Charter Oak Unified School District

We loved celebrating some incredible members of the Badillo Elementary School community at last night’s Board of Trustees meeting!

⭐ Superstar Student Giana Cernero was recognized for her kindness, determination, and leadership. Whether in the classroom or on stage, Giana inspires others with her talent and heart.

🇺🇸 Flag Salute Honoree Logan Bahena was honored for his strong work ethic, curiosity, and commitment to learning. Logan’s involvement in leadership and student programs makes him a true role model on campus.

🤝 Community Partners Michelle and Damian Catalan were recognized for their generous support, volunteerism, and years of dedication to Badillo students and staff.

We are grateful to celebrate individuals and families who help make our schools stronger every day.

Today, Charter Oak High School students had the opportunity to explore their futures at our Career Expo, featuring 37 different career pathways. From law enforcement and engineering to filmmaking, medicine, astrophysics, and more, students connected with professionals who shared their experiences, insights, and advice.

Opportunities like this help students see what is possible beyond the classroom and bring real-world learning to life. By exposing students to a wide range of industries, we continue to prepare them to be college and career ready.

A special thank you to the many professionals who took time out of their day to inspire and guide our students. Your willingness to share your journeys helps open doors and spark new possibilities for the next generation.

StudentSuccess

🏀 What an exciting March Madness Tournament across our COUSD elementary schools!

All week long, our coed teams showed great teamwork, determination, and school pride as they competed in this annual tradition that brings our school community together.

The tournament culminated in a thrilling championship game, where both teams played their hearts out in a close matchup. Congratulations to Cedargrove for taking 1st place and Washington for earning 2nd place in this year’s tournament.

Thank you to all of the coaches and sponsors who make this special opportunity possible for our students each year.

🏀 See you on the court next year!

Future doctors, astronauts, teachers, and firefighters took over our campuses for Career Day! 👩‍⚕️🚒🧑‍🚀👩‍🏫

By exploring their interests and dreaming big, our students are already thinking about the paths that will lead them to success. At Charter Oak Unified, we’re proud to help students build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be college and career ready.

The future starts here.
This Is Home.

February gave us a meaningful opportunity to reflect, learn, and celebrate.

Throughout Black History Month, our schools were intentional about honoring the history, achievements, and enduring contributions of Black leaders, innovators, and change-makers past and present. Students engaged in thoughtful lessons and meaningful conversations that deepened understanding and strengthened connection. Our high school students also participated in a week of spirit activities celebrating Black excellence, creating moments of pride, expression, and unity across campus.

We are grateful for the leadership and representation within our own COUSD community, from our leadership team to our teachers, staff, and students, whose voices and experiences enrich our district each day.

At Charter Oak Unified, we know that our strength comes from the people who make up our community. We are richer because of the beautiful tapestry of cultures, histories, and stories that shape COUSD.

From solid to liquid in real time ❄️➡️💧

Our early learners recently explored the scientific concept of states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas through an engaging, hands-on investigation inspired by the story “Sneezy the Snowman.”

After analyzing why the snowman in the story continued to melt, students applied their learning by constructing their own snowman and placing him near a heat source. Throughout the experiment, they made hourly observations, discussed changes they noticed, and documented their findings.

In just 2 hours and 35 minutes, their snowman transitioned from a solid to a liquid, providing a powerful real-world demonstration of how temperature impacts matter.

Much like our local temperatures that recently shifted from 50 to 80 degrees overnight, students saw firsthand how quickly changes in heat can transform the world around them.

Experiences like this build foundational scientific thinking, observation skills, vocabulary development, and curiosity, all hallmarks of high-quality early education.

Hands-on learning. Academic foundations. Curious minds in action.

We are proud to celebrate excellence across our Cedargrove school community! Last night at the Board of Trustees meeting, we honored three individuals and partners who truly make a difference.

⭐ Superstar Student Oliver Medina shines through his academic achievement, creativity, and leadership.

🇺🇸 Flag Salute Honoree Adelynn Iglesias exemplifies dedication, balancing a perfect academic record with outstanding accomplishments in the arts.

🤝 Partner in Education Horace Mann continues to support our students through meaningful attendance initiatives that encourage engagement and success.

Together, they reflect the heart of Charter Oak.

Our school psychologists play a vital role in helping students thrive — academically, socially, and emotionally. They provide care, understanding, and guidance that help make Charter Oak a place where every student feels safe, supported, and ready to learn.

Thank you for all you do!