Even during the pandemic, parents and staff from two very different Oakland schools have made time to find common ground.

Author Archives: Ashley McBride
Ashley McBride reports on education equity for The Oaklandside. She covered the 2019 Oakland Unified School District teachers’ strike as a breaking news reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. More recently, she was an education reporter for the San Antonio Express-News where she covered several local school districts, charter schools, and the community college system. McBride earned her master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University, has held positions at the Palm Beach Post and the Poynter Institute, and is a recent Hearst Journalism Fellow.
OUSD ahora entrega comidas gratis a los hogares de los estudiantes
Los estudiantes del distrito y sus familias también pueden recibir cajas con verduras dos veces al mes.
Have questions about vaccine safety and reopening Oakland schools? Doctors have answers
OUSD is hosting five virtual discussions about the safety of the vaccine, how coronavirus spreads, and how to lessen the risk of getting the virus.
Summer school in Oakland will include in-person classes
The Oakland Unified School District is planning in-person instruction that will help students catch up after a year of distance learning challenges.
Oakland Unified is now delivering meals to students’ homes for free
OUSD students and their families can also get boxes of fresh produce delivered twice a month.
Is there space in Oakland for this charter school?
Aspire ERES Academy has been located in a tiny former church for 12 years, and school leaders haven’t been able to find a suitable permanent spot.
Oakland schools are observing Black History Month virtually this year
February is full of online programming for OUSD students, staff, and parents to celebrate African American history and culture.
Oakland teachers will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine next week
While state and federal officials say teacher vaccinations shouldn’t be required to reopen schools, some educators feel it is one part of larger mitigation efforts against coronavirus.
Will OUSD schools reopen this spring? Here’s what we know.
The district hasn’t set a date for reopening. But with COVID-19 cases tapering off in Alameda County and vaccines for teachers on the horizon, it could happen soon.
Mural honoring women in the Black Panther Party to be unveiled this month
The artwork, which will be installed on the side of a house in West Oakland, will join other memorials to Huey Newton, a founder of the party.
Oakland Unified’s three Black school board members propose reparations for Black students
The number of Black OUSD students has dropped significantly over the last 20 years, with many pointing to harmful policies as the reason.
Camping, self-care class, walking the dog: How Oakland students are coping during the pandemic
One group of students is surveying its peers on how their mental health has been affected by the pandemic and distance learning.
OUSD could remove mention of charters from enrollment materials
The proposal is part of a wider effort by the school board to stabilize the number of students attending district schools.
Oakland is searching for its next youth poet laureate
The chosen teen will promote literacy and represent the city and its youth at public events. Here’s how to apply.
Oakland students advocating to change school mascot confront an entrenched opposition
McClymonds High School has used a Native American mascot for most of its century-long history, and students say it needs to change.
How to watch and participate in Oakland school board meetings
The OUSD school board has four new members and a host of challenges to resolve in 2021, including how to reopen schools and implement a new district-wide safety plan.
To help offset their schools’ paper use, these Oakland students will plant a tree in your yard
The high school seniors calculated how many new trees would help address the carbon impacts of the million sheets of paper their schools use each year.
Un paso para “restaurar a la comunidad”: trabajadores de la salud de primera lÃnea explican por qué están diciendo que sà a la vacuna contra el COVID
Le preguntamos a los proveedores de salud y personal de emergencia cómo se siente ser el primero en la fila y cómo los residentes de Oakland pueden pensar sobre la seguridad de la vacuna.
A step to ‘restore community’: frontline health workers on why they’re saying yes to the COVID vaccine
We asked local health providers and emergency responders how it feels to be first in line, and how Oaklanders can think about the vaccine’s safety.
Parents are decidedly mixed over whether OUSD schools should reopen
Safety concerns, drawbacks of distance learning, and social isolation color families’ concerns as they weigh whether to return to school.