9/4/2026 Diamond Weekly Update

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year at Diamond Oaks!

It has truly been a fantastic start to the year. Over the coming months, I will be sending weekly communications like this one to keep families informed of important dates, announcements, student accomplishments, and highlights from our career technical programs. These updates will provide a window into the great things happening every day at Diamond Oaks.

Our students have hit the ground running. Juniors are adapting well to Diamond's high expectations and are quickly becoming part of our culture of excellence. Seniors have returned with a renewed sense of purpose and determination as they work toward crossing the stage at Senior Ceremony and preparing for careers, apprenticeships, military service, or post-secondary education opportunities.

Across campus, students are engaged in learning and focused on becoming Next Ready. Whether in their career technical labs or academic classrooms, they are developing the knowledge, skills, and professionalism needed to succeed in today's workforce and beyond. Great Oaks campuses share a common commitment to ensuring every student is prepared for their next step, and that commitment is evident throughout Diamond Oaks.

This year marks an exciting milestone for our campus. With approximately 850 students enrolled, we are serving the largest student body in Diamond Oaks history. Most of our programs are operating at full capacity, reflecting the growing demand for career technical education and the outstanding reputation our instructors and students have built.

While our enrollment has reached record levels, one thing remains unchanged: our commitment to each student. Our talented instructors are embracing the challenge and opportunity to educate, mentor, and inspire every learner who walks through our doors. Together, we are committed to helping each student become truly Next Ready.

Thank you for your continued support of Diamond Oaks. We look forward to a great year of learning, growth, and achievement.

Dean of Instruction

Diamond Oaks Career Campus

At Diamond Oaks and throughout Great Oaks, our goal is to ensure every student graduates Next Ready for success in college, careers, military service, apprenticeships, and life. Next Ready is built around five essential competencies that employers consistently tell us are critical for long-term success. 

Students learn to communicate clearly and professionally through speaking, listening, writing, teamwork, and customer interactions. They develop the ability to work with others, give and receive feedback, and navigate difficult conversations respectfully. 

Students learn how to analyze information, solve problems, evaluate different perspectives, and make informed decisions. Whether troubleshooting equipment, completing projects, or tackling academic challenges, they are taught to think independently and creatively. [greatoaks.com]

The world of work is constantly changing. Students develop resilience and flexibility by learning to adjust to new situations, embrace challenges, and continue growing when plans change or obstacles arise. [greatoaks.com]

Students are expected to take responsibility for their actions, demonstrate integrity, meet commitments, and make ethical decisions. They learn that reliability, professionalism, and trustworthiness are essential qualities in any workplace. [greatoaks.com]

In addition to earning technical skills and industry credentials, students develop pride in their work and strive for excellence. They are prepared not only to enter their chosen fields but also to grow and succeed within them.

Simply put, Next Ready means that our students are developing the knowledge, technical expertise, and professional skills needed to thrive in whatever comes next. Every classroom, lab, and learning experience at Diamond Oaks is designed to help students become Effective Communicators, Critical Thinkers, Adaptable Navigators, Accountable Employees, and Skilled Professionals. 

IT juniors have been learning fundamental information technology and web design skills. Information technology skills have included basic problem-solving skills and computer hardware and software components. Web design skills have included HTML basics and web accessibility. In addition to these entry-level skills, juniors are also working hard toward the CompTIA Tech+ certification, one of the available industry-recognized credentials for IT students. Overall, the juniors are working hard and looking forward to expanding their skills in a vast career field. For the junior class, I would like to spotlight Justiss Johnson. Justiss has shown great enthusiasm for the field of information technology and continues to show great work ethic in the classroom.

IT seniors have started out the school year learning fundamentals of operating systems, focusing on the Linux operating system. In addition to these foundational skills in network operating systems, seniors are working diligently toward either their CompTIA A+ or Microsoft Office Special Word Associate certification. Three senior IT students are also equipping themselves with knowledge by working in a simulated work environment at the Diamond Oaks IT Help Desk, learning basic device management and troubleshooting skills and assisting our IT Services Technician with other IT-related tasks as needed. Additional senior students will also participate in this experience on a limited basis to gain valuable work-based learning skills. For the senior class, I would like to spotlight Jaleah Jones. Jaleah has done an outstanding job in the IT program to date, having earned the Tech+ certification as well as all four Microsoft Office Specialist Associate certifications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) in her junior year. She has been a model student in the program as she is also one of the three students working at the Diamond Oaks IT Help Desk two days per week.