On October 18th, Oak Park High School willparticipate in California’s Great Shake Out, the

Statewide Earthquake Drill. So, this month is a goodtime to review our school’s emergency preparedness,procedures and responses for the different types ofemergency situations. The PFC is instrumental in ouremergency preparedness and Disaster PreparednessChair; Stacey Lindenau <staceylindenau@aol.com>heads the committee that monitors and replenishes theemergency supplies in the classrooms and in thedisaster bins. Assistant Principal, Bryan Martincoordinates the school safety plan and heads theSchool Safety Committee.

Q: What is the most important point that theparents should remember in an emergency situation?A: School is the second safest place for your child. Thefirst place, and the place that we know your childrenwant to be, is home. We ask parents to reinforce howimportant it is for students to follow the directives ofthe staff. The greatest threat to everyone’s safety after adisaster is the panic and irrational behavior ofunprepared people. Parents should talk to theirchildren, make a plan, and listen to emergency officials.Students, staff and parents should keep an emergencybackpack in their car containing a change of clothesand essential safety supplies such as a first aid kit, aflashlight with spare batteries, and water.

Q: What are the types of emergencies for which thehigh school develops plans?A: The three broad categories of emergencies that thehigh school prepares for are fire, lockdown and majordisaster. Fire emergencies include brush or buildingfires on or near the campus, and explosions. Lockdownpreparedness involves responding to a situation wherea dangerous intruder is on campus or in the schoolvicinity; a major chemical spill on campus or in thearea; and a bomb threat. A major disaster covers

The Principal’s Message

pfc newsletterO A K P A R K H I G H S C H O O LOctober 2012 www.oakparkusd.org/ophs

emergencies such as earthquakes, plane crashes, andsevere weather.

Q: In the event of a fire on campus, how does theschool respond?A: The fire alarms will sound. Students and staffevacuate the buildings and follow our fire drill plan.Specifically, students will move with their teachers tothe football field using routes as indicated on eachclassroom evacuation map. Staff will then take roll andeither wait for the fire department to arrive and givefurther direction, or allow students to return to classwhen the “all clear” signal is sounded. If the studentsand staff are unable to return to class, parents will benotified by the district’s automated all-call phonesystem and, if feasible, students will be sent home.Specific information will continue to be communicatedthrough the district’s all-call phone system andthrough the district and/or high school web site.

Q: What happens at the school in the event of alockdown at the school?A: Lockdowns occur when we want students, staff,and campus guests to remain sheltered in a safe place.This may occur in a situation involving a weapon,gunfire, severe storm, or hazardous materials. Whenwe need to lockdown our campus, a continuous bellwill be sounded and the announcement, “This is aLockdown” will be made to signal staff and students tostay inside, or if outside, to move inside the nearestavailable room. Administrators are assigned to zonesand will “sweep” the campus to ensure everybody isinside a locked room. The initial purpose of alockdown is to isolate an intruder and remove anypotential target from view. We will take roll to accountfor all students and staff. In the case of a hazardousmaterials spill, teachers will seal windows and doors.The “all clear” will come in the form of a schoolemployee going to each room and announcing that thecondition has been identified and resolved.

continued on page 8

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Campus Calendar, News & NotesOct. 2-4 Senior College Advisement, 7th period, G-9Oct. 2-4 CAHSEE ELA (grades 11-12)Oct. 3 Senior Parent College Meeting, 6:30 pm, G-9Oct. 3 International Walk-to-School DayOct. 5 Comedy Sports, 7 pm, PavilionOct. 8 Athletic Booster Club Mtg., 7 pm, Lib. CROct. 9 OPPAA Meeting, 7 pm, Lib. CROct. 11 Counseling Retreat (off site)Oct. 12 Karoke Night, 7 pm, PavilionOct. 13 ABC Rummage Sale, 8-12pm, Student Pkg LotOct. 13 PFC Mock ACT, 9 am, G-9Oct. 16 Board of Education, 6 pm, G-9Oct. 15 Naviance Training, 7 pm, C&CCOct. 19 Make-up Pictures, 8 am, PavilionOct. 19 Homecoming RallyOct. 20 PSAT, 8 am, OPHSOct. 20 Homecoming Dance, 7 pm, GymOct. 22-26 Awaremess Week Oct. 22 Awareness Week Assembly, 10 am, GymOct. 24-25 Winter Sports Preliminary Clearance, main officeOct. 24 Mock ACT feedback, 8 pm, G-9Oct. 27 Cheer Clinic, 9 am, GymOct. 29 District of Choice Info. Night, 6 pm, Pav Oct. 30 Blood Drive, 8 am

Nutr. = Nutrition, Pav. = Pavilion

Lib. CR = Library Conference Room

C&CC = College & Career Center

See complete listings for athleticevents and more on theOPHS Master Calendar!

