Honoring Our Own - Oakland Unified School District

Honoring Our OwnEmployee Recognition CeremonyWhen Adults Achieve ~ Students SucceedDECEMBER 6, 2012SCOTTISH RITE CENTEROAKLAND

Our MissionAll students will graduate. As a result, they are caring, competent and critical thinkers, fullyinformed,engaged and contributing citizens and prepared to succeed in college and career.Our VisionTo reestablish schools as centers of community by transforming OUSD into a full-servicecommunity school district. In addition to high-quality instruction, health, physical education,nutrition, medical, dental, recreation, housing, employment and language acquisition services areprovided in this model, with the school acting as the hub of activity. The emphasis is on educatingand caring for the whole child. Social and human services are not seen as extra or add-ons in theseschools. Instead, collaboration in service of the well-being of children and families is how theseschools consistently behave.Our PrioritiesSafe, Healthy and Supportive SchoolsHigh Quality Effective InstructionCollege and Career Readiness LiteracyOur GoalTo build a Full-Service Community School District that cares for the whole child, eliminatesinequity and provides all students with an excellent teacher each and every day.

Dear OUSD Employee Award Winners,It is my pleasure and my honor to acknowledge and thank all of you, the40 remarkable and dedicated OUSD employees receiving recognition at theDecember 2012 Honoring Our Own Awards Ceremony. These awards are acelebration of you, the Teachers, Principals, Administrators, School Site Staff,and Central Office Staff who continually produce results, inspire others, andstand as role models for students, coworkers and for the Oakland community,all in service of Oakland’s children and the Community Schools vision.These awards are the product of a District-wide open nomination process and symbolize the remarkabletransformation that continues in Oakland Unified School District, as we build and nurture a workplaceculture that values employees, encourages us to value and support each other, and regularly celebratesachievement. The awards also remind us that in order for our vision of high quality, equitable publiceducation to become reality, we all must be engaged in and contribute to the crucial work that takes placein the classroom.Each of you has demonstrated your deeply committed connection to your own work, and your largerunderstanding that ultimately we are here together for the sole purpose of ensuring that Oakland’schildren thrive. Words cannot express my gratitude for the daily impact your service has directly andindirectly on the lives and future of our children and community.On behalf of myself, the Board of Education and of OUSD, my heartiest congratulations and best wishes.Sincerely,Tony Smith, Ph.D.SuperintendentOakland Unified School District

Event Schedule5:30-6:30 PM .........Social Hour & Dinner6:30-6:40 PM .........Welcoming Remarks6:40-8:00 PM .........Award Distribution – Board of EducationTEACHER QUALITY AWARDSEDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARDSSCHOOL SITE SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDSCENTRAL OFFICE SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS8:00 PM..............Closing RemarksOAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION

Teacher Quality AwardDANA GRAHAMPiedmont AvenueElementary SchoolHer principal says, “I can always depend on Dana.As a member of the school leadership team, shegenerously shares knowledge and ideas, works closelywith her 4th grade team teacher and sets an awesomeexample of organization skills and follow through.Her classroom is always neat and tidy; the studentsare always engaged and on task and are showing consistent improvement in mathand ELA scores. She accurately and faithfully follows all curricula; Si Swun himselfeven brought principals to see Ms. Graham teach his program. She is also theliaison for our after school program, helping teachers follow our pacing charts anduse data effectively. Ms. Graham’s extra dimension of love and concern expressesitself in praise, creation of leadership opportunities, and daily reinforcementof Piedmont ‘s college-bound culture.” Dana’s commitment to success for herstudents is truly The Oakland Way!ERIC CHORLEYWestlake Middle SchoolEric