Berkeley

Amid Budget Cuts and Economic Uncertainty, School Board Increases Spending on Top Administrators

Published

5 years ago

April 23, 2020

Following drastic budget cuts, layoffs and school closures and amid future uncertainty about the impact of the pandemic on state funding, the Oakland Board of Education has voted to extend the contract and give a raise to Supt. , while also hiring a new chief business officer at the cost of $283,354, salary and benefits.

Acting at this week’s online board meeting, the board unanimously approved a new contract for the superintendent, which extends her position through June 30, 2023, and pays $359,654, salary and benefits — a raise of $24,105 a year.

While the superintendent’s $280,000 a year base pay does not increase, she will receive longevity pay and retirement contributions, up to a maximum of $55,200 in the final year of her contract.

The new contract will replace her current four-year contractual agreement, which was set to expire in June 2021 and paid an annual salary of $335,549, total pay and benefits, according to the website Transparent California.

“In my opinion, the number one action we (the school board) can take to ensure the long-term success of the school district is continuity in leadership, starting with the superintendent,” said School Board President Jody London in an online newsletter. The new contract “will make (her) one of the longest-serving superintendents in recent Oakland history, with six years of service in the superintendent role,” London wrote.

The board also unanimously approved an employment agreement with Lisa Grant-Dawson to serve as OUSD’s Chief Business Officer for April 27, 2020 through June 30, 2022, for an annual base salary of $247, 200 plus fringe benefits of $36,154.

Most recently, Grant-Dawson served as the Chief Business Officer of the Stockton Unified School District for almost five years.

In an interview, the Oakland Post, Keith Brown, president of the teachers’ union – the Oakland Education Association (OEA) — said he wanted to “acknowledge the important work that the superintendent is doing during the pandemic to make sure students and families have access to food.

Noting that the superintendent’s contract does not expire until next year at the end of June, Brown said, “I have concerns about the board entering this new contract with all the concerns about what the future will hold (and) the possibility of going into a recession. I don’t want to see this as a return to 2008, with massive layoffs and drastic cuts that will impact our students.”

“This decision (to extend the superintendent’s contract) should have been left to a new school board,” which will be elected in November, he said.

Most importantly, the superintendent and the new chief financial officer as the district’s leadership must commit themselves to work with the community and all stakeholders to maintain and improve “community schools with wraparound services.” Online learning may be important at the moment but is not a replacement for nurturing public schools, he said, emphasizing that “the physical space of the schools is a vital hub of the community.”

Ken Epstein

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Bay Area

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 16, 2025

Oakland Post

Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.

By Oakland Post Staff

The Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley is celebrating its 90th church anniversary on Sunday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at 3301 King Street in Berkeley.

The celebration will feature Pastor Darnell Manuel of the Union Baptist Church in Vallejo as guest speaker, along with many other special presentations.

Those who wish to share in Progressive’s history can purchase a 100-page full-colored souvenir book for $25.

The church boasts a number of notable people who either regularly attended or became members of the church since its inception, including former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, and one of the organizers of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Helen J. H. Stephens.

Pastor Stuckey often remarks how longevity flourishes at the church — it boasts 13 centenarians (people who have reached 100 years or more). Currently, it has one centenarian who is still surviving, Mrs. Dorothy Chambers, and 14 members who have reached 90 years or more.

Recently, on Feb.17, the pastor and his wife Kay Frances, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

Published

1 month ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing, just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Golden State Warriors Program Is Inspiring Next Generation of Female Engineers

Breaking down barriers and biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEAM subjects is essential for creating a level playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity in STEAM fields, experts believe young girls can be empowered to pursue their interests and aspirations without limitations confidently. Encouraging mentorship, providing access to resources, and celebrating girls’ achievements in STEAM are all crucial steps in creating a supportive environment that fosters success.

Published

2 months ago

March 23, 2025

Oakland Post

Front Row: UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team Back Row: Girls, Inc. Participants. Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

The Golden State Warriors and e-commerce giant Rakuten are joining forces to inspire the next generation of female engineers through Building STEAM Futures, part of The City Calls campaign.

Organizers say the initiative is founded on the idea that science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) are crucial fields for innovation and progress, and empowering young girls to pursue careers in these areas is more important than ever. Studies consistently show that girls are underrepresented in STEAM fields, resulting in a gender disparity that limits potential and hinders diversity.

On Saturday, March 8, International Women’s Day, the Warriors and Rakuten hosted 20 middle school girls from Girls Inc. of Alameda County at Chase Center’s Above the Rim for a hands-on bridge-building experience. The young girls from Girls, Inc. of Alameda County had an opportunity to design, build and test their own bridge prototypes and learn the fundamentals of bridge construction from the Engineering Alliance and the UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team.

This STEAM experience for the girls followed the first session in January, where they took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, learning about its design and construction from industry experts. The City Calls campaign, tipped off with the unveiling the Warriors’ new bridge-themed City Edition jerseys and court design earlier this year.