Mental Health Care Support
From AUSD student services coordinator Jodi McCarthy:
Families have been really grateful for the support that Care Solace offers. Staff have also really been thankful that they are able to make a warm handoff to ensure that students and families are supported. Since education funding is not stable, AEF is a partner that can be relied on to keep students and families in the center of everything that they do. I can’t express enough gratitude to AEF for helping with the heavy lift of mental health support!
Key figures from CareSolace from 2022-2023:
- Inbound interactions: 1,292
- Communications saved: 7,855
- Warm Handoffs: 133
- Family initiated cases: 31
- Anonymous searches: 54
- Total appointments into care: 64
- 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. Learn more here.
Middle School Sports
Our full Middle School Sports program (volleyball, basketball, and track & field) continues to foster essential life skills including sportsmanship and teamwork. We work with school sites to incorporate academic and behavioral tie-ins to help students prepare for high school.
During the 2022-2023 school year, 697 6th - 8th graders benefitted from this program, including 145 participants (11 teams) in our co-ed Volleyball program, 84 participants (8 teams) in Girls Basketball, 120 participants (9 teams) in Boys Basketball, and 330 participants (on 12 teams) in Track and Field.
Our program is based at school sites to provide accessibility to students whose families do not have the resources for community or club sports. Modest participation fees are supported by generous scholarships. This year, we provided 123 scholarships of 90% or 100% to students in need. Our Program Principles focus our program on equity and inclusivity.
AEF's Middle School Sports program costs approximately $100,000 to run annually and we receive no district funding. Community support from people like you make the magic happen. Read more about the program here.
Teacher Mini Grants
AEF Teacher Mini grants provide equity-focused support on where it is needed most. Our dedicated teachers use the funds to purchase essential supplies and materials, expand classroom libraries, fund field trips, support hands-on learning experiences through Career Technical Education, and purchase essential equipment for special needs students.
During the 2022-2023 school year AEF provided 55 Mini Grants, primarily at Title I schools and for teachers of special programs.
AEF also sponsored the 'I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dream' video, in collaboration with AUSD Office of Equity Coordinator Shanti Croom that has been shown far and wide. Watch the video by clicking here.
Technology Support
During the 2022-2023 school year AEF provided Technology Support by:
- Sponsoring internet hot spots and devices that were rotated among families in need.
- Working with the City of Alameda and other agencies to help get low-income families connected via the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
School Supplies
In the fall of the 2022-2023 school year AEF gave new fully-stocked backpacks to 900 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
In 2022-2023, AEF continued to display hundreds of pieces of student art on a rotating basis at locations throughout Alameda as part of our Art Across the Island program. Student art is displayed at Books Inc and Lilac as well as at the three city libraries. Over 400 pieces of work were on display this year, for a total of over 4,000 since the program began in 2016.
AEF's Art Changes visual arts program features diverse local artists and art lessons so students can experience representation while learning to express themselves through art.
The Art Changes student exhibit at Rhythmix Cultural Works this spring showed art from all 9 AUSD elementary schools as well as Lincoln Middle School. The 500+ works of art featured a variety of mediums and was based on the work of artists Celeste Flores, Ken Gotuaco, Claire Lau and Constance Moore.
After School Enrichment Classes
During the 2022-2023 school year, 1,650 students participated in AEF's After School Enrichment classes. We gave out a total of about $16,748 worth of scholarships at the 90% and 100% levels to students on economic assistance programs.
In addition to the wide variety of enrichment classes offered at every elementary school, we offered an extensive cross country program for middle schoolers.
To support our focus on equity and inclusivity, we have made the registration and scholarship application process more transparent and accessible. Our classes are available for students with special needs and we have special classes in yoga and golf for students with adaptive needs.
Summer Camps
In 2023, AEF had the highest participation in our Summer Camps ever - with 847 campers enrolled in one or several of 65 camps offered. Camp subjects ranged from sports (flag football, soccer, golf, basketball and yoga), STEM (coding, carpentry and more) to art, music and Spanish. Camps were held on the Otis Elementary School campus.
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.
