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.
My name is Jonathan Wong and I am a special education teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. Please pass this item to allocate more money to repairing the facilities of Garfield and Roosevelt! I would hope that significant infrastructure maintenance would cut down on the frequency of pests/broken items. Please invest in the safety of our students!
My name is Zelda Allison and I am a teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. I'm writing in support of. Roosevelt and Garfield schools. Both of these schools are in need of a facilities repairs and upgrades. Both.of the schools are in need of upgrades to be able to safely serve students. We have a large population of underserved youth who deserve a safe and secure learning environment. Our schools are ranked high in the 2020 Master Facilities Plan. There are obvious needs listed for both campuses. I hope you will consider making repairs to help us create the schools our students deserve.
My name is Brenda Saechao, a former student of OUSD, a current parent of 2 OUSD students and the Community Schools Manager 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.
Combined, both schools have over 1200 students enrolled with high percentages of live-go data. Meaning that families choose and trust in the programs and staffing. Both schools facilities that are outdated and require safety renovations (include earthquake retrofitting). That's a problem! Invest in these schools and show the community that we know and value their safety and want to support their children!
I write today to support Garfield and Roosevelt to be prioritized. The two schools serve students and families within the community. These schools are used to their fullest and with that comes needs to maintain the usage of these schools. With the funds that can be given these two great schools can better be utilized for the students and families that attend these schools.
My name is Emily Samana and I have been a teacher at Roosevelt Middle School for the past 8 years. I am writing in support of Roosevelt and Garfield Schools. Both schools work hard to support the community, and are in need of repairs. Both schools have been waiting a long time to receive major repairs. All students deserve to be treated equally. I ask that funds are given to fund the much needed repairs and upgrades. Thank You
As someone who has grown up in an environment that is entirely different as the youth of Oakland, and hearing what these students witness and endure on a daily basis, I am in constant awe. I cannot believe the resilience of our students. The least we can give to them is a safe and clean building. This goes beyond picking up after ourselves, cleaning, and expecting janitors to work their magic. Roosevelt and Garfield desperately needs repairs. Nearly everything in both schools is outdated, and therefore useless to our students. Why not put funds directly where our students will see it and know that we care for their comfort and safety?
My name is Molly Nicol and I urge you to include Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary School on the bond for school facilities improvement. Roosevelt staff is hard at work currently to plan for the upcoming school year, which will likely include some component of distance learning. We look forward to the day when we will all be together again in our school building, but hope that it will be a safer and more modernized facility when we do. Please consider honoring the health and well-being of our staff and students by committing to these much needed improvements.
Garfield and Roosevelt are historical schools for the Oakland community. Every native is familiar with the two schools. Unfortunately, the conditions of both schools make the age of both schools very evident. Our students deserve the best conditions in a place that they are in for hours. There is not enough upkeep that we can do as a school to keep both of these buildings in shape. Repairs are deeply needed. Air conditioning is deeply needed. Our youth deserve a safe and sterile building. They deserve to not consistently see mice and roaches in the corner of their classroom.
- Dianna Ochoa (Roosevelt after school mentor, former Roosevelt and Garfield student)
My name is Nina Gardner-Meeks and I am the academic counselor at Roosevelt Middle. I am writing in support of Roosevelt and Garfield Schools. Both schools work hard to support the community, and are in need of repairs. Both schools have been waiting a long time to receive major repairs. All students deserve to be treated equally. I ask that funds are given to fund the much needed repairs and upgrades. Thank You
Greetings, my name is Ettienne Godfrey and I'm an Assistant Principal at Roosevelt Middle School. I urge the board to consider to prioritize Garfield Elementary and Roosevelt Middle for repairs and upgrades with the November 2020 facilities bond. The community deserves schools that provide a safe learning environment.
I am Michael Attiyeh, a teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. Please prioritize Roosevelt Middle and Garfield Elementary for facilities upgrades. Our school building has been around since 1923 and is in serious need of modernization to make it the safe, welcoming learning environment that the students of Oakland's San Antonio District deserve. Thank you for your consideration.
As a current SpEd teacher at Roosevelt MS, I can attest to the fact that the physical plant is very substandard. My first day at Roosevelt, as I drank water from a tap (the only tap in my room in working order) a para professional cautioned me, "Don't drink the water--there's lead in it." Worse, as some of my students need help toileting, we use a staff restroom on the first floor to accommodate these students as there's room for paras to provide needed hygiene support. Prior to the pandemic, the bathroom was flooded for several weeks and unusable which meant we had to bring our students to "regular" student restrooms where we were forced to help with toileting in the tight confines of a bathroom stall. If you haven't tried toileting a non-verbal, agitated 13 year old boy in a poorly lighted, claustrophobic setting, you might not understand the importance of having functioning restrooms. Come visit Roosevelt and ask yourself if you'd want to enroll your special needs child there.
