How many kindergarten openings at your school?

Do you know how many openings there are at your school for incoming kindergartners? Click Here to take survey


An SF K Files reader was smart to suggest we start a thread where parents can share how many open kindergarten spots are at their schools--i.e., how many non-sibling spots are available? The reader was kind enough to create a survey on Survey Monkey where parents can enter in the number of spots.

The reader wrote in:

One of the big problems with the school search (both public and private) is the limited availability of information. Your site is the closest thing to a clearinghouse I've seen; PPS-SF and SFUSD are fair, but not great, for public school, and of course there is no central point of contact for private/independent/parochial/other.

The suggestion I have is a specific one: would it be feasible to ask readers to submit whatever information they've garnered about the number of K spots actually available at each school? Sometimes this information is provided in a school tour; other times, no one has the nerve to ask the question, or perhaps the tour is scheduled so early in the process that the sibling numbers aren't in yet. It could save people a lot of time and energy to surface this information relatively early. E.g., last year, I heard that there were something like 3 K spots at Live Oaks; the earlier that fact gets out, the better chance it provides for people to truly evaluate whether it's worth their time to tour a school with such low availability. Similarly, at the SF School open house last week, supposedly the number of K spots was 2. (Total.)

The public schools all seem to have no idea how many siblings might be entering, but perhaps this information is guesstimatable by current parents at those schools/involved in those PTAs? Given the high preference that SFUSD accords for sibling assignment, it seems crazy that they have sibling applications due at the same time and part of the general process as the regular application pool; if people knew in December that, for example, there were only 2 spots left in a given K class, then a lot fewer people would be angry/disappointed about not getting into that school. (Basic PR, right? But PR/managing feelings of the parent community is not something SFUSD has budget or time for.)

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Hot topic: High school

An SF K Files visitor asked me to start a thread on high school:

I know it irks some of the kindergarten crowd, but would you consider posting a discussion of the search for a high school as a topic of discussion? That way, only those really interested in the high school discussion will read/post and those looking for elementary schools need not bother (unless of coarse they realize it really is just around the corner - time flies!)

Enrollment Fair: Share your impressions

An SF K Files reader asked me to post the following:

I just got back from the Enrollment Fair and would love to hear about everyone's experiences. Can you start a topic? I think it would be helpful to the EPC staff and schools to get constructive feedback while it is fresh in people's minds.

Hot topic: Private all-girls schools

An SF K Files reader asked me to post the following:

The discussion about boys' schools was fascinating! Can we talk about girls' schools now? Hamlin, Burke's, are there any other non-religious ones?

Paul Revere College Preparatory School

Reviewed by Marcia Brady

The Facts

Location: 555 Tompkins St. (Bernal Heights)

School hours: 8:00-3:00

Tel: 695-5656 Main, 695-5974 Annex

Principal: Lance Tagomori

Web site: http://www.paulreveresf.org/

School tours: Weds. 9-10 AM

Grades: Pre-K-8

Kindergarten size: 60 (3 classes of 20 each, 2 SI and 2 GE)

Total student body: 450 [as corrected by a poster; I think I had the # for the Annex]

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with:

Safety from budget cuts, a powerhouse principal, lots of financial resources

Class Structure / Curriculum: The two-way Spanish bilingual immersion program is replacing the current Spanish bilingual program 1 year at a time, and began with the K class of 2005, so now it is K-4. Right now, there is also a Spanish bilingual program for Spanish speakers from 3^rd grade on up. There is also a K-8 GE program, and a new Spanish immersion Pre-K. The school’s two buildings separate the older (4^th-8^th grade) and younger (Pre-K-3^rd grade) kids. The younger kids have no contact with the older kids except through a “buddy classoom system,” though they eat lunch in the main building’s cafeteria.

Math is “Everyday Math,” which I found thrilling, given all I’ve read on how pencil-and-paper, procedural math kills off math learning. Science is FOSS, a system that delivers “labs in a box” at varying grade levels.

Campus/Playground: Clean, bright, spacious early 20^th c. main building (for grades 4-8) and similarly impressive Annex building (grades Pre-K-3). The hallway boards were meticulously organized to showcase student art, writing projects, curricular innovation, etc. Though each building has its own yard, we only saw the Annex yard, one upper and one lower asphalt lot, with one small-ish play structure. The principal said that next on his docket was getting a new play structure.

After School programs: After school program runs 3-5:15

Additional Programs: Enrichment is grant-funded here, and thus secure from the vagaries of state funding and PTA fluctuations. Grants secure an extra paraprofessional in each classroom [a commenter says these are focused on the lower grades]. 20 kids per class K-5 and 18 per class 6-8, at leas through 2015. Games coach, science partnerships with Mission Science Center and UCSF.

PTA: Not much funds raised, I gathered [a commenter says their goal is $50K this year], but the president was articulate and seemed very dedicated. The PTA raises a few thousand for books for the library every year, which the principal matches. Meanwhile, the grants-getting and partnering-with-industry system that the principal is committed to ensures that the lower-income parents have as much say as those with more time and resources. I found this interesting, as I’ve worried a bit about the privatization-effect of depending on middle-class PTAs to fill in gaps left by state cuts.

Language program(s): Two-way bilingual Spanish immersion replacing Spanish bilingual program.

Library / Computer Lab: Oh. My. God. I see why they save it for the very last part of the tour. In the main building, the biggest, most beautiful library ever: 12,000 volumes, all catalogued online, in a space bigger than my local branch library. Library includes rotating artifact collection, displays of ethnic cultural items, other themed displays, charming bulletin board and wall art, etc. Grants have funded comfortable furniture and ambient lighting (the principal cited studies that said too much fluorescent light overstimulates kids). Accelerated readers can get help searching the catalogue using a “high-lexile reading index” for books appropriate to their level. There are 20 brand-new Mac computer terminals in the main library, 10 more in a small room in the annex, plus 20 mobile laptop stations with wireless and printers that go from classroom to classroom. Full-time librarian and half-time IT person. Kids have library 1x/week, plus time if they finish classroom work early. They can check out 2 books/week (1 fiction, 1 non-); I wish it were more but it’s my only complaint!

Arts: Looks like the standard district-wide offering. I did see a nice lesson on symmetry in English in an SI classroom.

PE: 2x/week, games coach on site 3x/week

Recess/Lunch: 2x/day recess, 20-min. lunch. Principal is about to experiment with having recess before lunch to get kids hungrier and help them settle down to eat rather than racing off to play, which seems an obvious move that no other school I’ve seen has made. Grants and parent volunteers supply healthy snacks.

Tour Impressions: This is the only tour I have been on that met in a dedicated meeting room, which made for a nice, quiet, thoughtful beginning. We were joined by the Principal, the PTA president, and 2 parents, for a brief intro and Q and A. Principal Tagomori asked each of us our name, our child’s name, and the name of the preschool our child was currently in, if any. He briefed us on the history of the school, which 5 years ago was in such poor shape that it became a STAR school, essentially recreated from the ground up (with only 2 staff remaining from the previous incarnation). The principal’s respect for his teachers shows, though; he even calls subs “guest teachers.” He described the space challenges that had come with both growth and the commitment to keep class sizes small (get ready for 2 new bungalow classrooms), and when a parent accosted him rather unpleasantly about PR’s test scores, patiently explained that they were building the school up from the lower grades, so they were skewed low by the upper grades as well as by the fact that immersion kids aren’t tested in the immersion language.

We then got to more or less wander into K-5 classrooms in small groups. The classrooms were remarkably spacious, sunny, and well equipped. Most of them had desks organized into small-group workstations, with kids attended to by the paraprofessional and teacher in rotation. The walls showed evidence of lots and lots of work on writing – second-graders’ similes, third-graders’ lessons on how to write a formal letter. It was tougher here to get a sense of the classroom dynamics because parents weren’t told not to talk, so they did – overall, I got a sense of alert, dynamic teachers and well-behaved though not entirely stifled children. PR has uniforms, which is fine by me!

Overall? Very, very impressive. Along with Eve Cheung at Junipero Serra, Lance Tagomori is the best principal I’ve seen thus far (keeping in mind that I didn’t meet principals at several schools, so no diss on them). I wonder if these two incredible principals at Bernal Heights have ever considered teaming up and creating a neighborhood of powerhouse schools, as neither has the high-rolling PTA thing going. In any case, Paul Revere seems meticulously well organized, resource-rich due to Principal Tagomori’s dedication to securing funds that can’t be violated by Arnold and/or by PTA problems, and very deserving of its STAR “dream school” status [later correction: as per a comment below, STAR/Dream School are technical designations for low-performing schools that have been targeted for particular funds and enhancements -- I should have invoked the hackneyed phrase "hidden gem" here instead!]. I’d be very surprised if it didn’t end up on my list!

Hot topic: Private schools for boys

An SFGate reader asked me to start the following thread. Please try to keep the focus on private schools for boys.

Not to stir the pot of private/public, but since it is that time of year, I would really love to see a 2009/2010 thread started for the independent schools for boys. My sense is that parents who choose all-girls schools often do so for pedagogical reasons surrounding same-sex education, while the all-boys schools in San Francisco tend to attract parents for very different reasons (they like the traditional/formal nature of the instruction). Not sure how to frame that in the context of a thread, but I would really love to hear from some other folks as to the self-selection of different types of families into the various all-boys schools…

I’m interested in learning more about the “personality” differences (both kids and parents) among those that choose same-gender education versus co-ed. I’ve been struck by the differences between Town, Stuart Hall, and Cathedral (versus one another, and the co-ed independents, as well as in the parents) but would love to hear from others!

LGBT Welcoming and Inclusive School forum

The upcoming LGBT Welcoming and Inclusive School forum will take place at Rosa Parks Elementary School at 1501 O'Farrell St. on sat , Nov 14 from 11:30-3:30 There will also be a school fair featuring public and independent SF schools. Lunch and childcare are included (suggested $5 donation). Please register at www.ourfamily.org or call Julia at 981-1960.

This would be a great place for families interested in family diversity in SF schools, people wanting a more low key experience than the huge school fair taking place on nov. 7, or those interested in learning more about Rosa Parks itself. It is a beautiful and diverse school located within walking distance of japantown. There is also a work day that day to prepare our courtyard for our greening project - there will be families of students currently enrolled who, I'm sure, would be happy to talk to you!

SFUSD Enrollment Fair tips

SFUSD Enrollment Fair
Saturday, November 7, 2009
9am to 2:30pm
San Francisco Concourse East Hall; 620 7th Street @ Brannan

Free Shuttle bus service is available thanks to First 5 San Francisco:
Burnett CDC (1520 Oakdale Ave): Pick up 8am,8:30am,9:30am
Cesar Chaves ES (826 Shotwell St.): Pick up 8:20am, 8:50am, 9:50am
Gordon J. Lau ES (950 Clay St.): Pick up 8:45am, 9:15am, 10:15am
Concourse pickups & returns: 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2pm

For Attendees

1. Plan to spend up to 2 hours at the Fair. (After 2 hours your brain turns to mush and you won't be able to remember any more!)

2. Use public transportation or shuttle buses (see schedule). Parking is limited and the nearby lots and garages are expensive.

3. Bring a tote bag to put all of the flyers and papers you'll pick up, including the Enrollment Guide and application.

4. Bring your calendar to schedule tours.

5. The Enrollment Fair can be noisy and crowded. Small children may feel overstimulated by the crowds. If you can arrange childcare, it would free you up to focus on your school search.

6. Childcare options:

- Free Childcare is available at the Fair for ages 3-7. Register via email at devlinn@sfusd.edu.

- Arrange for a playdate and trade with a friend - take turns going to the Fair.

7. Bring water - you'll be talking with a lot of different people.

8. Visit the PPS-SF table! We'll have Parent Ambassadors and staff that can give you even more tips on finding a school that works for you.

9. Attend a workshop at the Fair to get more information. Workshop schedules will be distributed at the fair.

10. Go to the PPS table to pick up a Getting Ready for Kindergarten Guide for info on Kindergarten Readiness, Enrollment Tips and information, and Resources.

Marin Preparatory School Open House on Wednesday, November 18, 2009

On behalf of the Marin Preparatory School Parent Group, please join us for an Open House (Adult Only) on Wednesday evening, November 18, 2009 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. We are located at 117 Diamond St. (near 18th St.) and light refreshments and food will be served. This will be a great opportunity to see the school, mingle with parents of enrolled students and talk with the faculty. Please RSVP to Head of School Ed Walters at (415) 865-0899. We look forward to meeting you!

Hot topic: twins

An SF K Files reader asked me to post the following:

I know there was a thread on this maybe two years ago but I can't find it. In any case, I'm wondering if you'd mind posting to your readers a question about twins and public school. I'm hoping to hear from people who have gone through the lottery in the last year or so and I'd like to know what the outcome was for Round 1. I know that some twins both get in to the same school but others get one kid in and the other wait listed. Thanks.

Clarification about Fairmount Elementary tours

I somehow didn't get the memo in time, but Fairmount is doing some of its 8:30-10:15 Tuesday tours entirely in Spanish: Nov. 3 and 17, and Dec. 1 and 15. The others are in English. No appointment necessary for either the Spanish or English tours, which end Tues., Jan 5. No tours on Dec. 22 or 29.

Since there were 4 or 5 of us English-speaking parents who hadn't gotten the message either, I thought I'd post this info and ask people to check their calendars and/or spread the word. And if you know Spanish-speaking families, please encourage them to attend the Spanish tours.

I'll return to Fairmount another day and post a review when I can.

Suggestions and preferences regarding parochial schools

Several parents have written in asking for a thread that focuses on parochial schools. Here you go!

Paging Buena Vista parents

By Marcia Brady

Kate wrote a very thorough review of this school two years ago for her search. You can find it here at: http://thesfkfiles.blogspot.com/2007/10/buena-vista-alternative-elementary.html, or by clicking the name under "Schools Reviewed." You'll find the basic facts about the school there too.

The thing is, I visited too, and I think it was a not-so-good tour day. We didn't see any classrooms because the teachers were out on professional development (which I take to be good), and our tour guide was honest to a fault about the flaws. I appreciated that, but it also potentially underplayed the school's strengths. I liked *many* of the things that impressed Kate, so please see her review. Buena Vista continues, to my eye, to be a school with a first-rate Spanish immersion program, a creative and progressive feel, and a dedicated and well-organized parent community. There's a strong LGBT parent presence there, which is good for us, and the emphasis on the arts fits our family's strengths and interests. As I understand it, it's one of my area's "trophy schools."

