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 Chief Strategy Officer Silindra McRay |
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Dear Ravenswood Community,
We are excited to announce that, as of last month, our district officially reached 1,500 students enrolled for the first time this school year! It is an honor to have so many families choosing Ravenswood and being a part of this community.
You may already know that public schools across the state have experienced declining enrollment in recent years – Ravenswood has been no exception to this reality. Our current enrollment status has been impacted by changing demographics and an increase in school options. But as the situation around us continues to evolve, so have we.
RCSD is continuously working to improve our student enrollment strategy as a district – and we know it all begins with access. We want to ensure all our community members have access to information, opportunities, and a quality experience. Some of the recent work we are excited to share includes:
- Collaborating with local preschools to support the transition to kindergarten
- Engaging with community organizations about Ravenswood programs
- Developing an online tool to make registering for school even easier for families
- Hosting a recent Field Trip to Middle School for our current 5th graders (see photos below!)
- …and so much more!
We know choosing a school is an important decision for families. That’s why at all of our Ravenswood schools we are proud to offer:
- Enriching learning experiences, including literacy, STEM, arts, music, and makerspaces
- FREE extended learning opportunities like after-school & summer programs for all students, in partnership with local organizations
- FREE meals and transportation to school for all students
- Wrap-around support for children and families
- Opportunities for family engagement (Parent Ambassador program, Cafecitos, Monday Night Workshops, SSC/ELAC, etc.)
And for our incoming middle schoolers ready to join the Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle School pride, we have even more exciting news! In addition to everything offered at all of our schools, CCRMS also offers all of our 6th-8th graders the following:
- Exciting elective choices: no-cost music program, art, drama, dance and cheerleading, and makerspace (including robotics and graphic design)
- Guidance counselors, on-campus social worker, and 1-on-1 academic mentoring
- Accelerated courses for advanced learning and specialized support classes
- College and career readiness, including Career Technical Education courses and the High School Transition Initiative
- Annual Field Trips: 6th Grade Outdoor Adventure, 7th Grade Yosemite Trip (see photos below!), and 8th Grade Trip to Washington DC
To learn more about our District and each of our four schools, we encourage you to attend (and invite your friends and neighbors to join!) our upcoming districtwide information session this spring, followed by campus tours that will be offered at each of our schools. Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@RavenswoodCSD) to stay up to date on these upcoming events and more!
We are proud to serve our East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park families and to continue to be an asset to this community. And we encourage you to continue spreading the good word about us and invite your families, friends, and neighbors to #Choose Ravenswood!
In Community,
Silindra McRay, Ed.D.
Chief Strategy Officer
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Leadership Spotlight: Solomon Hill |
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Solomon Hill, our Executive Director of Technology, has won the ACSA Region 5 Technology Director of the Year, representing Ravenswood among San Mateo County and San Francisco County School Districts. A special award dinner will be held at the Basque Cultural Center on April 5 where we will formally celebrate Solomon among other awardees across the two counties.
Solomon has actively chosen to work in Ravenswood for more than two decades. During that time he has been integral in facilitating and maintaining continuous improvement efforts. Solomon advocates for equity in access to technological tools and outcomes for our students, families, staff and communities. He empowers diverse perspectives and voices in shared decision making, communicating with individuals and groups to better understand their experiences, needs and desired outcomes.
Solomon is passionate regarding equity in the purchasing and use of curriculum and student tools to ensure that all schools have access to the tools and programs that will help promote student success. Since 2019, Solomon’s innovation has empowered our district to upgrade each learning space to include multiple, high quality and user-friendly technologies to activate all modes of accessing and demonstrating teaching and learning.
Please join us in congratulating Solomon on this incredible achievement!
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Monthly Board Meetings:
Thursday, March 9th and 23rd at 7:15 p.m.
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Please join us in person for this month’s Ravenswood board meetings on Thursday, March 9th and 23rd at 7:15pm. The full agenda will be posted in advance on our board meetings webpage. On March 9th, Costaño School of the Arts will present and the board will discuss the 2022 - 2023 Second Interim Finance Report and an option and ground lease agreement with Alliant Strategic Development, 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 February 23rd, the board heard a presentation from Belle Haven and discussed several facilities projects, among other topics. On February 9th the board heard a presentation from LRRM and discussed the district’s communications strategy, among other topics.
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K-5 PROGRAM (for rising Kindergartners-5th graders)
Costaño School of the Arts
During this 4-week program, students will participate in a variety of electives in academics, technology, culinary, sports and fitness, civics, photography, field trips and more! For questions, contact (650) 804-9269.
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6TH-8TH GRADE PROGRAM (for rising 6th-8th graders)
Los Robles Ronald McNair Academy
During this 4-week program, students will get to choose from a variety of electives in science, technology, art, sports and fitness, civics, photography, field trips and more! For questions, contact (650) 804-539.
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This full-day program is 100% FREE and breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided. Drop-off is from 8-8:30am and pick-up is between 4:30-5pm. We ask that families commit to attending for the entire duration of the four-week program. Sign up today!
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Field Trip to Middle School |
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It's never too early to start getting excited about middle school! Our fifth graders took a field trip to CCRMS last month to tour the campus and get a taste for what's to come (with the help of several of our eighth grade student leaders who served as panelists and guides.) From meeting our mascot to exploring electives, middle school is full of new adventures. We can't wait to have all our new CCRMS students and families join the pride!
