El Rancho Charter School

El Rancho will be closed from November 21st-25th, 2022 for Thanksgiving Break. We hope you have a great week off!

Office hours will be as follows for the school year:

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday: 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Thursday: 7:00 AM to 2:30 PM

Friday: 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Adopt a Family is here! El Rancho Charter School partners with the Southwest Community Center in Santa Ana and “adopts” families for the holidays. Some teachers select one family and complete the project with their own classes, but many team up with another teacher or two. Teachers may ask for students to support this project through donations and fundraisers. This is completely optional, but all money raised will support this great cause.

The partnership between our school and the Southwest Community Center is a tradition we hope to continue for years to come! Thank you for your support and generosity.

Congratulations to our Musical Theater students who put on a great performance of Bye Bye Birdie. Musical Theater is directed by Ms. Jennifer Harper. Way to go Coyotes!

Tickets are still available for tonight's show starting at 6:30 pm. Tickets will be available at the door.

As a reminder, only water is allowed in our classrooms. Students may not bring Starbucks or any other beverages or food into the classroom. Students will be asked to leave their drinks outside or in a location where they will not be spilled in the classroom.

For student and staff safety, lunches brought to school for students during the school day should be dropped off in the cubbies at the front office. Students are not allowed to leave the lunch area to pick up lunches in the parking lot. Food delivery services are not allowed.

We would love to recognize our staff who go above and beyond. So, just like Student of the Month, we have Staff of the Month! If you would like to recognize one of our staff members who exemplify our Coyote qualities, please use the form below to recognize them.

Staff Coyote of the Month

To be eligible for a Staff of the Month Award, an employee must demonstrate one or more of the following traits:

C: Compassion, Character, and Community

O: Outlook (Positive)

Y: Yearning for Excellence

O: Outstanding insight into students

T: Team Player

E: Excites students to learn

Our El Rancho PTSA is pleased to announce the fundraisers in place for this school year and they need your help to make them successful! The fundraising dollars generated will be used towards the El Rancho PTSA programs that benefit El Rancho Charter School and its staff and students, such as Career Day, Health Fair, International Day, Library Events, Teacher Appreciation/supplies, and more! Please check out the many ways you can easily help out below.

See’s Candies Winter Fundraiser
The outcome and feedback of last year’s See’s Candies Winter fundraiser were very positive and we are excited to offer this program to our ERCS families again. Many families purchased candy to use as business and personal gifts because of the convenience, lower price, and seasonal package. Plus, the product is delicious!

We are offering 2 fundraising options. Students can participate in one or both options!

Option 1 - Traditional Fundraiser - November 1 to November 30:

Students will take orders and payments directly from friends and family and submit the order sheet and payments (cash or check) to their 2nd-period teacher or to the office by November 30. All hard-copy order forms and product sheets will be sent home at the end of October. Students will receive the documents in their 2nd-period class. Once the school’s order has been placed, we will schedule a day and time for parents to come to the school and pick up their individual orders the week of December 5th. There are no shipping fees for this fundraising option and families are responsible for distributing the candy to the friends and families that ordered from them.

Option 2 - Online Fundraiser “Yum-Raising” - November 1 to December 2
Orders will be placed ONLINE only and ship directly to the person placing the order. All orders must be placed by December 2nd and will start shipping on November 10th. Shipping fees will apply and are paid for by the person placing the order. El Rancho families are encouraged to share the special El Rancho/See’s Candies storefront link with their friends and families so everyone can place their own order directly and have the product shipped directly to them or to an address they provide (for gifts, etc.).

El Rancho’s See’s Candies Storefront: https://www.yumraising.com/secure/elrcs_el_rancho_charter_school_ptsa__winter_f88/Tam_Dun2083/candy

Please see the attached documents for the information sheet and product sheet for the upcoming See’s Candies Fundraiser.

Amazon Smile
Did you know that you can earn money for our school just by shopping at amazon.com? Please see the attached flyer for details on how to easily link your account.

Ralphs
If you shop at Ralphs you can also easily generate funds for our school by linking your Ralph’s rewards account to El Rancho PTSA. Please see the attached flyer for information on how to do this.

RaiseRight - Formerly ShopWithScrip
Buy gift cards to your favorite stores and brands through this program you will directly benefit El Rancho PTSA. Please see the attached flyer for how to purchase.

If you have any questions about any of these activities please contact Tammy Dunst (tammy.dunst@gmail.com) - PTSA VP of Ways and Means.

Thank you for your support!

Tutorial begins next week! On each Wednesday and Thursday, we have Tutorial for 30 minutes before lunch. Students should use this time to make up tests, complete missing assignments, and get help from teachers when needed.

Students who are stamped by their teacher must attend that tutorial session. If stamped by multiple teachers, the subject that has priority that day takes precedence.