But I also had a few concerns, and rather than assuming that my impression of the place was the sum total, I thought I would ask parents what they thought. I know it's a well-loved place and probably deservedly so. So:

1) Space. Does Buena Vista feel overcrowded to you?

2) Recess seemed loosely supervised, compared to many places with Playworks, game coaches, etc.: has this been a problem? Or is the school cohesive enough that bullying and kids getting isolated aren't issues?

3) How are those 10-minute lunch shifts working out for your kids? Do they care, or would they rather go play anyway?

4) The price of that lovely nearby park, fenced grass/garden area, and spiffy playground is an almost deafening amount of noise from the 101, 280, and Cesar Chavez. Do you worry about noise or air pollution, or are the room to run around on grass and the expanded gross motor opportunities in the park worth it?

I'm feeling hesitant because it seems that any hint of concern isn't well-taken on this board, and I know parents, staff, and administrators have poured their hearts and resources into these schools. At the same time, it feels disingenuous to post only positives and no negatives. I hope that putting my concerns in the form of questions will allow Buena Vista parents and staff to respond constructively.

McKinley Elementary

Reviewed by Marcia Brady

The Facts

Location: 1025 14^th St. (at Castro)
School hours: 7:50-1:50

Tel: 241-6300
Principal: Rosa Fong
Web site: www.mckinleyschool.org

School tours: W and F, 8:15

Grades: K-5

Kindergarten size: 67 (1 class each of 22, with 1 extra this year)

Total student body: 275

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with:

A warm and intimate feel, racial and class diversity, and a great PTA committed to funding lots of enrichment.

Class Structure / Curriculum: GE with Spanish classes K-5 (note: not an immersion school), Special Ed. All students K-5 write daily, and each child’s writing is put on the wall on a clipboard, so they can riffle back and see how they have progressed.

Additional Programs: Adventures in Music, Harvest of the Month (native plant gardening and eating fruits and veggies), music and theater program, Environmental Science Education program at Marin Headlands (field trips for the kids, including overnights, prof’l development for the teachers). Each classroom has a planter box for gardening projects.

Campus/Playground: Modern building, exterior a bit shabby. Interior has a ski-lodge feel to it, with rough wood panels on the wall and brand-new dark red linoleum on the floors. The classrooms are arranged in a hub-and-spoke formation around a central library – the library has no walls, and is large, beautiful, and well stocked. The effect is that the library seems the center from which knowledge beams out into the classrooms. I would like to have seen more natural light coming into the interior (the windows are rice papered), but the school did feel very warm and cosy. Artwork on the walls included a ceramic mural of Victorian houses in SF, with each house done by a child. There is one bungalow for a second-grade classroom; principal says they are hoping to move that class into the main building and use bungalow for other purposes. Safely enclosed upper and lower playground protected by the hill McKinley’s on top of. Upper playground has new, beautiful Kaboom! play structure. Lower playground has one big dome-shaped jungle gym. Parents have been “greening” the facility with terraced gardens, plants, etc.

After School programs: After School Enrichment Program (ASEP), 1:50-6:00 PM for $250/month. Scholarships available, space not guaranteed but they have accommodated all this year’s K students.

PTA: Has grown from 15 to 200 strong. McKinley has just phased out of Title 1, so the PTA has taken over the funding lost. They raised $110,000 last year including playground, goal this year is $100K. PTA is split into committees for grant-writing, “passive” fundraising (e-scrip, etc.), special events, and annual outreach. Right now their priority is to maintain the enrichment programs that will be cut in all SFUSD schools next year (science, art, library, etc.)

Language program(s): Spanish language and Latino culture enrichment classes, coordinated with the rest of the curriculum.

Library / Computer Lab: See above for library. Lots of computer terminals – couldn’t get close enough to count, but I’d say at least 25. Kids have library with a librarian 1x/week, computer class 1x/week beginning in 3^rd grade. Teachers and parents can come to library anytime with kids to check ou book.

Arts: Artist-in-residence program

PE: 2x/week, coach on site MWF, emphasis on teaching teachers new skills and games to do with their kids.

Recess/Lunch: 20-minute AM recess, 30-40 minute lunch/recess in PM.

Parking: New street drop-off program to replace use of a playground for drop-off. Parents and 5^th graders escort dropped off kids to school. Neighborhood parking is tough.

Tour Impressions: We met in the “Cafegymnatorium,” a large multipurpose room, where we were serenaded by a parent trio of piano, clarinet, and violin playing “All of Me” and other songs. This is apparently a parent-run extra for every Weds. morning, not just to impress those of us on tour! But it gave a welcoming and festive feel to the tour. Principal Fong ran the tour, and showed us almost every classroom from K-5, so we could get a feel for the whole school.

We began with the K rooms, which were large, with individual desks clustered in work stations. (“Who are these people?” asked one child. “They’re crowding us!”). Both K rooms had a kitchen play area, Legos and other manipulatives, and a wooden dollhouse among other toys. Each K teacher spoke for a bit, which is unusual for a tour – one talked about using the writing time to allow kids to socialize a bit and to pull kids to work on special skills. In another K room the kids were doing worksheets, tracing letters and coloring art. In a third one, the principal asked the kids to tell us what they are learning (“Halloweens stuff!” “Family!” “How to Write”). Interestingly, the SFUSD kindergarten Content Standards were posted on huge poster board outside of each classroom. In the 2^nd grade classroom, a teacher had cut a paragraph into sentences and mixed them up, asking students to put the paragraph back together by finding the topic sentences, transitional sentences, etc. Also, for whatever it is worth, these were the most racially diverse classrooms I have seen on a tour: about 1/3 Latino, 1/3 white, and the other third split between African American and Asian. The upper grades looked a bit less mixed, with more Latino and African American kids. Since I know some people are concerned about their kid being in a small minority, I include this info. at the risk of sounding like it's my pet issue, which it isn't. I'm more concerned about alternative family structures, which are well represented there.

Among the many things we heard about was discipline – here they use red, yellow, and green cards (blue for excellence). The teacher moves the cards out from behind each other, so a new color peeking out indicates where behavior is headed. While I am not a fan of “evaluative” discipline, I found the principal’s explanation thought-provoking: she said that this was actually less shaming than reprimanding a student in front of others, as students were keenly attentive to their own cards but tended not to notice those of others. So I guess I am learning a bit about classroom management!

There is a strong LGBTQ parent community at McKinley, not surprising given the location in the Castro, and they meet regularly and do their own outreach. We also heard about staff retention – 100%, and about student teachers who begged to stay on. This principal offered something others have not: her e-mail address for questions (principal@mckinleyschool.org, answermaven@mickinleyschool.org).

Overall: I found McKinley to be a vibrant, cohesive school with a principal who clearly has vision, and a very committed PTA. Obviously, it’s not the school for you if you are dead set on immersion, but it looks like a great GE option for those who are OK with just Spanish enrichment. McKinley appears to be very much up-and-coming, and both the parents and principal were extremely welcoming and generous.

Town School for Boys

Reviewed by Claire

The Facts

Web site: www.townschool.com

School tours: by appointment – 415-921-3747

Location: 2750 Jackson Street

Grades: K-8

Total Enrollment: Approx. 400

Start time: 8:30 a.m.

Kindergarten size: 2 classes of 24 boys

Library: Huge and lovely with over 24,000 volumes

Tuition: Grades K-5: $23,710.00 (plus laptop fee for grade 5); Grades 6-8: $24,650.00

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with: a challenging and rigorous education supplemented by a focus on fine arts, a single-sex environment, a community which emphasizes and communicates the values of responsibility and respect, a high teacher to student ratio(1:11)

Playground: Another land-locked city school but they’ve done a lot with what they have. The play space and play structure are on the roof and they have a nice indoor gym.

After-school program: Extended Day until 6:00pm also offer an “Enrichment Activities Program” providing interest-specific classes after school.

Language: Latin and Spanish

Financial Aid: Tuition Assistance is awarded based on need (calculated through SSS and adjusted for SF cost of living.) Tuition Assistance and Admission are considered separately.

General Information:

The Tour:

We began in the Head’s office. I was late and so stood outside the room and had a hard time hearing what was happening. My bad. A parent docent led the tour and several other parents were along to answer questions and shepherd us along. We visited both Kindergarten classes. The teachers wear an amplification microphone that projects their voice around the room. It was explained that these were tools to help auditory learners. The boys in Room A were sitting in a circle and taking turns saying good morning. The boys were focused and delighted as they practiced politely saying hello to their neighbor and then turning so the next boy could have his chance. Room B was transitioning from one task to the next and the boys were having a bumpy time getting from place to place. The teacher was patient and clearly not rattled by a lot of energy in the room.

We saw an empty first grade classroom. The class was spacious, bright and cheerful with lots of art and children’s work up on the walls. I noticed there were many posters here (and around the entire school) emphasizing being a good citizen, being respectful, etc.

They use the Chicago Math system and talked about the concept of “Spiral Learning” which aims to strengthen students' understanding of basic concepts by revisiting the concepts periodically with different contexts and with increasing sophistication throughout the curriculum.

We briefly met the Coach in a spacious indoor gym. The docent showed us the outside play area – there are upper and lower Astroturfed “fields” on the rooftop. It’s a great solution for a city building. There is a play structure for the younger boys. The sports program has an emphasis on character building and every boy who wants to play on a team has the opportunity. The Coach’s motto is “A team for every boy. A league for every team.” There is daily PE along with two recesses.

We visited the large, bright, lovely art studio. The artwork the boys produce is all over the school and clearly a well-deserved source of pride.

All upper school boys have their own personal laptop (a cost in addition to tuition.) Upper school has a focus on media literacy and character education. We visited an upper school science class and peeked in a few other classrooms. Again there was a lot of wonderful student art on the walls along with examples of work. The docent pointed out a math activity using sports statistics and talked about how great the teachers were at engaging boys utilizing their interests.

We met the lower school head who explained that the boys are divided into “Family” Groups which include one boy from each grade along with a teacher. Together they work to do community service types of activities. The groups stay together throughout their years at Town.

Claire’s Impressions: The facility is top-notch and there is no doubt that the education they deliver is excellent. The boys and teachers looked happy and focused as they went about their day. The docent didn’t talk much about the single-sex aspect of the school but the literature they gave me a bit more information. A letter from the head explained that their teaching is differentiated as much as possible to meet boys’ learning needs. On the tour I saw a consideration for boys’ needs for movement and engaging their high activity level. I heard talk of “competitive spirit” and quite a lot about sports. All good things but I walked away feeling that the definition of “boy” was slightly narrow and very traditional.

I considered not mentioning this since it probably says more about me than about Town but it’s honestly my most lasting impression from the tour. We were taken though the cafeteria and the docent mentioned the locally sourced organic offerings for the boys. On the tables were loaves of white bread, jars of Skippy peanut butter, individual packs of chips and juice boxes. One person pointed and said “What’s that?” and we were told that the “family groups” were packing lunches for the homeless. Now, I don’t shop for fresh produce at Whole Foods and then hand it out at the Civic Center so I’m the last person to throw stones here but the juxtaposition of the healthy food for the kids and the crap being given away was startling to me. What was even more startling was the palpable wave of relief from the rest of the tour group and the docent’s nervous laughter as the question was answered– I felt like the only one in the room with mouth agape. I left wondering how often I might find myself in that position.

Glen Ridge Coop Auction

It's Auction time! Mark your calendars, book your sitters, and come to a wonderful night out. Some of the amazing items you could win include getaways to Tahoe, Sea Ranch, Mendocino and Sonoma; dining at Chez Panisse, Firefly, Lime, Zuni and Foreign Cinema; passes to Disneyland; private wine tasting at the Wine Club; tickets to the theater, Smuin Ballet and SF Symphony; jewelry; classes; merchandise and so much more! Visit www.glenridgecoop.org/auction for a complete listing of auction items.
With silent and live auctions, live music, fabulous food, and bottomless wine and beer bar, Glenridge Cooperative Nursery School parents know how to throw a party! Get a jump on your holiday shopping, connect with old and new friends, and support a great San Francisco institution.

Tickets at the door or contact Tersh Barber, Glenridge Parent (and Paul Revere Spanish Immersion Kinder Parent), via email tersh_barber@yahoo.com.

Glenridge Cooperative Nursery School Benefit Auction 2009
"Our Magical Canyon"
Saturday, November 14, 2009
6-10pm
The Janet Pomeroy Center
207 Skyline Blvd., San Francisco
$20 admits 2 people! (tickets available at the door)
www.glenridgecoop.org/auction

Attendance area preferance

PPSSF asked me to post the following:

There has been a lot of discussion and confusion regarding the attendance area preference in the Student Assignment System and where you should rank that school on the application I just received confirmation from the EPC that the statement below is how the Student Assignment System treats attendance area schools.

In the technical description of the SAS it states that for attendance area schools, attendance area kids within the applicant pool will be selected as long as their demographic profile increases diversity. Further it states, that once attendance area kids no longer increase diversity and all kids within the applicant pool are considered, if there are multiple kids within a selected demographic profile than the kid who lives within the attendance area will be selected for assignment. It does NOT state that this attendance area preference is only considered if the attendance area school is the applicants first choice. The technical description of the SAS can be found at http://portal.sfusd.edu/data/epc/DI_Handout_Combo.pdf.

Bottom line is that attendance area preference is given regardless of the school rank on the application and it does not require the applicant to place their attendance area school first on their application.

Vicki Symonds
Parents for Public Schools-SF
vicki@ppssf.org

Hot topic: How much do school PTAs and foundations raise?

An SF K Files reader asked me to post the following:

Would it be possible to start a topic about PTAs and school foundations? I know it may be controversial to ask this but I'm wondering if anyone has a list of how much money each school's association has raised and how it breaks down per student?

Student assignment presentations are posted!

(This originally appeared on the blog of Rachel Norton, commissioner on the SF Board of Education)

I promised I would post electronic copies of the two presentations we heard at this week’s Ad Hoc Committee on Student Assignment, and here they are, thanks to the diligence of Orla O’Keeffe. I am quite interested in what people think of the presentation from the researchers at Stanford — but I suggest you look at it while watching the webcast of Monday’s meeting (click on the “Video” link for Oct. 19; the researchers are on about 17 minutes in) to get the most out of this information-rich document. Additionally, I’m posting the presentation Ms. O’Keeffe delivered during the meeting, which summarizes the work done to date, the proposed options for a new assignment system, and the measurements that are being proposed for evaluating those proposed options.

