Skip to content
OCESD RETURNS TO A TRADITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL ON APRIL 12, 2021!
We are happy to announce that all OCESD schools will return to a traditional, in-person instructional model on Monday, April 12, 2021. Mondays through Thursdays will be full days, and Fridays will follow a minimum day schedule. Safety protocols and social distancing practices will strictly be followed. Bus transportation is very limited at this time. For questions regarding bussing, please contact 538-2300 x1109. Parents of students that are currently on Distance Learning or in IFLC who wish for their student(s) to return to in-person instruction must contact their school of origin to be placed on a waitlist. Families wishing to remain in our current Distance Learning or IFLC models have the opportunity to do so for the remainder of the school year.
We welcome our students and staff back to our campuses in a traditional, in-person instructional model. Great things continue to happen in OCESD!
SCHOOL CLOSURE INFORMATION
All Oroville City Elementary Schools were closed for the Coronavirus response on March 16, 2020 and will remain closed through the end of the scheduled school year on June 5, 2020. These schools include Sierra Del Oro Preschool, Oakdale Heights Elementary, Stanford Avenue Elementary, Ophir Elementary, Wyandotte Academy, Central Middle, and Ishi Hills Middle. Oroville City Elementary is working on plans to return to school for the 2020-21 school year. Watch our website or social media for updates.
MESSAGES TO FAMILIES
MAY 13, 2020
Dear Oroville City Elementary Families,
Yesterday, California State Universities and other colleges in the state announced that fall semester will be taught all online. This has sparked a lot of interest and concern around our possible opening in August. As I stated earlier, we still intend on opening on August 12th, 2020 as planned. We also know with COVID-19 that state and local government agencies can make changes on a daily basis.
With all this in mind, the district is looking at and planning for possible alternative education plans if necessary. We realize that we may need to have several different education plans based on the ever-changing climate of this pandemic. We know that these plans need to include a lot of thought and detail.
As things change, it is possible that we will need to go back to an online program, a modified schedule or a hybrid of regular classes and online education. We have begun reaching out and discussing these different options and the many challenges these create for families like access to child care, the impact on siblings, and so on.
This email's intention is not to alarm but to prepare and hopefully help you understand that we are planning, and if at any given time in the summer that we think a different education plan may need to be adopted, we will call in various stakeholders, including parents and staff, to ensure we don't miss important aspects of a plan.
Please watch our social media or website for future updates,
Superintendent Spencer Holtom
#OCESDrocks
APRIL 1, 2020
In coordination with the recommendations from Gov. Newsom, all OCESD school campuses will be closed for the rest of the school year. OCESD teachers will continue to provide distance learning throughout campus closures. Please visit OCESD.net for more information. #OCESDrocks
MARCH 31, 2020
We are in this Together, A Message for Families from your Superintendent
Dear families, this is your Superintendent Spencer Holtom with a check-in for all of our families of Oroville City Elementary School District.
We hope this message finds you all healthy and happy. My message is not only from your superintendent but also from a husband and father of six children, five of whom are now doing online or distance learning ranging from TK to college. My own family has experienced our own day to day ups and downs. No matter your circumstances all of us are experiencing different issues and different highs and lows when it comes to educating and supporting our children at home. For me personally, some days are great and my children are so compliant while other days are chaotic and feel more like a fight.
Completing work on a daily basis is vital for continuous improvement. We know distance learning cannot replace being in the classroom, but teachers are working hard to provide the best distance learning possible in this difficult time. With this being said, we’re asking you, just do the best you can. We want this to be a time that your children can remember fondly and not a time filled with anxiety and fear. We do fear a couple of months of angst, anxiety, and fighting with your children may have much longer consequences.
We are asking you to strive for two specific goals.
One, everyday spend sufficient time working on and completing assignments including reading at least 30 minutes or more a day.
Two, make it a goal of your family to make this a time of being together, of sharing, of laughter, of game playing while doing the best you can to balance everything we are all dealing with.
For some kids, this model is easy and even enjoyable for them and for others they would rather go to the dentist. Some of my own children are doing fine in this model while others are struggling. I think it’s safe to say that all students are missing their friends and extracurricular activities. We also realize that some families may be struggling financially and worry about employment, health or other important needs. We understand that those may be more important at this time and we can appreciate that.
Our goal as a district is to support you the best we can and not make this time even more stressful for you. Know that we care and love your children and want to do the best we can to provide them the best education at this unprecedented time. If you have questions or concerns about your children please reach out to your individual school site principal or teacher.
We appreciate you and all that you’re doing to support our amazing Oroville children have a great night and we hope to see you soon.
Superintendent Spencer Holtom
MARCH 31, 2020
In case you missed the phone call this morning, here is what it said:
Good morning Oroville City Elementary School District families,
This is Spencer Holtom, Superintendent with a very import announcement. Due to the President's recommendation and orders to continue social distancing and not gather in groups of ten or more the Oroville City Elementary School District, will continue providing alternative learning until May 1st, 2020. While these are unprecedented times the entire staff here in Oroville are here to serve you. Please continue to reach out teachers, site administrators or the district office if you have any questions. Please stay healthy and have a great day.
