TOGETHER, YES WE CAN
2825 INTERNATIONAL BLVD - OAKLAND, CA 94601 - (510) 879-1490 - INFO@THINKCOLLEGENOW.ORG
Last updated September 19, 2007
OUR HISTORY
Late 1990sOakland Community Organizations (OCO) and Fruitvale community organize to tear down the Montgomery Wards building and create space for new schools, one of which would become the new Cesar Chavez Education Center, which houses Think College Now.
1999
Dennis Chaconas, then OUSD Superintendent, announces that only “one of twenty Oakland students is eligible to attend the University of California.” In cooperation with OCO and the Bay Area Coalition for Equitable Schools (BayCES), OUSD adopts a New Small Autonomous Schools policy to create 10 new small schools over the next three years.
Fall 2001
David Silver visits 15 former students in Mexico, some of whose families collaborate with him on school design and later join the TCN community.
Spring 2002
TCN Design Team submits proposal to OUSD and interviews with district personnel. OUSD advances TCN Design Team in school founding process.
Spring 2003
TCN Design Team families and staff make presentation before OUSD School Board, which gives TCN unanimous approval.
Fall 2003
Chosen through an enrollment lottery, 120 students join TCN in its first year in portable classrooms on the Hawthorne Elementary campus.
Winter 2004
Think College Now moves to its permanent home at the Cesar Chavez Education Center, the first new school facility built in Oakland in 30 years.
Spring 2004
Despite positive climate and strong community, just 8% of kids score at grade level in ELA (0% of ELLs) on the CST, and only 23% are at grade level in math. Its API score is 573.
Fall 2004
First day of year two begins with a long waiting list of families who want to join the TCN community, and all of our teachers returning from year 1.
Spring 2005
CST: 10% of students at grade level in ELA, 23% in math. API of 609. Parents, teachers, positional leaders, ELAC, and SSC restructure bilingual program for 2005-6 to offer Home or Spanish Language for all K students and English Immersion for all students.
Fall 2005
TCN enters year 3 with over 100 students on the wait-list to enter Kindergarten. TCN begins the year with 7 new teachers and officially opens the college-going Family Resource Center as well as the school library. TCN adds 2 more academic after-school programs, a math intervention program, and expands after-school programs by adding percussion, integrated music, and boys and girls leadership.
Winter 2006
Students are recognized for their participation in the OUSD MLK Oratorical contest and the OUSD Science Fair. TCN strengthens recognition of Asian, African-American, and Latino cultures through multicultural events.
Spring 2006
TCN invests in technology by adding computers to every classroom and piloting Accelerated Reader and Stanford EPGY math programs. Students meet goal of reading 1,000,000 minutes at home, leading Principal Silver to spend the last day of school on the roof. ABC, SF Chronicle, and Oakland Tribune covered the event. On the CST, 3 out of 10 students score at grade level in ELA, and 5 out of 10 in math. TCN's API score jumps more than 100 points to 720, the biggest increase in the entire district.
Fall, 2006
TCN begins the year at full capacity (K-5), with over 90% of teachers returning and numerous families wanting to join the TCN community.
Winter 2007
TCN teachers implement standards-based, CST-aligned interim assessments in ELA (Language Arts) to guide instruction and monitor progress toward goals.
Spring 2007
Students read 1,500,000+ minutes outside of class, resulting in Principal Silver and staff members entering a dunk tank on the last day of school. CST scores improve dramatically, with nearly 5 out of 10 students at grade level in ELA, and 6 out of 10 at grade level in math. API rises to 781.
Fall 2007
TCN opens 5th year with new computers in the computer lab and every classroom. Over 80% of teachers have chosen to return for a third consecutive year.
Future
Spring 2008: 800 on API, at least 6 out of 10 at grade level in ELA; 7 out of ten in math.
2011: 90% or more of students at grade level in ELA and math
2014: TCN's first class goes to college!
THINK COLLEGE NOW ELEMENTARY - 2825 INTERNATIONAL BLVD - OAKLAND CA 94601 - (510) 879-1490
INFO@THINKCOLLEGENOW.ORG WEB SITE QUESTIONS: BENJ@THINKCOLLEGENOW.ORG
