“We wanted to hold a bake sale to raise money, because the school that burned down needed to get their library back!”

They immediately began organizing and planning, figuring out who would bring what, where, and when.  They decided to hold the bake sale in Alta Plaza park and set up a table to display a massive array of goodies, even playing music to lure hungry passersby:

• Cookies (even offering a gluten-free option!)
• Cupcakes
• Chocolate truffles
• Lemon bread
• Brownies
• Cranberry bread
• Trail mix
• Individual sized bags of jelly beans…and more…

From beginning to end, the three girls worked out every detail, with support from their parents and siblings.

“We did most of the work because we wanted to!  We met the day before and spent two hours making huge signs with markers and lots of glitter!”

When asked what they learned about the experience, and if there was anything they’d change if they did it again, they said, “Yes!  We need to offer more healthy options, because there are a lot of young kids that play in the park with their families.  Next time we’ll bring fruit!”

In just a few short hours, the girls managed to raise over $300.  $338.63, to be exact.  They were thrilled to walk the funds down to Ms. Otero’s office, carrying three ziploc bags full of bills and coins. When asked how it felt, the girls burst out:

“Proud!”
“Exciting!”
“Amazing!”

Creative Arts Charter school is still rebuilding their library, and with the support of their local community and students like Lucinda, Catherine, and Sophie, it shouldn’t be long to fill those shelves.  For more information and and to learn how you can help, please visit: http://creativeartscharter.org/.

Thank you to our wonderful students for caring and showing us how easy it is to make a difference.  You rock!

Technology education meetings at SFDS

The SFDS technology department recently hosted two meetings to address parental concerns surrounding children and their consumption of technology.  These meetings were designed to create a safe environment in which families could share anecdotes, ask questions, and debunk student-driven myths, such as “everyone else in my class has an iPhone!”  Another goal of these meetings is to help families gain consistency in terms of expectations and guidelines regarding technology use for children.

We covered a wide range of topics in both meetings, touching on the following:

Amalia Amaki
Chris Ofili
Cybele Lyle
Kiki Smith
Richard Tuttle
Swoon

…They were all artists-of-the-month in the 05/06 school year! (Check out samples below)

These are just a few examples from hundreds of artists that our students have studied over the past thirty years.  In honor of that time, this year’s CultureFest is aptly titled “For the Love of Art.”  Help us celebrate thirty years of creativity showcased in our visual and performing arts programs at this year’s event!  We are currently looking for item donations for CultureFest – if you’re interested, please contact Dasha Ostrova (dostrova@sfds.net) or click here for more information and creative ideas. Thank you for your support!

Amalia Amaki

Chris Ofili

Cybele Lyle

Well done, ladies! Keep up the hard work!

Join us in congratulating SFDS alumnus John Stuart Gordon (Class of 1992), in the recent release of his book, A Modern World.  This exploration of American modern design is now available from Yale University Press.

A Modern World draws upon the renowned collection of American decorative arts at the Yale University Art Gallery to explore the appearance and dissemination of modern design in the United States. This catalogue organizes roughly 300 examples of silver, glass, industrial design, furniture, medals, jewelry, and printed textiles into thematic groups that chart the aesthetic and social trends that defined American design from the Jazz Age to the Space Age.

To learn more about A Modern World or to make a purchase, click here.

Please make Breakthroughs possible by joining us for Raise Your Hand, our annual fundraiser. Scheduled for Wednesday, February 8, from 6 – 9 pm at SFDS, the event raises critical operating funds while also providing an insider’s perspective on education reform efforts.

This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Sacramento Mayor, Kevin Johnson. Mr. Johnson has been involved in education and community development projects in Sacramento for several decades. He helped to launch, and has served as CEO of, St. HOPE, a community revitalization effort serving his old neighborhood of Oak Park. Currently, he co-chairs U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s Mayors Advisory Council, and chairs the U.S. Conference of Mayors Task Force on Public Education. He also founded STAND UP, a non-profit organization advocating for excellent public schools. Mr. Johnson was an all-star point guard for the Phoenix Suns and a two-time All-Pac 10 player at UC Berkeley. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley and is a graduate of the Harvard Divinity School’s Summer Leadership Institute. Click here for a thought-provoking interview with Mayor Johnson on leadership and community development in the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Tickets are available now. Please watch for an invitation in your mailbox early next week, or click here to purchase tickets online between now and January 29.