Chorley has been a dedicated career SpecialEducation teacher for over 20 years and is a valuedcolleague and member of the Westlake communityHe possesses a wealth of intervention strategies aswell as finely honed teaching technique; as a result,children flourish in his classroom. Special Educationcomes with a significant “caseload” responsibility,and Eric is exceptionally meticulous, organizedand yet still inspired in assessing, maintaining and implementing students’ IEPs.Eric is also the ultimate “team player” at Westlake; he gets to work before 6AMand prepares the teacher work room for the entire staff. He has also contributedmightily to the Westlake community as Secretary for Westlake’s SSC for manyyears. Eric’s consistent contributions to improve teaching, school and communityare truly The Oakland Way!LARK MATIS-RUFFNERWestlake Middle SchoolMs. Ruffner’s dedication to teaching and love oflaboratory science is inspiring and infectious for thestudents, who line up before and after school to makeup work, get extra tutoring, and help around the class.She has mentored 13 new science teachers in her timeat Westlake. Her parents often come to class just toparticipate in dissections! Ms. Ruffner is a whirlwindof individualized instruction and assistance in theclassroom—no student leaves the room with work incomplete, and no studenthas to wait long if they need help. The numbers of students who are placed intointernships, who decide they wish to pursue a science related career, and the testscores on benchmark exams speak for themselves. Ms. Ruffner is truly a teacherwho students remember for decades for her passion and caring, she is a teacher thatpositively impacts lives every day!LAURA HAYESOakland Technical HighLaura Hayes demonstrates she is The Oakland Wayin her tireless support of staff and students alike toensure student success. A highly effective instructor,her gift for establishing and holding fair policiesand clear boundaries create a coherent classroomatmosphere that encourages and facilitates studentfocus and engagement. Professional and actionoriented, Ms. Hayes collaborates closely withcolleagues, utilizing available data to identify the best instructional strategy andpractice to improve student outcomes. She works closely and patiently with allher students, meeting them at their ability level to maximize their understandingand help them achieve proficiency; additionally, she spends many hours outside ofthe instructional day to assist students, conducting after-school study assistancesessions, and serving additionally as the Intervention Specialist for Tech’s Algebrastudents.DAVID CAVENHorace Mann Elementary SchoolDavid Caven is everywhere at Horace Mann! Hearrives on campus at 7:30AM daily to set up yardequipment and is also there after school to monitordeparting students. As prep teacher, Mr. Cavenhas the special challenge of interacting with everystudent each week, but he knows all their names,can identify something positive about each one, andmakes a special effort to address their individualinterests during prep to maximize their engagement . A shrinking budget andlimited support staff render Mr. Caven an invaluable “go-to” behind-the-scenesstar at Mann; he never loses his sense of humor as he troubleshoots and repairs allequipment, helps with everything from furniture moving to extra yard duty, and isa generous and supportive presence to everyone on campus.CHRISTI CARPENTERUnited For Success AcademyChristi Carpenter truly has helped put the “Success”in United for Success! She arrives daily preparedto inspire, intrigue and sometimes just push eachstudent to go farther and achieve more than theythought they could. She livens lessons with teamwork and group projects and discussion, andregularly has her students self-reflect, to create andrevise their own learning goals. She makes heavyuse of formative and summative assessment data to plan her individual andgroup instruction, skillfully differentiating to meet the needs of all learners in herclassroom. Not content with providing a rich a classroom experience, she bringsEnglish studies to life through evening excursions to plays, movies, other culturalevents in the community. Her coach reports, “Christi is truly exceptional. I lovegoing into her classroom each week. Students are glowing and growing each day inher classroom.”