MARCH 31, 2020
Butte County Superintendent Mary Sukama announced school campus closures throughout Butte County are extended through May 1. OCESD teachers will continue to provide distance learning throughout campus closures. Please visit OCESD.net for more information. #OCESDrocks
MARCH 30, 2020
New Coronavirus Resource: "Mental Health Tips During Social Distancing, Quarantine or Isolation" from our partners at Butte County Behavioral Health: https://5il.co/ebk4 #OCESDrocks
MARCH 24, 2020
Free mindfulness app for Families! Inner Explorer’s 5-10 minute, daily audio guided program is easy to operate and helps to: Reduce stress, Boost immune systems, Improve learning & Foster Resiliency Click here for the info: https://innerexplorer.org/compass/family_onboarding
MARCH 23, 2020
How do you get in contact with your school during the closure? All Oroville City Elementary school websites have the email addresses for instructional and administrative staff; email is being checked and responded to during the closure. #OCESDrocks
MARCH 20, 2020
Need Internet? California Dept of Education put together this great new resource: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/availableinternetp...
MARCH 20, 2020
Parent preview night for the human growth and development videos has been postponed indefinitely.
MARCH 19, 2020
School Closure Extended Through Friday, April 17, 2020
The Butte County Office of Education announced at today's press conference that all Butte County schools (including Oroville City Elementary School District) will be closed through Friday, April 17. We are informing our families as soon as possible, so they can begin to plan for the extended closure. Today (March 19), OCESD began its distribution of education plans, materials and Chromebooks to families to support students in continuing their education during the school closures. OCESD will do its best to support continued student learning throughout the school closures.
Additionally, the Butte County Office of Education started distributing to-go meals for all children 18 and under at select school sites across Oroville today. Go to www.ocesd.net for locations and times for meal distributions. For complete information related to school closures and OCESD, go to www.ocesd.net and click on the school closure tab at the top of the page.
We cannot thank you enough for your patience and flexibility as we navigate this national crisis. Education truly takes a community, and I have no doubt that we will all rise to the challenge as we have done so many times through these last few years. The well-being of our students is always our top priority as we plan for the next four weeks. We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more and, as always, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns and suggestions.
Thanks,
Spencer Holtom
Superintendent
MARCH 19, 2020
Need information about the our Chromebook Home Use Program? Click here: https://www.ocesd.net/chromebooks--64 #OCESDrocks
MARCH 18, 2020
Oroville City Elementary will be serving a "grab and go" style breakfast and lunch to all kids under the age of 18 starting Thursday, March 19, 2020 from 11:30-12:30 and continuing Monday through Friday until schools reopen.
Lunch and breakfast for the next day will be served as "grab and go" directly to your car and walk ups are also welcome. Parents, please bring the kids with you as the rules currently require they are present to give out meals.
Meals are being served at the following sites and you can go to the site most convenient for you:
Central Middle School
Bird Street School
Las Plumas High School
Poplar
Nelson
Palermo
Helen Wilcox
MARCH 17, 2020
Oroville City Elementary has just created a new online resources for independent study webpage for parents, families and teachers: https://www.ocesd.net/online-resources-for-independent-study
MARCH 16, 2020
This is the text from Superintendent Holtom's Phone Call message sent out on March 16, 2020 to families.
Good evening this is your Superintendent Spencer Holtom with an update for students and families.
Tomorrow the Governor's office and the California Department of Education will send out guidelines for districts to follow in regards to online and distance learning models as we prepare for an extended absence from schools.
Following that update our teachers and district staff on Wednesday will be preparing lessons and online learning opportunities for our students. Some of these learning opportunities could be packet based, while others will be technology and software based. We hope to distribute these educational opportunities by the end of the week. The district is also preparing for the distribution of Chromebooks for families that have that need. We are currently working with local wifi carriers to help support families without this capability. Later in the week please check our district website for distribution details as well as follow up emails and phone calls.
In the meantime please continue to focus on the fundamental learning components of your child's grade level. We are working with our I-Ready and AR software providers to give students access remotely 24/7.
Other activities that will be helpful for student learning are as follows:
Reading, please encourage your students to read age appropriate books and novels. I would encourage starting a new series. I would also encourage reading with and to your child.
Practice grade appropriate math facts and concepts. We will be sharing a long list of websites that can support this practice in the coming days. Some of my favorites are Scholastic, Khan academy and of course I-Ready.
Checking your students parent portal accounts for missing assignments and Google classroom.
Virtual field trips are great for kids and can be found all over the internet.
Additionally, I would encourage families to establish a daily schedule that includes school time, breaks and snack time, exercise, time out from technology and encourage outside activities to help keep our students active.
This message will be posted tomorrow on our website and additional information will come by Thursday. Be safe and have a great evening.
