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Ravenswood school district recognized with sustainability award
Ravenswood Elementary School District was recognized as a California Green Ribbon School this year, acknowledged for its leadership in sustainability and environmental justice. The recognition is only given to select districts across the state and country.
“This recognition affirms that transformative climate action in public education is driven not by wealth, but by equity, vision, and long-term commitment,” wrote district staff in a press release.
Ravenswood Superintendent Gina Sudaria said the award honors not only the school district’s buildings but also its comprehensive systems built to support students through free programs, mental health assistance, educational field trips and more.
Recently, the school district celebrated several school reopenings, introducing fully electrified campuses powered by solar energy, and creating more green spaces by partnering with environmental nonprofit Canopy to plant more than 1,000 trees on district property.
“This is a generational opportunity to rebuild our schools, made possible through deep partnerships with energy, environmental, civic and wellness organizations. Together with donors and community partners like Canopy, we’ve secured more than $50 million in support to ensure climate action and student opportunity move forward hand-in-hand,” said Assistant Superintendent William Eger.
San Mateo County Libraries open maker-in-residence application
San Mateo County Libraries are accepting applications for its first “maker-in-residence,” a six-month program that aims to bring interactive science, technology, engineering, art and math experiences to communities across the county.
The maker-in-residence will travel throughout the county to lead workshops, host studio sessions and visit communities with the library’s Makermobile. The library is seeking individuals who have a passion for teaching and community engagement and welcomes scientists, technologists, engineers, artists and mathematicians to apply.
Applicants must be 18 years or older and live in the San Francisco Bay Area and will commit to the full six-month residency. The maker in residence will receive a $10,000 honorarium. Applications are accepted through March 4.
For more information visit smcl.org/maker-res.
Atherton seeks volunteers for annual Earth Day event
Atherton is preparing for its annual Earth day event at Holbrook-Palmer Park on April 26 and is seeking volunteers to help with setup, activities, guest engagement and event breakdown. The event will take place from 1-4 p.m. and will feature the theme of “Our Power, Our Planet — Take Action Today!”
The town also welcomes community members to showcase their local sustainability projects, especially those led by students. Those with projects should contact Christabel Soria-Mendoza at csoria-mendoza@athertonca.gov. To sign up as a volunteer, visit atherton.news/volunteer-form.
Las Lomitas school district refinances bonds
In early February, the Las Lomitas Elementary School District completed the refinancing of $23.6 million of its outstanding Measure S bonds, which were approved by more than 70% of voters in 2013.
Refunding a school district bond is similar to replacing a home mortgage and reduces tax rates by replacing existing bonds with new shorter-term bonds with lower interest rates. According to the district, this will save local taxpayers $2.8 million through 2040. On average, a residential property within the district is projected to save about $40 per yea, more than $600 by 2040.
“This refunding is a testament to the district’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and its dedication to maximizing taxpayer dollars,” said Superintendent Erik Burmeister in a press release. “The board and I are incredibly excited to save our residents money and we’ll continue to do everything we can to be good stewards of our community’s investment.”
