Back-to-School Gala 2025: Voices of Our Schools in Action
On September 25, nearly 300 supporters, educators, and community partners came together at the San Francisco Education Fund’s 2025 Back-to-School Gala to celebrate the Voices of Our Schools — and to take action for San Francisco’s students. Together, we raised over $600,000, surpassing our goal and ensuring more students, teachers, and schools have the resources they need to thrive.
A Look into the Gala
“Tonight’s objective is this: you will hear stories of resilience, of impact, and of promise. And you will leave knowing that your time and dollars are fueling those very opportunities,” said SF Ed Fund CEO Ann Levy Walden as the evening began.
Drawing from the Voices of Our Schools report, Ann outlined the three critical areas where the SF Ed Fund is making a measurable difference:
1. Increasing student belonging
“Belonging is a prerequisite for learning. When students feel connected, valued, and safe, they show up, engage, and thrive.”
In San Francisco, only 59% of students report feeling they belong — well below the district’s goal and part of a three-year downward trend. But when schools have the resources to create joyful, inclusive environments, the results are dramatic. At Guadalupe Elementary, a $10,000 Educator Impact Grant to kickstart fundraising for safe turf soccer field helped raise student belonging to 71%, while chronic absenteeism dropped from nearly 50% to 31%.
The evening began with a video showcasing this transformation and the SF Ed Fund’s critical role in making this happen:
2. Access to quality learning interventions
Research from Stanford confirms that high-impact tutoring is the single most effective literacy intervention — and it’s working here in San Francisco. In just five months of high-impact tutoring in the 2024-25 school year, the number of participating students meeting grade level standards more than doubled from 24% to 54%. As Ann said, “High-impact tutoring WORKS, and every seat we fund tonight means a child gets the support they need now, not years from now.”
3. Creative solutions around staffing
Schools across San Francisco are stretched thin, with administrators, teachers, and support staff all balancing mounting responsibilities. Volunteers help bridge the gap – stepping in as tutors, classroom helpers, mindfulness leaders, and mentors. Their presence not only lightens the load for educators but also sends a powerful message to students: your city cares about you.
At Paul Revere K-8, this impact came to life through Emma Zevin and John Monson’s story. “The first Monday she was gone, a sub showed up. And then the next day, a new sub came and the next day it was someone else. Lovely subs, but they did not have any understanding of the curriculum,” explained John. “I realized that I needed to come up to speed on the curriculum. The only way these kids were going to get any kind of an academic year is if I was here.” John went on her earn his substitute credential so he could teach Emma’s students during her maternity leave and make sure the students were getting the education they needed and deserved.
Stories like this show how SF Ed Fund volunteers are filling critical staffing gaps and ensuring students continue to get the consistent support they deserve.
Hear Emma’s Story
Hear John’s Story
The Literacy Crisis: A Solvable Problem
Dr. Maria Su, SFUSD Superintendent, shared her vision for SFUSD and reminded us why literacy must remain front and center: “Literacy is the foundation for everything else. By 2027, 70% of our third graders will be proficient in literacy. We are 50,000% committed to that goal.”
That urgency is real. Nearly half of San Francisco’s public school students are reading below grade level — a crisis, but one that is solvable. The data proves it: at Bret Harte Elementary in Bayview-Hunters Point, high-impact tutoring helped 80% of kindergarteners reach grade level last school year. Students are gaining confidence, joy, and measurable growth — proof that with the right support, every child can thrive. We debuted a powerful video about the remarkable gains students at Bret Harte Elementary are experiencing with access to high-impact literacy tutoring, also mentioned in a San Francisco Chronicle article from August: “A 'jaw dropping' program is fixing literacy rates in S.F. schools”.
The evening also marked an important announcement: SFUSD, the SF Ed Fund, and the City of San Francisco are joining forces to deepen their partnerships and expand high-impact tutoring. More details will be shared in the next few months.
Sherrice Dorsey-Smith, Executive Director of the Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families, reinforced the city’s role: “We are the cornerstone funder of high-impact literacy tutoring implemented by the Ed Fund. We know this works. We are thrilled to grow our partnership in the coming months.”
The Glady Thacher Award
We were thrilled to present this year’s Glady Thacher Award to Guadalupe Elementary School, honoring their inspiring leadership in advancing student belonging. Thank you to the many members of the school’s soccer team who joined us on stage to accept the award!
We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to this year’s outstanding nominees: Mission High School and Thurgood Marshall High School.
This year’s award carries special meaning, as the SF Ed Fund remembers and honors its beloved founder, Gladys “Glady” Thacher, who passed away in April. She was 95. A lifelong advocate for public education and social justice, Glady’s vision of equity, innovation, and collaboration continues to guide the organization’s mission and inspire its work with schools across San Francisco.
“Winning the Glady Thacher Award is a tremendous honor for the entire Guadalupe community. This recognition celebrates our families, students, and staff, whose engagement and partnership make everything possible,” said Principal Raj Sharma. “Through initiatives like our student-led soccer program—which has not only improved attendance but also strengthened pride and connection—we’ve seen firsthand how creating a sense of belonging transforms a school. With the SF Ed Fund’s support, we’ve built a culture where every child feels valued, every family feels included, and together we’re proving that community-driven efforts can change lives.”
Thank You
We are deeply grateful to our Visionary and Benefactor sponsors — Katherine and Daniel Gillespie, JaMel and Tom Perkins, the Rachel and Eric Jones Foundation, Susan & Bill Oberndorf, and Dodge & Cox — as well as to every sponsor, volunteer, educator, and guest who made this evening possible. We are also thankful our Young Leaders Council, Board, and Leadership Council -- and to Mayor Daniel Lurie for attending.
Because of you, San Francisco’s public school students will see more tutors in their classrooms, more grants in their teachers’ hands, and more opportunities to succeed.
Thank you for standing with us.
To donate to the SF Ed Fund’s critical work, please visit sfedfund.org/donate or reach out to Laura King at lking@sfedfund.org.