Life Academy seeks to dramatically interrupt patterns of injustice and inequity for underserved communities in Oakland. Through transformative learning experiences focused on Health, Medicine and Bioscience, students are engaged in learning and inspired to acquire the skills needed to succeed in college and careers in the medical field.

Our Mission

Life Academy seeks to graduate students who…

  • embody Life’s Core Values: Love of Learning, Integrity, Fearlessness, and Empathy

  • demonstrate academic success on rigorous, standards-aligned curriculum

  • read critically and with a love for learning

  • build strong executive functioning skills

  • have a clear and attainable post-secondary plan

  • build a strong sense of cultural and community pride

Our Vision for Students

Instruction must be excellent. Our primary task is to equip our students with the skill sets they need to live choice-filled lives. Classrooms should be spaces and places where students can feel safe, seen, valued, and pushed. Our task is achieved by:

  • Building relationships with students, families and colleagues

  • Cultivating a classroom culture in which joy and rigor are equally valued 

  • Planning and teaching units that are backwards planned from a clear set of standards and goals, giving clarity for daily instruction to students, families, and colleagues 

  • Ensuring aligned and standards-based curricular experiences for all students

  • Instruction that is engaging and offers multiple opportunities for students to learn, practice, and master new skills

  • Cherishing the opportunity to analyze student work together, so that we may learn from our students and be responsive to their academic needs.

Our Vision for Instructional Practice