For New and Prospective Parents
Oxford school is one of the smallest in Berkeley and that helps in that there is a real sense of community. Oxford is a group of families, teachers, and staff who want nothing more than to see all our children grow and thrive, both academically and socially. From teaching yoga to the kids, to building a ping pong table to designing a web site, Oxford families are involved everyday in building a fun, vibrant community for us all. Come and join us!
John Eknoian, PTA President
Come learn about Oxford and all the other Berkeley Elementary schools at the BUSD Kindergarten Information Fair on Sunday, December 02nd from 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm, held at Leconte Elementary School.
Tour Oxford every Tuesday and Thursday between 8:30 - 10 a.m. from December 11th to 20th. Then again from January 7th through 31st.
Please call Deanna in the Oxford Office (644-6300) to reserve a spot on a tour.
Oxford will also host a Kindergarten Information Night at Oxford inJanuary, Date and Time TBA.
Before the start of the school year, new families will receive a packet with useful information, such as supplies needed, drop-off procedures, the plan for the first day of school, and descriptions of some of the major events for the year.
Click here to go to the Berkeley Unified School District web page on 2013-2014 Enrollment
Basic Information
Oxford's Principal: Jen Corn
The school is located between Oxford and Walnut Streets, with entrances from both streets. The office is located off of Oxford Street. There are 14 instructional rooms, a science and music resource room, on-site library, combination cafeteria and auditorium with stage, 3 resource rooms and teacher workrooms. The outside play area is on two levels, with the baseball diamond and garden on the lower level.
Click on this link to view or download: School Information Sheet for 2012-2013
Oxford History
Oxford is one of the oldest schools in Berkeley, first opening its doors in 1910. Originally it was a K-6 school, then a K-3 school, and now a K-5 school. In 1965 the old school was replaced with the current one and, in 1994, thanks to support from the community, major improvements were made giving us a new library, an elevator, two more classrooms to support class-size reductions, a science resource room and teacher workrooms.
Want to know more about Oxford Elementary's history?
Click here to read more about Oxford's History from the Class of 1955!
Oxford School’s 100 Year Anniversary Memory Page from October 16-17, 2010
The Oxford Student Body
From our facility, nestled in the hillside, we provide a well-rounded education to about 278 students from about 240 families. Our school is diverse in many ways. Children come all the way from homes neighboring Tilden Park in the Berkeley hills and neighborhoods close to the San Francisco Bay as well as from homes near the school itself.
Oxford's Philosophy
Oxford's staff is committed to making sure that all of our students achieve and flourish. We believe that all children can and will learn if given the encouragement and instruction to do so. Since we are a very small school we can focus on the needs of every individual child in terms of academic, social, emotional, and physical needs. And we take very seriously the task of meeting all students where they are, teaching them to think critically, and engaging their minds and hearts in an effort to make them love to learn.
The curriculum at Oxford is aligned with the State grade level standards for student achievement. The teachers use a variety of approaches in order to make the standards accessible to all children, including individual projects, whole class instruction, small group work and cross-age tutoring.
Our teachers work collaboratively with the families to support the children in their learning. We encourage participation from parents, UC tutors and community volunteers.
A top priority for all Oxford Staff is expressing and teaching a deep appreciation of and tolerance for diversity and differences. We encourage positive self-image and high self-esteem for all our students, we insist on respect for self and others, and promote concern for our environment here and elsewhere. These qualities that we strive to nurture in our children are apparent in the ways students care for each other on the playground, in the classroom, and all around the school.
Teaching at Oxford School
Oxford prides itself on the excellent teaching that goes on in all of its classrooms. The teachers have weekly staff meetings to cross-fertilize and share ideas about what is working and what needs improvement.
Many parents volunteer in their child's classroom to provide education around specific skills such as bread-baking, paper making, "music mornings", pottery, science experiments, and other hands-on activities.
Parental Involvement Makes a Difference
When researchers have compared the characteristics of high performing schools with low performing schools, one of the main differences they have found is the amount of parental involvement. High performing schools have plans for involving parents and welcome parents as partners. Schools that find ways to work well with families have improved teacher morale, higher ratings of teachers by parents, more support from families and a better reputation in the community.
This has been shown to be true in communities with both adequate and inadequate resources. Research has also shown that students develop better attitudes toward their school and school work when their parents are involved in the school's instructional program. This effect has been found to carry over to benefit all students, not just those whose parents volunteer in the classroom.
How can Parents Get involved?
There are lots of ways for parents to get involved at Oxford, some of which take very little time and effort:
- Volunteer in your child's class or at another grade level;
- Attend or help organize the Monthly PTA meetings.
