page essay describing how
athletics, and their unique experiences at Oak Park High School, have benefitted themindividually.
Please contact the College and Career Center to obtain a copy of the scholarshipapplication. The application and supplemental documents will be due Wednesday,
April 18, 2012 by 12:30pm.
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Spring Break: Spring Break is the time to make final visits to schools that have made offers of acceptance.This is also the month students will notify most schools of their decisions.
• Information about Campus Previews and scheduling trips to UC campuses can be found at: http://www.oakparkusd.org/page/1155
• Information about Campus Previews, and scheduling visits to CSU’s can be found at: http://www.oakparkusd.org/page/1149
May 1st: National Commitment Deadline! Students must formally confirm acceptance or declination of anoffer of admission by this date.
May & June: are still critical months for seniors because last semester grades do count! Spring semester class-es (that were listed on the student’s admission application) that are dropped or not passed with at least a "C"may result in a college rescinding its offer. Most competitive universities expect seniors to maintain at least a3.0 GPA in the senior year.
PAYING FOR COLLEGE - Financial Aid
Standard Educational Expenses
The cost of attending college includes a number of elements. Colleges and universities estimate the cost ofattending their institution for three different living situations. Select the living situation below to see the rangeof costs by type of college. Costs here are estimates for the 2011-12 academic year and are not a guarantee of feesor your actual costs for other expenses.
The fees displayed in the charts below at the California Community Colleges, California State University, andthe University of California are for California residents only. Nonresidents pay an additional $22,878 in tuitionand fees at UC, $11,160 at CSU, and about $180 more per unit at the California Community Colleges. Ingeneral, dependent students whose parents have been in California or independent students who have been inCalifornia more than one year are considered state residents. For more information on residency for determin-ing fee levels, please see the websites of the college in which you are interested. Independent colleges have arange of tuition and fees from $9,500 to $39,000 and usually do not have additional tuition for nonresidents.
For on-campus living arrangements, this includes the cost of the dorm or apartment and any meal plan thestudent might have. It may also include estimates of groceries and eating out for students with small mealplans. Off-campus estimates include rent, groceries, and utilities. Commuter estimates include any rent paid tothe student's parents, as well as groceries and utilities. Miscellaneous costs include estimates for personalexpenses, entertainment, transportation, and, at some colleges, an allowance for health insurance.
College News
Continued on next page
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The following data is from CaliforniaCollege.edu. For more informationclick on the following hyperlink:www.californiacolleges.edu/finance/how-much-does-college-cost.asp
Living On-CampusLiving On-CampusCalifornia
California California IndependentCommunity State University of CollegesColleges University (CSU) California (UC) (based on median costs)
Fees/Tuition $864* $6,489 $13,200 $30,144
Books and supplies $1,656 $1,652 $1,500 $1,455
Room and board $7,800** $10,607 $13,200 $9,330
Miscellaneous $3,096 $3,829 $3,300 $3,218
TOTAL $13,416 $22,577 $31,200 $45,147
Living Off-CampusLiving Off-CampusCalifornia
California California IndependentCommunity State University of CollegesColleges University (CSU) California (UC) (based on median costs)
Fees/Tuition $864* $6,489 $13,200 $30,144
Books and supplies $1,656 $1,652 $1,500 $2,455
Room and board $10,863 $11,379 $9,500 $9,330
Miscellaneous $4,059 $4,041 $4,200 $3,812
TOTAL $17,442 $23,561 $28,400 $45,901
Living With Parents/Commuting from HomeLiving With Parents/Commuting from HomeCalifornia
California California IndependentCommunity State University of CollegesColleges University (CSU) California (UC) (based on median costs)
Fees/Tuition $864* $6,489 $13,200 $30,144
Books and supplies $1,656 $1,652 $1,500 $2,455
Room and board $4,347 $4,253 $4,400 $3,880
Miscellaneous $4,185 $4,074 $4,300 $3,812
TOTAL $11,052 $16,469 $23,400 $40,291
Continued from previous page
Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page
* Estimate is for 12 units/semester**Few community colleges have on-campus housing; actual cost varies based upon number of meals included. Other ExpensesSome students may have other expenses related to their education. These might include costs for the purchaseof a computer, child care expenses, disability expenses, and nonresident tuition. If you need assistance to coverthese types of extra expenses, talk to your campus financial aid officer to see if aid is available.
