Strata After School | Pacifica | August 2026
Building Community Through Layered Learning
At Strata Learning After School, curriculum gives our afternoons purpose while leaving room for the choice, creativity, movement, and connection students need after a full school day.
Our Layered Learning approach brings together six areas throughout the program: Wellness, Connection, Movement, Discovery, Academic Success, and Community. Together, these layers support skills ranging from physical well-being and social-emotional development to STEAM exploration, academic support, leadership, and community involvement.
Why We Begin with Community
The beginning of a school year is about more than learning a new schedule. Students are forming friendships, finding their place within a group, reconnecting with their school community, and learning how they can contribute to it.
That's why our first major curriculum theme of the year is Community.
Throughout the theme, students explore what it means to be a citizen, learn about local heroes, create community-inspired art, and imagine how they can help build the future.
Through these experiences, students build relationships, strengthen their sense of belonging, and begin to recognize the role they can play in the communities around them.
COLLEEN ROCKS Director of Programming & Education
Strata Learning Animal Adventure Zone
We're bringing a little Strata fun to the 55th Annual Millbrae Art & Wine Festival!
Come visit the Strata Learning Animal Adventure Zone, a family-friendly area featuring the petting zoo, activities, prizes, and more.
September 5 & 6 | 10:00 AM–5:00 PM Broadway Avenue | Downtown Millbrae
Free Petting Zoo Admission
Visit us in the Animal Adventure Zone for free admission to the petting zoo and a spin on the Strata Learning prize wheel, with giveaway prizes available while supplies last.
Wear Your Strata Tee!
Wear your Strata Learning tee and receive an extra spin on our prize wheel.
(Shirts will be distributed the week before.)
The Millbrae Art & Wine Festival is free to attend and features live music, food, art, family activities, and more throughout downtown Millbrae.
We hope to see you at the Strata Learning Animal Adventure Zone!
Pacifica Education Foundation
Strata Learning is proud to support the Pacifica Education Foundation (PEF) and its work on behalf of students across the Pacifica School District.
Our connection to Pacifica extends beyond the after-school day, and supporting PEF is one way we can invest in the broader school community our students and families share.
RACHEL HECK CEO, Strata Learning
Creativity, Connection, and Collaboration
Across our Pacifica programs, students are starting the year by getting to know one another, working together, and finding ways to contribute their own ideas. From collaborative art to hands-on challenges, these first experiences are helping students build connections while settling into their after-school communities.
Ortega | Creating and Problem-Solving Together
The first weeks of the school year are an important time for students to build relationships, learn how to work with different people, and begin shaping their after-school community. At Ortega, students have been doing that through both creative projects and hands-on challenges.
During a community art project, students created their own drawings while working alongside classmates and sharing ideas. The activity gave students space to express themselves while contributing to a creative experience they could enjoy together.
Students also put their teamwork to the test through a series of domino challenges. Working in small groups, they planned their designs, carefully built their structures, tested what happened, and worked through problems when things did not go as expected.
While the two activities looked very different, both asked students to communicate, contribute ideas, and work alongside others. These everyday experiences help students build the relationships and collaborative skills that strengthen their after-school community.
Sunset Ridge + Ocean Shore | Getting to Know Our Community
The beginning of the school year brings a new mix of personalities, interests, and experiences into our after-school community. At Sunset Ridge + Ocean Shore, students have been finding creative ways to learn more about one another and share a little about themselves.
For this project, students were asked to illustrate individual cubes with things they love and images that represent who they are. As students worked, their drawings became natural conversation starters, giving them opportunities to discover shared interests, learn something new about a classmate, and express what makes each of them unique.
The individual pieces were then brought together into one larger display. What began as a collection of personal drawings became a visual representation of the many interests and personalities that make up the community.
It's a simple project with a meaningful beginning-of-the-year purpose: helping students feel known while getting to know the people around them.
One of my favorite parts of visiting our Pacifica programs is seeing how students make each community their own. These early weeks are an important time for building relationships, establishing routines, and creating spaces where students feel comfortable sharing their ideas, trying something new, and connecting with others.
MARINA HAMACK
Senior After School Director
Dates to Know
September 5 & 6 | 10:00 AM–5:00 PM - Strata Learning Animal Adventure Zone (📍Millbrae Wine & Art Festival)
Monday, September 7 - Closed for Labor Day
Leadership Across Our Schools
Our Pacifica programs are supported by experienced on-site directors who know their school communities and work closely with students, families, educators, and school partners.