Students who have C grades or better, are not stamped by a teacher, and do not have any detention stamps, can go to PE or the lunch benches to complete homework. It is the students' responsibility to check their grades prior to Tutorial.

Students have the 5-minute passing period to get to their tutorial room. Once students arrive at their Tutorial destination, they stay there for the entire 30 minutes. Please use the menu below to make a plan for this week!

All games begin at 3:00 PM

Girls' Volleyball Schedule

11/7: El Rancho at Portola MS-postponed

11/14: Yorba MS at El Rancho (W)

11/28: Santiago Charter at El Rancho

12/5: El Rancho at McPherson

12/12: Cerro Villa at El Rancho

Boys' Flag Football Schedule

11/7: Portola MS at El Rancho-postponed

11/14: El Rancho at Yorba MS (W)

11/28: Santiago Charter at El Rancho

12/5: McPherson at El Rancho

12/12: El Rancho at Cerro Villa

Coyote Running Club/Cross Country begins Sept. 6th.

Practices will be Monday & Tuesday after school from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Google Classroom - c5xafpx - for a permission slip and more details.

Optional meeting at the beginning of lunch Tuesday, August 30 to answer questions & begin collecting permission slips.

El Rancho Charter School is dedicated to supporting its students and staff during these unprecedented times. The site below serves as a means to share school-wide strategies we have in place to support mental health as well as provide resources, suggestions, and tips to help during this difficult time. Although we are apart, we are all in this together.

https://sites.google.com/view/ercsmentalheaalth/home

Mrs. Cannon, our Attendance Clerk, appreciates your phone call if your child has to miss school. Please call the Attendance Hotline 714-628-5427 on the day of your student's absence.

Please check Google Classroom for work missed up to 3 days.

Students who have a planned absence that is more than 3 days should pick-up an absence form at the attendance office.

During Tutorial, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, please avoid picking students up early, between 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM.

The Attendance Office is for signing-in students who are late to school and signing-out students who are picked-up early from school.

For student safety, students who have a late start or early release will need to be dropped off or picked up at the main campus. The gate at Santa Ana Canyon will close at the start of the 1st period and will not open until the end of 7th period.

Parking Lot Etiquette:

1. There are two lanes in the parking lot. The right lane is for drop-off and the left lane is for those who need to park in the lot.

2. When dropping off please pull all the way forward.

3. At drop off, please do not drop students off in the middle of the parking lot. Either pull up to the curb or pull into a parking stall to drop your student off. The safest option is to drop students at the curb.

4. At pick-up, please do not park in the red zone. This makes it difficult for buses to park and pick-up students.

5. If you would like to avoid the traffic, plan to pick your student up a little later, about 3:05 PM - 3:10 PM, it is so much easier.

6. Please drive SLOWLY!!!!

7. Please follow all traffic laws.

Santa Ana Canyon Drop-Off Area

1. Please pull all the way forward.

2. Do not double park.

3. Avoid blocking the intersection at Fairmont and Santa Ana Canyon.

4. If you would like to avoid the traffic, plan to pick your student up a little later, about 3:05 PM - 3:10 PM, it is so much easier.

We DO NOT recommend picking up students in the Hibachi or Big Lots parking lots. Students should not be in either area after school unsupervised, even on early release Thursdays.

Using the Binder Reminder is a great way to stay organized and keep track of homework. Every student is expected to:

1. Have their Binder Reminder at school every day.

2. Have their name on the front page of their Binder Reminder.

3. Have their Binder Reminder out and ready on Tutorial days (Wed./Thurs.)

4. Keep all pages intact for the entire year.

5. Write their homework and upcoming tests and quizzes down for each class, daily.

Students without their Binder Reminder on Tutorial days will earn after-school detention.

El Rancho is responsible for student safety to and from school. Once students arrive on campus, they are to remain on campus. In order to provide comprehensive supervision that ensures the safety of students in areas and activities that take place on the way to and from school, students may not leave campus once they arrive. They may not leave campus for any reason including going to the donut shop or picking up forgotten items from family members in the Big Lots shopping center. Students who would like to visit the donut shop in the morning must do so before coming to campus.

Likewise, El Rancho is responsible for students as they leave campus as well. Students are expected to cross Santa Ana Canyon and Fairmont Street safely, with the crosswalk. Horseplay in the crosswalk is discouraged. Students should be picked up promptly and while they wait should be respectful to local businesses and other Anaheim Hills residents. Inappropriate behavior before or after school in the Big Lots Parking Lot and surrounding stores will be addressed and consequences may be issued.

During the 2022-2023 school year, all visitors must come to the office through the main doors to sign in. Parents dropping off "forgotten items" or lunches will also drop off items at the main office cubbies, not the Attendance office.

