“We are Oakland International,” a graphic novel
Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 at 12:54 am in English learnershigh schoolsNo Comments
Students at Oakland International High School have come to California from all around the world — most of them, in the last few years. Through a project led by art teacher Thi Bui, the teenagers have told their stories in graphic novel form.
I wrote about this project in the fall of 2010; now the collection of stories is coming out in a book.
The book launch is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at the main branch of the Oakland Public Library,125 14th St. The event is in the teen zone on the second floor.
Books are $25 — and, if you go, you’ll get a signed copy. You can also find it on Amazon.
Oakland considers a different kind of charter school
Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 at 12:19 am in charter schoolselementary schoolssmall schools
Two Oakland elementary schools whose attempted breakaway from the district was recently denied (by the district) are taking a different approach in their quest for independence. Tonight, the principals of ASCEND and Learning Without Limits turned in revised charter conversion applications — this time, for “partnership charters,” which would work closely with OUSD and its five-year strategic plan.
The faculties at both schools voted last fall to separate from the district in order to have more control over staffing, finances, curriculum and scheduling — conditions they said they felt all public schools should have. It was a blow to the district, and it came out as the board was holding its contentious school closure hearings.
But in recent weeks, district staff and the leaders of the two would-be charters — brought together by OUSD’s