Exciting Updates Mark the Start of the
2026 – 27 School Year at Homework Central |
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Homework Central went back to school on August 11th, the first day of the 2026–27 school year in the San Mateo-Foster City School District — and what a start to the year it has been!
This year, we are expanding our program hours to 6:00pm five days per week at all four of our elementary schools, an increase of more than 350 hours of student support. In addition, we appointed our Interim Executive Director, Dr. Benjamin N. York, to the permanent role. We’re also building new capacity in tutoring, finance, human resources, and fundraising – and ramping up our search for new board members.
Over the summer, we analyzed 2025–26 survey data from HWC parents, who provided strong validation for the importance and impact of our program: - Ninety-seven percent of surveyed parents reported that Homework Central’s academic support is very important
- Ninety-seven percent of families indicated that the program helped their child complete and submit assigned homework
Here are just a couple of the many testimonials we love from HWC parents: “Entregar tarea a tiempo y se siente mas segura de si mismo.”
(translation: Handing in assignments on time makes her feel more self-confident.)
“My kids LOVE Mr David and they know they can count on him for support. Every time I contacted HWC, either Mr David or Ms Suzanne, they gave me prompt support and feedback. I am happy that my kids are getting the help they need at HMC.”
While we’re incredibly proud of the momentum we’re building, there is still a large unmet need for Homework Central in the School District, and much work lies ahead.
To learn more about Homework Central’s progress and opportunity, reach out to Ben York at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. |
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Homework Central is Expanding its Hours and
Days of Operation |
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As part of a new, 2026–27 partnership agreement with the San-Mateo Foster City School District, Homework Central is expanding program hours to 6:00pm at all sites and adding Fridays at Baywood Elementary.
With these changes, all HWC sites will operate until 6:00pm five days per week, representing more than a 15% increase in total service hours — that’s 350+ more hours for homework help, reading and math practice with a tutor, and STEAM activities that students love.
This year, we will serve up to 115 students at Baywood, Fiesta Gardens, San Mateo Park, and Sunnybrae Elementary Schools, providing a truly unique set of supports deeply rooted in the community: - Literacy- and math-focused individual and small-group tutoring through homework completion assistance
- High-quality enrichment with premier partners like CuriOdyssey, where in the past, students engineered cars and tested aerodynamics
- Family engagement, including bilingual events with healthy dinners, free books, and opportunities to build social connections and provide feedback on the program
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Community resources, including a partnership with the Assistance League of San Mateo on Operation School Bell, providing students with new outfits, backpacks, and books
Our volunteer tutors — including local high school and college students, senior citizens, and working professionals — are essential to our math and literacy programs. This year, our volunteerism goal is to surpass the 1,945 cumulative service hours from 2025–26! |
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New Executive Director and Capacity-Building Efforts |
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On August 1st, Homework Central appointed its Interim Executive Director, Dr. Benjamin N. York, to the permanent position. As our interim leader, Dr. York played a pivotal role in guiding the organization, developing a new partnership agreement with SMFCSD, and in strategic planning and fundraising. Ben was a part of our full Executive Director search and stood out among a strong pool of candidates — we’re excited to have him on the team!
Dr. York is a familiar face who previously served on our Board of Directors. He brings incredible energy and nearly two decades of experience as a leader, researcher, and champion for kids. Prior to stepping into this role, he founded ParentPowered — reaching over 1 million children and families — and served as Executive Director of CEPA Labs at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. From directing after-school programs to earning graduate degrees at Stanford, Ben’s career has been dedicated to helping every child thrive, especially those furthest from opportunity. Dr. York has jumped right in to lead our mission forward.
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As a critical part of advancing HWC’s mission, Ben has been working in partnership with the Homework Central team and Board to build new capacity throughout the organization — in tutoring, finance, human resources, and fundraising. Attracting new talent and volunteers, developing and refining organizational systems, and growing and diversifying Homework Central’s revenue streams will position the organization for greater success in 2026–27 and beyond.
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We’re Looking for New Board Members |
HWC is looking for up to five new board members. Board Membership at Homework Central offers a truly unique opportunity to make a difference in the community.
Each member can leverage their unique expertise in tangible ways that make a meaningful impact on the functioning and progress of Homework Central – and more importantly, the lives of San Mateo County’s most vulnerable children and families.
A highly-collaborative group, our eight-member Board brings decades of expertise across education, law, research, nonprofit management, technology, and finance. The Board also includes members possessing lived economic experiences that mirror those of the students and families we serve. If you’d like to make a big difference in the lives of San Mateo’s most vulnerable children, reach out to Tony Gallo at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. |
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Fund a Back-to-School Need |
Want to help Homework Central start the 2026–27 school year with a bang? Fund a back-to-school need:
$500 — Capacity-Building Support
$1,000 — New Books for 4 Schools
$2,500 — Bilingual Literacy Night for Families
$5,000 — Science Kits for 115 Students
$10,000 — New Computers for 6 Classrooms
Every donation helps. Click DONATE NOW and enter the amount that’s right for you! |
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Interested in volunteering as a tutor? We’re always looking for committed volunteer tutors who are passionate about supporting children’s literacy, math, and social-emotional development. |
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| Homework Central is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization | Tax ID 94-3368576 |
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