Hillview Middle School French teacher Amy Kingsley's students took home 16 medals in March in the 87th annual Le Grand Concours competition.

Over 42,000 students in elementary, middle and high schools competed in the 2022 event.

For more information, go here.

Forty-one eighth graders graduated from Woodside Elementary School on Friday, June 10, according to a press release.

Student speakers gave the following addresses:

• Christopher Reyes Urquidez on "Roots Before Branches"

• Benjamin Helfand on "Anything Can Happen"

• Cherie Gilbert-Cisneros on "Woodside's Magic"

• Zoe Zdrodowski on "Our 22"

The Class of 2022 chose "Three Little Birds/One Love" by Bob Marley and the Wailers as their class song.

Evie Nichols and Nico Pollioni presented the class gift: a tree to be planted in front of the school office.

A week after the June 7 primary election, Menlo Park City Council member Ray Mueller and San Carlos City Council member Laura Parmer-Lohan have retained their lead in the race for the District 3 seat on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. Both are likely to face each other in a run-off election in November.

They are followed by Virginia Chang Kiraly and Steven Booker in third and fourth, respectively.

As of June 15, Mueller leads the race with 12,063 votes (34.6%), Parmer-Lohan is close behind with 11,225 votes (32.2%). Chang Kiraly follows with 6,750 votes (19.4%) and Booker with 4,815 votes (13.8%).

San Mateo County estimated that there are 23,000 ballots left to be counted as of June 15.

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors approved the Women's Reproductive Freedom and Healthcare Privacy Action Plan on Tuesday, June 14.

The plan will support Planned Parenthood Mar Monte as California is expected to receive a nearly 3,000% increase in out-of-state patients seeking abortion care if a highly controversial Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade becomes the final decision. The leaked draft became public last month, spurring protests across the country.

The board's action plan would provide Planned Parenthood Mar Monte with $1 million about half for purchasing necessary equipment and the rest to be kept in reserve, according to a press release. There will also be an information campaign led by the county of reproductive services offered.

A draft ordinance designating a buffer zone around Planned Parenthood Mar Monte clinics to prevent harassment of patients and employees is set to be discussed at the June 28 meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

Menlo-Atherton High School athletic directors Paul Snow and Steven Kryger have hired Steven Canalez as the new head coach of the varsity boys water polo team, according to a press release on Monday, June 13.

Canalez, who has about a decade of coaching experience, joined the Atherton school's water polo program in 2019 as head coach of the junior varsity team. In three seasons, he has led the team to a 38-19 overall record which includes two perfect 10-0 league seasons finishing number one in Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) play.

Canalez began coaching club water polo during senior year of high school and transitioned into coaching junior varsity after graduation. He spent five years as junior varsity head coach, along with one year as varsity head coach at his alma mater of Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, before coming to M-A.

Canalez, who has five years experience as a personal trainer and group fitness coach, has also coached year-round with Mid-Pen Water Polo Club for the past three years.

Canalez was a club swimmer growing up.

"Steven believes that his true strength as a coach lies in his ability to connect with his players and draw the best out of them," the press release states. "Steven takes pride in using an empathetic approach to help players feel understood while also teaching them valuable life skills. He believes that water polo is an excellent vehicle to learn about self and mutual accountability, as well as the value of working both harder and smarter."