Oakland Middle School Principal Honored

The principal of Oakland's Frick Middle School received the Ambassador of Education award on Monday. Jerome Gourdine has led the school for 2 1/2 years. The award is given to outstanding educators in the public school system in 25 cities nationwide.

Gourdine says he is merely continuing the work of his two predecessors in changing the the culture at the school. "In order to educate our children especially our children today that we have to be one and that every adult at Frick Middle School is a teacher. From the principal to whatever status there is, and the students and the teachers have bought into that," says Gourdine.

The school has also gone through a change in its Academic Performance Index score. Gourdine says 7 years ago, it was in the 400s. Now it is just about 600, Gourdine says that is the biggest increase for any California middle school. "I just think the staff here is so dedicated to the students of Frick Middle School," Gourdine says, "that I turn my kings and queens into kings and queens."

Gourdine received a crystal apple and a $5,000 grant from MetLife, which runs the Ambassador of Education awards. Gourdine says he plans to use the grant for a program that guarantees his students will gain admission to Cal State system.