Programs - Your Donations at Work
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MVEF funds core programs in art, music, science, sports, clubs, and teacher stipends and reduced class sizes in ELA at the middle school and support for teachers.
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Art by CSMA:
MVEF pays for the art teachers who teach the weekly art classes in our elementary schools for TK-5th grades. The teachers are trained by and work for Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) The program consists of in-depth, skill-building and sequential art lessons that meet the California Visual and Performing Arts Standards for Art. Classes and content is appropriate for each grade level. Taught by professional CSMA visual arts instructors, these art classes coordinate with each classroom’s curriculum to become an integral part of the school day.
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Music by CSMA:
MVEF pays for the music teachers who teach the weekly music classes in our elementary schools for TK-5th grades. The teachers are trained by and work for the Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) The program consists of in-depth, skill-building, hands-on, sequential music lessons that meet the California Visual and Performing Arts Standards for Music. Classes and content is appropriate for each grade level. Grades K-3 focus primarily on singing and rhythm. In 4th grade children play the recorder. In 5th grade students can choose an instrument to focus on. MVEF funds Musical instrument purchases and repair.
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Hands-on Science:
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Life Science:
Living Classroom brings garden-based lessons to TK-6th grade classrooms 2-3 times each year. Lessons build from one year to the next on topics like photosynthesis, life cycles, ecology and the relevance of plant science to students’ lives. Visit a school and look for planters of vegetables planted by children! -
Environmental Education:
Research in the US finds that schools providing nature-based experiential education show substantial improvements in academic performance. Field trips led by the Mountain View Whisman Environmental Science Collaborative (MVWESC), which is a partnership of environmental education nonprofits led by the group Environmental Volunteers that provide coordinated science education to MVWSD schools. The collaborative is made up of 6 independent non-profits, each bringing their expertise to a student's environmental education. MVEF provides funds so that all children get to experience field trips in 4th and 5th grade, like:
- a discovery trip to the tide pools at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve,
- a day exploring Hidden Villa’s organic farm, or
- a boat ride on the bay with Marine Science Institute,
- and more!
Each program supports the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that identify core ideas and practices in science that prepare today’s K-12 students for success in college and future careers.
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Middle Schools:
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Smaller ELA Class Sizes: One additional English Language Arts Teacher for each MVWSD middle school which reduced class sizes approximately 20%.
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Athletics: Interscholastic athletics including coaches, referees, and buses to competitions, plus New Uniforms and Equipment for Crittenden Athletics, to accommodate its move to the same sports league as Graham.
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Clubs: Teacher stipends and support for clubs.