Types of Financial Aid Programs for Students in California
Take a look at how simple financial aid can be. To apply for many types of financial aid (federal and state) youmust complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for each year you are requesting aid.
Grants. Think of a grant as the ultimate graduation gift, because you don't have to pay it back.
Pell Grants (federal aid) are awarded to low-income students and Federal Supplemental EducationalOpportunity Grants (SEOG) are for low-income students with exceptional financial need.
Cal Grants (state aid) are free money guaranteed to every high school senior that applies on time and meetsincome, eligibility and GPA requirements. See below for more information about Cal Grants.
Work-Study. Work at a part-time job that may help you with a career, and use the earnings to help financeyour education.
Scholarships. Free money for college, usually based on your area of study or merit, such as good grades, hightest scores, athletic, musical or other special talents, community service and sometimes financial need.
Loans. Federal loans are low-interest loans that come in all shapes and sizes.
Perkins Loans are administered by the college and are for students with exceptional financial need.
Subsidized Stafford Loans are available to students who meet financial requirements and are attending schoolat least half-time. With this loan, the government pays the interest from when you get the loan money untilup to six months after you leave school. An unsubsidized Stafford Loan is available to any student regardlessof financial need, but the student pays the interest.
PLUS Loans are available for the parents of students attending college.
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Applying for Financial Aid (FAFSA) - What you need to doIf there is any chance you might need money for college you should apply for financial aid. It costs nothing toapply. To apply for federal and state financial aid, you'll need to complete the Free Application for FederalStudent Aid (FAFSA). You'll find it on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov and on paper, in both English andSpanish. Many colleges also use the FAFSA to award their own grants and scholarships. The FAFSA asks forinformation about you, your family, your finances and your college plans. Filing online is the fastest way to file.The online FAFSA also automatically catches common errors before you finish the application.The application period begins on January 1st for the next academic year. For example, if you want money forclasses beginning in September 2010, the application period begins on January 1, 2010. You may file a FAFSAfrom January 1st all the way through the next 18 months. The application period ends in June at the end ofthe academic year.
For a Cal Grant, you must submit your verified GPA as well as the FAFSA. In addition, a number of otherCalifornia state aid programs require their own application forms besides the FAFSA.
Are there deadlines? YES! Each college sets a deadline for "priority" filing of the FAFSA. You must file bythat date to get a chance at the best money available. Below are some specific dates to keep in mind.
When do you need to file the FAFSA?
When is the best time to file? As early as possible! File as soon after January 1st as you can. If you decide toattend after January 1st, file as soon as you decide to attend college.
• If you want to be considered for state grants, you should file your FAFSA by March 2nd. • The University of California and the California State University (all campuses of both
systems) use March 2nd as their priority date. • The independent colleges set varying dates. Some want the FAFSA as early as mid-
January or February 1st, so check the priority filing date with every college in which you are interested. Often independent colleges require additional forms, such as the College Board's CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE®, or have their own supplemental forms to deter-mine who receives institutional or private aid dollars. Be sure to check directly with the financial aid office of each college you're considering.
• The California Community Colleges will be able to serve you with better financial aid if you apply early, but applications are encouraged throughout the 18-month cycle. If you plan to attend a California Community College in the fall, you should meet the March 2nd deadline, even though you have a "second-chance" deadline of September 2nd. That's because there are only a limited number of the popular Competitive Cal Grant awards available in the fall. However, completing the FAFSA as soon as you know you will be attending is your best course of action.
• The best advice? File early! Meet the earliest deadline of all the colleges you are consider-ing and then you have met all the deadlines.
