Dennis Hitch is the Principal of Alternative Education for Oakdale Joint Unified School District (OJUSD).  East Stanislaus (Continuation) High School, Valley Oak (Independent Study) High School, and Oakdale (Home-study) Charter School, comprise the alternative education schools in OJUSD. Many students enter one of these schools via the District Alternative Placement Committee or DAP-C process.  The DAP-C process assists students, parents, and staff in identifying alternative education options within the district, selecting an appropriate time to transfer, and in guiding students and parents into the most appropriate educational setting.

• East Stanislaus High School (ESHS) is a traditional California continuation school that creates an environment where students of varied academic backgrounds and ethnicities can convene to achieve their academic goals. We work closely with Oakdale High School (OHS) and community businesses and agencies to provide the best academic opportunities for the students.  ESHS is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

• Oakdale Charter High School is a parent choice, non-classroom based school where the community is the classroom. Our program is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Students are educated through individually selected curricula that may include, but are not limited to, home-based instruction, cooperative school programs and classes, job shadowing/mentoring, community-based programs, workshops, distance learning via current technology, and supplemental learning projects. Parents who enroll their students at Oakdale Charter accept the responsibility for their student’s educational endeavors through enrollment and curriculum contracts. We support each student and parent with appropriate resources and personnel to meet the family’s educational goals. Our mission is to foster the innate curiosity of our students, empower their parents, and promote an optimum learning environment.

• Students matriculate to Valley Oak Junior and Senior High School through a referral process from the comprehensive junior high school or high school, transfer from the continuation high school, or from out-of-district placements upon moving into district boundaries. Students and their parents/guardians must voluntarily choose the independent study methodology that is employed at this school. Reasons that students attend include medical hardships, family hardships, safety considerations, court order, or other conditions that render placement at either the comprehensive or continuation high schools inappropriate.