This Oakland Unified School District release was intended for the press, but given that the idea of media has changed, this “happenings” release is something the public should see. That said, the release time was just before 12 noon PST as per the OUSD request.
Oakland, CA (press release) – On Wednesday, January 23, there will be all kinds of activities happening across Oakland Unified School District. It starts first thing in the morning with a visit to Oakland High School’s Career and Technical Education department by a dozen business and political leaders from across the nation, including a Special Assistant to Mayor Ethan Berkowitz of Anchorage, Alaska and the House Minority Leader of the Alabama State Legislature, Anthony Daniels.
Later in the morning is an event that is EMBARGOED (secret) until noon. Because of the recent National Championship College Football Game in Santa Clara, the College Football Playoff Foundation (CFPF) and Landed, a San Francisco-based company that makes homeownership more accessible to educators through down payment assistance and other services, are awarding a $25,000 grant to a teacher at Dewey Academy. The grant will help the teacher put a down payment on a house in the Bay Area’s tight housing market. The check presentation will come to the teacher as a lunchtime surprise, although he applied for the grant through the CFPF. Once again, this event is EMBARGOED until noon.
In a related matter, the College Football Playoff Foundation also recently announced a $50,000 grant through the company, School Specialty to do a full makeover of Manzanita SEED’s and Manzanita Community School’s library. The overhaul of the library will happen in the coming months and will arrive as a surprise to students. Todd Davis, the school’s library tech, applied for the grant. The library will be transformed into a vibrant STEM Media Center to better assist students in excelling in science, technology, engineering and math.
In the afternoon, members of the All City Council Student Union, the District’s Student Leadership representing high schools across Oakland will host their first press conference in 10 years, addressing the major issues currently facing the District and discussing their partnership with OUSD School Board Directors and Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell. They will focus on how young people and adults in Oakland schools can work together to address the impending budget cuts and potential school closures that students say will affect their graduations and lives after high school including in college and career.
The All City Council press conference will precede the open session of the evening’s Board of Education meeting at which potential budget cuts and the proposed closure of Roots International Academy will be major topics of discussion.
On Thursday, January 24, Oakland Unified School District, the City of Oakland and McClymonds High School will be celebrating the McClymonds Warriors Football Team for their remarkable accomplishment of winning their third State Championship in a row. The Warriors did what no other public school had ever done, winning their third straight championship in December. The team will be honored with a rally inside the Council Chambers at City Hall, and then the entire school will get to celebrate with a big dinner and dance party.
WHAT: Career & Technical Education Visit by Business & Political Leaders from Across Nation
WHEN: Beginning 8:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 23
WHERE: Oakland High School, 1023 MacArthur Blvd
WHAT: EMBARGOED Surprise CFPF Awarding of Grant for Teacher’s Housing Down Payment
WHEN: 11:15 a.m., Wednesday, January 23
WHERE: Dewey Academy, 1111 Second Avenue
WHAT: CFPF & School Specialty Makeover of Oakland Elementary Schools’ Library
WHEN: Exact dates and times TBD, Coming Months
WHERE: Manzanita Community and SEED Schools, 2409 East 27th Street
WHAT: All City Council Student Union Press Conference on Budget and School Closures
WHEN: 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 23
WHERE: Dewey Academy Cafeteria, 1111 Second Avenue
WHAT: Board of Education Meeting
WHEN: Closed Session begins at 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 23
WHERE: La Escuelita, 1050 Second Avenue
WHAT: McClymonds Warriors 3X State Championship Rally and Party
WHEN: 4:00 p.m., Thursday, January 24
WHERE: Oakland City Hall & Complex Oakland, 420 14th Street