Comments on: Should McClymonds be McClymonds again?

By: Ishman Anderson

Ishman Anderson — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:29:11 +0000

lmao- michael bradley…..thats the problem, because there are many others frm best that felt the same way u feel, just as many in excel that have negative feelings towards best…It should not be that way(schools competing against eachother)- there were teachers that were open about their negative feelings towards a teacher from a different school(in reference to best and excel)Regardless if excel is doing a good job getting “their” student to college, or best doing the same….one thng is certain, there was much more unity among students and staff when it was just McClymonds….The staff at MCClymonds had the goal of trying to better the students of Mcclymonds-All….as far as the question such as “Wasn’t McClymonds a notorious failed ghetto school once? or Is the current status quo better than the historical performance of the old McClymonds?”… well-who knows?- we would have to get some statistics and other forms of data before claims can be made of that nature….. and in reference to the comment about the new mcclymonds having a 90percent college enrollment rate…im uncertain of that… my frshamn and sophmore year at mack, it was still one school…my junior year was when mack turned into best and excel…. 90percent college enrollment means that the majority of people in each enrolled in college..that was definatley not the casse for the class of 07,a good amount of people did enroll in college, but a descent amount did not enroll as well….there were a number of people who did not even graduate, let alone enroll in college

By: Michael Bradley

Michael Bradley — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:04:43 +0000

I graduated from best in 2007 and got a full ride to uc berkeley. I love best to death but I hate excel with a passion. They try to promote them selves as being better rather that working with best, thus unifying the school. I thing it should go back to be mcclymonds high school and ms. Revees should be exiled from the school point blank.

By: Ernest Carroll

Ernest Carroll — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:24:49 +0000

The greatest country in the world and we spend over a billion dollars a year on a wrong that is illegal. What could we do with that lost resource all we need is the money. We have lost focus on what matters and that is the kids, we need a total overhall of the leadership of this country becasue we have fallen behind in the world in education, our government policies are wrong, and they have us at each other when we need to focus on the leaders who have us in this problem. Smaller classes not smaller schools. McClymonds forever, this is a landmark name the legacy, this school is historical and for the press to treat it of lite like it really has no meaning is so very wrong. Schools should be safe and fun,we can fix this.we tried and now we need to do something differant, keep the classes just have one shcool. Does anyone realize that we have one building, but two type of emergancy evacuation plans. There was so much confusion during the riot someone could have been killed if it had been more serious. Let us come together and fix these things.

By: Meeting tonight to discuss new principal at BEST High School to - The Education Report - Katy Murphy covers what’s going on in the Oakland schools

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:35:23 +0000

[...] changes, combined with the low enrollment at the schools, seem to indicate the possibility of a merger of BEST and EXCEL. There are strong feelings on both sides of that debate. (Kizmet, a middle school [...]

By: Lucille Ward-Bradley

Lucille Ward-Bradley — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 02:09:54 +0000

I HOPE WITH ALL MY HEART THEY DO NOT ELIMINATE BEST HIGH SCHOOL, ALSO I HOPE THEY DO NOT CHANGE THE SCHOOL NAME TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN MCCLYMONDS, BECAUSE I WILL PROTEST ANY AND EVERY DAY AS LONG AS I LIVE.

