Ishi Hills Middle School

Construction has begun on the footings for the covered outdoor sports pavilions at Ishi Hills Middle School and The Studios @ Central. The steel structures were fabricated in Michigan and delivered via 14 semi-trucks so once the footings are ready, we can proceed with construction immediately. The structures, in addition to new playground equipment and shade structures at our elementary schools, are being funded with Expanded Learning Opportunities Program funding.

REMINDER! This is a FREE event for ALL Ishi families tonight! The kids who earned the field trip reward today had a BLAST!! I cannot believe how many students ran up the 14 foot wall!! So cool! There are TWO American Ninja Warriors at these events + their awesome staff! It's such a fun event - PLEASE come by and check it out! Our amazing school district and school board made this event possible for all of our students & families this evening! See you there!! 5-7 at the Convention Center!

Oroville City Elementary School District put a bond measure on this year's ballot to raise funds for much-needed facility improvements to our aging buildings and also to expand Ishi Hills Middle School to accommodate growth and inclusion of career technical education programs. This bond would have replaced our expiring bond from 20 years ago, so homeowner taxpayers would not see a tax increase, but an extension of the current taxes paid. OCESD would also use these funds to be able to access the State bond funding that did pass in this election, Proposition 2. This school bond would require 55% of voter approval to pass. Our bond measure, Measure E, received 53.75% in support, just 135 votes shy of the 55.0% threshold to pass. We are disappointed with the result but would like to thank all of the people and groups that helped support our bond measure. Though this is a setback for the district, this will not change our focus on providing the best possible education for thousands of students who live in the Oroville community every day.

Yes! This evening event on 12/10 is for ALL Ishi families!! As you know, we've challenged our students to meet the 95% attendance target for semester 1 to receive an invite to a special Ninja Warrior obstacle course event during the school day ~ with Ninja Champion JOE MORAVSKY!! That day is coming soon! THIS EVENING EVENT, 12/10, IS FOR ALL ISHI FAMILIES TO STOP BY AND CHECK OUT WHAT THE STUDENTS WHO EARNED THE REWARD WILL GET TO EXPERIENCE & MEET NINJA JOE MORAVSKY!!! THE FLYER FOR THE ATTENDANCE REWARD DAY WILL BE POSTED THIS WEEK. THAT EVENT IS ONLY FOR STUDENTS WITH 95%+ ATTENDANCE FOR THE FIRST SEMESTER. IT WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY WITH MANY STAFF IN ATTENDANCE AS IT WILL BE CONSIDERED A FIELD TRIP. MORE INFO ON THIS REWARD EVENT COMING THIS WEEK! For the evening Ishi community event on 12/10, please note: Children under 5 are not permitted on the obstacles. PARENTS MUST REMAIN WITH THEIR STUDENTS, PLEASE DO NOT DROP YOUR STUDENT(s) OFF. Many thanks to our amazing school district & our school board for sponsoring this amazing event! We are very grateful!!

The OCESD staff want to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving. We are grateful for all of our students, families and community partners. Schools will be closed Nov 25-29. We look forward to seeing our students back in school on Monday, Dec 2. Spencer Holtom Ed.D Superintendent

6th grade students & their siblings are being released early today due to flooding at the bottom of the trail. Parents cannot pick up on Foothill Blvd and MUST drive up to the parent pick-up roundabout. Students will be ready at 2:10 for pick-up. If you cannot be here early, no worries. Siblings of 6th graders will be release early, as well. We are trying to cut down on the number of cars arriving and departing at the same time. We will have staff at the pick-up area at 2:10 to help manage a smooth pick-up. PLEASE PULL ALL the way up before stopping to let your kiddo in your car - this keeps the line moving!

The trail down to Foothill is FLOODED! Students will not be able to be picked up at the bottom of the trail. You must get in the pick-up line or come early and park up top in the parent parking lot. PLEASE be extremely cautious as you drive up and them back down as our students who walk will need to walk on the driveway. Proceed with caution! Thank you very much!

This event is meant for our middle school students to enjoy with their parent(s)/guardian(s). We will be led by an artist and will need all participants to arrive on time to avoid missing a step in the directions. Childcare will be offered for younger siblings. If you have a child in diapers, we will need to have you step out to change the diaper, however. Our staff will not. We are setting this up like an elegant event. Please partner with us in reminding your student(s) why they are there & encourage them to be on their best behavior. Thank you! We want this to be enjoyable for all who attend as well as for the artist. We look forward to a lovely afternoon/evening with you & can't wait to see what we create! Please RSVP on Parent Square. If you have more than 1 Ishi middle school student, no problem! Just let us know via the RSVP option. Thank you!!

These amazing 8th graders were selected to lead the Pledge of Allegiance at last night's School Board Meeting!! Each student gave a brief speech about the Pledge of Allegiance and honoring our flag before leading the board members and audience in the Pledge. We are super proud of these students! We appreciate their enthusiasm and commitment to taking on this opportunity. Many thanks to these amazing student leaders: Jacoury Harvey, Trinton Miller, Kelsey Cherry. Our awesome Superintendent, Dr. Holtom, was very proud to take this picture with these students!

