This week we’ll focus on matters of interest to the entire Alameda Unified School District, including our next COVID-19 vaccination clinic and upcoming bond projects.

First, the clinic — the AUSD, in partnership with Color Health, will hold COVID-19 vaccination clinics on Oct. 7 and Nov. 4. Both clinics will be held at Wood Middle School from 2 to 6 p.m. and are open to the entire community. Both will also offer:

• Moderna COVID shots for ages 6 months and older;
• Pfizer boosters for all who are eligible;
• and the new bivalent omicron booster for all who are eligible.

Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are highly encouraged as they will ensure you get seen. Please schedule your appointment online at home.color.com/vaccine/register/woodmiddleschool.

National Labs continues to provide COVID testing at its drive-through site in the Lum Elementary parking lot. Those hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration is required and can be completed at tinyurl.com/AUSD-NL-testregistration.

We remain extremely grateful for the community’s support of our Measure B facilities bond, which voters approved on June 7. As you may recall, this $298 million bond will go toward modernizing classrooms at Wood and Lincoln middle schools (as well as providing them with full-sized gymnasiums) and updating athletic and performing arts facilities for Encinal Junior & Senior and Alameda high schools.

Wood Middle will also get a new classroom building. While all of our elementary schools received improvements under Measure I (the bond that was passed in 2014), only Otis Elementary School will get a new classroom building as well.

Which projects will commence first depends on several factors, including the physical condition of each facility, compliance issues (i.e., how difficult keeping a facility in compliance with county and/or state regulations is), seismic needs, capacity constraints, the need for temporary housing while work is going on and ventilation needs.

Based on that criteria, work has now begun on renovating the Emma Hood swimming pool at Alameda High, the cost of which will be split with the city of Alameda. We expect community input sessions to take place this fall. Community meetings will also be held this fall about the next best steps for Alameda High’s Kofman Theater, which is also on the list of Measure B plans.

At the same time, the district is finishing up several Measure I projects, including a new classroom building at Bay Farm School, installing new locks across AUSD campuses and providing a new HVAC system for Woodstock Child Development Center and Island High (at the Longfellow campus).

We will keep a list of upcoming community meetings on the Measure B page on our website, and we can encourage our community to get involved during the design and planning stages.

Susan Davis is the Alameda Unified School District’s senior manager for community affairs. Reach her at 510-337-7175 or SDavis@alamedaunified.org.