Honoring Our Own - Oakland Unified School District

Our MissionAll students will graduate. As a result, they are caring, competent and critical thinkers, fully-informed,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-service communityschool district. In addition to high-quality instruction, health, physical education, nutrition, medical,dental, recreation, housing, employment and language acquisition services are provided in this model,with the school acting as the hub of activity. The emphasis is on educating and caring for the whole child.Social and human services are not seen as extra or add-ons in these schools. Instead, collaboration inservice of the well-being of children and families is how these schools 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, eliminates inequityand provides all students with an excellent teacher each and every day.

Event Schedule5:30-6:30 PM . . . . . . . . . Social Hour & Dinner6:30-6:40 PM . . . . . . . . . Welcoming Remarks — Superintendent Tony Smith;Board of Education President, Jody London6:40-8:00 PM . . . . . . . . . Award Distribution – Board of EducationEDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARDSTEACHER QUALITY AWARDSSCHOOL SITE SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDSCENTRAL OFFICE SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS8:00 PM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Closing Remarks – Superintendent Tony Smith;Board of Education Vice President, Jumoke Hinton-HodgeOAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION

Educational Leadership AwardREGION 1 PRINCIPALJONATHAN M AY ERJonathan Mayer is the dedicated and committedprincipal of Chabot Elementary. Mr. Mayerhas worked diligently at Chabot to create anenvironment for all to thrive. Outside of his workas the Chabot principal he has helped to mentor and train new andveteran principals on how to manage their school budgets. He is alwayspositive, energetic, and ready to help his fellow colleagues. Region Oneis very fortunate to have Mr. Mayer as a leader!REGION 1 PRINCIPALRON SM ITHRon Smith’s commitment to student achievementis evident in all that he does to make the schoolculture and climate optimal for teachers andstudents alike to succeed. After working at WestOakland Middle School for just 2 months, Mr. Smith has dramaticallyimproved WOMS culture and climate, as he has again raised academicexpectations for all students. He is also leading a large group ofprincipals in our work towards putting the “Unified” back into OUSD.His peers and school community celebrate his commitment, vision, andleadership!REGION 2 PRINCIPALK A R E E M W E AV ERKareem Weaver is driven to improve outcomes forhis students, and uses every tool at his commandto do so. Data informs his leadership decisionsand drives professional development for teachers.He is motivated by seeing the students at Lazear achieve at high levels inall academic areas and by teachers delivering high quality lessons everyday. Visit Lazear and you will likely find Mr. Weaver in a classroom.Mr. Weaver possesses important leadership qualities: a laser focus onrecognition of quality instruction, a willingness to be challenged indiscussion, and great relationships of trust with his students, teachers,families and his community.REGION 2 ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONPRINCIPALROBI N GLOV ERRobin Glover is a continual learner and workshard to stay abreast of educational change andinstructional strategies. She maintains excellentfacilities, has high standards, excellent communication skills andhigh expectations of students. Ms. Glover is wonderful at developingrelationships with students, teachers, parents and community partners.She has been a long-time employee of OUSD. She is loyal, hardworkingand dedicated to seeing that students in Oakland receive a strongeducation. She is also collaborative and works extremely well with herschool community.REGION 3 PROGRAMS FOREXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN PRINCIPALCHR ISTIE A N DERSONChristie Anderson has maintained a commitmentto increasing the overall sense of community forfamilies and staff. She does this by developing afamily-centered model and her desire to ensureBurbank increases it’s connection with families through effectiveteaching, best-practices amongst all staff and in making families feelsupported and appreciated. She is able to make everyone feel a sense ofassurance during IEP meetings, formal school events or informationalmeetings through her high degree of knowledge about services for thepreschool students she serves. Ms. Anderson takes a high degree ofpersonal responsibility with regard to making sure she has addressedthe physical, staffing and communication needs of families and staff.REGION 3 PRINCIPALBETSY E STEELEBetsye Steele is a strong instructional leader,focused on improving student performancethrough creating and supporting the necessaryconditions for teacher and student success. Sheworks diligently to improve teacher practice in service of studentachievement. Ms. Steele cares deeply about her school and is verydeserving of this award!