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Our 7th graders recently went on their annual field trip to Yosemite, engaging in a week of snow play, team-building, and science activities in the great outdoors! Mother nature provided the perfect classroom for learning about rock climbing, going stargazing, and even doing water quality testing on the local rivers. Our students and their chaperones bonded in the cozy cabins and around the campfire (with s'mores, of course!), and had the opportunity to reflect on the experience through journal entries and silly skits. There are so many opportunities we love to see our students taking advantage of and this is one of our favorites - thank you to everyone who made this trip possible! |
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Our students aren’t the only ones who never stop learning! Last month, our Teaching and Learning leaders and 10 teachers from Costaño, Belle Haven, and CCRMS had the opportunity to attend the UnboundEd Standards Institute in Anaheim, CA. The focus of the institute is on using the GLEAM hypothesis to inform teacher practice and students' learning (GLEAM = Grade Level, Engaging, Affirming, and Meaningful for ALL students.) Our team left feeling inspired and excited to incorporate what they learned into their work at Ravenswood. Thank you to REF for supporting such a transformative experience! |
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Upcoming Events: Be a part of your school community! |
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All Schools
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3/9 - District Board Meeting (2120 Euclid or Youtube) 7:15-10pm
- 3/14 - Family & Community Town Hall about Budget (via Zoom) 4:30-5:30pm
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3/23 - District Board Meeting (2120 Euclid or Youtube) 7:15-10pm
- 3/28 - DAC/DELAC Parent Meeting (via zoom) 5-6pm
- Monday Night Family Workshops (see below)
Belle Haven
- 3/7-3/9, 3/14-3/16: Vida Verde Field Trip (5th grade)
- 3/10 - Family Game Night (in person) 5:30-7pm
- 3/16 - SSC/ELAC Meeting (via zoom) 5-6pm
Costaño
- 3/21 - SSC/ELAC Meeting (via zoom) 3:30-4:30pm
CCRMS
- 3/7 - SSC/ELAC Meeting (via zoom) 5-6pm
- 3/13 - Good Morning Cafecito (in person at cafeteria) 8:45-9:45am
- 3/14 - Culture Night (in person) 5:30-7pm
- 3/28 - SSC/ELAC meeting (via zoom) 5-6pm
- 3/29 - Cesar Chavez Day of Service (in person) 1-6pm
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CCRMS 6th Grade Boys Basketball schedule (weekdays throughout February and March)
LRRM
- 3/27 - SSC/ELAC Meeting - TK-1st grade (via zoom) 6-7pm
- 3/28 - SSC/ELAC Meeting - 2nd-3rd grade (via zoom) 6-7pm
- 3/29 - SSC/ELAC Meeting - 4th-5th grade (via zoom) 6-7pm
Zoom links to any virtual meetings will be sent through Parent Square.
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We are excited to invite you to our family workshops! Our evening meetings are held via Zoom every Monday from 6-7pm when school is in session, with a raffle held at the end of each presentation. Upcoming topics are:
- Mar 6: Managing Difficult Behaviors in the Home with CASSY
- Mar 13: What is BHAGAT? (Behavioral Health Advisory Group Ambassador Team)
- Mar 20: Creating a Wellness/Self Care Plan with BHAGAT
- Mar 27: Topic TBD
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There will be a FREE COVID and flu vaccine clinic on Sunday, March 26 from 9am-3:30pm at St. Francis of Assisi Church (1425 Bay Road in EPA). Walk-ins are welcome and free refreshments and COVID test kits will be available!
Throughout the month of March, there will also be private health clinics at each school site offering flu and COVID vaccines to the whole school community. Please look out for more information about the events at each site (as these are open only to students, families, and staff at each school.) These private clinics are sponsored by BayPLS, Youth Community Service (YCS), the City of East Palo Alto, and San Mateo County.
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If you have been impacted by recent storms (including flooding and power outages), please see below for resources that can help. |
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Free mental health support is available through Care Solace |
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We believe that mental health and well-being is a vital part of success at school. With this in mind, we have partnered with Care Solace to provide an extra layer of support to our entire community.
Ravenswood students, staff, and families can use Care Solace to quickly find verified mental health, behavioral health, and substance use treatment options matched to their needs, regardless of circumstances.
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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NEW Community Events Calendar |
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We have created a calendar of Ravenswood Community Events hosted by our partners around the neighborhood!
Upcoming events this month include a vaccine clinic, a Walk in the Park event with Girls to Women and a Community Collaboration Session on “How to Get Youth Involved in Climate Action.” We hope this calendar helps you keep track of the exciting things happening in our community.
All events shared on this calendar are free to attend for Ravenswood students, families and staff.
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Subscribe to this calendar by clicking the button above and then clicking the + sign on the bottom right corner of the calendar! |
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CalKIDS is a new program from the State of California that provides up to $1,500 in free money for college and career training to eligible low-income public school students.
CalKIDS can help families boost their children’s college savings and increase access to higher education.
To learn more and find out who qualifies, visit CalKIDS.org today.
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Join the #OneRavenswood team! We have lots of positions open now: vice principal, teachers (permanent and substitute), nurse, maintenance, food services, van driver, technology specialist & lead technology/network specialist, school support staff, instructional aide, and paraprofessionals. Check out all our openings here, and please spread the word!
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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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