Strengths

The Riverview Middle School CARES is a well-established program with strong support from our community partners as well as from our school site and administration. This support stems from a history of excellent programming, coordination, and strong program leadership. Financially we are supported by grants from both state and city initiatives.

Challenges

In order to maintain high quality services being offered to our students and families, additional funding sources are continually being pursued. There is an ongoing need to maintain high quality training and mentorship for CARES staff to ensure qualified staff are serving our students. Opportunities for culturally diverse and enriching opportunities prepare students with the life experiences.

Programs for Students and Families

Homework Help, Academic Intervention Program, ASPIRE Intervention Program, Nutrition Education and Cooking, Dance, Gardening, an organized Sports program, Science, and many Field trips. Youth Development-Beyond the Youth, a variety of clubs including Knitting, Chess and Art. We also offer a variety of other Craft projects throughout the year.

Daily nutritional snack provided in partnership with Food Services Department and the USDA.

• School day teachers instruct the Intervention portion of CARES.
• Representative of CARES attends faculty, Leadership, and grade level meetings.
• Informal and formal means of communication in place to facilitate discussion between CARES staff and school day teachers.
• CARES staff complete and share Bi-monthly Student Progress reports with classroom teachers.

• Homework Zone: Homework assistance and Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) or Recreation Specialist reading to the class.
• Intervention Program: 1 Ѕ hours of academic Intervention with a Credentialed teacher in either Read 180 or My Skills Tutor. Student to teacher ratio is 17:1.

• Enrichment opportunities: 1 Ѕ hours of structured enrichment. Enrichment programming includes arts and crafts, physical education, Life skills and Tribes. Students participate in a variety of programs which include; Kid Tribe a Hula Hoop exercise program and Stix. We also have field trips throughout the year, The Hall of Health, The Oakland Museum, Mt. Diablo State Park & Graffiti clean up in the community, are a few of our most popular trips. We encourage our students to participate in planning their schedule for the week with activities, games, arts & crafts as well as events like the “After Goul Program” a Halloween celebration.
• Nutrition Education: 7 hours a week of nutrition education which includes the Eat Fit Program, Harvest of The Month, and physical activity promotion including the SPARK program. Students also participate in hands on cooking instruction and field trips to the CARES Gardens.
• CARES Gardens: Our After School Gardens host daily classes in the garden serving all 14 CARES After School programs integrating nutrition, youth development and community development.

• CARES Middle School Volunteers: Middle School students are qualified 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who enjoy helping their peers learn. After homework and tutoring, volunteers participate in ongoing enrichment activities.
• Cesar Chavez Club: The Cesar Chavez Club is a service learning club that is youth led. Riverview students have the opportunity to learn about his life and legacy, as well as learning the values that he lived by. Students learn leadership skills and participate in various activities geared to better the community that they live in, including clothing and book drives. The club has begun painting over graffiti covered fences and walls near the school. Students in the Cesar Chavez Club decide on projects that are most needed in the community and the club leader, facilitate the activities decided by students. We are currently working on completing hygiene packs to send to an orphanage in Haiti.
• CARES Middle School Sports Program: The CARES After School Program’s, four middle schools have put together an organized sports program for middle school youth. The sports schedule consists of Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Flash Football and Softball. We are hoping to add Track and Wrestling teams as well. Each school sponsors an end of the season Jamboree, with all four middle schools coming together to play against each other in a tournament style game. All participating students receive medals/trophies and or certificates. All students are required to have passing grades, no D’s or F’s, nor unruly behavior or suspensions are allowed and they must follow the CARES Behavior Policy. The teachers and school staff enjoy having the sports program at Riverview, because the students are held accountable for their behavior and grades.

  Over the years we have given the students multiple opportunities to experience cultural diversity through the fine arts. Students have acted in plays as well as singing at the Sun Valley Mall in Concord. They have also showcased Jazz and Hip Hop routines.

  We have also been fortunate to have students participate in the Teen Garden Program and later become Recreational Specialists at our sites.

Who We Serve

Number of Students served: 150
Male: %
Female: %


Demographics
Cambodian: %
Latino/Hispanic: %
African American: %
Asian/Pacific Islander: %
Filipino: %
White: %
Samoan: %
Nietnamese: %

How We Serve
Staff to student ratio: 1:20
Number of CARES staff: 9
COmmunity Partners: 5


Community Partners

• City of Concord Parks and Recreation
• MDUSD
• Concord Police Department
• CCC Food Bank
• Bay Area Community Resources