HeadsUp San Rafael Public Education Foundation

We bring critical enrichment and support programs to our schools, providing equitable opportunities for our students while building community district-wide.

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HeadsUp Activities During Distance Learning

Announcing Virtual Enrichment at All Elementary Sites

This year our San Rafael families—like families all over the world—have started school with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. Remote learning and family safety concerns loom over what is usually a very exciting time. But the great challenges facing our schools have also given rise to some new opportunities. HeadsUp is happy to announce a new, expanded arts-and-wellness enrichment program that will be incorporated into each child’s virtual school day.

Since 1989, HeadsUp has provided music instruction at every San Rafael elementary school. But this year, with generous support from Sun Valley, Coleman, and Glenwood parent groups, we are able to bring high-quality, grade-appropriate, daily enrichment to every child at every school. We've engaged experts in Art and Dance (Youth in Arts), Yoga (Bambini Yoga), P.E. (National Academy of Athletics) and Music (HeadsUp teachers Cathy Lenz and Amanda Hahn) to develop our engaging, activity-based curriculum. 

These arts and activity sessions fit into the Enrichment block scheduled at the end of every school day. But they are asynchronous (pre-recorded), so they can fit into whatever time works best for your child and your family. (Music with breakfast? Yoga before bed?) Students will have opportunities to share their projects with classmates and teachers in the live classroom portion of their day. And HeadsUp will be creating hashtags on our social media where parents can choose to post kids’ work for an even larger audience.

As our entire community works together to weather the changes required by this pandemic, HeadsUp is happy to continue, and even expand, its equitable and enriched programming—truly elevating education for every child.  

Learn more by visiting our elementary enrichment website here! 

College Counseling Consultants Continue Great Work

College counseling consultants Kelly Leary at San Rafael High School and Brad Ward at Terra Linda High School continue to help our high school students with the college search and application process. Working in partnership with the district’s college and career advisor, this includes 1-on-1 meetings with students and parents (currently virtual), helping students build college lists, providing support on college essays and financial aid and scholarship applications, and advising on volunteering, internships and summer study.  Kelly and Brad also organize visits from college admissions officers throughout the year and put on the Career Tech Fair each spring.

Difficult Budget Cuts Alter Programming, but Support Continues

Our FY21 funding has been highly impacted by the pandemic. Many of the events we rely on for fundraising, including the SchoolsRule gala, have been canceled, and business donations are down as well. After several years at nearly $500K, we had to build a budget at $225K. Cuts were spread equally across the divisions (elementary, middle, high all reduced by 48%). We are thankful that our funding can still have an impact for students in the areas of enrichment, wellness and college counseling but we need your support to carry this on throughout the academic year.