I'm an OUSD elementary music teacher. Let's end the cycle of disinvestment and privatization. If we truly invest in the success of our Black and brown students and the schools they attend, enrollment will grow. If we continue as we have been doing, we'll be back here in 5 years contemplating the next round of school closures. Enough is enough!
I am opposed to deciding on school closures in the midst of a pandemic, which only creates more instability for our kids that have struggled through the social and emotional challenges of distance learning. This would be a blow to their already fragile emotional states.
I also understand that some difficult decisions need to be made, but I cannot understand why a school such as Hillcrest is on the list. The school is fully enrolled and students are thriving. I can't imagine there is an actual cost savings with closing, it just doesn't make sense. I would appreciate transparency with the criteria for making these decisions as they arise in the future.
I am an Oakland educator & voter and am strongly opposed to board resolution No. 2122-0026 to close and consolidate schools. In the middle of an ongoing pandemic is not the time to make rushed decisions to close schools that will further traumatize Black & Brown communities that have already disproportionately been affected by the disruptions caused by COVID, as well as, being on the receiving end of the systematic under resourcing of schools. It is time to move with care being mindful of the long term impacts sudden school closures will have on the communities and Oakland as a whole. Now is the time to work with the school communities to come up with creative solutions and call on the county & state to end the pressure on Oakland during the pandemic. School board members, please think carefully about your decision & what legacy you will leave in our city.
I’m opposed to school closures in Oakland. We elected this board to act in the best interest of our students and community. Divesting in public schools, especially public schools that serve Black and Brown students, harms all stakeholders in our city.
I strongly oppose the proposal to close Hillcrest Middle School. I am a parent of a 1st grader and a rising kindergartner. Our family deliberately moved here so our children could attend Hillcrest, not only for the academic excellence and engaged teacher base, but to grow and learn in the same school from K through 8th grade. It is rare in public schools for children to experience this continuity, this opportunity to develop long standing relationships with teachers and classmates for nine full years. We came here to commit to learning in OUSD, in a high-performing environment with a robust PTA. Hillcrest's PTA demonstrates commitment to students and teachers via volunteerism, funding of extracurriculars, and providing mental health services, library, languages & more. Hillcrest has a model that is highly successful, resulting in a flourishing student environment. To close this vibrant middle school makes no sense and will ultimately demoralize the students, teachers and community.
I oppose school closures. It has not saved the district significant funds before. Please find a real solution with less impact on teachers and students during this traumatic time.
I am writing to strongly oppose the closure of schools in the current pandemic environment. All of our children have gone through trauma as a result of Covid - this is a time to focus on the welfare of our students - and closing schools in the middle of the year just adds more trauma. Particularly for students who are close to completing school (like my daughter’s 7th grade class at Hillcrest), closing the school would require 2 consecutive years of transition for them- how is this beneficial coming after the year that we have had? Evidence is clear that our students have elevated levels of anxiety & stress after the years we have had. Removing the stability of a familiar school setting is too disruptive at this point in time.
Additionally, OUSD should invest in creating more K-8 schools, not taking them away. Many students benefit from the K-8 model. It has helped create a deep & strong sense of community at our school, & it’s a model that should be expanded upon, not eliminated.
School closures are traumatic and we do not have enough counselors and resources in schools to address the impact it will have on students. This decision disproportionately impacts the underserved students and members of the Oakland community. Do not balance the budget at the expense of Black and Brown lives.
I oppose closing our Neighborhood School Brookfield Village School due to it is a Fabric of our community. Why would the Board would even consider closing any schools in a middle of a pandemic when students, parents and teachers has been through the instability of a pandemic.
Our community has been hit hard by this pandemic: Our students parents are the Essential workers and now they have to worry about their local schools being closed down.
I am incredibly opposed to the closure of schools in Oakland. This proposed plan has inaccurate math, and does not take into account any actual plan for the educators, staff members, or students and families at those schools. Where are they supposed to go? With no plan, this vote is incredibly disheartening. PLEASE listen to your community who elected you into your positions and stop closing schools!!!
I am in my 23rd year of service in OUSD as a teacher, literacy coach, and now speech language pathologist. I am strongly opposed to the closing of Horace Mann or any other school in this district, especially during a pandemic. Our students, families, and staff have endured so much. We deserve support, not further trauma.
I am a math teacher, and the research and math shows that closing schools does NOT save the district money and only HURTS our students and families.
You are cowards and fools, or you must be reaping profit from this somehow... How can you vote to close schools and continue to look at yourself in the mirror every night? Shame on all of you for your dirty work of pushing this into the agenda, especially after the work Reparations for Black Students has been doing?
Michael Bloomberg can give you toys for your electoral campaigns but he can't stop your name going down in Oakland history coupled with "racist" next to it. SHAME on you!!
