What a Year!

Dear REF Community,
​
Wow - what a year! As the 2020-21 school year draws to a close, we’d like to celebrate the incredible work the Ravenswood community embraced these past 12 months. The tireless staff of the Ravenswood City School District, the resilient and persistent families and children, along with you, the volunteers and donors of the REF community, all came together to do everything we could to meet our students’ needs in the most challenging of circumstances. I invite you to take a listen below to a quick chat Superintendent Gina Sudaria and I had to reflect on some key milestones from this year:

We also want to thank and celebrate

Retiring REF board members Ann Carter, Susan Mohr, Ellen Mouchawar (not pictured), and REF Founders Annette Shelby and Michele Sharkey. Their vision, expertise, and commitment to Ravenswood students has led REF to become what it is today, and we’re glad they’re not going far.

REF’s very own Operations Manager, Jazmin Sosa, who was selected for the PVF Woman of Courage Award! This community initiative was inspired by the lifetime work of Congresswoman Jackie Speier, to honor outstanding young women who demonstrate courageous character and provide impactful community service in San Mateo County. Many of you know Jazmin as the person behind the scenes who makes REF hum. We are so proud of Jazmin and grateful for her invaluable contribution to the REF and Ravenswood community.

​
Our incredible donors who gave so generously with both dollars and time in the midst of the pandemic. While much of life turned inward, it was inspiring to see so many people looking outward for ways to care for our community!

As we look ahead, we’re optimistic about the District’s 

• Launch of a robust summer school program serving over 600 students
• Return to full time in person learning in the fall
• Clear-eyed focus on a strategic plan that prioritizes teaching excellence
• New initiatives around teacher compensation and addressing the impact of the pandemic


We’re also thrilled to welcome four new REF board members, Adrienne Germain, Laura Nuñez, Michelle Stewart, and Serra Vaka. They bring important knowledge of education, communications, and the Ravenswood community, and are wonderful additions to our hard working and dedicated board. We know they’ll make a difference at REF in the days ahead!

The challenges and work in front of us are huge, but with our continued collaboration and partnership, we will make a difference for Ravenswood students. It’s going to take all of us, so thank you again for choosing to be part of this journey. I hope you’ll let me know if you have any questions or ideas that you’d like to share. Wishing you and your family a healthy, happy summer!


Warmly,
​
Jenna Wachtel Pronovost
Executive Director