Teacher Quality AwardREGION 1 TEACHERK A R L FLEISCH M A NREGION 2 TEACHERSTEPH E N DAV ISStudent attitudes and performance alike testify tothe attention Karl Fleischman actively gives eachchild in his Kindergarten classroom. He assessesand addresses each of the very young students’needs individually, continuously differentiating instruction to obtainthe best results for each child. He demonstrates boundless energy,patience and enthusiasm for all of his students, giving them the best “K”experience and the best start in “big kid” school. Students are so excitedeach day to go to school because of Mr. Fleischman!REGION 1 TEACHERJEANNIE KOH LJeannie Kohl’s long years of service to hercommunity as a teacher are evident in her grasp ofher teaching craft (and art), and in the confidenceshe exudes in her interactions with others. Ms.Kohl conveys a sense of trust and a firm grasp of issues pertainingto student success and support in working tirelessly with students,parents, teachers, staff and community. Ever mindful of the importanceof data in identifying and addressing needs, as well as in measuringsuccess, Ms. Kohl rigorously gathers and analyzes information toidentify students who could benefit from her site intervention; then shegoes above and beyond to create structures of support for the needieststudents at Montera. Ms. Kohl is committed to the vision of OUSD!REGION 1 PROGRAMS FOREXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN TEACHERSTEPH A N IE K R AUSEStephanie Krause is a team player who is not onlyconcerned about the well-being of the studentsin her classroom but for all students, even goingso far as to volunteer the services of one of her support staff to supportanother classroom because she felt there was a greater need. She is astrong child advocate who is willing to make sacrifices for the greatergood of students, while she still delivers a high quality program. Sheforms a close professional relationship with all the teachers who serveher students, to ensure educational accommodations are appropriateand relevant for her students. She also willingly shares her ideas andskills with her fellow colleagues as she understands the importance ofcreating a strong and effective learning community.Stephen Davis pays his students the highestcompliment — he holds children accountablefor their learning. While he sets high standardsfor his students, he never does so without fullyexplaining his expectations and what is required to meet them.He uses workshop time to differentiate instruction. Mr. Davis is apublished author, producing books of educational games to be used inthe classroom. He believes that we show caring to children by havingexpectations for them and letting them know when they meet thoseexpectations or when they do not. Mr. Davis is very worthy of thisaward!REGION 2 TEACHERLU BI A SA NCH EZLubia Sanchez works for students, teachers, andthe whole Melrose community. She takes onwhatever needs to be done in order for students tobe successful; she holds students to high standardsbut always provides the support necessary for success. Ms. Sancheztook the lead on improving the services provided to English LanguageLearners (ELL) through furnishing more ELL-focused professionaldevelopment to her fellow educators. As a result, Melrose LeadershipAcademy had the most growth on CST scores for ELL’s of all middleschools in Oakland. Her colleagues say they have never met anyonemore deserving of OUSD recognition!REGION 2 PROGRAMS FOREXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN TEACHERCH A R LTON TA RV ERCharlton Tarver has been with the districtsince 1989 — primarily teaching students whohave learning disabilities. Several years ago thedepartment of Programs for Exceptional Children recognized the needto offer a more intense reading program for students who had not metsuccess through traditional methods. In 2001 Ms. Tarver, along withthree other teachers, was asked to help set up a district special educationreading clinic at two school sites. This clinic now serves approximately60 special education students district-wide. In addition to her expertisein literacy skill development she is well known for her advocacy for allchildren. Ms. Tarver has been a great asset to her students, families, thespecial education department and the district as a whole.

