McClymonds Educational Complex is the collective name of the two small high schools located at 2607 Myrtle Street in Oakland, CA, USA, on the former grounds of McClymonds High School. McClymonds is operated by the Oakland Unified School District. Former hip-hop magazine writer and author Mark Xandrine Sneed teaches English at McClymonds.
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History
On August 29, 2005, McClymonds High School, in the community of West Oakland in Oakland, California, USA, was divided into three smaller schools: EXCEL High School (Experience, eXcellence, Community, Empowerment, and Leadership), BEST High School (Business Entrepreneurial School of Technology), and Kizmet Academy (slogan: Students Destined for Greatness), a middle school.[1] EXCEL and BEST each served about 400 high school students in the 2005-06 school year, while Kizmet Academy served approximately 150 middle school students. In 2007, Kizmet Academy was discontinued. EXCEL and BEST are still in operation. Currently many students are working in conjunction with students from nearby UC Berkeley to revitalize a dilapidated drug-ridden park into a history learning park and expand it into the school's campus.[2] There is an adult school located on the complex grounds as well.
EXCEL High School
| EXCEL High School | |
|---|---|
| Established | August 29, 2005[3] |
| Type | Public secondary |
| Principal | Yetunde Reeves[4] |
| Students | approx. 400 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Location | 2607 Myrtle Street, Oakland, California, USA |
| District | Oakland Unified School District |
| Campus | Urban, shared with BEST High School |
| Colors | Orange and Black |
| Mascot | Warrior |
| Newspaper | The Warrior Times |
| Website | http://www.excelhs.com |
EXCEL High School is focused on preparing its students for postsecondary education. Through its SMArt (Storytelling, Media, and Art) Academy, EXCEL offers video production, and through its Law and Government Academy, it offers law. EXCEL's Law and Government Academy has competed in Mock Trial with other high schools, like Piedmont High School. EXCEL also offers AVID classes. EXCEL High School created Akanke, a chapter of Daughters of Queens Sorority, Inc., the first high school sorority in Northern California. As of 2006, EXCEL possessed an API score of 568, a statewide rank of 1, and a similar schools rank of 6. [5]
BEST High School
| BEST High School | |
|---|---|
| Established | August 29, 2005[6] |
| Type | Public secondary |
| Principal | James Gray[7] |
| Students | approx. 400 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Location | 2607 Myrtle Street, Oakland, California, USA |
| District | Oakland Unified School District |
| Campus | Urban, shared with EXCEL High School |
| Colors | Orange and Black |
| Mascot | Warrior |
BEST is a college preparatory high school with an entrepreneurship emphasis. The expectation that every student will achieve educational excellence with academic support is inherent in the school's philosophy. Small classes and close interaction with experienced and dedicated faculty are a hallmark of education at BEST. The teacher-to-student ratio is about 1:25.[8] BEST, through its Culinary Arts Academy, offers cooking and food science, and through its ACE Academy, it offers wood shop and business management. BEST offers business classes, with the NFTE curriculum, where students are able to complete business plans and compete for scholarships. As of 2006, BEST possessed an API score of 486, a statewide rank of 1, and a similar schools rank of 2. [9]
Sports
McClymonds offers a variety of sports, including football, baseball, basketball, cross-country, track, and others. Although McClymonds is separated into two schools, the sports teams are still one, under the mascot of the Warrior. In 2005, the McClymonds Educational Complex football team defeated that of Oakland Technical High to win the Silver Bowl championship game. The final score was 49 to 7.[10] Historically, McClymonds High School has performed excellently at sports, including football. On May 16, 2006, the Oakland City Council adopted a Resolution, sponsored by Councilmember Nancy J. Nadel (District 3), congratulating the McClymonds Football Team For Excellence in Athletics and Academics[11], recognizing that McClymonds High School ranked #1 in the East Bay and Northern California as the high school with the most football players (9) attending Division I universities, under the direction of head hootball coach Alonzo Carter. McClymonds was the only high school in the nation that year with three Top 100 Prospects, and, with only 600-650 students, ranked #1 in Northern California for Division I Signees, and ranked #2 in the State, behind Long Beach Poly, which had 5000 students. On Saturday, 24 March 2007, the McClymonds basketball team lost to Los Angeles Fairfax High 54-29 in the California Division I High School championship.
References
- ^ BEST High School/Oakland Small Schools Foundation
- ^ [1]
- ^ BEST High School/Oakland Small Schools Foundation
- ^ EXCEL High School/Oakland Small Schools Foundation
- ^ California Department of Education Performance
- ^ BEST High School/Oakland Small Schools Foundation
- ^ BEST High School/Oakland Small Schools Foundation
- ^ BEST High School/Oakland Small Schools Foundation
- ^ California Department of Education Performance
- ^ Mack's Hill All-East Bay Defensive Player of the Year
- ^ [2]