Enjoy! And please let me know what you think.

Creative Arts Charter School's Fall Fair

Everyone is welcome at Creative Arts Charter School's Fall Fair

Saturday, October 24, 2009
11:00 am to 4:00 pm

In the school yard : 1601 Turk St @ Pierce

Games, prizes, Cake walk, bouncy houses, dunk tank, food & drink, and... if you dare... a haunted house!

New this year: Fall Bazaar
Do your holiday shopping with our artisans, providing one-of-a kind handcrafted treasures.

Lafayette Elementary

Reviewed by June

*I am already starting to tire of school tours (mainly all the parent questions – wow!), but do find them helpful as I seem to get a definite feeling by meeting the principal and looking around the school. Mathias and I have definitely got a yes or no feeling from each school. I have revised my list somewhat, dropping a few “trophy” schools (including my old school – Sherman) that may not be convenient for us and adding more less talked about schools including New Traditions and Francis Scott Key. I hope to have all tours done before Thanksgiving so it is going to be busy as my list is 11 schools long (4 down 7 to go!!). Anyways here is all about Lafayette:

The Facts

Location: 4545 Anza Street
School hours: 7:50-1:55
Tel: (415)750-8433
Principal: Ruby G. Brown
Web site: www.lafayettedolphins.net
School tours: Principal guided – Wed 8:30, call for Apt.
Grades: K-5
Kindergarten size: 4 classes of 22
Total student body: 513

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with:

Large diverse school with strong principal, established and active PTA as well as many extras. Lower demand school with less than 70 first choice requests last year. Lafayette is also a magnet school for the deaf and has a full inclusion class.

Campus/Playground

Large building from 1927 with indoor hallways, large windows and high ceilings – no 1970s remodel like other Richmond dist schools. There is a beautiful auditorium with stage on first floor and separate cafeteria on the “basement” floor. The bathrooms were recently redone and the one we went into (just off cafeteria and yard) was HUGE!

Large yard on 36^th Ave side of school building with play structure and garden.

After School programs

On Site – Richmond District After-School Cooperative 1^st-5^th grades. Richmond District YMCA program.

Busses to – JCCSF, Havurah Youth Center, Presidio CDC, and Alamo Elementary

Enrichment Programs – Mandarin afterschool class. Also various afterschool activities from science to art – visit website for full list.

PTA

Lafayette has a very active PTA that produces the school play, organizes volunteers and fundraisers and hosts school events. Look at the website for an idea of the many PTA organized events and programs.

Language program(s):

Mandarin after school program.

Library / Computer Lab

Large library staffed by Pro H funded librarian 3 days a week. Each class gets 45 minutes – one day a week in the library. The librarian has a piano in the library as well that he sometimes plays with the students. Computer lab has been recently re-located and is currently not fully operational – the school is currently looking to hire someone to run the lab. Classes also have a computer in the classroom

Arts

Annual school play produced by the PTA and includes all students. Lafayette parents teach art to grades K-3 through a program funded by the PTA called Art in Action. There are 12 lessons for the school year that use famous masterpieces as teaching tools. Artists in residence program.

Garden/Green Yard

Garden located at back of school yard, watered using rain water collected in large tank.

Homework

20-30 minutes a day for Kindergarten, gradually increasing to 1 hour 15 minutes or 1 hour 30 minutes for 5^th graders to prepare them for middle school.

PE

Lafayette is currently hiring a new PE teacher (their beloved teacher just left them after a long tenure and they are currently trying to fill his very big shoes). The PE teacher works with students 35-40 minutes a week (2x a week) and the teachers work with the PE teacher to be able to supplement the other days.

Tour Impressions (I have tried to outline all the details above so I can focus here just on my impressions)

I had a good feeling the minute I walked into Lafayette. It was a purely aesthetic feeling -the older building is charming and large windows and high ceilings give a light and airy feeling to the inside. Art and photos were thoughtfully displayed on large bulletin boards in the halls, with each class displaying their work on their own board. There were also boards with class and teacher information, PTA events etc. It looked exactly like one would expect a school to look like. Mathias was a bit overwhelmed by the size, commenting that it felt more like a middle school, but it did not feel machine like in its size (unlike the feeling I got from Alamo). While we waited for the tour (snacking on the snacks and coffee provided! Thanks Lafayette!) we watched students in groups of two as they brought (presumably) attendance sheets to the office, and others went in class groups down the hall. I was pleased to see that Lafayette was a very diverse school; representing the rainbow of the city we live in.

Their principal of 12 years Ruby Brown charmed me instantly. She was a strong personality, definitely in strict control of the large school she heads. But at the same time she was cheerful and animated. She interacted happily with children, teachers and volunteer parents as we passed them in the halls. She seemed to expect a certain order and manner of behavior from the students, and they knew it. I had to laugh as two students came running around the corner in the hall and the minute they saw Ms. Brown an “oh oh” look flashed over their faces and they slowed to a orderly walk. Not a word said on her part - no voice raised. I know to some parents they may not like this, but for me I think it is necessary in such a large school. And it was not like she was mean, cold or unfriendly, quite the opposite, she felt warm and motherly, but at the same time in complete control. A parent asked her if she was able to get to know most students since it was such a large school, and she said she makes a point to try to get to know all the students, especially those who do not make themselves known to her. I also felt that she was the type of person who would make sure things got done if she wanted them done, whether dealing with her staff or the district.

Our first stop on the tour was the auditorium, and the minute I walked in the familiar smell hit me over the head and took me back to my school auditorium. It was beautiful, with wood on the walls and a big stage where the annual school play and Opera in the schools are held, as well as other events.

After the auditorium we entered one of the kindergarten classrooms via the yard. This had to have been my favorite of all the classrooms, though they were all very nice. It had high ceilings and big windows and a wonderful reading nook with pillows and tons of books. The teacher was young and lively, though she seemed a bit taken aback by the size of our group. The teacher was helping students as needed as they worked on worksheets and there was a class volunteer filling paint pots in the corner.

Besides parent volunteers some classrooms also had senior citizen volunteers through a school wide program. All the kindergarten classes had tons of artwork and academic work on display in their rooms. One had a pet snake (Maddie would LOVE that!) and all had book nooks, though all in different set ups. They all seemed warm and welcoming, full of life yet not over cluttered or full of distractions. The upper grade classrooms were also welcoming and displayed student work. All the teachers seemed friendly and enthusiastic, and the children happy and involved.

We got to see recess in action while we were there too. The lower grades go out together, and then the upper grades. It did seem a bit chaotic, but about what I remember of recess! Get the energy out there, and not in the classroom. I found the small garden tucked in the back of the yard charming, and loved the bench area next to it - no kids were there, but it was a nice quiet spot if a child wanted to sit on their own or in a small group.

Both Mathias and I left with a great feeling about Lafayette. It is a definite on our list, I loved the principal, the teachers I met, the community vibe and the school itself. The fact that it is a 5-minute drive from our place is a definite plus, especially with the early start time.

If you have toured Lafayette and feel I missed something please put it in the comments - I am sure what stands out to some does not to me and vice versa. Also if you have kids there let us all know what you like about your school.

SFGate: S.F. schools' lunch money cut off; rules broken

An excerpt from a story on SFGate:

School lunches have long been the butt of bad jokes featuring mystery meat and plastic-wrapped bean burritos, but in San Francisco, feeding more than 30,000 children every day - while following strict federal rules - is no laughing matter.

Since April, the school district has had to pony up the $1.5 million monthly cost of the lunch program for low-income students after state inspectors on a surprise visit found violations they deemed so serious and recurring that they cut off the flow of federal reimbursements.

The violations had nothing to do with the quality of food being served, but stem from the school district's inability to follow bureaucratic rules governing the federally subsidized National School Lunch Program, which is administered by the state.

To ensure no child goes without a lunch, the district meanwhile has spent more than $11 million, money it will get back once city schools show they can follow the rules - something district officials have been working on since the inspection.

While the federal rules weren't written with picky, distracted and hungry children in mind, they are there to guarantee taxpayers only feed students whose families meet the program's income guidelines to qualify for the program.

A rare, harsh penalty

The decision to cut off the school lunch money was rare - it's a harsh penalty used on maybe one district statewide in any given year and only in the most severe cases, state officials said.

"When we withhold funds, it's because our findings are pretty egregious," said Phyllis Bramson-Paul, director of the California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division. "We're not taking away money; we're just not going to give it until there's integrity in their meal claims."

The district is reimbursed $2.68 in federal funding for each low-income child who receives a free lunch; $2.28 each for students who receive a reduced-rate lunch; and 25 cents each for those who buy lunch at full price. The state chips in 22 cents per lunch. The district charges $2 for lunch for students who don't need assistance and is not reimbursed at a rate that covers its costs. The district lost $2.8 million on lunch last year.

In San Francisco, state inspectors paid surprise visits to 12 schools between December and March, three years ahead of the normal inspection schedule because of rules violations found in 2006 and 2008. As in the previous visits, inspectors found "critical" problems in the way schools counted program-funded meals. Other problems were found as well.

One school broke a federal rule requiring the presence of an anti-discrimination poster in every cafeteria reading "And Justice for All." Another failed to offer milk with various levels of fat content as required; the principal had pulled the nonfat chocolate milk because of sugar content.

"They want to make sure they were doing their due diligence to protect the public funds," said Nancy Waymack, the school district's director of policy and operations for the inspections.

Read the full story: click here

Monroe Elementary School Fall Fun Festival: This Saturday

This Saturday, Oct. 24, from noon-5p, Monroe Elementary School in the
Excelsior District is holding its seventh annual Fall Fun Festival.
There's a haunted house, a cake walk, a bike rodeo, a lollipop tree and
lots of other activities and fun. Come in costume if you like! Admission
is free.

Monroe Elementary is a three-strand SFUSD school, with Spanish
Immersion, Chinese Bilingual and General Education programs. We welcome
everyone to our annual event and hope to see you there!

260 Madrid Street at Excelsior, San Francisco, 94112

Starr King PTA Annual Car Wash & BBQ

Saturday, October 24, 2009
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Regular wash - $10.00
Deluxe wash - $20.00

Proceeds help fund field trips, enrichment programs, school beautification and so much more.

The fun includes:
- BBQ lunch
- DJ Tony
- Bake sale

Starr King Elementary School
1215 Carolina Street, Potrero Hill

Junipero Serra Elementary

Reviewed by Marcia Brady

Marcia here, wondering if it's useful to be doing this if everyone just wants to flog the public-vs-private debate. But here goes:

Background: Junipero Serra hit my radar because a group of last year’s families were placed there after going 0/7, visited, and had good things to say. I’m not sure how many of them stayed, but thought (and still think!) the school deserved a look.

The Facts

Location: 625 Holly Park Circle (Bernal Heights)

School hours: 8:30-2:30

Tel: 695-5685

Principal: Eve Cheung

Web site: through SFUSD portal

School tours: Call for appointment

Grades: K-5

Kindergarten size: 2 or 3 Ks of 20 each (alternating years)

Total student body: 272, 82% free/reduced lunch, 62% from Spanish-speaking households.

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with:

An energetic, thoughtful, and open-minded principal, an intimate feel, a focus on science and technology, and the opportunity to help a school grow.

Class Structure / Curriculum: The principal tried split grades (say, 4-5 together if there is overflow) and said it doesn’t work, so she alternates between 2 K classes and 3 K classes every other year. So the average is 2 ½ classes adding up to 40 or 60, depending on your year. In the upper grades, they’ve tried to hold it to 25 kids per class as opposed to the state cap of 32.Curriculum is GE and Spanish bilingual for English Language Learners. Their focus is science and technology, and they have a partnership with UCSF for 4^th and 5^th grades for science. PE 2x/week. Homework of 20 minutes reading at home plus 10 mins of review worksheets beginning in K and increasing as grades go up.

Campus/Playground: 1950s(?), quite bland building with new interior paint on Holly Park Circle, plus the Child Development Center Annex on Appleton St. The CDC facilities also house some of the K classrooms, and is made up of trailer-style bungalows. The outside of both sites’ buildings could use refurbishing. The K class(es) in the Annex walk up Appleton St. to the bigger building 2x/week for certain events, but have their own small-scale play structure and a large asphalt yard for their recess and a cafeteria for their own lunch. The Annex also has a community room. The main building has a yard we didn’t see, and the whole school uses Holly Park regularly. The main building also has a cafeteria, and computer center, and a small library with a resource specialist.

I asked about the low-income housing units across the street from the Annex. The principal said that far from causing problems, the people in the units looked out for the school, and many had kids there. She said they’d had no trouble at all and seemed very positive about the residents. The units are small-scale and didn’t seem to have the vacant or boarded up apartments that cause problems.

After School programs: Free After School Success club during school-year until 5:30, sliding scale Child Development Center year-round.

Additional Programs: Caring School Community Program, which puts older and younger kids together in buddy pairs and has kids involved in problem-solving class meetings. Principal said that they had eliminated their anti-fighting program some time ago, after eliminating that problem. She also said that each teacher had a release teacher for 1 hour daily, but that next year’s cuts would eliminate that. There is also a gardening program.

PTA: “In development.” Principal said she relies on her active and knowledgeable parents, but it is harder to do fundraising and get leadership with a larger population lower-income and immigrant families than many schools have. She does PTA meetings with simultaneous translators, though, to prevent some populations being left out: I liked that, as it speaks to her wish to serve all populations equally. I’m guessing that funds raised are minimal thus far, but Ms. Cheung wants to do more and has plans – and the 2008 mini-review of Serra mentions teachers having raised $37K.

Language program(s): Principal said they are trying to establish Spanish classes after school to draw in more English-speaking families interested in second-language instruction.

Library / Computer Lab: The kids have library class 1x/week, and the library is open 11-2:30 daily. The computer lab was especially impressive – it had 30 or so new Mac desktops, a VCR and large-screen TV, and a white board for projections. The principal said that the lab was one of her priorities.

Arts: Standard for the district

PE: 2x/week.

Recess/Lunch: AM recess of 20 mins., 1-hour lunch/recess combo in PM.

Tour Impressions:

This school has a very impressive principal – Eve Cheung is smart, down-to-earth, not at all condescending or saccharine, enthusiastic about middle-class parental involvement but aware of and solving for potential conflicts of class and culture. And she seemed to know the name of every student she spoke to – both she and the resource specialist who was shadowing her for the day’s tour interacted with kids in the halls and classrooms, gently reminding them to walk or pick up a stray backpack.

