West Contra Costa Unified School District learned over the last day twenty-four hours that Friday’s conflagration in Oakland claimed the lives of two of their educators, Sara Hoda and Travis Hough. Superintendent Matthew Huffy shared his thoughts on the loss of two of their own in a letter to employees below:

I write this with great sadness and grief. The West Contra Costa Unified School District is mourning the loss of two members, Travis Hough and Sara Hoda. We learned Sunday night that Mr. Hough and Ms. Hoda were among the 36 victims of the devastating warehouse fire that took place Friday evening in Oakland.

In this time of need, it is important that we support each other. We are committed to supporting our students, families, and staff during this difficult time. The schools in our district are here to rally around our community, staff, and students and to offer a safe space to express emotions and feelings from this tragic event.

Mr. Hough was an expressive arts therapist at Montalvin Manor and worked with us through a partnership with Bay Area Community Resources. He served in a similar role at King Elementary during the 2015-16 school year and started as an intern at Helms Middle School during the 2014-15 year. A GoFundMe account has been set up for Mr. Hough and can be accessed at this link.

Ms. Hoda was a kindergarten teacher at Coronado Elementary for the August 2014 through June 2016 before taking a teaching job in Oakland.