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“I remember two years ago when the fences went up around our old playground. I stood there in fifth grade with my seventh-grade friends, thinking, what? Maybe this building will be bigger and more modern, but will it take away from the feeling of Parkside? No, because here at Parkside, anything can be special, even things you least expect,” shares Lydia, a student at Parkside Montessori.

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Students are coming to school much more often in large numbers in the San Mateo–Foster City School District. From August 2025 through January 2026, schools across the district have improved attendance, with district-wide average daily attendance now over 95%. This progress matters, especially during a time when many families face economic challenges, mental health stressors, and uncertainty.

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What brings students joy at school isn’t always something grand or planned. Sometimes, it’s a conversation with a friend, a wave from a peer while walking to class, a supportive teacher, or simply feeling like you belong.

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As part of the San Mateo-Foster City School District’s Community Strategic Plan initiative, middle school students from across the district spent a day exploring new ways of learning at Design Tech High School and Parkside Montessori. The field trip gave students the opportunity to experience learning environments that center creativity, student voice, and hands-on exploration. 

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Students at Lead Elementary are diving into Project-Based Learning (PBL), integrating English Language Development, English Language Arts, and Social Studies into one creative unit. Through hands-on activities that explore the five senses and identity, students are building vocabulary, writing original poems, and sharing their stories in both English and their home languages.

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