Education

Board of Education names Antwan Wilson superintendent

Antwan Wilson was unanimously approved as the Superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District by Oakland Board of Education, succeeding acting superintendent Gary Yee. Wilson previously served as Denver’s Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education where he achieved success increasing both graduation rates and the number of students entering college. “Start[ing] as a teacher, he worked his way through the system and understands how to be an educator at every level,” director Jody London said. The new superintendent’s appointment, following a…

Congresswomen stand by sexual assault survivors

Two U.S. Congresswomen stood shoulder-to-shoulder with sexual assault survivors on the U.C. Berkeley campus on Tuesday to call for federal legislation that would toughen laws on sexual harassment and violence on college campuses.

Q&A with Hip Hop Chess Federation founder on partnership with East Bay schools

Banjoko once lived in Oakland and was a part of the ‘90s Bay Area Hip Hop music scene. Currently, he is teaching chess and life strategies to students at Encinal High School in Alameda through a partnership with his friend John Fuentes, who oversees the after school high school program for Bay Area Community Resources (BACR). From now to the end of this school year, Fuentes’ goal is to have Banjoko teach chess at several Oakland high schools as well.

Therapists, role models, spies: An Oakland school trains students to help mediate campus conflict

Peer mediators serve as “Mr. Kyle” McClerkins’ eyes and ears around school. They listen to fellow students, help them take responsibility for their actions and decide on appropriate consequences. McClerkins’ peer mediator program is part of a larger framework called the Restorative Justice Whole School Model, implemented in Oakland since 2005, and existing in various forms around the country, from Chicago to New Orleans.

West Oakland fired up at The Crucible

The Crucible in West Oakland will commemorate 15 years of teaching community welding and other fire arts with an open house on April 12 exhibiting the works of teachers, artists and students who use the space for creating public art.