About Oakland

Living in Oakland

“I wanted to be a part of system that is looking to make education effective and relevant to its students. Oakland, in addition to being active in this field, is also in the process of re-inventing itself into a modern global city. It is one of the few urban areas I could see possibly wanting to settle in.”

                                                     -2008 Corps Teacher

Oakland grew rapidly in the 20th century. Following the disastrous San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906, many families and businesses relocated from San Francisco to Oakland. Within a decade Oakland’s population more than doubled. World War II also brought tremendous growth and change to Oakland. Thousands of war workers and their families moved to the area to work in wartime shipyards. Many members of the armed forces who were stationed at nearby military bases chose to remain in the area after the war. The war also increased the region’s ethnic diversity.

Oakland was revitalized in the 1970s with the construction of new downtown office buildings. At the city’s historic center stands Oakland City Hall, built in 1914. The building was heavily damaged in the devastating Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 but was later restored to its original splendor as part of the redevelopment project. North of City Hall is the magnificent art deco Paramount Theatre, with colorful tile murals depicting the performing arts. Just south of City Hall are the twin towers of the Federal Building and Oakland City Center. A few blocks west is Preservation Park, a neighborhood of restored Victorian residences; to the east is Lake Merritt and its surrounding Lakeside Park. Near the southwest shore of the lake stand the fortress like Alameda County Courthouse and the Oakland Museum of California. A waterfront square of shops and restaurants has been named to honor one of the city’s early residents and well-known author, Jack London.

Oakland’s cultural institutions include the Oakland Ballet, Oakland East Bay Symphony, and Oakland Ensemble Theatre. The Oakland Museum of California, devoted to the art, environment, and history of the Golden State, is a notable attraction. The African American Museum and Library interprets the experiences of blacks living in California and the West.

Oakland features many parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities. Its crown jewel is Lakeside Park, which encircles Lake Merritt, the nation’s largest urban saltwater lake. Designated in 1870 as the first wildlife refuge in the United States, Lakeside Park is a favorite of lawn bowlers, joggers, and bicyclists. Also on the shores of the lake are Children’s Fairyland, a theme park based on popular nursery rhymes; and the Cameron-Stanford House, a restored Victorian home. Nestled in the Oakland Hills are Knowland Park and the Oakland Zoo, featuring more than 300 exotic and native animals. Nearby is the East Bay Regional Park District, with additional parklands.

The City of Oakland is diverse in cultural heritage and places of natural beauty and with a long tradition of civic pride.  Corps Teachers know that the Bay Area is a truly unique place to call home. 

Location

With the northern part of the city on the Oakland hills and the southern side stretching along the San Francisco Bay, Oakland’s landscape is marked by rolling hills, two beautiful lakes, and 19 miles of shorefront. The city proudly offers more parks and open space per capita than any other Bay Area city.  Temperatures comfortably range from the 60’s to 70’s during the summer and remain mild between the 40’s and 50’s throughout the winter months.  Oakland’s neighboring cities of Berkeley to the north and San Francisco across the Bay Bridge offer even more options of countless outdoor and city-based activities The city and surrounding areas celebrate the arts in nearly every form with an acclaimed symphony, ballet, museums, and galleries all offering regular performances and exhibits open to the public.  For those looking to escape the bustle of the city, it is only a short drive north to scenic Point Reyes National Seashore, Muir Woods National Monument, Napa and Sonoma Valleys, and a quick ride south to beautiful beach towns such as Pacifica and Santa Cruz.  In the winter, head east to take advantage of world-renowned ski resorts in Lake Tahoe.

Transportation

We consistently ask all teachers to keep in mind that the determination of teaching assignments is a challenging process and that, due to yearly veteran teacher mobility at individual school sites, it is often difficult to predict exact teaching assignments until very close to the beginning of the school year. However, all OCTC teachers are guaranteed a full-time position in a school where their talents and skills are needed.

It is the mission of Oakland City Teacher Corps to prioritize working in schools with the highest need for teachers.  As a result, Corps Teachers should be prepared to teach wherever they are most needed. School matches will be driven primarily by school needs and by each Corps teacher’s qualifications, as well as a Corps Teacher's stated preferences. Corps teachers are asked to be extremely flexible with regard to the overall process and to keep in mind the incredible difference they can make in any school in OUSD.