Teacher Quality AwardREGION 3 TEACHERM A RVA MCI N N ISMarva McInnis is a master teacher who cameback to Oakland after teaching in Atlanta. Shethrives in facilitating the learning of studentsto new levels, expanding students’ ideas of whatis possible. Her classroom is one where students take charge of theirlearning, which is focused on the social-emotional-cultural grounds ofacademics. Ms. McInnis helped pilot a Lead Teacher strategy, in whichpeer teachers coach and provide support to one another in adoptingschool-wide instructional practices.REGION 3 TEACHERI’ASH A WA R FIELDREGION 3 ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONTEACHERJE SSICA WA NJessica Wan knows the material she teachesvery well; thus, she is able to explain things tostudents in a variety of ways to ensure studentsgain complete understanding. Ms. Wan personalizes each student’sexperience, greeting them by name and checking in with them daily.Ms. Wan gives each student’s question her full attention, discussing itand guiding them to come up with their own answers. If the answersare incorrect, she shows them exactly which step the mistakes weremade. Ms. Wan engages students in conversation by asking themquestions that make them use critical thinking skills. Ms. Wan is wellorganized and highly regarded by staff and students.I’Asha Warfield is an extraordinary teacher ofEnglish Language Arts at Frick Middle School.She crafts an environment characterized bywarmth, fun and authentic relationships. Shecreates space for students to express themselves through writingand provides high support and high expectations to ensure highachievement. As a result, over 70% of students are Proficient in Writingon the CST in Ms. Warfield’s class. At Frick, Ms. Warfield is a leader,participating on the Instructional Leadership Team and taking the leadon incorporating new instructional practices.

School Site ServiceExcellence AwardREGION 1 CUSTODIANDA N TE COR M IERREGION 1 NUTRITION SERVICESM ICH A E L CH A R L E SDante Cormier knows his job and does it well! Heworks dependably and accurately, getting the jobdone on time and with limited supervision. Hisyears of experience and pride in his responsiblitiesas a custodian are evident in his performance. Mr. Cormier takes timeto talk to the children, especially the ones that are often in trouble. Heexplains to them that there are consequences for their behavior. Mr.Cormier might be busy when you call him, but he is always willing tohelp no matter what you ask him to do.REGION 1 CUSTODIANTHIEN N HI CHIN LU UEven during the sometimes chaotic construtionschedule at Montera, Michael Charles is thereto take care of the needs of his students. Beingpresented with difficult circumstances, really fineservice employees do not state why their job is impossible, they simplymake it possible, which is exactly what Mr. Charles does. He is clearlyvery dedicated to the students, going “above and beyond” to ensuretheir needs are met even as the school site grows.REGION 1 PROGRAMS FOREXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN AIDEN I NA JACOBSThien Nhi Chin Luu is known by her collogues asa worker who cares about details. She takes pridein ensuring that students learn in a clean and safeenvironment. Her skills were in rare form thissummer, when she was challenged by the simultaneous summer deepcleaningand construction project work at Claremont Middle School.She worked numerous amounts of overtime in order to assure theschool opened on time on the first days of school.REGION 1 PARAPROFESSIONALFELICI A POW E L LFelicia Powell is always present in the classroomengaging with the students. Her positivity isinfectious and it is very clear that she enjoysher job and does it quite well; parents alwayscomment on what a great person Ms. Powell is. She supports childrenacademically and socially/emotionally and makes children andadults feel supported and safe. Ms. Powell does not have to be askedto do things in the classroom, she always cheerfully takes initiative.Knowledgeable, reliable, and hardworking, she constantly puts thestudents first and is a pleasure to work with.REGION 1 NUTRITION SERVICESH E L E N PA NWe can always count on Helen Pan to be at workto provide service to her students at Cleveland.Ms. Pan provides consistent service and iswonderful and welcoming to children. Ms. Panalways completes work as assigned well and on time. She is just a greatemployee with a wonderful disposition. If you need something from hershe will reliably deliver and deliver promptly!Nina Jacobs works successfully in a verychallenging classroom environment daily.She comes to work on time and is unfailinglysupportive of staff and student’s needs. She often has the answer toproblems that arise in special education situations, learned throughmany years of service and experience navigating the complexities ofspecial education teams. Ms. Jacobs functions effectively as a teammember, keeping lines of communicatin open with co-workers insupport of student needs. She not only impacts our SDC-CE program,but also indirectly helps contribute to success for mainstream teachersand students as well.REGION 2 CUSTODIANTHER E SA COR DOVATheresa Cordova’s knowledge of her job isexceptional. Her documentation of facility repairitems as well as restroom reports are outstanding.Her caring for the students is noteworthy andsomething that does not go unnoticed. Her customer service skills go aboveand beyond the call of duty and are appreciated by all staff and students.REGION 2 CUSTODIANR A FA E L PER EZRafael Perez is well respected by his peers.His attendance is excellent and his ability tocommunicate with parents, staff and mostimportantly with students is outstanding.Although his school has recently undergone construction and added anew gym, he has continuously cleaned his entire site without any extrahelp - this shows his dedication to keeping a safe, clean environment forall students and staff at any cost.

