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Westlake Middle School serves students in grades 6th, 7th and 8th, and is a part of the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD).  In the 1950's (and perhaps years earlier, the school was known as Westlake Junior High School, up until 1997, when OUSD changed all the junior highs to middle schools, and moved 9th grade students to the high schools.  Many well known Oakland residents attended Westlake Junior High.

City Homestead: Making a Home in the Heart of the City relates the following information which pertains in part to Westlake Junior High in the 1920's and 1930's: 

"District: Westlake (part of the Lake District)  West Lake or Westlake (and in real estate ads, “Westlake District,” which explains why the modern-day MLS uses that) was a sub-area of the Lake District. The name was reinforced by the existence of Westlake Junior High School in the midst of the area. Oakland society in the 1920s and 1930s largely revolved around youth and the schools, and a number of neighborhoods were referred to by their junior high school or park names (Mosswood, Bushrod, Westlake, Golden Gate, Cleveland, Bella Vista, and more). Before the school came into being, the paper more commonly listed the area as “west of the Lake District,” but after the school’s creation, this gets merged into “Westlake District.” By the 1930s, there were also apartments along Grand near Bay Place advertised as being in “Westlake.”"

As of the 2015-16 academic year, according to OUSD, the student body of the school is approximately 50% African American, 24% Latino, 17% Asian American, and 4% White, with the remaining 4% made up of other racial/ethnic groups and students identifying with multiple groups.1

In order to assist students in dealing with personal issues issues which might distract from their studies, Westlake has implemented a Safe Passage Program to provide "counseling, case management and conflict resolution services for students." 2

Articles and ads from March 23, 1928, Oakland Tribune
(fair use)The first school at this location, which opened in 1928, was known as Lakeview Junior High School, even though the (now-closed) Lakeview Elementary School had used this name during the mid-1920s. The school's location was given as 26th and Harrison Streets, since 27th Street did not connect past Telegraph Avenue to Webster Street or Broadway at the time.

At some point, the original school building was demolished and replaced with the current structure.

 

Westlake Junior High School Alumni

Location

2629 Harrison Street, Oakland, California 94612

Telephone

510.879.2130

Links and References

  1. 2017-2018 Enrollment Options Guide, Oakland Unified School District, November 2016.
  2. Westlake Middle School official website

  3. List of mayors of Oakland, California

  4. Kevin Choice OPC Music

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