“College was not just a dream anymore.”
A Terra Linda High School senior reflects on discovering CalKIDS, California’s free college savings program for eligible students and newborns. This year, partners across Marin worked together to help families unlock over $47,000 in new savings, making it easier for students to pursue college with confidence and support.
Michael Looft, the Backbone Team’s Director of Technology, set out on a road trip to visit fellow place-based partnerships across the country. Along the way, he explored how communities are tackling similar challenges, reminding us how staying connected to the national StriveTogether network helps our backbone team bring fresh insight, tested strategies, and renewed purpose back to Marin.
In Marin, many students of color go through school without ever having a teacher who looks like them. That is starting to change. This story follows a cross-sector partnership that listened to educators of color, removed systemic barriers, and built a lasting Educator Pathway.
Not wanting to leave Middle Schoolers without support while the district phased in its Hybrid model, a Learning Hub was set up on campus. Starting with a small focused cohort, the plan is to place small groups of 5-6 students in each classroom where they will independently attend their own Distance Learning
Another great example of community collaboration. This Learning Hub started in the West Marin Library and recently moved over to the West Marin School. As is the case with most Hubs, staff availability was this Hub’s limiting factor. When additional staff was needed to expand the Hub’s reach, the Library was able
Like many other High Schools, Novato, has opened up empty space on its campus for specific groups of students who are identified as at risk of greater impact under a Distance Learning environment. Click HERE to return to the Learning Hub Information Portal
This Hub is another shining example of community collaboration. It was initiated by the efforts of two WIllow Creek board members who helped coordinate the launch effort and connect the dots. The Marin City Community Services District provides the facility, Play Marin provides the staff to operate the Hub, Conscious Kitchen supports
Since students are not coming back to campus until January, HS1327 has repurposed the Student Center into Learning Hub space for 4 different Cohorts: 9th-10th graders, AVID Students, and teacher referrals.
Often thought of as just preschool, many Childcare providers, like Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center, have shifted their elementary school before/after care services into Learning Hubs.
As a long-time Partner in the Tam Success Network, and with strong relationships in the Marin City community, Bridge the Gap’s location in the Golden Gate Village residential area was a natural fit for a Learning Hub.
When Bolinas students in the Tam Success Network needed additional Distance Learning support but transportation over the mountain to a Learning Hub wasn’t possible, the multidisciplinary Success Team stepped up and coordinated a Learning Hub partnership right in Bolinas. The Bolinas Community Center provided the facility, MCOE provided funding to enhance the
Co-located with the Canal Alliance Hub for 8th-12th graders, Marin YMCA operates a separate Hub for Elementary students out of the same facility. This is a brightspot example of the multi-stakeholder collaboration that it takes to make these Hubs work. Here are the aligned contributions of the various partners: The City of
When the San Rafael High School Hub needed additional staff capacity to support CASS/AVID students from SRHS and Davidson Middle School, The Canal Alliance stepped up and joined MCOE in relocating some of their staff over to the community center. This was an ideal match because the Canal Alliance was already serving
