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Agenda Item
C.-6 19-2227 8:30 PM - Public Hearing by the Board of Education of Oakland School for the Arts - Petition and Proposed Charter - Grades 6-12 - July 1, 2020-June 30, 2025 (Renewal).
Our daughter is currently a 6th grade Instrumental Music student at OSA.
She has finally found a place where surrounded by talented young artists. OSA provides both art and academic programs, which have been a tremendous positive influence on her. Now we see her blossom artistically and academically.
Please let our children continue to thrive at this school as it is. Children need OSA as their nest.
OSA is a one of kind school, representing the city of Oakland.
My son is an 8th grader at Oakland School for the Arts. Before he entered the school, as a 6th grader, I struggled to find a way and a place for him to learn the visual arts - his passion- and he lacked a community of young artists. He spent his time alone, trying to learn to draw from Youtube videos. He was often ostracized by other boys for wanting to stay in the library at recess to draw. At OSA, he has found a community of young artists, he has flourished under the mentorship of the dedicated arts teachers, and I am very happy with the amount of support he gets in his academics. There is no other school like OSA that he, or many of the children enrolled there, could attend. I implore the board to renew OSA's charter for the sake of all the students, current and future, who this school serves.
Mi hija es alumna de sexto grado y su arte es Vocal-Music. OSA es una escuela llena de energia, arte, y maestros que realmente se enfocan en bienestar completo de sus alumnos. Esta escuela es lo mas increible que ha pasado a nuestra familia. Apoyo completamente su renovación, y espero tener el orgullo de continuar viendo como mi hija crece y se gradua de esta gran escuela.
Oakland School for the Arts enables children to elect to engage richly and deeply with the arts education in a public education setting.This is a powerfully equitable force and enriches the community. Keeping OSA open says to the world that Oakland believes deep arts education should be accessible to everyone, not just those privileged enough to be able to pay for it.
We're incredibly fortunate to have a school whose focus is to nurture and encourage the arts to our young people. The arts challenge us with different points of view, compel us to empathize with “others,” and allow us to reflect on the human condition.
Our current educational system offers many different models, and we need to ensure that arts education is not only cherished and preserved but further developed.
When our young artists become their best selves, we all benefit. Their creative lenses, solutions, beauty, and impact on the world are unmistakable.OSA is a space that offers the arts as a core component and not a nice-to-have. It’s where kids feel understood without having to say a word. It’s an environment that gives students a sense of self. It’s not just what they do; it’s who they are.
Allowing OSA to water down or lessen its focus on the arts would be a tragic decision, not only for the students the school serves but also to the community at large.
Can't say enough good things about OSA. Our tenth grader is extremely happy there and we love being involved in whatever way we can. The school is a gift to the community and is creating hundreds of compassionate, creative minds who are badly needed in today's world. OSA should not only continue at full power but it should be supported, expanded and considered a treasure of the Oakland school system.
Supporting the arts and those who are brave enough to pursue their passions should held in the highest regard and protected at all costs.
Mark Serr OSA parent
On education :
“I believe arts education in music, theater, dance, and the visual arts is one of the most creative ways we have to find the gold that is buried just beneath the surface. They (children) have an enthusiasm for life a spark of creativity, and vivid imaginations that need training – training that prepares them to become confident young men and women.”
– Richard W. Riley, Former US Secretary of Education
My name is Tracey Ortega, and I currently have a daughter in the 11th grade, dance program, at Oakland School for the Arts (OSA). She has attended OSA since the 6th grade.
OSA is a special school in the Bay, which enriches the lives of young artists. Both academic teachers and art teachers are dedicated, providing the technical training and resources required to equip our children for their future endeavors.
I can’t imagine what our community would do without OSA. I hope that our renewal will be approved.
I’m writing in full support of OSA renewal, I have a daughter in 10th in the Jazz department. She started in 8th and has been an extremely positive experience, she’s not only doing excellent in her academics but has really advanced in music! We are so grateful for this school and all the positive things it offerers to students like my daughter who really have a passion the arts! This a special school with a very supportive, hard working and caring staff behind it, with the support of so many parents and the community!
