RHS Spotlight: How are we doing?
Join us MON, May 4, 2020 @ 3pm @ The RHS Coffee Chat
Welcome to May 2020
MAY IS BIKE MONTH
=#ridethedistance.
Even though Bike to School Day has been canceled, we encourage you to join us in celebrating Bike Month. This is a great time to ride a bike while there are fewer cars on the road and Oakland designating a few miles of slow streets! You can find Alameda County Safe Routes to Schools online activities on their special distance learning webpage.
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Now officially proclaimed as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month takes place in May. It celebrates the culture, traditions, and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
International Workers' Day
Dear Redwood Heights Community,
The spirit of the common good of Redwood Heights is vibrant. I have witnessed large and small expressions of creativity and generosity. Our students, teachers, and staff have shown exceptional resilience and have approached distance learning with optimism, determination, and perseverance.
Thank you to the families that completed our Redwood Heights Wellness Check Survey. We love to hear your honest thoughts about our distance learning. If you haven't taken our quick survey press the survey button below so we can continue to best serve our students and families. We'd be so grateful to hear your feedback. Please reach out to me if you have any questions, concerns, or compliments.
Currently, I am focused on a plan for a safe return to school in August that I will share next week. Below is an excerpt from our OUSD Chief Academic Officer, Sondra Aguilera that describes possible OUSDS plans.
The RHS Spirit-a-Thon: Mind, Body and Spirit!
This year’s winning theme was: “Walk for your health. Walk because it’s cool. Walk for yourself. Walk for your school!”, by 2nd grader Nala Bickham! We will bring this theme to the Spirit-a-Thon!
To support our RHS family and the greater OUSD community, the PTA will donate 10% of all funds raised from the Spirit-a-Thon to an RHS Emergency Fund for our families in need of groceries and emergency support and to the COVID-19 Relief Fund for Oakland Students & Schools. If you’d like to donate to this cause now, you can send a check made payable to Redwood Heights School Parents’ Fund Association (write out Redwood Heights, the bank will not accept RHS) and mail to Parents’ Fund Treasurer, Olivia Sessanna 4445 Fair Ave Oakland, 94619 or PayPal rhsparentfundtreasurer@gmail.com.
Remember, we are here for you. Please email me @ Cynthia.Bagby@ousd.org if you have any compliments, questions, or concerns.
Warmly,
Cynthia
P.S. Contemplate on the Six Daily Questions to Ask Yourself in Quarantine from Published by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley
1. What am I grateful for today?
2. Who am I checking in on, or connecting with, today?
3. What expectations of “normal” am I letting go of today?
4. How am I getting outside today?
5. How am I moving my body today?
6. What beauty am I creating, cultivating, or inviting in today?
From our OUSD Chief Academic Officer, Sondra Aguilera
Dear OUSD Community,
May is typically an exciting month for students and staff as we wrap up the school year, celebrate our achievements, and look forward to summer break. This year is anything but typical so I wanted to follow up on my previous email with some deep appreciation for staff who have been working so hard over the past couple of months, as well as some additional information.
Please see below for updates and our plans and ideas for moving forward related to the following topics: Distance Learning; Technology & Addressing the Digital Divide; Grading, Report Cards & Promotion/Graduation; Summer Learning and the 2020-21 School Year...
The 2020-21 School Year
When it comes to re-opening our schools, the health and well-being of our community will always come first. At this point in time, August 10, 2020 is the anticipated start date for the 2020-21 school year. That date has not changed, but as you know, this is a fluid situation.
In the meantime, we are forming teams to work through the details in our scenario planning so that our employees and stakeholders help create our plan to return to school safely. Once the California Department of Education (CDE) releases specific details on how to safely return to school, we will work to adjust to those guidelines. We are committed to keeping our staff and community updated as we learn more.
We are continuing to think through inventive ways to support our students going forward, including the following:
- Expanding summer learning programming.
- Implementing Extended School Year (ESY) learning virtually for students with this support written in their Individualized Education Plans (IEPs-Special Education)
- Creating a bridge style ramp-up curriculum for teachers to address any learning gaps for students moving between a lower course/grade to a higher course/grade. This bridge style ramp-up curriculum would provide teachers opportunities to review previous grade/course content prior to launching into the next school year content.
- Investigating ways to alter the traditional school day/week schedule to allow for social distancing and other safety measures. We will continue to participate in planning discussions with the CDE and will rely on statewide guidance in terms of class duration, class size, etc. This could include a staggered school week, smaller groups of students on campus, and hybrid in-person/virtual learning models, etc.
- Surveying families over the summer about aspects of their distance learning experiences, access to devices and how potential changes to the school day/week would affect their family and their student’s ability to succeed in school.
- Exploring opportunities for students to receive additional instruction in an after-school setting through additional support like tutoring, once we resume in-school learning."