It’s easy as 1-2-3!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!

College KnowledgeCollege KnowledgeNightNight

Thurs., Oct. 11th5:30 pm

Get all the Information by

clicking here!

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: Kevin Buchanan899 N. Kanan Road, Oak Park, CA 91377

OPHS Main Line: 735-3300 Attendance/Temp. Off Campus Pass Line: 735-3311

(please call before 9 a.m.)

PFC President: Gillian Miller ophspfc@gmail.com

Newsletter Editor: Suzie Bock bockgraphx@sbcglobal.net 818-970-5251

eNews Editor: Uma Narayanan umasaa@yahoo.com 818-707-3124

www.oakparkusd.org/ophs • www.oakparkusd.org

Inside This Issue

PCollege Knowledge Night, Oct. 11th

P Important Yearbook deadlines & dates.

P PSAT registration informaion.

PWhat’s the “Idle Free Zone?” (pg. 10)

P Plus, all the regular news, ‘save-the-dates’ & notices to keep you IN THE KNOW!

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PFC Update

President’s MessageDear Friends and OPHS Families –We have completed one month of the school year.We have all settled into our routines.

September was full of activities; textbooks weredistributed by many helping hands! Registration wasa breeze. A huge thank you to Lori De Grinis formaking this year’s registration so easy and thank you toall the parent volunteers. A big and warm welcome toour new Vice Principal Bryan Martin.We had our first PFC meeting where we voted on

the PFC Membership directory cover. Congratulationsto 10th Grader Elijah Henry whose art work willgrace our online and our printed PFC directory. Thank you to Stacey

Lindenau and AndreaMyerson who haverefreshed the EmergencyDuffels, located aroundcampus and all the BlackBoxes in each classroom,providing supplies for ourstudents and staff in caseof an emergency. PFC has already

sponsored a MOCK SATexam on September 15th and a senior writing seminaron September 22nd. Hats off to the kids who showedup on Saturday morning for these events. We alsosponsored a two-day Catalyst SAT Boot Camp onSeptember 29th and September 30th.OPHS PFC would like to thank all the families for

their generous donations to our No Frills Campaignduring Registration! The monies raised during our NoFrills Campaign fund most of our contributions to theclassrooms, improvements around campus and allowOPHS staff to attend valuable teaching seminars.Thank you again for your support!! If you have not yetcontributed, but would like to, please visit the OPHSPFC Webpage and download the No Frills Letter.(Click Here) You may mail a check to the school orpay online via Paypal at any time.

On Saturday, Oct. 13th we will be sponsoring aMOCK ACT, administered by Kaplan. This practiceexam gives our students more familiarity with what toexpect from the ACT. If you have not alreadyregistered your student, you can Click Here to registerthem. College Knowledge Night is on October 11th.

This is for ALL students and their parents. You will beable to attend different workshops – there are over 20to choose from. We will have many informativesession, which will give you details on the UC system,such as: ‘Cal State System,’ ‘Financial Aid, CollegeEntrance Exams,’ ‘Private Colleges,’ ‘You don’t have tobe an A student’ and more – Click Here for the flyer. I wish everyone an enjoyable October!

– Best Regards,Gillian Miller

OPHS PFC, President

ATTENTION SENIORS!!!ATTENTION SENIORS!!!

MandatoryCollege Application Advisement

Oct. 2nd: Mr. McLelland (Ni-Z)Oct. 2nd: Mr. McLelland (Ni-Z)

Oct. 3rd: Ms. Heeney (A-Gg)Oct. 3rd: Ms. Heeney (A-Gg)

Oct. 4th: Ms. Fries (Gh-Nh)Oct. 4th: Ms. Fries (Gh-Nh)

Sign up for your one-on-one meetingat this important session.

You must attend one.If you have a conflict, attend one of the other

counselors’ meetings.

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Save The Date!!

College Knowledge Night of WorkshopsThursday, October 11, 2012

Oak Park High School899 North Kanan Road, Oak Park, 91377

5:30 pm - SAT/ACT Test Prep Vendor Fair5:30 pm - SAT/ACT Test Prep Vendor Fair

6:30 - 8:30 pm - Workshops*6:30 - 8:30 pm - Workshops*

7 – 7:30 p.m. first workshop

7:40 – 8:10 p.m. second workshop

8:20 – 8:50 p.m. last workshop

For a list of workshops, see page 7 of this newsletter!

