Greetings Families in Action Community
After 10 years with 2111 International as its home, the Community School for Creative Education (CSCE) is staying! In their decision, the OUSD school board highlighted the value that CSCE brings to its San Antonio neighborhood as a Community School in service of their children, families, and community.
CSCE Founder and Executive Director Ida Oberman rejoiced, “This is a huge win. Great thanks to each and all for the powerful work together to lift up our voice as one. These two years give us stability of place at our beloved home on 2111 International [and] time to plan forward for further long term stability to 2026 and beyond.”
Dr. Cummings, Regional Executive Director of Faith in Action, a founding community partner, acknowledged the victorious community organizing effort, “We celebrate with the family this wonderful news and congratulate our leaders for the great organizing that brought us to this place. La Lucha Continua.”
Why is this victory significant? The lease renewal highlights the importance of community schools like CSCE that foster intentional civic and community partnerships and wrap around the whole child and family for the OUSD board members.
We congratulate the entire CSCE community and thank the OUSD board of education for their leadership to ensure facility stability for CSCE families.
Issue:
Community School for Creative Education was being pushed out of a long term lease into year to year Prop 39 with a possibility to move to a different location. This meant that CSCE had to renew yearly with Prop 39, and did not guarantee staying at their 2111 facility, leaving the community, parents and students in limbo.
The Ask:
OUSD to renew Community School for Creative Education’s multi-year lease until 2026 with an option to renew pending charter renewal at 2111 International Blvd location.
Action:
- Met with 5 of 7 OUSD board Directors (Davis, Yee, Gonzales, Eng, Thompson) led by parents, students, staff, faith leaders, community members and organizations
- 217 emails to board director, superintendent, chief of staff, legal counsel and ED of Charter Office.
- Over 200 e-comments
- Powerful public comment in-person and zooms OUSD BOE comments from parents, students, staff, faith leaders, community members and organizations.
Notes on meetings:
Dr. Thompson:
- He will champion CSCE and support expansion of the facility agreement
- He will talk with other board members about CSCE
Director Davis:
- Supports the school staying at the current location
- “Doesn’t make sense…you have a good school, where will you go?”
- “I don’t know a better place in San Antonio for your school”
- Need to understand the current lease agreement.
Recommends:
- Meet with Director Eng
- Meet with Charter office
Director Eng:
- Listened carefully to all stories shared\
- Asked questions, took lots of notes
- Did not want to commit to supporting just now because she had not heard from the Charter school Office.
- Mentioned that she does not know of another place in the San Antonio District for CSCE to be placed at.
Director Yee:
- He only wanted to meet with 4 people
- We prep parents + community leader (Emma)
- will not support multi-year lease
- “he said no since the beginning”
- Wants to hear the staff recommendation
Director Gonzales:
- does not know of another place in the San Antonio District
- is waiting to hear from staff recommendations
- does not know why CSCE was put in this position (just came back from a vacation)