Please join me in thanking our educators as they continue to design and implement quality learning opportunities for our students and engage our school communities. Let’s keep focusing on the small wins, every day. We are stronger as a united Oakland!
Please share your thoughts about this message.
In Appreciation,
Sondra Aguilera
Chief Academic Officer
RHS Principal's Coffee & Tea Chat
Dear RHS Families,
Join us for our weekly Zoom meeting with the principal, Cynthia Bagby, tech lead, Rebecca Weissman, HUGS/SEL Counselor, Jennifer Wilson, and RHS teachers, Lynly Kendricks and Amanda Harris to answer questions and provide support. Below is a link to the previous coffee chat Google Slides presentation.
AGENDA:
Rebecca: MathApps: Imagine Math, Khan Academy and FRECKLE
Chu: Brief SEE SAW Tutorial
Please see the details below.
Topic: RHS Principal's Coffee & Tea Chat
Time: 3:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Every week on Mon, until the last week of school.
May 4, 2020 03:00 PM
May 11, 2020 03:00 PM
May 18, 2020 03:00 PM
May 25, 2020 03:00 PM
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://ousd.zoom.us/j/94858129920?pwd=MVVCNENRR2pORzMvYWJHM1VpZ0JDZz09
Meeting ID: 948 5812 9920
Password: 875336
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,94858129920#,,#,875336# US (San Jose)
+13462487799,,94858129920#,,#,875336# US (Houston)
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 948 5812 9920
Password: 875336
Find your local number: https://ousd.zoom.us/u/acUJLlMcsF
Monday, May 4, 2020, 03:00 PM
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Please see the proposed maximum and minimum amount of hours per day for student learning by grade span.
General OUSD Distance Learning Information:
- OUSD Distance Learning Information: Here you can find a message from Chief Academic Officer of Oakland Unified School District, Sondra Aguilera and links for OUSD Distance Learning
- OUSD Chromebook Help Guide for Families
- Internet Access Options for Families
- OUSD Distance Learning Support Survey - Provide feedback or share ideas about how we can help.
Visit our Redwood Heights School Closure Information
We commit to being here for you during these stressful and unprecedented times. Each week we will highlight one or two new resources for students and families in this section, as well as share important announcements (below). New this week from OUSD: Chromebook Help Guide for Families. Note: All new e-resources can be found when clicking on the new tab called SCHOOL CLOSURE INFO.
Contact Ms. Weissman at rebecca.weissman@ousd.org with any tech troubleshooting problems, questions that could be answered in this section, or ideas for resources that you’d like to see or ones you already have that you’d like to share. Stay healthy! Stay home! Stay RHS STRONG!
RESOURCES FROM OUR CITY:
From City of Oakland: The Message of the Day—please share, tweet, retweet, email, and post!
Message #1: Looking for a weekend escape while sheltering in place? Visit Oakland is bringing The Town to you through their #OaklandFromHome initiative. Through demos and classes, #OaklandFromHome brings our vibrant arts, dining and cultural scene to your home. Plus there are resources to help you support local businesses by ordering to-go from local restaurants and shopping Oakland businesses online. https://www.visitoakland.com/oakland-from-home/
Message #2: Stay home. Save lives. Avoid group gatherings, maintain social distancing of 6 feet or more, and stay home if you have symptoms. #beatCOVID19 www.oaklandca.gov/covid-19
(Translations in Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Arabic, and Khmer are attached in Word)
Social Media Toolkit. Messages and graphics in multiple languages that can be shared across various channels are available for download and use. Please share this link with community partners! https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/outreach-toolkit-for-covid-19
Article of the Day
Oakland Public Library offering students and life-long learners with an OPL library card free tutoring service to those learning from home via tutor.com: https://www.usnews.com/higher-education/online-education/articles/where-to-find-free-online-tutoring-during-the-coronavirus-crisis
City of Oakland
COVID-19 Racial Disparities Task Force: Mayor Libby Schaaf and regional leaders announced the formation of an emergency task force to immediately address the racialized impacts of the COVID-19 virus and create state legislation to reduce health disparities for people of color. The task force will operate under the auspices of the Oakland Thrives Leadership Council, a public-private collective impact council jointly led by Kaiser Permanente, City of Oakland, OUSD, and Alameda County.
The four co-chairs of the task force are: Mayor Libby Schaaf, Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan, Assemblymember Rob Bonta, and Dr. Tony Iton, Senior Vice President, California Endowment. Inaugural members include Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Supervisor Keith Carson, and Jane Garcia, CEO of La Clinica de la Raza.
Business Resources and Assistance: The Economic & Workforce Development Department's Business Development team continues to work one-on-one with Oakland businesses to help them apply for SBA grants, forgivable loans, and other resources to maintain cash flow during the Shelter in Place Order.
