Mental Health Care Support
At AUSD, surveys show that stress/anxiety and sadness/depression are the two most common challenges that our middle and high school students are facing, with 76% of those seeking services identifying anxiety/stress as their highest category and 24% identifying extreme sadness.
Statistics from CareSolace from 2021-2022:
- 1,492 inbound phone calls, emails, and video-chats from community members
- 98 warm handoffs from staff to Care Solace
- 61 total appointments into care (this number is often low because families do not always confirm that they have an appointment)
- Usage:
- Female: 62%; Male 34%; Non Binary 4%
- Adolescents: 56%; Children: 33%; Adults: 10%; Seniors: 2%
- Counselors and intervention leads can track each student that they refer.
- Dedicated Care Solace care managers provide detailed notes about cases as they progress from interest in services into care.
AEF sponsored Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential care coordination service that connects AUSD students, staff, and families with appropriate mental health care services. This year, AEF also collaborated to fund a full-time high school mental health care clinician.
Middle School Sports
We brought back our full Middle School Sports (MSS) program (volleyball, basketball, and track & field), fostering essential life skills like sportsmanship and teamwork, along with academic and behavioral tie-ins, to help students prepare for high school.
During the 2021-2022 school year AEF had 150 participants (12 teams) in our co-ed Volleyball program, 63 participants (6 teams) in Girls Basketball, 128 participants (11 teams) in Boys Basketball, and 231 participants (on 12 teams) in Track and Field.
We gave out a total of 66 scholarships during the school year, enabling access for student athletes who may not have been able to afford the program. Our MSS Program Principles emphasize a focus on equity.
AEF's Middle School Sports program costs approximately $100,000 to run annually.
Teacher Mini Grants
During the 2021-2022 school year AEF sponsored Teacher Mini Grants that:
- Were focused on Title I schools and special programs.
- Enabled purchases that made impacts on students most in need.
- Included books, field trips, special education programs, Scholar program support, Equity event support, class calculators, STEAM supplies, social-emotional materials and supplies, interpretation services, teacher support, and a bicycle.
In total, we gave out 41 Mini Grants that impacted 3,787 students at predominantly Title 1 schools.
Technology Support
During the 2021-2022 school year AEF provided Technology Support by:
- Delivering internet hot spots to Paden Elementary School where about 6 families are using them regularly.
- An additional 14 hot spots were rotated among families in need.
- AEF continued to be involved in the City’s Smart Cities planning, including keeping internet equity as its top priority (specifically via community network build-out and public WiFi).
School Supplies
In the fall of the 2021-2022 school year AEF gave new fully-stocked backpacks to 1,335 under-served students to ensure they started the school year with the supplies they need for success. They were distributed to:
- Alameda Unified School District - Title 1 Schools
- Alameda Point Collaborative - Children & Youth services
- Operation Dignity - homeless and formerly homeless children & youth in Alameda
Arts Programs
Artist Miguel Arzabe participates in our Art Changes program
In 2021-2022, AEF expanded our Art Changes visual arts program to feature more diverse local artists and art lessons so that students can experience representation while learning to express themselves through art. AEF continues to display hundreds of pieces of student art annually at locations throughout Alameda as part of our Art Across the Island program.
After School Enrichment Classes
Fall 2021 golf program
During Fall 2021 and Winter/Spring 2022, 1,338 students participated in AEF's After School Enrichment classes. We offered scholarships to students on the Free and Reduced Lunch program, or other assistance programs.
New programs introduced this school year included choir (at Paden Elementary), golf (Alameda Wide), and soccer (at Ruby Bridges Elementary). We also made the online class information display and registration process easier for families. We also offered classes in yoga and golf for students with adaptive needs.
Summer Camps
3 O-Clock Rock band summer camp
Our ever popular Summer Camps had 656 registrations in 2022. Popular programs included golf, 3 O’clock rock band, and art classes. We also made the online camp information display and registration process easier for families.
As part of our focus on equity, we have made camp information and the registration process easier to navigate, and we offer 50% scholarships to families in need.