All Grade-Levels Students and Parents fromOak Park, Agoura, Calabasas and Malibu High Schools

ARE INVITED!!*Some of the Topics for the Almost 20 Workshops: "The California State University System,”“The UC System,” “How to Choose a College; How a College Chooses You,” “College

Preparation for 504/IEP Students,” “University of Southern California,” “Why Go Out-of-State?”“How to Choose a College Major/Career,” “Visual and Performing Arts Colleges,” STEM:Science, Technology, Engineering, Math majors of the 21st Century,” WUE: Financial Aid for

Western States,” “Write a Smashing College Essay,” “I’m Not an A Student, What Now?” "TheACT or SAT?” “Military Academies,” “NCAA for College-bound Athletes” and more!

Sponsored by the PFC’s of Agoura, Calabasas, Oak Park With Coordinator/Consultant Jean Gilbert Hawkins

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Eagle Athletics Update

Q: Have provisions been made in the case thatstudents are in lockdown for an extended period oftime?A: Each classroom contains emergency kits thatcontain provisions to sustain all students for up to 72hours. The kit includes such things as water, food, asanitation system with privacy screen, 12-hour lightsticks, extensive first aid supplies and an evacuationmap.

Q: What would happen if there was a naturaldisaster or catastrophic event and the students wereunable leave to campus, or, for safety reasons, wererequired to remain on campus for an extended periodof time?A: Students would be moved to a safe location, whereteachers would remain with the students until such

Principal’s Message continued from page 1

continued on page 6

Team records as of now are:

Varsity JV Frosh/SophOverall League Overall League Overall League

Football 3-2 0-5Volleyball 6-9 2-3 2-7 2-3 3-6 3-2Girls Tennis 3-8 1-3Boys CC 2nd in TVL 1st in TVLGirls CC 1st in TVL 1st in TVL

Schedules to all our fall athletic contests can be found on the OPHS web site. Click HerePlease come out and support our teams.

WINTER SPORTSOur winter season is just around the corner. Here are some important dates to be aware of:

Preliminary Clearance – turn in physical and blue emergency cardOct. 24 Boys Basketball and Boys SoccerOct. 25 Girls Basketball and Girls Soccer

Please check with coaches and/or the web site for further clearance details

Nov. 19 7:00 pm OPHS gym Parent Meeting – for all athlete’s parents on a winter sports team

Any questions/concerns, please contact the Athletic Office at 818-735-3303 or by e-mail at apettit@oakparkusd.org.

time we deem it prudent to release them. We will takeroll and account for all staff and students while ouremergency disaster teams, such as our Site EmergencyResponse Team organize and assess the situation. Thehigh school has provisions to accommodate studentsand staff on campus for several days. These supplies arechecked on a regular basis and are kept in large securedbins on the campus. When it becomes feasible torelease students to parents or guardians, a reunion gatewill be set-up. As soon as possible, the nature of theemergency and the plans to handle it will becommunicated to parents and our community throughthe emergency broadcasting stations in Ventura, thedistrict’s all-call phone system or the school/districtweb site.

6

Q: Are any OPHS teachers or staff trained inemergency management and procedures?A: Our staff has been trained on emergencyprocedures and is well prepared to respond to anypossible life-threatening situation. Many members ofour staff, including all physical education teachers,coaches, campus supervisors, administrators, students,and support staff have completed CPR and CERTtraining. The school’s safety committee continues tomeet to review and refine our school safety plan. As aDistrict, we will continue to review and practice safetyprocedures and preparedness.

Q: Do OPHS students participate in fire oremergency drills so that they become familiar withthe school’s safety plan and procedures?A: Throughout the course of the year, our studentsand staff participate in emergency drills: fire,earthquake and lockdown. We will be participating inthe Statewide Great Shake Out on October 18th,when we will practice drop and cover, full evacuation,search and rescue, triage, and student release.Following the drill, our Administration and schoolsafety committee conducts a full review of the drill andfollows up with feedback to our staff as to how thepractice can be improved. Each classroom has a kit thatoutlines basic emergency responses and clearlyhighlights the evacuation route for that class. Parentsare asked to encourage their children to look at theevacuation map that is posted in each class.

