Two RCSD Programs Earn Top Honors. San Mateo County School Boards Association Recognizes RCSD Programs for Excellence in Education

The educational opportunities that two Redwood City School District (RCSD) programs provide to RCSD students during their PreK-8 academic careers are the latest honorees recognized in San Mateo County for excellence in education. 

The San Mateo County School Board Association has announced that it is honoring the following RCSD programs with its top award, the J. Russell Kent Award:

• The Hoover Community School Boys & Girls Club After School Program

• The Mandarin Immersion Program 

“We are thrilled to hear about the recognition presented to these two programs from School Board members from throughout San Mateo County,” says RCSD Superintendent Dr. John Baker. “We know that we are setting a strong education foundation in the PreK-8 years for our students but it is always rewarding to hear when others reaffirm our hard work. We congratulate our partners, the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula and the Mandarin Immersion parent community, as well as our fantastic teachers and staff"

About the Hoover Community School Boys & Girls Club After School Program:

The Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula (BGCP) provides free afterschool programming to close to 300 students (grades TK-8) at Hoover Community School each day. In addition to providing Hoover students with the safe place, positive relationships, and sense of belonging that all children need, the Boys and Girls Club also helps students develop the academic and life skills they need to succeed in school. 

The BGCP after-school and summer program is tightly integrated with Hoover Community School and is an extension of the learning day. Hoover Community School and Redwood City School District share resources, curriculum, data, and staff training with BGCP. BGCP’s programming at Hoover has three core components: General Services, Building Readers, and Middle School Success Advising. Enrichment activities such as art, athletics, cooking, etc. are also a critical piece of the program. 

About the Mandarin Immersion Program: 

Redwood City School District's (RCSD) Mandarin Immersion (MI) program brings together Mandarin- and English-speaking students and families for the opportunity of a promising future of being bilingual, biliterate, and academically enriched. The Mandarin Immersion program not only provides a rigorous and innovative educational curriculum, but also prepares students to be future 21st century leaders and the opportunity to learn one of the world’s most prevalent spoken languages. In an ever-expanding global economy, our nation will need its future leaders to be both biliterate and have an understanding of multiple cultures. 

The California Department of Education (CDE) released the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework for California Public Schools, 2014. The framework states that literacy and language proficiency in languages other than English are highly desirable and advantageous for California’s students and the state. Former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Torlakson further recognized biliteracy as a precious resource in California and Redwood City School District has demonstrated its commitment to language learning opportunities through the successful implementation of the John Gill Mandarin Immersion Program. 

The Kent Awards are presented by the San Mateo County School Boards Association to outstanding and innovative programs either in the classroom or outside the classroom as well as districtwide programs. Applicants must demonstrate their programs promote student success, employ a high degree of creativity, and demonstrate transferability. Named after past San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools, J. Russell Kent, SMCSBA initiated the program during the 1980-81 school year.