The seismic evaluation recommended improvements for specific sections of the north side of our building, based on criteria developed by engineers after the Northridge/Los Angeles earthquake in 1994.  Our building was constructed prior to that event and the new criteria.  The engineers have stated that the recommended improvements will bring the building up to current life-safety standards as defined by the American Society of Civil Engineers Standard ASCE/SEI 31-03 for the Seismic Evaluations of Existing Buildings.

The Board of Trustees has decided to move forward with this work as we continue an ongoing facilities evaluation.  We will proceed with developing specifications and obtaining necessary approvals, with the most likely scenario of construction at the end of the school year.  The work will likely coincide with some construction to improve ADA accessibility to the property as well.

In the meantime, we will continue to keep you up-to-date on the other projects and upgrades that will be scheduled during the summer months and in the future.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact me at (415) 951-0500 or mhalper@atcpartners.com.

Welcome Back. When I was growing up, these words filled me with dread when associated with ‘school’ or ‘September.’  Welcome back to a classroom?  Welcome back to new teachers?  To new kids?  No thank you.  I remember well the first-week-of-school stomachache that only gradually lessened as September ran into October.  Not even the annual back to school shopping trip could forestall the impending sense of doom.  And then came the Day School.

Every summer I’ll hear someone (it could be a grandparent, an uncle, a cousin) ask my sons if they’re looking forward to school starting.  And I wait with bated breath thinking that this will be the year I hear one or both say, “Not really” or “No way.”  And every year I’m a little surprised, and very pleased, when I hear both say, “Yes, I can’t wait to see who my teacher will be, ” or “I can’t wait to see who’s in my class,” or “Can I be a Dolphin Singer?”  No stomachaches, no back to school shopping bribes needed.  Magic — Day School Magic.  And I have to confess that I too now look forward to school starting.  To seeing all of you.  To getting back into the classrooms to see all the amazing things the teachers have planned.  To working on fun events and attending soccer games.  September has been transformed!

I hope you feel it too, as part of the Parents Association.  And I’m here, along with the other officers (our contact information is below) to see that you do.  So please feel free to let me know if the magic is slipping, or better yet, when you feel it most.  Our goal is to have parents feel supported and to be  supportive of our kids, our faculty and the community.  There are many ways to be involved, both in and outside of the classroom.  I hope you’ll take advantage of all September has to offer – Welcome Back!

2010-2011 Parents Association

President: Jennifer Holderness
President-Elect: Nicole Krassner
Treasurer: Mardi Dier
Secretary: Kay Parekh
Volunteer Chair: Courtney Norris
Diversity Chair: Bert Galleno

I am so honored to support the school by taking the position of Chair of Strategic Plan 2010. This has been a busy and exciting few months, and the hallways are truly buzzing with creative thinking.

To bring you up-to-date on our progress, we conducted Community Listening Forums in February and March, which were attended by more than 300 parents, alumni, former trustees, grandparents and faculty. In April, we invited students of all grade levels to add their ideas as well; their input is touching and inspirational. We’ve synthesized the results of all those sessions to determine the educational themes that will be explored at the May workshop. (Read more in Sue Collentine’s article, “Listening to Our Students.”)

This week, on May 7 and 8, almost 80 members of our community have come together to examine these themes in depth at the “Workshop on Educational Ideas.” At this offsite, 13 trustees, 7 former SFDS parents/trustees, 4 alumni, 6 members of the administration, 23 members of the faculty and 24 parents are working in teams to think about each theme in depth, to learn from faculty and parent researchers, to work through questions and concerns, and to prioritize which ideas should advance in the strategic planning process. We will report on the results of these exciting steps as we move forward.

We owe much gratitude to all who have contributed their ideas at every step of the way.  Thank you, thank you!

New Leadership
We are excited to announce that, in addition to her role as PA President, Christy Tripp has graciously agreed to chair the next phase of our strategic-planning efforts. We are lucky to have Christy at the helm of this process as she brings significant management expertise to this work, drawing from her experiences as the executive director of the Walther Foundation, a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, and a manager at Score Learning Corporation. Christy will oversee all phases of the strategic-planning process: the Inquiry into Educational Directions, the Space Utilization Study, the Financial Modeling Analysis, and the creation of a formal plan to be presented to the board and community in fall 2010.

