Our School
Meet Our Principal
Mrs. Caryn Jasich
“Welcome to Old River! Old River School is committed to developing all students to be self-motivated learners and productive, responsible and compassionate members of an ever-changing global society. Our highly qualified staff foster meaningful relationships with students, parents, and the community while providing a relevant and rigorous curriculum. We believe in an inclusive environment that encompasses a growth mindset. We are determined to support students through personal and character development opportunities. We believe in ALL students and know that our students will be college and career ready, globally competitive, and citizens of strong character.”
Fun Facts:
- Mrs. Jasich comes from a large family with four sisters and one brother.
- She once walked 60 miles from Santa Barbara to Malibu to raise money for breast cancer research!
- In her free time, she enjoys yoga and spending time with her son and daughter.
Our Mission
Old River School is committed to developing all students to be self-motivated learners and productive, responsible and compassionate members of an ever-changing global society. Our highly qualified staff foster meaningful relationships with students, parents, and the community while providing a relevant and rigorous curriculum in facilities that advance teaching and learning.
Our Vision
Curriculum & Instruction
- Students will receive standards-based instruction
- All students will reach Proficient or Advanced on the California Standards Test
- Students will be provided differentiated instruction
- Student needs will be met through frequent monitoring of progress and use of flexible groupings
- Professional Learning Communities (PLC) will be established and maintained at each grade level
- Response to Intervention Model (RtI) will be implemented as needed
- Instructional time is valued and protected
- Research-based strategies/materials will be utilized
Character Education
- All staff will promote and maintain a supportive and nurturing environment
- The district-adopted CHARACTER COUNTS! program will be implemented
- Parent involvement will be welcomed and encourage
- Diversity is accepted and appreciated
Tools to Reach Highest Potential
- All staff will ensure the physical and emotional safety of all students
- All staff will be highly qualified
- Incentive programs will be in place to recognize students’ strengths and achievements
- Schoolwide behavior management plans will be established and maintained
- Allocation of school funds will be aligned to mission and vision statements
- Parent education will be provided to support ongoing classroom instruction
- Stakeholders’ (SSC, ELAC, PTA, staff, community) input will be encouraged and valued
School & Home Compact for Achievement
What is a School-Home Compact?
A School-Home Compact for Achievement is an agreement that parents, students, and teachers develop together. It explains how parents and teachers will work together to make sure all our students reach grade level standards.
Effective compacts:
- Link to goals of the school improvement plan.
- Focus on student learning skills.
- Describe how teachers will help students develop those skills using high quality instruction.
- Share strategies parents can use at home.
- Explain how teachers and parents will communicate with regard to student progress.
- Describe opportunities for parents to volunteer, observe, and participate in the classroom.
Jointly Developed
The parents and staff of Old River School developed this School-Parent Compact for Achievement. Meetings are held on a yearly basis to review the Compact and make changes based on student needs. Parents are welcome to contribute at any time. If you would like to volunteer, participate, or observe in the classroom, please contact the school.
Building Partnerships
Your support and input are valued and instrumental in helping our students succeed! Opportunities for involvement include:
- Back-to-School/Parent Night
- PTA Meetings
- Parent Workshops
- Open House
- School Site Council Meetings
- Title I and English Learner Advisory Council
- Awards Assemblies
- Coffee with the Principal
Community Schools
District Goal
By June 2027, 90-100% of all students will perform at grade level or higher and upon graduation meet the requirements for entrance into the UC and CSU system or have developed skills to be career ready.
School Goals
Old River will continue to increase the number of students reaching proficiency in mathematics and reading.
School-Wide Focus: Mathematical Thinking and Problem Solving
- Develop lifelong math strategies that strengthen computation, problem solving, and collaborative skills to increase proficiency on state assessments and support our school-wide focus.
- Encourage and foster student interest in mathematics through engaging, real-world tasks and diverse problem-solving opportunities.
- Teach students to understand and appropriately use academic math vocabulary in both verbal and written explanations.
- Integrate technology to enhance daily math instruction, provide targeted intervention, and support authentic, performance-based assessments.
- Promote student collaboration and mathematical discourse by having students explain and justify their problem-solving strategies using Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) aligned with Math Common Core Standards.