I oppose the potential closure of Hillcrest Middle School. As a public school teacher and the parent of a current 4th grader at Hillcrest Elementary and 2 other incoming OUSD students, I am very concerned about school closures. Students and communities are struggling in the midst of this pandemic and schools offer the backbone for community and children's support services. Hillcrest K-8 is a thriving example of what a community school can and should be. Many people who choose to attend Hillcrest BECAUSE of the middle school connection. In a time when so many people are fleeing to private schools, the Hillcrest Middle school keeps many families in OUSD. The loss of the middle school will contribute to OUSD's declining enrollment problems as many families will leave the district with their middle as well as elementary school aged children. Closing a thriving, high-achieving middle school makes no sense. Any savings from school closures is far too great a cost for our students to pay.
As an OUSD teacher and parent, I believe closing school communities during a pandemic is unconscionable. Schools have been a lifeline during this time, connecting students and families to resources and information they need. How can we take away the communities and people they trust now? Our students' lives have been so disrupted for the past two years and they deserve to have a stable school environment and community. The absurd timeline shared by OUSD for these closures and consolidations last night gives school communities no time to engage and plan. Invest in our schools instead of continuing to take resources away from our most vulnerable communities!
I am one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority black schools , conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
I am the behavior specialist for the 18 schools in Network 2. This year, we have had an unprecedented number of students who engage in severe and even dangerous behaviors within the school settings. We have observed that this is occurring largely in our youngest grades, particularly kindergarten. Rather than providing additional supports to our students and school teams, the board has decided to cut positions in behavioral health citing lack of funds and/or lack of work. This is unbelievable for those who are on the ground as we can not meet the needs of our students as is given our current caseloads. Our students are suffering. Our teachers are being asked to give much more than should ever be asked of any individual. The community is hurting. The ship that is public education is sinking; if we want to stay afloat, we need to consider make informed decisions so that we can best serve our community. We need more social, emotional, and behavioral support - not less.
I am parent of an Oakland elementary school student and one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority black schools, conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
I am one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority black schools , conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
I am one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority black schools , conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
I'm an OUSD elementary music teacher. Let's end the cycle of disinvestment and privatization. If we truly invest in the success of our Black and brown students and the schools they attend, enrollment will grow. If we continue as we have been doing, we'll be back here in 5 years contemplating the next round of school closures. Enough is enough!
I am opposed to deciding on school closures in the midst of a pandemic, which only creates more instability for our kids that have struggled through the social and emotional challenges of distance learning. This would be a blow to their already fragile emotional states.
I also understand that some difficult decisions need to be made, but I cannot understand why a school such as Hillcrest is on the list. The school is fully enrolled and students are thriving. I can't imagine there is an actual cost savings with closing, it just doesn't make sense. I would appreciate transparency with the criteria for making these decisions as they arise in the future.
I am an Oakland educator & voter and am strongly opposed to board resolution No. 2122-0026 to close and consolidate schools. In the middle of an ongoing pandemic is not the time to make rushed decisions to close schools that will further traumatize Black & Brown communities that have already disproportionately been affected by the disruptions caused by COVID, as well as, being on the receiving end of the systematic under resourcing of schools. It is time to move with care being mindful of the long term impacts sudden school closures will have on the communities and Oakland as a whole. Now is the time to work with the school communities to come up with creative solutions and call on the county & state to end the pressure on Oakland during the pandemic. School board members, please think carefully about your decision & what legacy you will leave in our city.
I’m opposed to school closures in Oakland. We elected this board to act in the best interest of our students and community. Divesting in public schools, especially public schools that serve Black and Brown students, harms all stakeholders in our city.
I strongly oppose the proposal to close Hillcrest Middle School. I am a parent of a 1st grader and a rising kindergartner. Our family deliberately moved here so our children could attend Hillcrest, not only for the academic excellence and engaged teacher base, but to grow and learn in the same school from K through 8th grade. It is rare in public schools for children to experience this continuity, this opportunity to develop long standing relationships with teachers and classmates for nine full years. We came here to commit to learning in OUSD, in a high-performing environment with a robust PTA. Hillcrest's PTA demonstrates commitment to students and teachers via volunteerism, funding of extracurriculars, and providing mental health services, library, languages & more. Hillcrest has a model that is highly successful, resulting in a flourishing student environment. To close this vibrant middle school makes no sense and will ultimately demoralize the students, teachers and community.
I oppose school closures. It has not saved the district significant funds before. Please find a real solution with less impact on teachers and students during this traumatic time.
