Congratulations on Another Successful Year of Joyful Learning

School is out for our TK-12 schools for the summer and I want to congratulate our students, families, staff and community on another successful year of joyful learning. It has been a true privilege to lead OUSD this year as your Interim Superintendent and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to move the District forward as Superintendent for 2026-27. 

I am constantly inspired and impressed by our creative, determined, brilliant students. Every day, they show incredible resilience, adaptability, and drive as they navigate complex concepts in the classroom, lead extracurricular initiatives, and play sports, some as team captains, all while overcoming personal hurdles. Their achievements are a testament to their hard work, and to the adults in their lives that nurture their development. My hat is off to our young people and to everyone across the District and city who supports them.

Here are just a few of this year’s successes and amazing experiences that make OUSD the wonderful district it is:

• This year, OUSD awarded the Seal of Biliteracy - a state-issued recognition of graduating seniors who have demonstrated proficiency in English and another language - to 331 students. That’s 50 more students than last year!

Meet Lulya Kebedom, Oakland Tech Class of 2026 and Future U.C. Riverside Civil Engineering student, who is trilingual in Tigrinya, Amharic, and English!

• OUSD’s annual STEM Fair on May 6 was the biggest one yet, with hundreds of student projects on display at the Oakland Coliseum, and thousands of families, staff, and partners filing through the space learning from our students across all grade levels about the scientific discoveries they’re making in their own lives. You can meet some of the students and hear about their projects at the link above.
   
• The ever popular Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratorical Fest was another amazing success this year. Hundreds of students, families, and staff converged on Skyline High for the Oratorical Fest Showcase on April 19, and the students shined on stage. You can see some of their performances here.

• During Earth Week, District partner Oakland Goes Outdoors (OGO) conducted its 1,000th trip with OUSD students. On April 23, 100 students from Frick United Academy of Language hiked through Redwood Regional Park and learned about the environment. Since OGO began its mission to introduce all OUSD students to the great outdoors in 2018, the organization has helped more than 18,000 students experience and learn about the world around them.

• Last fall, a student at Chabot Elementary had a Halloween he won’t soon forget. Asa Luo, who was paralyzed in a freeway incident three years ago, received a spectacular Mario Cart costume for his wheelchair provided by the organization, Magic Wheelchair. Once he was fully equipped, Asa took part in a neighborhood parade with his school mates.
   
• At the Oakland Promise Pathways to Opportunity Awards Ceremony on May 14, more than 1,600 students received nearly $6.5 million in scholarships.
   
• Dominic Antoine Jr., who will graduate from Fremont High School today with an outstanding 4.3 grade point average, was accepted to all 31 colleges to which he applied.
   
• Two recent graduates from McClymonds High School were drafted this spring into the National Football League. Defensive back Michael Dansby was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round, and offensive lineman J.C. Davis was drafted in the sixth round by the New York Giants.

• The District also saw its 12th State Champion in athletics since 2016 crowned in February. Shayna Ward, who graduates today from Sojourner Truth Independent Study, but wrestled for Oakland Technical High School, won the State Title capping a perfect 42-0 season. She was the first solo OUSD state champion in decades, she won the title in her third straight trip to the championship match, and she became the first girl to win a wrestling title in the history of the Oakland Athletic League.

• The District had amazing events for students and staff the week of Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. As it does every Super Bowl week, the NFL hosted dozens of events in the region around the game. Oakland Unified was lucky to have many of them in our schools, and elsewhere with our students and staff. You can see some of the highlights here.

OUSD graduation ceremonies began on May 22 and will continue through Monday, June 1. What a thrill it is to watch our confident high school seniors stride across the stage to accept their diplomas and enter the next exciting stage of their lives. 

In the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing our Strategic Plan Impact Report highlighting our commitment to ensuring strong readers by the third grade, supporting empowered graduates, creating joyful schools, and fostering our diverse and stable staff. This Impact Report is the culmination of the work that the District started together, as a community, back in 2021. I am excited to share the results.

Our early childhood education centers will remain open for our youngest learners all summer long, except for a couple holidays. Our summer learning programs begin a week from Monday, on June 8, in support of more than 7,000 students.

I wish you all a fun, peaceful, and rejuvenating summer break. We look forward to welcoming students back to campus on the first day of the 2026-27 school year, Monday, August 10.

In community,

Dr. Denise Saddler
Superintendent