As her first task as chair, Christy worked with our strategic planning steering committee to compile the extensive data pulled from our community listening forums.

Major Themes From the Community Listening Forums
Over 200 current parents, founders, faculty, alumni, parents of alumni, and grandparents participated in the community listening forums held in February and March. The following themes and ideas emerged as educational priorities and will be examined in depth during the next phase of our process, the May strategic plan workshop. Thank you to all who participated in these forums.

1.    Critical Thinking

A.    Opportunities and Challenges of Information Technology

Validity and accuracy of resources; implications of permanence of information
Breadth vs. depth of ideas

B.    Curriculum and Instruction

Problem solving
Analysis & interpretation of quantitative and qualitative information
Communication skills
Math competence and confidence
Science investigation

2.    Habits of Heart and Mind: Learning How to Learn

Emotional Intelligence/ resilience
Curiosity and interest leading to effort and investigation
Willingness to fail, risk-taking
Self-awareness and reflection
Self-advocacy
Discipline, perseverance, work ethic
Listening skills
Growth mindset

3.    Right-Brained Thinking: The Artist in Each of Us

Imagination and creativity
Art, Music, Drama
Problem solving
Innovation
Performance, public speaking
Expressing emotion and insight

4.    Global and Local Citizenship: Living With Your Eyes Wide Open

A.    Involvement with the Community

Service learning and community service
Social justice and advocacy
Awareness and appreciation of privilege; humility, empathy and gratitude
Values and ethics
SFDS Breakthrough Program

B.    Global Citizenship

International language learning
Global awareness
Cultural competence, from inside the perspective of the other
Collaboration with diverse peers
Connection to international events

5.    Health and Wellness: Developing Your Whole Self

Balance
Time and stress management
Knowledge of nutrition and eating healthy
Exercise, time for play
Being comfortable with yourself and who you are
Mindfulness and reflection
Connection to nature

Next Steps
In May, a committee consisting of trustees, founders, current parents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty, and administrators will meet for an intensive two-day offsite, the Strategic Plan: Workshop on Educational Ideas. Participants will work in groups to examine the educational priorities that were identified through the community listening forums, culminating in presentations to the entire committee, which will then inform the June planning retreat. The June planning retreat will also incorporate findings from our financial modeling and space utilization review to determine our education priorities for the future.

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions, and some answers.  As a reminder, if your family is having any difficulty with tuition, please contact the business office to start the confidential and informal process of working out options that will allow you to remain at the Day School. The goal this year, as it was last, is to keep our community whole.

Why does tuition have to go up so much?

There are two main reasons that tuition goes up: increases in personnel costs and rising spending on discounted tuition.  The board and senior leadership of the School face the balancing act of weighing tuition increases against stripping down programs and projects. They do their best to hold down costs for parents while keeping the curriculum as rich and full for the students as possible.

Why do we give our faculty a salary increase when many in our community have lost jobs or experienced a reduction in income?

Faculty salaries are structured on an apprenticeship model. Over a 30-year career, a teacher’s wage may actually not even keep pace with inflation. Teachers do not receive large salary increases in strong economic periods and never receive bonuses for outstanding performance.  It is also important that salaries be competitive with our peer schools so that SFDS can attract and retain the best teachers both in the Bay Area and nationwide.

If teachers are only getting 3% raises, why is tuition up 5%?

Personnel spending accounts for 67% of the School’s budget and while raises are fairly stable at 3% a year, benefits are rising at a pace of 10-15% a year, driven primarily by increases in health insurance costs.  That, combined with the added expense for discounted tuition, accounts for the difference.

How much is Discounted Tuition up?

The budget for discounted tuition is up 23% over last year and is 45% higher than it was in 2007-2008 (before the economy faltered).   The School has maintained a policy that no family should leave because of financial difficulty. That has meant that 97 students (or 25% of our student body) are receiving tuition discounts this year, up from 84 last year and 75 in the 2007-2008 school year.  The projected increase in discounted tuition for 2010-2011 is 6% over this year’s budget.

What about all that spending on the new Learning Resource Program?

