2021 Kent Award Awardees
Belmont-Redwood Shores District
BRSSD Kent Awards Video.mp4Universal Support and Counseling
The BRSSD Educational Services Wellness Coordinator has ensured that students have access to universal support and counseling (individual and/or group), as well as provided for our staff through One Life Counseling, Middle School Counseling, Mental Health Therapists and Staff Wellness.
"The pandemic has affected families disparately, and we have strategically planned for student and family support."
Brisbane School District
Brisbane School District - Kent Award.mp4Social Emotional Distance Learning
Through this continuing experience of distance learning, some students have thrived while others struggle. Recognizing this, our principals, teachers and staff have incorporated social and emotional learning into the distance learning curriculum with the goal of providing support to all students.
"The tenets of the Growth Mindset model used in our District have been mightily summoned over the past year: effort, resilience and self-compassion have been required of every student and parent."
Burlingame School District
Burlingame SD Kent Award Video 2021.mp4Thirsty (for knowledge!) Thursday Professional Learning (PL) Program
Burlingame School District's (BSD) Thirsty Thursday program has provided weekly PL for all BSD staff. The sessions cover a range of topics and last 75 minutes.
“The district celebrates the vision of 'Challenging the leaders, thinkers, and creators of tomorrow' while fostering our mission to 'Engage our community to build resilient, curious, compassionate, problem-solvers who are prepared for their future'.”
Cabrillo Unified School District
Kent Awards 2021-Cabrillo Unified School School.movPartnering for Student Success
While most CUSD teachers were working remotely and learning new skills to keep students engaged through technology and distance learning methods, we want to to acknowledge individuals and groups who helped us design, open, and manage day-to-day operations of Special Day Classes, learning pods, and other dedicated on-campus activities during this difficult time.
"CUSD Teammates went above and beyond to create welcoming spaces for students who had challenges with connectivity, who had problems with engaging remotely for whatever reason, who needed assistance because of linguistic diversity or neurodiversity, or who wanted to be on campus with guidance to assist and help them stay engaged academically and socially."
Hillsborough City School District
We Are Better Together: Uniting for Student Success
HCSD decided to prioritize returning students to as much in-person education as possible, while still offering options for students (or teachers) who felt more comfortable with a choice of distance learning. The final implementation began with a multi-week measured, sequential approach of having larger and larger groups of students on campus, eventually culminating in all opt-in students -- both elementary and middle school -- on campus in person every day, five days per week, for a full school day.
"This year was a success because everyone came together as a community to support one another through challenging times, and work together all the while keeping students at the forefront of decision making."
Jefferson Elementary School District
JESD Kent Award Video (5.26.21).movSchool Counseling Program
School counselors regularly contribute to the development of Multi-Tiered System of Support at each site inclusive of Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS), Restorative & Relationship Practices and Family Support Services. Through the COVID-19 Pandemic, a focus has been prioritized towards family needs covering the following areas: attendance, family crisis/mental-health needs, distance learning strategies, connecting struggling families to community resources and other topics identified by the school community.
"JESD school counselors have been instrumental in leading virtual Social Emotional Learning lessons at their school sites, supporting connection and developing community among the classroom students."
Jefferson Union High School District
JUHSD Wellness_short.mp4Wellness Program
The Wellness Coordinator oversees the Wellness program, implements district-wide wellness programs, conducts staff PD, helps with community psycho-educational events, collaborates with community partners and agencies, conducts clinical supervision for Wellness Counselors and interns, works with the County Department of Education for training and to implement State mandates, collects safety assessment data for the County and District, collaborates with District and school administrators regarding staff training, student safety protocols and wellness programs.
"JUHSD deeply believes in supporting the community in all ways. The quality mental health supports available to students, staff and families begins with the robust structure."
La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District
lhpusd_v4.mp4The Community Team
The La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District (LHPUSD) Community Team has adapted throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic and CZU Lightning Fire to provide critical services to our students, staff and families since COVID-19 closed schools in March 2020.
“The LHPUSD Community Team continues to support our whole community, always with a smile, good will and true caring. They provide critical stability and dependability in a time of crisis and chaos, always looking one step ahead towards what they can do to make this time just a bit easier."
Las Lomitas School District
PRPC_LLESD2021_KentAward.movPandemic Recovery Planning Committee
The Pandemic Recovery Planning Committee (PCRC) was largely responsible for the successful creation of the Pandemic Recovery Plan and its addendums that include a FAQ, social contract and staff health and safety manuals. The PRPC worked in an open and share any idea environment that allowed us to collaborate directly and give feedback directly.
"When the global pandemic hit our community in March of 2020, we all knew that we were entering uncharted waters, but we also knew we were going to have to navigate these waters, with or without directions, to the best of our ability. It was going to take a community effort of educators, administrators, parents, doctors, board members and volunteers to work through complex, quick changing information so that we can do the job a school district is here to do: educate our children."
