The Orange Peal is a publication by OCPS employees and for OCPS employees. It launched in April 1974 as a newsletter for all OCPS employees “from principals to custodians.” With a name encompassing the symbols of the orange and the school bell, the Orange Peal was intended for “the good news of this school system [to be] ‘rung out,’” - in other words, to peal.
EDITOR
Lauren Roth
DESIGNER
Kimberly Boulnois
CONTRIBUTORS
Sandra Carr
Frank Weber
Samantha Weiss
Dommerich Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Melissa Deal uses visuals and hand-held learning aids (manipulatives) to help a small group understand sounds within words.
Kindergartners play an active game using prior knowledge to spell three-letter words, led by teacher Kristen Salazar.
Rolling Hills Elementary fifth-grade teacher
Alexis Collins said she and her peers face a fundamental challenge - when helping students master a curriculum with a heavy focus on reading, “how do I do that if they can’t read?” she said.
To answer that question, OCPS trained about 1,400 instructional personnel in the science of reading before this school year began. Reinforcement comes through monthly sessions at their schools.
Collins, who led some of the training, called the instruction “empowering information.”
The ‘science of reading’ describes research-supported techniques for teaching reading skills. OCPS focuses on two main components of reading that work together - language comprehension and word recognition. Language comprehension includes skills such as vocabulary and language structures that help us understand the meaning of what we read. Word recognition includes skills that help readers identify words on a page, such as phonological awareness and sight recognition.
Veteran educator Tysie Green couldn’t wait to bring the new strategies based on the science of reading back to her Millennia Elementary second-graders.
“I know I’m going to use this,” the 24-year educator said during the summer training. In her classroom this school year, she has referenced the training workbook regularly. She also created a Sound Wall to refer to when reviewing sounds, and uses visual drill cards daily during her phonics lesson.
The summertime training sessions, aimed mostly at educators in the primary grades, included specifics about letter pronunciation, sound blending, spelling and more. In addition to the step-by-step workbooks, materials included example videos and hands-on ways teachers can use what they learned.
Notably, the training was developed and delivered in-house by OCPS experts, including teachers and curriculum specialists. The district’s curriculum resource materialswhich teachers may use to deliver instruction - were also developed in-house and aligned with the research-based reading training.
These techniques were on full display in kindergarten at Dommerich Elementary in November. In one classroom, a teacher was working with small groups on the sounds within
words. In another, students moved around the room as they played a game spelling three-letter words.
Julie Helton, the district’s Senior Director for Elementary Curriculum and Instruction, said she sees the techniques in her regular classroom visits.
“Classroom instruction has really changed,” she said this month. Teachers are providing reading instruction in a more systematic way and seeing results, she explained. Between their first evaluations around August and their second in December, kindergartners, first graders and second graders district-wide demonstrated strong growth in both early literacy and reading.
Ashley Burger, a program specialist in Curriculum and Instruction, helped train principal leaders and others in the new techniques. Burger said the common understanding that students “learn to read, then read to learn” isn’t accurate. Instead, comprehension and foundational reading skills develop together. Principal Leader Karen Verano called the training a “good mind shift.” She said that “teachers have been doing a really great job implementing the new strategies.”
Kimberly Malatesta, a senior administrator in the elementary schools office, appreciated the opportunity to learn the techniques over the summer. “It’s so important that leaders get the same training as teachers, she said. “You can’t support what you haven’t learned yourself.”
I explained that some of the oldest colleges in the world started in the 1200s. He thought about that number long and hard. I don’t think he believed me. How old do these kids think we are?
Lydia Barza
School Counselor/ 504 Coordinator Bridgewater Middle School
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By Sandra Carr
Before the sun rises, OCPS bus driver Gary Giddens is on the road, transporting a group of students to Windermere High, then another to Windermere Elementary.
This is a new route for Giddens, who has worked for OCPS for the past 20 years.
But Giddens and other drivers no longer need paper maps and routes. They now have audible turn-by-turn directions
with GPS tracking. The directions appear on a tablet mounted on the school bus console to reduce distractions.
The software is helping students arrive at school on time while decreasing wait times and improving efficiency.
“The tablets have been a good thing for OCPS’ bus drivers because you just enter the route number and bus stop into the system and the GPS software will direct you to your destination,” said Giddens, who drives one of the district’s electric buses.
The software also has a student ridership component. Student badges have a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip to help bus drivers identify students.
Students scan their bus-rider ID badge when they enter and exit the bus. The tablet then displays the student’s name and grade level and informs the driver if the student is assigned to the right bus.
The system will also immediately alert the driver if a student is attempting to board the wrong bus or get off at an unassigned stop.
“The bus-rider ID cards have improved our drivers’ ability to identify who is riding the school bus, which has provided a more accurate ridership count and prevented many students from mistakenly getting on the wrong bus,” said Bill Wen, senior director of Transportation Services.
“The bus-rider ID badge system is a good thing because if a student is missing, then OCPS can determine if the student got on or off the bus,” said Gomez.
Families can use the linked Versatrans My Stop school bus app to obtain real-time information, including scheduled and late arrival times. App users are alerted through push notifications when their child scans on and off their assigned school bus during the week. The app is free to download and use.
Parents and others can also log into the ELink portal on the Transportation Services web page to view a student’s bus route and transportation information.
Transportation Services will be celebrating Love the Bus Month at its six locations this month. The festivities include vendors offering staff discounts and services and a box lunch from Food and Nutrition Services.
The National School Transportation Association’s annual celebration highlights the important role of the yellow school bus in education and shows appreciation for the bus drivers who safely transport students every day.
