OCA Calendar | 3/17/2026 7:05:00 PM

Mt. Pleasant, SC –  I hope you all get to enjoy some corn beef and cabbage today and remembered to wear your green.

It is so crazy to me that we just started our fourth quarter of the 2025-26 school year. Just like every great team, we must finish strong in the fourth quarter!
 
Last week, on Thursday we had representative from our authorizer, the South Carolina Public Charter School District, come to visit our school. They were very impressed with OCA and it was a great meeting as we continue planning for the move from Limestone to the SCPCSD.
 
Next week we will have our Prom, which is always a special night for our students and a lot of fun for everyone involved. The main goal is to make sure our students are safe on such a special night. Even though our prom is not at our school building, our Code of Conduct will still be in play. Please talk to your kids to stress how important it is for them to all behave and be safe.

Also our new Principal, Kelly Linkenhoker, will be in attendance at the prom. Let's go out of our way to show her how awesome our school is.

As a reminder, Oceanside's Prom will be held on Saturday, March 21, from 8 - 10 p.m. at The Grand at 81 Mary in Downtown Charleston. Juniors and Seniors are invited to enjoy an elegant evening of music, dancing, and celebration as we bring this year's theme, Once Upon a Time, to life. Tickets are $65 per person and must be purchased online. Detailed ticket information and individual access codes have been sent to students and parents via email.

AirSharks Take Flight

Oceanside's AirSharks are taking flight this spring. We have four students who are enrolled in the AirSharks program, and they are having tremendous success. What a great opportunity for our students to take flying lessons. The students are involved aee really enjoying this new program. The pictures are of Jake Feinzig making his first solo fight last Saturday.
 
We will have another opportunity this fall and again next spring for students interested in aviation to participate in this program. We will be setting up parent and student interest meetings soon, so please keep an eye out for more information.
 

As the weather is getting warmer, we have to make sure we are in compliance with out school dress code and are dressed appropriately in a school setting. The main reason for the dress code is not to have distractions in the learning environment. When a student is out of dress code we ask them to change and, if they do not, we will ask the parents to come and bring clothing, or we will send them at home. Please help support us on this.

DRESS CODE

The purpose of the OCA dress code is to foster a professional, safe and respectful environment at school. The dress code is in effect from the time students arrive to school until they leave. Note that students must be in dress code before school begins if they enter the building before the official start of school. The dress code applies to field trips, site visits, academic internships, athletic practices, and other school-related activities, unless the supervising adult informs the students otherwise.

• No open back shirts, crop tops or shirts which have holes in the back.
• No stomach or midriff exposed
• Shirts must be of an acceptable length (past waistline)
• No pajamas or pajama pants
• No headgear (to include hoods of shirts) - Hoodies can be on shirt but not on head
• No sunglasses inside the building
• Skirts, dresses and shorts should be of an acceptable length
• No jeans or pants with holes in places higher than six inches above the knee
• Pants must be high enough to not show undergarments
• No strapless shirts. Spaghetti straps must be at least two inches in width. 

PROHIBITED CLOTHING:

• Any clothing with text or symbols (images) that promote violence, alcohol, tobacco or drugs
• Bed or house slippers.
• Hats, hoods and bandannas with the exception of head coverings worn for religious reasons.

Consequences for Dress Code Violations - Students will receive a verbal warning on their first violation. Further violations of OCA's dress code will result in the following school consequences:
2nd offense: Detention in open session
3rd offense: Parent meeting & Suspension (OSS) - 2 days
4th offense: Suspension (OSS) - 5 days
5th offense: Referral to Board for expulsion

Any classes missed due to dress code violations will result in an unexcused absence. Students with subsequent dress code violations will be referred for Saturday School; and possible expulsion.

OCA state survey

Please keep an eye on your emails and take the survey that was sent by the South Carolina Department of Education. It should look like the example I have below. If you have any questions please feel free to contact. The more who take the survey the better State and School leadership take this survey very seriously. Thank you!

Academic Review Board

To better prepare our students for the academic challenges they face now and in the future, Oceanside has created an Academic Review Board (ARB). Our mission is to prevent further instances of academic dishonesty and empower students to learn from their mistakes and find ethical solutions to their academic challenges. We will provide fairness to all students through accountability.
 
