Comments on: School closure update

By: livegreen

livegreen — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:59:13 +0000

Katy, re. Safety in Schools, OUSD working with the City/Community (very important, communication that’s only barely begun):

New Initiative on Safe Pathways to Schools

Oakland Schools Superintendent Tony Smith and School BoardDirector Alice Spearman will speak on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the NeighborhoodWatch Steering Committee at 6:30 p.m.

Neighborhood Watch started in Oakland in 1990. Close to athousand individual blocks have formed a network to exchange information andimprove communication between neighbors. It is facilitated through theNeighborhood Services Division of the City Administrator’s office.
Smith and Spearman will discuss how groups can cooperate withtheir local school and how to create and foster safe routes to and from schools.

The meeting will be held in the Sgt. Daniel Sakai Room onCity Hall’s second floor. Free validated parking is provided in the Clay StreetGarage.

For more information, contact Felicia Verdin at 238-3128 or fverdin@oaklandnet.com.

By: Anon

Anon — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:18:31 +0000

For Vivian, here’s a link to a recent study in Southern California: http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/info:doi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.0901232

If you search online, you can find many more. Largely in response to this research over the last two decades, California and other states have school site standards that require buffer zones between freeways and school sites. The threshold used for the studies is typically 400 or 500 feet from a highway, but both Lazear and Lakeview are much closer than that (within 100 feet or so). I actually would guess that the impact may be worse at Lazear since I-880 carries far more truck traffic than I-580, but I’ve not visited that school so I don’t know how it’s set up. (And yes, I have visited Lakeview.) We also know that asthma and other chronic respiratory illnesses are one of the top reasons children miss school, which is an issue for OUSD as well.

Again, this is not about the job that teachers and administrators are doing or how much they care about students; I don’t question that at Lakeview (or any other OUSD school, for that matter—I know many passionate Oakland teachers and principals who care intensely about the students they work with).

By: Vivian

Vivian — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:46:16 +0000

I haven’t seen a study that says the kids/teachers of Lakeview have health problems from attending this school. The teachers at Lakeview CARE for these children, make sure they have the best education, have an after school program, that is very important. The teachers know the majority of the parents BY NAME. The principal has an open door policy to anyone that wants to meet with her. The location is great, it is away from the street on a hill. I come from Hayward to bring my child to Lakeview. I pass at least 10 schools to get there and it is worth it. They are trying to FIX something that’s not BROKEN

By: Anon

Anon — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:05:14 +0000

I didn’t mean to denigrate the hard work going on at Lakeview—that is certainly to be lauded—but I do take huge issue with the notion that parents should be asked to make a choice between their children’s physical safety and health/life expectancy in choosing a school. An effective school system should be able to offer school environments that support students’ health *and* safety—especially in a city where many students may be coming from home environments where their health is already jeopardized (esp. West Oakland, where many Lakeview students come from according to the map, and where the community has been fighting for recognition of the health impact of the port, freeway, and trucks for many years now).

The appendix Katy links to in the subsequent post includes an analysis of potential future uses for the sites of the closed schools. It notes that Lakeview and Lazear are not viable sites for future use by other schools, OUSD or otherwise. They are proposed for sale/lease for non-school uses, administrative use, or other OUSD program uses. (For the other three sites, use by “non-OUSD schools”—presumably charters?–is listed as an option; for Santa Fe and Maxwell Park, future use for an OUSD school is listed as well.)

I’m also puzzled by all of the discussion of Urban Montessori, given that its charter hasn’t even been approved (OUSD rejected it and I think they’re now appealing to the County?) Worrying about where they will be located seems a bit premature. Or do people think that’s a done deal? (No clue here as I don’t follow the charters closely—hadn’t even heard of that one!)

Out of curiosity, for those who don’t agree with the this list of potential closures, which five elementary schools would you choose to close and why? (I have no idea since, as a parent, I’m only familiar with the schools near our home—just wondering, for those who are more familiar with the system overall!)

By: Lakeview Parent

Lakeview Parent — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:48:43 +0000

I am a Lakeview parent who chose Lakeview because of the caring staff and parental involvement. The teachers go the extra mile here to educate our kids and keep the parents involved. I am appalled to hear that kids’ safety and school location are being blogged about. I have never feared for my child’s safety. Before you form an opinion about the school, you should try visiting the campus. I guarantee that you will be welcomed by smiling children, a helpful staff and friendly parents.

By: livegreen

livegreen — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:43:30 +0000

Or do minority families chose Lakeview because of the perception that it’s further towards the hills, and everything in that direction is better?

Re. “safer” how is Lakeview safer than other schools further away?

Please inform to help us understand.

By: Trish Gorham

Trish Gorham — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:36:33 +0000

Lakeview Advocate-

Well said; this is a flawed process that belies what OUSD says it believes in.

By: Another Lakeview Advocate.

Another Lakeview Advocate. — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 05:19:41 +0000

There is simply not enough space at PAES to have the Lakeview students attend there. The fact that so many from all over Oakland choose to send their children to Lakeview speaks volumes. They often bypass higher performing schools to go there. Whether or not that is by choice or because there are no spaces available is almost irrelevant. Lakeview fills a huge need. It is more than its test scores. It is the passion of Principal Roberts and much of a great staff that make that school a COMMUNITY. If Lakeview does close then the children that attend now should be PROMISED the OPTION to enroll their students in a school that takes its place. But charters will not do that.
If Urban Montessori opens there, if charters open at these closed sites, truly the conflict of interest becomes apparent. Those with anything to gain from this need to be intensely scrutinized. We need a filmmaker to do the documentary.

By: Lakeview Advocate

Lakeview Advocate — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:42:05 +0000

The criteria used for the first round of school closures (don’t get comfortable people because this is only the first round) doesn’t fall in alignment with OUSD’s strategic plan. This plan preaches equity for all students and emphasizes closing the achievement gap.

@Anon, I caution you when making broad comparisons between Lakeview and PAES. Yes, Lakeview is a PI school because our subgroups did not meet their AYP and it is also true that our school slid back 12 points last year. Piedmont Ave.’s scores dropped by 15 points. As for stagnant scores at Lakeview…that’s confusing to me since we went from 709 in 2007 to 770 in 2010. I would hardly call a 61 point increase stagnant.

However, what you’re not pointing out is that there is NO achievement gap at Lakeview. The students represented by the achievement gap, namely our African American students, increased their performance on the CST by 5 points last year while African American students at PAES dropped 8 points. OUSD talks about helping our African American students achieve, but then turns around and wants to close the schools where this is happening. This is not equitable!

Now, you don’t have to want to send your child to Lakeview, but don’t begrudge the families who do. Over 60 percent of Lakeview’s student population comes from out of the Grand Lake neighborhood. They choose Lakeview because, in many cases, it is a much safer environment than their neighborhood schools. I’m not speaking of air quality, but rather the students’ physical safety. They deserve a good school; a school that they choose. Just like you would choose PAES.

As for the charter school conspiracy theorists…IF Lakeview closes be on the look out for Urban Montessori opening up in Lakeview’s building.

By: Katy Murphy

Katy Murphy — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:42:23 +0000

I should note that while Manzanita schools are listed in the summary presentation’s grade configuration slide, the only ones listed in the appendices report are Greenleaf, La Escuelita, Sankofa (prek-8), Life Academy (6-12) and Madison/Sobrante Park (prek-12).