The Attendance office should only be used for signing in late students and picking up students early from school.

Cell Phones are expected to be on silent mode or completely turned off and in students' backpacks from 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., with the exception that is used as an in-class learning tool under the supervision of the teacher. Cell phones may not be carried in pockets.

Students who need to call their parents should come to the attendance office to use the available phone. Students who are not feeling well should come to the health office to call home and rest until a parent arrives to take their student home.

Parents, when an emergency arises and you need to reach your student, please call the office and we will get a message to your student or have them come to the office and call you.

Phones that are used during the school day will be held in the office for parent pick-up and the student will attend a 1-hour after-school detention.

The Cell Phone Policy also applies to headphones, earbuds, Airpods, and iWatches.

El Rancho offers a hot lunch daily, except for minimum days. Breakfast and lunch will be free of cost for all students this school year. Students will need to have their school ID with them daily so it can be scanned to receive their lunch.

Families who would like to participate in the free lunch program need to fill out the free lunch for through OUSD using the link below.

https://family.titank12.com/application/new?identifier=M2348N

The bell schedule for this year will remain the same as last year's schedule. On Wednesday and Thursday, Tutorial is built in to provide student support during the school day. Thursday will be our early release day to provide time for our staff development and collaboration.

As we continue to live with COVID-19, it is vital that parents and guardians keep their students home if they are not feeling well. Please report all absences, positive cases, exposures, and illnesses to our attendance office/health office. Please make sure your student does not attend school and is tested if they are experiencing any symptoms associated with COVID-19.

Students and staff who are experiencing the following should not attend school:

• Has tested positive for COVID-19
• Is waiting for COVID-19 test results because you've had close contact or have COVID-19 symptoms.
• Has been identified as a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or has had possible exposure to someone with COVID-19

Is experiencing any symptom(s) of COVID-19 including:

• Fever of 100 degrees or higher

• Headache
• Sore throat
• Muscle or body aches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain
• Runny nose, congestion, itchy or red eyes, or chills
• Persistent cough (usually a dry cough)
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Loss of taste or smell

Student Decision Tree

El Rancho has received another shipment of COVID-19 Antigen Testing Kits from the Orange County Department of Education. We have enough for one testing kit per student. If your family would like a testing kit, please contact our Health Clerk, Mrs. D'Agostino vdagostino@orangeusd.org .

OUSD is pleased to continue offering all students COVID-19 testing 4 times a week to all interested at the high school you sign up for. All students are strongly urged to participate in the District COVID-19 testing program. This type of surveillance testing program is recommended by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to mitigate spread of COVID-19 in the school community. The OUSD COVID-19 Testing Program is intended to continue maximizing the good health and safety of our school community.

General information for the student testing events will be shared with you weekly as we receive information from OUSD. Students are encouraged to make an appointment between 2:30pm-5:30pm as to not interfere with instruction. Please keep in mind that when completing the online form to make an appointment, all required fields must be completed to take advantage of this testing opportunity. It is also important that accurate insurance information is provided if applicable.

Participation in testing events is for District students only and is voluntary. As a District approved provider, Living Fit Nation will work with the District to verify the eligibility of

participants prior to the event. This partnership, as part of the OUSD students' COVID-19 Testing Program, will further strengthen the health and safety measures established in the Safety and Health-Driven School Reopening Plan. We look forward to your participation!

EVENT TIME: Monday to Thursday

2:00pm – 5:00pm

Location: Orange Unified School District Office

Click Here

Follow El Rancho on social media to find up to date information, activities, and the talents of our fantastic students and staff. Click on each icon to get to El Rancho's accounts.

Nov. 21-25: Thanksgiving Break-No School

Dec. 6: Dance Performance in Cafeteria at 5 pm and 6 pm

Dec. 7: Guitar Concert at 6:30 pm

Dec. 13: Strings Concert at 6:30 pm

Dec. 14: Band Concert at 6:30 pm

Dec. 19-Jan.6, 2023: Winter Break

Jan. 9: School Resumes

Jan. 10: 8th Grade Vision & Hearing Screening

Jan. 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day-No School

Jan. 17-19: 2023-2024 7th Grade Information Nights

Feb. 2: Band and Choral Music at Knott's Berry Farm

Feb. 7: Canyon High CTE Fair for 8th graders

Feb 17-Feb. 20: President's Weekend-No School Friday and Monday

Printable Student Calendar

Printable Trimester Calendar-Quick Glance

All questions or concerns should be addressed to your student's advisor:

• A-F..........Mrs. Ozuna.......... kozuna@orangeusd.org
• G-O..........Mr. Kilgore........... gkilgore@orangeusd.org
• P-Z..........Mrs. Beard........... kbeard@orangeusd.org