We saw more classrooms here than I’d seen on any tours, including many from the upper grades. Most were large-ish, with the freedom to move desks into circles, small work groups, etc. The teachers actually have teachers’ desks here, too. The best example was a GE classroom of kindergartners. They were working on writing letters in small groups. Some had paper-and-pencil worksheets. Some were pasting tissue paper onto large-scale line-drawings of letters. Some were building letters with clay. Some were arranging felt bars, arcs, and so on into letter shapes. The classroom was really calm, and after a while I realized that part of this was because the teacher had instrumental music playing. The kids seemed really on-task, and the atmosphere felt warm and supportive for what they were doing. The principal said that the teachers were expanding as best they could beyond the paper-and-pencil Houghton-Mifflin language arts curriculum, accommodating other learning styles with this kind of experimentation with texture, space, and sound. She also said they do pull-out groups for “focal” students – high-achieving and low-achieving – so they can offer some differentiated instruction.

In the SB and GE upper grades we visited, there was ample evidence of high-level standards. The SB kids in 3^rd grade were working on commas, and the 4^th grade GE classroom had wall charts about types of angles and triangles, as well as the “process-based” writing instruction used in college writing programs. The 5^th-graders had had a trip to Alemany farm canceled because of the weather and were playing “U.S. States” bingo.

Junipero Serra would be a good choice for a group of middle-class southeast parents who decided to make it their Round 1 choice and help improve it, as parents did at Miraloma so long ago. Alternately, parents who find themselves placed there would do well to visit it and, again, think about teaming up and making a commitment. It’s not where Webster is yet, but it has a solid base: it’s a calm, well-run, warm school with well-kept if not yet creatively redecorated facilities, and a wonderful principal who seems ready to seize new opportunities.

Student assignment committee, Oct. 19

(originally posted on the blog of Rachel Norton, commissioner on the SF Board of Education)

Apologies in advance for a very long post! Tonight’s meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on Student Assignment was productive, but information-packed. I feel as if we got a little bit closer to a policy, but the amount of data to weigh continues to be overwhelming. We heard a very interesting presentation from a team of researchers at Stanford, Harvard, Duke and MIT, who performed simulations of several of the options presented to the Board, as well as a few new ones (Option 3 is the Zone or so-called Zebra option discussed at last month’s meeting–it was not simulated for reasons that are discussed later on):

• Option 1: Local (”neighborhood”) school assignment with city-wide schools;
• Option 2: Local assignment with wider choice (parents are guaranteed local school assignment or can submit choices for city-wide attendance area schools and schools in other attendance areas);
• Option 4: Choice with local preference (students are assigned primarily by choice with preference for those who live in a school’s assignment area) — this and the next two options are new additions since the Sept. 14 meeting;
• Option 5: Choice with academic preference (students are assigned primarily by choice with preference for students who live near/attend a school with a low Academic Performance Index (API);
• Option 6: Choice with academic and local preference (students are assigned primarily by choice with a preference for students who live near/attend a school with a low API, followed by a preference for students who live in the attendance area.

It would be impossible for me to summarize the results of these simulations, because they are so information packed, but I’ll post the results from tonight’s presentation as soon as I can get an electronic copy. Suffice it to say that I think, from the discussion, that Board members were glad to get more options to consider. I’m personally very intrigued by the idea of “academic preference,” since the whole point of our choice system was to give families without choices a way of accessing better academic options. And, perhaps not surprising to anyone, our current system performed worse by several different measurements than any of the options being considered.

There was an extended discussion about whether choice is, by its very nature, inequitable — to actually exercise your ability to “choose,” you have to be able to tour schools, investigate options, understand the process and turn in paperwork on time. I understand the argument, but I’m not sure there is a solution other than to lower the stakes of failing to participate (which I think that guaranteed assignments to local schools might accomplish), and to redouble our efforts to improve outreach to the 20 percent of families (overwhelmingly African American and Latino) who don’t turn in their applications on time.

The researchers also recommended the Board strive for “simplicity” and “non-wastefulness” in any assignment system. Simplicity means (duh) avoiding complexity, and creating systems where it is always in the best interests of parents to just rank their choices truthfully. Anyone who has ever agonized “I love School A but think I’ve got a better chance at School B, so maybe I should rank that one first,” should truly relate to this.

“Non-wastefulness” is a little less straightforward as a concept, but the researchers use it in the sense of honoring parents’ preferences. So, if two assignment systems fulfill the Board’s goals equally well, but system A gives 60 percent of parents a choice that they picked, while system B only accomplishes that for 20 percent of parents, the system A is less “wasteful” than system B.

Also contained in tonight’s presentation were a list of 10 or so proposed measurements by which the Board would evaluate systems under consideration. These measurements would include:

• Reduce the link between on-time participation and access to the range of opportunities;
• Increase diversity at focus schools (currently racially-isolated with high concentrations of underserved students);
• Decrease the number of under-enrolled schools;
• Minimize the number of schools with more than x percent of students achieving below basic/far below basic (percentage intentionally left undefined for now, in this measurement and those to follow, so that the Board can have further discussions about these benchmarks):
• Minimize the number of schools with more than y percent of a single racial/ethnic group ;
• Minimize the number of schools with more than x percent of students achieving below basic/far below basic combined with y percent of a single racial/ethnic group;
• Minimize the number of schools with more than z percent of students with a low socio-economic status;
• Minimize the number of schools with more than z percent of English Language Learners.

Board members also suggested additional measurements that could be considered, such as cost of various approaches, comparing outcomes of proposed systems with current outcomes, and evaluating the equity of various approaches (not sure how we would measure equity but Commissioner Fewer volunteered to work with staff on this concept).

Finally, we discussed Option 3 — the zone concept from last month’s meeting. The researchers and staff members did not simulate it, because up to now they have not come up with a way of doing so that would be in any way predictive or instructive (our current system is so different that it is almost impossible to juxtapose the choices parents make under the current system with choices they might make under such a radically different system). Though four Board members voiced support for this approach at the last meeting, this time around I detected far less interest in the idea of citywide zones. I did make the suggestion that perhaps we should at least see the number of parents whose choices would fall within their proposed zone — if only to evaluate whether anyone is making choices that would align with the zone concept — the researchers and staff said they would look into the feasibility of doing so.

In reading over all of this I realize that it doesn’t really provide evidence for my sense that we are moving closer to a final policy. I guess my optimism stems from the fact that the Board overwhelmingly endorsed the proposed measurements that will guide us in evaluating policy options; and also from the fact that we now have some options on the table that seem to better represent the Board’s goals and community input. Based on what I have heard so far, Options 2 and 6 are those that come closest.

Hot topic: Tips for going through the private school process

An SF K Files reader asked that I post the following:

We're touring privates. I'd love to hear from others who have gone through the process. I know that it's tough to get into these schools and I hear that every move you make matters. Though I imagine that some things matter more than others. I hope to get some advice.

What you should know about Middle School

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
6:00-8:00pm
Everett Middle School; 450 Church Street @ 16th St.

Transportation: Muni 22,33, 37, J; 16th St. Bart station; Free parking, enter on 17th Street

In English with Spanish interpretation

Everett Middle Schoolis sponsoring a Middle School Parent Panel event focusing on topics of interest for those applying to public middle schools .

* Get tips and advice on key enrollment dates, information and resources.

* Learn about how various middle schools handle:

o Electives and class scheduling;

o Safety and transportation;

o Language Immersion programs;

o GATE (Gifted and Talented Education)

* Talk with PPS Parent Ambassadors at this event about their middle schools

Co-sponsored by Parents for Public Schools-SF.

Sorry, but KidsWatch will not be available for this event. For more information, please contact PPS-SF at 861-7077 or info@ppssf.org.

Hot topic: How prepared was your child for Kindergarten?

An SF K Files reader asked me to start the following thread:

I would love to hear from parents what they thought were valuable skills that helped their child thrive in kindergarten. Were they social and emotional skills, or "academic" type of skills like pre-reading and pre math? It would be great to hear about the kinds of K programs their child attends: art-based, language immersion, basic 3 R's type of classes, etc... and how their child was prepared (or not) for such. Any surprises on the difficulty of K? I hear that kindergarten is the new First Grade! I wanted to get an idea of how best to prepare my child.

Daniel Webster Elementary

Reviewed by Marcia Brady [additions and corrections in brackets]

The Facts

Location: 465 Missouri St. (Potrero Hill)

School hours: 8:40-2:40 (new for this year!)

Tel: 695-5787

Principal: Moraima Machado

Web site: via SFUSD portal [addition: new school website to launch shortly]

School tours: Fri 9 AM

Grades: K-5

Kindergarten size: Listed in 5-yr. comparison sheet as 22 GE, 44 SI

Total student body: 180 [corrected] with room to grow about another 100.

Odds of getting in: GE 53.6%, though the 5-year data says only 1 person put it as first choice for this year. SI is new, so everyone who wanted it got it. For next year, I’d say the odds are great, given that they have room to expand both in terms of enrollment and space.

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with:

Lots of parent and community momentum, Spanish immersion, a sunny and sweet neighborhood with good parking!

Class Structure / Curriculum: Looks fairly standard – the principal said that they are accountable to No Child Left Behind, and to having their test scores rise, but trying not to just teach to the test. But I saw some evidence of “inquiry-based” learning and some more free-flowing stuff. They had a poster about voting labeled “What I know,” “Questions I have,” and “What I learned,” for example, and samples of kindergartners’ pretend and real writing on the walls. The real good news is that whatever the curriculum, DW has first pick of all applicants to the district, as a “hard to staff school” due to its previous incarnation, and has a very rigorous interview process.

Campus/Playground: 1960s or 70s breezeway-style building (no hallways, just stairs and a shaded sidewalk). Two bungalows for the preschool. Kids in the main building do have to go through classrooms to get to other classrooms, which wasn’t as disruptive as I would have guessed. Fresh exterior and exterior paint, new floors throughout. There’s also new “greentop” in the playground that the preschool bungalows are on, with painted game templates (hopscotch, etc.). The courtyard has an edible garden that looked great, and other nooks and crannies in the breezeway were filled with plants – and had some shade. DW has a lot of space – there’s a dedicated parents’ resource room, a library, the biggest computer lab I have seen yet (with something like 35 stations), a cafeteria/auditorium, a dedicated room for dance and movement classes, and apparently room to add classes.

After School programs: Child Development Center.

Additional Programs: There is a private preschool on-site, Potrero Kids at Daniel Webster, and the big and little kids are brought together for assembly. Lots of emphasis on social skills here: they have a therapist, a counselor, and a behavior specialist, and issue “white tickets” for “random acts of kindness.”

PTA: Dedicated, growing. Core is people who started by saving DW from closing 4 years ago. Fundraising small ($7K last year) but they’ve been great about getting private [correction: not all private] funds in there: the Potrero Hill Residents Education fund, [a 501(c)3 nonprofit], has been instrumental.

Language program(s): Dual immersion Spanish

Library / Computer Lab: A small library, with books in the process of being unpacked after the new floors went in, so it was hard to tell anything about the collection except that it was bilingual. Librarian available only 1.5x/week but they hope to expand. Computer lab is huge (35-40 terminals?); kids go 1x/week for 35 minutes with a specialist.

Arts: They have the usual 1x/week dance, art, and music. John Calloway, I a well-known SF jazz musician, does the instrumental program.

PE: 2x/week, Playworks

Recess/Lunch: Three 20-minute recesses. They keep the principal plus paraprofessionals at each recess. 20-minute lunch, grouped by age.

Tour Impressions:

We started outside and then proceeded to several classrooms. We saw a first-grade Spanish immersion program where the teacher was miked, apparently a pilot program to see if that increases comprehension. Kids were talking about the weather in Spanish, with some unison and some Q and A. We also saw the 1^st grade GE, where they were doing small-group writing work and seemed distracted (probably by us). I was pleased to see some emphasis on the traditional language arts: on the walls there were materials on complete sentences, proofreading marks, etc. We also saw a Spanish immersion Kindergarten that seemed quite dynamic – a young Teach for America teacher who was moving through counting to 38 in Spanish at a good clip, joking with the students in Spanish, etc., while gently keeping discipline in hand. Lastly, we saw a cool music/art class where kids were drawing to Peter and the Wolf and learning about bass and treble clef.

Overall? Wow, these people have done a lot in record time. I really didn’t want to drink the “hidden gem” Kool-Aid, but I have to concur that it deserves that designation. The “before” pictures the tour guides showed us showed a dilapidated set of sheds, whereas now the physical plant is cheery and green: not an architectural wonder, to be sure, but made into the best version of itself. And I think that’s true for the new Spanish immersion program. For this year, 75% of the preschool kids’ parents apparently chose DW, which says a lot, and there are more coming from the preschool, bringing parents who have been very active with that project. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for the Flynn of 2-3 years ago--the elevator has left the ground and is going up—and/or to anyone who is looking to become part of a vibrant parent community. I would not recommend it to anyone who hates uncertainty, because there will undoubtedly be changes in the next 5 years.

Other DW parents, please speak up. How is it going?

Kindergarten assignment: the sibling effect

(originally posted on the blog of Rachel Norton, commissioner on the SF Board of Education)

I keep meaning to post this data, which I asked for ages ago and never seem to have on hand when someone asks me about the issue of including siblings in the statistics showing how many families receive their first choice. In enrolling for 2009-10, for example, 80 percent of families requesting a Kindergarten seat received their one of their choices, with 64 percent receiving their first choice (see highlights of 2009-10 enrollment here).

For years, people have complained that these two statistics are inflated because they include siblings, who receive preference at an older brother or sister’s school — and there is a difference, primarily in whether families get their first choice or no choice at all — but I don’t think it’s as significant as people think it is:

* As I said above, 80 percent of all applicants to K in 2009-10 received one of their choices; and if applications submitted by younger siblings are excluded from this statistic, 74 percent receive one of their choices — a difference of six percentage points.
* In looking at the number of 2009-10 K applicants who received their first choice, there’s a drop of 11 percentage points if younger siblings are excluded (from 64 percent to 53 percent). This isn’t particularly surprising or damning, considering that sibling preference only kicks in if you list the older sibling’s school as your first choice.
* Finally, the number of families who get none of their choices increases about 6 percentage points if you exclude the applications of younger siblings from the statistic. In other words, about 20 percent of all families didn’t receive a choice in Round I last year; that figure increases to 26 percent if you exclude younger siblings.

