E.-2 20-1090 A discussion by the Facilities Committee, with General Counsel and Acting Deputy Chief, Facilities Planning and Management, and possible adoption of a recommendation to the Board of Education that it (Board) ask voters of the District to approve a new General Obligation Bond for school facilities at the November 3, 2020 General Election.
Hello, my name is Sampson. I’m a alumni from both Roosevelt and Garfield, also currently a academic mentor at Roosevelt.Both school made such a huge impact on me growing up. I’m writing this to fully support this measure. Both school deserve the best renovation for student to feel more comfortable and welcome!
Hi, My name is Taliyah Campbell, a current employee at EBAYC and I work at Rosevelt Middle School. I am writing in support of this measure because I would like to see both Garfield and Roosevelt included in facilities upgrades and renovations. Being in classroom and helping with students or being on campus in general, I do believe that students and staff need a better work/school environment to focus on supporting eachother.
History of corrupt use of Measure J because Board didn't limit itself to projects approved by 2012 voters. Now there is a category called previous approved projects. Approved by voters? approved by voters and Board mixed? Where in writing will be definition of previous projects?
My name is James Narvaez, a current parent of 2 OUSD students and a Dean of Students at Roosevelt Middle School. I am writing in support of this bond measure and ask that both Garfield Elementary and Roosevelt Middle are included and prioritized for facilities upgrades and renovations.
Our community has been one of the hardest hit by COVID-19 in the county and I urge this board to consider the historical impact of not investing in our neighborhood and the impact on our community. I ask that both Roosevelt Middle and Garfield Elementary be prioritized for significant building repairs and upgrades with the November 2020 facilities bond.
Both schools have a high population of underserved students, and have facilities in desperate need of safety updates. It is so difficult to focus on supporting our students' learning when staff have to worry about the physical conditions and its impact on their health and the health of the students.
I am a 3rd generation West Oakland resident whose family has attended Oakland Public Schools including McClymonds HIgh and Hoover elementary. At this time when the WORLD is focusing on addressing systemic racism against Black Americans it would be a bad look not to address the deplorable physical plant at Mack. Renovating and improving the historic McClymond's High School, and the other schools in West Oakland's historic Black neighborhoods, should be at the top of the list of bond fund uses.
As a parent of a Sophomore at Skyline High School, I implore the Board to take the following facilities action:
1) RESTROOM CRISIS. The restrooms are so deplorable, my daughter refuses to use them throughout the whole day. How can students not be able to use the restroom!
2) AC/ventilation. A majority of the school year, the heat is in the 80's / 90's. We cannot expect our children to learn in those conditions.
3) Science classrooms are woefully inadequate. No equipment, etc.
4) Stadium Bleachers are a danger / risk to all guests. OUSD could be sued.
5) Portables. Non ACA compliant.
We love Skyline, but honestly it is so rundown. Optics matter.
I urge the board to prioritize repairs to Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary School with the November 2020 Facilities Bond. As a science teacher at Roosevelt Middle School, we talk about Earthquakes and building stability each year. Every year, one of the first things the students say is "well if an Earthquake happens while we're here, it's going to be terrible for us because this building is falling apart." Our students, staff, and community are very aware of the conditions that our school is in and the desperate need for repairs. Our students deserve a building that supports their health, wellbeing, and education - not one that is leaking whenever it rains, has a flooded bathroom every few weeks, or is growing visible mold on the walls. Both schools are long overdue for these repairs. Thank you for your consideration and support.
My name is Cynthia Phan, a former student of both Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary. I’ve worked at Roosevelt for the past 10 years through EBAYC partnership with the school. Both school look and feel the same like nothing has changed since graduating from there many years ago. I am writing in support of this bond measure and urged that both schools Garfield Elementary and Roosevelt Middle are included for facilities repairs and upgrades. All students deserve to be treated equally. Thank your for consideration.
I ask the board to prioritize repairs to Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary School. I am a math teacher at Roosevelt Middle School and also an alumni of OUSD. Roosevelt and Garfield are both beautiful historic schools that serve high need populations. Providing bond money to improve facilities would make the schools safer for students and would provide students with school facilities in which they take pride. Roosevelt desperately needs repairs; water damage from a leaky roof has rendered some rooms unusable. The community we serve is amazing; we need our school's condition to reflect that.