I am writing to offer my FULL support for OSA's charter renewal. My son is a new 9th grader at OSA and is in absolute heaven. As a graduate of a performing arts high school myself, I know the great and extensive benefits of a strong and focused arts/academic education. OSA may not be the right school for every student, but for those who are lucky enough to attend this school, they feel inspired, hopeful, and safe in a very complicated world. The arts teachers are passionate and deeply committed to their craft and the academic teachers really and truly dedicated to giving our students a fantastic academic education. The special sauce at OSA, beyond the excellent arts and academics, is the tight-knit and supportive community. We all know how hard these teen years can be and OSA provides a magical and creative educational experience while wrapping their collective arms around our kids and saying "everything is going to be okay, you be you, you are safe and loved." I support OSA!
As a retired teacher in the bay area for nearly 40 years, I observed many many public school settings and curriculum.
Having a child who came into the world as a designer, inspired at a very young age, I wondered where she could receive the support and programming that would best fit her needs. The answer, quite obviously, was OSA.
Thankful beyond words that such an amazingly creative program existed right here in Oakland has been a blessing beyond words.
Our daughter is in her second year there in what is the first and only school, internationally, that allows young Fashion designers to create for both themselves and their community, Bravo to Linda Ricardi, the instructor, as well as to OSA/OUSD for enabling this truly amazing programming to thrive here in the Bay Area.
I urge the school board to renew the charter for OSA, which provides a truly special program unlike anything else available in the city. We chose OSA because of my daughter's interest in art, but what we didn't realize was how vital a creative arts education truly is. Spending two hours in school (plus homework every day) focussed on creating something is a skill that translates to all other aspects of academic and social life. OSA allows my child to exercise the muscle of just trying something and making something new every day, focussing on the process and growth and not just the outcome. This creativity and confidence is an asset to her in developing her academic abilities and leadership qualities. Being part of a community of students engaged in these creative pursuits is also a tremendous benefit. OSA represents the best of what a charter school can be, and should be allowed to continue as a vital school in our community.
Since enrolling at OSA our child has thrived and grown tremendously. This Arts Charter serves an incredibly important purpose in our community and should 100% continue.
I strongly support the renewal of OSA as an OUSD charter school. My 6th grader has finally found a place where he is supported artistically and challenged academically. He is so happy and thriving with A’s in all of his classes. He tells me how happy he is and that gives me so much joy. Please let our children continue to thrive at this school as it is. I believe we are a staple in the Oakland community and we make a difference in our city.
Sending my children to this school has been the best decision we have ever made. The administration, faculty, and staff truly show a love for the students and their academics. They live their mission of educating the whole child and teach the children about respect and social justice for others. Not renewing their charter would cause hundreds of children to be without the very thing that saved my son and has helped him deal with anxiety and that is his art. This school allows students to grow in their art and go on to be amazing and well educated young people.
I strongly support the charter renewal of OSA, and I wish that its unique emphasis on excellence in the arts, available to all, take highest priority in consideration of the charter. Sadly, arts emphasis in public education is not strong enough and OSA has been a shining example of what can be accomplished. This is my daughter's 4th year in attending, and I want to say that school has been a tremendous positive influence on her. I have been involved in 4 schools in the east bay and by far OSA has strived by far the most to establish a diverse, tolerant and equitable environment. Where it fails in diversity can be attributed not due to its selectivity in admissions but by the insufficient encouragement of youth in the arts at earlier stages in the OUSD. We need more schools in the city with the philosophy of OSA, that can capture not only excellence in the arts but also with themes in the humanities, STEM, etc.
We support Oakland School for the Arts! Since beginning this year, our daughter has THRIVED at school. She is fully engaged in all her courses, is inspired and energized by her core art classes (theater emphasis), and is EXCITED to go to school every day. This speaks an immeasurable amount to the quality of educational and emotional support OSA provides. The community of parents, teachers, families, and students is vibrant, loving, welcoming, and progressive. Please help the city of Oakland, and it’s neighboring communities, to continue to benefit from this unique and innovative school - keep OSA open and keep OSA!
I support the renewal of OSA's charter. OSA gives many kids the opportunity to pursue an art at an art school. The arts are fantastic and the kids are immersed in their art in a full way. The program is rich and the performances are incredible. Plus, the school enables the students to get an exceptional education in addition to the arts. Our daughter has had a great experience at OSA and it would be great for others to have that opportunity as well. OSA is Oaklandish -- it is a great resource for kids in the arts to get an amazing education in a vibrant urban setting.
OSA has given many students amazing opportunities and the ability to thrive at school. My child has greatly benefited from the combination of both arts and academics provided by OSA. All of the students at OSA are exposed to worlds of possibilities by being there, possibilities and opportunities that they may not have even known existed, and possibilities that, if they knew of, they may not have known could be available to them personally. Please renew the charter, thank you!
