The Heart of OSA! Come out to Support OSA Teachers this Wednesday at the OSA Board meeting.  The meeting starts at 6:15, and the teachers’ presentation is currently scheduled for 6:50pm in the Student Center

Many of you probably remember that frustrated by high faculty turnover, low wages, and lack of transparency, OSA’s teachers announced their decision to form a union last May.  With the cooperation of the administration and Board, they easily won recognition in September and are now ready to begin bargaining for their first union contract. This Wednesday will mark the first step in that process when the Coalition of OSA Teachers (COSAT) will formally present their list of bargaining topics to the OSA Board.  Their goals include:

Fair and Transparent Pay

• Clear, consistent system of step advancement
• Audit current use of stipend system
• Consistent stipends for all that meet requirements

Job Security

• Tenure (or equivalent) as teachers move up the scale
• Consistent, timely contracts for the coming year
• Reasonable Job Security

Built-in Cost of Living Adjustments

• A initial salary adjustment to catch up with inflation
• Annual COLA adjustments in the future, so they don’t fall behind again.
  

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  Presentation on how to Help California Secure $4 Billion a Year in Education Funding

  When: Wednesday, February 5th, 6:30-7:30

  Where: Oakland Tech’s Auditorium

  Who: Ben Grieff, Campaign Director for Evolve California (www.evolve-ca.org), will host a detailed presentation followed by a Q&A. Sponsored by the Oakland Tech High School PTSA.

  This event is open to ALL OUSD families and Oakland residents, so please spread the word. Need Child Care? Email Jessica jsgray1204@gmail.com. Questions? Email Star starlightner@gmail.com. 

  California public schools are severely underfunded, ranking 39th in the nation in per-pupil spending, with the largest number of students per teacher and fewest counselors per student. But in November 2020, we have the opportunity to reclaim $11 billion a year to ensure that our schools and communities have the resources needed to educate our kids and support vital community services. 

  The Schools and Communities First initiative restores over $11 billion every year in revenue for our schools and local communities by assessing commercial and industrial property at fair market value, with NO changes to residential or small business taxes. It would provide an estimated $40 million dollars of new funding each year for Oakland public schools. 

  Join us to learn more.

  

Hey wonderful OSA Audition Volunteers,

It’s that time again…time to start gearing up for OSA Audition Days! I am hoping you will continue to volunteer your time for this and share your years of experience!

Our auditions will be held on February 8. Please plan to discuss this at your emphasis meetings if you’re having them later, or by email to your art department/last year’s volunteer lead so that we can have many good helpers on those busy days! We will need folks from approximately 8AM to 3 or 3:30 PM on both days.

Many parents have been the volunteer leads for years and we thank you for all your support! If you are terming out, please consider training a volunteer lead to learn from you this time and help at future auditions over the next four years as we gradually phase them out entirely.

We need volunteers for the following emphases. High school students may volunteer independently and middle school students must volunteer with a parent present.

Vocal – Volunteer Lead last year: Jen Lyell & Danine Diew

Theater Volunteer Lead last year: Nicole Jurjavcic

IM –Volunteer Lead last year: Amber Terrell

Visual –Volunteer Lead last year: C. David Guerra

Dance – recommendations?

PD –Volunteer Lead last year: Zettie Ruane and Tami Driver

Lit –Volunteer Lead last year: Carin Ramsey 

Fashion –Volunteer Lead last year: Vickie Maloney & Sharon Le Duy

Thanks!

Michaela Peters, Director of Admission mpeters@oakarts.org

Oakland School for the Arts