TOHS Green Sheet
A Newsletter for the Thousand Oaks High School Community
January 15, 2023
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From the Principal's Office
Good Morning Lancer Families,
As many have heard by now, Thousand Oaks High School has just made the decision to yet again change its bell schedule beginning next fall. The schedule that can be found below will be presented to our Board for their approval at the end of the month.
Our bell schedule has been a topic of a lot of attention for the last few years, so for those who are new to us, I'd like to offer some historical context. This will be our fourth bell schedule in five years:
- In 2019-2020 we had a traditional bell schedule (all seven classes every day)
- In 2020-2021, due to the Covid Pandemic, all CVUSD high schools utilized a highly modified schedule to facilitate remote learning
- In 2021-2022, we returned to the 2019-2020 schedule
- This year, a new bell schedule was required that complied with California Senate Bill 328. California public high schools are required to provide a minimum of 64,800 instructional minutes per year. SB 328 prohibited schools from counting any instructional minutes that take place prior to 8:30am.
Another key piece of information is the CVUSD process for bell schedule changes. CVUSD is unique in that each CVUSD high school is allowed to select their own bell schedule. A proposed bell schedule must be approved by 70% of the faculty. The following year, a majority of the faculty must vote to reaffirm their support of the new bell schedule.
Last year, as many might remember, our work in order to develop a schedule that was SB 328 compliant was challenging. Several innovative schedules were proposed but none met the required 70% vote (although they came very close). As we neared the deadline to present our proposed schedule to our Board of Education, we scrambled to adopt a schedule that was compliant, however, many questions lingered about several of its features. This past fall, that schedule failed in the vote to reaffirm our support.
For the past several months, we have had a Bell Schedule Committee working on a new schedule. The result of the work is a schedule that is radically different from the one that we are using (the new schedule can be seen below). Here are some key points about the new schedule:
- The biggest and most obvious change is that the schedule utilizes a block period concept. As you can see below, Mondays are a day that is called an anchor day - students will attend all of their classes. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, students will attend A, 1, 3, 5 and 7 periods - those periods are much longer in length than those on Monday. On Wednesdays and Fridays, students will attend A, 2, 4, 6 and 7 periods. This schedule is similar (although not exactly the same) to the schedules that are used at Newbury Park, Simi Valley High School, Royal High School, Santa Susanna High School and Camarillo High School, to name but a few.
- Benefits of a Block Schedule: There a lot of benefits to a block schedule, not the least of which is that by having a longer chunk of time to work with, teachers can be far creative with what is done in class. Further, is managed correctly, each teacher will be able build review/support time into their schedule so that students can get extra help if they need it. No doubt, there will be many who have concerns. In the weeks and months ahead, there will be opportunities for families to attend open houses in order to have individual questions answered.
- 7th period: It should be noted that 7th period will take place every day. We made that decision as our sports teams will continue to meet during 7th and we wanted to ensure that student. athletes do not miss class time or are forced to make a decision between sports and an academic class.
- Our late start day will now be on Monday.
- A period will continue to be offered, but only four days a week (due to the late start day on Mondays)
- Our students have been telling us, they wanted a lunch and morning break that was a bit longer. Additionally, they wanted a lunch that was a bit earlier in the day. We were able to incorporate both requests by extending passing time in between each period.
- No SEL time: The new schedule does not have a stand alone SEL time. Required SEL activities and topics will be folded into each class (like Newbury park and Westlake).
- Seniors leaving before lunch: last but not least, seniors who want to depart before lunch will still be able to do so, but will need to enroll into a hybrid class. Students will be required to attend class one day a week after lunch, but will on the other four days will be able to attend class online when they are able. The same model is being used at Newbury Park.
Thanks for all you do to support our school,
Dr. Bergmann, Principal
New This Week
Fact of the Week!
1st Semester Finals Schedule
Wednesday, January 18th
Per A: Final 7:27 – 9:27
Break: 9:27 – 9:47
Per 1: Final 9:52 – 11:52
Lunch: 11:52 – 12:27
Per 6: Final 12:32 – 2:32
Thursday, January 19th
Per 2: Final 8:30 – 10:30
Break: 10:30 – 10:40
Per 3: Final 10:45 – 12:45
Friday, January 20th
Per 4: Final 8:30 – 10:30
Break: 10:30 – 10:40
Per 5: Final 10:45 – 12:45
FAFSA/CADA Requirement
This year, all California school districts are required to confirm that high school seniors have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). Students may alternatively complete an opt-out form, which shall be collected and retained by the high school. You are receiving this email as notification of this state requirement. The document attached below provides all necessary links and information.
- If your family has already completed the FAFSA/CADAA no additional action is required at this time and you may disregard this notice.
- If your family needs assistance completing the FAFSA/CADAA, multiple resources are available. See the attached letter for details.
- Families who would like to opt out of this state requirement may use the opt-out form provided in the attached letter.