I strongly support OSA's charter renewal.
Our daughter is currently a 6th grade Instrumental Music student at OSA.
She has finally found a place where surrounded by talented young artists. OSA provides both art and academic programs, which have been a tremendous positive influence on her. Now we see her blossom artistically and academically.
Please let our children continue to thrive at this school as it is. Children need OSA as their nest.
OSA is a one of kind school, representing the city of Oakland.
My son is an 8th grader at Oakland School for the Arts. Before he entered the school, as a 6th grader, I struggled to find a way and a place for him to learn the visual arts - his passion- and he lacked a community of young artists. He spent his time alone, trying to learn to draw from Youtube videos. He was often ostracized by other boys for wanting to stay in the library at recess to draw. At OSA, he has found a community of young artists, he has flourished under the mentorship of the dedicated arts teachers, and I am very happy with the amount of support he gets in his academics. There is no other school like OSA that he, or many of the children enrolled there, could attend. I implore the board to renew OSA's charter for the sake of all the students, current and future, who this school serves.
Mi hija es alumna de sexto grado y su arte es Vocal-Music. OSA es una escuela llena de energia, arte, y maestros que realmente se enfocan en bienestar completo de sus alumnos. Esta escuela es lo mas increible que ha pasado a nuestra familia. Apoyo completamente su renovación, y espero tener el orgullo de continuar viendo como mi hija crece y se gradua de esta gran escuela.
Oakland School for the Arts enables children to elect to engage richly and deeply with the arts education in a public education setting.This is a powerfully equitable force and enriches the community. Keeping OSA open says to the world that Oakland believes deep arts education should be accessible to everyone, not just those privileged enough to be able to pay for it.
We're incredibly fortunate to have a school whose focus is to nurture and encourage the arts to our young people. The arts challenge us with different points of view, compel us to empathize with “others,” and allow us to reflect on the human condition.
Our current educational system offers many different models, and we need to ensure that arts education is not only cherished and preserved but further developed.
When our young artists become their best selves, we all benefit. Their creative lenses, solutions, beauty, and impact on the world are unmistakable.OSA is a space that offers the arts as a core component and not a nice-to-have. It’s where kids feel understood without having to say a word. It’s an environment that gives students a sense of self. It’s not just what they do; it’s who they are.
Allowing OSA to water down or lessen its focus on the arts would be a tragic decision, not only for the students the school serves but also to the community at large.
Can't say enough good things about OSA. Our tenth grader is extremely happy there and we love being involved in whatever way we can. The school is a gift to the community and is creating hundreds of compassionate, creative minds who are badly needed in today's world. OSA should not only continue at full power but it should be supported, expanded and considered a treasure of the Oakland school system.
Supporting the arts and those who are brave enough to pursue their passions should held in the highest regard and protected at all costs.
Mark Serr OSA parent
On education :
“I believe arts education in music, theater, dance, and the visual arts is one of the most creative ways we have to find the gold that is buried just beneath the surface. They (children) have an enthusiasm for life a spark of creativity, and vivid imaginations that need training – training that prepares them to become confident young men and women.”
– Richard W. Riley, Former US Secretary of Education
My son is in 8th grade and loves OSA.
My name is Tracey Ortega, and I currently have a daughter in the 11th grade, dance program, at Oakland School for the Arts (OSA). She has attended OSA since the 6th grade.
OSA is a special school in the Bay, which enriches the lives of young artists. Both academic teachers and art teachers are dedicated, providing the technical training and resources required to equip our children for their future endeavors.
I can’t imagine what our community would do without OSA. I hope that our renewal will be approved.
I’m writing in full support of OSA renewal, I have a daughter in 10th in the Jazz department. She started in 8th and has been an extremely positive experience, she’s not only doing excellent in her academics but has really advanced in music! We are so grateful for this school and all the positive things it offerers to students like my daughter who really have a passion the arts! This a special school with a very supportive, hard working and caring staff behind it, with the support of so many parents and the community!
I am writing to offer my FULL support for OSA's charter renewal. My son is a new 9th grader at OSA and is in absolute heaven. As a graduate of a performing arts high school myself, I know the great and extensive benefits of a strong and focused arts/academic education. OSA may not be the right school for every student, but for those who are lucky enough to attend this school, they feel inspired, hopeful, and safe in a very complicated world. The arts teachers are passionate and deeply committed to their craft and the academic teachers really and truly dedicated to giving our students a fantastic academic education. The special sauce at OSA, beyond the excellent arts and academics, is the tight-knit and supportive community. We all know how hard these teen years can be and OSA provides a magical and creative educational experience while wrapping their collective arms around our kids and saying "everything is going to be okay, you be you, you are safe and loved." I support OSA!
