Honoring Our Own - Oakland Unified School District

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.