Teacher Quality AwardJENNY CLARKOakland High SchoolJenny Clark is a co-director of the Oakland HighSchool Visual Arts Program, a demanding role whichshe performs enthusiastically and meticulouslyin addition to her teaching duties. Colleaguesappreciate her insights on specific students as wellas her generosity in working with them on teachingand classroom communication techniques. Jennyalways finds the time at lunch and after school towork one on one with students. Her gift for nurturing long-lasting and trustingrelationships with students is evident from the many visits that she gets fromalumni of Oakland High; students who relied on her advice and answers while inher classes are coming back as old friends to visit. Jenny’s genuine care and thestrong connections she has created between students and school are The OaklandWay!GEOFFREY VURoots International AcademyGeoff Vu displays an amazing ability to listen andrephrase, help the group get to the root of a situationand jointly craft a solution. His remarkable energyand analytical skills are complemented by hisgenuine regard for students, families and coworkers;he is always available to students and families, andunstintingly assists colleagues in whatever way hecan to create instructional and system improvement.During the first few weeks of culture building at ROOTS, there was much planningto do and Mr. G made sure that all grade levels had lesson plans prepared forthem. A coworker reports, “He creates amazing lessons and visuals and has themost inviting classroom I have ever seen. Mr. G is a natural leader, with abilityto inspire his coworkers, families and his students. He is a true hero and deservesrecognition.”JENNIFER BLAKERoosevelt Middle SchoolJennifer Blake is at school early and late every dayto ensure her students and colleagues at Rooseveltare well-supported. As Special education chair, shefills many roles, teaching and connecting students,teachers, and families with each other and withoutside resources to ensure each student receivesthe most appropriate services in the larger schoolenvironment. Jenn has a gift for professional andrespectful communications that can also make people feel welcome and at easein sometimes difficult conversations. She has created school wide systems thatstreamline communication and is always posting exemplary student work onbulletin boards. She makes most of the school wide visuals. Jennifer loves thekids and treats them with dignity and respect; her commitment to diversity andinclusion in the school environment is The Oakland Way!AIJA SIMMONSNew Highland Elementary SchoolColleagues describe Aija Simmons as someone whocan be counted on as a teacher leader, science leadteacher, and model for other staff. Exceptionallyskilled in both the content areas of the upperelementary curriculum and pedagogical strategies,and with a gift for communication, Ms. Simmonsrepresents the best of the Oakland Way - a caringskilled teacher who prioritizes individualized plansfor all her students, is proactive in addressing conerns or questions from students,families or administration, and always believes her students can succeed. Herstudents achieve at high levels on a variety of measures; she is a district leader inscience, social studies and personalized professional development through MillsTeacher Scholars; she has in fact presented her work as a Mills Teacher Scholar,garnering national attention. Ms. Simmons is a stellar teacher and teacher-leader!RACHEL KORSCHUNColiseum College Prep AcademyIn 2011-12, Rachel Korschun became CCPA’s firstResource Specialist, designing support programmingand systems that have led to an average a GPAincrease of over half a point for students in theresource program. As the Academic Liaison toCCPA’s after-school program, Rachel systematizedand implemented a successful Response toIntervention (RTI) program; as a member of theCPAA’s Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) team, she led aplanning process that resulted in a successful rollout of PBIS this fall, an initiativedesigned to create a safe and supportive school culture, especially importantfor students with disabilities. Finally, Rachel piloted the Achieve 3000 readingprogram with her students, is currently supporting other teachers learning toimplement the program and plans to lead professional development for parentswho will be able to support their children in the program. Rachel Korschun is ateacher leader whose willingness to develop and extend herself to meet the needsof her students, families, fellow teachers and school community has made her anindispensable resource to her school.STEVIE EVANSElmhurst Community PrepElmhurst’s principal reports, “When visitorscome to our school, I make it a point of takingthem to Stevie. Evans’ room first. It is a safe,calm, well-ordered, print-rich environment.Student identity and interests are reflectedin the work posted on the wall, and strongmanagement is evidenced in the way studentswork to support each other to reach class, team, and individual goals.Young people who struggle to engage the overarching flow of our schoolfind a home in Ms. Evans’ room, and it is one of the brightest places on ourcampus.” Ms. Evans works closely with families of high needs studentsto help guide them through the complex world of Special Education law,polices, and procedures, and to earn their trust in herself, their school,and OUSD. Ms. Evans sets and maintains a high standard for professionalcommunication and collaboration with colleagues, to facilitate active“wrapped around” support for her students as they navigate advisory,elective, and Extended Learning Time coursework at school. Ms. Evansis a stellar educator, consistently building excellence and helping herstudents achieve in a very challenging environment.

