Juliana Jones is part of one of the great secrets of the Oakland School District — the terrific math department at Montera. They use an innovative approach to teach math to kids who struggle with it. Juliana and the other teachers at Montera not only believe every child can succeed at math, they realize it is essential for their future academic and even professional success. They live and breath the concept of no child left behind!

I work in downtown Oakland and take Harrison Street past Westlake Middle School. I have noticed in the past couple of years that the students are more respectful, don’t stand in the middle of the street, throw trash on the ground, rough house, than in years past. It’s great to drive by a group of diverse students who appear to be engaged in the world around them. It is teachers like Juliana who will turn Oakland public schools into a place we want to send our kids.