OUSD Parents Support Teachers, Engage Students, with Creative Outdoor “Strike School”
Subject Line: Media Coverage Request: 8:30am — Thur., Feb. 21 — OUSD Parents Support Teachers, Engage Students, with Creative Outdoor “Strike School”
Media Contact:
Naomi Stein / (510) 292-1251
Who/What:
OUSD Parents Support Teachers, Engage Students, with Creative Outdoor “Strike School”
Where: Dimond Park, Oakland; end of Wellington Street, Scout hut
When: Thursday, February 21, 8:30am-12pm
PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT IS FILLED TO CAPACITY. THIS IS NOT A CALENDAR LISTING. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR ONSITE MEDIA COVERAGE ONLY
Rockridge, Calif., February 20, 2019: On Day One of the Oakland teacher’s strike, 10 OUSD Parent-Volunteers will chaperone 55 OUSD elementary students, under the auspices of local non-profit, Friends of Sausal Creek (FOSC), to create a pop-up “Strike School.” STEAM educator, activist, volunteer, and parent of two children who attend an OUSD elementary school, Naomi Stein has organized a morning of eco-restoration and service learning. When she sent out the announcement, the event quickly filled to capacity for children and adult-volunteers.On Thursday, February 21, from 8:30am-12:00pm, 55 students will learn about and plant native species that secure the soil and benefit local insects, engaging in hands-on learning: sampling macro-invertebrates (creatures that live in the creek that one can see without magnification); examining how the presence or absence of certain species reveals the health of the stream. The kids will round out the day with meditation in nature, and artistic projects designed to integrate their learning and time in Dimond Park.
Naomi explains, “In addition to its gross malfeasance, the District has failed to incorporate parent input. So I organized Strike School to provide a meaningful activity that will simultaneously enable parents to honor the picket line, get to work, educate kids and restore a local creek, free, if only for a half-day. We wanted to provide full-day care, but unfortunately FOSC had another contract in the afternoon.”
She adds, “Parents are taking political action through affecting the District’s bottom line. OUSD receives an average of $58/day per pupil. This one action will cost them over $3k, and there are dozens of these pop-up Strike Schools happening all over town. Parents are acting to support teachers in a way that translates into significant dollars. We hope this will get the District’s attention and that they accede to the teacher’s reasonable requests immediately.”
FOSC is generously donating their services, as well as the 10 OUSD parent volunteers who are donating their time and expertise.
Naomi Stein is a veteran STEAM educator and children’s experiences leader with over 30 years of experience, including two decades working in theater-based education at the Lawrence Hall of Science. Since retiring from the Hall to be a stay-at-home mom, Naomi has spearheaded numerous events such as this for her community, although this is the first that specifically targets protesting OUSD via political action.
To learn more about other initiatives to support Oakland’s teachers, visit the Oakland Education Association’s website https://oaklandea.org/
The general public can also engage in active learning of the skills listed above by volunteering for Friends of Sausal Creek, as well as supporting their efforts to restore Oakland’s least culverted creek, while educating Oaklanders, young and old, at https://www.sausalcreek.org/