"It's a powerful thing to see two people who at the beginning of their first coaching session might approach each other both thinking:
'What can I have in common with this person? How will I get through these 45 minutes?'
realize that there are any number of important things that bring them together in some way."
—WCC coach
'What can I have in common with this person? How will I get through these 45 minutes?'
realize that there are any number of important things that bring them together in some way."
—WCC coach
Coaching Schedules and Locations
Our coaches work in Berkeley, Oakland, El Cerrito, and, in spring 2012, in Albany. Please see below for current school locations and descriptions. The coaching schedules are developed with the teachers for each site at the beginning of the school year. We are expanding to Oakland School for the Arts and to Portola Middle School in El Cerrito spring semester. If you wish to coach in Albany, or at OSA or Portola this spring, we encourage you to register now for a January training.
Albany
Albany Middle School (AMS)
Peter Parenti, Principal 1259 Brighton Ave. / Albany (at Masonic, below Key Route) Coaching Time Slots - Spring 2012 Only
Tuesdays: 8:55-10:40; 10:45-12:30; 1:20-3:05 Thursdays: 8:00-9:45; 9:50-11:35; 1:20-3:05 | In late January-March 2012, 50-60 WCC volunteers will coach nearly 300 eighth grade students in 10 English classes thanks to the generosity of the AMS PTA and individual donors. Coaches will help students with their I-Search projects, research papers on a topic of the students’ choice. This limited engagement is a great way to get involved as a WCC coach this spring. Be amazed at students’ topics and creativity.
Site Coordinator Peg Healy |
Berkeley
Berkeley High School
1980 Allston Way / Berkeley 94704 (betw. Milvia & M.L. King, Jr. Way) Community Partnerships Academy (CPA) Annie Johnston, Director Green Academy (GA) New this year! Dagny Dingman, Director Coaching Time Slots
Thursdays (GA): 9:30-10:35; 10:40-11:40 Thursdays (CPA): 12:25-1:25; 1:25-2:25 Fridays (CPA): 8:25-9:25; 9:30-10:35 | WriterCoach Connection returns again to Berkeley High, where the program was founded, to work with 110 freshmen and sophomores at Community Partnerships Academy, a small school that is focused on learning from and serving community. “WCC is a phenomenal resource,” says one of the BHS teachers who deeply appreciate WCC support. Coaches work with 1-2 students for 30-50 minutes each. Coaching is on Thursday afternoons or Friday mornings several times per month.
In addition, Green Academy, another BHS small school has invited WCC to bring writing coaches to its two senior composition classes this year. Coaching at Green will be on Thursday mornings. BHS is a convenient location for Cal students. Site Coordinator Sahib-Amar Khalsa |
King Middle School (KMS)
Janet Levenson, Principal 1781 Rose St. Berkeley 94703 Coaching Time Slots
Tuesdays: 8:40-10:20; 10:25-11:55; and 1:20-2:50 Thursdays: 8:40-10:20; 10:25-11:55; and 1:20-2:50 | Entering its eleventh year with WCC, King parents and neighbors have a solid tradition of providing WCC volunteers to work one-on-one with students. In 2010-11 65 WCC coaches conducted over 2,600 individual writing conferences with all King eighth graders. With 11 English classes and 300 eighth grade students, plenty of coaches are needed. Come, and enjoy a stroll through King’s famous Edible Garden on your way to coaching.
Site Coordinator Kathleen Hallam |
Longfellow Middle School (LMS)
Pat Saddler, Principal 1500 Derby St. / Berkeley 94703 Coaching Time Slots
Tuesdays: 10:50-12:35; and 1:10–2:50 Thursdays: 9:00-10:50, 10:50-12:35; and 1:10–2:50 | This year marks WCC's tenth anniversary coaching all eighth grade students at Longfellow. With enthusiastic support from LMS administrators and teachers, WCC also began working with seventh grade students four years ago, doubling the number of students served. Last year, 258 students received a total of over 2,300 individual coaching sessions. Cal students and all volunteers are encouraged to support this school, located in a historically underserved neighborhood. Easy bus access, on Derby just above Sacramento, or easy parking if you drive.
