Drive to Adopt a Teacher in the Ravenswood School District is underway

Menlo Park resident Carolyn Bowsher, who has been active as a volunteer for the Menlo Park city schools and the MPAEF, emailed InMenlo:

“Now that my kids are teenagers, I am volunteering for the Menlo Park schools on the other side of town in the Ravenswood City School District. The need is great for volunteers in the RCSD because many of the parents work during the day.

“There are two schools in Menlo Park in the district, Belle Haven (photo top) and Willow Oaks. My dream is for the kids at those schools to have an equitable education to the kids in the MPCSD. I am volunteering on the Ravenswood Education Foundation board and for All Students Matter and am loving both volunteer jobs.

“We currently have a great need for members of the community to Adopt a Teacher. In the MPSCD, the teachers have room parents to help them with supplies for parties and classroom supply needs. However, at RCSD, the teachers have the same needs, but are not receiving the same level of support.

“In addition, the teachers are paid $30,000 less than the teachers in the surrounding districts. So, the Ravenswood Education Foundation is trying to match every teacher with one person or group to “adopt” them.

“Please contact Sharon Purcell at sharonpurcell4@gmail.com for the location of our Adopt a Teacher program kick off meeting in Menlo Park on Wednesday, August 30th from 10:00 am to noon.

“If you cannot attend the meeting, but would like more information about the Adopt a Teacher program, please contact Sharon Purcell at sharonpurcell4@gmail.com.

“If you would like help the children in Menlo Park who need your help now more than ever, please contact Renu Nanda, rnanda@ravenswoodef.org, to volunteer for or donate to the Ravenswood Education Foundation, or please go to http://www.ravenswoodef.org to donate or volunteer online.”