Principal’s Message continued from page 5Your support of the PFC helps provide for

emergencies. The PFC replenishes supplies in theclassroom emergency boxes and in the disaster binsand duffle bags. The PFC continues to buy all thesupplies to not only replenish our supplies that aregoing out of date, but also to increase our amounts ofwater on campus in case of an emergency.

One of the features of the modern day emergencysituations is the use of cell phones. It is vey likely thatin the event of an actual emergency, students will calltheir parents. It is vey understandable that parents willwant to show up and collect their child. It is importantthat parents follow the instructions and proceduresthat the school gives regarding student releases.Usually, students will be released from the football fieldafter we have accounted for everybody. Parents shouldnot enter the classrooms and buildings looking fortheir child or taking their child before we’ve accountedfor him or her. Our resources and emergency responseteams need to be used to search for students who areunaccounted for and to treat students who may needemergency medical attention.

Of course, we hope that we do not have to use thesemeasures and supplies in a real emergency situation,but student safety is our number one priority. Disasterpreparedness is as much a critical part of school as iscollege preparedness, and with your support we willcontinue to be successful on both fronts.

– Sincerely,Kevin Buchanan, Principal

OPHS Athletic Booster Club’s Annual

Rummage SaleSaturday, October 13, 2012

8am - 12 noonat Oak Park High School

The teams will be selling all sorts of "stuff" to the community for all ages including electronics,

athletic gear, books etc.

For information on how to get involved, contact Loretta Brown at savania@mac.com

7

Student Counseling Reminder:Student Counseling Reminder:Besides support and nutrition,

counselors are available during yourlunch period.

Please stop in the counseling office.

OPHS THANKSJoAnn Tattersall, Kelly McGugan &

The Tattersall Teamof Active Real Estate

Kelly McGuganTattersall Team

Cell: 818.207.7408www.tattersallteam.com

JoAnn Tattersall & Kelly McGugan sponsorOak 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

8

College Knowledge Night of Workshops2012 List of Workshops

SPONSORED by the PFCs of Agoura, Calabasas, Oak Park high schoolsCOORDINATED by Jean Gilbert Hawkins

ACT versus the SATCalifornia Community College SystemCalifornia State University System

California Private CollegesCollege-Bound Athletes/ Getting a Head Start

Cost of CollegeCollege Essays

How to Choose a College Major/ CareerHow to Choose a College and How a College Chooses You

Military Academies: Air Force, Coast Guard, Naval, West PointI’m Not an A Student, What Now?

Naviance NuancesAdvantages to Attending Out-of-State Colleges

Students with 504s, IEPs: Laying the Groundwork for CollegeUniversity of California SystemUniversity of Southern CaliforniaVisual & Performing Arts Colleges

Out-of-State Financial Aid: Western Undergraduate ExchangeSTEM: College Majors in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

A t t e n t i o n : Freshman Parents

If you haven't signed up to receive the weekly OPHS eNews emailbulletin, you are totally MISSING OUT on important notices,

updates and reminders!

Class of2016

Sign Up Here!Sign Up Here!

Sign up now!

9

Yearbook News & NotesYearbook News & Notes

Senior Personal Ads - from family to studentBe a part of the OPHS Yearbook Tradition

Your opportunity to purchase a Senior Personal Ad with a special, personalized message from you to your

graduating senior is NOW!Personal Ad PricingPersonal Ad Form

FirstFirst Senior Personal Ad deadline is Monday, October 15thSecondSecond Senior Personal Ad deadline is Monday, December 10th

Senior Quote, Name & SignatureAND

Senior “Bests”are due Friday, October 26th.If you have lost the sheet,

you may print out a new one from the link above.Senior Quote, Name & Signature Form

Senior Bests Voting Form

Yearbook Not Orderd Yet?Order a Yearbook today for $100.

10

No Frills Donations AppreciatedThank you to the following families for their generous donations to our 2012 No Frills Campaign. Without theircontributions, the PFC could not continue to support Oak Park High School teachers and students.

AggarwalAhdootAlexanderAndersonAnninoAokiAppelrouthArshtAsherAviramBagamianBalenBallasBearBenderBermanBerner

BochanBoganimBongioviBriton-JonesBronsteinR.BrownS.BrownBuckleyBulusuBurgerBurkeByrneCamhiCapposCarrilloCastilloCatone

J.ChangM.ChangChasinCheneyChiuChowChrisakisClarkClaxtonClearyD.CohenJ.CohenS.CohenConklinCookCorbittCroy

CruzDaveDeGrinisDelgadoDetamoreDiPaoloDoheneyDorianDrewsDunnEbuenEichstadtEisenbergElayneFelderFieldsFletcher

WILDFIRES – EARTHQUAKES:ARE YOU PREPARED?

