Community Partnerships
East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park
In the fall of 2023, an extraordinary coalition of community leaders came together to build a bold vision for transforming the outcomes and experiences of all students in East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park – The Ravenswood Promise.
The communities of East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park have a rich cultural history and commitment to social justice. With schools across both cities and located in the heart of Silicon Valley, the Ravenswood City School District (Ravenswood) is proud of its innovative and dynamic community. Together with their visionary superintendent, Gina Sudaria, they are reimagining the school experience to support every Ravenswood student. Building on the district’s strengths and momentum, the Bay Ed Fund began a partnership with Ravenswood in the summer 2023.
1. Listening and Learning
The Bay Ed Fund supported Ravenswood leaders on a rigorous journey of listening and learning together around what it looks like for every student to thrive.
22 community leaders visited the Lindsay Unified School District to learn from a school system that has transformed student outcomes and experiences.
55+ family members participated in the first Ravenswood Parent Leadership Academy to build their power and support their children’s education.
A visioning team of 40+ community leaders came together monthly to develop the shared community vision
More than 1,100 students, family, and community members contributed to the shared vision for all students, The Ravenswood Promise
On April 3rd, 2024, 200 student, family, and community leaders attended The Ravenswood Promise, a bi-lingual event, unveiling the shared community vision
A Bold North Star Vision
The result of the listening and learning experiences culminated in The Ravenswood Promise — a promise to each student that they will leave prepared to thrive as adults in both the community and economy.
A Community Action Plan
The Ravenswood Promise represents the district’s long-term vision for all students, while their Community Action Plan serves as the strategic roadmap to bring this vision to life. We have partnered with the district to develop three priorities and establish clear goals that define what success looks like.
3. Realizing the community-Led Vision
As the vision and plan come into focus, the Bay Ed Fund is supporting implementation through funding, change management coaching, and access to best-in-class partners and expertise.
Investments in Family and District Leadership
The Bay Ed Fund is investing in the leadership of local family and district leaders to support The Ravenswood Promise vision and build momentum around critical goals and milestones.
On-the-Ground Instructional Support
The Bay Ed Fund provides implementation support through funding, change management coaching, and best-in-class partner organizations that build and deepen instructional capacity and support rigorous and competitive student learning.
To foster a culture of learning and accountability, the Bay Ed Fund supports families, district leaders, and community members in analyzing data, reflecting on setbacks, and sharpening their focus on a clear set of goals. As part of this work, the Ravenswood team piloted “Promise Walks” to assess progress against the Ravenswood Promise. Inspired by medical rounds in hospitals, Ravenswood’s ‘Promise Walks’ bring together families, community leaders, and educators to collectively define what excellence looks like and understand their respective roles in achieving that vision. Watch the Promise Walk experience in action!
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