Honoring Our Own - Oakland Unified School District

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.”