I am a teacher at Roosevelt Middle School, and I ask that both Roosevelt Middle and Garfield Elementary be prioritized for significant building repairs and upgrades with the November 2020 facilities bond.
Both schools have a high population of underserved students, and have facilities in desperate need of safety updates.
Roosevelt is in a beautiful 100 year old building that needs major repairs to keep it safe for students and staff. Teachers work hard to show their students how important they are, yet there is mold growing on their walls, puddles filling the halls, and classrooms reaching sweltering heat. It’s hard to convince students that they are cared for and deserve greatness when it isn’t reflected in their school environment. It’s hard to learn when the room feels like an oven. It’s hard to teach in hazardous conditions.
Our students deserve more.
Repairs are long overdue and need to be made to keep our students safe, able to learn, and grow into community leaders.
My name is Julie Mendoza and I am a 7th grade humanities teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. Roosevelt Middle School is nearly 100 years old and has changed very little since being built in 1923. It is excruciatingly hot in the warm seasons and freezing in the winter. There remains a 90 year old science lab island with gas knobs in my humanities classroom. Facilities desperately need to be improved and updated. Please prioritize Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary for the Nov 2020 bond. These changes will have a significant impact on the educational experience of our students. To continue to ignore these crucial needs, would be a great disservice to them.
As an alumni of Garfield Elementary and Roosevelt Middle school, recently, I have walked through the same hallways as I did 20-28 years ago! The difference between walking the halls now compared to then is the sense of feeling unsafe. The structure of both schools have not been reinforced in decades. As a current employee with Roosevelt, I fear that if an earthquake hits the Bay Area, our school is to go down first. Many of our school walls and foundation have cracks bigger then 2mm in width, which calls for immediate attention. As a mother of two daughters in Oakland public schools, I believe that my children can succeed in any OUSD school. However, given the unsafe conditions of Roosevelt and Garfield and the fact that these two schools are my neighborhood schools, I might just have to look elsewhere. I urge you to put Garfield and Roosevelt on the Bond Measure Project List so that my children can stay in OUSD.
-Marisela (EBAYC Managing Director @ Roosevelt Middle School)
As a District 2 Oakland resident and voter, I am writing today to express my support for this bond measure to fund desperately needed repairs and updates to OUSD school buildings. I also urge the board to prioritize modernization for both Roosevelt and Garfield. As a teacher at Roosevelt, I can attest to the structural disrepair of the school building and the significant impact this has on teaching and learning. Each time in rains the roof leaks, causing pools of water to flood our classrooms and hallways. Emergency repairs have just caused the problem to move to another classroom or a different hallway during the next rainfall. This year alone Roosevelt had 3 separate classrooms deemed unsafe and unhealthy due to massive water damage, causing our students and staff to be uprooted. The Roosevelt community is beautiful and extremely resilient, and it is way past time to prioritize these basic and much needed repairs. Thank you for your consideration.
As a parent of three children in OUSD, I would love to see more green space at OUSD schools. Nature is so important for children to experience. Trees provide much needed shade on hot days as well as playing an important role in the carbon cycle. Gardens are also a wonderful place for children to learn about where their food comes from and sustainability.
I urge OUSD to include dedicated funding for living schoolyards on the prioritized project list for the November 3 Facilities Bond. A small investment in living schoolyards will have a huge impact on our children.
I've been a teacher at Roosevelt Middle and I fully support the new general obligation bond for school facilities. I've worked at Roosevelt the past 4 years and have noticed major structural issues where classroom teachers had to move classrooms mid year due to rain/roof water damaging in their room walls as well as creating puddles in the hallways during passing period making the school an unsafe space for our students and teachers. This past year a teacher had to move classrooms due to sever mold and fungus growing in the classroom where we could visibly see giant mushrooms growing from the walls. These issues create a hazardous conditions for the Roosevelt community and if neglected any longer can cause serious health issues.
I strongly urge the committee to allocate funding to Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield elementary. These two schools are deeply in need of renovation and repair as confirmed by the district. As a teacher at Roosevelt for seven years, I have seen significant needs in our building. I have had puddles of rain in my classroom every single year, a shattered window for the past three years, and a room that reaches the high 90s with no AC. I cannot tell our students that our building is safe because it simply isn't. Teaching and learning in a school without necessary retrofitting and safety renovations is a plainly unsuitable learning environment. Students deserve an inviting, safe, healthy place to enjoy their education. Please allocate more funding to Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary.
