Dear UMCS Families,
With the results of Tuesday’s election and the final flurry of work for the renewal of our Charter Petition and public hearing next Tuesday November 12, this week has held many implications for our school, and our community. It can be difficult to know how to talk to students (and even adults!), who may not understand the magnitude of the events. In these moments, we lean into our values to help guide difficult conversations with staff, students, and families. We hope these may guide your conversations at home as they guide us at school.
The UMCS Core Values are:
We embrace our common humanity to build our school community. We recognize that creating a truly inclusive and respectful community where all students achieve, differences are valued, voices are heard, and power is shared requires constant dialogue and hard work. We know we must create safe spaces to openly check each other’s biases and assumptions, talk openly about power and privilege, and ultimately become models of the society and community we wish for our children.
We notice and care. Building a learning community means developing our grace and courtesy, as well as our empathy and inquiry muscles. Noticing means looking, listening, using our senses, asking questions, and identifying patterns. Caring is taking the next step to inquire about what we have seen, heard, and felt. Caring allows us to reframe problems and see opportunity spaces. It reminds us of our common humanity.
We work together and create. We are problem solvers and innovators. Through collaboration we can accomplish more than we can alone and collaborating is a learned skill. We also recognize that our first ideas are not necessarily our best, and it is through prototyping, testing and iterating that we improve.
We believe strongly in our work together to offer a unique educational model for students in Oakland. We believe in holding elected officials to the values our community deserves. We know it may be difficult for some in our community to find the energy to be connected and involved right now, but we urge those who can to support the Public Hearing for our renewal of our Charter Petition as our current Charter expires June 30, 2025. Urban Montessori is the only Public Montessori choice in Oakland and we need the Alameda County Board of Trustees to vote to approve our renewal petition. Seeing a large number of their families, staff, and community members present and in-person to support our school will be a strong statement about the work we are doing together. We hope you can join us on Tuesday, Nov. 11th at 6:30pm at 313 West Winton Ave Hayward, CA 94544.
Looking ahead to December 10th, we ask you all to come support us again when the Alameda County Board of Trustees cast their final votes for or against the renewal of our Charter. Thank you for your support, your engagement, and helping create the community we care so much about for our students! We are here for you and couldn’t do this without you.
In Collaboration,
Daniel Bissonnette
Public Hearing Details
Date: Tuesday, November 12th, 2004
Time: 6:30pm - ???
If you would like to make public comment you must either arrive at the beginning of the meeting or tell me in advance (daniel@urbanmontessori.org)
If you are coming to just support, we are scheduled to present later in the meeting and are unlikely to present before 7:30pm
Location: 313 West Winton Ave Hayward, CA 94544
Submit Virtual Public comment: https://www.acoe.org/comments
Food and UMCS shirts will be provided!
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