McClymonds High School’s Long-Awaited Renovation Project Begins After Groundbreaking Ceremony | CCPA Project Next

Oakland - It is nicknamed the School of Champions. And while recent years have seen McClymonds High enjoy lots of championship success, the campus itself has been needing attention as it has been decades since it saw any kind of significant upgrades in most of its facilities. That has all changed as a nearly $100 million renovation project is now underway. On June 10, the District held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of the project.

“We gather on sacred ground—ground that has shaped generations of Oakland leaders, scholars, artists, activists, entrepreneurs, educators, and world-renowned athletes,“ said Superintendent Dr. Denise Saddler. “This groundbreaking represents Oakland's commitment to the young people of West Oakland. It sends a powerful message that our students deserve facilities that match their brilliance, their talent, and their dreams.”

The project is funded by the Measure Y Bond that Oakland voters approved in 2020. OUSD’s Executive Director of Construction, Sele Nadel-Hayes, shared the changes that are coming to the McClymonds campus. They include:

• State-of-the-art renovated classrooms
• Cutting-edge engineering labs equipped with modern technology and tools
• Enhanced security systems and upgraded plumbing and electrical infrastructure
• A modernized cafeteria
• Updated locker rooms and new bleachers in the gym
• Refreshed dance and weight rooms
• New furniture and reconfigured layouts that better support collaboration and a variety of teaching and learning styles, while improving ADA accessibility
• Upgraded heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems
• Exterior improvements include new athletic field, grandstand, scoreboard, concessions area, and restrooms
• Revitalized garden and Plaza of Peace courtyard

“Today's groundbreaking is a major milestone for the McClymonds community and the Measure Y Bond program,” said Nadel-Hayes. “Approved by Oakland voters, Measure Y represents a $735 million investment in Oakland schools, and McClymonds is the largest project in the program, with a budget of nearly $100 million.”

Mayor Barbara Lee also celebrated the voters for supporting Measure Y. “We have the opportunity on this historic day to say, well done. Thank you to the voters for the facilities our community, our students, our teachers deserve,” she said.

To learn more about the project and reaction to it, here is an Oakland Post story on the groundbreaking.

And here is another story from KCBS Radio.

Another major groundbreaking is set this week as a result of the Measure Y Bond. On Thursday morning, June 25, the work will officially begin at Coliseum College Prep Academy (CCPA) in East Oakland. This $68 million expansion will include:

• A new high school classroom wing with 14 classrooms
• Two state-of-the-art science labs
• A new gymnasium building with training and weight rooms
• Improved outdoor spaces designed to support student learning, wellness, and community use

See the CCPA Fact Sheet here

“CCPA represents what is possible when students, families, educators, community partners, and public institutions align around a shared belief that Oakland students deserve excellent schools, excellent facilities, and clear pathways to college and career,” said Superintendent Saddler. “This groundbreaking is not only about new buildings. It is about honoring a community that has fought for quality schools and investing in the conditions that help students thrive from transitional kindergarten through 12th grade and beyond.”

The changes will support the school in carrying out its mission, continuing to foster a powerful college-going culture for Oakland students. The school community sees college as an expectation that is reinforced through exposure, access, dual enrollment, early college opportunities, and strong partnerships. This year’s data powerfully tells that story: among 115 graduates, 85.3% met A-G requirements, 85% were accepted to the California State University system, 56% to University of California (U.C.) schools, and 37 students are heading to U.C. schools in the fall.

OUSD is especially proud of the long-standing partnership between CCPA, the District, and Peralta Community Colleges. About a decade ago, OUSD and Peralta worked together to launch a more robust dual enrollment system designed to expand access to college coursework for Oakland students. That partnership has grown into a vital resource for OUSD students, helping them build confidence, earn college credit, and see themselves as successful college students before even graduating from high school.

“Peralta has been an essential partner in building clearer, more accessible college pathways for Oakland students,” said Chief Systems & Services Officer Preston Thomas. “The work at CCPA shows the power of K–12 and community college systems working together to reduce barriers, expand opportunity, and build a stronger bridge from high school into higher education.”