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PROGRAMS
 

The Pacifica School District has decided that these PEF-introduced programs are core to its mission, and has integrated them directly into the curriculum. Therefore, PEF is concentrating its funding priorities on the following four programs:

 

 

  • Elementary School Music:  A credentialed music teacher has been hired to teach 3rd through 5th grade students. The teacher and students will be taught an integrative music curriculum with instrumentation. As an added benefit, teachers will have their prep time restored, which had been cut during the budget crisis. Our elementary music program has been an inspiration for many students to continue onto our Middle School Band program.  PEF is exploring expansion of this program into the lower grade levels in the years to come.

 

  • Middle School Band:  PEF supports the Middle School Band program in the Pacifica School District by providing annual funding for essential expenses such as sheet music, venue rentals, instrument purchase and repair, and field trips to band competitions or performances.

 

  • Slam Poetry: The year-round fifth grade Slam Poetry unit, taught by Bay Area Creative SPARC Poetry, is a student favorite. An energetic form of poetry, slam is performance and content in equal measures, creates awareness of current events and issues, boosts student confidence, increases writing, and public speaking skills.  Students typically deliver their poems in groups, and they perform school and at a variety of local venues.

  • S.T.E.A.M.: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics are critical areas of education for our students as the Bay Area job market is dominated by the high tech and biotech industries. In order to help our school district implement the new Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) required statewide, PEF has provided funding to help our K-8 teachers learn about the new NGSS requirements, and train them to teach the new curriculum.

DETERMINING PROGRAMS TO FUND

PEF funds are allocated to programs selected by the PEF Board, after collecting input from PEF Board members, leaders in school Parent-Teacher organizations, parent and community volunteers and PSD representatives. PEF will fund programs that meet these basic criteria:

 

  • Support the Pacifica School District strategic plan

  • Promote equitable education across district schools

  • Align with PEF budget and funding constraints

  • Are attractive to outside funding sources

 

In addition, recommended programs are evaluated against the following criteria:

 

  • Addresses a broad or acute educational gap

  • Reaches a significant portion of student or faculty population

  • Potential for significant impact in improving test scores or other assessments

  • Promotes volunteer efforts across schools

  • Encourages student engagement and love for learning

 

Programs may be single year or span multiple years provided the PEF Board approves the plan and commits to the fund-raising efforts necessary to sustain the program.

 

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