Looking back on everything Oakland this week, the teacher of the year, keeping cuts away from students, parent and student narratives, OUSD’s lead problem, the effects of traumatized students on teachers, bullying of Muslim students is up, racial disparities in discipline persist, meeting recaps, funding for educators, ways you can help and much more please take a look and share
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Contents-Oakland
Triumph for West Oakland Elementary Kids
Oakland’s Graduate Capstone Project: It’s About Equity
Reflections of a Muslim Girl Growing in Oakland Unified
VIDEO: In Oakland We Believe in the Greatness of Our Black Male Students
“I Was Failed Once by the School System” Oakland Parent Is Finding Her Voice and Power
Controversy Surrounds Lynch Practicing with High School Team
Oakland Educator Fights for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students –
Oakland Entrepreneur Pays Forward Mentoring She Received On Her Way Up
OUSD Teacher of Year uses power of communication to reach children with disabilities
Oakland parents, activists call on schools to get the lead out of water
For Oakland youth and Families
Radio and Podcasting Class for Youth from KALW and EOYDC
Free Flu Vaccine Available For All Participating Oakland Elementary Schools
The GIRL Project Shine Workshop
East Bay Children’s Book Project Is in Peril
Meeting recaps
Urban Promise Academy in Oakland – Fall 2016 Tour
ACA Open Enrollment
Best of the Rest
When Students Are Traumatized, Teachers Are Too
Report: bullying of Muslim students on the rise
New Orleans’ School System Has Failed Its Students Post-Katrina
Does Paying Kids to Do Well in School Actually Work?
Response: Using Social-Emotional Learning to Challenge ‘Systems of Oppression’
You Can Be Teacher of the Year and Still Get Fired for Being Gay
Suspension, expulsion rates fall sharply in California, but racial and ethnic disparities remain
Educator Opportunities
Teachers: Free Field Trips to the Exploratorium this Fall.
9/19 – 11/30 Apply for Paint the Town!
12/9 School Enrollment & Community Resource Fair
12/16 West Oakland School and Resource Fair Public
How you can help
East Bay College Fund’s Mentor Recruitment season is here!
Help an Oakland student and educator whose home was destroyed by fire
Support students with Listening Tools
Bring Coding and Engineering to Life with Lego Robots
Click here to support Literacy for Lazear Students! organized by Kaitlin Friedman
Oakland
Budget and Finance Committee met on 10/30, see the meeting details here
11/1 ACA Open Enrollment– 2018 Affordable Care Act (ACA / Obamacare) starts November 1 and ends December 15. The 45th has cut the ADVERTISING funds to announce when people can enroll. Copy and paste to circulate.
TRIUMPH FOR WEST OAKLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS – Oakland Super Heroes Mural Project Caltrans blockade released after advocacy, resolution, and agreement.
Oakland’s Graduate Capstone Project: It’s About Equity – Young Whan Choi discusses how the use of a districtwide Graduate Capstone Project is an integral part of OUSD’s commitment to graduating all students prepared for college, career, and community.
Reflections of a Muslim Girl Growing in Oakland Unified – By: Meelan Mohsin one of Oakland’s Energyconverters (Meelan was the writer on this story reporting another student’s experience.
VIDEO: In Oakland We Believe in the Greatness of Our Black Male Students – A guest cross post from Bankh Akintunde who is a native of Oakland and the Manhood Development program instructor at West Oakland Middle School.
“I Was Failed Once by the School System” Now This Oakland Parent Is Finding Her Voice and Power – A guest post from Lisa Babbitt and Oakland parent describing her experiences and why she joined The Oakland REACH Do you know how impossible it can feel to play in a game when you don’t know the rules? You get dismissed, pushed out, left feeling defeated.
Controversy Surrounds Lynch Practicing with High School Team – Suspended Oakland Raiders star running back Marshawn Lynch suited up and practiced with football players this week at his alma matter at Oakland Tech High.
Oakland Educator Fights for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students – Oakland educator Chynna Wilson has taught and supported 6th, 7th, & 8th grade Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Oakland Entrepreneur Pays Forward Mentoring She Received On Her Way Up – An East Bay woman who reaped the benefits of having been mentored as a teen has now made it her mission to encourage and inspire girls through her own mentoring.
OUSD Teacher of Year uses power of communication to reach children with disabilities – At Redwood Heights, Taymuree has been running a program for children with learning disabilities.
Oakland parents, activists call on schools to get the lead out of water – Oakland parents and community activists called on school officials Wednesday to adopt a policy that ensures students have access to safe drinking water.
For Youth and Families
Free Flu Vaccine Available For All Participating Oakland Elementary Schools. Shoo the Flu program will return this fall for teachers and students at elementary schools throughout Oakland.
Radio and Podcasting Class for Youth from KALW and EOYDC – Calling all East Oakland Youth 14-18! Tell a story you care about, in your own voice– take the Radio and Podcasting class from KALW and EOYDC.
The GIRL Project Shine Workshop began on 10/11 free for girls ages 11-14 living in the San Antonio district of Oakland. Come on down after school dismissal for art and dance classes. Food and homework support available throughout the session Workshops will be held every Wednesday from 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM through December 13. Doors open at 1:00 PM. EastSide Cultural Center 2277 International Blvd. Oakland, CA 94606 Questions? Please contact Shaunnah Ray
East Bay Children’s Book Project Is in Peril– The beloved nonprofit, which supplies books to low-income kids throughout Oakland, has lost its lease and may have to shut down.