- Use current student data and assessments to inform math instruction, identify areas of need, and support differentiated learning.
At School
The Old River staff will work with students and their families to support students’ success in reading and math. Some of our key connections with families will be:
- Communicate regularly with parents regarding current academic programs and be accessible to parents/guardians to discuss questions and/or concerns.
- Provide materials and information to help parents support the school’s academic program.
- Offer Parent Workshops in Literacy and Math to provide strategies and resources for home support.
At Home
Old River Elementary School staff joined parents to develop ideas about how families can support students’ success:
- Discuss and review my child’s schoolwork nightly and contact the teacher with questions and/or concerns. Make appointments as needed, especially after the first progress report.
- Read and use the classroom materials and information to support learning at home.
- Read with or listen to my child read every day.
- Read with or listen to your child read every day. Attend the family literacy workshops and use the strategies learned to improve your child’s literacy skills.
- Involve your child in solving real-world math problems every day. Attend the family math workshop and use the strategies learned to improve your child’s mathematical skills. Ask
about homework, reading requirements, and iReady reports.
Student Responsibilities
Old River School students know the importance of being responsible. A responsible student will come to school every day on time, prepared, and ready to learn. To make connections between learning at home and at school, students will:
- Take home, review, and discuss schoolwork and materials nightly with parents/guardians.
- Ask for help when they have trouble with their schoolwork.
- Participate in classroom discussions and group work.
- Read to and discuss the text with an adult for 20-30 minutes every day.
- Use strategies learned in class to solve real-world math problems.
- Update iPad Regularly and come to school with it fully charged.
- Complete 2 or more i-Ready lessons in BOTH math and reading weekly.
- Exemplify and model the Six Pillars of Character, everywhere and all the time.
Engagement Policy
Old River Elementary School recognizes that parents and guardians are their children’s first and most influential teachers. We believe that continued parental involvement in a child’s education contributes greatly to student achievement and conduct. This Parent and Family Engagement Policy is an integral component of our school plan to promote a meaningful partnership between the school and the home.
Part 1: General Expectations
OLD RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGREES TO IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:
- The school will jointly develop with parents a School Parental Involvement Policy that the school and parents of participating children agree to uphold.
- The school will notify parents about the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, will distribute this policy to parents in English and Spanish.
- The school will revisit the School Parental Involvement Policy yearly to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.
- The school will make the School Parental Involvement Policy available to the local community through a web site link.
- The school will adopt the Home-School Compact as a component of its Parent and Family Engagement Policy
- The school will provide accessibility and opportunities for parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory students.
- This will be done by May 31st of each year.
The school agrees to be governed by the following definition of parental involvement, and will carry out programs, activities and procedures in accordance with this definition:
Parental involvement means the participation of parents, including those with disabilities and/or with limited English proficiency, in regular and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring –
- Parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning
- Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education; including the Home-School Compact
- Parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child; carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA.
Community schools create a support system by uniting families, the school, and the community as partners in student success, providing support services, enrichment opportunities, and family engagement.
- Family-School Partnerships – Involve families in decision-making and workshops to strengthen trust and communication.
- Support Systems – Provide on-campus access to health, social, and academic resources.
- Shared Learning Responsibility – Unite families, staff, and the community to support academic growth, behavior, and attendance.
- Inclusive Environments – Create welcoming spaces that promote dialogue, cultural awareness, and respect.
Part 2: Policy Implementation
Old River Elementary School will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development and joint agreement of its Engagement Policy and its schoolwide plan, if applicable, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way under section 1118(b) of the ESEA:
- Parents will have the opportunity to discuss and share ways to improve Old River’s Title 1 Program.
- Parents will have the opportunity to complete a survey about our Title 1 Program each year through the annual District LCAP survey.
- Parents will be provided with a school calendar with tentative dates for the school year that lists parent engagement activities, parent meetings, and school-wide events.
Old River Elementary School will take the following actions to distribute to parents of children participating and the local community, the Engagement Policy:
- A hard copy of the school’s Parent and Family Engagement Policy will be available to any parent when requested in the school office.
- The Engagement Policy will be posted on our official school website for the community to view.
- The Engagement Policy will be shared on Parent Square as a digital copy to all families.