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Cal Grant awards are state funded monetary grants given to students to help pay for college expenses.
• The awards do not have to be paid back. You apply for all Cal Grants when completing your FAFSA and having your school provide a GPA Verification form to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).
• Selection is based on financial need, academic performance, and other factors. Cal Grant A is available to assist with registration fees for low- and middle-income students; for Cal Grant B, disadvantaged background is also considered; for Cal Grant C, vocational inter-est and aptitude are considered.
• You must apply for a Cal Grant by the March 2nd deadline. GPA verification forms are available in the OPHS Counseling Office after the Winter Holiday break. The forms must be submitted to our Registrar, Pat Ramirez who does the GPA verification.
• For more information about the Cal Grant program you can go to the following website: www.calgrants.org
• Or at the following link on the OPHS website: http://www.oakparkusd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=1080
CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® is a financial aid application service of the College Board
While the FAFSA Financial Aid Application is the quintessentially required form in the financial aidworld, it’s not the only form you’ll be expected to fill out, especially if you are applying to any privatecolleges. Several hundred private colleges and some public colleges also require another form originat-ed by the College Board, the CSS Profile: The College Scholarship Service Profile.
The profile is college specific, and is used to determine aid eligibility for non-federal financial aid, suchas institutional scholarships and grants. This form tends to be more detailed than the FAFSA, andfocuses on information needed pertaining to specific programs at each school. Having a separate formallows the school to ask more tailored questions.
Unlike the FAFSA, the CSS Profile is not free. The FAFSA can be submitted beginning on January 1(or first business day of the new year). The CSS Profile can be submitted prior to January 1.
Each financial aid application uses different needs analysis formulas. Among other differences, themethodology used takes into account home equity, and also assumes contribution from the student.The CSS Profile asks you to separate your income throughout the year by season, and requires detailedreports of your assets, medical expenses, tuition reimbursements, scholarships and family gifts.
The Profile can be accessed at the following website: http://profileonline.collegeboard.com/index.jsp
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UNDERSTANDING COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID AWARDS
New York - Associated Press Sunday, March 19, 2011
College financial aid awards aren't always as generous as they seem. To accurately compare the cost ofattending various schools, students and parents will need to take a closer look at exactly what type ofaid is being offered — and on what terms.
"Gift aid and loans are very different. And even within loans there are big differences," said MyraSmith, executive director of financial aid services at The College Board. "It can be hard for families todecipher the information without sitting down and thinking about it."
Other details can skew the value of an aid package too. In some cases, grants and scholarships may notbe renewable or could be contingent on the maintenance of a higher-than-expected grade point aver-age. As award letters start rolling in, there are three big figures to watch for: the school's estimated costof attendance, the total amount of aid awarded and the difference that needs to be paid out of pocket.
Here are some points to keep in mind beyond the numbers:
COST OF ATTENDANCE There shouldn't be any surprises when looking over the price tag for tuition, fees, and room and board.But the cost of attendance cited in a college's financial aid award letter will also include estimates forbooks, supplies, and living and transportation expenses. Those estimates can vary significantly depending on the student. So what you end up paying could befar higher or lower than the school's projection. "Some students may need $200 a month for livingexpenses, others might need a lot more," said Smith. "Parents should have a better idea of the student'sspending habits than the school." Students who live out of state should also consider how much morethey might need to spend in transportation costs. Even the cost of books and supplies can vary signifi-cantly depending on the student's major.
GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS A key figure to look for is the amount of gift aid being awarded; this is money that doesn't need to beearned or repaid. For grants and scholarships that are based on merit, make sure you're aware of theacademic standard that needs to be maintained. Many freshmen struggle to adjust to the course workin college. That means holding onto grants and scholarships isn't always a given, even for students whopreviously had stellar academic records. Additionally, be sure that the grant or scholarship is renewable for all four years. State or federalgrants, meanwhile, are based on financial need and students need to reapply on a yearly basis. So agrant may no longer be available if the student's financial situation changes.