Disasters come in all sizes andhappen somewhere every day. Will you be caughtunprepared?It takes a little time and focus to improve your

chances of surviving and recovering from a major disaster.The Ventura County Fire Department is offering the

free seven week course “Community EmergencyResponse Team” Training starting Tuesday October 9that 6:30 p.m. Classes will meet at the Oak Park HighSchool in room G-9. Topics include fire suppression,light search & rescue techniques, managing utilitiesduring a disaster, disaster first aid, and much more.For questions and to register email Di Starzak:

DiStarzak@sbcglobal.netHave you been CERT trained in the past?

Register for the one-day County CERT Refresher onOctober 20, 2012. http://fire.countyofventura.org Clickon CERT.

Refresh those skills!! You need them!!Refresh those skills!! You need them!!

OPUSD is launching a new “No Idling” policy.If you are on campus and waiting longer than 30

seconds - TURN OFF YOUR ENGINE!

Click Here for more information

Continued on page 11

No Frills Donations AppreciatedThank you to the following families for their generous donations to our 2012 No Frills Campaign. Without theircontributions, the PFC could not continue to support Oak Park High School teachers and students.

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Continued from page 10

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PetersM.PhillipsR.PhillipsPiurkowskyPowersRamirezResnickRidinioRifkindRinkovRisleyRobertsonRochonRomanovRosenRosenbergRozanskiSahleySalingerSanta CruzSaravisSaucedoSchapiroSchlatterSchneiderSchnurrSchroederSchwartzScottShaevitzShanahanShaoShemtovSholtySilverSilverstoneSimonsSklarSmithSnader

SnyderStarkSteinhardtStilloStrauchTangTaylorThedingaThiruvamkulamTobiasTolentinoTooTorigianTownsendTreitmanTrnavskyVermaVosguanianWadaWaldmanWangWelinWhiteleyWiederspahnWilsonWingWuWulfWynerZaitlenZhang

Click Here to use

PayPal to make your

No Frills Donation!

12

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It pays to have Friends:

Thank you to all of you who have supported Friendsof Oak Park Schools these past few years. As youhopefully know, Friends is our District’s EducationFoundation with a goal of providing programs thatreach all of our schools that would otherwise not beoffered. Friends has helped fund numerous programsthese past few years including science and musiceducation.In July, Friends of Oak Park Schools’ completed itssecond successful year as the Administrators of theOak Park School’s Summer School Program. Withover 500 students participating and 35 Oak Parkteacher and administrators employed, we are extremelyproud to keep a flourishing summer educationprogram here in our district. In addition, a Friends’ sub committee, “Oak ParkSchools, Our Children’s Future” completed a fund-raising drive in August and installed the Oak ParkSchools “Legacy Walk” in front of the pavilion. Thisinstallation included over 540 engraved brickshighlighting our students, parents and dedicationcomments that will be enjoyed for years to come.The funds raised from the Legacy Walk helpedrescind the layoff notices that many of our Elementary,Middle and High School Counselors received inMarch allowing each school to retain a full Counselingstaff. The balance of the funds from the Legacy Walkwill be used to help mitigate other funding cuts asdetermined by the Oak Park School’s, Our Children’sFuture committee at a later date.Thank you to all families who participated in this drive.

In late October, Friends of Oak Park Schools will besending out our annual appeal letter. This letter willdetail where these donations go and what Friends ofOak Park Schools funds. If you have not participatedin one of our funding drives before, we hope that youwill do so this year.Thank you for all of your support. Friends of OakPark Schools has raised over $1,000,000 over the pastseven years for OPUSD funding support that reachesall of our schools.

– Friends of Oak Park Schools

Hello Oak Park!

Awareness Week is right around the corner!Every year, Advanced Peer Counseling plans a week topromote the awareness of issues that students face oncampus at Oak Park High, along with other highschools all around the world. This is accomplishedthrough a series of activities, classroom presentations,guest speakers, and discussions held during school forstudents and after school for entire families. Every dayof the week brings a new activity, and every new activ-ity hopefully will encourage students to step outsidetheir comfort zone, be aware, and think about prob-lems that their peers may be facing. Awareness Week isfrom October 22 to October 26.

