Jim Andersen, Head of Upper School

April 5, 2024

There is no science in this world like physics. Nothing comes close to the precision with which physics enables you to understand the world around you. It's the laws of physics that allow us to say exactly what time the sun is going to rise. What time the eclipse is going to begin. What time the eclipse is going to end.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Owl Family,

• Prom and After Prom Party - Saturday, April 20

• Senior events and Timeline to Graduation

• Tennis Results 

• Track & Field Results 

• Solar Eclipse April 8th 

• Check out procedures

• Campus policy
   

PROM AND AFTER PROM PARTY (APP) Prom and After Prom Ticket Link

The Oakridge Prom is on Saturday, April 20 at The Oaks Event Center in Ft. Worth. All juniors and seniors are invited. Grades 9/10 may attend as a guest of a junior or senior. If an attendee is not an Oakridge student, a guest form must be completed.  The event is from 7:00pm-10:30pm. Our After Prom Party follows at Alley Cats in Hurst from 12:00a.m. until 4:00a.m. Students in grades 10-12 are invited to this event. The After Prom Party is a lock in and once students arrive, they must stay for the duration. Students must arrive dressed casually for the occasion and may not bring in bags. Both of the events have police security and students are breathalyzed upon entry.

After Prom Party- Thank you to Shelley Hodges and parent volunteers for making this event possible. It's time to start getting ready for Prom & After Prom!!  This year the After Prom Party will be back at Alley Cats in Hurst! This venue offers so many exciting things for our children to enjoy.

Outside of the amazing activities on property at Alley Cats, we add in a lot of extras.  We have some very competitive BINGO games throughout the night. We have dinner, a 360 photo-booth, an early morning coffee bar and donuts, costume prizes for the best dressed duo and group, plus so much more. See the webpage below with information and ways you can help out. (Link below)

One of the big events throughout the evening is the raffle drawing for prizes. We can always use extra donations to make sure that every Senior and hopefully every Junior gets a raffle prize throughout the event.  If you'd like to shop from the APP Amazon Gift List you can do so at the link below:  

2024 After Prom Donation Request - The Oakridge School | Best Coeducational College-Prep School in DFW

You can also indicate if you'd like to volunteer for the evening.  I'll be reaching out soon!  Don't worry, you won't embarrass your children.  Most of the time the parents are off in the distance and your children will hardly even know you're there.

SENIOR EVENTS AND TIMELINE TO GRADUATION  It is difficult to believe that we are wrapping up the year and approaching graduation. There are many events between now and then.  The Senior Timeline is a great guide to all of the events.

CAP & GOWN: Seniors picked up their cap and gown orders last week. Please check with your child to make sure they received theirs. 

TENNIS RESULTS: The upper school varsity tennis team competed in the St. Stephens Invitational Tennis Tournament in Austin this past Friday & Saturday.  The Owls played some great tennis.  

     *Cole O'Leary made it to the main draw quarter-finals at #1 boys singles.

     *Austin Jones made it to the consolation quarter-finals at #2 boys singles.

     *Jay Puri & Arthur Jin made it to the main draw quarter-finals at #1 boys doubles.

     *Eva Kovachev made it to the main draw semi-finals at #1 girls singles.

     *Sienna McBrayer & Simran Singhal made it to the consolation quarter-finals at #2 girls doubles.

SOLAR ECLIPSE APRIL 8: The Upper School is excited about the upcoming solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. Special thanks to Oakridge alumnus, Ryan Haygood ‘00, who is an astronomer and physicist for his eclipse presentation this past week. All Upper School students will be provided glasses to safely view the eclipse during their lunch period on Monday.

CHECKOUT PROCEDURES: Anytime a student needs to leave campus early a parent must email Ms. Blake to let the US office know. Once the office knows, the teachers are notified and then the student can dismiss from the class without disrupting the teacher and be on time for their checkout. It is best practice to give 24 hours notice. Giving less than an hour notice may result in classroom disruption and delayed dismissal. 

CAMPUS POLICY: Parents please support us in our updated security policies. All students and families must have a car tag on their rearview mirror, deliveries from outside vendors are not allowed, parents may deliver to the Admissions office and text their child to pick up delivery from the main office as soon as possible. Parents may check into the main office and then proceed to any appointments scheduled on campus. We are a closed campus. This means students may not leave for study hall and return nor may they leave for lunch and return. If they leave campus it must be with prior parental notification. Appointments should be accompanied by a note to return to school as this ensures the absence is excused.

Please note the dates for the US April Calendar

The  Upper School Team