LOANS & WORK STUDY When comparing aid awards, families often focus on the total aid being offered and lose sight of thefinancial toll loans can take after graduation. Schools no longer include private loans as part of theirawards, but federal loans still make up 43 percent of aid packages, according to The College Board.There are several types of federal loans, but the main feature to check for is whether it's subsidized.This means the government picks up the cost of interest while the student is in school, which willmake a huge difference in the amount the student owes at graduation.
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Financial Aid & Scholarship Resources on the Internet: • Academic Competitiveness & National SMART Grants: Current college students andhigh school seniors to apply for new Academic Competitiveness Grants and National SMARTGrants. Students who completed rigorous coursework in high school or who are pursuingdegrees in math, science and critical foreign languages are eligible for a portion of $790 millionin new federal funding for higher education. For more information go to: http://www.ed.gov/ • BrokeScholar This is a free scholarship search engine connecting students and parentswith financial aid and college scholarships. The Broke Scholar database matches student pro-files with more than 900,000 scholarships worth over $3 billion to find the most relevant andobtainable opportunities. It can be accessed at: https://www.brokescholar.com/ • California Student Aid Commission This site is for the student or parent to assist in yoursearch for State, federal and institutional financial aid information for funding post-highschool education. It can be accessed at: http://www.csac.ca.gov/ • CollegeAnswer.com web page has detailed information on education savings plans, schoolcosts, ways to pay for college, scholarships, and the student financial aid process (from estimat-ing your (EFC) Estimated Family Contribution, to completing the FAFSA and reviewing the(SAR) Student Aid Report. It can be accessed at: http://www.collegeanswer.com/index.jsp• Collegenet.com allows you to search for scholarships two ways - A Keyword Searchif you already know something about the scholarship you are looking for. Enter a series of key-words to find all scholarships that contain those same words in their name or description. AProfile Search looks for scholarships that match your personal profile. Provide as little or asmuch information as you want to find the scholarships that you are most qualified to receive.This service can be accessed at: http://www.collegenet.com/mach25/app • College Toolkit is one-stop resource for life after high school allowing students to find andapply for scholarships, search through a database of more than 4,000 colleges, and explore 900careers all in one location. It is one of the most comprehensive sites for life after high school...and everything on the site is free for students to use! This website can be accessed at:http://www.collegetoolkit.com/ • EDFUND is a private, nonprofit corporation offering student loan services. This websiteprovides a wealth of college financial planning tools. It can be accessed at:http://www.edfund.org/wps/portal/ • FAFSA4caster allows you and your family to receive an early estimate of eligibility for fed-eral student aid. This Web site provides you with an opportunity to increase your knowledge ofthe financial aid process; become familiar with the various types of federal student aid that areavailable; and investigate other sources of aid, such as grants and scholarships. To access thiswebsite go to: http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/F4CApp/index/index.jsf • FASTWeb is a free searchable database of more than 600,000 private sector scholarships,grants, fellowships and loans. It is absolutely the most "cutting edge" method of researchingscholarship information, and it is updated daily (approximately 1,200 per day). To access theFinancial Aid Information page on the Internet type: http://edu.fastweb.com/ For more infor-mation on fastWEB call 1-800-327-8932. • Finaid.org is an overall financial aid site with information on loans and scholarships, and afinancial aid calculator that can help you determine whether you qualify for need-based aid andwhat your family's (EFC) Estimated Financial Contribution will be. It can be accessed at:http://www.finaid.org/