Help sessions are available for both (see flyers below).
If you have any questions please feel welcome to contact Danielle Oliveri at doliveri@conejousd.org or (805) 495-7491. Enjoy the final months of your child’s high school experience and let us know if you need anything. We are here to support our students’ successful completion of high school.
Parking Lot Reminders
1. The front parking lot (along Moorpark Rd.) is reserved for faculty, staff and visitors. Students may not park in the front lot.
2. Do not park in red zones. We are seeing an increase in the number of people parking in red zones at evening events.
3. Watch your speed!
Thanks for helping keep things safe for everyone.
ELAC Meeting #3!
Annual AAUW Speech Contest
TOHS Choir Trivia Night
Dance Fundraiser
From Our A-G Counselor
Softball Parent Meeting
TOHS Softball Parent Meeting
When: Wednesday January 18, 2023 7:00pm
Where: TOHS MPR
What: Mandatory parent meeting for all players and parents. Meet the coaches, pick up your uniform, and be informed about the upcoming season.
Questions or concerns please contact: TOHSSoftballBoosters@gmail.com
Little Women the Musical Auditions
Please click the link below and review the available slots and click on the button to sign up. Thank you! Please arrive at 3:45pm for warm ups and introductions on the day of your audition! Please prepare 16 bars (or one minute) of any song of your choosing Please provide sheet music for our accompanist or sing acapella (without piano). Callbacks will be Friday January 13th You will be notified Thursday evening with the portions of songs and scenes that we would like to hear from you. All portions of songs will be taught Friday at callbacks! Feel free to email bmack@learn.conejousd.net with any questions. Looking forward to seeing you there :)
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c094ca5a62ea7f5c52-little#/
Last Call for Swim Team Tryouts
Swim Team Parent Meeting
Boys Soccer Fundraiser
Scholarship Workshop
Cash 4 College Workshop @ Moorpark College
Reflections Update
Congratulations to the following students who were recognized at the Reflections 12th District Awards Ceremony on January 10th.
Jeremy Frank, Award of Merit for Music Composition
Indigo Jacobs, Commendation Award for Photography
Asher Roemer, Award of Excellence for Visual Arts-moving on to the State Level
Lunchtime Food Deliveries
Parents are also encouraged to have their students use the free meal service from the cafeteria instead of dropping off food at the front office. For any items dropped off by parents, students will not be allowed to leave class to retrieve them. Students can pick up those items dropped off either at Nutrition or Lunch.
Join PTSA
Hope everyone's NEW YEAR is off to a great start Lancers! Did you know we accept memberships year round! We’ve reached 427 active members. We are getting closer toward our goal of 500! Only 73 more memberships to go! Please help us support our TOHS community by becoming a member. For only $10 per student or $12 per adult, you can become a member (parent, family member, teacher, staff, community member and support over 2,000 TOHS students, teachers and staff!
Simply fill out the attached form if paying with check/cash and have your Lancer drop it off in the front office. Or click this link: https://jointotem.com/ca/thousand-oaks/thousand-oaks-high-school-ptsa to pay online.
Cardiac Screening
TOHS Theater Film Festival
Need a WiFi Hot Spot?
For free hotspots, families need to fill out this application which will enable them to receive a free hotspot for 5 years. Click here for more info: https://www.t-mobile.com/brand/project-10-million
Families will need a letter verifying that they qualified for free or reduced lunch.
In addition, the TO library also has hotspots that families can check out.
The Lancer Way
Beginning last year, many in our community have been calling for a reaffirmation of our school's Core values and expectations. This year, the TOHS Site Council wrote an action into its School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) to fulfill this request. After multiple conversations with the staff, students and our Site Council, we have finalized the Lancer Way. We will soon begin a PR campaign so that everyone in the community is aware of it. This will also be used as the framework of how we reward students points in our new 5-Star Students program.
Lancer Cup Standings
COVID Test Kits Still Available
Students now must show their school ID to get breakfast, snack, lunch.
Academic Support
Math Support!
Social Studies Support
New Career Education Website
New Career Education website!!!
You can learn more about our NINE CTE Pathway Programs at www.conejocte.org/tohs. Check out the real-world connections, samples of student work, and links to college programs to continue your studying in each industry pathway. Please contact Ashley Cooper at acooper@conejousd.org with any questions about our Career Education Program.
The Lancer Printing Center
Need to print an essay or other similar piece of school work for a class and don’t have a printer? Fear not! TOHS offers all Lancers access to the Free Lancer Printing Center. This is how it works: share your document (using your CVUSD Learn account) with TOHLancerLibrary@learn.conejousd.net (notice there is no S). Come to the circulation desk in the Lancer Library and once our library staff verifies it is school work, they print it, for free! You can access the Lancer Printing Center when the library is open (Mon, Tues, Thurs 7:30-3:30, Wed 8:15-3:30, Fri 7:30-2:30). Don’t forget, you will need a pass from your teacher during class time!