Right now the increased costs in LRP are entirely funded by special contributions from a small number of donors and can only be used for that program. There is no impact on tuition from the expansion of the LRP program.

What are our peer schools doing?

Schools aren’t allowed to discuss tuition increases among themselves in advance, so we do not yet know what other schools are doing for next year. However, over the last six years, our peer schools have raised tuition an average of 5-7% (SFDS averaged 5.5%). For 2009-2010, tuition increases ranged between 3.5% and 6.5% with a $1300 range between the highest and lowest. The board of SFDS tries to maintain predictability for our families by staying in the 5-7% range and avoiding dramatic increases in any one year.

Aren’t there other cuts we can make?

The 2010-2011 budget is strictly a maintenance budget. The school has made cuts and is holding the line on spending. The school is putting off any new facilities projects and just keeping a small reserve to fund any unexpected repairs.

I am honored to take on the role of finance committee chair for our board of trustees. I want to acknowledge my predecessor, Melinda Ellis Evers, who continues (as our current treasurer) to dedicate an incredible amount of time and energy to San Francisco Day School.  As the previous chair, her strong leadership and diligent focus on financial sustainability pushed the school forward in the ever-present challenge of achieving long-term financial sustainability. We are lucky to have Melinda on our team.

The finance committee is made up of eight trustees: me, Katie Albright, Orlando Bravo, Sandy Dean, Melinda Ellis Evers, Carl Kawaja, Alicia Nogales, and Tommy Battat, and four administrative members: Katharine Daugherty (assistant business manager), Terry Gumz (director of development), Dr. David Jackson (head of school) and Carolyn Sasser (business manager). Jennifer Holderness (PA president elect) also participates. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated, highly skilled, and experienced group.

The finance committee is the primary financial oversight committee of the board. We work with the administrative team to oversee current-, past-, and future-year budgets, as well as the audit of prior-year financials. The committee places a strong emphasis on long-term financial planning. In every discussion that we have as a committee, the following five factors are recognized as the primary drivers (current and future) of our financial model:

1. Tuition
2. Annual Fundraising (including Annual Fund, Major Gifts and Events)
3. Endowment Income
4. Tuition Discounts
5. Salaries and Benefits

The finance committee carefully considers all aspects of the School’s revenue and expenses for both current and future years and how they affect our community. The ability of the School to keep its community whole in 2008-2009—consistent with our objective to be a family school—will be a focus again this year, as we expect the economic environment to continue to be difficult for families in our community.

The committee also focuses on the strategic decisions of the School and how these decisions impact its long-term financial stability. The finance committee will work closely with the Strategic Plan 2010 Committee on the financial aspect that group’s planning. In addition, the committee communicates regularly with the development team to coordinate the long-term development strategy and its major impact on future financial stability.

In my first year as chair of the finance committee, I look forward to working with many of you to provide an incredible program for our children in a way that is financially sustainable for the long term. I encourage you to contact any member of the finance committee or any trustee if you have questions, comments, or concerns—especially as they relate to our School finances.

Welcome back to the start of another year at San Francisco Day School.

First of all, I want to send out a very big thank you to Su-Moon Paik, last year’s board president.  During her nine years of tireless service as a trustee and four years as board president, Su-Moon made a significant impact on SFDS.  Our school is a much better place because of her work. She spent countless hours working on behalf of the Day School and provided strong leadership during the head of school transition. Her efforts to bring in Dr. Jackson as our head of school proved to be one of her many successes. I know Su-Moon will continue to stay involved with the School. We are fortunate to have her in our community.

I also want to use this communication to let you know about the board’s upcoming work for 2009-2010.

As we enter the third year with Dr. Jackson at the helm, SFDS is on the right course. He has provided strong leadership and has high aspirations for the School. Last year, he generated a faculty commitment to differentiated instruction for all students – No Ceiling, No Threshold. The nine learning resource teachers have become integrated into the Day School’s instructional program, benefiting all students. Dr. Jackson formulated and implemented this significant program quickly and efficiently — a great example of his high energy and “can do” attitude.  We look forward to working with him as our head for many years to come.

This year, the board has formed two Task Forces that are important to our school and community: Differentiated Instruction and “Strategic Plan 2010 – Planning an SFDS Education for the 21st Century.”