Old River Elementary School will review and update its Engagement Policy each year to meet the changing needs of parents and the school:
- A School Site Council (SSC) meeting will be held yearly to review and/or update the Engagement Policy.
- The Fall School Site Council (SSC) and English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) Information Meeting will review the Williams Uniform Complaint Procedure.
Old River Elementary School will convene an annual Title 1 meeting to inform parents of the following:
- That their child’s school participates in Title I
- About the requirements of Title I
- Of their rights to be involved in:
- Parent and Family Engagement Policy
- Home-School Compact
- Williams Uniform Complaint Procedure
- About their school’s participation in Title I
- Invitations posted on Parent Square in English & Spanish
- Parents are encouraged to attend parent functions through various incentives
- Parents are encouraged to take the LCAP survey yearly, to voice their opinions
- Title 1 Meeting slides will be posted on Parent Square at the conclusion of the meeting for all families to review.
Old River Elementary School will host regular parent meetings:
- Invitations will be posted monthly on the school newsletter and on Parent Square in English and Spanish, with plenty of notice
- Spanish translation will be provided at parent functions.
- Parent surveys will be given to determine parent interest needs.
Old River Elementary School will provide families with detailed information about the curriculum being implemented, the academic assessments used to measure student progress, and the current proficiency levels, along with the academic growth of students.
This information will be shared in the following ways:
- A letter will be sent home outlining the curriculum, assessment tools, and expected performance benchmarks.
- The information will also be presented and discussed during the annual Title I Informational Meeting.
- Student achievement data will be reviewed regularly at School Site Council (SSC) and English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) meetings to monitor progress and guide decision-making.
Old River Elementary School will provide parents the opportunity to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children:
- Informational meetings
- SSC – School Site Council
- PTA Meetings
- Annual Title I Meeting
- District LCAP Survey
- School Site Council (SSC)
- English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC)
Part 3: Shared Responsibilities for High Achievement
- Needs Assessment Survey taken by parents (conducted by Title I)
- Parent input through team meetings (conducted by Title I)
- Parental requests (conducted by Title I)
- Varied/multiple meeting times (conducted by Title I)
- PTA Meetings (conducted by the PTA board members)
- Encouragement to attend “Back To School” night and Open House (conducted by the staff and principal)
- Principal’s newsletter which is distributed in Spanish and English
Old River Elementary School will incorporate the Home-School Compact as a component of its Parent and Family Engagement Policy:
- Both policies will be reviewed at the meetings held for Title I parents
- Both policies will be displayed on our school website
- Both policies will be shared via Parent Square as a digital copy
- Both policies will be available as a hard copy in the school office, as requested
Old River Elementary School will, with the assistance of its district, provide assistance to parents of children served by the school in understanding topics, such as the following:
- The State’s academic content standards
- The State’s CAASPP proficiency levels
- The State and local academic assessments including alternate assessments
- The requirements of Title I
- How to monitor their child’s progress
- How to work with educators
- Results of the annual Title I review – These various topics will be addressed at the Title 1 Informational Meetings and through Parent Education throughout the year
- Results of the District LCAP Survey
Old River Elementary School will, with the assistance of its district, provide materials to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, through:
- Parent brochures/newsletters
- Parent education
- Parent meetings and school functions
- Parental input on desired parent education training
Old River Elementary School, with the assistance of its district and parents, educate its staff, in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners.
- Staff Meetings
- Professional Development
- Professional Literature
- ‘Q’ Parent Connect Online System
- Parent Square Communications
Old River Elementary School will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand:
- All parent invitations and information will be translated into Spanish.
- All parent invitations will be posted on Parent Square.
Part 4: Adoption
This Parent and Family Engagement Policy has been developed jointly with, and agreed on with, parents of children participating in Title I, as evidenced by Cindy Reichwein, Categorical Resource Teacher.
This policy was approved and adopted by Old River Elementary School’s School Site Council at the April/May 2025 meeting and will be in effect for the 2025-2026 school year. The policy will be available school-wide to all parents of students through:
- Our website
- Hard copy in the school office
- Shared as a digital copy to families
It will be made available to the local community as a hard copy in the school office. Notification to parents of this policy will be in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provide a copy of this policy to parents in a language the parents can understand.