Back to the Roots of the Charter School Movement As a longtime believer in the possibility of charter schools, the so-called “charter movement” has been a disappointment.
California
Report: bullying of Muslim students on the rise – The Council for American-Islamic Relations has reported more Muslim students are being bullied at schools in California.
Response: Using Social-Emotional Learning to Challenge ‘Systems of Oppression’ – Today’s post on the role of race and equity in Social Emotional Learning is “guest-hosted” by Mai Xi Lee, the Director of Social Emotional Learning for the Sacramento Unified School District.
Suspension, expulsion rates fall sharply in California, but racial and ethnic disparities remainNew state data shows 46 percent drop in school suspensions over the last five years. The suspension rate for African American students in 2016-17 was 9.8 percent.
Best of the Rest
When Students Are Traumatized, Teachers Are Too – Trauma in students’ lives takes an emotional and physical toll on teachers as well. Experts weigh in on the best ways to cope.
New Orleans’ School System Has Failed Its Students Post-Katrina – Many of the parents and children who’ve returned after being battered and displaced by the hurricane still feel abandoned by our city.
Does Paying Kids to Do Well in School Actually Work? – With at least a decade of research on incentives in K-12 schools, here’s what’s been learned about using cash and other rewards and how schools deploy these ideas now.
You Can Be Teacher of the Year and Still Get Fired for Being Gay – I feel I’m way too young to say I have a place in history, but it is LGBT History Month and I am staking claim.
Opportunities/Funding for Educators
Teachers: Free Field Trips to the Exploratorium this Fall. Take BART to the Exploratorium and get free admission for your class, plus free round-trip BART tickets. Register at exploratorium.edu/BART or email [email protected]
9/19 – 11/30 Apply for Paint the Town! Apply for Oakland’s new street mural program from September 19th – November 30th. This pilot program allows community members to paint temporary street murals on Oakland’s roads. Make sure to come to an application clinic hosted at an Oakland Public Library, where community members can learn about the program and receive assistance on applications. Attending a clinic is not required to apply but they encourage you to come! The dates and locations of the clinics are available on the website. If you have more questions, email and visit the website for all application materials.
12/9 10 AM – 2 PM-School Enrollment & Community Resource Fair East Oakland Youth development Center 8200 International Blvd, Oakland, California 94621learn all about your public school options. Meet school principals, teachers and families. Learn how to make the best use of School Finder to explore and compare public schools. Get help with your EOC enrollment application and/or apply online on the spot. And learn more about the services provided by local community organizations.
12/16 – West Oakland School and Resource Fair Public · Hosted by Enroll Oakland Charters
Oakland families are invited to learn more about their public school options. There will be:
* School Booths (Elementary, Middle, High schools) – Visit with school principals, teachers and families
* Enrollment Booths – Explore and compare public schools using Oakland’s school finder. Get help with your online application and/or enroll online.
* Resource Booths – Learn more about support services provided by local community organizations.
How you can help
East Bay College Fund’s Mentor Recruitment season is here! The East Bay College Fund, which is currently supporting 800 Oakland scholars in college, is excited to begin recruiting Mentors for the 2018/19 Scholar year! College is definitely challenging, but it can be made easier with the support and advice of someone who has been there before. Every young person needs supportive relationships in order to grow and develop into thriving, productive, and engaged adults. Mentoring is a powerful way to help the next generation succeed! East Bay College Fund’s next Mentor Information Sessions will be on the following dates:Saturday, November 18th from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.Thursday, December 14th from 6 – 8 p.m.For more information about upcoming mentor information sessions please contact Volunteer Manager, Lena Ringstrom, at [email protected]
Help an Oakland student and educator whose home was destroyed by fire. Huber was an Education for Change student, and is now an Education for Change teacher in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland. He and his family represent Oakland at its best, and in the early hours of Friday, September 8th, they awoke to their home on fire. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but you can imagine the pain, stress, frustration, and anger in seeing your family home on fire. We are asking that you donate whatever you can to help Huber and his family respond to this loss quickly so that he can resume the job he loves and support his family. Help spread the word!
Support students with Listening Tools – A strong listening center is much needed in all elementary school classrooms. The stacks of CD’s and cassettes on a day to day for engagement, enrichment in both love for learning and academic standards. My students need a protected space with a CD player and timers to listen, learn and be heard. Be the first to donate | $484 still needed, Ms. Semana Aspire College Academy, Oakland CA
Bring Coding and Engineering to Life with Lego Robots at Oakland Sol. This is the second phase of our great robot adventure, where students experiment with engineering concepts and coding practice, as well as learning about the design phases of a technical project. My students need these EV3 Mindstorms kits to take their skills to the next level! 2 donors | $466 still needed… Give to Mr. Davis
Click here to support Literacy for Lazear Students! organized by Kaitlin Friedman
Lazear is raising money to buy books for students! Our 3rd-8th graders are implementing a new literature curriculum where students learn to read and annotate in their books.