I am Susannah a ParaEducator as Roosevelt middle school. Our innovative and diverse schools deserve this bond in order to serve our students and community in the best and most efficient way possible.
Hello. My name is Veronica Del Rio and I am the School Secretary at Roosevelt for the last 9 years. Being that I’m born and raised in Oakland I have a very strong connection to Garfield and Roosevelt since I graduated from both. I’m writing with hopes that both schools be considered for renovations. What wonders it would do for our community and students. Since graduating from Roosevelt, it seems like nothing has changed since I was there in 1992. I’m constantly putting in work orders to have things fixed that are very dangerous and hazardous to our student, staff and visitors. I take pride in my work place and my alma mater, and I feel our students would love the new changes and would appreciate a beautiful place to learn.
My name is Adam Kesselman, and living schoolyards are important to me because they provide important access to a natural environment, opportunities for hands on learning, and support physical and mental well-being.
I urge OUSD to include dedicated funding for living schoolyards on the prioritized project list for the November 3 Facilities Bond. A small investment in living schoolyards will have a huge impact on our children. The funding generated by a bond can make significant progress toward turning asphalt covered schoolyards into rich outdoor environments that foster equitable health, play and social opportunities, strengthen local ecological systems, and provide hands on learning resources. This funding can also generate large matching funds from public and private sources for living schoolyards and related education.
Especially during these challenging times of Covid-19 and racial injustice, we must make sure our school grounds support the health and safety of our students.
I'm a parent at Sequoia Elementary School. Living schoolyards are important for so many reasons to me. In addition to the mental health benefit being in nature provides our children and the role gardens play in developing children's natural love for the environment, I see school gardens as a critical link for teaching climate change education and science to our students who are being called upon to solve the climate emergency. School gardens provide necessary green space and relief from the heat of the blacktop, food for the community, a space for hands-on learning and resiliency (during emergencies). In the time of this global pandemic, the school garden may be an important solution to provide social distancing and enable in-person education to continue. Importantly, the students LOVE garden class. Has anyone asked the students what they think about living schoolyards? I'd be curious to hear student rationale for wanting access to living schoolyards.
Hello, my name is Sampson. I’m a alumni from both Roosevelt and Garfield, also currently a academic mentor at Roosevelt.Both school made such a huge impact on me growing up. I’m writing this to fully support this measure. Both school deserve the best renovation for student to feel more comfortable and welcome!
Hi, My name is Taliyah Campbell, a current employee at EBAYC and I work at Rosevelt Middle School. I am writing in support of this measure because I would like to see both Garfield and Roosevelt included in facilities upgrades and renovations. Being in classroom and helping with students or being on campus in general, I do believe that students and staff need a better work/school environment to focus on supporting eachother.
History of corrupt use of Measure J because Board didn't limit itself to projects approved by 2012 voters. Now there is a category called previous approved projects. Approved by voters? approved by voters and Board mixed? Where in writing will be definition of previous projects?
My name is James Narvaez, a current parent of 2 OUSD students and a Dean of Students at Roosevelt Middle School. I am writing in support of this bond measure and ask that both Garfield Elementary and Roosevelt Middle are included and prioritized for facilities upgrades and renovations.
Our community has been one of the hardest hit by COVID-19 in the county and I urge this board to consider the historical impact of not investing in our neighborhood and the impact on our community. I ask that both Roosevelt Middle and Garfield Elementary be prioritized for significant building repairs and upgrades with the November 2020 facilities bond.
Both schools have a high population of underserved students, and have facilities in desperate need of safety updates. It is so difficult to focus on supporting our students' learning when staff have to worry about the physical conditions and its impact on their health and the health of the students.
Our students and staff deserve better.
I am a 3rd generation West Oakland resident whose family has attended Oakland Public Schools including McClymonds HIgh and Hoover elementary. At this time when the WORLD is focusing on addressing systemic racism against Black Americans it would be a bad look not to address the deplorable physical plant at Mack. Renovating and improving the historic McClymond's High School, and the other schools in West Oakland's historic Black neighborhoods, should be at the top of the list of bond fund uses.