The significance of academic honesty extends beyond the OCA classroom and class rankings to scholarships and success in their post-secondary life. As technology progresses, it behooves us to understand its repercussions on learning.This initiative is designed to uphold fairness and provide additional support for all students as they pursue their academic goals.
  We believe that education is not defined by grades but by developing critical thinking, resilience, and a lifelong love for learning.

Stay Healthy

It is the flu and sick season. As a friendly reminder, please encourage your kids to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer as often as possible. If a student has a fever of 101 or higher, or is vomiting, please keep them home so we don't spread illness to other students and faculty members.
 
Please email attendance@landsharks.org if you are going to miss school. As a reminder, missing school for three consecutive days will require medical documentation, such as a doctor's note.

OCA College Program for 2026-27

Remember our slogan: It's Not College Prep… It's College!

For the 2026-27 school year and beyond, Oceanside's College Program will focus specifically on a pathway towards achieving a University Transfer Associate of Arts degree – tuition free. *

OCA is not a college-prep school, it is a Collegiate Academy that offers college classes to replace high school graduation requirements. If you come to OCA, you should expect to participate in rigorous high school classes that prepare you to become a full-time college student as early as your sophomore year of high school.

As an Oceanside student, you are expected to participate in every college course offered on our pupil progression pathway to earn the University Transfer Associate of Arts degree. In short, if you qualify for our college classes, you should expect to be placed in them and will be expected to work toward earning your Associate degree.

Students who fail to be successful in their college classes will only be offered virtual, non-honors courses to meet the minimum requirements for graduation.

Students will not be allowed to "opt out" because they don't want to take a class; if they qualify, they will be expected to continue with the next class in their sequence towards the completion of their degree, no exceptions.

Qualifications for OCA's College Program

• Enrolled as an OCA student
• Earn a 3.0 or better GPA
• 90%+ average in English I and II
• 85%+ average in Geometry, Algebra I and Algebra II

*Notable Options within OCA's College Program

Students who wish to opt for a University Transfer Associate of Science degree may opt to replace certain OCA-offered courses with courses offered by Trident Technical College, with prior school approval. However, these college courses are not covered by OCA's free tuition program and students will be charged for tuition, textbooks and course fees.

Upcoming OCA Events

Dual Enrollment

March 10 and March 13 are Application Days with TTC. These sessions are only for students new to dual enrollment who completed the Accuplacer in February.  Not students currently enrolled in dual credit classes.You will receive an invitation to your mandatory application session which will have your room number and meeting time for either March 11 or March 13.  The session should take about 1-2 hours.
 
You must come prepared with the following:

• A fully charged computer capable of accessing the TTC application
• Social Security Number
• Parent/Guardian's birthdate and contact information
• Parent/Guardian's date of establishing South Carolina residency
• Dual Enrollment Permission Form (these will be emailed out along with your invitation)
• Letter of Exceptional Ability (Freshman only- you will get these letters prior to your session)

Please reach out to kbeckham@landsharks.org if you have a conflict.

Senior Cap/Gown distribution is scheduled with Jostens for April 27 in the cafe from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. If you are a senior, or are the parent of a senior, please make sure to get your orders done ASAP. Visit lowcountrygrad.com to place those orders.

Team Oceanside

To support our teachers and staff at OCA, please donate to Team Oceanside or feel free to contact me. This helps us pay for special treats, like coffee, and special faculty meals. We want to make sure our teachers feel the support and love from our OCA families. Click HERE to donate.
Oceanside Collegiate Academy: Oceanside Collegiate Academy (OCA), located in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., serves high school students in a safe, small and family-centered setting. Our students seek the opportunity and challenge of rigorous curriculum, high academic standards and elite athletics while earning up to two years of college credit. OCA serves students in grades 9-12 using an honors curriculum in 9th and 10 grades with a dual enrollment curriculum in 11th and 12th grades Learn more about OCA by visiting our website at OceansideCollegiate.Academy and by following us on social media on Facebook, Instagram and X. For video content, visit our YouTube channel.