OCEANSIDE — Three years ago, former Oceanside Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Duane Coleman realized needs of students and families are too complex for a school or district to address alone.
As a result, Oceanside Promise was formed to benefit those students and families to ensure each student reaches their full potential.
Now, Coleman and Dr. Rafe Edward Trickey, Jr. have joined the board of directors.
Executive Director Dr. Nicole Magnuson, who earned her doctorate from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, said the program is about aligning existing programs, services and resources toward common goals.
“We’re striving to help each child in the community to reach their fullest potential,” she said. “Part of that is, do we have a common understanding and a common commitment to moving certain indicators and goal areas.”
Oceanside Promise has identified four goals with two already functioning. The goals are early childhood success, college readiness, post-secondary education completion and safety, health and well-being. The latter two are still being finalized.
Recently, Oceanside Promise was awarded a $200,000 grant from the Stuart Foundation to support organizational capacity. It will also help with community-wide partnership and provide technical assistance for advancing transformational, equitable and sustainable social change throughout Oceanside.
In addition, Oceanside Promise is partnering with numerous community members and entities to provide support.
“What we are looking at is how kids are safe, socially and emotionally strong and making sure they move through their education lifespan,” Magnuson said. “And hopefully entering in high-wage, high-demand jobs, is what we really want for kids.”
As a doctoral student, Magnuson targeted Oceanside Unified because she was intrigued the district was aggressive in its pursuit to fill those gaps; whereas other districts are “nudged” or “pushed” she said. She was hired about 18 months ago and after graduating stayed with Oceanside Promise.
The grant also allows for staff support, so Magnuson was able to remain in her position.
In addition, Oceanside Promise also secured a technical assistance grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, which will fund consulting support. Magnuson said it will allow Oceanside Promise to work with other organizations to assist with systems level change, equity issues and public policy, to name a few.
As for Coleman and Trickey Jr., Magnuson said she is excited for the two men to join.
“The fact he brings that commitment,” Magnuson said of Coleman. “He’s also from the Oceanside community and understands what it means to grow up in that community,”
“Dr. Trickey, he just has a wealth of skills and expertise in higher education as well as leading and building organizations,” she added.
