Category Archives: Our Educational Program

Reminder: Movie Night Rescheduled for this Friday, March 6 • OTA Decals! with Wall of Wine Donation

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Join us for Family Movie Night on the Green…supporting OTA Robotics! (Slideshow)

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While you are there, help us get ready for the OTA Wine and Dine, our school’s largest fundraiser, Saturday, April 25, 2015.

This year our fundraising efforts will be focused on raising funds towards our STEM Curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math): labs and maker spaces for the classrooms.

  • Tickets – Tickets for the OTA Wine and Dine will be on sale at Movie Night!  Stop by and purchase your tickets (early bird pricing ends March 15!) so you can take advantage of early bird pricing.  Checks and credit cards will be accepted.
  • Wall of Wine/Gift Card Tree – Bring a bottle of wine or gift card priced $20 or more and receive your complimentary limited edition OTA decal.
    OTA Decal

Thank You to the Schmutz Family, Devlin & Julie, for creating and donating the stylish decals!

Meredith

We expect to begin serving food by 5:15 PM with the movie to commence at approximately 6:00 PM. The movie will end at approximately 8:00 PM.
Please note:
  • You may send your children with other OTA families but not unaccompanied.
  • Students will not be allowed to leave campus, without their parents or supervising Adult, until the movie ends.
On behalf of the OTA Foundation Board, we hope to see everyone there!

Reminder: Join us for Family Movie Night • Friday, March 6!

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Join us for our second OTA Movie Night on the Green to celebrate the new year and raise money for your OTA Robotics Team!

OTA Robotics and Robotics Teams 2011-2015 Slideshow:

* Continue reading →

Movie Night Rescheduled for Friday, March 6 • OTA Decals! with Wall of Wine Donation

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Looking forward to seeing everyone at Family Movie Night, supporting OTA Robotics Teams!

outdoor movie

While you are there, help us get ready for the OTA Wine and Dine, our school’s largest fundraiser, held on Saturday, April 25, 2015.  This year, our fundraising efforts will be focused on raising funds towards our STEM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).

  • Tickets – Tickets for the OTA Wine and Dine will be on sale at Movie Night!  Stop by and purchase your tickets so you can take advantage of early bird pricing.  Checks and credit cards will be accepted.
  • Wall of Wine/Gift Card Tree – Bring a bottle of wine or gift card priced $20 or more and receive your complimentary limited edition OTA decal.OTA Decal

Thank You to the Schmutz Family, Devlin & Julie, for creating and donating the stylish decals!

Meredith

OTA Family Movie Night • Friday, February 27!

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Join us for our second OTA Movie Night on the Green to celebrate the new year and raise money for your OTA Robotics Team!

OTA Robotics and Robotics Teams 2011-2015 Slideshow:

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Come out and enjoy a good movie, good food, and good company and help us raise money for our OTA Robotics Team. Our young team placed 5th last year against many high schools and more experienced coders. This year we hope to place! We have an opportunity to enter a new tourney but need to raise $2000 in order to participate.

  • Movie Night is FREE and seating on the turf is first come, first served.
  • Bring your lawn chairs and your blankets (dress warm).
  • Dinner will be provided and cooked by the OTA Foundation for a nominal fee benefiting the OTA Robotics Team or you may bring your own picnic dinner.
  • Bring cash to buy dinner, popcorn, glow bracelets, and baked goods although we will have a “square” to accept credit cards.
  • OTA students are making Looms, Baked Goods, and more, which will be available for sale.
  • Anyone that brings an auction item, bottle of wine $20 or more for the Gala Wall of Wine or a Gift Card that you no longer need to be used for the Gala Auction will get a free, reusable, earth friendly Glow Bracelet!

We expect to begin serving food by 5:15 PM with the movie to commence at approximately 6:00 PM. The movie will end at approximately 8:00 PM.

Please note:
  • You may send your children with other OTA families but not unaccompanied.
  • Students will not be allowed to leave campus, without their parents or supervising Adult, until the movie ends.
On behalf of the OTA Foundation Board, we hope to see everyone there!

6th Grade Starts Piano Maestro – Sight Reading Music – Playing with the Band!

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Why Piano Maestro? OTA Students started their piano journey with Soft Mozart, a perfect introduction to musical notation and the keyboard. But now they are ready to move up to the next level. The program is free on iPads for students at OTA (Download App, sign in, register w/ Anthony Kaneaster as teacher): all you need is an iPad and a keyboard (no cables!).

Piano Maestro-Joy Tunes Why Study Music

Piano Maestro-Learning Lab App of the Week

Welcome to OTA! (Video)

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OTA students and teachers … describe their school for new & prospective parents.

OTA was awarded a grant in 2014 to film our Learning Acceleration Labs & our “Project Tree” approach to teaching Music, Math, Science, Robotics, Seminar, Humanities, & Outdoor Ed; but since it was the last week of the school year when the videographer arrived and there were not as many activities to film, we asked him to interview students who had arrived recently enough to remember life “before OTA.”

Old Town Academy K-8 School is a free California public charter school located near historic Old Town, San Diego. The school is operated by a non-profit public benefit corporation dedicated to promoting excellence in public education for California students.