Breakthrough extends a special thank you to our lead supporters this year: Barbara and Fred Abbott; Linda and Andy Ach; AT&T; Melissa Buckley and Rajesh Atluru; Cathy and Sandy Dean; Laura and John Fisher; Randi and Bob Fisher; Giants Community Fund; James Irvine Foundation; The Jenerosity Foundation; Susan Byrd and Mark Lampert; Jane and Roger Mortimer; June and Cody Marcel; Ann and Brian Roberts; Elizabeth and Andrew Spokes; Walmart Foundation; the Weinstein Family Charitable Foundation; and Jenni and Hassan Zaidi.

For more information, please contact event planning committee members Barbara Abbott, Megan Howard, Nicole Krassner, or Jane Mortimer, or Breakthrough Executive Director Andy Shin.

Initially, Halper and Wessinger channeled their love for the Beebz by purchasing Bieber-branded products (toothbrushes, cereal and the like), but soon they moved on to creating their own Bieber product for other fans to enjoy.  Together they wrote and self-published a 148-page ode to Beiber, titled, “Got Bieber Fever? A Fan’s Guide.”  Their efforts and hard work clearly paid off, resulting in a meeting with the boy wonder himself, Justin Bieber.  The San Francisco Chronicle recently featured an article on the debut of their book at Books Inc.  And was it worth it?  Just ask Lizzie:  ”We never dreamed it would go this far. We got to go to New York. He knows who we are. He knows our names!”

To read the article in full, please click here.

The She’s recently released an “infectious, surfy garage-pop debut album” titled Then It Starts to Feel Like Summer, and played a record-release show at popular local venue, Bottom of the Hill.  We are so proud of these students and encourage everyone to check out their latest musical accomplishment!  To listen to a song from their new album, click here.

At our end-of-semester potluck dinner on December 7, Breakthrough students, tutors, and their families came together to celebrate three months of hard work. After a brief program recognizing participants, guests conversed over everything from salad to chicken stew.

Breakthrough’s after-school program this fall benefited from the efforts of 46 tutors, including 13 SFDS eighth graders: Alex, Benny, Byron, Corinna, Ellie, Gloria, Griffin, Jeannie, Mia, Michelle, Nathaniel, Noah, and Sarah. Each committed to one afternoon weekly and was matched with a small number of Breakthrough fifth and sixth graders, helping them with academics as well as organizational skills. This meant applying lessons that tutors might themselves have internalized just recently – such as how to conduct research online and keep track of sources.

“I helped [my tutee] with new concepts in math and gave her tips on how to check her work,” says Sarah. “I also gave her advice on how to research, what sources to use, and how to take notes.”

Tutors sometimes find themselves reflecting on, and gaining a renewed appreciation for, their own teachers. “I think Ms. Paine is a great teacher because of her passion for history, the subject she teaches, and her strong knowledge of the subject,” writes one tutor. “She stands out because of her organized teaching style and her ability to keep an upbeat attitude throughout our class discussions and activities. [This approach] helps preserve a safe learning environment for the students.”

“Mr. Keller did many things to help me in class,” writes another. “He taught me many tips and tricks in math, and how to apply them so that I would get better grades. He also helped me become confident in myself, even when times seem tough. I wish to bring this to the playing field so that my tutees are also confident and positive.”

Tutors are expected to report back weekly on their tutees’ progress and to assume responsibility for their learning while on-site. “The challenges are making sure that tutoring time does not turn into a time to only talk instead of learn; and explaining something in a way that 5^th and 6^th graders will understand,” says Benny.

At times, it means tracking down an unknown answer – an experience most teachers are familiar with. It also means questioning one’s pre-conceptions. As Sarah points out, we hear so much about the problems with public schools that it’s easy to assume public school kids lack motivation. But this is often not the case. “The kids are great,” she says. “It was really rewarding, because my tutee was really willing to hear my advice and try to improve. She was already a great student when I met her – interested in her work, focused, and hard-working. I just helped her by giving her some tools and tips to do even better.”

Ms. Scott will present to seventh and eighth graders during advisory in January about the application process for tutoring in the spring semester. Please contact her with questions: (415) 568-3660 or jscott@sfds.net.