My name is Sophie Richman and I am a teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. I urge the board to add Garfield Elementary and Roosevelt Middle School to receive necessary facilities repairs and upgrades. Both schools work hard to serve our San Antonio neighborhood community and have not been updated with necessary repairs for a number of years now. Our buildings are full of amazing children who deserve to feel safe in the buildings they learn in. Thank you for your consideration!
This is Cliff Hong - Principal of Roosevelt Middle School. I am writing today to support Garfield and Roosevelt to be prioritized for significant facilities repairs and upgrades with the Nov 2020 facilities bond. The two schools work in tandem to serve a large population of students and families. They both rank high in terms of having significant needs according to the 2020 Master Facilities Plan, and they have been waiting for a long time for these repairs. In our estimation, the students and families in the San Antonio neighborhood are due these improvements to their schools now. Thank you!
I am a parent of a 8th grader at Melrose Leadership Academy serving approximately 500 TK-8th grade students from across the district. MLA now has two campuses: two older buildings surrounded by concrete and in need of basic repairs.
Set on top of a hill, the Maxwell campus receives direct sunlight all day. Classrooms exceed 100 degrees on multiple days, dramatically impeding student learning. Thanks to Shanthi, our 7th graders recently made a presentation to Facilities staff at OUSD to demonstrate that exterior screens are among the best permanent solution. Studies show that test scores lower in relation to the temperature in an overheated classroom. This is a necessity!
Recognizing that OUSD needs exceed the funds that the bond will bring in, please consider equity--the urgency of the need, the number of students the upgrade will serve, and the socio-economics of each school community--in your decision making. Do not fund special projects, but basic needs for safety and learning.
My name is Aiko Keen, I am an OUSD teacher and Oakland resident. Living schoolyards are important to me because our students and families deserve a healthy, beautiful campus in which to play and learn. Too many schools give students few choices when they're outdoors: play on hot asphalt, or find a strip of shade to stand in. Having a beautiful, purposefully cultivated outdoor space for our school members to hang out or play in would have a positive impact on both our physical and mental health. A nice outdoor space encourages physical activity, boosts one's mood, and lowers stress. What a peaceful way to promote learning!
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. Especially during these challenging times of Covid-19 and racial injustice, our school grounds must support the health and safety of our students.
My name is Amelia Greenland, and living schoolyards are important to me because I have spent the last two years building a farm to table program at Oakland Alt Ed High school, Ralph J Bunche Academy. I have seen first hand the benefit to the youth, faculty, and community of this living space.
I urge OUSD to include dedicated funding for living schoolyards on the prioritized project list for the November 3 Facilities Bond. 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.
My name is Amanda Halte, I am an OUSD parent, volunteer and am professionally focused on waste reduction. Living schoolyards. is important to me because all students should value of food. Approx. 40% of food is tossed in the landfill in Alameda County, and this has to change! Excess food needs to go to our food insecure community members and we must decrease green house gases released from food rot. Having the opportunity to garden and eat homegrown food at school will help accomplish the goal to teach our children the value of food.
I urge OUSD to include dedicated funding for living schoolyards on the prioritized project list for the November 3 Facilities Bond. 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.
My name is Emma Greenberg-Bell, and living schoolyards are important to me because I am a garden/nutrition educator at Bella Vista Elementary School and Sankofa United and I have seen first hand the ways that outdoor learning spaces can be a positive space for students who might struggle in a traditional classroom environment.
I urge OUSD to include dedicated funding for living schoolyards on the prioritized project list for the November 3 Facilities Bond.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.
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.
As a parent and active member of the Skyline High School PTSA, I see every day the remediations that Skyline High School needs, including 1. Desperate AC/Ventilation remediation. Temperatures are regularly in the 80s and 90s for many weeks of the year. How can we expect kids to do their best work when the temperature cannot be controlled in class? Would you go to work without AC?2. Our science classrooms are woefully inadequate. We need adequate power, access to sinks/water, and storage to help our kids actually learn through labs in science. 3. Our stadium bleachers are a health hazard - missing planks, deteriorating bleachers, spots where families are asked to navigate treacherous gaps. Any attorney who came to assess risk would shut our field down immediately if they saw the state of our bleachers. 4. Restroom crisis. My daughter does not go to the bathroom all day at school because the restrooms are terrible. How can we allow kids not to use the bathroom all day? Needs to be fixed.
