The TOHS GreenSheet
A Newsletter for the Thousand Oaks High School Community
Involve * Accept * Inspire
Welcome Back!
I trust this edition of the TOHS GreenSheet finds you all in the midst of a restful and relaxing summer break. In the event you are new to the GreenSheet, I send this informative newsletter out to the entire community at the beginning of each month in an effort to keep you all up to date on all important information related to our school. Please keep in mind that if the school group that you help support has important news to share, send me the information (images need to be in jpeg format) by the 28th of each month, and I will be sure to include the information in the following month.
The Thousand Oaks High School Faculty and Staff has a blue print for our collective areas of focus for the 2019-2020 school year. As you can see from the diagram below, we have a lot to cover. Generally speaking, there are five areas that we plan to focus on: instruction, centralized work, safety, PLC work, and Social Emotional Wellness.
1. Instruction: the faculty will be focusing on methods to enhance clarity in their classrooms (using the work of John Hattie), as well as implementing strategies that will support the needs of all students regardless of their learning profile (Universal Design for Learning), strategies to specifically support the needs of our students who are English Learners, ways to integrate technology into instruction and finally opportunities for different departments to integrate lessons.
2. Collective Work: There are a couple of tasks that sit in front of us that will take some time to prepare for. First, the faculty and staff will be working on a revised mission statement. TOHS has changed a great deal since the last mission statement was written, and the time has come to build a new up-to-date mission statement that will guide all other work. It may sound like fluff, but I do not take mission statements lightly, they are very much a living document and it will play a huge part in the culture that we are trying to build. Secondly, our school is due for a re-visit from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges who will be checking on the status of our accreditation. If you aren't sure what accreditation is - in a nutshell, it's the process that determines whether the academic credit we award has any value. Making sure that we continue to be accredited, is - obviously - critical.
3. Safety: We will continue to work hard in order to make sure that our safety procedures are up to date, efficient, and known to all. This year, we (along with the rest of district) will be adopting the Sandy Hook Promise (SHP). SHP are procedures that will help keep our campus climate as positive and as responsive to threats as humanly possible. We will also be updating our emergency response plans in order to include a Shelter-in-Place protocol. A Shelter-in_Place will be enacted when there is a threat in the neighborhood, but not necessarily on campus.
4. PLC Work: PLCs, or professional learning communities, is a structured process for examining teaching and learning in the light of student evidence. In short, PLCs allow departments to collectively reflect on their teaching practice and make adjustments based on student outcomes. With the new bell schedule that was passed last spring, our teachers will be spending one morning a month engaged in PLC work.
5. Social and Emotional Wellness: Our school is committed to supporting the district 4th LCAP goal that seeks to support the social and emotional health of all students. As I said in my graduation speech, it's not easy being a teenager these days. They face myriad decisions that I never did when I was their age. Making sure our students are feeling supported, accepted, involved, and able to find joy on daily basis is key to us. This year, I plan to expand the already wildly popular Peer Mentor program. I see our Peer Mentors as our champions of social and emotional wellness. We'll investigate strategies to give all students to unplug and de-stress on regular basis (call it our Weekly Recharge). Additionally, a large number of our teachers will be using "phone holders" - places for kids to stow their cell phones (a natural anxiety builder) during class time. The faculty and staff will also continue to build opportunities into the calendar to manage our own stress.
In closing, I want to reiterate my excitement to see everyone back this fall. That means you parents! Our success is absolutely dependent upon the amount of support we receive from our parent community. There are lots of ways to get involved: Site Council, PTSA, and Booster clubs for our various student teams and groups are but a few ways to get involved. Keep your eyes open for opportunities that interest you.
Enjoy what remains of your summer break, and we'll see you all soon.
Dr. Eric Bergmann, Principal
#BleedGreen
#EveryLancerEveryDay
Change to our First Day of School Bell Schedule
CPT 7:28 – 8:23
Period 1 8:28 – 9:11
Period 2 9:16 – 9:59
Period 3 10:04 – 10:47
Break 10:47 – 10:54
Period 4 10:59 – 11:42
Period 5 11:47 – 12:31
Lunch 12:31 – 1:11
Period 6 1:16 – 1:59
Period 7 2:04 – 2:47
Office Closure
Make sure we have your correct Email Address!
