Families are joining elected officials, Oakland Unified School District staff, community organizations, education advocates and concerned citizens to help plot the course for Oakland Public Schools over the next five years.

As part of OUSD’s Youth and Family Conference, the groups will come together from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. TODAY at Reach Academy, 9860 Sunnyside St. in Oakland.

The conference is the second in a series of events dedicated to the implementation of OUSD’s strategic vision, which calls for the transformation of Oakland Unified into a Full-Service Community School District that provides high-quality instruction in every classroom and a range of support services to care for the whole child. In this model, every school site offers high levels of learning along with physical health, mental health, dental and eye care; nutrition, physical education, recreation, before-school and afterschool programs; housing, employment, parenting and language acquisition courses; and a range of other programs.

Social and human services are not seen as extra or add-ons in these schools. Instead, collaboration in service of the well-being of children and families is how they consistently behave.

The day’s events will kick off with performances by Danza Azteca Cuauhtonal and the Imhotep African Dancers. Speakers will include Mayor Jean Quan, OUSD Directors Chris Dobbins and Alice Spearman, Superintendent Tony Smith, parent Allison Bosley and OUSD Student Director Nikita Mitchell.

Programming throughout the day will focus on how students and families can most-effectively get involved in the work of the Strategic Vision, detail why student and parent involvement is key to creating full-service community schools in Oakland and include workshops and opportunities for OUSD’s task force leaders to connect with community members and collect critical input for the district’s five-year plan. Light breakfast and lunch, childcare, translation services, activities and raffle prizes will also be provided. 

It is only by working together for the academic and social success of children that Oakland will be able to realize continued growth in our public schools. With this in mind, OUSD has created community task forces to provide a framework for engaging each other and developing ideas that help us implement our vision. Each of the 14 task forces is responsible for writing a chapter of the five-year plan, which will be presented to the Oakland Board of Education in May 2011. 

The Youth and Family Conferences, as well as events, meetings and focus groups coordinated by the individual task forces, offer opportunities for the public to provide input that will shape the Strategic Plan. 

If You Go

What: Youth and Family Conference
When: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 12
Where: Reach Academy, 9860 Sunnyside St., Oakland 94603
Details: Troy Flint at troy.flint@ousd.k12.ca.us or (510) 473-5832; Raquel Jimenez at raquel.jimenez@ousd.k12.ca.us or (510) 703-4825

About Oakland Unified School District

It is our mission to ensure that all students graduate as caring, competent, and critical thinkers, as well as fully-informed, engaged, and contributing citizens, prepared to succeed in college and career. Learn more here.