Educational Leadership AwardKATIA HAZENPrincipalSequoia Elementary SchoolKatia Hazen is not only a highly organized andstrategic business manager, she has nurtured aculture at Sequoia Elementary that wraps-aroundstudents and is truly invested in positive outcome forall students. She works well with everyone, involvingall of her community to be part of the solution whena problem arises. Katia guides her staff and families to consider and seek equityand to make data-informed decisions to support all students and further equitableoutcomes. She knows quality instruction and supports her teaching teams toadjust their teaching based on student needs. Personable, professional, committedto all of her students and her community and highly respected by the staff, studentsand parents of the Sequoia community, Katia Hazen is an asset to OUSD – she isThe Oakland Way.CLIFFORD HONGPrincipalRoosevelt Middle SchoolCliff leads from his heart and soul. Whilemaintaining a strong focus on instruction and qualitydaily operations he still always honors the socialemotional aspect of leading . In acknowledging thatthis is both hard work and heart work he looks outfor his staff ensuring that they are taking care ofthemselves even as they take care of the students. He builds strong relationshipshimself with students, coming to truly know their stories. Cliff celebrates his staffand students, providing positive motivation to keep up the good work, yet doesnot retreat from difficult conversations with staff, families or students if studentsuccess is at stake. His consistent focus on quality outcomes for students whilevaluing all stakeholders is The Oakland Way.CARMELITA REYESPrincipalInternational High SchoolCarmelita Reyes comes to her work grounded asa literacy specialist, who deeply understands theimportance of language and literacy to the success ofstudents. She is the founding principal of OaklandInternational High School, which was founded onthe model of a series of newcomer schools establishedin New York City. Students are eligible to be students at Oakland International,if they have been in the country less than 3 years. This past year, the API cameup by 20 points. All teachers at OIHS are teachers of English as well as theircontent. Students work together in English to read, write, speak and read inEnglish in order to pass the CAHSEE and graduate from high school. Carmelitahas established a school which is doing an excellent job of bringing in immigrantstudents and educating them to be successful in this country. She has alsoestablished an “English as a Second Language” Program for parents and worksclosely with immigrant support agencies; in the best sense of the Strategic Plan,Carmelita Reyes has established a true community school.SARA STONEPrincipalRedwood Heights Elementary SchoolSara Stone is a great asset to our OUSD’s school andleader community. She is a dedicated and skillfulschool leader who understands the importance ofengaging all stakeholders to ensure a complete andquality educational experience for children. AtRedwood Heights Elementary Sara has created andnurtures a truly caring school community through her example of caring andinsistence on inclusion; students, parents, community and teachers all are fullyinvolved in creating and acting on the Community School ideal. In addition to thegreat work she does at her school she makes herself available to colleagues withinthe district, actively collaborating in professional development, on the Principal’sTask force Initiative, as a member of the Principal/s Advisory Council, and asa mentor to new principals. Sara Stone’s contributions on so many levels to thesuccess of Oakland’s children is The Oakland Way!MINH-TRAM NGUYENPrincipalEnCompass AcademyMinh-Tram Nguyen has put thoughtfulness,intention and care into leading EnCompass Academyfor over eight years, and particularly through its mostrecent two year design phase. Under Ms. Nguyen’sleadership, instruction at EnCompass has evolveddramatically, and today is anchored in science andliteracy opportunities that connect children to the real world. The EnCompassteam skillfully and rigorously uses data to inform strategies, track progress anddocument the success of every child, and this year EnCompass students reachedand exceeded the 800 API milestone for the first time. All children are embraced,honored and included at EnCompass; two years ago Ms. Nguyen seized theopportunity to welcome an ASIP class, and this year was able to add an SDC toserve a wider range of student ability. Ms. Nguyen’s focus on diversity, inclusionand equitable opportunity is the best of The Oakland Way!AMY CARROZZAPrincipalColiseum College Prep AcademyMs. Carrozza is only in her second year as principalat Coliseum College Prep Academy but has led herteam to amazing results from the start. Failure is notconsidered an option at CCPA. During Ms. Carozza’sfirst year, CCPA raised API by 46 points, to 661.The students at CCPA passed the CAHSEE in bothMath and ELA the first time they took it as 10th graders by over 70%; 12th graderspassed with scores over 90% in both Math and ELA. Ms. Carrozza is very focusedon supporting quality instruction; student achievement is carefully tracked usingdata systems, and early interventions are systematized for students who get behindin homework or whose grades slip. In addition, Ms. Carrozza is leading the effortto expand work-based learning, career education and dual college enrollmentopportunities for her students. Amy Carrozza is readying her students for successin the 21st century – that is The Oakland Way!

