Home of the Phoenix!
Fred T. Korematsu Middle School
7125 Donal Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530
Phone: (510) 231-1449, Fax: (510) 231-5987
Who Attends
We serve 7th and 8th graders from Washington, Fairmont, Harding, Kensington, Stege and Madera Elementary Schools and beyond. We proudly serve an extremely diverse socioeconomic and racial population and serve a vibrant community of families from the surrounding Richmond and El Cerrito neighborhoods.
Mission Statement
Believe it! Achieve it!
Korematsu Middle School is a safe, inclusive, student-centered community that provides academic and social success. Our community values respectful, collaborative relationships to ensure that all students become responsible, confident, and enthusiastic citizens who fulfill their individual potential.
School Leadership
Principal: Matthew Burnham mburnham@wccusd.net
Asst. Principal: Blair Krug bkrug@wccusd.net
Office Manager: Mercedes Castro mcastro@wccusd.net
Who is Fred T. Korematsu?
Photo Credit: Shirley Nakao, Courtesy of the Fred T. Korematsu Institute
Mr. Korematsu is a national civil rights leader. In 1942, during World War II, he refused to go the government’s incarceration camps for Japanese-Americans. After he was arrested and convicted of defying the government’s order, he appealed his case all the way to the Supreme Court, where he lost. In 1983, key documents were discovered that showed government intelligence agencies had hidden documents that consistently showed that Japanese-Americans had committed no acts of treason to justify mass incarceration. With new evidence, Mr. Korematsu was able to re-open his case. In 1983, his conviction was overturned. Korematsu remained an activist throughout his life and in 1998 received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
In June, 2014, the WCCUSD School Board unanimously voted to rename Portola Middle School after Mr. Korematsu. Learn more about Mr. Korematsu at the Fred T. Korematsu Institute website.
Communications
A Google group mailing list is the PTSA’s primary communication method. To be added, please email: korematsu-ptsa-news+subscribe@googlegroups.com
ROBOCALLS by Principal Burnham
Mr. Burnham will call home as needed with important announcements and reminders. The school office must have a current phone number with answering machine or voice mail to receive these messages. Mobile phone number is OK!
TEACHER COMMUNICATIONS
Many teachers maintain websites and communicate homework and other deadlines through REMIND. Please check the Teachers’ Corner tab on our website.