School Site ServiceExcellence AwardREGION 2 SENIOR CLERK TYPISTA N N IE PAT TONREGION 2 NUTRITION SERVICESSH E LON N DA DAV ISONAnnie Patton has dedicated much of her life toOUSD. Her Glenview colleagues believe that theschool would have a difficult time functioningwithout her organizational abilities. With phonesringing, faculty & staff needing her immediate attention, parentsrequiring guidance, students seeking her special tenderness, as wellas supporting the administration, Ms. Patton can be counted on torepresent the school with grace and pride. She consistently seeks outadditional training and information to ensure that she is prepared aspossible for the work. Ms. Patton has a long history in the district andhas detailed knowledge of its systems and services. She has a keen senseof aesthetics and works to ensure that a good first impression is had byall who enter the school offices. Customer service is an obvious priorityfor Ms. Patton. Her efficient nature, kind heart, amazing speed, andlove of her job make her an ideal employee. She enriches the school eachand every day.REGION 2 COUNSELORCAR LOS PA DILLACarlos Padilla’s reputation is for dependability. Hehas probably assisted getting more students intocollege than any other counselor in the district dueto his skills and longevity in OUSD. Mr. Padillais entirely familiar with the information needed to assist students tonavigate high school and the college application process. He attendsconferences in his off time in the summer and during the school yearto ensure that he is aware of all that is happening in this professionand is available for the students. Mr. Padilla has a wonderfully caringempathic way about him that is reflected in all of his interactions. Mr.Padilla has been in OUSD for many years and it is fitting to honor thework that he has accomplished with so many thousands of students.REGION 2 NUTRITION SERVICESNA K H EU SA EPH A N HNakheu Saephanh takes pride in her work and isvery dedicated. She has stepped up to the platenumerous times including sub managing for largeelementary schools. We know that when she isin charge students will be served well. Students enjoy meals and theenvironment and it is all a reflection of Ms. Saephanh.Shelonnda Davison has been with the district forseveral years and has done a wonderful job. Shealways does a great job preparing delicious food forstudents. She works well with the students & staffand is dedicated to her work — she is a true asset to OUSD.REGION 3 CUSTODIANDE A N DR E H ASK I NSDeandre Haskins is a very reliable custodian. Hisexcellent attendance makes him one of the mostdependable in the department. His knowledge ofthe custodial products (cleaning products) and useof equipment is outstanding. His customer serviceskills are very impressive and his documentationhelps his school stay on top of facility repair concerns. His interactionwith students, staff and the community is very professional. He takespride responding to issue promptly — very valued member of the team!REGION 3 CUSTODIANCL AU DI A MOR FINClaudia Morfin has great customer service skills.She is always smiling when greeting a customer,very accommodating, never says no and she willalways find a way to solve an issues or concern.She goes beyond the call of duty by working onSaturdays and her relationship with the students is outstanding.REGION 3 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTY E SE N I A A L A M ILLOYesenia Alamillo has kept Marshall afloatduring this transitional period at the school. Thefaculty and families use her as a barometer oftheir wellness. Ms. Alamillo does the bulk of thecommunication and is seen as a professional. Shehas been the grease that has allowed people to express their feelingabout the transition in a professional manner. Ms. Alamillo is nowdoing the job that was covered by two people last year, yet they therehave been no complaints from the customers. The school would not bethe same without her!