Pick-Up/Drop Off
1. If dropping off your student, give yourself plenty of time - you'll need it.
2. Please do continue to be patient. We realize that can be difficult on some days, but your ongoing patience is appreciated.
3. When entering the front lot from Moorpark onto Lancer Way, please DO remember that the traffic heading eastbound on Lancer Way has a stop sign. As much as I admire and appreciate courteous drivers, if lot-bound drivers stop (with no sign) in order to let eastbound Lancer Way traffic through (who do have a stop sign), they cause traffic to back up severely on Moorpark.
4. When pulling into the lots, pull as far forward as you can go before allowing your student into or out of the car.
5. If our staff is out there and helping move traffic, please DO follow their directions. They are there primarily for the safety of our staff and students as well as to keep traffic moving.
6. When entering the lot on Flores, please use all available entrance lanes.
7. Please do stay alert and drive slowly through our lots. Teachers, staff and students walk through the lots to get into school!
8. Please do not stop on Moorpark or Flores in order to drop off or pick up your student. That presents a very real hazard for everyone involved
9. Please do not drop off or pick up students in the parking half of the front lot.
10. Don't ignore directional signs! that our lots are one-way lots. Cars are only allowed to drive in southerly direction. of the lot. During school hours, DO NOT turn left onto Moorpark when exiting the lot.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony!
Bell Schedule
Check-In Schedule
Come get your textbooks, take a look at your assigned classes (actual schedules will be coming out later), take your picture, grab your ID.
Freshmen - plan on attending both days of your orientation. On day 1 - your Lancer Launch - you will be working with our ASB officers to get you ready for your high school experiences. There will be tours, team building activities, talks from guest speakers, and so forth. Se below for more details.
August 8, 8:30 – 11:30: Senior Check-in Day
August 12, 8:30 – 11:30: Sophomore Check-in Day
August 13, 7:45 – 12:30: Lancer Launch
August 14, 8:30 – 11:30: Freshman Check-in Day
August 15, 8:30 – 11:30: Junior Check-in Day
Freshmen Orientation!
Student ID Photos
SBAC Rebound!
New Theater Program
For those younger students who are new to theater or who aren't ready for college level work, we will still be offering an Introductory Theater 1 course. The advanced theater courses will be available to those students who have already taken Theater 1 at TOHS or are in the 11th or 12th grade. 9th or 10th grade students who have not yet taken Theater 1 but have a background in theater may petition to be admitted to the class (see the office for details).
School Site Council Opportunities
The purpose of this council, per California Education Code Section 64001, shall be to:
- Assist in the continuing development of a strong instructional program for all student
- To develop and recommend a Single Plan Student Achievement (SPSA) have ongoing responsibility to consult with the principal, teachers, other school personnel, parents, and students during the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the school plan.
- Modify the plan to reflect changing needs and priorities.
- Carry out all duties and responsibilities assigned to it in the Education Code of the State of California and by the Conejo Valley Unified School District Board of Education.
The Council meets once a month (beginning in September, we meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month from 3:30 - 5:00).
Site Council elections will be held at Back to School Night on September 11th. If you are interested in running, please send Dr. Bergmann an email with your intention to run and include a one-paragraph statement of your qualifications and interest in the position.
New Faces
- Clay Blakney will be taking Dr. Powell’s position this year, he’ll be teaching in A-11. Clay comes to us from LVUSd.
- Jamey Davis comes to us from Redwood. She will be our new foods teacher.
- Priscilla Montero takes Jenna Davis’s position in the counseling department. Priscilla has been working in the Fillmore district.
- Devin Brown comes back to us from Colina. He’ll be taking Laiah Lampke’s position and will be in C-4.
- David Sheridan has concluded his year-long leave and will be back in the English department. David returns to I-9.
- Finally, as you may have heard, the Board of Education approved the Superintendent’s plan to move three Special Education Coordinators to the high schools and they will fill the newly created position of Assistant Principal, Student Support Services (AP-SSS). The primary responsibility of the AP-SSS will be to oversee at students groups who we've targeted for additional support. I’m thrilled to announce that our new AP-SSS will be Dawn Thomas. Dawn has spent the last year serving as an induction specialist for CVUSD’s special education teachers. Prior to that, she spent eleven years as a special education teacher at Sequoia.
