Weekly Message

ODear OSS Families,
 
Hello! HAPPY SUMMER!  It is the last day of school.  I am in disbelief at how fast we have arrived at the end of the school year.  This week is full of celebrations and memorable moments as our kids transition to the next grade level, and our 8th graders move onto high school! The walk of pride through the hallways yesterday where I had the pleasure of joining the 8th graders as we walked down the hallways lined with the entire Ocean Shore family.  It was blissful joy and sweet appreciation for our 8th graders.  This a feeling I will never forget, and makes me incredibly grateful that every graduating 8th grader will get to feel such love from their school. 
 
Reflections from my office:  
As I sit here reflecting on my first year at Ocean Shore, I pause to realize how much I have enjoyed sharing reflections with you each week.  Writing this weekly blog has been an enjoyable part of my duties to share some extraordinary things happening around our campus everyday.  Far too often, we are bombarded with negative reports about the status of youth today, skewing our perception.  On the contrary, positive contributions from our kids and stakeholders outweigh the aforementioned. 
 
From my perspective, I have had the privilege of seeing many corners of the campus throughout the day.  Without question, good things are happening on a daily basis and I love telling you about what I see around school.  We have our share of struggles, as every school does.  However, the story of Ocean Shore deserves to be told and celebrated.  The random acts of kindness and benevolence shine brightly on our playground and in our classrooms.  We can always continue to develop this further, but there are many moments that were celebrated and cherished.  When you look at Ocean Shore on paper, we are a high-achieving school.  Our curriculum is rigorous, and our students are academic superstars.  Our teachers are highly qualified, experienced, and effective educators.  Our office and support staff is professional and invested in our school vision.  We are fortunate to have a team of parent volunteers serving our school everyday. While these things are essential to the successful outcome of everyday, dig deeper and you will find the heartbeat of Ocean Shore.  This is the story I love to tell in my weekly messages.  It is the tender moments when people take care of another.  It is the magical experiences in the classrooms where teachers ignite discovery.  It is out on a field trip when a student’s confidence grows as a learner. It is the endless hours of late nights and early mornings for our parent volunteers who dedicate themselves to making a difference in the experiences of our kids.  This is where our character determines our success.  
            
As we conclude our school year in my first year at Ocean Shore, I want to thank you for the warm welcome.  Parents, you have greeted me with open arms and supportive understanding.  I feel incredibly fortunate to be apart of this treasured place.  I look forward to next school year, and hearing about your summer adventures!  Remember to enjoy summer moments together, read together, and give your kids opportunities to relish in their free time.  Let them play.  
 
Former Ocean Shore Students Makin’ Waves!
Many parents feel ask how well the Ocean Shore experience impacts their child’s future, especially as they transition to high school.  We hear from our graduates how well they feel prepared to enter high school.  I think a great reflection of how they were prepared comes from how they leave high school.  This year, the 2015 OSS graduating class graduated from high school.  There was only one 8th grade graduating class, and the percentage of students from high school with honors/high honors is impressive!  Here is a report from Oceana and Terra Nova High School!
 
Terra Nova High School Class of 2019 graduating with High Honors:
Padma Armstrong 
Ben Bruxvoort
Joel Glasman
Henry Lie
Patrick Nolan (Valedictorian)
 
Oceana High School Class of 2019 graduating with High Honors:
Andrea Camacho
Florence Chang (Valedictorian)
John King
Wesley McIntosh
Robin Pilapil
Rita Velazco
 
With Honors:
Phillip Mochel
Akira Sugahara
 
Ocean Shore was in the news!  
Check out the article published in the Tribune detailing Oceans 411.  Take a look at all of the great work going on at our school! 
CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE 
 
HAVE YOU HEARD THIS PODCAST YET!?  Check out our Student Podcast! Episode #4 is Dedicated to our beloved custodian, Ron!
 
Here the voices of our own students!  New hosts this week, Annie and Liam, share their insights with you. 
 
https://anchor.fm/os-dolphinetly-talks
 
 
Updates for Next Year!
Expect to hear from me at the end of June, along with receiving your summer letter!  In this update, I will post my summer letter here for your reference!  I will provide updates on expected staffing changes and important dates and information for the start of school in August! 
 
Have a wonderful summer!
 Fondly, 
​Julie Tarango 

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