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October 19, 2007
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PHS Photos: Walkathon treasure - Worms!
Upcoming events 10-19-2007
ALL SCHOOL EVENTS:
• October 24–Rain date for photos
• October 31–Halloween parade and assembly
• November 2–Faculty Work Day - No classes, childcare by reservation
• November 15–Book Fair at Books, Inc. 6:00-9:00 PM
• November 16–Grandparents and Special Friends Day
Click here for a downloadable calendar of events for October
Click here for a downloadable calendar of events for November
Announcements 10-19-2007
Picture Days
Make up photos for students who were absent will be on Wednesday, October 24. Picture galleries will be posted online by Nov. 2, 2007.
Click here for a downloadable flyer with details about purchasing the photos.
Halloween Parade
October 31, 2007
HALLOWEEN PARADE (and Photo Opportunity)
Costume review on the yards: 9:00 AM–9:20 AM
Staff photo in front of school: 9:20 AM–9:30 AM
Parade around the block: 9:30 AM–9:45 AM
4th–8th graders do not need to arrive until 9:00 AM
Appropriate costumes encouraged! Parents invited.
Faculty Work Day Childcare
Childcare is available by reservation only on Friday, November 2, from 8-3pm for a fee of $65 when reserved by Wednesday, October 31 and $85 for late reservations. Regular ASR rates will apply from 3-6pm. Please RSVP by contacting Raymi Orozco at raymi_orozco@presidiohill.org or at x.130. Also, please remember to provide lunch for your child(ren).
An Invitation to Grandparents and Special Friends Day
Save the Date: Follies 2007
High School Placement 10-19-2007
Ann Meissner Jennifer Franklin (Seventh Grade Humanities Teacher)High School Friday Letter
October 19, 2007
Lowell Night for Eighth Graders is November 8 from 7-9pm. This is an ideal opportunity for eighth graders and one parent/guardian to visit Lowell. The evening includes a presentation in the auditorium that provides an overview of course offerings by faculty representatives. It also include highlights from the principal’s perspective and a presentation by Lowell students and the PTSA. There is also a self-guided tour of the campus.
In order to attend, you must have a ticket. PHS is responsible for submitting a list of names of students and one parent/guardian who would like tickets. I will pick the tickets up from Lowell on November 1st and distribute them to the students. Please note that only one adult per student is allowed to attend.
Please email Ann (ann_meissner@presidiohill.org) by October 23rd if you would like a ticket. You will not be allowed admittance without a ticket and tickets can not be obtained from Lowell after this date.
Branson School in Ross is offering a Neighborhood Coffee/Evening Discussion in San Francisco for prospective parents on November 6. RSVP to 415-454-3636x209. The address is 2700 Green Street. There are other Neighborhood Coffee/Evening Discussions being held in Marin. Call Branson for more information.
From the Director 10-19-2007
What is a Progressive School?
A few weeks ago (October 5 – 6, 2007), the teachers at Presidio Hill School joined other progressive educators from around the country for the first national Progressive Schools Conference in more than a decade. You’ll be happy to note that we helped to host the event by sponsoring 15 progressive educators at the school for a lunch and tour. Many of the other area progressive schools were involved with the conference planning, including San Francisco School, Park Day School in Oakland, Blue Oak School in Napa, and several others. Two of our own teachers presented at the conference, Kelly McDonough and Trevor McNeil, talking about progressive practices and what they are up to in their classrooms.
As I have often said, progressive education is less about regurgitating rigid content standards (although content is very important as students mature) and more about creating habits of mind that make life-long learners successful. Progressive Education is also democracy in action.
Thinking about Presidio Hill School as not only the oldest progressive school in California, but also as one of the exemplars of progressive practices, I put together some questions that people ask me about our school. The questions serve as a starting point for this discussion.
What are the hallmarks of a truly progressive school?
