Message from Orange Unified

Upcoming Events

• December 22 - January 9: Winter Break
• January 12: Return to School from Winter Break
• January 12: Open Enrollment Begins for 2026-2027 (Current Students Only)
• January 14: New Student Enrollment for 2026-2027 Begins
• January 19: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School
• January 22: Board of Education Meeting

This December, we’re celebrating a milestone — the 10th anniversary of OUSD’s annual Warm Hands, Warm Hearts program. Each year, our district community comes together to ensure foster and homeless students have the essentials they need to stay warm, including a winter jacket, shoes, and other necessities.

The program began with one student whose shoes were held together with tape. That moment sparked a districtwide effort to help students in need. Over the past decade, thanks to the generosity of community partners and dedicated staff, Warm Hands, Warm Hearts has grown to provide more than 800 gifts to our most vulnerable students.

Together, we’re warming hands, warming hearts, and strengthening the OUSD community. Thank you to everyone who helps make this possible.

Your Voice Matters!

At Orange Unified School District, we are dedicated to partnering with parents and families to ensure every student's success. We value your input and invite you to take just a few moments to complete our LCAP survey. Your feedback will help shape the future by letting us know what’s most important to your family. Together, we can make a difference!

Click here for OUSD LCAP Survey

El Modena High School’s Marching Band and Color Guard brought their Vanguard holiday spirit to the 2025 Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade on December 6. Our talented students delivered an outstanding performance and were even featured on NBC’s livestream of the event.

We’re excited to share a selection of photos from the parade, including group shots capturing many of our performers and a joyful moment of Assistant Drum Major Ivan Silva Luz waving to the crowd.

Special thanks to Angel Silva and Kim VanDerHoek for providing these wonderful images and helping us celebrate our students.

Santiago Charter School hosted a special celebration as site administrators presented refurbished bicycles to students who have been working hard toward their personal goals in academics, attendance, and attitude. Modeled after OC GRIP’s Thanksgiving Incentive, the Bike Incentive invited students to reflect on their growth by submitting essays, and 12 outstanding students were selected to receive a refurbished bike, along with a new helmet and lock.

The bicycles were restored by volunteers from Saddleback Church, who also provided refreshments and snacks for students and families. The event was well-attended by community partners and local dignitaries, including members of the Orange Police Department, the Sheriff’s Department, the District Attorney’s Office, and Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean.

The celebration highlighted the power of positive incentives and community support in helping students reach their goals.

OUSD Universal Pre-K provides a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment where all young learners grow through play-based, hands-on experiences. In strong partnership with families and our community, we foster curiosity, confidence, and the social, emotional, and academic skills needed for a successful transition to kindergarten and a lifetime of learning.

We offer three different Pre-K programs (Learning Link, Preschool, and Transitional Kindergarten/TK) that offer a variety of educational experiences for children ages 0-4 years old. More information: https://www.orangeusd.org/early-childhood

As the Superintendent’s Listening and Learning Forums come to a close, this is a friendly reminder that our current ThoughtExchange is still open, but the window to participate is closing on December 19.

It’s Collaborative: You can see what others are thinking and "star" the ideas that resonate with you.

It’s Fast: It takes less than 5 minutes to make a lasting impact.

Please CLICK HERE for a flyer with QR code links to our Thought Exchange questions, or use the links below to provide your feedback:

• The strengths of OUSD: https://tejoin.com/scroll/428352503

• The opportunities for improvement in OUSD: https://tejoin.com/scroll/362496151

• The priorities for Dr. Monárrez: https://tejoin.com/scroll/151079974

Thank you to everyone who has already participated. If you haven't yet, please take a moment today to help us build a better district together.

Are you interested in a profession that makes a positive impact on the community? If so, please visit our website at www.orangeusd.org/jobs to view a vast array of employment opportunities that span from entry-level to upper management, classified and certificated. Join the Orange Unified family and Inspire our learners of today to be purposeful leaders of tomorrow.

Email: communications@orangeusd.org
Website: www.orangeusd.org
Location: 1401 North Handy Street, Orange, CA, USA
Phone: 714-628-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OrangeUnifiedSchoolDistrictCA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orangeusd
Twitter: @orangeunifiedCA

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OUSD

We invite you to take a moment to follow Orange Unified on social media to receive the District’s latest news and announcements. Social media may also be a critical line of communication during emergencies and will be an excellent place for you to get up to date information.