REACH Information Sheet
Reaching Excellence in Academics. Changing History.
REACH Academy is a TK-5 public school located in East Oakland. Our mission is to raise young people who find joy in their academic experience and develop a foundation that prepares them for college, career and community success.
MINDFULNESS: Expanding our awareness of self
For over 4 years, the REACH community has been practicing mindfulness in the classrooms, several times during the school day. We have experienced the positive impact of mindfulness on academic progress and behavior, and our students and staff firmly believe in the practice as an opportunity for everyone to be in the present moment. Our staff has presented on this practice, and our findings, at the Dept. of Education and our students/alumni recently published a book Master of Mindfulness (proceeds from the book go to our students’ post-secondary careers).
100% Engaged: COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
REACH Academy is a growing a strong family presence on campus. Our family and community members advocate for our students at the local, district, and state level through the development and support of Parent Leadership Action Network (PLAN). For over three years, PLAN and REACH - alongside the district and community partnerships — are strengthening the presence of families in the school’s educational programming, site governance, and activities that continue to strengthen the REACH culture.
Collaborative Planning: Hands-On science and 21st century skills
Our school thrives on collaborative success. Everyday, our students grapple with engaging science labs and academic conversations while developing 21st century technological skills to excel in the future. Our science and computer prep periods also provide teachers opportunities to collaborate.
Data-Driven Cycles of success: Academic and professional rigor
Within our educational and professional programming, our students and staff at REACH continue to reach new heights through intentional data-driven cycles. In the past two years we’ve seen student scores increase by double-digits when driven by data and inquiry cycles.
Implementation of Strong Instructional Core Program
We focus on implementing a ‘Balanced Literacy’ program through Readers’ and Writers’ workshops. This includes providing students with rich opportunities to read and write from a wide variety of genres and texts, as well as to build language and literacy skills across content areas.