Of the 947 families who did not receive any of their Round I choices last year, almost 800 listed one of these high demand schools as their first or second choice:

* Alamo
* Alice Fong Yu
* Alvarado
* Clarendon
* Grattan
* Lawton
* Lilienthal
* Miraloma
* Rooftop
* Sherman
* West Portal

The way I interpret this data is that people are focusing a bit too much on how the statistics are developed and not enough on the choice patterns for high demand schools — I find the list above to be stunning. If you have your heart set on one or more of these schools for Kindergarten next year, you may have to settle in for the long haul, because a lot of other people have their hearts set on them too.

—Rachel Norton

San Francisco Waldorf School

Reviewed by Claire

Since I’m reviewing the independent schools Kate has suggested I do my best to remain anonymous. I won’t be divulging which dates I toured and won’t be too forthcoming with some of the unique interactions.

I’ll also let you in on a little secret. . . I toured some schools last year. If I can give all you K-hunters one bit of advice it’s start early. The public schools let you tour anytime, the indys ask you to tour the year before your child is eligible to enroll. If you have a summer baby like me, you get two full years of independent school tours. Wheee.

The Facts

Web site: www.sfwaldorf.org

School tours: by appointment – 415-931-2750

Location: 2938 Washington St. (preschool to 8^th Grade); 470 West Portal (High School)

Grades: Nursery–12

Start time: 8:20 a.m.

Kindergarten size: There are three classes ranging in size from 22 to 28 students. Students are a mix of first and second year students. Half of the children move on to first grade each year.

Library: Physically small with a charming and knowledgeable part-time librarian

Tuition: $16,700–$18,400

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with: an education highly guided by a philosophical approach, small classes, a tight knit community, a concern for the natural and an emphasis on esthetics

Playground: Located in the center of the school buildings (and therefore insulated from the traffic and noise of Washington Street), the young children’s play-space includes a large structure for climbing and swinging. There is also a blacktop surface with planting beds, foursquare courts and basketball hoops. The children also make use of a local park.

After-school program: K–5; runs until 5:30; $7 per hour fee; their website says: “The focus of the afternoon is rest, healthy play and good food. The intent is not to structure this time with a whirlwind of activities, but rather to provide a secure daily rhythm within which the child is free to explore options.”

Language: Spanish and German are taught from the first through the eighth grades.

Financial Aid: “Affordable Tuition” is based on need (using SSS) and given based on the financial resources available at the school. Aid must be reapplied for each year and returning families are given priority.

General Information: Waldorf education is based on the theories of Rudolf Steiner, a philosopher from the early 1900s. A key element guiding the curriculum is the belief that all children go through specific stages of development and Waldorf teaching purposefully helps to guide - not rush - children through these stages. While Waldorf doesn’t term itself as “religious education” there is a distinctly spiritual element. Waldorf education focuses on the seasons and the natural world, imparting a sense of moral purpose, and developing creativity.

Students attend Kindergarten for 2 years. When they move up to first grade they meet the primary teacher they will study with until they graduate eighth grade. We were told that sometimes circumstance change but more often than not, students and teacher stay together the whole 8 years. The school day begins with “Main Lessons” the subject matter is taught in blocks ranging from 3 to 6 weeks. After the daily main lesson, children have various subjects depending on the grade. All grades study Spanish, German, music, PE, handwork, and Eurythmy (as near as I can tell it means singing and dancing.) Older students also study woodworking.

The Tour:

We began by meeting the parent volunteers and Enrollment Director Lori Grey. Lori was warm and gracious and the mother of a Waldorf student. Our first stop was the large K class of 28 students (there are two smaller classes which we did not visit.) What a magical place! Busy little children were all about. Some made applesauce, some made bread, others wore little felt hats and capes as they pretended to be elves, and still another group played in a corner filled with toys. It was beyond charming. The room was warm and beautiful – all the toys were wooden, little nature vignettes were set up with apples, leaves, stones and sticks. The effect was stunning and inviting. I wanted to be a kid in that class!

In first grade we watched the teacher guide a lesson about a specific upper and lower case letter. The teacher told a story and used colored chalk to beautifully illustrate it on the board (incorporating the letter form.) The children followed along, using the exact technique and colors to recreate the illustration in their personal lesson books. The kids seemed attentive and engaged. The room, while not quite as lovely as the Kindergarten, was pretty and smelled of beeswax.

The fifth graders we visited were learning about Mythology. They too had lesson books. Lesson books are a big deal at Waldorf. We also saw an eighth grade class where the students were having a back and forth discussion with the teacher. They were obviously independent thinkers and had no trouble speaking their minds in front of a room full of adult strangers (I really wonder how kids are able to do that? I mean really, with all these tours is there a child in SF being educated without an audience?)

We toured the library and talked with librarian. The space itself was small but cozy and crammed floor to ceiling with books. The librarian told us that she fortunate to be able to get to know the children well enough that she learns their interests and will often pull out (or purchase) books for them to select from.

We then headed back into the meeting room to look over more beautiful lesson books and have Q & A with a long time teacher and a parent volunteer.

Claire’s Impressions: This was one of the tours Elias was able to come on so I’m going to include his impressions. He was incredibly impressed by the entire curriculum. The cross over of subject matters inspired him. One Lesson Book had a beautifully illustrated page about geometry in Middle Eastern Architecture and Elias was ready to sign up right then and there. He loved that the artistic was integrated into every subject.

If you’ve read this far you know I was bedazzled by the Kindergarten room. Wow wow Wubzy was it fabulous! And now, if you know anything about Waldorf (and Nick Jr.) you can see the rub. No TV if you go to Waldorf. Seriously. None. Ever. No plastic toys either. I can’t prove this but I’m fairly certain that LEGO factories worldwide would shut right down if we gave up plastic toys.

The parent volunteer at our Q & A - let’s call her Cindy - Cindy talked about making the hard decision to put away the TV, box up the videos and give away the non-wooden toys when her first child began at Waldorf. Cindy said it was difficult, but the best decision she ever made for her children. I totally believe her. I just don’t know if my family is ready to do that. Don’t get me wrong, Owen isn’t plunked in front of the TV for hours on end but I’m just not sure I buy the idea that 20 minutes of children’s television every few days is going to damage him permanently.

One of the things our family hopes to find when we leave a pre-school that we dearly love, is a new family community. It is evident that Waldorf offers support and fellowship for children and parents. I really admire and respect the play-based aspect of the younger grades – my son would really experience the magic of childhood at Waldorf and that is very appealing.

Leonard R. Flynn Elementary, 2009

Leonard R. Flynn Elementary

Reviewed by Marcia Brady

The Facts

This school has been reviewed before in 2007 and I encourage you to take a look – a lot in those reviews still seem quite useful.

Location: 3125 Cesar Chavez St. @ Harrison St.


School hours: 8:35-2:45

Tel: 695-5770


Principal: Sylvia Lepe (new), Assistant Principal Claire Trepanier is also new.


Web site: www.flynnelementary.org


School tours: 9 AM Thurs., no reservation required.


Grades: K-5


Kindergarten size: 88, with 22 in each of 4 classrooms


Total student body: 450

Odds of getting in on Round 1: 29% for GE, 11.1% for Spanish immersion. 70 1^st choice requests for 44 SI slots in 2009-10 Round 1, but only 8 for the 44 GE slots.

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with:

A GE program on a par with the immersion program, inquiry-based learning, an international baccalaureate curriculum, and an orderly atmosphere combined with progressive values. Emphasis is clearly on community-building, social justice, etc., as well as environmental issues.

Class Structure / Curriculum: For information about the international baccalaureate program, for which Flynn is a candidate and whose curriculum they are adopting, see www.ibo.org. The emphasis is on “inquiry-based” learning: no textbooks or scripts, but instead 6 very general themes around which teachers organize projects: hypotheses, testing, journals, etc. There seems to be a high degree of teacher autonomy here.

Campus/Playground: clean 1920s (?) building, spruced up but definitely an old-style building. Separate yards and play structures for upper and lower grades. Upper-grade playground has brand-new, very fancy play structure from a Kaboom! grant, as well as the usual asphalt play area. Lower-grade playground has an older, but still perfectly fine play structure, and an oval track with an Astroturf middle, where kids can ride bikes, use hula-hoops, and other gross-motor equipment stored in sheds nearby. Kids also use a nearby grassy area for supervised play, and there is a new outdoor classroom with gardening boxes, etc. Very big, full-time library (not all district libraries are open every day or open for kids to drop in, but this one is. Kids can also check out up to 6 books a week, apparently unlike other libraries). Cafeteria also used for assemblies and Child Development Center care. Dedicated parent center and occupational theory room, dedicated cafeteria/assembly room. Facilities compost and recycle. There is supervised drop-off, so no need to park in the AM. I’m not sure about the PM.

After School programs: Mission YMCA does before- and aftercare; the figure quoted for that was $435/month. There are two other options: the Child Development Center and the free ExCEL program.

Additional Programs: An outdoor classroom/garden. PTA funds things like field trips and tree frog treks.

PTA: Large and very active. Raised $60K last year, goal this year is $75.

Language program(s): Dual-language Spanish immersion.

Library / Computer Lab: Both are very big and well-equipped (see above re: library).

Arts: Dance and drumming, Carnaval, SF ballet for 3^rd grade, literary theater in upper grades

PE: Playworks. I wasn’t yet experienced enough to ask how often PE is, but coach is available at recess and after school. [See RRRROSI's informative remarks about Playworks in the comments section below]

Recess/Lunch: I’m getting savvier about this, so my answers will be better. But they get 20 minutes for lunch with recess, I think. I didn’t write down how many recesses or how long. Parents?

Tour Impressions:

We began on the playground and then broke up into 4 groups. All the tour parents seemed very well prepared and knowledgeable, and we got to visit quite a few classrooms. We finished back in the yard with the principal, who spoke to us at length, though it was hard to hear due to the large numbers on tour!

We saw a Spanish immersion 1^st grade with a male teacher. I thought things looked bright and cheery as well as orderly; the classrooms were extremely well organized. The classroom had a cosy loft with a ladder and a reading bookshelf, and a kitchen play area – two things I hadn’t seen in any classroom thus far. The kids were learning the days of the week in Spanish, clapping out the spelling with Spanish letters. We also saw a Gen Ed classroom (not sure what grade, K or 1) with a female teacher reading to a book about plants and seeds to the kids, pausing for questions, asking questions of her own, etc. And we saw a GE K classroom with a male teacher: there seems to be a lot of reciting in unison in SF public schools, but this teacher also incorporated a lot of body movement, hand gestures, and visuals into his teaching of the ABCs. Kids were writing in the air while reciting, for the letter T, something about a vertical and a horizontal bar, and then looking at a picture of a tiger and saying t-t-t. Talk about integrated learning! The teachers all seemed young and dynamic.

The parent tour guide said Flynn was a hidden gem, but I think it’s on the trophy radar now in this part of the city—and it’s worth a drive for others. What is a hidden gem is the GE program: it seems extremely savvy of them to work on the IB program to get GE and SI on a par. GE requests are rising sharply, said one of the parents, but there is still room to get in on the ground floor. I would recommend Flynn for parents who want both order and experimentation for their kids, and/or for themselves, a vibrant school in which they’d be welcome participants but not starting from scratch. Also, do take a look at the other SFK review.

Glen Park Elementary

Glen Park Elementary

Reviewed by Marcia Brady

The Facts

Location: 151 Lippard Avenue (Glen Park)

School hours: 8:40-2:40

Tel: 469-4713

Principal: Marion Grady

Web site: none except via SFUSD portal

School tours: 9 AM Tues., call to sign up.

Grades: K-5

Kindergarten size: 40 in 2 classes of 20, capacity is 44. One class is for Spanish ELL, which is not immersion.

Total student body: oops, forgot to ask because I was there before I knew I was doing this. It’s small.

Odds of getting in in Round 1:

12.8% on Adams's spreadsheet, but 5-year comparison of Round 1 demand shows 14 requests for 22 spaces in 2009-10. So I am unclear on the concepts here, obviously.

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with:

Good organization, emphasis on comportment and traditional R & R skills, intimate atmosphere, solid school with an old-fashioned feel.

Class Structure / Curriculum:

2 K classes of 20 each, desks in rows. Kids did a lot of reciting in unison in one classroom, but the teacher had also combined memorization of calendar information with pattern recognition base-10 and base-5 counting, and other exercises that went beyond memorization. There is a big, big emphasis on discipline and behavior here: all students are charted daily from “green” (good) down to “red” (note or phone call home) for behavior, and they move paper clips on their own chart up or down throughout the day. Teachers use homework folders as “in/out” boxes to communicate with parents about behavior and academics.

Curriculum includes Reading First, standard math, social studies integrated with Language Arts and Technology, science, tech literacy, library media literacy, penmanship. Also has special ed for severely impaired kids.

Campus/Playground:

Extremely clean 1930s building, nicely renovated with old features like wood doors, old hardware incorporated into the renovation. Dedicated lunchroom which serves as home base for afterschool programs. Auditorium with gym floor which serves double duty for PE and Assemblies (no basketball hoops or PE equipment that I could see – kids were running obstacle courses built from refrigerator boxes and chairs). Upper and lower yard are asphalt, with a new play structure in the works.

After School programs:

Free afterschool learning club.

Additional Programs:

None beyond enrichment provided by district, that I could see.

PTA:

New and in growth mode. Parents said there were lots of opportunities. I didn’t yet know to ask about numbers or funds raised, but it’s clear both are small.

Language program(s):

Spanish bilingual for English Language Learners.

Library / Computer Lab:

Small automated library, small media/computer center which had just been equipped with new Mac computers.

Arts:

Instrumental music, chorus, dance, visual and performing arts experiences weekly (includes dance and rhythm, circus skills, chorus, ballet for 2^nd and 3^rd graders).

PE: 1x/week.

Recess/Lunch:

2 20-minute recess sessions daily. Recess supervised by teachers and parent volunteers who organize games. Close supervision discourages bullying. Lunch in two 20-minute shifts, with kids sorted by age. Snacks in AM and aftercare are provided by school with no snacks from home allowed for reasons of equity.

Tour Impressions:

The tour was low-key with just parents and a handful of visitors, no principal. We spent a few minutes in each K classroom (one was being taught by a sub; the other by the regular teacher described above), and the majority of our time in the lunchroom. The special education kids were there eating with their paraprofessionals, and I was pleased to see that both tour parents knew the names of kids who came up to interact with us.

