September 4, 2010
What do financials, The Little Engine That Could and school menus all have in common? All were topics of discussion at the San Francisco Day School annual “State of the School” dinner, where over 170 parents, faculty and board members all gathered to share SFDS updates and plans for the upcoming year.
Posted in Administrative Team, Leadership, Strategic Plan
September 4, 2010
Faithful readers of this blog will recall that June’s posting, the last one of the year, recounted the tremendous energy and commitment to professional development that was in the works for our teachers during the summer. Thirty-five teachers were scheduled to attend conferences and workshops all over the country. In addition, virtually every teacher in every grade and subject arranged work with Day School colleagues or local experts to expand and refine their curriculum and teaching practices.
Posted in Administrative Team, Leadership
September 4, 2010
Welcome back to school! For those of you who are new to San Francisco Day School, the Development Office not only manages the School’s fundraising efforts, but we are also the primary liaison between the Parents Association, our many volunteers, and the administration. While we work at some point during the year with a majority of our current parents, we are the primary point of contact at the School for our alumni, parents of alumni, and our founding families.
Posted in Administrative Team, Leadership
September 4, 2010
While many families were enjoying their last days of summer break, over 50 SFDS teachers and staff member returned to school early for a three day Diversity Forum. This annual event is an opportunity for teacher and staff to focus on the School’s core value of “diversity and inclusion in our community.”
Posted in Administrative Team, Leadership
June 4, 2010
Here we are at the end of two very exciting years, and the LRP has made great strides toward a systemic, meaningful integration throughout the School. Thanks to our amazingly effective LRP teachers at every grade level- in partnership with our students, teachers, and parents- we have been able to impact the learning of all SFDS students in significant ways.
Posted in Administrative Team
June 4, 2010
Our Institute for Teaching and Learning (ITL), now in its second year, is the Day School’s formalized approach to promoting extensive, ongoing teacher training and development. This summer will be a busy, professionally productive time for the vast majority of our teachers.
Posted in Administrative Team
May 8, 2010
“What skills and tools will an SFDS student need to succeed in the twenty-first century?” The adults in our community took part in listening forums and identified the knowledge, skills, and abilities that will be required of tomorrow’s adults. The responses, wide-ranging and thoughtful, will be a focus at the upcoming retreat in early May. Also submitted for consideration will be the responses from students in all grades. Enjoy this sampling.
Posted in Administrative Team, Strategic Plan
April 5, 2010
Chery Thomas, our go-to person for all things relating to SFDS, reminds faculty each fall that “once Halloween comes, school is almost over.” We all laugh at this remark in those darkening days of October, but the truth is that come November, the pace of school life quickens. After Halloween there is less than a month until the Thanksgiving break; following that less than a month until the holiday break. The stretch of weeks in January is punctuated by ERBs and parent conferences in the upper school. Then comes the February break, followed by a string of weeks as the days gradually get longer, the rain abates, and projects, new units, field trips, special activities increase. And then we spring forward. Now in April another school year is winding down and, for real, the year is almost over.
Posted in Administrative Team
March 6, 2010
A recent New York Times article ─“Empathy’s Natural, But Nurturing It Helps” (February 16, 2010)─ shows not only the importance of the quality called empathy and the necessary conditions for its development in children, but also the role of parents and teachers in its nurturance.
Posted in Administrative Team
February 10, 2010
Following best practices, we have been working to initiate forums to better support children of color at SFDS. In October, the school took a step toward this goal by starting a morning gathering for African American students. The response from parents and children alike has been overwhelmingly positive, prompting me to ask other families of color (Asian, Latino, and multi-racial) if they would be interested in having a similar option for their children. Based on their enthusiastic feedback, it is my pleasure to announce that next month we will begin morning gatherings for more students of color.
Posted in Administrative Team