By Sandra Carr
Victor Ortiz and his team are responsible for making Forsyth Woods Elementary sparkle.
Ortiz, the school’s custodial crew leader, is retiring from his role in February after working more than 15 years for the district.
In his current role, Ortiz oversees the daily cleaning of the school, which includes emptying and cleaning waste receptacles, washing windows, dusting furniture, vacuuming the floor and supervising other custodial personnel.
He participates in Spirit Week by wearing his Hulk T-shirt whenever there is a superhero theme and interacts with the students throughout the school day.
“I have always enjoyed watching the students dance, joke around and be kids during lunchtime whenever I’m cleaning the cafeteria,” said Ortiz, who moved to Orlando from Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico in 2004. His responses in Spanish were translated by coworkers. “I will miss the students and have loved watching them grow up.”
After the recession in 2009, Ortiz was laid off from a plant nursery where he loaded flowers, shrubs and other flora into customer’s vehicles and cleaned the yard.
He was hired as a custodian at University High in September 2009 and moved to Forsyth Woods two years later. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ortiz was promoted to custodian resident. He had an opportunity to move up in August 2023 and became the school’s custodial crew leader. He takes pride in his work and the cleanliness of the school.
After Ortiz retires, he plans to visit Las Vegas and family in Puerto Rico. He is also looking forward to spending quality time with his adult son, who has autism. Ortiz plans to focus on his needs while helping him become more independent. He also has plans to clean up the yard and replace his porch.
Retiree: Victor Ortiz
Title: Custodial Crew Leader
Years with OCPS: 15 1/2
OCPS Retirement
Date: Feb. 28
Upcoming Retirement Services Webinars: Feb. 26, 5 p.m.: Medicare Workshop
OCPS is looking ahead to 2030 and what tomorrow’s graduates should look like. That goes beyond academics to include skills like teamwork. Part of a new Strategic Plan 2030, watch for more information to come, including a new vision, mission and values.
Send the answers to these three questions to orangepeal@ocps.net. One winner will be drawn from among the correct responses to win an Orange Peal prize package. What character does custodian Victor Garcia Ortiz wear on his shirt during school spirit days?___________________________________________
Name one of the two main components of reading that OCPS focuses on.
Which school kicked off Let’s Read OCPS with a construction-themed party?_____________________________________________________________
Congratulations to December/January trivia winner: Francine D’Angelo, Program Coordinator, Afterschool ProgramsSchool Age Services – School Choice
In each issue, the Orange Peal will recognize one top social media post on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). Want us to consider your school or department’s post? Send a link to orangepeal@ocps.net for consideration.
West Creek Elementary’s recycling club turned recycled bottle caps into a unique and inspiring work of art! Each hand in the artwork represents a member of the club, a powerful reminder that we all play a part in protecting our planet. Nice job!
They may be fierce on the field, but it turns out these Windermere Wolverines are all softies at heart! Check out these sweet moments during the mother and son dance at their recent football banquet. Aren’t moms the best?
Construction zone meets reading zone at Orlo Vista Elementary! They kicked off the Let’s Read OCPS challenge with a construction-themed literacy bash! Kids hammered out bookmarks, built their vocab in word games and proved that reading is anything but boring!
By
Samantha Weiss
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Submit your photos of what’s going on “Around OCPS” to orangepeal@ocps.net. Your school or department may be featured in a future issue!
East River High was honored in late January as a Unified Champion School by the Special Olympics. This national recognition means East River has demonstrated excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy, and respect for all members of the student body and staff. East River participated in the Rising Stars Unified Program for the first time last year and is only one of ten schools in Florida and the only one in Orange County to earn the honor this year.
The Allen family raised $2,300 during their annual haunted house fundraiser in October for the Palm Lake Elementary Kindness Matters initiative. Palm Lake Elementary mom Amy Allen presented the check to the school during the nationally-recognized Great Kindness Challenge at the end of January. The funds will help support the Kindness Club, parent nights and Kindness Matters events, including the annual welcome back to school ice cream social and Kindness Kraft Nights.
Mollie Ray Elementary BETA Club Scores Big
Mollie Ray Elementary School’s BETA Club won numerous awards during the 35th Annual Elementary/Junior BETA Convention at the Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek in January. BETA Clubs promote academic achievement, character, leadership, and service among elementary and secondary school students.
The Spanish Spelling Bee at Timber Creek High drew 80 students to compete for the coveted trophies and bragging rights! The winners were Nallely Garcia AlvarezConway Middle School, Barbara FernandezMater Narcoossee Academy and Melina EspejoLuminary Middle School.
Boone High students teamed up with the Orlando Fire Department and Orlando Health to learn Hands-Only CPR on World Heart Day. Turns out the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” is the perfect CPR song, with 100-120 beats per minute. That’s the ideal chest compression rate! Other tunes with the same rate include Baby Shark, Uptown Funk and Eye of the Tiger. Grab some music and save a life!
The Jr. Bucs Fan Club, along with legacy Tampa Bucs athletes, stopped by Meadowbrook Elementary for a NFL Pro Bowl Clinic. Passing, catching and running patterns all came together in a Team Red, Team Blue Flag Football Scrimmage.
The Magic of Networking Event brought current students and alumni together for a night of networking, food and a Magic game at the Kia Center, thanks to the Foundation for OCPS. A panel discussion on the value of networking was moderated by Miss America 2004 Ericka Dunlap. Guest panelists included NBA great Bo Outlaw, area professionals and an OCPS high school senior.
Oh look.. Here’s a link to join the OCPS Alumni Network!