MARCH 16, 2020
Need internet services over the next 60 days? Comcast COVID-19 Response free temporary internet https://corporate.comcast.com/covid-19 Free WiFi Coverage Map: https://wifi.xfinity.com
MARCH 15, 2020
This is your Superintendent, Spencer Holtom from Oroville City Elementary School District. After consultation with the Butte County Office of Education, we have decided to close schools starting tomorrow, Monday, March 16, 2020.
We are doing this due to increased concern about the Coronavirus and Governor Newsom's latest directives about isolating people over 65 years old and those with chronic disease. This closure includes Sierra Del Oro Preschool, Stanford Avenue Elementary, Ophir Elementary, Oakdale Heights Elementary, Wyandotte Academy, Central Middle School, and Ishi Hills Middle School.
We are currently planning to reopen schools on Monday, March 30, 2020, but this could be extended.
We encourage families and staff to watch our website for updates and refrain from activities that can lead to the spread of the Coronavirus. Please follow the guidelines set out by the Center for Disease Control to keep you and your family safe and healthy.
Staff member, we will also be sending out additional information and further directions for you this evening by phone and email.
Families with students, please keep safe during this trying time and we will continue to update our website with the latest information.
MARCH 13, 2020
As of tonight, Friday the 13th, Oroville City Elementary Schools have no plans to close schools due to the Coronavirus. We are working with the Health Department and will notify families should we need to close schools in the future.
MARCH 12, 2020
For Parents: How to Talk to Kids About the Coronavirus https://youtu.be/WhVad8ToCiU via @YouTube
MARCH 11, 2020
Think you know how to wash your hands? This one minute video from UCLA Health may improve how you wash your hands! https://youtu.be/4E7UkDlnvZA
MARCH 10, 2020
This is the transcript from the phone call that went home to families on March 10, 2020.
This is Superintendent Holtom with an update for all staff, students, and families regarding procedures associated with current Coronavirus concerns. The health of our students is taken very seriously and we all need to do our part to prevent viruses from spreading. The CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick;
Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth;
Staying at home when you’re sick;
Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your elbow;
Cleaning and disinfecting touch surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe;
Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t readily available; and
Following CDCs recommendations for using a facemask.
We have created a Resource Page on our ocesd.net website under the Parent tab where you will find literature, information, and links to additional resources. We are working closely with local health agencies and the Butte County Public Health Department, as well as following the recommended guidelines from the California Department of Public Health and the CDC. Custodial staff at the schools are performing regular cleanings using a commercial-grade disinfectant that kills the Coronavirus. Extra hours have also been approved for custodial staff to do additional disinfectants after hours. I encourage you to visit ocesd.net for updates. Thank you.
MARCH 6, 2020
In an effort to keep students and staff healthy, this week Oroville City Elementary School District schools returned to "Norovirus cleaning procedures" that includes regular disinfecting of surfaces. The disinfectant we use kills Coronavirus.
MARCH 2, 2020
Dear Oroville City Elementary School District Community,
Understandably, we are hearing much concern from parents and staff regarding the Coronavirus. The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19 or Coronavirus) is a virus recently identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and is now being spread widely in other parts of mainland China.
Coronavirus cases have now been identified in the United States, including California. However, according to Dr. Miller, Butte County Public Health Officer, as of 2/28/20, there are zero confirmed cases and zero People Under Investigation (PUI) in Butte County.
In OCESD, our top priority is the safety of our students, staff and families. We are closely monitoring official news and updates about the Coronavirus. We also want to share what we are doing to help minimize the spread of any type of virus:
•In an effort to keep our students healthy, we will continue to excuse all absences due to illness and allow students to make up missed assignments. In an effort to ensure proper diagnosis and any necessary medical care is received promptly, we will continue to encourage families to see a doctor if any member of the family is ill.
•As recommended by the Center for Disease Control, OCESD school sites disinfect classrooms daily utilizing a disinfectant product know to demonstrate effectiveness against viruses similar to the Coronavirus.
•We encourage all students, parents and staff to take everyday preventative actions. Please wash your hands regularly and avoid unnecessary travel to places known to have Coronavirus outbreaks.
Resources: As we rely upon information provided by local, state and national health care officials, we want to be sure our OCESD community also knows where to get important information:
•California Department of Public Health
•Center for Disease Control and Prevention
•Butte County Public Health Department
In addition, updates and new developments will be posted on our website at www.ocesd.net.
Thank you for your commitment to the health and well-being of our community. If you have additional questions regarding our schools, please do not hesitate to reach out to me, your site administrator, or District Office staff.
Sincerely,
Spencer Holtom, Ed.D.
Superintendent
This announcement included a file attachment. Click the link below to view.
Spanish_Version___Wash_Hands.pdf
English_Version___Wash_Hands.pdf
STEPS FOR PREVENTING CORONAVIRUS
FROM THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL (CDC)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html
There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.
CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
For information about handwashing, see CDC’s Handwashing website
For information specific to healthcare, see CDC’s Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings
These are everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses. CDC does have specific guidance for travelers.