Oxford Elementary

Oxford Elementary is a small school located on University Avenue, right next to the BUSD School District offices. Approximately 250 students attend Oxford, Kindergarten through 5th Grade. We have twelve regular classrooms, two classes at each grade level. The small size of the school combined with the excellent staff and the strong support from families makes it a wonderful community.

The teachers at Oxford are committed to educating every child and are sensitive to students’ individual needs. We offer rigorous and stimulating learning experiences in a nurturing and supportive educational environment. This setting is sustained by the responsible, disciplined attitudes our students acquire through discussion of essential values that teach them to do the right things in their daily living with each other. Our monthly school-wide community meetings explore the nature of empathy, conscience, self-control, respect, kindness, tolerance and fairness, and promote solid learning progress and strong self-esteem for all students. Our social-emotional learning program, Toolbox, promotes the development of personal qualities, such as empathy, patience and courage, encouraging the children to become healthy members of society and life-long learners.

With the district adoption of the Teacher College Reading and Writing Program (TCRWP), our classroom libraries have over 500 books. Using the concept of a “just right” book, every student spends even more time reading, both in school and at home. Classes visit the fully-stocked school library weekly to hear stories, check out books of interest, and do research. Computers are used as tools in every classroom as well as in the computer lab, creating a modern and stimulating learning atmosphere at the school. This technology allows students to reinforce their skills, which is crucial for students in the 21st century to compete in college and the work force.

There are many opportunities for enriching experiences aside from the regular classroom activities and lessons. Our kindergarten through third grade classes visit our school garden weekly. Students learn to investigate and ask inquisitive questions, which in turn lead them to reflect upon their place in and responsibility for the world. All first through fifth grade students receive weekly music instruction, with 4th and 5th graders getting instrumental music two times per week. We work collaboratively with Bay Area Community Resources to provide students the opportunity to learn social skills and self-awareness strategies in a small group setting. Oxford has a long tradition of infusing the arts and a concern for humanity and the environment into all aspects of the curriculum.

Parents/Guardians are an important and very active part of our community. They volunteer in the classroom, chaperone field trips, help in the library, supervise students on the yard, and help in the cafeteria. They also help teachers by communicating important event information to our families. Our extremely involved PTA runs our Back to School Picnic, Read-a-thon, Otterpalooza, and more. In addition, our PTA raises funds every year to support various Oxford programs. Parents/guardians also contribute as members of our School Site Council (SSC) who are instrumental in writing our school site plan, as well as being active members of the English Language Advisory Council (ELAC).

We have different support services offered at our school. We have our RTI Team support team that provides intervention services to our students throughout the school day, including counseling support, reading and math intervention. Families have the opportunity to enroll their students in the After-School Program for extended school day where students receive homework support, targeted intervention, and participate in an assortment of enrichment classes that are hosted by through LEARNS. Some of our students receive academic tutoring by Oxford staff and/or by UC Berkeley tutors.