The Strategic Plan will evaluate the School’s overall needs with a long-term perspective. In addition to performing a facilities review, the task force will look at educational trends and financial sustainability. We expect that this task force will work with the goal of creating a final plan for the School over the next few years.

The Differentiated Instruction Task Force is charged with reviewing and assisting the new Learning Resource Program. The School has committed significant resources to the program and this task force will look to assist — at the board level — in making LRP as effective as possible.

This will be a very exciting year for us at SFDS. In my first year as board president, I am looking forward to working with many of you in our efforts to provide a great learning environment for our children. As always, we encourage you to contact any of the trustees should you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Best,

Michael Halper
President, Board of Trustees

Welcome back to school!  Although it is hard to say goodbye to summer, I know that my family can’t wait to see our school friends after the long break.  We have a lot to catch up on as we look forward to the 2009-10 school year.

We are also looking forward to getting to know the many new families who are joining the Day School this fall. They have already been matched up with LINC families to help them start their connection to the Day School, and I encourage each of us to reach out to help them feel at home.   Entering a new school community is a big transition, whether you have a new kindergartner or a new upper school student, so let’s make the extra effort.  Back to School Night is a particularly great time to make contact with the new families in your children’s classes.

The mission of the PA is “connecting community,” and this year we will continue to work toward making our school community the best it can be. We invite you to participate in school events, to volunteer when you can, and especially to communicate with us about your experience.  Here are a few new things to look for as we start the year:

• First, we want to make volunteering as easy as possible, and to this end, Events Manager Dasha Ostrova has created a new on-line sign-up process.   If you haven’t seen it, please click here to check out.  And don’t forget that we have two members of the PA Executive Committee ready to help you find the right volunteer role.  Please contact them with any questions:  Danny Wong (dannyw@cfmc.com) and Courtney Norris (abcn@earthlink.net).

• Second, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to get your questions answered. Do you have a question about the cafeteria?  About sports?  About curriculum?  Do you have a comment about an existing event or a great idea for a new one?  Our Communications Committee has created a new way to ensure that your thoughts and suggestions reach the right person.  It is called MyVoice, and you can access it in two ways.  You can fill out feedback form and put it in the MyVoice box in the Masonic Lobby or you can fill out the MyVoice Feedback Form online. The Director of Communications, Sarah Pizer-Bush, will see that your question or comment is forwarded to the appropriate person. In addition to answering your questions, we are hoping that MyVoice will become a productive way for members of the school community to provide feedback on what is working well and what could be improved, so please give it a try!

• Third, we want to help working parents connect to our community. We will brainstorming this year to figure out more ways we can help working parents, especially those with inflexible schedules, feel as connected to the SFDS community as possible.  If you want to be a part of this process, or have any suggestions, please contact me at ctripp@insidetrack.com.

• Fourth, I want to encourage everyone to attend a meeting of the Parent Group on Diversity.  They have created a thoughtful and exciting schedule for the 2009-10 school year. Their meetings create a setting for some of the most engaging and interesting conversations happening at the Day School.  They hold events in both the morning and evening to make it as easy as possible for parents to participate.  If you have any questions or ideas, please contact the co-chairs, Cathy Dean (cathy@piscesinc.com) or Bert Galleno (hgalleno@gmail.com).

• Finally, Don’t miss the Fall Picnic, chaired by Howard Sackson.  (Thank you, Howard!)  Join the rest of the SFDS community for fun, food and games on Sunday, September 20^th from 11am-2pm at Old Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park.

We welcome your thoughts on how to make our community even stronger.  The officers of the Parents Association are here as a resource for you.  We give out our contact information for a reason!  Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions or comments.

Christy Tripp, President – ctripp@insidetrack.com
Jennifer Holderness, President-Elect – jholderness@mac.com
Peter Buckner, Treasurer -  pbucko@earthlink.net
Gina Moreno-John, Secretary – ginam@medicine.ucsf.edu
Danny Wong, Volunteer Co-Chair – dannyw@cfmc.com
Courtney Norris, Volunteer Co-Chair – abcn@earthlink.net

Here’s to a wonderful school year!

Christy Tripp
PA President