Dewey Academy

Dewey began as an Oakland elementary school at 38th avenue and East 12th Street in 1899. It was named after Admiral George Dewey who was a hero in the Spanish-American War that was being fought at that time. In 1963 Dewey ended its history as an elementary school and became the first continuation high school in Oakland in 1964. In the fall of 2001 Dewey moved from the East 12th Street site to its present site on Second Avenue near Lake Merritt. We continue to serve 16 to 18 year olds who need an alternative way of reaching their goals.

As in most continuation high schools, our population is very transient; at any given time, about 25% of our students are newly enrolled. All students are behind on credits. As of the writing of this report, our ethnic population is as follows: 40% African American, 44% Latino, 7.7% Asian, 1.5% Pacific Islander, and 2.1% Multi-racial.

Ninety-two percent of students qualify for free and reduced lunch while 23% are English Language Learners. The Dewey Academy vision is as follows: Dewey Academy is committed to providing a safe, healthy, and growth-centered community for at-risk students seeking to graduate and improve their life prospects. We aim to provide college, career, and professional readiness education using an engaging and relevant curriculum.

Furthermore, our health, fitness, and violence prevention programs teach students invaluable life skills and prepare them for life beyond high school. Our students come to us having faced tremendous obstacles: poverty, malnutrition, foster homes, homelessness, family abuse and neglect, teenage pregnancy and parenthood, and exposure to violence and crime. Students cope with these challenges differently; many have physical, mental, and emotional well-being issues while others turn to drugs, alcohol, and crime themselves. Most face chronic truancy and disciplinary problems.

Regardless of how they come to us, we welcome and accept them as they are and leverage their assets and formidable characters into graduates capable of transforming the world in which they came.