This academic year’s Alameda Unified School District classes start this week, and AUSD official have lots of exciting news to share as the 2026-27 school year begins. First and perhaps most obvious for those who drive up and down Grand Street is that Wood Middle School’s newly renovated campus is officially open, and it is stunning.
With 25 modern general classrooms, four state-of-the-art science classrooms, a new inclusive play area for our students who receive special education services, a brand-new gym, media center and administrative center and ample outdoor space and greenery, the new campus is transforming not only that parcel of land but the educational experiences of Wood Middle students.
We are deeply grateful to the many, many people who contributed to the renovation of this campus, including Alameda taxpayers; the design committee; our architect and contractor partners; Wood staff and students; the hundreds of tradespeople who worked on the site; and the neighbors who put up with construction equipment and noise. This has been community collaboration at its best!
We’re also excited to introduce eight new principals and assistant principals at our schools this year. At our secondary schools, we welcome Alex Harp (principal, Alameda High School); Chiharu Kitchens (assistant principal, Encinal Junior and Senior High School); Danielle Bouchard (assistant principal, Lincoln Middle School); and Yordanos Weldeghiorgis (assistant principal, Wood Middle).
At our elementary schools, we have Maulette Cardenas (assistant principal, Ruby Bridges Elementary); Mark Segado (principal, Love Elementary); Sherry Rouse (assistant principal, Love Elementary); and Jean Liu (principal, Franklin Elementary). We welcome all of our new administrators to our district and look forward to getting to know them.
In other news, we have updated our policy concerning smartphones and other personal devices on campus. This is in response to California’s Phone-Free School Act (AB 3216), which required every school district in the state to develop a policy limiting or prohibiting the use of smartphones in schools by July 1.
The AUSD’s smartphone policy already met all of the act’s requirements. However, to ensure that the policy best fit the needs of students, employees and families, district staff and the AUSD Board of Education’s Board Policy Subcommittee over the last year reviewed the existing protocol, solicited community feedback on it and explored options for adapting it. The resulting changes go into effect this school year.
In brief, elementary and middle school students need to turn off and put way their devices all day (bell-to-bell), and high school students can use devices during noninstructional times. All students can use phones in class if: there is an emergency; it is part of a student’s Individualized Education Program or medical plan; or if the teacher wants students to use their phones for an instructional reason.
Reach Susan Davis, the Alameda Unified School District’s senior manager for community affairs, at 510-337-7175 or SDavis@alamedaunified.org.