Bagels with Bergmann
September 20
December 6
February 21
April 24
Each session will run from 8:30 - 9:30 and will take place in the MPR. The topics that I will cover will appear in the GreenSheet. And yes...bagels and coffee will be provided.
Visitor Management System
As part of this VMS, upon entering a CVUSD school campus, visitors will be asked to present a Government issued ID such as a Driver’s License, which can be scanned or manually entered into the system. In lieu of US government-issued ID cards and documents, passports issued by all other countries are also considered valid identification documents for VMS verification purposes. For IDs not issued by a US government agency, the school staff member may manually enter the person’s name and date of birth into the system.
The VMS checks the visitor's name and date of birth with a national database of registered sex offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the VMS. The information is not shared with any outside agency.
Once entry is approved, the VMS will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools to pick up a student early, or for those who are there to drop off an item in the office or pick up paperwork.
Children who are not enrolled students of the school, and do not have a valid ID may be allowed to visit the school as long as they are accompanied by an adult who has completed the check-in process and has been issued a badge. CVUSD secondary students may utilize their school ID cards as their form of identification when they visit other school sites. Substitute teachers, regular volunteers, and all contractors or subcontractors will be subject to the same procedure as visitors at all times.
The Visitor Management System will only be used during school hours. Attendees at after-hour events such as performances, ceremonies, or academic/athletic competitions will not be required to complete the process.
The safety of our students is our highest priority, and this new visitor management process will be a valuable new tool in our commitment to that priority. Thank you in advance for your understanding and support of enhancing school safety protocols in our district.
Information from Activities
BE SURE TO GET YOUR STUDENT ACTIVITY CARD (ASB STICKER)!!
Saving money on our school activities has never been easier. Just purchase your Student Activities Card (ASB Sticker) from our Student Store and start saving today. The benefits of this card are endless...free admission to all regular season sporting events on campus, discounts on school dances, the yearbook and local area establishments such as Baja Fresh, Cinnabon, AND other locations.
ASB STICKERS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE STUDENT STORE AND ON-LINE! BUY YOURS TODAY AND SAVE BIG!!!
Need a Parking Permit? Click here to learn how to get one.
Athletic Tickets Now For Sale Online
Tickets to athletic events are now available online. You easily redeem on your phone at ANY gate. Here is the website link for anyone who is interested:
Volunteer Requirements
http://www.conejousd.org/Volunteer-with-CVUSD
Please note the need for TB clearance from a doctor, a background check, as well as the documentation needed for those driving students to a school activity. The chart below will show what is required given the nature of the volunteer work to be performed. if you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school office.
News from PTSA
The TOHS PTSA in cooperation with Barnes & Noble will be selling Core Literature books for all English classes during orientation. Have your student bring the order slip from the summer packet and check/creditcard/cash and we will hand the books to your student So easy! Purchase of books is of course optional but most students like a copy of their own to write in. Why not keep your money at TOHS? Books are the same retail plus tax as the store but a minimum of 30% stays at our school.
Please join the TOHS PTSA at our annual Welcome Back Coffee starting at 8am in the patio outside D-1. Come enjoy a variety of refreshments and hear from Dr. Bergmann and his staff about the wonderful year ahead. The coffee is open to all parents and staff of TOHS.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT! Each year we ask for a donation to help support the many programs and activities we run at TOHS. When you and your family join PTSA, you help our school, and by leaving donation along with membership...well we can move mountains. You can turn in your donations and memberships by returning the PTSA envelope during orientation. You may also donate and buy your family's memberships online (convenience fee applies)
https://jointotem.com/ca/thousand-oaks/thousand-oaks-high-school-ptsa/
Graduation Parking Pass for Volunteering
Ways to Stay Connected
Thousand Oaks High School
Email: tohs_web@conejousd.org
Website: http://www.conejousd.org/tohs
Location: 2323 North Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
Phone: 805-495-7491
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tohighschool
Twitter: @ThousandOaksHS