Maxwell Park Neighborhood News

by Sarah Hipolito

Partners Promote School Success I met Ruben Aurelio at an Adopt-a-School press conference when Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council (MPNC) and United Parcel Service (UPS) adopted Maxwell Park School. Ruben was starting out as the principal, having moved with his family into the neighborhood. He made it a priority to identify existing school strengths and connections with the neighborhood and surrounding community. Several staff members are Maxwell Park residents, and many families have formed long-term relationships with the school, both as neighbors and parents of students. One neighbor was the former PTA president at the school years ago; another offered her home to host staff retreats; another helps school librarian Sheila Dickinson; and another opens up his garden to students on walking field trips, letting each student take home a plant. Ruben later joined the MPNC Education Neighborhood Action Team (EdNAT), whose goal is to support the school. It will host an educational seminar this year for residents in the Maxwell Park School District. Monica Wilson, the after-school coordinator, works with school parents and serves as a liaison between parents and the EdNAT. At a recent school-parent potluck, 20 families were surveyed about interest in forming a parent-teacher group. The survey will soon be distributed to the rest of the school parents. EdNAT, school parents, and business partnered on the spring school cleanup and at the recent Book Faire. The Scholastic Book Company sent out a selection of books, displayed in the school library for a week. The students visited the library, making wish lists of books they wanted. UPS managers came to the school for National Read Aloud Day and bought books on wish lists. At the fair, students bought for themselves, parents and neighbors bought for their children and used the wish lists to get books for students. The school earned a portion of the sale and elected to take its earnings ($1,800) in books. Other positive outcomes this year: Class size in the fourth and fifth grades was reduced from 31 to 24. A new mobile computer lab was purchased (a cart with a base unit, enough wireless laptops for the class, and a printer). Oakland Adult Education will provide an English as Second Language class for school parents next year. The MPNC now meets at the school. UPS donated $5,000 for new library books. A 21st Century grant funds the after-school coordinator. There has long been interest in partnerships between school, businesses, and neighbors. Mr. Aurelio's vision is to foster such partnerships to increase the potential for positive change. He believes if people feel invited to participate, they will, and students will benefit from their efforts. Everyone agrees that all Oakland children deserve quality education in safe neighborhood schools. School parents + staff + neighbors + business = a powerful partnership! To learn more or to tour the school, call 879-1390.