Oxford Preparatory Academy - South Orange County Home

We believe that all students are unique and gifted individuals

Congratulations OPA SOC and OPA SV for 2023 California Distinguished School Recognition

Congratulations OPA SOC and OPA SV for 2023 California Distinguished School Recognition Image
    
Chancellor Velez's Welcome Message (2022-23) Image

Chancellor Velez's Welcome Message (2022-23)

OPA Champions and Families, 

My name is Kerry Velez and I am the Chancellor of Oxford Preparatory Academy- South Orange County. It is my pleasure to welcome everyone to the 2022-2023 school year. I look forward to meeting you and continuing the tradition of excellence that OPA-SOC is known for. 
 
At Oxford Preparatory Academy, we are committed to working collaboratively to develop life-long learners in a safe and caring educational environment where students are challenged, scholarship is expected, and differences are valued. At OPA we cultivate learners who are effective collaborators, communicators, critical thinkers with strong character who will make a positive impact in our school and community. 

I am so proud to work with such an incredibly talented staff who challenge students to higher levels of thinking and learning. We truly believe that all students are unique and gifted individuals.  Our goal is to prepare your child to be able to compete in a competitive world academically and social-emotionally. At OPA, we pride ourselves in educating the whole child and preparing our students to leave our school ready to handle all academic rigors in their education. 

On a personal note, the 2022-2023 school year will mark my eleventh year with Oxford Preparatory Academy. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies along with my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from California State University Long Beach. I also have my Masters of Arts in Educational Administration along with my Administrative Services Credential. I started my career as an elementary teacher and then moved into administration where I was Dean at OPA-SOC for the past four years. I am now humbled and honored to be your Chancellor.

Thank you for entrusting OPA-SOC with your children everyday. It is an honor and responsibility we do not take lightly. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school office and we will be happy to assist you. I look forward to an exciting and memorable school year! 

Kerry Velez 
Chancellor 
[email protected] 
949-305-6111 
 

News & Announcements

March 19, 2023 Featured Photo

March 19, 2023

This week officially marks the beginning of the third trimester! It’s hard to believe spring is upon us and we are gearing up for state testing in a couple of months. I am also thrilled to announce that we had a record breaking number of applications during Open Enrollment, with over 3,000 applications submitted!
November 13, 2022 Featured Photo

November 13, 2022

I want to keep this week’s message short and sweet. As the first trimester officially comes to an end on Friday, on behalf of our entire OPA-SOC staff we would just like to say how incredibly thankful we are for the continued support we have received throughout this school year. We would not have been able to accomplish everything we have so far without our amazing parent community.
Report cards will be available for parents to view on Aeries on Friday, December 2nd. The month of December will be jam packed with events so make sure you read all correspondence so you don’t miss anything! We look forward to finishing the last week of this trimester strong. Don’t forget that there is no school for Thanksgiving Break and the front office will be closed from Monday, November 21st through November 25th. Have a wonderful week.
OPA Masthead

CAASPP Scores Released - OPA is #1 in OC

As many of you may have seen in the news, the 2022 California Assessment of Performance and Progress (CAASPP) results were just released. I am extremely excited to announce that both OPA-South Orange County and OPA-Saddleback Valley scored higher overall in ELA, Math, and Science than any other Orange County district!!!
October 23,2022 Featured Photo

October 23,2022

It is hard to believe that October is nearly over. Our Champions have been hard at work in their classrooms, Honour Society has gone above and beyond to plan some amazing events for our students, and staff are beginning to prepare for the end of the first trimester quickly approaching.
On behalf of our entire staff we would like to thank all of our parent volunteers who put on an amazing Jog-a-thon last Wednesday. Our Champions were overheard saying, “this is the best day ever!” While it was messy and some of our hands were stained in color, it made it all worth it to see our students so happy. As if the Jog-a-thon wasn’t enough, we also had our first ever Trunk or Treat at SOC and it was a HIT! I was blown away with the creativity of our families and staff who came out and decorated their cars. From Stranger Things to Harry Potter, Star Wars and spooky sights, it was beyond what we were expecting. It was so fun to see all of our Champions dressed up and enjoying time with their family and friends.
October 17, 2022 Featured Photo

October 17, 2022

The Book Fair was a HUGE success. Thank you to our amazing volunteers for creating a magical space for our students to visit throughout the week. October continues to be filled with fun and exciting events on campus. In 8th grade, Champions completed a STEAM extension project that encourages students to take risks when engineering. Mrs. Merlette and I continue to be amazed by the commitment and creativity of our professors.
October 9, 2022 Featured Photo

October 9, 2022

Dear Champion Families, It’s Book Fair time! Our Scholastic Book Fair returns to our OPA SOC campus LIVE and IN-PERSON this week with a space themed fair where Champions can LAUNCH THEMSELVES INTO A BOOK! Our OPA SOC’s Scholastic Book Fair will be open in Honour Hall starting on Monday, October 10th, through Friday, October 14th. Champions will be visiting the Book Fair twice with their class. The first time as a preview day to create their wishlist and then the second time to make any purchases. Champions are welcome to also shop after school but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who has signed in at the front office. The Book Fair will also be open from 5pm to 7pm on Thursday, October 13th, during a Family Fun Night so that families can shop together!
OPA Masthead

OPA -Middle School Charter Petition Approved

Last night at the Orange County Board of Education meeting, the OPA - Middle School petition was unanimously approved with no conditions for a term of five years. I am so grateful for all of the support from our OPA community. This is an extremely exciting step forward for OPA, and it will provide many new opportunities for our middle school and elementary champions.
October 2, 2022 Featured Photo

October 2, 2022

Dear OPA Families,
I hope everyone had a wonderful time at your parent/professor conference. Professors enjoyed getting to know each family and sharing what has been going on in the classroom over the first six weeks of school. Although last week was short it was filled with excitement for our Champions. Students were able to experience Blackwell’s for the first time this school year. Mrs. Merlette did an amazing job setting up our student store. It is filled with hundreds of prizes that students are able to purchase with their Scholarships. Professors utilize PBIS Rewards, a digital reward system where students earn Scholarships for showing compassion, honesty, accountability, mindfulness, and preparedness.
September 26, 2022 Featured Photo

September 26, 2022

Dear OPA Families, On Friday, SOC’s Honour Society hosted our first Fall Festival- OPA Space Night on campus since the pandemic started and WOW did we have a HUGE turnout! Over 300 people were in attendance to play games, socialize and
just enjoy being back on campus. I want to send a huge thank you to Honour Society and specifically Betsy Freiler for organizing this event. I would also like to thank our amazing volunteers who took time out of their busy schedules to help run the different booths and set up. Additionally, I would like to thank the Masoomi Sharif family, for their DELICIOUS Italian Food Truck.