City Council members are encouraged to direct individual business owners, nonprofits and independent contractors to:
Take the COVID-19 Business Impact Data Survey, which services as the City’s intake pathway to request one-on-one business assistance
Testing: The City of Oakland is operating a COVID-19 test site to offer free testing to anyone in Alameda County who is working or volunteering outside the home who has symptoms or has had contact with the virus. The testing is even broader for health workers and shelter workers since they can receive testing even if they are asymptomatic.
The City of Oakland is broadening outreach to ensure all Alameda County first responders and qualifying workers/residents are aware of the program, especially those most vulnerable. This includes:
Launching the City of Oakland testing website: oaklandca.gov/testing
Entering into a formal partnership with Roots Community Health Center this week, to launch a comprehensive outreach and testing program to ensure our most vulnerable residents, including those recently released from incarceration into our community, have access to our COVID-19 testing sites. Roots -- whose mission is to uplift those impacted by systemic inequities through wrap-around medical and behavioral health care, navigation, workforce development, and housing -- is well-positioned to partner with the City in this critical endeavor.
Promoting the testing in the EWDD weekly newsletter
As of today, ~200 organizations/employers have enrolled in the program, representing 18,000+ first responders, frontline workers, and volunteers.
The City of Oakland is also providing support to Alameda County to ensure residents in long term facilities (LTF) and senior nursing facilities (SNF) are tested. This week, the City deployed Brown and Toland to provide onsite testing to ~20 on-ambulatory residents at an Oakland SNF. We are in discussions with Alameda County on how this need will be served in the longer term.
City Councilmembers are encouraged to direct anyone working or volunteering outside the home to oaklandca.gov/testing to enroll and learn for more information about the City’s testing program.
Homeless Response:
Hotels for the Unsheltered Community – The Radisson is reporting 276 clients (6 children), and the Comfort Inn is reporting 73 clients at this time. The County is working to fill the Radisson to capacity today.
Both hotels are being filled by referral only, and referral information can be found at http://www.acphd.org/2019-ncov/operation-comfort.aspx
The County plans to bring an additional 500 beds online next week. Possibly 1 or 2 more hotels in Oakland
State Trailers – The City is continuing to work on on-site development/construction for the trailer site.
Streets and Parks: On April 9th the City of Oakland announced the Oakland Slow Streets Initiative. Oakland Slow Streets is intended to support safe physical activity by creating more space for physical distancing for all Oaklanders by declaring that all existing and proposed Neighborhood Bike Routes are Closed to Through Traffic so that people can more comfortably use these low-traffic streets for physically distant walking, wheelchair rolling, jogging, and biking all across the City.
Last week we piloted soft closures on 4.5 miles of our network, using “Road Closed to Thru Traffic” signage, traffic cones and barriers on four street segments. This week, we asked the community for feedback on 11 additional miles of roadway and based on feedback we received we have selected the following streets:
Dover St – From Alcatraz Ave to 52nd St
32nd St – From Mandela Pkwy to San Pablo Ave;
11th Ave/ Bayview Ave/ Elliot St/ E 34th St – From E 8th St to Park Blvd;
Brookdale Ave – From Fruitvale Ave to Kingsland Ave
More information available at https://www.oaklandca.gov/projects/oakland-slow-streets
Oakland Public Library: Oakland Public Library: We still need to flatten the curve; that means staying home this weekend. Good thing there are many things you can do with your library card from wherever you are sheltering in place. Here’s how you can spend your weekend “at” OPL!
· Have a Movie Night with our free service, Kanopy
· Enjoy an online family storytime on Saturday morning
· Learn a new language
· Explore black history in California
· Request a personalized reading list
One can still sign up for a library card online, call (510-238-3134), or email us (eanswers@oaklandlibrary.org) with any questions or issues with their library card account.
Volunteers: We continue to seek able and healthy volunteers to help us prep and deliver food and medicine to our seniors and low-income families. Please sign up here to help:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjSerIYsqkc0CINv9nN8w1SeETO9PAf9T9-mXp8CVrUHD6YQ/viewform
Updated Service Impacts and Revisions:
Oakland COVID-19 Relief Fund:
This fund supports nonprofits working with our most vulnerable populations to address food insecurity, community health and education, homelessness and economic insecurity across Oakland. www.oaklandfund.org
Support for Oakland Residents:
General social service issues: 211
Public Health issues and questions about the Shelter-in-Place order: County Public Health
The City’s 311 phone line and OAK311 website continue to be a resource to request routine maintenance and report urgent infrastructure issues
The City website’s COVID-19 page is updated daily: https://bit.ly/39bhAsA
Alameda County
The Alameda County Public Health dashboard is up and now includes data on race/ethnicity: https://ac-hcsa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/948c67558cff414dbbee1a78fcbab1c9
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases in Alameda County [as of April 16, 2020]:
968 (81 hospitalized; 34 ICUs)
33 deaths
our Alameda County Public Health Department website www.acphd.org