RISE Community School
8521 A St.
Oakland, CA 94621 (Map & Directions)
510-879-2553
Connie Tillman, Principal
connie.tillman@ousd.k12.ca.us
Vision and History
RISE Community School was founded on the principal that each learning community member works towards raising imaginative, intuitive, and innovative scholars and explorers. RISE Community School is located on the Highland Elementary School campus in the Elmhurst neighborhood in East Oakland. RISE opened its doors in September 2005 with 180 students in grades Kindergarten through Third. RISE will add grades each year until it is at full capacity grades Kindergarten through Fifth with 360 students. Our student body is 70% Latino, 28% African American, and 2% Asian and Middle Eastern. Approximately 86% receive subsidized or reduced priced lunch. At RISE we work as together to foster high expectations for all members of the community in the areas of academics, character, and cross-cultural alliances.
School Program
At RISE we use shared decision-making and an Expeditionary Learning program that integrates the arts, environmental consciousness, English and Spanish Language Learning, cross-cultural competence, small class-sizes and authentic learning experiences to build confident, high-achieving, self-motivated, bilingual students who are prepared for a successful future. We believe that students experience learning best through hands-on, real world projects, meaningful literature in many forms, experiences both inside and outside of the classroom, and through exploration and community service. We believe that every child brings his or her own talents and strengths to a classroom and that a school must support and facilitate the development of these talents and strengths. We believe that art not only enriches a child’s education but is an integral piece of fostering high achievement. We believe that students who are able to speak more than one language are empowered communicators and will have many opportunities for success in the future. We believe that all school community members must develop cross-cultural awareness so that they may form multiple alliances and bonds. We believe that parents are partners with the school and critical in the shared responsibility of educating all children.
Results
Although this is only our first year open, RISE has already seen progress in student achievement. 74% of our Kindergarten students are at or approaching benchmark in literacy as measured by Open Court Benchmark exam and RESULTS, our authentic reading assessment. 94% of our Kindergarten students are at benchmark in math according to the district benchmark assessment. We have had approximately 80% parent involvement in our first year on a campus that historically had less than 40% parent involvement. Approximately 95% of our parents indicate that they are happy with RISE and feel that their child is receiving a strong, rich education and positive emotional support.
Support
RISE needs private contributions to maintain our vision towards creating equity for students in the Elmhurst neighborhood. Students in the Elmhurst neighborhood traditionally do very poorly on standardized tests. Because of their lack of success in the classroom and their lack of opportunity, traditionally students have less than a 95% chance of attending college and creating success in their lives. RISE was created to disrupt this history of failure. In order to halt the inequities that the students in our neighborhood have faced, it is imperative that RISE has both a strong academic and socially conscious program that addresses the needs of the whole child. We need to create a school that provides students with the same or better resources than those in wealthier communities. Tax-deductible donations provide books and materials, individualized academic assistance, a strong extended day enrichment program, small class sizes, and study tours which support our commitment to learning from the world around us. If we are able to raise at least $70,000 by the end of the year we will be able to support the needs of our learning community. If you are interested in making a contribution today, click the Donate Now button.