The parents were very earnest and very happy with the school; one was treasurer of the PTA and emphasized that all skills and contributions were gratefully received but that there was no pressure and no parent cliqueyness. The school clearly does not have the resources of some of the more established “trophy” schools, but they run a tight ship. I could see it as one of those schools that a group of parents decide to enter all at once and transform, but I wonder what would happen to the culture already there. It almost seemed like a world of its own, and I found myself wondering if, when middle-class parents move in and spearhead changes, the people who were there first are always happy. I would like to know more about the principal of this school, how she is serving the existing population there, and what she envisions for the future.

It’s a very sweet little school, and would be perfect for a kid whose home environment was challenging and/or who did well with a lot of structure, routine, and clear expectations. It would also be good for parents who have specific worries about bullying to investigate, since recess is so closely supervised and discipline monitored so tightly. I would not recommend it to parents of children who are offbeat or impulsive, or parents committed to nontraditional education.

I keep hearing people say that tours can give a lot of false impressions, so I hope that parents who are involved with Glen Park will chime in and correct any false impressions I got and have inadvertently reproduced here.

Introducing Marcia Brady of the southern part of SF

Hi everyone. I volunteered to blog about the schools I am touring, which are mostly on the southeast side of town. Kate wisely suggested that I maintain as much anonymity as possible, so I will give a few details to situate myself. My partner Jan and I have one daughter, Cindy. We are actually shooting for 2011, but there's no way I can do tours next year. I know the system will be different, but I can't see how knowing the schools can hurt. Because I have friends who are struggling to get them done this year, I volunteered to send them our tour notes, and when I saw that people wanted to see a wider range of schools reviewed on this blog, I thought, why not.

Here are some things we'd like to see in any school we choose: environmental and social justice issues, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic diversity, strength in performing, visual, and language arts, understanding of alternative family structures, and problem-solving/conflict resolution skills. We know not all school has all of these, but we'd like to see a few of them. We're not test-score people. We're a bit schlumpy and low-glamour. We're solidly middle-class, but since we both work we won't be able to take heavy-duty leadership roles at a school. We're white and college-educated at crunchy-granola schools. Hopefully those details will give you a sense of where these opinions are coming from and why they might or might not be useful for your situation. And my biggest hope is that parents will chime into the comments section if they are affiliated with the school I've reviewed. Thanks in advance for joining me on this anxiety-making odyssey, and stay tuned!

The Fiduciary Responsibility of School Administrators

An excerpt from a recent story in Beyond Chron by Katy Franklin:

Jill Tucker’s recent Chronicle article regarding District employee's credit card charges only touches the surface of the problem. When it is revealed that Board of Education President Kim-Shree Maufas and other San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) administrators misuse public monies, it casts great doubt upon their capacity to oversee how SFUSD spends its funds. Ms. Maufas and others on the Board of Education (BOE) recently approved a 3.2 million dollar professional development contract of questionable value. Are these decisions good for the students of SFUSD?

Last year, the principal of Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy, Sandy Leigh, and teacher Kelly Clark, walked 109 miles to Sacramento to bring attention to the fact that their school site had only 32 dollars in the budget for school supplies for the whole year. 32 dollars for all the paper, pencils, erasers, markers, and everything else the 215 children at their school would require for an entire year. So Ms. Leigh, Ms. Clark, and a few parents walked, for 5 days, with blistered feet, in 90-degree heat, to let our governor know that this situation was unacceptable.

To read the full story click here.

West Portal Elementary Tour

Reviewed by Debbie

This was the first school tour for Mark and I (we went a couple weeks ago so I apologize for taking so long to write this up!). Since it was our first tour, we were very excited. We also didn’t know what to expect, and we didn’t have anything to compare it to. We kind of thought of it as setting the bar for all other tours. Also, if you read "My Plan", this tour is what we’re considering our one big buzz school tour so we were very curious to see what all the hub-bub was about.

Facts:
Date of tour: 10/1/09
Location: 5 Lenox Way (West Portal/Forest Hill area), 415-759-2846
School type: Public
Website: www.westportalschool.com
Tours: Thursdays, 9-10:30am, call to register. All tours are led by the principal William Lucey.
School day start/stop: 8:40am-2:40pm
Grades: K-5
Total Enrollment: 554
General Ed Kindergarten size: 66 (3 classes of 22)
Cantonese immersion Kindergarten size: 31 (1 class of 22; 11 in a combined K/1st immersion class)
Before/After school care: Offered through Growth and Learning Opportunity (GLO), 7 to 8:30 a.m., and from 2:30 to 6 p.m. The principal stated that this can fill up so if you get into this school and need before/after school care, call GLO the day you find out you got in so you can put your name on the list.

If you’d like to read more facts about this school and details about its programs, you can go to the school website: http://www.westportalschool.com/. Otherwise, this post will be mainly about the tour itself.

The Tour:
The tour started promptly at 9am and was led by the principal Will Lucey. We all came in through the main building which is a large very old-school looking (in a good way) building. There were about 50 people on the tour. He first led us to one of the outdoor areas and explained that this is the beginning of his seventh year as Principal at West Portal (he’s been in education for 18 years, and his wife is a teacher at Grattan). He said that he always leads the tours because, if he were a parent going on tours, he would want to hear the information from the leader of the school. He also said that parents were welcome to stay after the tour and wander around as long as we’d like as long as we kept our "visitor" badges on. I thought this was a nice beginning. Plus, it was a gorgeous day so the view from the school was pretty nice.

We visited all three General Ed Kindergarten classrooms (rooms 3, 4, 15) – rooms 3 &4 were in bungalows outside the main building, and room 15 was in the main building. Not sure how they decide who gets to be in the Kindergarten classroom in the main building, but it looked much nicer than the small dark bungalow classrooms. Inside the classrooms, the children were sitting and working on projects, talking quietly to one another and some to the teacher. I’m guessing the teachers told them to sit quietly during the tours because the children almost seemed too quiet. The walls were covered in children’s drawings, the alphabet, the days of the week, etc. The bungalow classrooms looked very cramped, and it looked like there was too much stuff in there for the amount of space.

The principal explained that the Kindergarten and the 1st graders each have their own area for recess and lunch, but he didn’t point out the areas, and I didn’t have time to find them afterwards so I can’t comment on them, but I did like the idea of separating the younger children from the older children for recess.

He also showed us the Chinese (Cantonese) Immersion classrooms which were in the main building (rooms 14 & 17). The main building was bright and airy and looked very much like what I envisioned an elementary school to look like – long wide hallways with lots of rooms on each side. For Kindergarten immersion there’s one class (22) and one Kindergarten/1st combination class (11 kindergartners in the combined class) for a total of 33 Kindergarten immersion seats. Almost all of the students looked asian with just a small handful of non-asian students. He said that the immersion program was a "2-way" immersion program which means the goal is to be bi-lingual and bi-literate in Cantonese and English by the 5th grade (80% taught in Cantonese in Kindergarten, 60% taught in Cantonese in 2nd/3rd, and 50/50 by 4th/5th). He said this was in contrast to Alice Fong Yu’s "Full Immersion" program which has the goal of language AND culture. He also said that Alice Fong Yu prefers English speakers to start in the Kindergarten program (versus primarily Chinese speakers – I had never heard this before so that was interesting).

He then took us to the auditorium where there was a music class going on. He said it was the K-3 music program. He also said that in 4th and 5th grade, if a child chooses, he/she may participate in the 1x/week music program (run by the city) and learn how to play an instrument. He also mentioned an arts teacher who emphasizes "Visual Thinking Strategies" and how art is incorporated into the regular classes as well.

The principal took us to another outdoor area at the end and opened it up to questions. He spent at least half the time answering questions, and many of the questions from the parents were general SFUSD questions and questions about other schools - this seemed kind of out of place, but maybe this happens on other tours too. There was also a parent from the "Parent’s Club" present to answer questions, and she said that they raise about $100,00 every year. The principal also mentioned that drop-off in the morning can be crazy - there’s no parking lot and forget about street parking so this means that you have to line up down the street, and if you drop off on Lenox, the street is narrow so traffic gets blocked. There’s no one (on a consistent basis) to walk your child from your car to the building so you have to wait until the line moves up.

The questions to the principal continued from some of the parents, but then many people just sort of starting walking away so there wasn’t any kind of wrap up or defined ending to the tour, which felt kind of strange, but again, it was our first tour so we thought maybe all tours end like this. The tour didn’t take us through the library or the cafeteria (which I would have liked), and I had to get back to work so I didn’t have time to explore those areas on my own.

Likes: Friendly and approachable principal, nice main building, Cantonese immersion, active parents group, high test scores, later start time (8:40am)

Dislikes: Bungalow classrooms

Overall impression: As I noted above, this was my first tour so I had nothing to compare it to. It seemed like a good, solid school with a nice/approachable principal and an active parents group. If my daughter were placed here, I would be happy with it because I’ve only heard good things about this school, and it’s close to our house. But for a big buzz school, I have to admit that I wasn’t blown away.

I’m not banking my whole opinion of a school on a tour. It’s just one part of evaluating a school, and I know there's much more to this school than the tour (so all you West Portal parents out there, I'd love to hear more about this school). For me, the tour is so I can just get an overall feeling for a school. It’s kind of like when you’re looking for a place to live. You could see a place that has all the bells and whistles but just doesn’t feel like home, and you could walk into another place that has few bells and whistles, but it just feels right.

I later talked with a parent that I know who has a child at West Portal (and he LOVES it), and I told him about my overall impression and how I didn’t experience anything on the tour that warranted the high-demand status of this school. He said that as I tour other schools, I’ll see a difference. I guess we’ll see.

Hot topic: How are tours going?

An SF K Files reader suggested that we start a thread where readers can comment on tours they've taken thus far. Feel free to leave mini reviews of the schools you have seen thus far. Please try to keep things positive when you're discussing specific schools or make your criticism constructive.

Rally for eduction: tomorrow at noon

San Francisco State students, faculty, and staff have been working with other groups involved in public education to decry these draconian budget cuts and to secure adequate funding for ALL public education in California.

The California Faculty Association, along with other unions, student groups and community members have organized a rally on the steps of CIty Hall on Thursday, October 15th at noon. The message is to TAKE A STAND FOR ALL PUBLIC EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA.

The future of our children and the state depends on it.

Please join us if you can and spread the word.

Note: This info was pulled from a Yahoo group posting. If anyone has additional details, please add info in the comments.

Alamo Elementary

Reviewed by June

The Facts

Location: 250 23^rd ave
School hours: 8:40-2:40
Tel: (415)750-8456
Principal: Dr Herb Packer
Web site: www.friendsofalamo.org
School tours: Principal guided – Tu 9am – Call for apt.
Grades: K-5
Kindergarten size: 4 classes of 22
Total student body: 524

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with:

Excellent API scores (latest scores 913), large school with established and active PTA.

Class Structure / Curriculum

The 4 kindergarten teachers collaborate in planning their curriculum, so although they may have different teaching styles they cover the same materials at the same time. There is a very low teacher turnover and the youngest kindergarten teacher has 8 years of experience. Teachers send home letters every week about what is going on in the class as well as opportunities for volunteering. Homework is usually about 10 minutes per grade per night plus a reading component.

There is a GATE Program for children in 3^rd grade and up, and individual help for children who are challenged (homework club, student study team etc). ELLs are in the regular classrooms and are separated out for 30 minutes each day of special English instruction.

Campus/Playground

Large, older building with indoor hallways – no 1970s remodel like other Richmond dist schools. Alamo is slated for a $5million plus renovation slated to begin this winter break. Kindergarden will be relocated and will be in new digs next year when school starts. The complete renovation however will continue into next year.

Yard in back of school building with play structure.

After School programs

On Site – Richmond District After-School Cooperative 1^st-5^th grades, Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin) and Russian After School Programs for all grades.

Busses to – JCCSF, Nihonmachi Little Friends, Presidio CDC, Sutro Elementary, Richmond Playground (1^st-5^th grades)

Additional Programs - Fun & Games with PE Specialist, Keyboard educators and Academic Chess.

PTA

Alamo has an active PTA (180 members) as well as the Friends of Alamo School Foundation that raises funds for enrichment programs. The PTA and Foundation raise normally around $150k annually.

Language program(s):

Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin) and Russian after school programs.

Library / Computer Lab

Large Newly renovated library staffed by Pro H funded librarian. No computer lab, but each classroom has comuters.

Arts

Almo offers many arts based programs outside of its core curriculum including: a vocal music specialist, visual arts specialist, ceramic specialist (2 kilns on site), Shakespeare drama, California Poets in the schools, Creative Movement/SF Ballet, instrumental music for 4^th & 5^th grades and SF Symphony Adventures in Music.

Garden/Green Yard

rooftop garden

PE

Alamo has a PE instructor 2 days a week with an additional after school program (for a fee). Last year the 5^th grade had the highest PE scores in the state.

Recess/Lunch

Children go to recess in two groups, k-2 and 3-5. Lunch is in 3 groups, k-1, 2-3, and 4-5.

Tour Impressions (I have tried to outline all the details above so I can focus here just on my impressions)

I went to Alamo with high expectations, it is the closest school to our home (walkable!!!) and we have heard lots about it. It is an excellent school, with a very high API of 913, always fills up on the first round and has a long waitlist with little movement. I always assumed it would be somewhere in our top 7, it was just a matter of where.

Walking into the school I peeked into classrooms as kids were still trickling into their classes. The rooms were well decorated with student work and so were the hallways (though I would say it seemed a bit thrown together). The library was NICE – big, recently renovated, with books on display and a warm and welcoming feel. I wanted to grab a book and curl up on the rug (though the storm outside may have contributed to that urge too).

The new Principal Dr. Herb Packer and the PTA president gave the Alamo tour, which was basically a question and answer session in the library followed by a peek into the kindergarten classes. Dr. Packer is in his first year as principal at Alamo, previously he was principal at Tenderloin Elementary. He was very proud of his school’s many achievements and of his teachers and students.

I did find it hard to get a good feeling about Alamo though without walking around much. The question and answer session covered many good topics, but I felt a bit confined into the library when I really wanted to be walking around the school.

When we did at the end get to walk into the kindergarten classes I found them slightly cluttered, with supplies and boxes stacked in corners and along walls. Perhaps the teachers were already preparing for the December move, more likely they just did not have enough space. I would hope the new classrooms allowed them some more storage, the stacks of boxes made me feel slightly closed in. The rooms did display the kids work, and despite being distracted by the parade of parents walking through the kids were engaged in the lessons.