Along with one-on-one mentoring, AdvancedPeer Counseling works to help students navigatethrough high school with the conflict mediation pro-gram. Conflict Mediation is a unique program inwhich disputants are encouraged to find a commonground and look for a problem from multiple points ofview and compromise to reach a win-win solution fora conflict. Conflict mediations can be requested by ateacher, counselor, or the students themselves.

Peer Counselors are always available to talk!

There are request forms online as well as in theCounseling Office. Please do not hesitate to contactus!

We hope you have a fantastic month of October!

– Sincerely,Kayla Sadwick and Zack Reilly

Advanced Peer Counseling Liasons

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PSAT/NMSQTPRELIMINARY SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TEST/NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP QUALIFYING TEST

Saturday, October 20, 2012 - Oak Park High School at 8 a.m.The PSAT is important because:

*It enables students to practice for the SAT I Reasoning Test. *It measures verbal and mathematical reasoning skills important for academic success in college.

*It lets individual students compare their ability to do college work with the ability of other college-bound students. After the test, students receive a Report of Student Answers and a test book to review their performance.

*Taken in the junior year it serves as an initial screening of more than one millionparticipants in the National Merit Scholarship Program which identifies and honors academically talented students and which provides college undergraduate scholarships for a sizable number of the participants.

*Sophomore students may take the PSAT for practice reasons. They may pick up registration information in the Student Store.

The PSAT/NMSQT Student Bulletin, which provides a description of the test, test-taking strategies,sample questions with explanations of correct answers, a practice test that students can take and score, and adescription of scholarship programs, will be given to students when they pay their registration fee.

Registration Dates & Fees:

Registration Dates FeesSept. 17th - Oct. 5, 2012 ( Juniors) $25

Oct. 8th - Oct. 15, 2012 (Sophomores) $25

Oct. 15th, 16th & 17th, 2011 All grades - LAST CHANCE! (Late fee assessed 10th & 11th grade) $40

Students must register at the Student Store during nutrition, lunch & 7th period only.

All registration is on a first come first served basis.

No registrations will be taken after 12 Noon October 17th

If you have questions, contact the counseling office at 818.735.3310

15

Oak Park High School

oakparkhs

16

News from OPUSD Board PresidentDear Parents and Community Members,We are one month into the new school year and the

students and new staff seem to have settled into theirclasses very comfortably. We all owe a huge thank youto our Parent-Teacher Organizations. Due to theirgenerosity and fund raising we have been able torestore several kindergarten aide and library/mediatechnician positions which had been cut in order tobalance the district budget for this school year. Also restored were counseling posi-

tions in the schools. These positionsare being funded by the OurChildren’s Future legacy brick fundraising campaign conducted last springby The Friends of Oak Park Schools edu-cation foundation and the district. Additionalfunds raised in that campaign are being held until weknow the results of the November ballot measures andtheir effect on our budget so that they can be spent inthe most effective way possible. Again, a big ThankYou to all involved in running the campaign and/ordonating to it.At our September Board meeting we approved an

overnight trip for the OPHS Cross Country Team aswell as the annual seventh grade trip to Catalina andthe eighth grade trip to Astrocamp, all of which will

occur this month and next. We also discussed and approved change orders and

a notice of completion on several of the summer repairand modernization projects. We then approved theDistrict response to the Oak Park Citizens’ OversightCommittee’s annual report.A public hearing was held regarding the sufficien-

cy of textbooks and instructional materials and a reso-lution was approved allowing the district to

access state funding for textbooks andinstructional materials for the currentschool year.

A resolution was also passed bythe Board in support of Proposition30 on the November ballot.Board Policies discussed and approved

as amended included suspension and expul-sion/due process, uniform complaint procedures,nondiscrimination in employment, contracts, awardsfor achievement, work-based learning, facility masterplan, general obligation bonds, and use of school facil-ities. A policy concerning student health and socialservices was tabled for additional information.

Until next month my best to all of you,– Jan Iceland

OPUSD Board President

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Wondering if the ACT is the right test for you?

Join Chyten Education for a practiceACT at Oak Park High

Saturday, October 13, 20129:00 am - 1:00 pm in room G-9

Parent feedback sessionWednesday, October 24th

7:00 pm in G-9

Cost: $20 donation. Proceeds to benefit OPHS PFC.To enroll: Please print this flyer and submit to OPHS Counseling Officenot later than October 1st. Make checks payable to “Oak Park High PFC.”Contact: Shelly Resnick, 4resnicks@gmail.com

Student Name:

Grade:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

This event is an OPHS PFC fundraiser.