- Help your child's teacher prepare class materials;
- Go along on a Field Trip;
- Offer to work one-on-one with a child who needs extra help;
- Volunteer to help organize an all-school event or project;
- Join a committee to help raise funds and/or make decisions about the school;
- Talk to the school secretary, and let her know if you are available to assist with school office tasks or first aid;
- Write an article for the School Newsletter or Website;
- Volunteer to make flyers, signs, and posters;
These are just some of the ways you can get involved. Let your child's teacher know that you are interested or check in with the PTA, office, or other school committee about your ideas, interests, skills, or time available. Together, we can make a huge difference for all of the children of Oxford!
School Events
There are many events during the year that involve Oxford Students, their friends and families and members of the community. Here is a partial list of events at Oxford:
- Welcome Picnic
- Spell-a-Thon
- Harvest Faire
- Winter Faire
- Holiday Food Drive
- Talent Show
- Spring Dance
- Online and Silent Auctions
- Spring Raffle
- Spring Open House
- Ice Cream Social
- Multicultural Potluck
- RIF Book Distributions (4 per year)
- Monthly PTA meetings with Speakers
- 5th Grade Graduation
- Staff Appreciation Day
Click here to view the important dates for the year.
This year Oxford is introducing Google Calendar!
or see the For New and Prospective Parents above for descriptions of the events.
Educational Enrichment at Oxford
Oxford Elementary's learning opportunities are enhanced by a variety of enrichment programs, offered during the school day and after school (some afterschool enrichment classes are for a fee).
Educational Enrichment Programs during the school day
Music Instruction
Every class at Oxford receives weekly music instruction. The Oxford PTA pays for Kindergarten music instruction, and the District-wide music program begins in the first grade. Kindergarten through 3rd grade students have music instruction once a week. The 3rd graders learn to read music and play the recorder. All 4th and 5th graders learn to play an instrument. In fourth grade each student receives an instrument (wind, brass or string) and begins instrumental instruction twice a week through 5th grade. Music training continues into middle school, where students can participate in band or orchestra.
Art Instruction
Oxford has received Arts Anchor School funding for several years. This year we are working with visiting artist and Oxford parent Anna Rainer. Anna is working with classroom teachers at all grade levels to integrate the visual arts into their content-area instruction.
Science Instruction
Students in the 4th and 5th grades have Science instruction three times a week in the Science Room. They learn the grade level standards-based material but also learn so much more -- from hot air balloons to solar cookers and more!
Physical Education
EEvery class has P.E. instruction once a week, and sports and games are organized for students during recess.
Field Trips
Each class designs its own field trip opportunities based on what fits best into the teacher's curriculum, but most teachers welcome ideas from parents. In previous years, students have gone to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Oakland Airport, on a ranger-led walk to understand more about butterflies at Tilden Park, to the Chagall Art Exhibit at the Judah Magnes museum, and to the Steinhart Aquarium in Golden Gate Park. The Oxford PTA subsidizes field trips for each class.
Weekly Library Visits
Each class goes to the Oxford Library once a week on a regularly scheduled day to hear a story from our fabulous Library Media Technician and to check out and return books. Children may check out one or two books each week, and may renew books until they are completed. Policies: Students must return a signed permission slip before checking out any books. Parents will be charged for the replacement of any lost or damaged books. Report cards will be held at the end of the year for any students who have not cleared their library book accounts.
Oxford Reading Coach Program
In response to growing concern about the achievement gap, Oxford’s PTA launched a small pilot Reading Coach project in the winter of 2006. The Reading Coach Program has continued to grow and evolve, playing a critical role in supporting Oxford students' literacy development.
Oxford's After School Program - O.A.S.I.S.
The Oxford after school program is called O.A.S.I.S., which stands for Oxford After School Inspires Students. O.A.S.I.S. is designed to provide after school opportunities for all Oxford students. The program supports children in reaching their potential by providing academic support, recreational activities, and enrichment classes. Located at the school site, we provide a safe and nurturing environment, which gives students a chance to explore their interests and experience new areas of learning. By working directly with the teachers and administration, we are able to advance student learning. The Oxford After School Program runs Monday through Friday from the end of the school day until 6:00 pm. There is a late bus that drops students off at either Rosa Parks or Longfellow School. The after school program does not operate during school holidays. You can register your student(s) during the first week of school. Note: There is no after school care during the first week of school (Wednesday through Friday).
O.A.S.I.S. Fees
Fees for O.A.S.I.S. are due monthly, and are on a sliding scale based on gross monthly income and family size. We are committed to working with our families to ensure that anyone who needs after school care can take advantage of our program.
Enrichment Classes After School
O.A.S.I.S. offers a variety of enrichment classes after school, provided by program staff and outside specialists. These classes include music (chorus, recorder, guitar), art, language (Spanish), sports (including swimming at King Pool), and drama. Some of these classes that are provided by outside specialists have an additional fee for class materials (see below). There is also an After School Art Class offered for a fee (not a part of O.A.S.I.S).