By Alice Scott-Rowe | Special to The OBSERVER
Parents, students, administrators and local leaders turned out in Oak Park last week to celebrate the newly transformed St. HOPE Public School 7 at 5201 Strawberry Lane.
“This day marks the culmination of a $34 million dollar investment in the heart of Oak Park,” said Carolyn Veal-Hunter, Chair of the St. HOPE Public Schools Board. “What once were outdated classrooms, have been transformed into what you see today: a vibrant state of the art learning environment, through modernized classrooms, a refreshed administration building, a new multi-purpose room and outdoor play areas, including a basketball court.”
Veal-Hunter spoke for many when she put the school’s transformation into historical context.
“I was filled pride watching the first shovel of dirt on the project that was headed by a female manager, showing equity, inclusion and hope,” she said. “For over 20 years, our students have thrived with the physical limitations of the environment, showing up every day dressed for success, ready to learn and deserving of spaces that uplift and inspire them.”
Before World War II, like many cities, Sacramento’s Oak Park experienced redlining, which segregated neighborhoods by race. “Negro” families were concentrated between 5th and 8th Avenues and San Jose Street. Whites in the area began moving out, driving down property values, and Oak Park was never able to fully recover from the Great Depression compounded by discriminatory practices.
The school was originally built in the 1950s with fifteen classrooms with a capacity of 350 kindergarten through 6th grade students. St HOPE took the campus over in 2003 and named it Public School 7 (PS7).
PS7 is now a tuition-free, college-prep public charter school with transitional kindergarten (TK) through 5th grade students. The student body is 95 percent African American and 5 percent Hispanic and white.
After renovations, PS7 has more than doubled in size, now featuring 31 new classrooms. Student capacity has grown from 350 to 700 with a goal of enrolling 400 students by 2027. The $34 million dollar renovation has been two years in the making. The renovation was funded through a $14 million loan and a $14 million grant from the state, plus an additional $6 million loan from Tri Counties Bank, said St. HOPE spokesperson Lisa Yarbrough.
The transformation has given the campus a new lease on life.
In addition to the new classrooms, other upgrades include:
- TK and Kindergarten rooms with sinks, a toilette and separate play area
- Digital and electronic chalk boards in every classroom
- Individual heating and air conditioning units in each room
- Health and wellness room
- Renovation and expansion of the multi-purpose room
- Renovation, expansion and modernization of the kitchen and cafeteria
- New administration building with increased space, offices and windows for a more welcoming environment
- Reconfigured area to drop off and pick up students with designated lane that ensure safety and reduces traffic congestion
- New landscaping which includes a modernized playground, two basketball courts and grass field areas
- Increased area and security for teachers parking lot
- Established designated visitor parking area with new asphalt
“It was dilapidated, it was peeling paint and had air conditioning units that didn’t work individually,” said Cassandra Jennings, President and Chief Executive Officer of St. HOPE. “Before, we really had old conditions that were not very functional. It looked and felt like it needed a lot of work. It just wasn’t reflective of our scholars and what we wanted to pour into them. Today our community is so proud to be celebrating what now is reflective of the potential and growth in our scholars.
“This sends a big signal to our scholars that we believe in them and we’re showing it by investing in them. We put out great scholars here and we want their facility to reflect the work that they do,” Jennings continued.
Dr. Al Brown, who serves on the Sacramento County Office of Education’s Board Directors, quoted George Washington Carver, who was born in slavery in the 1860s and became a pioneering Black scientist, inventor and educator: “The goal was never just construction, it was a place where education could take root and grow,” he said. “What we see here is an investment in young people.”
Brandon Jefferson, dean of students and the parent of two children at PS7, shared his excitement on the development and what it means for the community. “This is a very special moment for me because I’ve been a part of PS7 for the past four years and this year marks my fifth. What stands out for me was the motivation and energy of our scholars,” he said. “Even in a building that needed work, they came ready to work and to grow. When I heard we were getting a new school, I knew it was about building on the foundation of our community.”
PS7 Principal Katie Jelcz echoed Jefferson’s sentiments and what many in attendance appeared to be feeling.
“Today our community is so proud to be celebrating the improvements. It is a reflection of what we’re investing in the students,” Jelcz said.
Support for this Sacramento OBSERVER article was provided to Word In Black (WIB) by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. WIB is a collaborative of 10 Black-owned media that includes print and digital partners.