| Oakland, CA — As students and staff are now fully back in the swing of teaching and learning in this second week of school, there are several important events scheduled in OUSD. One is aimed at improving student safety, another is about celebrating Oakland’s rich activist history with the naming of a school for former Black Panther, Ericka Huggins, and yet another is celebrating the life of Maya Angelou with a visit by her son to a high school. On Wednesday morning, August 21, the Oakland Police Department will be doing a Back to School Traffic Safety campaign. Officers will set up outside 18 District-run schools and two charter schools before school begins (and in five locations, before it ends) to welcome students and families to their campuses, to inform drivers of the need to drive safely, and to enforce traffic laws. OPD says their primary goals are enforcement, being highly visible to the community and positive interactions with students and families. The following schools are where the enforcement actions will take place. Where two schools are listed, they are co-located. ● Laurel Elementary in the area of Brown and Kansas (AM) ● Garfield Elementary in the area of 22nd Ave and Foothill (AM and PM) ● REACH and COX in the area of Bancroft and 98th (AM) ● Global Family and Learning Without Limits in the area of 40th Ave and Mera (AM and PM) ● Bella Vista Elementary 1025 East 28th (AM and PM) ● Esperanza and Korematsu Discovery Academy in the area of 103rd and E St. (AM) ● Greenleaf Elementary 6328 East 17th (AM) ● Encompass Academy and Acorn Woodland 1025 81st Ave (AM and PM) ● Manzanita SEED and Manzanita Community 2409 E 27th St. (AM and PM) ● Fruitvale Elementary 3200 Boston (AM) ● Hoover Elementary 890 Brockhurst (AM) ● Cleveland Elementary 745 Cleveland (AM) ● Joaquin Miller Elementary 5525 Ascot Dr. (AM) ● Allendale Elementary 3670 Penniman Ave (AM) ● Chabot Elementary 6686 Chabot Rd. (AM) |
| Professor Ericka Huggins.On Thursday morning, August 22, the newly opened MetWest High 9th grade school co-located on the Westlake Middle School campus will be dedicated as the “MetWest High School Ericka Huggins Campus.” The school is being named after the former leading member of the Black Panther Party. For nine years in the 1970s and 80s, Huggins was the director of the Oakland Community School, which was founded by the Black Panthers. More recently, she was a professor of gender and women’s studies at San Francisco State University and Cal State East Bay and she taught sociology at Laney College. Ms. Huggins will appear at MetWest for the ceremony, and students will learn more about the history of Oakland and the efforts of the Black Panther Party. |
| Guy Johnson and his mother, Maya Angelou.Also on Thursday morning, Guy Johnson, the son of activist and poet, Maya Angelou, will visit Ralph Bunche Academy to start planning an essay contest for the students that will draw inspiration from the work and words of Ms. Angelou. It will be a warm visit at the school, with students in the culinary academy preparing lunch for the gathering. Media is welcome at all events. WHAT: Oakland Police Back to School Traffic Enforcement Campaign WHEN: 7:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. (minimum day), Wednesday, August 21 WHERE: See List Above WHAT: MetWest High School Ericka Huggins Campus Dedication WHEN: 10:00 a.m., Thursday, August 22 WHERE: MetWest Ericka Huggins Campus, 2629 Harrison Street WHAT: Guy Johnson, Son of Maya Angelou, Visits Ralph Bunche Academy WHEN: 11:30 a.m., Thursday, August 22 WHERE: Ralph Bunche Academy, 1240 18th Street |
| ###About the Oakland Unified School DistrictIn California’s most diverse city, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is dedicated to creating a learning environment where “Every Student Thrives!” More than half of our students speak a non-English language at home. And each of our 86 schools is staffed with talented individuals uniting around a common set of values: Students First, Equity, Excellence, Integrity, Cultural Responsiveness and Joy. We are committed to preparing all students for college, career and community success. To learn more about OUSD’s Full Service Community District focused on academic achievement while serving the whole child in safe schools, please visit OUSD.org and follow us @OUSDnews. |
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