Ishi Hills Middle School

Reminder - if you ordered a chicken dinner, pick-up is tomorrow, May 7th, 3-6pm @ the parent pick-up roundabout. Thanks so much for supporting our Parent Teacher Club & Student Events!!

Celebrating Our Legacy & Welcoming Our Future at Ishi Hills! 🐾🌟

We want to take a moment to celebrate a leader who has made an incredible and lasting impact on our campus.

It is with deep appreciation and love that the Ishi Hills staff announces the July retirement of our amazing principal, Lori Gaines. Over the past several years, she has transformed the climate and culture of our school into one rooted in community, support, high expectations, and campus pride.

Mrs. Gaines has been a true champion for every student and staff member. She celebrates both big milestones and small victories, always reminding students that their choices matter: “the choice is yours.” She set high expectations and inspired students to rise to meet them.

Her passion for innovation brought EduProtocols to life on our campus, embedding engaging and effective practices into our daily routines. More than anything, she led with joy, positivity, and heart, creating a school environment where students and staff feel seen, valued, and supported.

She will be deeply missed by students, families, and staff as she begins her next chapter. Ishi Hills is stronger because of her leadership, and her impact will be felt for years to come. 💛

⸻

Now, as we celebrate her legacy, we are excited to look toward the future.

The “Home of the Cougars” will be in expert hands! We are proud to announce Lauren Albert as the official Principal of Ishi Hills Middle School, pending board approval, beginning next school year.

Ms. Albert is no stranger to the OCESD family. With over 20 years of teaching experience and more than 6 years in administration, including her recent role as Ishi Hills Assistant Principal, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a true students-first mindset.

What’s ahead for Ishi Hills:

🌱 Growing Careers: Ms. Albert is passionate about expanding career pathways, especially in Agriculture for grades 6–8. 🚜

🤝 Strong Relationships: From coordinating SARB to leading School Site Councils, she is committed to strengthening the connection between school and home.

📊 Focus on Excellence: Her leadership will continue to emphasize Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and data-driven practices to support every student.

From her work with summer school programs to her dedication to social-emotional development, Ms. Albert is ready to lead Ishi Hills into its next great chapter. 📖

Please join us in celebrating Mrs. Gaines as she enters this new chapter and warmly welcoming Principal Albert!

Dear Ishi Hills Families,                                                                                      4/29/2026

As we approach our state testing window, we want to share why these assessments matter and how your support at home can make a meaningful difference for your child.

State testing is one of the few ways we can measure student progress using a consistent standard across schools. While no single test defines a child, these assessments give us valuable insight into how students are developing in key areas like reading, writing, and mathematics. When students take the tests seriously, the results help us better understand their strengths and identify areas where they may need additional support.

These results can also play a role in determining appropriate class placement (especially those headed to high school next year) and support services. A student’s best effort helps ensure they are placed in courses that match their current skill level—whether that means additional support or opportunities for advanced learning.

At a broader level, testing outcomes help our school evaluate programs and make informed decisions about resources, staffing, and instruction. Accurate results allow us to better serve all students and strengthen our school community.

Just as importantly, state testing provides students with an opportunity to practice important life skills. These include staying focused for an extended period, managing time effectively, and approaching challenges with persistence. These are skills they will continue to use throughout high school and beyond.

You can support your child by helping them get a good night’s sleep, ensuring they eat a healthy breakfast, and encouraging them to simply do their best. Remind them that this is an opportunity to show what they know and to take pride in their effort. 

Attendance is critically important. Please do your best to help your student arrive on time and remain at school. Testing snacks and preparations will happen during 1st period & testing will happen 2nd and 3rd periods on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Please make every effort to ensure your student is present for our testing periods, at the very least. 

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we can help our students feel confident, prepared, and ready to succeed.

Sincerely,
Lori Gaines
Principal
Ishi Hills Middle School

Our 1st ever Walk-a-thon was a smashing success last week! The students did an amazing job!! Fun was had by all!!
Photo booth, dance station, "hydration station," music, beautiful weather... good vibes & great friends!!
A BIG THANK YOU you to Mrs. Glover, Mrs. Bright & the Walk-a-thon committee for the excellent organization and awesome event! Shout out to our wonderful parent volunteers & staff helpers, as well!
ISHI ROCKS!!

We surprised the whole school last Friday with a high energy super COOL BMX/In-line Skating show!!
We wanted to thank the students for improving their state testing (CAASPP) scores last year & hype them up for the upcoming testing weeks. 😉
It's important to celebrate their progress and get them excited to "SHOW WHAT THEY KNOW" on our end of the year state testing. These tests are incredibly important & we want our students to know we believe in their ability to demonstrate progress. Testing is not fun - we know that.
Being able to feel confident about giving our best effort is extremely rewarding! 😄
Please help us encourage students to do their very best.
Testing begins the first week in May - more to come on that!
Enjoy these photos from the awesome assembly & join us in thanking your student for giving his/her best effort last year!
LET'S GO, COUGARS!!

Hello Ishi Hills Families!

We are so excited to announce our upcoming 6th–8th Grade Walk-a-Thon happening on Thursday, April 23rd from 8:45–10:45 AM here at Ishi Hills Middle School!

This is one of our biggest and most FUN events of the year—and it supports a great cause!

💙 What Are We Raising Money For?

• 6th Grade: Raising funds for dinner on their San Francisco Exploratorium field trip in May and end of year activities and celebrations.

• 7th & 8th Grade: Raising funds for end-of-year activities and celebrations

👟 What Will Students Be Doing?

