Author: jill

Happy Pride Month

Celebrate Pride Month!

At AEF, we believe every student deserves to be seen, supported, and celebrated for who they are. During Pride Month and all year long, we stand with our LGBTQ+ students, families, educators, and community. We are aligned with AUSD’s affirmation of the rights of LGBTQ+ students as outlined in Superintendent Scuderi’s statement here.

Together, we’re building inclusive spaces where everyone feels a sense of belonging. To those living their truth with courage and compassion — we see you,

 » Read more about: Celebrate Pride Month!  »

Boys Basketball 2024-25

AEF’s New Sports Camps Build Skills, Confidence and Community

This summer, AEF’s NEW Sports Summer Camps are giving student-athletes more than just a place to play; they’re providing an opportunity to grow both on and off the court and field. With offerings in Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Boys Soccer, and Girls Soccer, AEF camps are designed to help middle school athletes sharpen their skills, build confidence, and prepare for school-year athletics in a supportive, high-energy environment.

What makes AEF Summer Camps Different?  » Read more about: AEF’s New Sports Camps Build Skills, Confidence and Community  »

AEF girls flag football

Register Now for AEF Summer Camps!

Registration is now open for AEF Summer Camps! Check out our Enrichment Camps – open to all TK – 8 grade students (you don’t have to live in Alameda or attend an Alameda school), with small class sizes and teachers who are specialists in their fields. Your students will learn valuable new skills, be engaged, active, and have FUN! We also offer 50% scholarships for qualified participants.

And AEF is also offering Sports Summer Camps for the first time this year!

 » Read more about: Register Now for AEF Summer Camps!  »

Ruby Bridges Kindergarten class whiteboard

First Year Kindergarten Teacher Gets Classroom Supplies

New Kindergarten teacher at Love Elementary School, Jana Lee, applied for funds to help set up her classroom as a first-year teacher. She wanted to purchase an easel to do whole-group activities at a level closer to students, and games, read-alouds, and more to supplement targeted intervention. For example, she wished to buy rhyming and other phonemic-based activities for small-group interventions. Ms. Lee needed help facilitating both whole-group instruction, so students can be engaged and are able to participate themselves,

 » Read more about: First Year Kindergarten Teacher Gets Classroom Supplies  »

New color printer at Ruby Bridges

A Color Printer to Build Community Around Art

Margarethe Olsson, Grades TK – 5 Art Teacher at Ruby Bridges Elementary, put in an application for an AEF Teacher Mini Grant to purchase a color printer, paper and inks to fund several projects in the art room. One project would be a community wall where all students could see themselves represented in the larger school community. Students would take photos, print them and embellish them with frames or backgrounds, so each photo represented the way students wanted to be seen. 

 » Read more about: A Color Printer to Build Community Around Art  »

Sample book publishing project

Writing, Publishing and Sharing Children’s Books

Melissa Smiley, 8th grade teacher at Academy of Alameda (AOA), described a book project for 8th graders explore the psychology of learning and reading development, how lessons are taught through children’s stories, and the publishing process. The final project for this unit would be for students to write and create a children’s book with a specific grade level in mind that would share a specific message with the audience. When the books are completed, the 8th graders will participate in “Buddy Day” where they will visit elementary school classrooms and share their stories with the younger students.

 » Read more about: Writing, Publishing and Sharing Children’s Books  »

2026 Zainab Wood Middle School microscopes

Microscopes Bring the World Closer

Wood Middle School grades 6 – 7 science teacher, Naveed Zainab, applied for a mini grant to purchase 5 microscopes for the class. Microscopy is an essential part of the 6th-grade science curriculum, and to ensure every student has hands-on experience, the school typically aims for two students per microscope.

Unfortunately, several microscopes were broken this school year, so up to four students had to share one microscope at times making it challenging for students to fully engage in the learning process.

 » Read more about: Microscopes Bring the World Closer  »