In brief: Oakland’s Holy Names High still very much open for enrollment

OAKLAND

Despite recent news of the impending closure after this school year of Holy Names University’s (HNU) in the Oakland hills, the Catholic girls’ Holy Names High School (HNHS) in Oakland’s Upper Rockridge district remains a mainstay in the community and continues to offer a college preparatory high school experience in a supportive and inclusive environment.

“We were sad to hear about HNU,” said HNHS President Constance Hubbard. “We have always shared the SNJM (Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary) values, and we look forward to pursuing our mission with upcoming generations of high school students. Our plan begins with commitment in the ninth grade for each student to prepare to attend a four-year college or university.”

Every student in the private high school’s Class of 2023 has been accepted to a four-year college or university, including an 85% acceptance rate to the University of California system. Hubbard said a diverse faculty that reflects the school’s community is crucial to a campus in which students develop strong voices, compassion and the skills and confidence they need to make a powerful impact on the world.

Small class sizes in an all-girls environment foster the social, emotional, and academic growth required to be change makers of tomorrow, she said. Applications for fall 2023 are available online at hnhsoakland.org.

— HNHS

Online auction to benefit PTO at Montera Middle School

Montera Middle School’s online auction will run from Friday through May 7. Visit paybee.io/@montera online to bid on more than 350 items from Bay Area businesses. Raising funds from the auction is critical to the Montera Parent Teacher Organization’s ability to fill the gap between public funding and the school’s real financial needs.

With the community’s support, the Montera PTO can sustain the school’s academic, arts, sports and wellness programs despite continued cuts from the Oakland Unified School District. For any questions or last-minute donations, email auction@monterapto.com.

— Montera PTO

PIEDMONT

Arts center to host concert celebrating Cinco de Mayo

In the Tradition Piano Trio will perform a tribute to Mexican music and composers to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at 7 p.m. May 7 in the Piedmont Center for the Arts at 801 Magnolia Ave. in Piedmont.

Performing will be Bill Jackman on the Steinway grand piano, Anthony Pegram on drums and Rich Trevor on bass. The program will include “La Mentira,” “Sabor a mi,” “Amor” and other melodic pieces. Photo identification, proof of COVID-19 vaccination and social distancing will be required. Tickets are $25 at the door or $23 at bpt.me/5691334 for the concert to benefit the arts center.

Meet school district’s new Superintendent Hawn on May 8

Meet and greet the Piedmont Unified School District’s new superintendent, Dr. Jennifer Hawn, from 5 to 7 p.m. May 8 in the plaza between the STEAM building and Alan Harvey Theater on Piedmont High School’s campus. Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

Hawn was chosen from a field of qualified candidates in a nationwide search to replace Superintendent Randall Booker, who recently left the district for another position. Dr. Donald Evans served as interim PUSD superintendent for the 2022-23 school year.

Anti-racism, diversity group hosting free youth sessions

The Piedmont Anti-Racism and Diversity Committee is sponsoring some programs to help kids thrive in an ever-evolving and diverse environment. The free learning sessions will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the library at Havens Elementary School at 323 Highland Ave.

A session next week on Tuesday will be for fourth- through seventh-graders; a May 4 session will be for eighth- through 12th-graders; and a May 11 session will be for infants through third-graders. The sessions will be led by Dr. Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard, the Piedmont Unified School District’s director of diversity, inclusion and equity.

— Linda Davis, correspondent

OAKLAND

Montclair Village Restaurant Walk to feature over 25 stops

The Montclair Village Association (MVA) will continue a longtime tradition established by the Montclair Lions Club when the association hosts the 2023 Montclair Village Restaurant Walk from 5 to 8 p.m. May 16.

This year’s Restaurant Walk will festively feature more than 25 stops on the “Passport,” with local restaurants offering samples of delicious bites. New in 2023 will be a growing list of participating retail and service businesses pouring libations (including craft beer, artisan wines and mocktails) to ticketed patrons.

Another addition to this family-friendly event will be entertainment by balloon animal artist/entertainer extraordinaire Nikki Borodi, made possible by generous supporters of the Montclair Cares Club. The following ticketed “Passports” will be available for purchase online at Eventbrite or montclairvillage.com:

• adults: $40;
• children (younger than 12): $20;
• four adult passports: $160 (processing fees waived for a savings of $18.08).

For more details or to follow the latest Montclair Village news, visit montclairvillage.com.

— Winter Williams

To submit an item for our “In brief” section, please email it, at least a week before publication, to njackson@bayareanewsgroup.com. Each item should be 90 to 180 words and include a brief headline and the name of the group or individual to whom it is to be credited.