United for Success Academy
2101 35th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94601 (Map & Directions)
510-879-1494
Elia Bustamante, Principal
elia.bustamante@ousd.k12.ca.us
http://www.unitedforsuccess.org
United for Success Academy is a new small school designed by families and teachers who want a safe, caring and high-achieving middle school in the heart of Oakland’s Fruitvale District. We open in 2006 with 200 6th and 7th graders, adding 8th in 2007. A vibrant immigrant and minority district, Fruitvale’s large school-age population has been historically underserved by large impersonal school, scripted instruction and low expectations. We encourage our scholars to develop skills that help them operate in the wider world through project-based learning and curriculum integration which require high-level collaborative and critical thinking skills.
Building a positive school culture is vital to achieving the high achievement of which our scholars are capable. This Fall, our school will travel to the Sierra’s to Oakland Feather River Camp for four days of intense team-building and school-norming through team challenges, ropes course, advisory project, dramatizations, and peer mediation practice as well as hikes, swimming, kayaking, arts and panning for gold. By going early, we will set a tone of responsibility and caring for the entire school community to be built upon all year through our advisory program, collaborative culture and family involvement.
“What makes United for Success Academy special? Our school is orderly, but you can hear children laughing. Our students achieve high on tests, but demonstrate knowledge by solving real problems. Our school is focused on academics, but children stay for the art and sports. Our school has strict discipline, but also great love and respect. Our school is fixed on each students' future, but takes time to know their past. Our school examines the student as an individual, but involves the family and community.”
School Program
We are well supported by tremendous community partners such as Bay Area Coalition of Essential Schools, Museum of Children's Art, Opera Picola, Hacienda Peralta Historical Park, Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundation, and East Bay Consortium/PCA.
United for Success teachers seek to obtain dual certification to teach an integrated core with strong emphasis on both computers and the arts. They team to develop curriculum and explicit school-wide practices, to differentiate curriculum for each child, and to forge an authentic Professional Learning Community with support from several excellent coaches.
How your support helps Success
$1000 Cost of two new desktop computers or cost of science curriculum materials for a class.
$500 Cost of a field trip to a museum for two classes or cost of one Family Math Night.
$250 Cost to certify each teacher in a second subject area or cost of after-school programs for a student for the year.
$100 Cost of school uniforms for two students most in need or cost of a set of novels for a class.
$50 Cost of literacy instruction workshops for one parent or cost to translate and print one newsletter to our families.