Central Office ServiceExcellence AwardTECHNOLOGY SERVICESSI MON-PEDRO ZIMMER M A NSimon Zimmerman is consistently an overachieverand provides great customer support to everyinteraction with OUSD endusers. There is nota day that goes by that he is not recognized byAdministrators and fellow staff members. He istruly an asset to the OUSD technology team andcommunity.BUDGETINGK ATEMA SLOCU MKatema Slocum is one of the most reliable &available Financial Service Associates that theBudgeting department has. She is very proactiveand takes initiative to get work done in advance.Ms. Slocum is someone that people within herdepartment rely on heavily because she is trulyvalued as a team member. Her customer service skills are remarkablewhich is why she was an Achieving Service Excellence CustomerService trainer for the district. The district Administration goes to Ms.Slocum quite often because they know she will be able to answer thequestions and get the work done promptly and correctly. She is such apleasure to have on the Budgeting team!ACCOUNTINGA Z EB L EGE SSEAzeb Legesse is a true asset to the Accountingteam. She is dependable and hard working. Shetakes pride in her work and without complainttakes on additional responsibilities that are beyondher normal day-to-day duties. When other teammembers need help during critical periods, sheoften volunteers to take on additional tasks to support the office. Ms.Legesse is friendly, knowledgeable, and has a great work ethic. Herdemonstrated leadership skills result in her team members knowingthey can always depend on her for support. On many levels, she is agreat team member and is clearly committed to the quality and successof our school district.LEADERSHIP, CURRICULUM &INSTRUCTIONBON N IE STEINHOFFBonnie Steinhoff is one of the main reasons peoplehave incredible experiences with the Leadership,Curriculum & Instruction department. Herwealth of experience supporting new teachers anddesigning and delivering trainings ensures that her participants alwayshave a high quality experience. She works nonstop to make sure thatshe is responsive to the needs of the coaches that she supports as wellas her students. Whether Ms. Steinhoff is sending emails in-person orpresenting a professional development training her communicationskills are always top notch!FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITYPARTNERSHIPS — ASSIGNMENT OFFICEBET T Y MCGE EBetty McGee always takes a friendly andinformative approach with both students andparents; serving students in Oakland Schoolswho have somehow “fallen between the cracks”.Her commitment, preparation, clarity, and follow-through ensuresthe students won’t slip out of sight again after she has taken themon! She knows the schools that have spaces, she stays in constantcommunication with parents/students and Administrators, keepsaccurate records and keeps up with returning students and parents’unique situations. She conscientiously and effectively case manageswithout ever making a student feel that they are a “special case” — andgets them enrolled in the best placement possible to ensure their success.FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITYPARTNERSHIPS — BEHAVIORALHEALTHBA R BA R A MCCLU NGBarbara McClung manages the delivery ofBehavioral Health services for the entire District— including crisis response. This is a huge job,yet somehow Ms. McClung combines the capacityto care passionately with the ability to remain calm and professionalin providing these critical services to the youth and adults in ourschools. She is exremely knowledgeable in her areas of expertise, butwilling to explain and to ensure that concerns and fears are heard andaddressed. Ms. McClung cares about everyone in the district; the youthand the adults, and has spent countless nights and weekends makingsure everyone gets the high quality services they need. The people shesupervises love her; she goes above and beyond in advocating for her staffto ensure they are supported in their work and that the families of OUSDget excellent services. She truly deserves to be recognized for her devotionto this work.LEGALCI N DE E L AJOU R ECindee LaJoure has been with OUSD for 8 years andis dedicated, loyal and passionate about her serviceto our children and community; additionally, thereare probably few as knowledgeable in and capableof the high-level interdepartmental communicationfunctions that are necessary for the support of sucha centrally-cricital department. Her work product is impeccable, wellorganized,and masterfully presented. She is not only a master of her ownwork duties, but is so well-versed in all aspects of the Legal department’sfunctions that she is easily able to “cover” for the attorneys and othersin the office when it is necessary. Ms. LaJoure’s level-headedness andattention to detail shines through in her communications with staff,employees, parents and others. She keeps Legal operating compliantlyand efficiently through the use of a matter cataloging system, amaster matter list, budget management, and is unofficially the Legaldepartment’s technology troubleshooter.

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