RCSD Mission
Ravenswood City School District empowers every student to fully engage critically and creatively in their education with the skills and mindsets necessary to successfully fulfill their unique potential.
Our Core Values
Integrity, Student-centered, Innovation, Excellence, Empowerment, and Respect.
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Leadership and Community Highlights |
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Message From Board President Mele Latu
and Vice President Tamara Sobomehin
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Ravenswood Community,
We were reflecting recently on how, almost three years ago, we set a vision for a transformed Ravenswood and a new strategic plan to get us there. At that point, we didn’t know that we’d be faced by a global pandemic that would force us to close schools, shift to distance learning, and find ways to support our students and families in so many new ways.
Although it’s easy to dwell on the hardships we’ve experienced over the past few years, we wanted to take a moment to appreciate what our incredible #OneRavenswood community has been able to accomplish together during these challenging times:
- INVESTED IN OUR STAFF. We negotiated innovative new agreements with our unions that ensure our hard-working staff will be among the highest paid in the county, and that they have a meaningful process to get feedback and evaluation. This was fundamental for us to keep and hire great people who know and care for our students and community.
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MAJOR FACILITIES IMPROVEMENTS: We are in the midst of a $50 million dollar transformation of the Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle School campus, and used our last bond funds smartly to keep our buildings safe, warm, and dry. Our voters also just approved a new $110 bond to significantly renovate nearly every single remaining classroom, upgrade ventilation systems to handle wildfire smoke and future pandemics, replace aging portables, improve aging water pipes, and update accessibility for disabled students. We recently shared our vision for a redesigned Belle Haven campus, and families were extremely excited!
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MANAGED OUR MONEY: We revamped our budgeting and financial systems to create a sustainable 5 year financial plan for the district, and launched a transparent budget tool to understand where our funds come from and how they are used. We have maintained an excellent AAA bond rating, and we were even able to repay our previous bond funds 9 years early and for $20M less than expected!
- WRAP-AROUND SUPPORT: We are providing wrap-around support and opportunities for our students and community, including expanded summer programs, new intersession programs, and continued free afterschool for all. We also launched a new social-emotional learning curriculum, and ensured that counseling and mental health/wellness support is available for all students, staff and families (through CareSolace).
- BETTER CURRICULUM & TEACHING: We have revamped our academic curriculum and instruction: we have new ELA, math, science curricula at middle school, and we are revisiting TK-5 ELA curriculum. We’re also rethinking testing to focus on tests that give teachers data they can use in the classroom to help kids learn more and faster (like the new iReady), and dropping tests that were not useful
- EARLY CHILDHOOD: We have invested in our youngest learners by expanding TK eligibility, adding TK at every campus, adding instructional aides in TK classrooms, and partnering with local preschools to strengthen early childhood options for all children ages 0-5 (not just our current students).
We laid out an ambitious plan in early 2020, and we are making real progress. There is more to do, but we are excited to build on this good work and keep moving forward. We appreciate this #OneRavenswood team and community, and are excited to be arm-in-arm with you in this work.
Onward!
Mele & Tam
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Community Spotlight: Ravenswood Classroom Partners |
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We are so grateful for the many volunteers who make our #OneRavenswood community even stronger. This month, we’d like to shout out Ravenswood Classroom Partners, who have expanded their support this year so our students have even more 1 on 1 time to learn with caring adults!
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Monthly Board Meetings:
Thursday, October 11th and 27th at 7:15 p.m.
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Please join us in person for this month’s Ravenswood board meetings on Thursday, Oct 13th and Oct 27th at 7:15pm. The full agenda will be posted in advance on our board meetings webpage. On October 13th, the board will discuss a Superintendent’s Report, a quarterly report on any Williams Uniform Complaints, and sunshining proposals to negotiate with CSEA, among other topics. On October 27th, we expect the board to discuss School Plans for Student Achievement (SPSAs), school safety plans, and the partnership process, among other topics.
Board meetings are being held in person at 2120 Euclid Avenue, East Palo Alto. We will stream the meetings online on Youtube, while the board, staff, and public present, comment, and discuss in person.
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Highlights from last month’s Board meetings |
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If you missed last month’s board meetings, you can watch them HERE. On September 8th, the board heard a report on our district data and vital signs, approved a new RTA agreement, and recognized National Hispanic Heritage Month and Latino/Latina/Latinx Heritage Month, among other topics. On September 22nd, we discussed our new Coordination of Services Team (COST), new intersession programs, an evaluation of the 2022 Summer program, and a presentation of the preliminary Belle Haven facility redesign, among other topics.
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Addressing misinformation about the proposed
affordable housing at the Flood Park site
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We’ve learned that misinformation is spreading about the district’s proposal to build up to 90 units of affordable housing for district staff at the former Flood School site in Menlo Park. This proposal would address a critical need for our staff, while also bringing in a reliable source of funding for our students in the future.
If you have heard rumors or concerns about the Flood proposal, please check the Flood facts here. You can read more on our website about why we are looking to lease (NOT sell) the former Flood site and the district office on Euclid Ave, and the extensive community process we have followed over the past year. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know!