As a retired teacher in the bay area for nearly 40 years, I observed many many public school settings and curriculum.
Having a child who came into the world as a designer, inspired at a very young age, I wondered where she could receive the support and programming that would best fit her needs. The answer, quite obviously, was OSA.
Thankful beyond words that such an amazingly creative program existed right here in Oakland has been a blessing beyond words.
Our daughter is in her second year there in what is the first and only school, internationally, that allows young Fashion designers to create for both themselves and their community, Bravo to Linda Ricardi, the instructor, as well as to OSA/OUSD for enabling this truly amazing programming to thrive here in the Bay Area.
I urge the school board to renew the charter for OSA, which provides a truly special program unlike anything else available in the city. We chose OSA because of my daughter's interest in art, but what we didn't realize was how vital a creative arts education truly is. Spending two hours in school (plus homework every day) focussed on creating something is a skill that translates to all other aspects of academic and social life. OSA allows my child to exercise the muscle of just trying something and making something new every day, focussing on the process and growth and not just the outcome. This creativity and confidence is an asset to her in developing her academic abilities and leadership qualities. Being part of a community of students engaged in these creative pursuits is also a tremendous benefit. OSA represents the best of what a charter school can be, and should be allowed to continue as a vital school in our community.
Since enrolling at OSA our child has thrived and grown tremendously. This Arts Charter serves an incredibly important purpose in our community and should 100% continue.
I strongly support the renewal of OSA as an OUSD charter school. My 6th grader has finally found a place where he is supported artistically and challenged academically. He is so happy and thriving with A’s in all of his classes. He tells me how happy he is and that gives me so much joy. Please let our children continue to thrive at this school as it is. I believe we are a staple in the Oakland community and we make a difference in our city.
Sending my children to this school has been the best decision we have ever made. The administration, faculty, and staff truly show a love for the students and their academics. They live their mission of educating the whole child and teach the children about respect and social justice for others. Not renewing their charter would cause hundreds of children to be without the very thing that saved my son and has helped him deal with anxiety and that is his art. This school allows students to grow in their art and go on to be amazing and well educated young people.
I strongly support the charter renewal of OSA, and I wish that its unique emphasis on excellence in the arts, available to all, take highest priority in consideration of the charter. Sadly, arts emphasis in public education is not strong enough and OSA has been a shining example of what can be accomplished. This is my daughter's 4th year in attending, and I want to say that school has been a tremendous positive influence on her. I have been involved in 4 schools in the east bay and by far OSA has strived by far the most to establish a diverse, tolerant and equitable environment. Where it fails in diversity can be attributed not due to its selectivity in admissions but by the insufficient encouragement of youth in the arts at earlier stages in the OUSD. We need more schools in the city with the philosophy of OSA, that can capture not only excellence in the arts but also with themes in the humanities, STEM, etc.
We support Oakland School for the Arts! Since beginning this year, our daughter has THRIVED at school. She is fully engaged in all her courses, is inspired and energized by her core art classes (theater emphasis), and is EXCITED to go to school every day. This speaks an immeasurable amount to the quality of educational and emotional support OSA provides. The community of parents, teachers, families, and students is vibrant, loving, welcoming, and progressive. Please help the city of Oakland, and it’s neighboring communities, to continue to benefit from this unique and innovative school - keep OSA open and keep OSA!
I support the renewal of OSA's charter. OSA gives many kids the opportunity to pursue an art at an art school. The arts are fantastic and the kids are immersed in their art in a full way. The program is rich and the performances are incredible. Plus, the school enables the students to get an exceptional education in addition to the arts. Our daughter has had a great experience at OSA and it would be great for others to have that opportunity as well. OSA is Oaklandish -- it is a great resource for kids in the arts to get an amazing education in a vibrant urban setting.
OSA has given many students amazing opportunities and the ability to thrive at school. My child has greatly benefited from the combination of both arts and academics provided by OSA. All of the students at OSA are exposed to worlds of possibilities by being there, possibilities and opportunities that they may not have even known existed, and possibilities that, if they knew of, they may not have known could be available to them personally. Please renew the charter, thank you!