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• Financial Aid Letter.com is a website where you can read real college financial aid awardletters. Decode confusing (and sometimes misleading) loan and scholarship information.Translate financial aid jargon and acronyms into plain English. Get great tips on raising extracollege cash, cutting costs, and making that degree more affordable. Find out why you deserveclear and complete cost information, and why colleges aren't delivering it. It can be accessed at:http://www.financialaidletter.com/ • HISPANIC SCHOLARSHIP FUND The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is thenation's leading Hispanic scholarship organization, providing the Hispanic community morecollege scholarships and educational outreach support than any other organization in the coun-try. In its 34 year history, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund has awarded close to $280M in schol-arships to more than 90,000 students in need. Two-thirds of these students were the first intheir families to go to college. It can be accessed at: http://hsf.net/default.aspx • Kaarme.com provides free college and scholarship information for high school students.Unlike other college and scholarship websites however, Kaarme.com does not profit from thesale of student information to third parties. Begun by a group of concerned parents who weredissatisfied with the status quo, Kaarme.com’s Scholarship Section is the only one available thatdoes not require students to register and submit personal information which is then sold to anycompany willing to pay for it. For more information go to: http://www.kaarme.com/ • Golden State ScholarShare College Savings Trust is California's state and federally tax-free "529" college savings program. At this website you can also learn more about theGovernor's Scholarship Program. Although the program has not been funded since 2002awards granted in prior years can be claimed online at this site as well: http://www.scholar-share.com/ • MeritAid.com is the Web's first comprehensive directory of merit scholarships from col-leges. We want to make it easy for you to understand how much merit aid is available to youfrom colleges across the country before you apply. The site can be accessed at: http://www.meri-taid.com/index.jsp • National Center for Educational Statistics This web site tells you the average awardamount at each school, how many students receive aid and various other statistics. You can alsofind this information in many college handbooks. It can be accessed at: http://www.nces.ed.gov/
• To view local scholarships that are available through the OPHSCollege & Career Center login to Naviance by clicking on the icon.
Once you login click on the "Scholarship List" link. If you do not yet have a Naviance passwordyou can contact Mrs. Hawkins in the College & Career Center, or you can simply login as a"Guest." Mrs. Hawkin's contact information is: 818-735-3315 or via email at: [email protected] • Scholarships.com Each Scholarships.com user answers a detailed questionnaire, providinginformation about their academics, extracurricular activities, and individual background. Wethen use this data to generate a customized list of grant and scholarship opportunities thatmatch the student's qualifications. At the heart of this process is our industry-leading scholar-ship database–the most comprehensive and accurate compilation of national, state, local, andcollege-based scholarships and grants available anywhere: http://www.scholarships.com/finan-cial-aid/college-scholarships/ • Scholarship Hunter is a free service that allows you to search for scholarships by major andby state. It also has a comprehensive listing of scholarship sweepstakes & essay contests. It can
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be accessed at: http://scholarshiphunter.com • SchoolSoup has the largest scholarship database in the world. Their search engine will findscholarships that match your interests and profile by searching through $32 Billion worth ofscholarships. They also provide links to Test Prep services, online textbooks and a college searchengine! It can be accessed at: http://schoolsoup.com/ • SimpleTution.com Borrowing for educational expenses leaves many students and theirfamilies feeling lost - and they are not alone. With so many lenders offering so many versions ofbasic loan types, it can be hard to find the financing option that's best for each individual's situ-ation. That's where SimpleTuition comes in. SimpleTuition is designed to help students andfamilies find their way to the ideal student loan or financing option for educational expenses,and to help them take action. It can be accessed at: www.simpletuition.com • Student Scholarship Search provides students and parents with a FREE searchable data-base of college scholarships and grants. No registration required. Scholarships updated daily. Itcan be accessed at: http://www.studentscholarshipsearch.com • The U.S. Department of Education site has information about federal aid programs, andincludes recommendations and tips for parents and students on how to pay for college. It can beaccessed at: www.studentaid.ed.gov • Web Grants 4 Students is where you can check the status of your Cal Grant application at:https://mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov/logon.asp and access your grant information 24 hours a day,seven days a week. • The WESTERN UNDERGRADUATE EXCHANGE (WUE) is a program of theWestern Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Students who are residentsof WICHE states are eligible to request a reduced tuition rate of 150% of resident tuition atparticipating two- and four-year college programs outside of their home state. It can beaccessed at: http://wue.wiche.edu/
