Tag Archives: Berkeley Public Education Foundation
Fund: 30 years of boosting, supporting Berkeley schools
In its 30 years of operation, the Berkeley Public Education Foundation has raised more than $12 million and channeled more than 750,000 volunteer hours straight into Berkeley’s public schools, directly supporting the district’s 550 teachers. On Friday last week, in a single luncheon, it raised another $210,000, honored a select group of educators and administrators, along with a former Berkeley High student, and also marked two significant changes to its organization.
New leadership is in place with the recent appointment of Erin Rhoades as the fund’s executive director. Rhoades, formerly a principal planner for Urban Planning Partners and the executive director of Livable Berkeley, replaced Molly Fraker on April 8.
[View a gallery of photographs of the Schools Fund Spring Luncheon by Emilie Raguso.] … Continue reading »
Berkeley’s Education Foundation announces latest grants
More than 400 Berkeley public school teachers have received nearly $200,000 in grants from the Berkeley Public Education Foundation for 2012-13, the organization announced on Thursday Dec 6. The foundation will celebrate teachers Friday afternoon at a special reception at Northbrae Community Church.
The total number of grants increased this year by 15% to 285. Molly Fraker, director of the nonprofit organization, said in a written statement that it was the highest number of grants the group has ever awarded. (See a full list of the grants here.)
The grants, which are a central program of the education foundation, support educator-initiated projects at every grade, in every school, she said. Teachers can apply either individually or in teams. … Continue reading »
Berkeley teachers honored for dedication and innovation
Hundreds of people gathered at HS Lordship’s restaurant Friday to honor the teachers who shine in the Berkeley Unified School District.
The Berkeley Public Education Foundation recognized three middle school teachers for their dedication to their students, inventiveness, and collegiality. The crowd at the annual fundraiser was also wowed by a performance by Berkeley High sophomore Noah Silverman St. John, a spoken word poet who was featured on Berkeleyside in January, and whose work has been heard on NPR.
The luncheon was a “Who’s Who?” of Berkeley with numerous city councilmembers in attendance (Laurie Capitelli was the emcee), as well as state legislators including Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner and State Senator Loni Hancock. Berkeley Police Chief Michael Meehan was there, as was Interim City Manager Christine Daniel, Auditor Anne-Marie Hogan, Economic Development Program Coordinator Michael Caplan, and other officials. … Continue reading »
Record $244,000 in grants to 400 Berkeley teachers
The Berkeley Public Education Foundation (BPEF) announced this week a record total of $244,000 in grants funding over 400 teachers in Berkeley public schools.
“We’re counted on by teachers who are now looking under every rock for funding,” said Molly Fraker, executive director of BPEF. “There’s not any public funding left for this kind of thing.”
The largest award is a single $44,000 grant to complete a two-year effort to build permanent book collections in every classroom throughout Berkeley’s 11 elementary schools, done in conjunction with the school district. But awards range widely, with most being for a few hundred dollars for projects like teaching nutrition while making smoothies for preschoolers at Hopkins, to purchasing a color printer for visual materials at the Arts Magnet, to plants and supplies for the school garden and chickens at John Muir Elementary. The complete list can be downloaded as a spreadsheet. … Continue reading »
Whole Foods Berkeley supports city’s schools
Tomorrow, Berkeley’s Whole Foods is hosting a school carnival from noon to 5pm at its 3000 Telegraph Avenue store to support Berkeley schools, and it will follow up on Wednesday next week by giving a percentage of its proceeds to the same cause.
“We are welcoming all parents, PTAs and school representatives for an afternoon to support our local schools”, says Jim Hallock, Community Outreach Leader at the Berkeley store, speaking about Saturday’s event. “This is an opportunity for PTAs and organizations … Continue reading »
Teachers celebrate BPEF grants
More than 200 teachers gathered on Friday evening for a celebration of their grants from the Berkeley Public Education Foundation. Teachers and supporters of the BPEF enjoyed a lavish spread of food — prepared by members of the BPEF board of directors — and drink at the Northbrae Community Church. BPEF awarded $185,000 this year in 230 grants to 300 teachers. All of the district’s schools, from pre-school to Berkeley High, received grants.
BPEF board member Christina Kellogg also took the occasion to pull some of the teachers away to do videos interviews about their grants. The stories from last year’s grants were shown in a video (above) at the celebration.
Race and the Berkeley public schools
Race has been a vexing question in the U.S.’s entire history, and continues to influence public policy and private interactions.
Berkeley was one of the first school districts to integrate and it continues to try and break down barriers between different ethnic groups.
To that end, the school district and the Berkeley Public Education Foundation are paying for Berkeley public school families to visit an exhibit on race at the Lawrence Hall of Science.
On April 28 or … Continue reading »
