Redwood City, CA–The San Mateo County Office of Education announced today the winner of the Excellence in Education and Equity Award: the Hoover Community School Boys & Girls Club After School Program. The award recognizes Hoover Community School and the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula for their work to create an integrated program focused on closing opportunity gaps for students at the school.

Unlike many after-school programs, the Hoover Community School program is aligned with the school district’s Local Control Action Plan’s (LCAP) goals and is an extension of the learning day. The school and Redwood City School District share resources, curriculum, data, and staff training with the Boys and Girls Club staff. While the program is still relatively new, students in the lower-level grades are starting to show improvement in reading proficiency, a key factor in future academic achievement.

The Excellence in Education and Equity Award, initiated last year by the San Mateo County Board of Education, recognizes a team of educators from among the San Mateo County School Boards Association’s Kent Award recipients for its collaborative work in closing achievement and opportunity gaps in San Mateo County.

The winner and two additional two finalists were announced at the Kent Awards dinner on Friday, May 10. The Hoover Community School received a plaque and $5,000 to continue to develop the program. The other finalists included:

  • Burlingame Intermediate School in the Burlingame Unified School District for Co-Teaching:  A Model of Inclusion
  • Menlo-Atherton High School in the Sequoia Union High School District for the Menlo-Atherton Computer Academy

“The Hoover Community School’s after school program is an excellent example of collaboration that directly improves conditions of learning for students. By closely aligning the after school programming of the Boys and Girls Club with students’ school day experiences, this innovative partnership creates a positive school climate that enables all students to thrive,” explained San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee.

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The San Mateo County Office of Education is committed to ensuring excellence and equity in education by inspiring students, investing in teachers, invigorating leaders, and involving communities.