Celebrating Our Schools & Embracing the Peace of the Holiday Season

As we head into the winter holiday break, I invite us all to slow down, recharge, and embrace the peace this season can bring. I know this isn’t an easy time for our district as we continue to make difficult decisions about our budget, and many of us are still processing recent tragedy in our city. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for being a part of the OUSD community, and for honoring me with the opportunity to lead the District.

We are at the end of the semester, and I am happy to lift up a few things our students, staff, and partners have done this fall that remind me why Oakland is the amazing community that it is.

Students Succeeding

Our students have been spreading joy and showing off their talents far and wide.

• The Oakland High Jazz Band played halftime at a Warriors game at Chase Center in November.

• Numerous musical acts from schools including Edna Brewer Middle, Elmhurst United Middle, Castlemont High, and Oakland Tech High played a benefit concert at Yoshi’s for Elevate Oakland, which supports music and arts in our schools a couple weeks ago.
• And, I have to shout out the McClymonds High Football Team, which went to Southern California last weekend to play in their 7th (!) State Championship game since 2016. They came up short, and didn’t quite capture their 5th state title in ten years. But they represented Oakland well, and we are so proud of them!

• Students in the Young Adult Program took part in a makers market at the Crucible on the first weekend of December. They sold their own creations including art, clothing, and jewelry as part of the GIFTY Holiday Crafts Show.

Staff Creating Joyful Schools

• Harriet Tubman and Highland CDCs have been hosting spirit days in December with the goal of boosting attendance by bringing more joy and joyful learning into the lives of our youngest students.

• Hillcrest Elementary has seen a 6% increase in attendance compared to this time last school year, thanks to the positive school culture, staff support, and interventions.
• Urban Promise Academy creates a supportive learning environment for students by ensuring that staff are available to help students thrive. For example, two full-time Restorative Justice facilitators support restorative responses to student behavior and facilitate Peer RJ Programming at the school, while Wellness Together provides on-site therapists for mental health support to students. 
• Fremont High School hosts three joyful events each month, showcasing different clubs and groups on campus. In November, they held the Fremont Market where students and families came onto campus to promote their businesses. This was followed by the 2nd Annual Friendsgiving event later in the month, during which families came to celebrate their students and to learn more about special education at Fremont. Most recently the school held a Winter Showcase highlighting the work of students in music classes.
• The Oakland Adult & Career Education Department is producing one success story after another including, in just the past five years, 171 students earned their high school diploma or equivalent, 104 students passed the U.S. Citizenship Exam, and 1,001 students enrolled in career or apprenticeship preparation programs.

• And here’s another feature in our video series called Oakland Grown, sharing stories of people doing important things after growing up and finding their passions in Oakland schools. Here you get to meet Adam Green, a music teacher at Skyline High.

Partners Supporting Our Schools

• We had a new playground open this month at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary courtesy of Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation and KABOOM!, and more are coming, including at Emerson Elementary.
• There’s now a new SmartLab at Urban Promise Academy courtesy of the Campos Foundation, which had a ribbon cutting in early November. Students now get to use technology such as computers, 3D printers, robotics kits, drones, and podcasting, giving them access to a wide range of tools to enhance their learning experience.

• Students are enjoying their newly refurbished library at REACH Academy courtesy of the Golden State Valkyries and Ross Stores. In all the cases and more, students were overjoyed with the results. As he entered the REACH library, one boy exclaimed, “Yo, this is sick!” I couldn’t agree more about the impact our partners have across the District.

I also must share some sad news. Longtime Horace Mann teacher Joseph Lynch passed away last week at the young age of 57. He was a beloved figure at Horace Mann, who I had gotten to know, who started teaching kindergarten there in 2007. This year, he had a 5th grade class. In his 26 years with the District, Lynch also worked at what were Jefferson, Parker, and Sobrante Park elementary schools, and the former Lowell Middle School. He was also educated in Oakland schools at Horace Mann and what was then Frick Junior High. His wife, Dr. Kimberly Mayfield, served as Oakland’s Deputy Mayor. I send my deepest condolences to her and the entire family, his Horace Mann family, his students and former students, and everyone whose lives he touched in his time here in OUSD. His family shared that a Celebration of Life will happen at 11:00 a.m. on December 26 at Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church at 1343 81st Avenue in Oakland. All are welcome.

Lastly, we all know the holidays can come with many challenges. Some of us may be experiencing the holidays without a loved one for the first time, or worrying about personal finances, or maybe just stressing about the challenges in the world around us. While we each celebrate in our own way, it’s important to acknowledge all feelings that may arise and remember that it’s okay to ask for support when needed.

The district continues to partner with Care Solace, a mental health care coordination service, to help you and your family connect to an available therapist or treatment provider if needed. This is a free, fully confidential service for you and your family. If you are looking for help with mental health or substance abuse, Care Solace will quickly and confidentially find available providers matched to your needs. I encourage you to take advantage of these services if needed and make your family’s mental health a priority.

I wish you a restful and relaxing winter break, filled with love and joy. Please note that our Child Development Centers are open next Monday and Tuesday, December 22 and 23, but will be closed the rest of the break.

Remember that Monday, January 5, 2026 is a professional development day for staff and there is no school for students. We look forward to welcoming our young people back to class on Tuesday, January 6.

In community,

Dr. Denise Saddler
Superintendent