Equiping the Village for the raising of the Child

By Larry Moody

Building relationship for the good of the community.

Over the past 6yrs I have worked hard to bridge the relationship between Sequoia, & the Ravenswood District. To assure ourselves that ever attempt has been made to provide effective, transparent, goal, oriented communication between the two Districts for the benefit of, All Our Sons & Daughters.

Thru the Promise Neighborhood Initiative: Making it Happen for Our Children and the Fellowship of Faith Group which founded in 2004. I have provided the community the platform to learn, participate and advocate for better Educational outcomes. The East Palo Alto community has passed two parcel Taxes to support teacher retention in the pass six yrs.

Some of the speakers have included: State Assembly Jerry Hill. Josh Becker-Founder National LAB DAY San Mateo County Supervisor Anne Campbell Stanford School of Education Leader Linda Darling Hammond Dr. Emmett Carson, President of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Dr Michael McAfee, National Coordinator of Promise Neighborhoods. John Danner President of Rocket ship Education Former Sequoia Superintendent Pat Gemma, EPA Police Chief Ron Davis Maria Dela Vega +Ravenswood Superintendent Luisa Burrit- Executive Director of the Ravenswood Health Clinic Bishop JW Macklin +General Board member Churches of God in Christ Leif Erickson +Executive Director of Youth for Community Service

In 2009 a East Palo Alto parent was told that because the school bus her son was taken to Carl mount had been late 9 out of the 1st 14 days of school the school year. He would have to drop his AP English because he had fallen so far behind. Needless to say, the community which entrusts the district to provide transportation for over 400 students to Carlmount & Woodside High failed our students. Yet because Superintendent Gemma, the Board and I worked together on Built to Last (a on campus Mentor Academic Coach program for Ravenswood graduates at Sequoia Schools) we were able to responded with the leadership, respect, and urgency due the situation. The student was reinstated and the Bus route/schedules were adjusted to get the students from EPA to school on time. An example of the leadership, collaboration and Integrity I will bring to the Board.