By: EXCEL Student

EXCEL Student — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:05:29 +0000

When I was in middle school my family was talking about their educational experience at McClymonds High School. High School is suppose to be enjoyable and lots of fun and you should be able to reflect back on the good times. For me and my friends we talk about how stressful it is for students just to focus and we wonder sometime if the doors will be open when we reach school in the morning. We have friends in both schools and we all are tired of the division between the two schools. One schools has money the other school does not have any money, one school is making sure students get scholarships, the other school does not have a solid scholarship base, one counselor has to work with both schools, yes we need to be one school so all opportunities are available for all students. The counselor needs to help! Who is the staff at EXCEL? Whos is the staff at BEST?
Students are striving to get a high school diploma which is a must have, and not a choice.
We wish everyone would ask the students what the needs and wants are instead of making decision’s that they think will work for us. McClymonds has always been a small school so it was really no need to separate and everyone got along just find. Yes, we are located in the flatlands and are the MACK FAMILY and still press forward to overcome challenges that we face daily in our community. It is not to say that we are not striving for better opportunities as students, we are doing that. We have heard the budget cuts coming and their is a way for us to survive as two schools..one school will not flood the classrooms, and the sooner we come together as one the stronger we will be. The small school separtion should have been a pilot program for one year and it should not have been permanent on our campus. Funds are very thin and we are getting ready for some serious challenges around the budget cuts..remember funding is based upon enrollment and we are a day late and a dollar short. So yes we need to become one school and I dont think it is a challenge, it is simple, we just need to sit down and be serious about what needs to be done. Me and my friends are striving to seek higher education once we graduate. Our parents are engaged in our education and as far as I can remember it all started with my grandparents and it has not stopped..I am just a student hoping for the best for all of my friends and community. We all just need to come together and be on one accord. Students enjoy receiving an education and we feel we have the best educators in both school, so we know we would be awesome as one school. Somebody needs to check the records on Seniors graduating and going on to college – sports or academic scholarship – the numbers will show that McClymonds is one of the leaders in OUSD -

By: Student

Student — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:16:09 +0000

I think Best and Excel shoudl not join together If they do, environment of each class will be changed. It will be harder for students who got used into a classroom of 15-20 students. If there are more students, it is more difficult to listen to the teacher while others are talking. Conflicts will be increased. It is also harder for teachers to listen to the students in a classroom.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:39:12 +0000

(My apologies for deviating from the posted topic, but this seems to be an opportune moment to possibly improve OUSD-to-community communication)

And Katy, don’t forget this piece: It is the duty of the HOST of public meetings to play the primary, and initiatory, role of notifying potential attendees and giving them sufficient advance notice. The Tribune can be one of the vehicles for communication, but getting information from OUSD to you needs to be institutionalized from their end.

As far as limited space in the paper goes, what would be the cost to the district, a non-profit, to have a 1/4 page notice printed every other Wednesday, for instance? I am quite sure they could find the money.

Websites are great, but quite a few parents don’t have computers, or computer skills, as you might guess.

By: Ernest Carroll

Ernest Carroll — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:36:41 +0000

My experience at the West Oakland Senior Center was awesome. So many representives from so many coponents from various community bases and professional organizations. It is extremely difficult to bring that many elements together on such a hotbed issue, so I commend the facilitators for such a great effort in keeping us structured and timely.

Katy from the Tribune even made it with last hour notice, I thank her for coming out as well.

Best or Excell is really not the issue, the children are the issue and their future. I am so sick and tired of the in fighting instead of coming together in an effort to educate our future.

Safety should be formost for these children, and then dedicated educators, my sons Algebra cours had a mid term test and not one instructor stayed he has had over ten subsitutes, the last one the day before the test. How can they succeed.

My children were in Excel but communication breakdown, now they are in Best but now they are closing his courses. Construction, and Culinary Arts. Music has been taken away already. What are we teaching them if not culture and value of human traditions.

We have one police officer protecting both schools during gang intiation month. These kids will not respect us nor should they if we do not protect them and if we can not put order back into the schools.

Who ever is the principal if they do not do a good job we simply get them removed. But there are certain things we can not nor should not remove and that is the legacy of McClymonds not peoples jobs and positions. We preserve this through competency and production.

500 students never was enough to divide into two schools, but I guess we had to try something, now they want to phase Best out to put Excel in charge, why not the other way around, or just put McClymonds back, and put programs that effective.

A lot was said last night, I will as a parent make myself available just not for nonsense, when Dr. Taylor enlisted my participation I was honored and happy that I was asked.

We parents want to engage where we can have an impact, that benefits our collective goals. These childrens success in life.

By: Public school fan

Public school fan — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:51:13 +0000

The OUSD website and the related Board of Education website are ridiculously hard and frustrating to use. Any easier option, such as the interactive online calendar (suggested by you, Katy) devoted to OUSD and education issues would be most welcome. In order to reach the most people possible, however, it would be great if it did not require a subscription fee.