19

College NewsSENIOR YEAR - The College Application Process

Important Dates & Deadlines:

Early Action/Early Decision application deadlines vary from as early as October 15th to as late as February 1stfor some schools. Most "Regular Admission" deadlines, will be somewhere between November 30th and January15th.

October 1st thru November 30th: This is the window for students to submit their online application to allUC's & CSU's

October 2, 3, 4 - 7th period (G9):Mr. McLelland, Ms. Heeney & Ms. Fries will be meeting with theirrespective Seniors to review college application procedures.

October 3rd, 6:30-8:00pm (G9): Senior College Advisement Parent Night. Mrs. Hawkins and the OPHSCounselors will update parents on what they should be doing to assist their senior children with the collegeapplication process.

October 11th (Pavilion): College Knowledge Night. Come and meet with 30+ college representatives andexperts on the college admission process. For more information go to:http://www.oakparkusd.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=5851

November 16th: This is the deadline for students to request a letter of recommendation for any application witha deadline prior to January 15th. Counselors and Teachers must have a minimum of 3 weeks lead time for allrecommendations! The Counselor's Checklist must be completed in order to request a recommendation fromany teacher or counselor.

January 1st: Federal Financial Aid applications (FAFSA’s) may only be submitted after this date. Paper formsare available in the Counseling Office now. However, the preferred method for submission is via internetthrough their website at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

January 9th: 6:30-8:30pm (G9): Financial Aid Workshop to assist students and parents with the FAFSA andother aspects of the Financial Aid process.

Feb. 15, 2013: Some colleges also require the CSS Profile, found online athttps://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp; complete the CSS PROFILE before your earliest college orprogram priority filing date. At the very latest, you must submit your PROFILE Application by February 15th.

March 2nd: Deadline to submit the Cal Grant GPA verification form to apply. For more information about Calgrants to the following link on our website: http://www.oakparkusd.org/page/1080.

March: is when most UC and CSU schools begin notifying applicants of acceptance or denial. Berkeley andUCLA are the last to send notices (surprise, surprise)!

Spring Break: Spring Break is the time to make final visits to schools that have made offers of acceptance. Thisis also the month students will notify most schools of their decisions. Information about scheduling trips to UC& CSU campuses can be found at the OPHS Counseling "UC & CSU Admissions" web page.

May 1st: Commitment Deadline! Students must formally confirm acceptance or declination of an offer ofadmission by this date.

May & June: are critical months for seniors because last semester grades do count! Spring semester classes (thatwere listed on the student’s admission application) that are dropped or not passed with at least a "C" may resultin a college rescinding its offer. Most competitive universities expect seniors to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA inthe senior year.

CLICK ONANY BLUETEXT LINK!

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SENIOR "To Do" LIST:This is when students truly find out what the term “college prep” has all been about!Seniors should not construe this a “cruise year.” Colleges and universities wantstudents to continue to take the most challenging classes available to them and toperform to the top of their ability.

• Still focus on academics! Contrary to the urban myth - grades DO countin the senior year!

• Most competitive universities expect seniors to carry at least FIVE College Preparatory, AP or Honors courses each semester, and they also expect seniors to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA throughout the year.

• Seniors should be taking their SAT Reasoning test, Subject tests, or ACT test for the last time during the fall of their senior year. The December SAT or ACT testing date is the absolute last date to take either of these tests for most fall collegeadmission cycles.

• The deadlines for some college applications begin early in the fall semester of the senior year, but vary widely from school to school. Seniors must be aware of DEADLINES! If they are applying Early Decision or Early Action, everything hasto be done EARLY! Some colleges want the application in by a certain date and some accept applications on a "Rolling" basis. It is absolutely critical to pay attention to deadline criteria!

CRITICAL APPLICATION ISSUES:

• Be 100% honest, colleges do verify everything and will "cancel" your admittance if theydiscover discrepancies, or if you don't complete classes you've listed on the application, or if your grades drop dramatically in the final semester.

• All classes taken should be listed on the "self-report" portion of the application, even those that were repeated later.

• Pay attention to the application deadlines for all applications (admissions, housing, financial aid, scholarships etc...)

• If you are submitting the application online take the time to go through whatever tutorialor help sessions are offered. Read the "Online Application Do's & Don'ts" section below.

• If you are mailing a paper application get a receipt, known as a “Certificate of Mailing” from the Post Office. Do not mail "certified, Fed Ex, UPS or registered," there is a difference. Colleges have no one in their admissions departments to sign for these kinds of special handling packages!