I have to say I am not quite sure how to sum up my impressions of Alamo. It is a GREAT school with lots of academic achievements, though I am not sure it is the right school for us despite its location and scores. It seemed big, almost machine like in its size. I did not get an enthusiastic feeling there, though it was in no means a bad feeling. I am also very concerned about the construction. It does promise lots of new shiny classrooms, but may also be hard for Maddie who is super sensitive to noises.

This tour left me with more questions than answers. I think I am going to have to talk to some Alamo parents to get a better feel for the school. Do your kids go there? What do you like about the school, the principal, the teachers?

June's Story - Gaming the system?

I was recently at a birthday party and the talk (as it always seems to these days) got around to kindergarten. Discussion initially surrounded schools we have toured, preferences for public vs private, and who knows people who got their first choice on round one vs. those who went 0/7 and ended up with (insert unthinkable school here) last year.

But then the conversation took a turn I had not expected – I was being told, by multiple parents I know and respect, how to game the system. “Just tell them you didn’t graduate high school” said one mom, “that is the running joke at XYZ school, none of the moms have graduated high school”. “No, tell them you think you qualify for free lunch” said another parent, who by no means can even think her family would qualify, “they do not check until the first day of school, and by then it does not matter - you are in”. Another parent told me to be careful filling out that Maddie was bi-lingual, since they are testing this year - that I would be better off saying she did not go to preschool. To which I responded that Maddie is bi-lingual, so other than the inconvenience, I have nothing to worry about her being tested.

The whole conversation left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Some of these parents I have known for years, I consider them good parents, their children well behaved. I have little doubt they would never encourage their child to cheat on a test, a sports match or even on “chutes and ladders”, yet that is what they were advocating here – cheating to get into the school they wanted. Is that what the current assignment system has done? Turned normally responsible, law-abiding parents into cheaters? I know this is nothing new, have seen it in comments on this blog, but I always assumed it was a small minority that advocated gaming the system. However the fact that I was outnumbered at this party gives me the feeling that I instead may be in the minority. I would not consider myself an overly moral person, pretty much in the normal spectrum, yet this really bothered me. I know for one I could not live with myself if I cheated Maddie’s way into school. How could I teach her to follow the rules when I can turn around and bend them when it suits my needs? And since I will not, and others apparently will - where does it leave our chances?

George Peabody Elementary

Reviewed by June

The Facts

Location: 251 6^th Ave
School hours: 8:40-2:40
Tel: 415-750-8480
Principal: Willem Vroegh
Web site: www.PeabodySchool.com
School tours: Principal guided – Tuesdays and Fridays 9am, no apt needed
Grades: K-5
Kindergarten size: 2 classes of 22
Total student body: 244

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with:

A small school (244 students total) with good API (844) scores, safe school setting, young enthusiastic principal and a very involved PTA.

Campus/Playground

Campus was rebuilt in 1970 to meet earthquake standards and like Sutro does reflect buildings of that era – boxy building built around courtyard with no halls, light coming from shuddered windows and not too much overall personality. Despite this classrooms are very lively and decorated with student work. They are installing outdoor bulletin boards to display photos and artwork and liven up outdoor areas. Brand new playground situated towards back of yard next to the green garden the children planted. A nice mural is painted on the back of the building in the yard area adding personality to that side of the building. The multipurpose room is in a portable building to the side of the yard.

After School programs

On site free afterschool program run by Richmond District After-School Collaborative from 2:40 to 6:00pm. The ASPIRE program offered off site and there is a bus to the JCCSF.

The PTA sponsors a wide range of after-school enrichment programs, from Spanish to lion dancing. Each is offered for a semester fee, though limited scholarships are available.

PTA/PTO

Very involved PTA organizes events, fundraisers, after school programs and parent volunteers. Trained parents also lead the Jr. Great Books Program for 2-5^th grade and the Fun Fit Friday program for kindergartners.

Language program(s):

After school Spanish offered 1^st-3^rd grade through PTA sponsored enrichment programs – fee per semester.

Library / Computer Lab

Library with part time (2 days a week) librarian and small computer lab.

Arts

Arts curriculum offered K-5^th grade. K & 1^st grade focus on dance and movement, 2^nd & 3^rd grade visual arts and 4^th & 5^th performing arts. Arts curriculum taught by outside consultants with teachers also doing art projects in class. Bi-annual Art Showcase to display student work. Music offered 1 day a week for the first semester, the focus is singing with older students (4^th and 5^th grade) able to choose an instrument. Peabody is a charter member of the Opera Aria Network and students in 2^nd, 3^rd and 5^th grade learn about Opera through an artist in residency. 2^nd and 3^rd graders participate in the SF Ballet sponsored Dance in the Schools program.

Garden/Green Yard

Recently built learning garden for students in all grades, with gardening integrated into science curriculum. A garden teacher is on site 2 days a week.

Tour Impressions

There has been much talk in the Richmond district the last year about Peabody Elementary, the no longer so hidden “gem” on 6^th avenue. Since it is so local for us I was very interested in seeing what all the talk was about.

Upon arriving I saw much what I did at Sutro, a small school built in the typical 1970’s style. I often wonder what architects were thinking in that era, but I will not hold it against a school :-). The yard was situated in the back and as we drove around finding parking I again watched parents dropping off their children for school and kids playing in the yard. The diversity seemed to represent not just the neighborhood, but also SF well.

There were more parents on this tour than my last, but nothing like I have heard about the crowds of parents at other schools. Willem Vroeg the principal is a young and enthusiastic. He started the tour by telling us about his teaching history (years in elementary and a few at a k-8) and that he has been principal at Peabody since 2005. Not long, but long enough to get a vibe going around this little school. Since being principal he has hired 8 teachers for openings both due to expansion and retirements. Both Mathias and I noted this as it likely means they share the same vision as him for the school.

We then headed to see the one of the kindergarten classrooms. Peabody has 12 classes total, 2 kindergarten, making 44 slots for next year before siblings. There are no class aids. As we walked towards the class we saw the kindergarteners on the yard with a number of volunteer parents and a coach. They were taking part in the Fun Fit Friday program (a gross motor skills program for kindergartners, sponsored by the PTA). They seemed happy and all involved in various movement activities. All classes receive 1-2 game sessions per week with the organization Playworks. Additionally the Junior Coach leadership program (4^th and 5^th grades) students are trained to help the coach lead games during recess.

The kindergarten class was lively and displayed lots of student work. Mathias was happy to see they had been learning about the solar system. Both kindergarten classes follow the same curriculum and the teachers work together to plan at weekly planning days (all teachers have this and Willem attends the planning sessions). Kindergarteners days are split in two, with mornings being primarily academic and afternoons more for social and free choice time. For homework they have 20 minutes of reading time nightly with a reading log. Parents are discouraged from helping in the class for the first half of the year in order to aid the transition for all the children in the class (this sounded very reasonable to me), and after that it is up to the teacher. Usually there are 2 room parents per classroom who help outside of the class. I also liked that each kindergarten class had their own restroom in the room. Kindergarteners have morning recess with 1^st and 2^nd grade and then lunch and lunch recess alone. Willem pointed out that this is a good time for parental volunteers.

Next we headed to the multi-purpose room where the 1^st graders were singing. They seemed to be enjoying it, though our group was certainly a bit intimidating! Willem lead us back into the yard where he discussed the arts programs, after school programs and after school enrichment programs sponsored by the PTA. I outlined this all above so I will not do it again, but I was VERY happy with all the arts offered to the children and all the enrichment programs also offered after school.

The playground is less than a year old and looks like most of the playgrounds that are being rebuilt across the city. It was built through funding from Kaboom, the PTA and the district. Behind the playground was the learning garden planted last school year.

Willem then lead us further around the school and explained about the Splash awards to reward good behavior, the zero tolerance policy for 4^th and 5^th graders and physical violence. Students in 4^th and 5^th grade would be suspended, while younger grades are dealt with through education. There is also a half time counselor on staff at the school.

Finally we visited the library and computer room. I found it quite small, and there were few computers but it seemed well stocked and they have a librarian on site 2 days a week. Willem told us about the school paper which is run by 4^th and 5^th graders in the GATE program, and the Junior Great Books program for students in 2^nd-5^th grade who are chosen by their teachers to have some extra reading time (they are ahead of their peers). This is lead through parent volunteers.

Willem ended the tour telling is about the literacy specialist they have 2 times a week for children (usually in 1-2^nd grade) who need extra help to get up to speed in reading as well as the two special ed classes for children with speech and language delays. He then proceeded to answer parent questions. I needed to leave at this point, but I felt that the tour answered all that I could want to know about Peabody.

I was very pleased with Peabody, and although I have only toured 2 schools at this point I cannot imagine it will not be on my list. It is a wonderful small school with an enthusiastic (though thankfully not a cheerleading) principal not 10 minutes driving from our home. I loved all the arts programs, the sports and learning garden as well as the many after school enrichment programs. I felt like I could dive right into the established and active PTA and be involved in Maddie's school. As an added bonus there was the reasonable start time which would mean no rushing in the mornings. I would be glad to send Maddie there next year. (Hell I debated not posting this just to keep you all from listing it too!!!)

A letter from Parents for Public Schools—San Francisco

Parents for Public schools asked me to post the following letter:

Dear San Francisco parents:

Parents for Public Schools—SF has been in existence for 10 years, and a core part of our work is to help parents understand their public school options and the SFUSD enrollment process.

If you are looking for kindergarten this year, please attend one of our enrollment events where you can get tips for choosing public schools. Go to: http://www.ppssf.org/calendar.php

We understand how challenging and stressful it can be for all parents, particularly for immigrant communities and other social—economically disadvantaged communities.
We hope you share the vision that helping all parents access the school system is essential for achieving true social justice in our society.

Please help us continue our great work by supporting us in one of the following ways:

Become a member! Membership means you will stay connected to issues affecting our public schools. You’ll be invited to events to network with other public school parents in San Francisco. Our work supports parents to get involved in the schools in a variety of ways, so your membership ensures that you will get up to date news while you’re searching for a public school and after your child is enrolled.

Make a donation online to support and strengthen the public school parent network: https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=7037
or send a check to :
PPS-SF
3543 18th Street, #1
San Francisco, CA 94110

Thank you for your support.

Parents for Public School-SF Board

Claire’s Story: A blogger is born

Hello there internets. Well, here I am jumping into the K search with both feet. Both terrified, leaden feet. I am, like so many, trying to be calm, focused, and organized as I approach this process. I expect to be only occasionally successful. To make matters just that much more interesting, my partner and I have decided to look at both public and independent schools. Because really, who needs to show up to the office this fall anyway? Since there are other bloggers here at SF K Files headquarters reviewing public schools, my posts will focus on the independents.

But before I jump into all that, I’ll introduce myself and my merry little band. My partner Elias, 5 year old son Owen, and I live with our menagerie of pets in a not at all fancy nor trendy part of the city. We have a house, it has a yard and often when folks visit they say things like “So this is still in San Francisco huh?” Elias works (a LOT) in that tech wonderland to the South. I work part-time while Owen is enrolled in a Pre-k program (at a school which sends 90% of its students to public school.)

Owen turned 5 this summer and while he technically made the cut-off to enroll in K this September, we decided, in concert with his pre-school director, to wait a year and do the PK thing. He’s a great kid, sunny, funny and whip smart. A lot of people were surprised when we made the decision to wait. It really came down to thinking about who HE is and evaluating if we thought he was ready. He’s a classic “slow to warm” personality. He can be shy and reserved and is the kind of kid who isn’t interested in trying new stuff unless he’s pretty certain he’ll be great at it. Until the last month or so he cared not one bit about drawing, writing, or sitting still for extended periods unless under the heavy influence of moving pictures. He just didn’t seem “ready” to us. My parents are retired school teachers and after hearing their mantra of “Kindergarten now is just like the 1^st grade you attended” ten billion times, it sank in. (My mom also likes to say “We aren’t breeding them any smarter, we’re just trying to cram stuff in faster” – you’re bound to hear more of her gems throughout this process.) We figured, once Owen starts school he’s pretty much in it for 13 straight years, so why rush into this?

I’m a former elementary school teacher (taught in both public and private) and am a product of post Prop-13 California public schools. My K-12 education can best be described as “meh”. My high school lost its accreditation the year after I graduated. I was on the “college prep” track but didn’t see a college counselor until my last month of school. I was busy and involved in non-academic pursuits (clubs and music and boys mostly.) I don’t feel I received a particularly good education and in many ways I slipped through the cracks. Elias on the other hand went to Parochial schools and feels he was very well educated (and indoctrinated.) We’re not considering parochial schools for Owen. Not because they aren’t good or worth considering but because we aren’t religious and don’t believe in going to the concert if you don’t want to listen to the band.

So the independents. . .Man oh man, that’s a lotta dough huh? We are decidedly middle class and expect we will need some aid in order to swing all but the least expensive of the indys. For the right school we’re willing to make the investment and that will mean me working more, plus giving up vacations and other perks we enjoy from time to time. I get that “Private School” can be controversial and for sure it’s not something that everyone is interested in but Kate’s intention with this blog is to give the big picture of the K search and for some of us that includes casting the net wider than SFUSD.

So that’s my deal dear internets. Try to be kind as I share this experience with you. We’re all here to learn right?

Sutro Elementary

Reviewed by June

The Facts

Location: 235 12^th Ave
School hours: 8:40-2:40
Tel: 415-750-8525
Principal: Andrew Poon
Web site: www.sutropta.org
School tours: Principal guided – call for Apt Tu & Th 9:15
Grades: K-5
Kindergarten size: 22
Total student body: 260

You should consider this school if you're looking for a place with:

A very small school (only one k class) with good API (836) scores, safe school setting, plenty of opportunity for parental involvement and a school with “better 1^st round chances”

Campus/Playground

There is a newly paved yard at back of school with brand new attractive playground equipment. Campus was rebuilt in 1970 to meet earthquake standards and does reflect buildings of that era – boxy building built around courtyard with no halls, light coming from shuddered windows and not too much overall personality. Despite this classrooms are very lively and decorated with student work. Almost completely retrofitted with ramps for handicap accessibility. The small cafeteria also doubles as multipurpose room and is used for the after school program. New plants growing around campus.

After School programs

Sutro CDC (onsite) has afterschool hours (2:45-6:00pm) and serves both children from Sutro ES and neighborhood schools. There are also buses to afterschool programs at JCCSF, St James and the Golden Gate Christian Reform Church.

