Santiago Charter Newsletter
Friday, July 30, 2021
Greetings From Santiago!
This newsletter is intended for parents and students and will be a regular form of communication for all the important Santiago items that we need to communicate.
We hope you all are enjoying the last few weeks of summer, and we are looking forward to seeing you at Registration!
-Team Santiago
Ways To Help The School
We are always so grateful to our Santana community for your generous support of our school!
If you have any of the slightly used items listed above that you would be willing to donate, please contact Lauren Gonzales: lgonzales@orangeusd.org. Thank you!
SANTIAGO SCHOOL START-UP
Updates
BEFORE YOU COME FOR REGISTRATION, please be sure to complete the following form. The information helps us receive important funding throughout the year and the information submitted is submitted directly to the state and not shared!
PLEASE NOTE - STEP 3 is required and mandatory for ALL STUDENTS enrolled at Santiago and requires physical attendance on campus during the designated time. Please refer to the Santiago Start Up card pictured above. If you are unable to make the assigned time, please contact the office to work out an alternative. At registration, you can expect the following:
- To meet Santiago administration and some staff,
- To turn in remaining mandatory paperwork,
- To take yearbook photos and get school ID,
- To purchase uniforms,
- To purchase items for the school year, including locks for PE lockers $6, Chromebooks $330 (OPTIONAL PURCHASE, otherwise we will loan them out to students), Chromebook insurance $50 (OPTIONAL, but you are responsible for the maintenance of school devices), and a yearbook $35 (OPTIONAL, and can be purchased throughout the year).
- To receive student schedules.
School Start-Up FAQs
What is Discover Santiago? Discover Santiago is the first on campus day for our 7th grade in person students. ONLY 7th graders are on campus this day! At Discover Santiago, 7th graders will meet their teachers, get to know the campus, play a few games, and be provided lunch. 7th graders are expected to arrive in uniform on Tuesday, August 17 from 7:45 AM-12:45 PM.
When is the first day of school?
- 7th grade: Tuesday, August 17 (7:45 AM- 12:45 PM)
- 8th grade: Wednesday, August 18 (8:00 AM- 2:45 PM)
*Please note students attending Santiago through Independent Study (virtual) ALL (both 7th and 8th grade) start on Wednesday, August 18th virtually.
What school supplies should I get for my student? This is probably the most common question of incoming students. Unfortunately, the answer isn't as easy as a list prior to school starting. It is a good idea to buy some VERY basic school supplies, i.e. pens, pencils, paper, a few small notebooks, etc. Beyond that, certain classes will require certain specific items. You will receive a list of detailed items in the first few days of school and then have plenty of time to get any class-specific supplies you will need. We strongly suggest purchasing a nice refillable water bottle that you can bring with you to school each day.
Where do I get my student's uniforms? School uniforms can be purchased when you come to STEP 3 of the Student Start-Up in the cafeteria. If you would rather purchase uniforms ahead of time at the uniform store (where you can try them on) or order and have them delivered, you can do so at: American Casual - Santiago Charter Uniform Store. Please know that we are a strict uniform school and require that students are dressed in the full uniform everyday, including a Santiago sweatshirt or jacket.
How can I get help with completing Data Confirmation (STEP 2)? If you have not yet completed Data Confirmation and you need assistance, please contact the office. Help will also be available at registration.
What time does school begin and end?
- Monday-Thursday: 8:00a-2:46p
- Friday: 8:00a-1:44p
*The above times are for standard days. These times may be adjusted if a student has a 0
period, short day or any sort of modified schedule.
When will I get my classes? You will get a list of your classes at STEP 3 but will not get your actual schedule (with teachers and room numbers) until you arrive on the first day. Please know that we have tons of support available the first few weeks of school to support students who may need help finding their classrooms.
Travel Opportunities for both students and parents! When you come to campus to register at step 3 (above in green), you will have 4 different travel opportunities to consider attending over the next year.
A) Italy and Sicily this December 27th 2021- January 6th 2022
B) Austria, Germany, and Switzerland during Spring Break March, 24th, 2022 - April 6th, 2022
C) New York, Boston, Cooperstown, and Wash DC (w/baseball games)June 12th - 17th 2022
D) Ireland and Scotland (Castles/Harry Potter) June 22nd 2022 - July 3rd, 2022
All educational tours can be reserved for $95 down payment and interest free installments, so think about what tour you and your child want to attend!
I heard we are going to be on a BLOCK schedule this year, what does that mean? True, we are on a modified BLOCK for the 2021-2022 School Year. This means on Mondays and Wednesdays, all students attend their ODD Periods (1, 3, 5, 7) and on Tuesday and Thursday all students attend their EVEN Periods (2, 4, 6, 8). On Fridays, each student attends every class for a shortened period of time. These longer BLOCK periods will support both intervention and enrichment and allow ample time for students to gain mastery of the content and work on items that might be traditionally homework items.
Are we going to have to wear masks to school this year? Santiago follows the guidance and recommendation of the State and County Health Department, as well as the authorizing district, Orange Unified. At this point (and as of today 7/21) it looks like we will be starting the year in masks. If the guidance changes, we will communicate the applicable changes to all Santiago Families. AND if we have learned anything from the last 18-months, it is that guidance changes often and we are both flexible to the changes and resilient to decisions out of our jurisdiction. We appreciate your understanding in this matter and have the safety and health of our families as a top priority in this matter.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Upcoming Events:
Thursday, August 5: 8th Grade Start Up 8:00a-4:00p (see pic above for designated time)
Friday, August 6: 7th Grade Start Up 8:00a-12:00p (see pic above for designated time)
Monday, August 9th: 7th Grade Start Up 8:00a-12:00p (see pic above for designated time)
Tuesday, August 17: First Day for 7th graders ONLY (Discover Santiago) 7:45a-12:45p
Wednesday, August 18: First day for 8th graders (7th and 8th graders attend)
Tuesday, August 31: Back to School Night 6pm
Friday, September 3: Hello Dance and Minimum Day
A QUICK VIDEO REMINDER
You're here! You take up space! You matter! We hope you are as confident in this upcoming year as we are :)
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Santiago Charter Middle School
A public school, with a private school approach
Email: santiagoprincipal@orangeusd.org
Website: https://www.santiagocharterms.org/
Location: 515 North Rancho Santiago Boulevard, Orange, CA, USA
Phone: (714) 997-6366
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Santiagocharterschoolptsa/