Menlo Park City School District
ELC Kent Awards iMovie Take 3.MOVEarly Learning Center (ELC)
The Early Learning Center's (ELC) of the Menlo Park City School District provides educational learning opportunities to youth aged 3-5 as a means of closing opportunity gaps.
"Nurture young children's curiosity, sense of wonder, belonging, and deep engagement with the world around them, preparing them to develop the critical skills needed to enter kindergarten and reach their full potential."
Pacifica School District
Pacifica Support Circles Kent Award .movStaff Support Circles and the Wellness Classroom
Due to the challenging nature of what this year has brought with the pandemic, staff deaths, and the polarity of the election, the team held listening circles to help staff members process their thoughts and feelings about these challenges. Restorative practices and circles were the foundation of these resources.
"The PSD Wellness Support Circles provided an ongoing opportunity for staff to gather virtually, seek support and gain connection with colleagues. These circles have become the model for how staff need to care for themselves in order to care for their students."
Redwood City School District
RCSD Equity Consciousness in the time of Pandemics_HD.mp4Equity Consciousness in the Time of COVID
With the support of the National Urban Alliance Mentors, teachers in grades 4-8 were provided with real-time virtual coaching of strategies that engaged, inspired and motivated students during Distance Learning. Teachers co-planned and co-taught with NUA Mentors to engage in meaningful professional development.
"RCSD rose to the challenge by keeping our equity consciousness work alive during the most challenging times encountered in recent history to address the academic and social emotional needs of students."
San Carlos School District
SCSD Resilient Schoolyards & Outdoor Learning.mp4Outdoor Learning is Here to Stay
The Pandemic has created an incredible opportunity to make outdoor learning more frequent, which means our students and faculty feel the mental, physical and emotional boost of outdoor learning.
"The bridge to creativity and imagination is shorter when the senses are inspired with fresh air and a wooden bench or a stump stool."
San Mateo Community College District
4-29-21 SMCCCD Kent Awards Final 3.mp4Innovations in Distance Learning
The San Mateo Community College District supported students through the Districtwide Here for You Campaign, Workforce Programs at Canada, Health Services and Personal Counseling Programs at the College of San Mateo, and the Dual Enrollment Program at Skyline.
"COVID-19 is disrupting and forcing schools to adapt at an unprecedented pace. To better serve our communities, we are utilizing innovative solutions."
San Mateo County Office of Education
Kent_Awards_SMCOE_Nancy_Magee_042721.mp4Leadership and Action for Equity
For all of its many challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic presented an opportunity for the San Mateo County Office of Education, with the active support of the San Mateo County Board of Education, to put its vision of Excellence and Equity in Education into action across all of our programs and services.
"In these challenging times, County Office of Education leaders and staff worked in partnership with County Board members to actively address equity gaps exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and further exacerbated by racial injustice and other deeply entrenched systemic barriers."
San Mateo Foster City School District
SMFCSD - Sanctuary Task Force Video.mp4Sanctuary Task Force
Since the beginning of the shelter-in-place the Sanctuary Task Force has supported families to apply for the various Immigrant Relief funds, apply for and activate P-EBT cards, connect families with emergency housing, started a bilingual technology support hotline, created resource documents for teachers to support sanctuary in the digital classroom, collaborated on a newcomer intake process, and more.
"It is the mission of the Sanctuary Task Force to provide support so that all students and families in SMFCSD are safe, supported, and celebrated regardless of birthplace or immigration status allowing them to pursue a rigorous, high-quality and equitable education."
San Mateo Union High School District
SMUHSD TUPE Kent Award.mp4TUPE Programs
Our TUPE team, composed of licensed mental health therapists as well as therapists in training, provides our district with prevention presentations for our students, parents, and staff as well as clinical interventions through our TUPE Alternatives to Suspension program.
"Unquestionably, we anticipate a surge of complex student needs and feel it is our professional and ethical responsibility to prepare for through preventative and restorative programs such as our Tobacco-Use Prevention Education Programs (TUPE) for our students and their families."
Sequoia Union High School District
SUHSD Kent Award Video (Bonnie Hansen).mp4Developing Our Own
For four years, Developing Our Own has made it possible for a cohort of Sequoia Union High School District paraprofessionals to continue working for the District while simultaneously completing their teaching credentials.
"Developing Our Own has helped develop great teachers for our district but more importantly has also increased our pipeline of teachers of color."
South San Francisco Unified School District
SSFUSD_Kent Awards 2021 captioned.mp4Innovations in Distance Learning
SSFUSD is incredibly proud of the innovations in distance learning inclusive of the South San Francisco High School Building Assets, Reducing Risks and Student Assistance Program, the El Camino High School Concert and Symphonic Band, the Los Cerritos Response to Intervention Program, the Parkway Heights Wellness Wednesday Program, and the Spruce Elementary Positive Behavior and Support Program.
"Working hard for our students and thinking creatively about how to support students opens doors."