Alameda Unified School District

Meet Kathryn Davis, a new assistant principal at Lincoln Middle School. Ms. Davis has taught middle school and served as an instructional coach for more than 17 years, most recently at Korematsu Middle School in El Cerrito. She received her BA from University of Wisconsin at Madison and a Masters in Secondary Education from DePaul University, and she is currently completing a Master’s in Educational Administration at UC Berkeley. She also holds the National Board Certification (which is the highest certification a teacher can have). Welcome to the AUSD team, Ms. Davis! #wearealamedaunified

AUSD provides professional development opportunities to staff and teachers every summer, as well as throughout the school year. We're grateful to Dr. Sharroky Hollie, executive director of the Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning, for spending a day with teachers and staff from Love, Earhart, and Ruby Bridges Elementary Schools last week. Dr. Hollie’s work focuses on helping teachers learn to validate and affirm their students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds and then build connections in the classroom that help students feel engaged, ready to learn, and able to succeed. Teachers in AUSD have been studying Dr. Hollie’s work since 2019. He and his team will be working directly with Ruby Bridges and Earhart teachers this year. Read more about this summer's professional development sessions in our August 14 news article, available at: https://lnkd.in/gC2g8y6U.

Tiffany Allison has joined us as the new Assistant Principal at Ruby Bridges Elementary School. Ms. Allison received her BA in English Language and Literature from Westmont College and her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Administration from Colorado State University. She has worked in the educational field for more than 18 years as an English teacher for middle and high school students. She also worked in professional development before serving as a teacher on special assignment for Walnut Creek School District. Ruby’s new AP has a warm and encouraging message for her students. “I think it’s really important to remember that every school year is a new chapter,” she says. “It’s an exciting opportunity for all of us to be our best selves, start fresh, get to know one another, and grow!” #wearealamedaunified

Wood Middle School students and families got to see their new temporary campus yesterday afternoon during an ice cream social hosted by the PTA. The campus, now called "The Lodge" (because beaver homes are called "lodges"!) was built from the ground up over the summer - including installing infrastructure, leveling the ground, laying blacktop, installing temporary classrooms, connecting them to the infrastructure, and setting up furniture. We're so grateful to Quattrocchi Kwok Architects, Lathrop Construction, Mobile Modular, and our district staff for their expertise and hard work on this project! Sixth grader Darby said he likes the new campus because "it's cool and different," and said he's also excited about the new Wood campus, which will be completed in two years. Sixth grader Rylie told us that she likes "how close everything is," and also noted she was looking forward to seeing friends she hadn't seen all summer. We hope all the Wood Beavers have a wonderful #firstdayofschool! #WeAreAlamedaUnified

"PE teachers have many roles," says Heather Demerest, who teaches PE at Love Elementary School. This morning this dedicated PE teacher valiantly served as a traffic cone to coach families on where it's legal - and, equally important, not legal - to park around the Love campus. Thank you, Ms. Demerest, for being willing to wear so many hats and for helping to keep our students safe! #wearealamedaunified #firstdayofschool

Long-time educator Jorge Melgoza is joining us this year as the interim principal at Island High School. Mr. Melgoza has worked as a teacher and administrator in local districts -- including Berkeley Unified, Mount Diablo, and San Leandro -- for more than 30 years. He received his BA in Chicano Studies and his MA in Educational Administration from UC Berkeley. He also earned an MA in Education from Stanford University. Mr. Melgoza first started mentoring and tutoring young men during his sophomore year of college, which was when he developed a passion for teaching. "The power is in your hands," he tells his students. "I want you to make a pledge of success to yourself that when you come here, graduating is the goal!” #wearealamedaunified

A big welcome to Angela Barrett, the new principal at Alameda High School. Ms. Barrett comes to us from Piedmont Middle School, where she was an assistant principal. Prior to that, she was an AP at Nea, here in Alameda. Ms. Barrett received Bachelor degrees in English literature and creative writing from Cal State San Bernadino, and Master degrees in education (Cal State East Bay) and educational leadership (Mills College). She encourages all students to lean in, have fun, and never hesitate to reach out for anything. Fun fact: Ms. Barrett is a big kid at heart and loves anime, reading, and video games! Looking forward to working with you, Principal Barrett! #wearealamedaunified

We love hearing about the paths new employees take to get to AUSD. Take Holly Ellison, the new Dean of Student Support at Encinal Jr. Sr. High School. Ms. Ellison has more than 20 years of experience in education, including as a Spanish and core teacher, intervention specialist, teacher coach, and assistant principal. Most recently, she served as a vice principal at East Avenue Middle School in Livermore, CA. Fun fact: Holly recently took a year off to travel the world, exploring South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa! “Time away from education has given me a chance to reflect on my goals as an educator as well as pursue professional development,” she wrote when she applied for the position. “I am returning to the work force with a renewed excitement to serve our students and my community.” Welcome to AUSD, Ms. Ellison! #WeAreAlamedaUnified

We loved having the opportunity to welcome 40 new teachers last week with an orientation that included information on benefits, payroll, technology, the Alameda Education Association, and equity - plus a welcoming introduction by Superintendent Scuderi. Welcome teachers - we're glad to have you on our team! #WeAreAlamedaUnifiedEdited · 1m

We love it when our site staff come back at the end of summer! Principals returned yesterday and launched the new year by building connections among themselves, hearing updates on instructional goals for this year, preparing for staff PD, and discussing AUSD’s focus on equity and responding to hate speech. They also received a welcome from Superintendent Scuderi about the importance of developing sustainable, balanced, and resonant forms of leadership that, in turn, help all staff on the team grow into their best professional selves. Today they participated in a six-hour emergency drill with the Alameda Police and Fire Departments, and tomorrow they will look at our CAASPP results from last year, and get an update from the Special Education Department. Welcome back principals! #WeAreAlamedaUnified