My name is Jonathan Wong and I am a special education teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. Please pass this item to allocate more money to repairing the facilities of Garfield and Roosevelt! I would hope that significant infrastructure maintenance would cut down on the frequency of pests/broken items. Please invest in the safety of our students!
My name is Zelda Allison and I am a teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. I'm writing in support of. Roosevelt and Garfield schools. Both of these schools are in need of a facilities repairs and upgrades. Both.of the schools are in need of upgrades to be able to safely serve students. We have a large population of underserved youth who deserve a safe and secure learning environment. Our schools are ranked high in the 2020 Master Facilities Plan. There are obvious needs listed for both campuses. I hope you will consider making repairs to help us create the schools our students deserve.
My name is Brenda Saechao, a former student of OUSD, a current parent of 2 OUSD students and the Community Schools Manager 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.
Combined, both schools have over 1200 students enrolled with high percentages of live-go data. Meaning that families choose and trust in the programs and staffing. Both schools facilities that are outdated and require safety renovations (include earthquake retrofitting). That's a problem! Invest in these schools and show the community that we know and value their safety and want to support their children!
I write today to support Garfield and Roosevelt to be prioritized. The two schools serve students and families within the community. These schools are used to their fullest and with that comes needs to maintain the usage of these schools. With the funds that can be given these two great schools can better be utilized for the students and families that attend these schools.
- Kaitlyn Schimberg ( EBAYC academic teacher at Roosevelt Middle School)
My name is Emily Samana and I have been a teacher at Roosevelt Middle School for the past 8 years. I am writing in support of Roosevelt and Garfield Schools. Both schools work hard to support the community, and are in need of repairs. Both schools have been waiting a long time to receive major repairs. All students deserve to be treated equally. I ask that funds are given to fund the much needed repairs and upgrades. Thank You
As someone who has grown up in an environment that is entirely different as the youth of Oakland, and hearing what these students witness and endure on a daily basis, I am in constant awe. I cannot believe the resilience of our students. The least we can give to them is a safe and clean building. This goes beyond picking up after ourselves, cleaning, and expecting janitors to work their magic. Roosevelt and Garfield desperately needs repairs. Nearly everything in both schools is outdated, and therefore useless to our students. Why not put funds directly where our students will see it and know that we care for their comfort and safety?
My name is Molly Nicol and I urge you to include Roosevelt Middle School and Garfield Elementary School on the bond for school facilities improvement. Roosevelt staff is hard at work currently to plan for the upcoming school year, which will likely include some component of distance learning. We look forward to the day when we will all be together again in our school building, but hope that it will be a safer and more modernized facility when we do. Please consider honoring the health and well-being of our staff and students by committing to these much needed improvements.
Garfield and Roosevelt are historical schools for the Oakland community. Every native is familiar with the two schools. Unfortunately, the conditions of both schools make the age of both schools very evident. Our students deserve the best conditions in a place that they are in for hours. There is not enough upkeep that we can do as a school to keep both of these buildings in shape. Repairs are deeply needed. Air conditioning is deeply needed. Our youth deserve a safe and sterile building. They deserve to not consistently see mice and roaches in the corner of their classroom.
- Dianna Ochoa (Roosevelt after school mentor, former Roosevelt and Garfield student)
My name is Nina Gardner-Meeks and I am the academic counselor at Roosevelt Middle. I am writing in support of Roosevelt and Garfield Schools. Both schools work hard to support the community, and are in need of repairs. Both schools have been waiting a long time to receive major repairs. All students deserve to be treated equally. I ask that funds are given to fund the much needed repairs and upgrades. Thank You
Greetings, my name is Ettienne Godfrey and I'm an Assistant Principal at Roosevelt Middle School. I urge the board to consider to prioritize Garfield Elementary and Roosevelt Middle for repairs and upgrades with the November 2020 facilities bond. The community deserves schools that provide a safe learning environment.
I am Michael Attiyeh, a teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. Please prioritize Roosevelt Middle and Garfield Elementary for facilities upgrades. Our school building has been around since 1923 and is in serious need of modernization to make it the safe, welcoming learning environment that the students of Oakland's San Antonio District deserve. Thank you for your consideration.
As a current SpEd teacher at Roosevelt MS, I can attest to the fact that the physical plant is very substandard. My first day at Roosevelt, as I drank water from a tap (the only tap in my room in working order) a para professional cautioned me, "Don't drink the water--there's lead in it." Worse, as some of my students need help toileting, we use a staff restroom on the first floor to accommodate these students as there's room for paras to provide needed hygiene support. Prior to the pandemic, the bathroom was flooded for several weeks and unusable which meant we had to bring our students to "regular" student restrooms where we were forced to help with toileting in the tight confines of a bathroom stall. If you haven't tried toileting a non-verbal, agitated 13 year old boy in a poorly lighted, claustrophobic setting, you might not understand the importance of having functioning restrooms. Come visit Roosevelt and ask yourself if you'd want to enroll your special needs child there.