Students will walk laps around our course while enjoying:
🎶 Music & Dance Breaks
📸 Photo Booth Fun
💧 Water Stations
🎉 A high-energy, positive environment!

👯‍♂️ Theme: Pairs & Groups!
Students are encouraged to dress up with friends in fun, school-appropriate group costumes! ​Wear your walking shoes! (Please note: No inflatable costumes or anything that makes walking difficult.)

🏆 Prizes & Incentives
We’ll be celebrating individual students with:

• Most money raised (one student per grade level)

• Most laps walked (one student per grade level)

• Special treat for any student who completes 10+ laps!

💻 How to Donate
Students can collect pledges by sharing the online donation link with family and friends—even out of state! Families should have received individual links to the fundraiser for their student by email.

Donations can be:
A flat amount (recommended) OR a per-lap pledge
👉 Donation Link: https://app.99pledges.com/fund/ishihills

📅 Important Dates
Walk-a-Thon: April 23
Funds Due: April 27

🧡 🧡🧡 Family Volunteer Opportunities 🧡🧡🧡
Lap tracking & monitoring
Water station support
Photo booth help
General supervision & encouragement

⚠️ Important – District Approval Required ASAP
To volunteer on campus, you must be cleared through the district.

👉 This means:
You need to complete a volunteer application form from the office once per school year
AND be approved by the district BEFORE the event

⏰ Please complete this ASAP if you are interested—approval can take time, and we want to make sure you’re cleared in time to join us!

📋 How to Sign Up:
Complete the district volunteer form (available in the school office)
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/F6sbLMoRkJW6uT4UA
Watch for an email on Wednesday for approved volunteers.

This is such a fun way to build school spirit, encourage healthy activity, and support meaningful experiences for our students. We can’t wait to see everyone out there walking, laughing, and making memories!

Thank you for your support! 💙💛

Ishi Hills & our After School Program present... Ishi Hills Drama Club!
Students must be enrolled in the ASP to sign up.
Contact Kasey Dahl at kdahl@ocesd.net OR Ms. Albert at lalbert@ocesd.net
So. Much. Fun!!

Don't forget to order an Ishi Hills Middle School yearbook!
You can purchase online!
$28! Memories to last a lifetime!
Easy-peasy!
Order online at need to copy/paste into your search bar):

http://entourageyearbooks.com/my/IshiHills2026

Open House is NEXT week!
Wednesday, April 15th, 5-6pm.
Short band performance, 5-5:15 in the breezeway outside room D4. (Permission slips needed if there will be no parent/guardian in attendance).
Hot dog BBQ! Visit classrooms & teachers! Visit with some community partners!
R A F F L E! Stop by the raffle table to check out the fun raffle prizes - no cost, just be here to fill out your ticket!
Haven't purchased a yearbook yet? No problem! You can do that at Open House!
Learn about our NEW Ishi Spirit Wear WEBSITE full of awesome Ishi wear & accessories! You can start shopping on Monday, April 13th!
Here is the link to peruse , but wait until the 13th. We will have a sale for the April 13th "Grand Opening!" Just copy the link into your search bar to get a sneak peek!
https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/CA/Oroville/Ishi+Hills+Middle+School/collection_detail.html

Looking forward to seeing you ALL on Wednesday!
You can park in the upper parking lot or pull around behind the school and park on the asphalt (NOT under the sports pavillion). Event ends promptly at 6pm. Thank you!

We are super excited to partner with 1st Place Spiritwear!
They offer an incredible selection of Ishi spirit wear and accessories for every member of the family and for all staff!
Our Parent Teacher Club will receive 10% all of ALL sales!!
Our PTC helps financially support many programs and events for our students.
The "GRAND OPENING" will be April 13th.
Our kick-off Grand Opening will include a great SALE, too!
You can peruse the Ishi Store now but purchasing we begin on 4/13.
Shirts, sweatshirts, hats, beanies, backpacks, accessories, etc. FUN designs, too!
Link to peruse the site before sales begin on 4/13 (may have to copy/paste into your search bar): https://1stplacespiritwear.com/schools/CA/Oroville/Ishi+Hills+Middle+School/collection_detail.html

More to come! Look out for the Grand Opening SALE on April 13th! *More info at Open House on 4/15, 5-6pm

8th grade students had an awesome experience today today at Ishi!
In 2 separate groups, three "CPR With Heart" trainers led our 8th graders through First Aid & CPR training. Students earned their certification at the conclusion of each 3 hour training! Ask your student to see his/her official CPR/First aid card!! 😀
The students were awesome participants! They asked great questions and practiced all skills with focus and diligence.
We are very proud of their work today!!
Many thanks to the trainers and to OCESD for supporting this important training for our 8th graders!
Way to go, Cougars!! Super proud of you!!

🎶 Great Job, Ishi/Studios Band! 🎶

Our talented Ishi/Studios Band students, under the direction of Ms. Crouson, performed last night for friends and family at The Studio’s, and they delivered an outstanding performance! Their hard work, dedication, and commitment to practicing throughout the year truly shined on stage.

We are incredibly proud of these musicians for their perseverance, focus, and willingness to challenge themselves as they continue developing their musical talents. Performing in front of an audience takes courage, and our students rose to the occasion with professionalism and enthusiasm.

We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our amazing families for coming out to support our students. Your encouragement and involvement make a huge difference. We are especially grateful to everyone who stayed to help with cleanup and make the evening run smoothly. Your support helps make events like this possible for our students.

We are so proud of our band and director and grateful to be part of such a supportive school community!

Here are some pictures from our fun-filled night! 📸🎶