Maxwell Park Neighborhood News

by Sarah Hipolito

Ashley Thomsak—parent, educator, organizer and neighbor. Photo by Sarah Hipolito.

Support Your Local School!

Seems like only yesterday, we heard the news that a new Education Neighborhood Action Team (EdNAT) was formed to lend support to our local elementary schools and to motivate parents to enroll their children. At that time there were two—Maxwell Park on Fleming and Elisabeth Sherman on Brann.'The leadership of the schools has changed, as'has the leadership of the EdNAT.

'Ashley Thomsak, the current chair,' has been involved with EdNAT'from the beginning. The EdNAT was founded by her husband Vee and a former neighbor, Jim Gilsenan.'(At that time,'Lisa Cartolano was the chair.)'For the past four years, the EdNAT has been active at the schools, organizing school cleanup projects, promoting and volunteering for'school events, hosting meetings'for parents, and traveling to Sacramento to lobby for the return of autonomy to Oakland Public Schools.'

During the past year, both schools have undergone tremendous change.'Maxwell Park's former principal (and neighbor) Ruben Aurelio moved on to lead a school in San Leandro.'Maxwell Park's current principal is Dr. Mary Louise Newling. The school is undergoing "incubation" into a new program with many new staff.'The redesign encompasses input from school staff and administrators, school parents, and neighbors.'

'Elisabeth Sherman's principal, Tammy Rose,'was relocated to another school in Oakland, and the school was'closed, due in part, to low enrollment and low performance. The campus now houses Melrose Leadership Academy, with Principal Moyra Contreras.'It is'a dual-immersion (Spanish-English) sixth to eighth grade school, and beginning in 2009 will add kindergarten, and then additional grades each year, to become a K to eight school.'Classes are conducted in Spanish and English. Future graduates will be fully bilingual and biliterate.

'Our Neighborhood Council has been greatly supported by both schools.'We used to meet at Melrose Leadership Academy (then Elisabeth Sherman), and we currently meet at Maxwell Park school.'There are also various community activities taking place at both schools. Meeting in our neighborhood schools creates a sense of connection between neighbors and the school.'Despite the discomfort of sitting in those little chairs, it is fun to go to school without having to bring any homework.

'Ashley is a hard-working mom, teacher, and neighbor.'She moderates MaxPark Families, a social support group for local parents and their children, and Support Maxwell Park School for those interested in what is happening with Maxwell Park School. She welcomes her new neighbors by visiting their homes with flyers about MaxPark Families, the EdNAT, and our Neighborhood Council.

A social person, Ashley enjoys reaching out to others. "I have always felt that'working to make something better'than what it was beforehand is what we should all strive for...now that I've lived here for 12 years and see that our neighborhood has so many new people moving into it and many of those people are having children. I feel that if we all put forth a little effort, the schools can be a wonderful gathering place for our community, as well as'a safe, nurturing'learning'environment for all of our children."

To find out more please'visit

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MaxParkFamilies'

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SupportMaxwellParkSchool/.