School Site Service Excellence AwardGWYNN FRANKLINSchool Security OfficerOakland Technical High SchoolSchool Security Officer Gwynn Franklin is one of thefoundations upon which Oakland Technical HighSchool teachers and students rest their daily success.She is the upbeat and dependable presence on campusdemonstrating to students all day every day that theyare surrounded by caring adults, who model andexpect adult behavior in the classroom and out. Loving but firm with her students,she always seems to be right on the scene when needed and always seems to knowjust what to say to keep kids on track and moving through their day productively.She is unfailingly friendly and ready with a smile and assistance for anyone whoneeds help. Ms. Franklin handles a difficult job gracefully and masterfully – herbelief in her students and her ability to support their success is The Oakland Way.JESSICA ISRAEL CANNONTeacher on Special AssignmentChabot Elementary SchoolJessica Israel Cannon helps her colleagues at ChabotElementary with everything from student andfamily concerns to honing instructional practice. Atrained social worker with 10 years’ experience inthe classroom, Jessica developed a comprehensiveintervention program for Chabot that is regarded as amodel, facilitates over 40 SST’s weekly, and freely shares her wealth of knowledgeabout local resources and available services with staff and parents alike. Evenas she mentors young teachers, she models the communication skills that willhelp them succeed in their careers. A coworker sums it up: “Jessica is articulate,clear, energetic, and does so much more than her job description involves. Herdedication towards making our school an excellent place to work and learn showsin everything that she does. I truly feel honored to call her a colleague.”PHOTOUNAVAILABLEDARYL BUTLERCustodianPiedmont AvenueElementary SchoolMr. Butler could be called Mr. Dependable; the entirePiedmont Elementary staff knows they can counton him for everything from emergency cleanupto unloading deliveries to moving furniture tocheerfully saving us with last minute assembly setups!He maintains wonderful relationships with school neighbors, keeping the campusand surrounding areas spotless. He greets and takes an interest in all the children,and last year brought treats and decorated the kindergarten room as a holidaytreat for the youngest students. His pride in his work, his generosity and love forchildren, his helpful and professional approach all make Mr. Butler a model OUSDemployee, an awesome custodian, and an invaluable member of the PiedmontAvenue community that helps our children thrive. Mr. Butler is The Oakland Way!ELIZABETH HENRYLiteracy CoachHoover Elementary“Hoover Elementary Liz” (as she is called) is alwaysthere for everyone with suggestions, solutions andideas! Creative, committed and connected, Liz isgenuinely tuned in to Hoover life, taking time duringevery busy day to ask after staff, faculty and studentsalike. She assists anyone in a pinch; at times shehas stepped up to cover the front office and has done it efficiently and cheerfully,making sure visitors receive excellent customer service and an excellent impressionof Hoover. She is dedicated and wholly committed to making sure that every oneof her colleagues has every resource they need in order for their students to besuccessful. Hoover could not be the same without Liz!” Hats off to Liz Henry whobrings The Oakland Way to her work with site, colleagues and students every day.JUDITH FLORESGED Chief ExaminerAdult Education GED ProgramGED Chief Examiner Judy Flores’ uniquecombination of skills and experience andunderstanding of challenges facing the GED -seekingpopulation has resulted in phenomenal performancefor the program even in the face of severe budget andstaffing cuts. Bilingual and tuned in to the challengesof her students, Judy keeps the program nimble and flexible to meet studentschedules and works tirelessly to connect with and engage potential GED studentsto help them complete this critical step to moving forward in life. Last year, Judyrallied the GED team to help 89 students complete their program and pass theGED exam – almost the same amount of students from the previous year but with1/3 of the funds. Judy’s work to help these students reclaim success, as well as allher work on behalf of OUSD’s continuing and adult education programs, expressesthe belief in Oakland’s students that is truly The Oakland Way.ANN LEECustodianInternational Community SchoolAnn Lee personifies reliable, and proved it when thechips were down; during the ICS head custodian’sabsence for almost two months, she stepped up tothe job without complaint to keep the school shiningand running without a hitch! Her principals reports,“Ann always responds immediately to concerns; I cancall on her whenever we are in need and she’s always able to get the job done. Ann’spositive, respectful, friendly and professional manner ensures that everyone feelscomfortable asking for her help; she is unquestionably our “go to” person and canalways be counted on the handle challenges the right way the first time.”