As a parent of a Sophomore at Skyline High School, I implore the Board to take the following facilities action:
1) RESTROOM CRISIS. The restrooms are so deplorable, my daughter refuses to use them throughout the whole day. How can students not be able to use the restroom!
2) AC/ventilation. A majority of the school year, the heat is in the 80's / 90's. We cannot expect our children to learn in those conditions.
3) Science classrooms are woefully inadequate. No equipment, etc.
4) Stadium Bleachers are a danger / risk to all guests. OUSD could be sued.
5) Portables. Non ACA compliant.
We love Skyline, but honestly it is so rundown. Optics matter.
I urge the board to prioritize repairs to Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary School with the November 2020 Facilities Bond. As a science teacher at Roosevelt Middle School, we talk about Earthquakes and building stability each year. Every year, one of the first things the students say is "well if an Earthquake happens while we're here, it's going to be terrible for us because this building is falling apart." Our students, staff, and community are very aware of the conditions that our school is in and the desperate need for repairs. Our students deserve a building that supports their health, wellbeing, and education - not one that is leaking whenever it rains, has a flooded bathroom every few weeks, or is growing visible mold on the walls. Both schools are long overdue for these repairs. Thank you for your consideration and support.
My name is Cynthia Phan, a former student of both Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary. I’ve worked at Roosevelt for the past 10 years through EBAYC partnership with the school. Both school look and feel the same like nothing has changed since graduating from there many years ago. I am writing in support of this bond measure and urged that both schools Garfield Elementary and Roosevelt Middle are included for facilities repairs and upgrades. All students deserve to be treated equally. Thank your for consideration.
I ask the board to prioritize repairs to Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary School. I am a math teacher at Roosevelt Middle School and also an alumni of OUSD. Roosevelt and Garfield are both beautiful historic schools that serve high need populations. Providing bond money to improve facilities would make the schools safer for students and would provide students with school facilities in which they take pride. Roosevelt desperately needs repairs; water damage from a leaky roof has rendered some rooms unusable. The community we serve is amazing; we need our school's condition to reflect that.
I am a teacher at Roosevelt Middle School, and I ask that both Roosevelt Middle and Garfield Elementary be prioritized for significant building repairs and upgrades with the November 2020 facilities bond.
Both schools have a high population of underserved students, and have facilities in desperate need of safety updates.
Roosevelt is in a beautiful 100 year old building that needs major repairs to keep it safe for students and staff. Teachers work hard to show their students how important they are, yet there is mold growing on their walls, puddles filling the halls, and classrooms reaching sweltering heat. It’s hard to convince students that they are cared for and deserve greatness when it isn’t reflected in their school environment. It’s hard to learn when the room feels like an oven. It’s hard to teach in hazardous conditions.
Our students deserve more.
Repairs are long overdue and need to be made to keep our students safe, able to learn, and grow into community leaders.
My name is Julie Mendoza and I am a 7th grade humanities teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. Roosevelt Middle School is nearly 100 years old and has changed very little since being built in 1923. It is excruciatingly hot in the warm seasons and freezing in the winter. There remains a 90 year old science lab island with gas knobs in my humanities classroom. Facilities desperately need to be improved and updated. Please prioritize Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary for the Nov 2020 bond. These changes will have a significant impact on the educational experience of our students. To continue to ignore these crucial needs, would be a great disservice to them.
As an alumni of Garfield Elementary and Roosevelt Middle school, recently, I have walked through the same hallways as I did 20-28 years ago! The difference between walking the halls now compared to then is the sense of feeling unsafe. The structure of both schools have not been reinforced in decades. As a current employee with Roosevelt, I fear that if an earthquake hits the Bay Area, our school is to go down first. Many of our school walls and foundation have cracks bigger then 2mm in width, which calls for immediate attention. As a mother of two daughters in Oakland public schools, I believe that my children can succeed in any OUSD school. However, given the unsafe conditions of Roosevelt and Garfield and the fact that these two schools are my neighborhood schools, I might just have to look elsewhere. I urge you to put Garfield and Roosevelt on the Bond Measure Project List so that my children can stay in OUSD.
