After more than a decade of planning, hundreds of donations, thousands of document pages, and countless hours—put in by trustees, parents, professional community members, expert advisors, and city staff—we finally broke ground on the South Campus.
On Saturday, October 14, 2023, supporters gathered on the South Campus for this momentous occasion. Current and former students, parents, staff, trustees, school heads, and even our beloved school mascot, Tuffy, helped us mark the day with shovels in the dirt. The ceremonial groundbreaking took place following unanimous approval by the Oakland City Council on September 19.
Construction officially began on Monday, October 16 and the first few phases include the restoration of four buildings—three of them historic—opening up spaces for STEM classrooms, Welcome and Collaboration Centers, and administrative offices. It also includes an internal Loop Driveway, taking single occupancy drop-off and pick-up off Lincoln Avenue and onto the school’s private property, significantly easing traffic congestion. The school is also adding a turn lane and traffic signal, and upgrading the existing signals at pedestrian crosswalks—which currently operate at timed intervals 24/7—so they are no longer stopping traffic when no one is crossing.
The property expands the campus by eight acres, which will be lightly developed with landscaping and outdoor areas for teaching and gathering. A future phase will include a Performing Arts Center and underground pedestrian tunnel linking the North and South campuses.
Over a 20-year period, the school will slowly increase enrollment, simultaneously creating opportunities for deserving students from all financial backgrounds to attend.
Breaking ground on the South Campus represents a significant milestone for the school and returns the parcel to its historical use of serving children.