School Site Service Excellence AwardGLENDY CORDEROCommunity SchoolProgram ManagerUrban Promise AcademyAs UPA’s Community School Program Manager,Glendy Cordero is playing a central role in theschool’s development into a full service communityschool. Her success in creating clean, organizedand welcoming Family Resource Center at UPAhas resulted in remarkable parent participations rates and significant gains inthe schools’ overall attendance and student achievement (evidence captured inUPA 2011-2012 SQR report). Ms. Cordero keeps families informed on academicstandards and school policies so they can support their children, and followsthrough quickly on concerns and ideas shared by parents and faculty. Ms. Corderois developing the promise in all of UPA’s students and families, and strengtheningand supporting the school community immeasurably through the connectionsshe makes and nurtures with UPA families. Glendy’s unswerving belief in herfamilies and students is The Oakland Way!REGINA HANKINSSpecial EducationInstructional AssistantManzanita Elementary SchoolRegina Hankins has been with OUSD for morethan 30 years, and has grown in that time into aconsummate professional who completely respectsstudent and family confidentiality, completelysupports classroom instruction and alwaysdemonstrates true caring. Described by teachers as naturally nurturing andempathetic, she seems to know just how to instill confidence in a strugglingchild by providing the exact mixture of assistance and encouragement thatwill help them master tasks that may come easily to others. Her Principal says,“Regina Hankins is one of the most outstanding instructional assistants I haveencountered. She loves her work and consistently meets its challenges as acollaborative partner with the classroom teachers; she provides consistent andreliable knowledge, support and love!”CAROLYN TRAYLORSchool CounselorBret Harte Middle SchoolCarolyn Traylor brings openness, experience, a strongwork ethic, generosity and kindness to her role as BretHarte Middle school counselor, building communityand moving forward initiatives to build the collegeand career readiness of our students. Her meticulousorganization and immaculate record keeping providea resource to many others at the school, and she has become the keeper of many8th grade school traditions that are so meaningful to our students and families.She really cares for her students, devoting exceptional amounts of personal timeand resources to ensure they are supported in their whole school experience andremain on track. In a time when school counselors are unfortunately increasinglyrare, Ms. Traylor does the job as it was meant to be done and so much more. She isThe Oakland Way and truly an asset to Bret Harte and to OUSD.DELORES GROSSAttendance ClerkHoward Elementary SchoolHer principal reports of Delores Gross: “Delores isso dependable! She reliably verifies student absenceseach day, accurately and punctually completesthe monthly statistical reports, and is completelytrustworthy with confidential information. She has awealth of knowledge about the goods and services weuse, but still continuously seeks to upgrade her skills! Delores displays compassionas well as firm guidance to our students, and engages with young parents, stressingthe importance of parent engagement and encouraging participation in our SSC.She answers the phone promptly, greets office visitors with a smile and often goesabove and beyond; recently, I was touched to find that she took some work homein order to complete it ahead of time just to help me meet a deadline! Deloresdeserves recognition and many thanks!”JANE LIUBilingual Instructional AssistantLa Escuelita Elementary SchoolMrs. Liu is always on time and always there for herstudents and coworkers. She was everywhere at onceduring La Escuelita’s move in this Fall, unpacking,sorting and tidying supplies and textbooks. Shesupports classroom instruction beautifully throughsmall group instruction, and is especially committedto her “new comers” group, focusing on helping these English learners developearly reading skills and confidence. Mrs. Liu additionally translates material onbehalf of the school, graciously and accurately. Mrs. Liu demonstrates her caring ina quiet and unassuming manner that creates a warm atmosphere of calm security.VALERIE HICKSNoon SupervisorEast Oakland PrideElementary SchoolValerie Hicks never misses a day; she has been withEast Oakland Pride for 20+ years, supervising recess,volunteering in classrooms, reading to students,mediating discussions, tutoring, encouraging,prodding, and even feeding kids; she freely givessupport, advice and comfort for students and parents alike. She participatesin so many roles beside her official one of noon supervisor that she is now anindispensable part of the East Oakland Pride community. You only need to ask.Ms. Valerie’s generosity with her time and energy have made her indispensable asa mentor and friend to every teacher, student and parent in the school. Ms. Hickshas shown The Oakland Way in her love and concern and belief in her childrenfrom the beginning, and everyone at East Oakland Pride agrees: may she remainfor another 20 years!

