Aspire Public Schools Bay Area

East Palo Alto Charter School Community Workday

East Palo Alto Charter School (EPACS) is excited to host a Community Work Day on Saturday, April 12 from 9:00 AM–12:00 PM! Join us as we come together to care for and take pride in our school campus. This community event will include a variety of projects such as working in the EPACS Garden, caring for Canopy trees on the field and in the Middle School Quad, and supporting projects in classrooms and other shared spaces.

Friends, families, and children are welcome to participate (children must be supervised). There’s something for everyone—whether you enjoy painting, organizing, building shelves, or getting your hands dirty in the garden. Come lend a hand, connect with our community, and help make our campus shine! 🌱🎨🛠️

We are hoping to have 30 people working in the Garden, 30 people working on the Canopy trees, and 30 people working on other projects in classrooms/shared spaces.

RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/3fzsmwxc

Opening Day for Richmond Little League was today and it was a beautiful reminder of the power of community.

The day began with the traditional parade from the Richmond Civic Center to Nicholl Park, where players, families, coaches, and community members walked together to kick off the season. The energy, excitement, and pride of the community were on full display.

Along the way and at the fields, we had the opportunity to welcome and celebrate with Richmond leaders including Mayor Eduardo Martinez and City Council member Claudia Jimenez. Their presence was a powerful reminder that youth sports and community institutions like Richmond Little League matter deeply to the city.

At Aspire Public Schools Bay Area, our partnership with Richmond Little League is not just something we talk about. It is something we live.

Across Richmond Little League you will find Aspire everywhere. Our school administrators, school teammates, Aspire parents, Aspire students, Aspire alumni, regional leaders, and even our Executive Director are part of the league as players, coaches, managers, volunteers, and members of the Board of Directors.

This is what true community partnership looks like. Schools and community organizations working side by side to create opportunities for young people to grow, compete, build friendships, and experience the joy of belonging.

Richmond Little League is more than baseball and softball. It is leadership, teamwork, mentorship, and a place where families come together around something positive for our kids.

We are proud to stand with Richmond Little League and grateful for the many Aspire community members who help make the league strong.

Play ball, Richmond! ⚾💙


City of Richmond, California
Aspire Public Schools
Aspire Public Schools Bay Area
Mayor Eduardo Martinez,
Richmond Council-member Claudia Jimenez,

Last Friday, Principal Heather Hasan, Assistant Principal Casey Chong, and Director Maribel Sainez welcomed Alameda County Office of Education Chief of Schools Eric Guthertz to Aspire Monarch Academy. From the moment one walks onto campus, anyone can feel the heart of the school — the joy, the purpose, and the deep commitment to students.

With the intention of observing intentional literacy practice in action, there is so much to celebrate. Across classrooms, students demonstrated strong ownership of their learning and deep engagement in rigorous academic work. We saw rich academic discourse, confident use of vocabulary, and seamless routines that allowed learning to flow without interruption. Students passionately defended their ideas in writing and bravely shared their mathematical thinking, showing both independence and collaboration. Teachers skillfully balanced high expectations with strategic support, keeping the cognitive lift on students while guiding their growth.

As Eric Guthertz, ACOE Chief of Schools, shared:
“I felt the heart of the school the moment I walked in.”
“The visit will serve as the highlight of my week and potentially the month.”

As we close out Black History Month at Aspire Public Schools Bay Area, the Bay Area team closed our meeting dancing.

For centuries, African Americans have gathered in rhythm as a form of connection, celebration, resistance, and survival. The roots of line dancing trace back to West African communal traditions and the ring shout, where enslaved Africans moved together to preserve culture, faith, and identity.

Line dancing, shaped by African and Caribbean traditions dating back to the 1700s, has always been more than celebration. It has been communication. It has been organizing. It has been a way to sustain hope and community in the face of oppression.

These dances represent Black faith, resilience, and joy. They remind us that movement can be memory, that rhythm can be resistance, and that joy itself can be powerful.

Thank you to our Bay Area teammates for leaning into learning and for closing our time together in collective joy.

Aspire Public Schools Bay Area celebrates Black History Month! We are grateful for the meaningful celebrations and learning already happening across our schools. This year’s national theme, “100 Years of Celebrating Black History,” marks a century since Dr. Carter G. Woodson launched Negro History Week in 1926, laying the foundation for a broader recognition that Black history is American history—past, present, and future. This milestone invites reflection on resilience, innovation, and legacy, while calling us to continue uplifting Black voices well beyond February.

Across our region, we remain committed to equity, inclusion, and justice through intentional action, not just celebration. We are proud of progress such as growing Black Student Unions, launching Black Family Advisory spaces to elevate family voice, and strengthening Pro-Black Programming through collective leadership and learning. While the work continues, each step moves us closer to creating racially affirming spaces where students, families, and educators can thrive.

🍎 No family should go hungry. If your household could use support with groceries or meals, we’ve gathered food resources by county to make it easier to find help nearby.

✨ Explore the flyer to see what’s available in your area — and please share this post so other families in our community can access these resources too. Together, we can make sure everyone is nourished and cared for. 💛

Congratulations to the Aspire RTA community for another beautiful Latinx Fest. .

The theme for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month in 2025 is "A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience". This theme recognizes the hard work and perseverance of AANHPI leaders who have paved the way for future generations. It also acknowledges the importance of the AANHPI community's contributions and the impact of leaders in various industries. As a community, we are committed to awareness, understanding, and solidarity.

Our Aspire Bay Area Principals deserve all the flowers. Happy Principal's Day! 🎉 Today we celebrate the incredible leadership, dedication, and heart our principals bring to our schools every day. Thank you for guiding, supporting, and inspiring our students, staff, and communities—your impact makes all the difference! 💙📚