Teachers awarded $35K in grants for innovative projects

Creating a new outdoor learning space on one school campus for students of all ages and developing a pop-up library are just a couple of the 22 projects that earned grant funding from the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation (MPAEF) this school year.

The foundation, through its annual Jeanie Ritchie Grants, announced on Monday, Nov. 1, that it will award $35,000 — with grants ranging from $225 to $5,000 — to teachers to fund innovative curriculum and projects in Menlo Park City School District classrooms during the 2021-22 school year.

"Jeanie Ritchie Grants have been provided by MPAEF for so many years and yet I never cease to be amazed by the creativity and innovation of our teachers," said Superintendent Erik Burmeister in a statement. "The engaging and joyful learning that students experience through these grants is what our whole-learner experience is all about. I'm so proud of our child-centered staff and grateful to our generous community."

The mission of the grant program is to allow teachers to pursue innovative teaching programs in their classroom, grade or school, and to provide educational experiences that students would not have otherwise. The grant program began in 1984 to honor Jeanie Ritchie, a founder of the education foundation.

Some of the other programs funded by the grants are:

• Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Doors: This project, led by Oak Knoll School reading specialist Jacqui Cebrian, enables students to review their classroom library, acknowledge what might be missing and find books that represent those missing pieces to add. This is done with an antiracist lens of creating a greater diversity of voices in classroom libraries.

• Speaking with the World: Through the use of headset microphones, Hillview Middle School students, led by French teacher Amy Kingsley, communicate with French speakers around the world via iPads. The goal of the project is to provide students with opportunities to build their language skills.

• Mesoamerican Patio Refurbish: Students will create a fresh outdoor learning space on one school campus, inspired by the colors and patterns found in Mesoamerica. The secondary goal is to extend the learning of Hispanic cultural awareness month into this full school year. The project is led by Oak Knoll School's Sara Bartlett.

See the full list of awardees here.

Seasonal equestrian trail closures

The Portola Valley Ranch, Blue Oaks and the Hayfields trails system consisting of Larry Lane and Targ trails are now closed to equestrians for the rainy season, according to the town of Portola Valley.