PTA/PTO

Small but active PTA who raise 20-25k a year, most of which goes to the PE Consultant (100% funded by the PTA). They also sponsor other events and activities including picnics, festivals, a holiday craft fair and movie night. Numerous fundraisers throughout the year.

Language program(s): Bi-Lingual Chinese (for ELL)

Library / Computer Lab

Cute welcoming library well stocked with books. Books were recently all electronically tagged for tracking. Through prop H funding the school has a librarian 2 days a week for 2 hours. Attached to the library is a computer lab with new Dell desktop computers. There is no computer consultant, though this may change if the PTA decides to reallocate funds from the PE consultant. Teachers sign up for 1 hour blocks for library and computer time.

Arts

Sutro is a Dance and Movement school. They also have a music teacher funded through Prop H. Lower grades have singing, 3^rd graders recorder and 4^th & 5^th graders general music (with choice of instruments).

Tour Impressions

I gave my self plenty of time to find parking prior to the tour (not knowing what to expect that close to Clement) and ended up finding a spot directly behind the school. Since I was early I spent some time sitting in the car watching the parents drop off their children. The first thing I noticed was how cute and clean the campus looked from that side. Sure it was in the typical boxy 70’s style, but the school looked well kept with new blacktop, fairly new paintjob, seemingly brand new fencing and ramps and a very attractive play structure. The children reflected the neighborhood well, a rainbow of colors as I like to call it.

Since I had time, I walked around to the front of the building (I could have gone through the back too), and again I was surprised by the well-kept outward appearance. As I was walking through the gates a class of children were leaving on a field trip to the nearby Academy of Sciences. I was greeted by the friendly office staff and soon was being led on the tour by Andrew Poon the principal. It was a small tour, only a handful of parents, perhaps reflecting he limited popularity of this small school. After describing the new retrofitting (for handicap accessibility) we peeked into the tiny cafeteria, which echoed to me how small the school really is – only 260 students - my high school graduating class was that size! Andrew explained that the majority of students do eat school lunch, with a minority bringing their lunches with them. The kids have a 45 minute lunch time broken into 3 slots, kindergartners, the lower grades and then the upper grades.

Next we went to the kindergarten class. There is one GE kindergarten class with a capacity of 22 (there is also a bi-lingual class for ELL). Andrew said there were 3 siblings expected next year, which means 19 open slots for new students. The kindergarten class was colorfully decorated with student artwork and the children were engaged in station time. The teacher, an aid and two 5^th grade students were all helping the children with different projects. They all seemed to be enjoying their work and were barely distracted as we peeked our heads in. I found the classroom warm and welcoming and could see Maddie there.

After that we went upstairs to the library and computer lab. Through prop H funding they have a part time librarian, though no computer consultant. However it sounded like if there were parents who wanted to volunteer in this or other areas they would be more than welcome.

Next stop was the 5^th grade classroom, empty since the students were on the field trip. Much like the k classroom it was warm and welcoming with plenty of student work on display.

Finally we returned outside to the yard. I was disappointed to hear that the green garden was removed to make way for the retrofit (ramps) and was unclear if it was being replanted elsewhere. Andrew explained that the playground equipment was recently replaced in favor of the new structure with more area appropriate for the younger children. On the blacktop the PE consultant was busy with a class. The PE consultant is 100% funded by the PTA and it seemed that since it took up a large percentage of their budget there was talk of whether the consultant would be dropped in favor of other programs. Andrew was unsure if they could get $ for a PE program (from the district or state I forget which) since it depends upon the ratio of overweight students at the school.

All in all I was happy with Sutro, and would feel comfortable sending Maddie there, certain she would get a good education. I would have loved to see more extras, but being a small school the funding and the PTA budget was not there. I do like the idea of a smaller school, and how personal it is, yet also wonder if the transition to a large middle school would be especially hard.

Hot topic: Last-minute wait pool decisions

An SF K Files readers asked me to post the following:

I wanted to see if you can start a thread about receiving notice from the SFUSD about an open space at your waitlist school (now six weeks into the school year). We just received notice this afternoon that our wait-list school has a space and are really really torn. Any comments?

Sunnyside tour change

Has anyone already signed up for a tour of Sunnyside? The Sunnyside Elementary tours are now on Thursdays at 9am, instead of Tuesdays. The two Saturday tours are unchanged--Oct 17 and Nov 14. If you have already reserved a space on at Tuesday tour, the school will phone you to invite you to select a Thursday tour date instead.

St. Paul School Open House

Thursday, October 22nd 6:30 – 8:30 PM
School Gymnasium, 1690 Church St. at 29th St.
Parking Available

Activities

• Meet Faculty, Parents and Students
• Tour the School
• Talks
• Admissions and affordability
• After School Enrichment and athletics
• Parent Involvement

St. Paul School

Nurturing Individual Excellence for Nearly 100 Years
Now accepting applications
________________________________________________________

A commitment to core curriculum enhanced by dedicated science teachers, hands-on computer technology, and Spanish language through Grade 5 offer your child an educational experience that nurtures both individuality and academic excellence. More than 95% of all St. Paul students are accepted at their First Choice High Schools. A wide spectrum of afterschool enrichment programs include art, yoga, piano, study hall, Math and English tutoring. With a “child first, everyone plays” philosophy, St. Paul’s fields Girls, Boys, and Co-ed teams in soccer, volleyball, basketball, and baseball. An extensive array of field trips and other annual events ensure your child’s continued exposure to the performance arts, as well as San Francisco’s leading museums and the California Academy of Sciences. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a number of social justice programs, including annual clothing, food, and gift drives.
________________________________________________________

To request further information, or schedule a tour, we invite you to contact us at: 1690 Church Street, San Francisco, CA 94131. (415) 648-2055. www.stpaulsf.net

Upcoming Reggio Emilia conference

Register now! Limited spaces still available at local early childhood education conference bringing U.S. and international Reggio Emilia experts to Bay Area!

The Innovative Teacher Project conference: An International Dialogue related to Reggio Emilia’s educational system of values and their relationship to social justice and democracy – Sweden, Canada and U.S.

October 23 -24, 2009

“The conference will focus on the important role of the teacher in schools that advocate for social justice and democracy. Teacher as a learner. Teacher as a protagonist. Teacher as a collaborator with colleagues. Teacher as a researcher. Importance of building and sustaining a democratic process in the school. School as a place of interdependent systems.”

Presenters:

Harold Gothson, Reggio Emilia Institutet, Sweden

Jim Cummins, University of Toronto, Canada

Raymond Isola, Principal and Anne Marin Special Education Teacher, Sanchez Elementary School, USA

Simonetta Cittaadini-Medina, Director, L’Atelier School, Florida, USA

Presidio National Park and Sanchez Elementary School, San Francisco

Friday, October 23:

5:30 pm

Visit to Presidio Child Development Center, San Francisco

7–8:30 pm

Panel Presentation and reception following at Presidio Officers Club

Saturday, October 24:

9 am–4 pm

Sanchez Elementary School, Mission District

Presentation and discussion groups

Continental breakfast, lunch and visit to Sanchez Elementary School included

Fee: $200 per participant; 10% NAREA discount

Registration:

Please register by October 16, 2009

Space limited

Contact:

For further information regarding the conference, contact slyon@mills.edu; 415-397-8211

http://www.innovativeteacherproject.org/innovative/seminars.php

We hope you can attend and encourage other early childhood educators and interested parents to participate. Thanks!

Dr. William Cobb Montessori

Many of you encouraged me to look into the newish Montessori program at Cobb elementary. After reading more about the Montessori method Mathias and I were still very unsure if Montessori would be right for Maddie, however we decided it would do no harm to take a look. However upon calling to arrange a tour I was informed that this was only open to incoming kindergartners who were already in a Montessori program, and since Maddie is in a standard preschool and not a Montessori preschool this school is not even an option for us.

Another school crossed from the list.

S.F. schools head uses district credit as own

An excerpt from a recent SFGate article by Chronicle staff writer Jill Tucker:

As San Francisco schools have cut budgets to the bone, the city's school board president used her district-issued credit card to charge thousands of dollars for personal items and thousands more at city restaurants and cafes, according to a Chronicle analysis of financial records.

Board President Kim-Shree Maufas charged $4,300 on the district's Diners Club card for a wide range of personal purchases. They included more than $2,000 for a cultural exchange trip to China, $196 for tickets to the Florida Epcot theme park, $40 for black Crocs, a $125 car battery and a $162 car windshield, $160 in U.S. passport processing fees, a $37 medical visit in Los Angeles and $3 for Apple iTunes.

In addition, Maufas charged $3,000 on the district's Diner's Club for food and beverages to conduct meetings across San Francisco, although the people whom she met and specific district purposes typically were not divulged. The records showed that she was often a big tipper with taxpayer funds. In more than 40 instances, a taxi or restaurant tip exceeded 20 percent of the final bill.

Maufas reimbursed the district in four payments over several months for the personal expenses, even as she continued to charge personal gas, food, parking and other items to the Diner's Club card. Her repayments did not include interest.

Read the full story by clicking here.

Hot topic: Will class sizes increase even more in 2010-11?

An SF K Files reader asked me to start this thread:

Word on the street is that class sizes might increase even more next year. Anyone have details on this? By how much will they increase? I have heard kindergartens might have 25 students--or even 30. Also, I'm curious to know if parents think class size makes a big difference. I know many studies indicate that the quality of the teacher is more important than the number of kids. Thirty kids and a good teacher is a better scenario than 20 kids and a bad teacher. Anyways, please share your thoughts.

Do you know about SFUSD's newest's school? Chinese Immersion School at De Avila

Considering Immersion for you child? Check out the newly opened Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila school, centrally located in the Haight Ashbury. The curriculum includes instruction in Cantonese, adding Mandarin in the second grade.

Established in 2009, The Chinese Immersion School at De Avila is the 5th of San Francisco’s Chinese Immersion Programs. By providing a rigorous Chinese and English academic program in a fun and supportive environment, CIS gives children the confidence, scholastic preparation, and cognitive development they need to succeed in the 21st century. The benefits of CIS are not only academic; students are also part of a diverse and multi-lingual community which provides them with the opportunity to see the world through new lenses and to gain a better understanding of themselves and of the world.

1351 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94117

Phone: (415) 241-6325
Fax: (415) 241-6540
After School Program: (415) 713-0640

School Hours: 8:40am-2:40pm

Hot topic: Working parents and school holidays

An SF K Files reader asked me to post the following:

I'm a working single mom and don't yet have childcare lined up for Monday, October 12. Our afterschool babysitter isn't available for the whole day and my now-1st grader is too big for her preschool (which does offer care on those days for a flat fee). I take off most school holidays but want to work this particular one. What do working parents do on these school holidays?

UC Berkeley's 'Daily Cal' reports on the state of California K-12 public education

Here's an excerpt from an article in the Daily Cal:

Two years ago, California spent significantly less on schools than most other states. Now we are making deep cuts in educational spending. Two years ago, California ranked nearly last in the nation in the number of adults per student in our schools. Now we are laying off teachers. Two years ago, California faced a severe shortage of college graduates in the coming decade. Now the UC and CSU systems are eliminating classes and restricting enrollments.

In 2007, the "Getting Down to Facts" (GDTF) studies provided a comprehensive diagnosis of the state of education in California and some guidance on the kinds of policy change needed to reform our state's education system (http://irepp.stanford.edu/projects/cafinance). Shortly thereafter, the Governor's Committee on Educational Excellence (GCEE) published a report called "Students First" that laid out a comprehensive strategy to improve the performance of California's schools and students (http://www.everychildprepared.org).

At the time, there was broad agreement on two key points. First, California would have to spend more money-a lot more money-on K-12 education to accomplish the state's ambitious educational goals. Second, new spending would have to be accompanied by dramatic reforms in the way California's education system is organized and operated. More money by itself would not produce better results.

To read the full article click here.

James Lick Car Wash

Get your car washed this Saturday……Drop by James Lick Middle School, 1220 Noe St @ 25th St. and Castro this Saturday October 3.

Proceeds support the musical theater program. This year JLMS will be producing "Annie Jr." scheduled for December show dates.

Wanted: Parents who can write about touring private schools

The SF K Files currently has two parents who are writing about their experiences of touring the public schools. Their posts are thoughtful and they're helping to add to the discussion. Thank you to both of these parents for throwing themselves out there and sharing their experiences.

We would love to have a parent who is touring private and/or parochial schools write for the site. The SF K Files isn't about public or private--rather it's about forming a community of people who are all interested in their children's education. And obviously it's about discussing important--and sometimes not so important--issues. What makes the site so interesting and rich is that people with all different viewpoints frequent it. Hopefully, we're all learning from one another.

If you're interested in blogging, you can email thesfkfiles@gmail.com. Please note that all bloggers use pseudonyms and they're using additional tactics to maintain anonymity. Thanks!

SFUSD news: Harvey Milk students turn in lunch forms

Principal Christina Velasco has promised her students they can laugh with her when she teases and sprays her hair purple to mark the occasion of every family at Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy turning in their application for Free and Reduced- Price Meals. Having accurate information through these forms not only allows eligible students access to free breakfast and lunch at school, but also helps individual schools and the district receive additional funding for everything from technology to teacher support. The form is sent home to families at the beginning of each school year.

Hot topic: What would it take to get the funding for S.F. schools up to at least the national average?

An SF K Files reader asked me to start the following thread:

So many posts on The SF K Files end up being about the bottom line...money. Depressing old news about prop 13 and our screwed up political system. I would like to see a hot topic post asking for the financial and political wizards reading the blog to write in and tell us, What would it take to get the funding for San Francisco schools up to at least the national average? Get creative--how much per resident per year, various tax schemes, fees, rich donors, who knows. I would really love to see the responses. What if it turns out each San francisco Resident could pay .5% of income and save our schools from the financial crisis they are in. We are a creative city...PTA dollars can only go so far.

Public School 101: Learn how to enroll in public school

When: Saturday, October 3, 2009
Time: 10am-12pm
Where: Francis Scott Key Elementary; 1530 43rd Ave @ Kirkham

This year we have more Parents for Public Schools Ambassadors than ever who have volunteered to come to this event to talk with parents about their school. This is a good opportunity to connect with other parents who have been through the process and can give you their perspective of their schools.

You will also get an overview of the assignment process and a chance to ask questions about applying to schools in San Francisco.

No reservation necessary but please sign up for free KidsWatch (ages 3 and up) below or call us at (415) 861-7077.