Site Coordinators Mark Pasley and Annie Stine |
Willard Middle School (WMS)
Robert Ithurburn, Principal 2425 Stuart St. / Berkeley 94705 Coaching Time Slots
Thursdays: 9:15-10:50; 11:00-12:40; and 1:15-2:50 Fridays: 9:15-10:50; 11:00-12:40; and 1:15-2:50 | WriterCoach Connection has been an integral part of the English curriculum at WMS for all eighth graders for the past nine years. Last year, 60 trained coaches conducted 1,700 one-on-one writing conferences with Willard students. This year, to accommodate student population growth, an additional English class has been added--and more coaches will be needed. Located in south Berkeley just above Telegraph, another convenient location for Cal students.
Site Coordinator Jeanine Brown |
Oakland
Media Academy (MA)
Sarah Mazzotta, Acting Principal 4610 Foothill Blvd. / Oakland 94601 Coaching Time Slots
Thursdays: 1:25-3:15 Fridays: 10:45-12:35 | In 2011-12 we return for our fourth year to the site of WCC’s successful Oakland pilot program, where we are working with all sophomores, about 50 students. MA is a small high school, focused on journalism, and part of the Fremont Federated High Schools in the Fruitvale district.
Site Coordinator Karen Larson |
Mandela High School (MHS)
Ana Vasquez, Acting Principal 4610 Foothill Blvd. / Oakland 94601 Coaching Time Slots Thursdays: 10:45-12:35 Fridays: 8:10-10:00; 10:45-12:35 | Located on the same Fruitvale campus, just downstairs from Media Academy, Mandela’s curriculum emphasizes law and public service
as the means to social justice. WCC is delighted to return to work with three sophomore English classes on Thursdays and Fridays. Site Coordinator Karen Larson |
Architecture Academy (AA) New this year!
Daniel Hurst, Principal 4610 Foothill Blvd. / Oakland 94601 Coaching Time Slots Thursdays: 10:45-12:35; 1:25-3:15 Fridays: 1:25-3:15 | This year WCC is excited to be expanding to the third small school, Architecture Academy, on the Fremont Federated campus. Coaching will serve three tenth grade English classes on Thursdays mid-day and afternoon and Friday afternoons.
Site Coordinator Karen Larson |
Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) New this spring!
Donn Harris, Executive & Artistic Director 530 18th Street, Oakland 94612 Coaching Time Slots Tuesdays: 9:00-10:00; 10:00-11:00; 11:45-12:45 | Generous support from the OSA Association of Parents and Teachers brings writing coaches to four ninth grade OSA classes in spring 2012. A charter school, OSA provides students with intensive training in the arts while maintaining a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. Join us! Easy access via BART. For more information, please contact Wendy Snyder, wsnyder@oakarts.org or 510-295-7834.
Site Coordinators Annie Stine and Mark Pasley |
El Cerrito
El Cerrito High School (ECHS)
David Luongo, Principal 540 Ashbury Ave., El Cerrito 94530 Coaching Time Slots Thursdays: 9:50-11:35; 12:20-2:00; 2:10-3:45 Fridays: 8:00-9:45; 9:50-11:35 | Intense community support for WCC brings writing coaches back to ECHS in the West Contra Costa Unified School District to expand on last year's successful pilot program. This year over 90 WCC coaches are serving all ninth grade students as well as ELD classes. To learn more, please contact Todd Groves, EC volunteer coordinator, at volunteer.ecwcc@gmail.com or (510) 621-7307.
Site Coordinators Maureen Dixon and Lynda Frank |
Portola Middle School (POR) New this spring!
Matthew Burnham, Principal 1021 Navellier St., El Cerrito 94530 Coaching Time Slots Fridays: 9:00-10:00; 10:00-11:00 | WCC is coming to Portola Middle School for the first time this spring! Register now to help help seventh grade and ELD student writers improve their skills and confidence. The commitment is only 1-2 hours per week on Friday mornings, several times per month, during spring semester. To learn more, please contact Julie Brown, juliane67@yahoo.com or 510-558-1724.
Site Coordinator Kathleen Hallam |
