Working together for every child at Kensington.
We are parents and caregivers who make up Kensington Elementary's African American Parent Advisory Council. We support one another's children, welcome new families, and work alongside the principal and staff so the school hears from Black families early.
Coming up
- Thu, Nov 5 · proposedAAPAC family meeting7:00 PM. Details go to families by email.
- Thu, Nov 12 · 7:00 PMKensington Community Services District board meetingKensington Community Center, 59 Arlington Avenue, or Zoom. Families will speak during public comment. This board oversees Kensington Police.
- Fri, Nov 13 · morningRuby Bridges Walk up the hill to schoolGather at the Kensington Community Center, 59 Arlington Avenue. Rain backup: Arlington Community Church, 52 Arlington Avenue. Start time coming soon.
Updated October 24, 2026
A letter to Kensington families and neighbors
Dear Kensington families and neighbors,
Black students are 24 of the 488 children at Kensington, about 1 in 20 and the smallest share of any school on the district's 2026-27 count.1 Many of our kids are one of very few Black children in their class. AAPAC is where their families find one another and work together with the school.
On the morning of Monday, October 19, staff found a racial slur against Black people written on a school wall. Some parents of kindergartners had to explain that word to their children for the first time. Some families are now asking whether Kensington is the right school for their children. We understand why, and we are working to make sure the answer can be yes.
Kensington Police is investigating it as a hate crime, Case No. 2026-0230. As of October 23, there is no suspect. We met with Principal Kim Jordan on October 21 and with the district's school climate team on October 23. Here is what we have asked for:
- A full, transparent investigation, with regular updates to families
- Support for our students and for the staff members most affected
- Clear, consistent responses when racial harm happens at school
- A safer campus, including a look at the back gate and cameras
- Early conversations with AAPAC before decisions that affect Black families
We are grateful for the school's partnership, we look forward to the district's written answers, and we will share what we learn. If you can, come to the board meeting on November 12 and walk with us on November 13.
With gratitude,Hisham Ali Bob and Faith AgyekumCo-presidents, Kensington Elementary AAPAC
1. WCCUSD Office of African American Student Achievement, 2026-27 Black student count by school. Kensington: 24 of 488, or 5%, the lowest of the 51 schools with figures listed.
Live or park near the school? Please check your cameras.
Look at doorbell, home and car cameras for Friday, October 16, through Monday morning, October 19, and save anything now, before it records over. Many newer cars record while parked. If you find anything, saw anything, or heard someone talk about it, call Kensington Police at (510) 525-7573 and give Case No. 2026-0230. Tips can be anonymous.
This year's Ruby Bridges Walk
On November 14, 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges walked into the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, escorted by federal marshals. That year she was the school's only Black student.
On Friday, November 13, we will walk our children up the hill to Kensington Elementary together, so they see a whole community beside them. Families, neighbors and signs are all welcome.
We'll gather at the Kensington Community Center, 59 Arlington Avenue. Start time coming soon.
Rain backup: Arlington Community Church, 52 Arlington Avenue, which kindly offered its space.
How to join
AAPAC is open to every Kensington family. We center Black, African, Caribbean and multiracial students and their families, and parents of every background are members alongside us. Grandparents, caregivers, staff and neighbors are welcome too. No experience needed.
To join, fill out our short sign-up form, or email us your name and how you are connected to Kensington. We will add you to our updates and send details for the next meeting.
We plan to meet monthly during the school year, 7:00 to 8:00 PM on Zoom, with an in-person option. If childcare or interpretation would help you attend, tell us.
We are also looking for a volunteer secretary to keep our notes, and a delegate to the district's African American Site Advisory Team. If either interests you, say so when you write.
Proposed meeting dates
- Thu, Nov 5
- Plans for the year and the Ruby Bridges Walk
- Thu, Dec 3
- Walk recap, and what families want in next year's school plan
- Thu, Jan 7
- How our students are doing, with the principal
- Thu, Feb 4
- Black History Month at school
- Thu, Mar 4
- Our recommendations to the School Site Council
- Thu, Apr 1
- Families' input on the district's LCAP, its yearly plan for goals and spending
- Thu, May 6
- Choosing next year's co-presidents
- Thu, Jun 3
- Year-end report and celebration
Families will confirm these dates at the November meeting.
Questions families ask us
Do I have to be Black to join?
No. AAPAC centers Black students and families, and parents of every background are members. Anyone who shares that commitment is welcome.
Is AAPAC part of the PTA?
No. AAPAC is the school's African American parent advisory council, following West Contra Costa Unified's model. We work closely with the PTA, the Kensington Education Foundation and the Culture and Community Coalition, and we bring Black families' perspectives to that work.
How much time does it take?
About an hour a month for meetings. Coming once still helps.
Can I share a concern privately?
Yes. Write or call us. We keep what you share private unless you ask us to raise it, and we never name children.
Who decides what AAPAC says?
Families do. We put formal complaints and public positions to a family vote, and both co-presidents approve public statements.
What does AAPAC do?
We advise the principal and the School Site Council, the group of parents and staff that approves the school's plan and how some of its funds are spent. We also host gatherings so Black families can find each other.
If something happens to your child
Tell the principal, and let us know. We will help you think through next steps.
The state's CA vs Hate line closed on July 1, 2026, and the Civil Rights Department now points people to the numbers above.