I am writing to strongly oppose the closure of schools in the current pandemic environment. All of our children have gone through trauma as a result of Covid - this is a time to focus on the welfare of our students - and closing schools in the middle of the year just adds more trauma. Particularly for students who are close to completing school (like my daughter’s 7th grade class at Hillcrest), closing the school would require 2 consecutive years of transition for them- how is this beneficial coming after the year that we have had? Evidence is clear that our students have elevated levels of anxiety & stress after the years we have had. Removing the stability of a familiar school setting is too disruptive at this point in time.
Additionally, OUSD should invest in creating more K-8 schools, not taking them away. Many students benefit from the K-8 model. It has helped create a deep & strong sense of community at our school, & it’s a model that should be expanded upon, not eliminated.
I am opposed to the closure of schools in Oakland. PLEASE don’t put our students through more of this…find another solution!
School closures are traumatic and we do not have enough counselors and resources in schools to address the impact it will have on students. This decision disproportionately impacts the underserved students and members of the Oakland community. Do not balance the budget at the expense of Black and Brown lives.
I oppose closing our Neighborhood School Brookfield Village School due to it is a Fabric of our community. Why would the Board would even consider closing any schools in a middle of a pandemic when students, parents and teachers has been through the instability of a pandemic.
Our community has been hit hard by this pandemic: Our students parents are the Essential workers and now they have to worry about their local schools being closed down.
I am incredibly opposed to the closure of schools in Oakland. This proposed plan has inaccurate math, and does not take into account any actual plan for the educators, staff members, or students and families at those schools. Where are they supposed to go? With no plan, this vote is incredibly disheartening. PLEASE listen to your community who elected you into your positions and stop closing schools!!!
I am in my 23rd year of service in OUSD as a teacher, literacy coach, and now speech language pathologist. I am strongly opposed to the closing of Horace Mann or any other school in this district, especially during a pandemic. Our students, families, and staff have endured so much. We deserve support, not further trauma.
I am a math teacher, and the research and math shows that closing schools does NOT save the district money and only HURTS our students and families.
You are cowards and fools, or you must be reaping profit from this somehow... How can you vote to close schools and continue to look at yourself in the mirror every night? Shame on all of you for your dirty work of pushing this into the agenda, especially after the work Reparations for Black Students has been doing?
Michael Bloomberg can give you toys for your electoral campaigns but he can't stop your name going down in Oakland history coupled with "racist" next to it. SHAME on you!!
I oppose the potential closure of Hillcrest Middle School. As a public school teacher and the parent of a current 4th grader at Hillcrest Elementary and 2 other incoming OUSD students, I am very concerned about school closures. Students and communities are struggling in the midst of this pandemic and schools offer the backbone for community and children's support services. Hillcrest K-8 is a thriving example of what a community school can and should be. Many people who choose to attend Hillcrest BECAUSE of the middle school connection. In a time when so many people are fleeing to private schools, the Hillcrest Middle school keeps many families in OUSD. The loss of the middle school will contribute to OUSD's declining enrollment problems as many families will leave the district with their middle as well as elementary school aged children. Closing a thriving, high-achieving middle school makes no sense. Any savings from school closures is far too great a cost for our students to pay.
As an OUSD teacher and parent, I believe closing school communities during a pandemic is unconscionable. Schools have been a lifeline during this time, connecting students and families to resources and information they need. How can we take away the communities and people they trust now? Our students' lives have been so disrupted for the past two years and they deserve to have a stable school environment and community. The absurd timeline shared by OUSD for these closures and consolidations last night gives school communities no time to engage and plan. Invest in our schools instead of continuing to take resources away from our most vulnerable communities!
I am one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority black schools , conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
I am the behavior specialist for the 18 schools in Network 2. This year, we have had an unprecedented number of students who engage in severe and even dangerous behaviors within the school settings. We have observed that this is occurring largely in our youngest grades, particularly kindergarten. Rather than providing additional supports to our students and school teams, the board has decided to cut positions in behavioral health citing lack of funds and/or lack of work. This is unbelievable for those who are on the ground as we can not meet the needs of our students as is given our current caseloads. Our students are suffering. Our teachers are being asked to give much more than should ever be asked of any individual. The community is hurting. The ship that is public education is sinking; if we want to stay afloat, we need to consider make informed decisions so that we can best serve our community. We need more social, emotional, and behavioral support - not less.
I am parent of an Oakland elementary school student and one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority black schools, conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
I am one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority black schools , conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!
I am one of many supporters of the Reparations for Black Students Campaign. OUSD has a history of targeting majority Black schools for closure. Over the last two decades OUSD has closed 16 schools, yet these closures did little to improve the achievement gap of marginalized students. OUSD has seen a massive enrollment decline in Black Students and has done nothing to rectify anti-Black racist policies and structures. This district's failure to adequately resource schools will not be resolved by school closures. Protect majority black schools , conduct the racial equity impact analysis this district conveniently exempted itself from. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of Black students!