Community Partner Announcement: Discover Girl Scouts & Make New Friends! join us for a Girl Scout Meet & Greet Calvary Lutheran Church, 10 Concordia Ln, Oroville, 95966 November 23rd, 1pm-2pm. Girl Scouts are always up for new experiences—spotting owls on a night time hike, learning to cook with solar power, writing poetry, or even starting a business. Sound like you? We want you in our crew. At Girl Scouts, you'll find a place to try new things, discover new talents, and most importantly, be fully, totally yourself. Join the Girl Scout community and get ready to make awesome memories with forever friends. Our troops are led by adult volunteers, scan the QR code below to RSVP for a parent information session for the interested families in your community so we can get a new troop formed for the youth in your community right away! Have questions or can’t wait to get started? Contact Jessika at jpunzor@gsnorcal.org or 530-528-8655 Scan the code to RSVP or visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oroville-ca-girl-scout-meet-up-tickets-1066162413479?aff=oddtdtcreator

An Urgent Message for OCESD Parents: If your student rides bus route 12 or takes a bus past Kelly Ridge Road, please pick them up today at their school site at dismissal time. Our transportation team cannot take students on bus route 12 due to the Quincy Fire.

PUBLIC AUCTION: 1999 Chevrolet Express 3500 Cargo Van with 102,893 miles. This unit will be available for inspection on September 19, 2024 at 2858 Wyandotte Ave. from 10:00 to 10:30 AM. Sealed bids shall be received at the O.C.E.S.D. District Office located at 2795 Yard St. no later than 2:00 PM, September 20, 2024. The winning bid will be notified by phone Monday September 23, 2024. Cashiers check will be the only form of payment accepted.

Community Partner Message: The Oroville Southside Community Improvement Center would like to invite you to Chico State Community Day. The event is for the community to come out and see what Chico State University has to offer the community. The target audience is our elementary through high school students. The event will enhance the possibilities for our youth and their future. Come out and join us Saturday, September 21, 2024, from 11 am - 3 pm. You will not want to pass up this opportunity. Hope to see everyone there. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Lisa Torres, Facility Administrator at (530) 693-4305.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE OROVILLE CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT, of the County of Butte, State of California, will receive up to and no later than 1:00 P.M., October 4, 2024, sealed bids for the award and contract for the furnishing of all labor, materials, transportation and services required for the Sport Court Addition at Central Middle School and Ishi Hills Middle School, and such bids shall be received at the office of the Oroville City Elementary School District at 2795 Yard Street, Oroville, California 95966. Read the full bid document here: https://5il.co/2ulju

Last night, the OCESD Board of Trustees voted to further restrict cell phone and other device usage for students at school. Students are expected to have cell phones and other devices off and put away at all times while at school except when deemed medically necessary, required by a student’s individualized education program, or when, otherwise, permitted by the teacher or administration. No student shall be prevented from using his/her cell phone/signaling device in case of an emergency, except where that use inhibits the ability of school district employee(s) to effectively communicate instructions for the safety of students. Superintendent Holtom and his administrative team recommended this change to improve the learning environment for students, increase positive interactions between students, protect student privacy, and improve student behaviors. We are excited for this change to and believe it is already having a positive impact on students. The updated student policy can be found here: https://5il.co/2tcg1

Are you a community partner wanting to get your message or announcement out to the OCESD community or looking for a way to volunteer? Maybe looking for a service project? Go to our new Community Partner webpage to learn how! https://www.ocesd.net/page/communitypartners

Community Partner Message: Goat Grazing/Ownership Workshop: Sept 21, 10 AM to 3 PM at Ishi Hills Middle School. Ready to get your grazers? As you may have herd, we love goats at the Butte County Fire Safe Council! Goats and sheep are a valuable tool to help us improve wildfire safety and reduce fuels around our communities. Join us to learn from multiple experts in the grazing field about what you need to know if you are thinking about owning goats or hiring a grazing contractor. Of course, friendly goats will be at the workshop! More details here: https://buttefiresafe.net/event/goat-ownership-workshop-oroville/

The running track between Wyandotte Academy and The Studios @ Central has been completely rebuilt and is ready for runners! If you look carefully at the new asphalt surface, the darker grey surface and white stripes are made of solar-reflective paint to make the temperature on the track significantly cooler.

Starting with the 2024-25 school year, OCESD students will be expected to have their cell phones and other electronic devices turned off and put away during class time. This is being done to give students a better classroom learning experience. OCESD administration has adopted a policy outlining these expectations and when students can and cannot use their devices here: https://5il.co/2tcg1 We are looking forward to a year of learning, fun, and growth for all OCESD students and their families. Remember, Wednesday, August 14, 2024 is the first day of school!

A busy summer: OCESD administrators are being trained on "Professional Learning Communities" for the upcoming school year (see the photo) and custodial and maintenance staff participated in a morning of critical safety training. These trainings are in addition to the numerous facilities projects and preparation for the upcoming school year going on around the district.