School Site Service Excellence AwardDONNA IRBYFood Services ManagerJames Madison Middle SchoolMs. Irby has an impeccable kitchen and an impressiveknowledge of nutrition! She is proud of the roleshe and Nutrition Services play in student healthand success, and works extremely hard to ensurethat mealtime is a positive experience for staff andstudents alike. Ms. Irby goes above and beyond foodpreparation in supporting Madison families, greeting and connecting with parentson campus; even if she does not share their language. Her love for the childrenshe is serving comes through clearly in the individualized attention she providesto each student; children who enter Ms. Irby’s cafeteria are “fed” in more than oneway. A coworker says, “I believe Ms. Irby has earned this nomination several timesover! She is consistent, dependable, and loving. We appreciate her hard work, andappreciate the district honoring her.”PHOTOUNAVAILABLEALICIA PENABilingual Clerk-Typist IntermediateEsperanza Elementary SchoolAlicia Pena does it all; she is a great listener, excellentwith students, and able to help staff members to getanything they need. Alicia Pena performs the criticalfunction of translating for families and students - sheis the communications link for many at her schooland always ensures people leave with understanding.She is very hard worker and seems to solve all problems with a smile. She givesequal attention to everybody but never seems rushed but listens respectfully.She completes all her work on time, and then helps others with theirs! Ms. Penais a team player who regularly goes above and beyond to help keep EsperanzaElementary School a welcoming and well-run school. Alicia Pena helps studentsfamilies and coworkers succeed – she is The Oakland Way!DORIS HALLCustodianCastlemont High SchoolListen to what they say about Doris Hall atCastlemont! “Doris gets her job done with dazzlingstyle! She always ensures that her building, as themain entrance to the school, is in tip-top shape so weshow the outside world our best. She is a welcomingand friendly presence to staff, students and visitorsalike; often, seeing Doris is the highlight of my day. I never hesitate to ask her forsupport because she is so gracious in giving it. In her daily interactions with allstaff she is joyful, humorous, caring and shows so much love to everyone. We talkso much about loving our students and Doris reminds us that we also need to loveeach other and she models this every day in the halls and classrooms, checking inwith adults, sharing a short conversation, and giving a hug.”What is The Oakland Way?The Oakland Way describes a special combination of qualities; itdefines the work of the OUSD teachers, leaders, technical, andsupport staff who:• Value and represent the diversity of the Oakland community• Hold a strong commitment to social justice• Never stop seeking equitable outcomes for all of Oakland’schildren, and• Believe that we share the responsibility to ensure the successof our children and community.This is what we mean when we say,“I work for Oakland’s children . . .I am The Oakland Way!”

Thank Youto our Donors & SponsorsScottish Rite CenterChef Moe’s Bon Appetit CateringEast Bay Community FoundationRogers Family FoundationHome Depot OaklandAcknowledgementsAardvark Laser Engravingslimgim designsKDOLSpecial Thanks to thePurple Bamboo Orchestra &Chorus!The Purple Bamboo Orchestra & Chorus of Lincoln Elementary School is a program of the PurpleSilk Music Education Fund (PSMEF), an Oakland-based nonprofit that supports music educationfor inner-city youth. Purple Silk programs also include the Great Wall Youth Orchestra & Chorus ofLaney College. The mission of PSMEF is to instill in young people an appreciation of music from allcultures through instruction in traditional Chinese instruments. PSMEF promote opportunities forchildren and youth of low-income families to receive music education from professional musicians,perform in public venues and become proficient musicians themselves. We hope you enjoy these localyoung musicians.