• Contact all campuses you applied to immediately if: w You receive a D or F in your senior year. w There are any changes to the reported classes for your senior year.w You have a change of address, phone number or e-mail address.

For more on the Senior College applications process go to the OPHS website at the following link: http: //www.oakparkusd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=4275

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What is the PSAT? Who should be taking it?The PSAT was originally created as a "practice" test to be taken by Juniors inthe fall of the 11th grade year in preparation for taking the "real" SAT in theSpring. The PSAT's Score Report Plus is designed to help studentsdetermine their strengths and weaknesses by providing personalized feedback

on academic skills and to help them determine what subjects to focus their preparation on for the "real"SAT - also known as the SAT Reasoning Test. Although the PSAT is based on curriculum that mosthigh school students have taken through the beginning of their junior year - at Oak Park High Schoolwe have many 10th and even 9th grade students who are already pursuing advanced curriculum inmathematics (i.e. Algebra II or higher), along with Honors and/or AP Science, English and Historycourses. For these advanced students taking the PSAT in the 9th and 10th grades simply provides themvaluable test-taking practice, and a very concrete way of tracking their academic growth over time. It isfor these same reasons that our OPHS PFC also sponsors "Mock SAT" test-taking opportunities everyyear!

What is the National Merit Scholarship?

The (NMSC) is an independent not-for-profitorganization that operates without governmentassistance. NMSC conducts two privately financedannual competitions for recognition and college

undergraduate scholarships — the National Merit® Scholarship Program and the National AchievementsScholarship Program. Through the National Merit Program, NMSC also conducts competitions forSpecial Scholarships sponsored by corporate and business organizations. High school students who meetpublished entry/participation requirements enter these competitions by taking the Preliminary SAT asthe National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (e.g. NMSQT ® ), as juniors. Each year's test is the entryvehicle to a specific annual competition. As co-sponsor of the test, NMSC receives the scores of allstudents who take the PSAT/NMSQT. Selection Index scores (verbal + math + writing skills scores) ofstudents who meet NMSC program entry requirements are used to designate high scorers to receiverecognition. In both the Merit Scholarship® and Achievement Scholarship® competitions, students whoqualify as Semifinalists, and then meet academic and other standards to advance to the Finalist level, areconsidered for scholarships. NMSC identifies candidates and sends scholarship applications to themthrough their high schools. For more information about the PSAT/NMSQT and NMSC scholarshipprograms click on the links above, or go to the national merit at the following hyperlink:www.nationalmerit.org.

UC & National Merit: For more information about the new UC Policy with respect to the NationalMerit Scholarship Program go to the OPHS website at the following link:http://www.oakparkusd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=1158.

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The PSAT is offered once each year in the month of October:

Students sign up for the PSAT/NMSQT at their local high school or at another high school in their commu-nity. This test is administered by high schools, not through test centers. Online registration for thePSAT/NMSQT is not available. The PSAT will be given on Saturday morning 8 a.m., October 20, 2012, at Oak Park High School. Registration Dates & Fees

• September 17 to October 5, 2012 ( Juniors only) $25.00• October 8 to October 12, 2012 (Sophomores & Juniors) $25.00• October 15,16 & 17 (Freshman) $25• October 15 ( Juniors & Sophomores) $25• October 16th & 17 (Sophomores & Juniors - LAST CHANCE! Late fee assessed $40.00

No registrations will be taken after 12 Noon October 17th.

• Registration for JUNIORS ONLY opens on September 17 and runs through October 5. • Sophomores may register October 8 through October 12. Juniors may also register during this time.All registration is on a first come first served basis.

• Freshman may register October 15, 16, & 17, at the regular fee of $25.• Students must register at the Student Store during nutrition, lunch and 7th period only.• The cost of the PSAT is $25; checks should be made out to OPUSD/OPHS. If the regular registration deadline is missed, an additional non-refundable late registration service fee of $15 will be added to the cost of the PSAT for a late registration fee of $40.on the 16th & 17th for Sophomores and Juniors.

On the day of the test, you will need the following:

PHOTO ID: You will NOT be admitted to the testing room without your photo I.D. or any picture I.D.(i.e., Driver’s license, past school I.D., etc.)CHECK-IN TIME: You must report to your testing room by 8:00 a.m. SHARP!ROOM ASSIGNMENTS: Locate your room on the list posted on the windows of the G-Building,Counseling Office, and Student Store.

BRING: Two#2 pencils and a calculator, if desired.