-Marisela (EBAYC Managing Director @ Roosevelt Middle School)
As a District 2 Oakland resident and voter, I am writing today to express my support for this bond measure to fund desperately needed repairs and updates to OUSD school buildings. I also urge the board to prioritize modernization for both Roosevelt and Garfield. As a teacher at Roosevelt, I can attest to the structural disrepair of the school building and the significant impact this has on teaching and learning. Each time in rains the roof leaks, causing pools of water to flood our classrooms and hallways. Emergency repairs have just caused the problem to move to another classroom or a different hallway during the next rainfall. This year alone Roosevelt had 3 separate classrooms deemed unsafe and unhealthy due to massive water damage, causing our students and staff to be uprooted. The Roosevelt community is beautiful and extremely resilient, and it is way past time to prioritize these basic and much needed repairs. Thank you for your consideration.
As a parent of three children in OUSD, I would love to see more green space at OUSD schools. Nature is so important for children to experience. Trees provide much needed shade on hot days as well as playing an important role in the carbon cycle. Gardens are also a wonderful place for children to learn about where their food comes from and sustainability.
I urge OUSD to include dedicated funding for living schoolyards on the prioritized project list for the November 3 Facilities Bond. A small investment in living schoolyards will have a huge impact on our children.
I've been a teacher at Roosevelt Middle and I fully support the new general obligation bond for school facilities. I've worked at Roosevelt the past 4 years and have noticed major structural issues where classroom teachers had to move classrooms mid year due to rain/roof water damaging in their room walls as well as creating puddles in the hallways during passing period making the school an unsafe space for our students and teachers. This past year a teacher had to move classrooms due to sever mold and fungus growing in the classroom where we could visibly see giant mushrooms growing from the walls. These issues create a hazardous conditions for the Roosevelt community and if neglected any longer can cause serious health issues.
I strongly urge the committee to allocate funding to Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield elementary. These two schools are deeply in need of renovation and repair as confirmed by the district. As a teacher at Roosevelt for seven years, I have seen significant needs in our building. I have had puddles of rain in my classroom every single year, a shattered window for the past three years, and a room that reaches the high 90s with no AC. I cannot tell our students that our building is safe because it simply isn't. Teaching and learning in a school without necessary retrofitting and safety renovations is a plainly unsuitable learning environment. Students deserve an inviting, safe, healthy place to enjoy their education. Please allocate more funding to Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary.
I am Susannah a ParaEducator as Roosevelt middle school. Our innovative and diverse schools deserve this bond in order to serve our students and community in the best and most efficient way possible.
Hello. My name is Veronica Del Rio and I am the School Secretary at Roosevelt for the last 9 years. Being that I’m born and raised in Oakland I have a very strong connection to Garfield and Roosevelt since I graduated from both. I’m writing with hopes that both schools be considered for renovations. What wonders it would do for our community and students. Since graduating from Roosevelt, it seems like nothing has changed since I was there in 1992. I’m constantly putting in work orders to have things fixed that are very dangerous and hazardous to our student, staff and visitors. I take pride in my work place and my alma mater, and I feel our students would love the new changes and would appreciate a beautiful place to learn.
My name is Adam Kesselman, and living schoolyards are important to me because they provide important access to a natural environment, opportunities for hands on learning, and support physical and mental well-being.
I urge OUSD to include dedicated funding for living schoolyards on the prioritized project list for the November 3 Facilities Bond. A small investment in living schoolyards will have a huge impact on our children. The funding generated by a bond can make significant progress toward turning asphalt covered schoolyards into rich outdoor environments that foster equitable health, play and social opportunities, strengthen local ecological systems, and provide hands on learning resources. This funding can also generate large matching funds from public and private sources for living schoolyards and related education.
Especially during these challenging times of Covid-19 and racial injustice, we must make sure our school grounds support the health and safety of our students.
I'm a parent at Sequoia Elementary School. Living schoolyards are important for so many reasons to me. In addition to the mental health benefit being in nature provides our children and the role gardens play in developing children's natural love for the environment, I see school gardens as a critical link for teaching climate change education and science to our students who are being called upon to solve the climate emergency. School gardens provide necessary green space and relief from the heat of the blacktop, food for the community, a space for hands-on learning and resiliency (during emergencies). In the time of this global pandemic, the school garden may be an important solution to provide social distancing and enable in-person education to continue. Importantly, the students LOVE garden class. Has anyone asked the students what they think about living schoolyards? I'd be curious to hear student rationale for wanting access to living schoolyards.