Six Elements of our Academic Program:

1. “Project Tree” Project-Based-Learning System: Visual Goal Setting & Progress Tracking, Quality First Assessment (Pass/Try Again grading on all projects: Letter grades come at the end of learning, rather than putting an end to learning). System maximizes Independent Learning, Student Hands-on learning time, and Teacher Coaching Time.

2. Music-Math-Science Focus: Early Learning Programs such as: Music-to-Mathematics (every child learns to play piano and read music, starting in Kindergarten); Math & Science Olympics (every child learns programming, problem solving, and applied mathematics, using programmable robots and apps, starting in Kindergarten)

3. The Core Knowledge® Humanities Curriculum: Equity and Excellence for All Students, “velcro for the mind” (the more facts you know, the easier new knowledge sticks). Seminar Program for all students.

4. Learning Acceleration Labs: Computers dedicated to supporting classroom teachers and accelerate acquisition of core skills & concepts: Mathematics, Vocabulary-Reading, Geography, Science Simulations, Foreign Language, Musical Performance.

5. Outdoor Ed as Character Ed. We take Outdoor Recess and Physical Education seriously. No mis-education on the playground, no Lord of the Flies on the Field. Our teachers guide every minute of the day, from drop-off to pick-up. Team Sports as Character Ed, No Bad Habits, Every Child Learns & Plays Every Position, Masters Every Skill, Gets Game, and Gets in Shape.

Outdoor Ed: “OTA: Throw Like a Girl“

6. MAPS (Measures of Academic Progress) Quality Assurance System: An in-house assessment tool for measuring every student’s academic performance and growth over each academic year (NWEA.org) OTA Teachers are interested in improving performance, not grading it.

♥♥♥ ♥♥♥ ♥♥♥

OTA 3 Keys to Success v4

 

Reminder: Introducing Music Academy of San Diego! Friday 4 PM • OTA Parents & Students, come learn about the new After School music program

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  • Music Academy: *NEW Violins, Violas, Cello Instruction, Mon, Friday

*** Please arrive early so we can start on time. Parking is available in front of the field after 3:30. Old Town Academy address: 2120 San Diego Ave, 92110  7th Grade Room is on the first floor, first right out of elevator ***

Musicians Playing for you today:

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Ai Nihira – Violin
– Contracted Musician from the San Diego Symphony
– Master Graduate from Cleveland Institute of Music and Yale School of Music    
 
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Chiyuan Chen – Viola
– Principal Viola of the San Diego Symphony
– Top-prize winner of 2000 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition and 2004 International Paris Viola Competition Ville d’Avray
-Doctoral’s degree from State University of New York at Stony Brook and Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory 
Yao Zhao Photo

Yao Zhao – Cello
– Principal Cello of the San Diego Symphony
– Top Ten Outstanding Young Chinese Cellist
– Faculty at the SDSU and Idyllwild Arts Academy
– Graduated from USC with Ms. Eleonore Schoenfeld
 
Jian Chan
Jian Chen – Cello
– Contracted Musician from the San Diego Symphony
– Master’s degree and Doctoral candidate from USC
– Three grade Sydney Chan’s mom!!!
—
Stanny Shiu / 肖宁
Director/  Music Academy of San Diego, Inc.
Director/ Asia Pacific Arts Management Ltd.
Executive Director / Great Wall International Music Academy
US +1 858 3450159

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Young Violinists

Friday, January 26th 30th at 4 PM in the 7th Grade Room, musicians and instructors from the Virtuoso Music Academy and the San Diego Symphony will present a 30 minute concert and presentation for parents interested in signing up for After School Strings Instruction.

Classes will start the second week of the quarter, meeting Monday and/or Friday (exact schedule TBD). Students will be accepted in Violin, Viola, and Cello (See What Instrument Do You Want to Play?), Grades K-8 welcome. OTA Orchestra with Mr. John Nettles will continue Tu & Th, with the VMA Teachers focusing on technique and on teaching students how to practice.

Why Study Music? Is Music the Key to Success?

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Learn from the best!
Dear Parents: Based on our decade of classical music education experience, we can’t wait to bring the best music education to students in greater San Diego. We will also bring the most renowned artists from the stage to our classroom; and vice versa, we will bring our best students from the classroom to the International music stages!

— Music Academy of San Diego Director, Stanny Shui

Tomorrow is Last Day to Get Tickets • 3rd Annual OTA Family Night at the Globetrotters • February 13 (Sign up by Jan 31)

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Please join us in our 3rd Annual Familly Night at the Globetrotters game! 
  • What: Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals
  • When: February 13th @ 7pm.
  • Where: Valley View Casino Center (Sports Arena)
  • Deadline is January 31st so don’t wait!
2014 OTA GLobetrotters 2
The kids get to participate in the Court of Dreams!! Let your player live their dream and play on the Valley View Casino Center court before the Globetrotters begin their game. Arrive at 5:30 for the Court of Dreams. Tickets are $13
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To get tickets, turn in an envelope with your name, #of tickets and a check to Athletic Initiative, contact April Curry: April Curry@athleticinitiative.org or order online!
http://www.athleticinitiative.org/annual-globetrotters-game.html
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April Curry
President, Athletic Initiative, Inc.
619-786-0232
aprilcurry@athleticinitiative.org