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Tell us how you feel as a parent/caregiver! Family survey coming this month |
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At Ravenswood, we deeply value our families and want to ensure your voices are heard.
Later this month, we will invite families to fill out a brief, anonymous survey to tell us about your experience with Ravenswood. This feedback will help us continue to improve how we serve you and your children. Thank you in advance for your support, and look for a link in ParentSquare soon!
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Sign up for free full-day Intersession programs during Thanksgiving, Winter, and/or Spring Break |
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Do you want your child in a free, fun, safe enrichment program during Thanksgiving, Winter and/or Spring Break?
- FREE, full-day program
- Fun, hands-on learning and enrichment programs
- Multiple providers to choose from: BGCP, YMCA, EPATT, 49ers Academy, and EPACENTER
- Free transportation & meals
- Open to TK-8th graders attending ANY Ravenswood district school
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Sign up to be a Parent Ambassador for your child’s school! |
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We are looking for “Parent Ambassadors”! If you are the parent or guardian of a Ravenswood student, sign up to actively support your child's school and positively promote Ravenswood programs, services, events, and activities to families and community members. Some ways to contribute are:
- Supervising students on campus
- Helping with Open Houses, Back to School Night, or Good Morning Cafecitos
- Assisting in classroom activities or the main office
- Leading school tours
Each school has its own unique set of needs. Your school principal will let you know what help they need. Talk to your school's Outreach Coordinator for more info and to sign up!
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Be a part of your school community! Lots of events are coming up... |
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All Schools
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10/13 - District Board Meeting (2120 Euclid or Youtube) 7:15-10pm
- 10/17 - Family Workshop on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (via zoom) 6-7pm
- 10/24 - Family Workshop on Anxiety and Depression with the Children’s Health Council (via zoom) 6-7pm
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10/25 - DAC / DELAC Parent Meeting (via zoom) 5-6pm
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10/27 - District Board Meeting (2120 Euclid or Youtube) 7:15-10pm
- 10/31 - Family Workshop - topic TBD (via zoom) 6-7pm
Belle Haven
- 10/14 - Picture Day
- 10/19 - Take Home Tech Program (chromebooks & hotspots to take home) 8:45-11:45am
- 10/20 - SSC/ELAC Parent Meeting (via zoom) 5-6pm
- 10/28 - Fall Festival
Costaño
- 10/18 - Picture Day
- 10/18 - SSC/ELAC Meeting (in the library) 3:30-4:30pm
- 10/20 - Field Trips for 2nd and 5th graders
Los Robles-Ronald McNair Academy
- 10/13 - Picture Day
- 10/24 - SSC/ELAC Meeting for TK, Kinder & 1st Grade (in person) 6:15-7:30pm
- 10/25 - SSC/ELAC Meeting for 2nd & 3rd Grade (in person) 6:15-7:30pm
- 10/26 - SSC/ELAC Meeting for 4th & 5th Grade (in person) 6:15-7:30pm
CCRMS
- 10/18 - SSC/ELAC Parent Meeting (via zoom) 4-5pm
- 10/26 - CCRMS Fall Festival 5:30-7pm
Zoom links to any virtual meetings will be sent through ParentSquare
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New & improved booster shots available for ages 12+ |
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New boosters designed to protect against the latest COVID variants (BA.4 and BA.5) were just approved for anyone ages 12+!
If you or your child is 12 or older and it has been at least 2 months since your last COVID shot, get a new booster as soon as possible. Help keep yourself and your community safe and reduce the chance of serious illness and spread. Find a local clinic this week!
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Free mental health support is available through CareSolace |
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Call 888-515-0595 any time (available 24 hours a day), or visit www.caresolace.com/rcsd and click “Book Appointment” or search on your own for assistance by video chat, email or phone.
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Monday Family Workshops Starting on September 12th |
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We are excited to invite you to our family workshops, which start next week! Our evening meetings are held via Zoom every Monday from 6-7pm when school is in session. Upcoming topics are:
- Oct 10: No meeting / Indigenous People’s Day
- Oct 17: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion with Ravenswood DEI Coordinator Marissa McGee
- Oct 24: Anxiety and Depression with Children’s Health Council
- Oct 31: Topic TBD
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Do you need affordable housing? Check out this list of shared housing opportunities. The list is created each month by HIP Housing, a local nonprofit affordable housing organization.
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Join the #OneRavenswood team! We have lots of positions open now: vice principal, teachers (permanent and substitute), nurse, school psychologist, mental health therapist, environmental and Sustainability Changemaker, campus relations coordinator, maintenance, food services, van driver, technology specialist & lead technology/network specialist, school support staff, instructional aide, and paraprofessionals.
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To subscribe to the Ravenswood City School District newsletter, please
click here or email Maria Pineda at: mpineda@ravenswoodschools.org.
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2120 Euclid Avenue, East Palo Alto, CA 94303-1799
Office: (650) 329-2800
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