New Principal with New Principles

by Denise Davila

Kyla Trammell, the new principal at Sequoia Elementary School, has the kind of vision that builds character and fosters community. She attended Oakland Public Schools as a child and started her career in an Oakland classroom. Trammell is committed to providing a holistic environment that supports a wide variety of learning experiences and facilitates the social development of every child. The environment serves as the foundation for students' future access to advanced sciences, mathematics, technology, foreign languages, and the arts.

The notion of cutting subjects to save money is not big in Trammell's book. Instead, this savvy principal is focusing on strategies to acquire grant monies and to establish business and community partnerships that bring consistent funds into the school to sustain art, music, and technology programs. Her work has already paid off with a generous grant from the Brenda Wagner Foundation that will help fund Sequoia's Artist-In-Residence program for the next few years.

Another of Trammell's goals is to enhance and expand the school's resources that help teachers accommodate students' different abilities and needs in the classroom. She is working with local universities to build a network of competent tutors who can deliver one-on-one instruction to students who need additional support, and to provide mental health services for students who suffer trauma in their lives. She says, "For teachers to be the best, they have to be able to focus on the classroom. That must be their primary focus."

The way Sequoia teachers integrate the curriculum and promote social skills in the school's diverse community makes for an enriching environment, too. "Kids are learning how to work with one another and negotiate relationships," Trammell tells the Metro. The teachers work together and share high expectations for student learning, and several facilitate additional programs outside of the classroom, like choir and parent-education events, despite district problems.

Sequoia has an active Parent-Teacher Organization, Dads' Club, Multicultural Group, Room Parent Organization, and School Site Council. These groups sponsor school improvement, social, and fund-raising projects. Moreover, they welcome the community to join in and enjoy annual events like the Harvest Festival, Variety Show, and Rummage Sale.

Collectively, the faculty, staff, families, and friends of Sequoia School exemplify the village that raises the child. As the village leader, Principal Trammell believes she needs to keep her eyes on the bigger picture. Though one of the youngest principals in the school district, she sagely recognizes that her role is not to control, but rather to "look at the resources the school needs and to determine how we go about getting them."

Such resources serve children in the immediate community, as half of the students who attend Sequoia live in the neighborhood. The school's positive reputation attracts families from all over and makes for a rich and inclusive environment. "Sequoia is truly a unique place," Trammell says. "Kids at a young age are around so much diversity. Imagine what that means in terms of their world views and perspective."

Indeed, Sequoia is a gem in our community. Under Kyla Trammell's leadership, the school may very well shine like a beacon.