My name is Sophie Richman and I am a teacher at Roosevelt Middle School. I urge the board to add Garfield Elementary and Roosevelt Middle School to receive necessary facilities repairs and upgrades. Both schools work hard to serve our San Antonio neighborhood community and have not been updated with necessary repairs for a number of years now. Our buildings are full of amazing children who deserve to feel safe in the buildings they learn in. Thank you for your consideration!
This is Cliff Hong - Principal of Roosevelt Middle School. I am writing today to support Garfield and Roosevelt to be prioritized for significant facilities repairs and upgrades with the Nov 2020 facilities bond. The two schools work in tandem to serve a large population of students and families. They both rank high in terms of having significant needs according to the 2020 Master Facilities Plan, and they have been waiting for a long time for these repairs. In our estimation, the students and families in the San Antonio neighborhood are due these improvements to their schools now. Thank you!
I am a parent of a 8th grader at Melrose Leadership Academy serving approximately 500 TK-8th grade students from across the district. MLA now has two campuses: two older buildings surrounded by concrete and in need of basic repairs.
Set on top of a hill, the Maxwell campus receives direct sunlight all day. Classrooms exceed 100 degrees on multiple days, dramatically impeding student learning. Thanks to Shanthi, our 7th graders recently made a presentation to Facilities staff at OUSD to demonstrate that exterior screens are among the best permanent solution. Studies show that test scores lower in relation to the temperature in an overheated classroom. This is a necessity!
Recognizing that OUSD needs exceed the funds that the bond will bring in, please consider equity--the urgency of the need, the number of students the upgrade will serve, and the socio-economics of each school community--in your decision making. Do not fund special projects, but basic needs for safety and learning.
My name is Aiko Keen, I am an OUSD teacher and Oakland resident. Living schoolyards are important to me because our students and families deserve a healthy, beautiful campus in which to play and learn. Too many schools give students few choices when they're outdoors: play on hot asphalt, or find a strip of shade to stand in. Having a beautiful, purposefully cultivated outdoor space for our school members to hang out or play in would have a positive impact on both our physical and mental health. A nice outdoor space encourages physical activity, boosts one's mood, and lowers stress. What a peaceful way to promote learning!
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. Especially during these challenging times of Covid-19 and racial injustice, our school grounds must support the health and safety of our students.
My name is Amelia Greenland, and living schoolyards are important to me because I have spent the last two years building a farm to table program at Oakland Alt Ed High school, Ralph J Bunche Academy. I have seen first hand the benefit to the youth, faculty, and community of this living space.
I urge OUSD to include dedicated funding for living schoolyards on the prioritized project list for the November 3 Facilities Bond. 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.
My name is Amanda Halte, I am an OUSD parent, volunteer and am professionally focused on waste reduction. Living schoolyards. is important to me because all students should value of food. Approx. 40% of food is tossed in the landfill in Alameda County, and this has to change! Excess food needs to go to our food insecure community members and we must decrease green house gases released from food rot. Having the opportunity to garden and eat homegrown food at school will help accomplish the goal to teach our children the value of food.
I urge OUSD to include dedicated funding for living schoolyards on the prioritized project list for the November 3 Facilities Bond. 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.
Thank you, Amanda
My name is Emma Greenberg-Bell, and living schoolyards are important to me because I am a garden/nutrition educator at Bella Vista Elementary School and Sankofa United and I have seen first hand the ways that outdoor learning spaces can be a positive space for students who might struggle in a traditional classroom environment.
I urge OUSD to include dedicated funding for living schoolyards on the prioritized project list for the November 3 Facilities Bond.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.
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.
As a parent and active member of the Skyline High School PTSA, I see every day the remediations that Skyline High School needs, including 1. Desperate AC/Ventilation remediation. Temperatures are regularly in the 80s and 90s for many weeks of the year. How can we expect kids to do their best work when the temperature cannot be controlled in class? Would you go to work without AC?2. Our science classrooms are woefully inadequate. We need adequate power, access to sinks/water, and storage to help our kids actually learn through labs in science. 3. Our stadium bleachers are a health hazard - missing planks, deteriorating bleachers, spots where families are asked to navigate treacherous gaps. Any attorney who came to assess risk would shut our field down immediately if they saw the state of our bleachers. 4. Restroom crisis. My daughter does not go to the bathroom all day at school because the restrooms are terrible. How can we allow kids not to use the bathroom all day? Needs to be fixed.