Student Athletics and Activities
Athletics
Athletic Contests This Week
Athletic Tickets
Activities
Unified Sports
Counseling and College & Career Center
Earn College Credit in Career Education
TOHS Students Earn College Credits in Career Education
We are excited to announce that the following courses will be articulated with the Ventura County Community College District, so our TOHS students have the opportunity to earn FREE college credits for their work here on our high school campus. Please encourage your student to complete the paperwork to be eligible! If your student is in a year-long class (2 semesters), we will have reps from Ventura College visit campus to guide students through the process. If you have any questions, please reach out to your student's teacher or our Career Education Coordinator, Ashley Cooper - acooper@conejousd.org.
TOHS: College & Career Seminar Moorpark College: COUN M02 (3 units) - Mrs. Sobrino
TOHS: Medical Terminology Moorpark College: NS M19 (3 units) - Mr. Veres
TOHS: Photography 1 & 2 CP Moorpark College: PHOT M10 (3 units) - Ms. Ravitch
TOHS: Art of Commercial Photography Moorpark College: PHTC M33 (3 units) - Ms. Ravitch
TOHS: Woodworking Principles Ventura College: CT V30 (3 units) - Mr. Bell
TOHS: Construction Technology CP/H Ventura College: CT V64 (3 units) - Mr. Bell
TOHS: Metal Fabrication Ventura College: WEL V01 (2 units) - Mr. Magana
TOHS: Applied Manufacturing Ventura College: MT V02 (2 units) - Mr. Magana
TOHS: Machine Tool Technology Ventura College: MT V02 (2 units) - Mr. Magana
TOHS: Drafting/Computer Aided Design Ventura College: DRFT V03 (3 units) - Mr. Bell
Transcript Ordering
Seniors, now is the time to order your Transcript for college applications. Go to the TOHS main webpage and in the drop down menu under Counseling select Transcript Request Form. Complete the Transcript Request Form and bring with cash payment or bring Student Store receipt to Mrs. Amanda in the Counseling Office. Remember Cal State and UC schools do not require initial transcripts but Common App schools do. Check if schools you are applying to requires an initial transcript.
Have a College Bound Athlete?
Is your student a potential college-bound athlete? Do you know the requirements for the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)?
Check out our NCAA resource page on our TOHS counseling webpage: https://www.tohscounseling.org/ncaanaia.html
TOHS counseling has also created a video that explains the difference between NCAA Division I, II, and III. View it here: https://youtu.be/xB9lVPMIY2M
College and Career Center Newsletter
The TOHS Wellness Room
Information from PTSA and the -AC Pack
School Cents News from PTSA
Join PTSA!
Way to go Lancers! PTSA memberships have broken 400, we have 405 active members. We are at 81% toward our goal of 500! Only 95 more memberships to go! Please help us support our TOHS community by becoming a member. It’s only $10 per student or $12 per adult, anyone can become a member (parent, family member, teacher, staff, community member)! Your membership will benefit over 2,000 students, teachers and staff!
Simply fill out the attached form if paying with check/cash and have your Lancer drop it off in the front office. Or click this link: https://jointotem.com/ca/thousand-oaks/thousand-oaks-high-school-ptsa to pay online.
Thank you for your support!
PTSA Fundraisers
-AC Pack
Here is this year's -AC Pack:
DAC Rep: Jen Rice
DELAC Rep: Helena Krostag
SEDAC Rep: Andrea Goetz
LGBTQ+ Rep: Leila Mack
GATE DAC: Erika Dahle Petras
AADAC: Nicole Updegraff
#EveryLancerEveryDay
Ongoing Information
New Traffic Signs in Parking Lots
CRPD Opportunities
Need Help with Your Chromebook?
Tech Help – Room # K01 (left of the library)
Monday – Friday: Lunch
Tuesday & Thursday morning: 7:15am – 8:15am
Student Medications
Reminder if your student carries medication(prescription or non-prescription) on campus and you have not turned the attached document, please have it completed and signed by your physician and returned to the health office. Please refer to page 2 of the document for a list of acceptable medications a student can carry on them during the school day and for school activities. If your student is currently carrying medications not listed on the acceptable medication list, please have them bring it into the health office with the attached form completed. Thank you for your attention to this matter. If you have any questions on this matter, contact the Health Clerk ext. 1022
A link to the form and guidelines:
Bell Schedule
Reminder to Booster Parents who schedule Fundraisers
Also...if you want to post a flyer in the Green Sheet, be sure to send it to me in JPEG format. Thanks!
Banner Sales Fundraiser
Thanks to those individuals who have ordered a banner. Space is limited and going fast - so act now!
News from TO City Library
22-23 School Calendar
How to become an Canvas Observer
Required Attendance
Ways to Stay Connected
Thousand Oaks High School
#BleedGreen
#EveryLancerEveryDay
#CVUSDForward
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