Progressive schools value the social-emotional growth of students. Progressive Schools also value collaboration over competition, which is part of both democracy in action and our social activist heritage. Also, progressive schools promote depth over breadth in all content areas, which spurs student interests and helps students pave their own way into a particular subject or discipline. Additionally, many Progressive Schools either de-emphasize or just don’t give grades as a way to tell that a student is progressing. Written comments take the place of just having grades only.
Don’t many other schools do this?
Absolutely, comments and commenting is a hallmark of not just progressive schools but most independent schools in general. What’s unique about our school is that parents, teachers, and even students are in on the conversation. It’s not just a one-way monologue, but the whole community is engaged in the discussion. Comments serve as a way for teachers, parents, and students to understand what can be done to improve and how we all can work together to usher that improvement along.
Who decides what gets taught at PHS?
At many independent schools, the school decides. It is the school’s curriculum. It is what the school values.
At PHS, teachers have great autonomy on what is taught, what is added, and what is taken out. The school (in teams of educators) does “scope and sequence work” to determine what should be taught where and when in the curriculum. The school audits what we teach by having conversations around what students know and should know, and what skills they have or should have from teacher to teacher and year to year. Nearly all our teachers belong to national and local organizations where best practices (and even standards) are shared. Our teachers present what they know at conferences, workshops and staff meetings and learn from each other and from conferences, workshops and other means all the time. We don’t rely on textbook companies or the state to tell us what gets taught when.
In what other ways do teachers collaborate?
Teachers discuss students constantly. This is a very important point: teachers know more about students and their world—socially, emotionally, and academically—than at any other school that I have worked. I have worked in traditional schools, progressive schools, and alternative schools. Teachers also tend to know other students that aren’t in their classroom, too. The great thing about being the size that we are is that we get to know one another well.
Last question, my child really loves PHS, can I go to school here?
Absolutely. Many parents and adults involved with PHS report they get so much satisfaction from engaging the students they love with what they are learning. By attending the Corporation Meetings, Follies, driving on field trips, going to Dialogue Circles, volunteering at the auction, and many other kinds of endeavors gives parents and the adults in the community a progressive school education too.
Curriculum Spotlight: Cross Country 10-19-2007
As many of you know, I am the third grade teacher here at PHS. As you may or may not know, I am also the cross-country coach for the 5th through 8th graders.
This Monday, unbeknownst to Sara and myself, the cross-country meet that was scheduled to be at Crissy Field was cancelled. So the kids and I showed up at the field, ready to run. Chinese American and San Francisco Friends School were there as well, due to some fortunate communication breakdown. No, that’s not a typo, I really do mean fortunate. As the other coaches and I were wondering where all the other schools were, a parent informed us that the meet was cancelled. My first feeling was annoyance that I had wasted everybody’s time in bringing them out to Crissy Field since there was not going to be an official run. But I thought that maybe we should run anyway, you know- just for fun. So I suggested this to the other coaches and we agreed to ask our kids if they were up for it.
As I walked over to my beloved team, I anxiously hoped that they would want to run, and I was a little nervous that they would say “no.” I thought they might be disappointed that it wouldn’t count as an official race, that it wouldn’t be scored. I thought they might be feeling tired after a long day at school and might prefer to go home. I should have known better. After I explained the situation, the team answered the question, “Do you still want to run?” with a resounding “YES!” I remember thinking that I couldn’t be more proud of them. Once again, I should’ve known better.
The “fun run” was quickly set up similarly to an official race, only there were no places or official times to be recorded. Which brings me to the best part of our unofficial meet, the part that made me burst with pride- they continued to cheer each other on and support each other as if each one of them was running for a gold medal. Whenever a PHS runner got close to the finish a teammate, who had already crossed the finish line, was there to run along side and support the finishing runner. By the end, every member of the PHS team who had finished their own run was racing out to meet their teammates and support them across the makeshift finish line. Nobody seemed to care who got what place; they only wanted each other to finish. And it didn’t seem to matter if you ran for PHS, they were cheering for the kids from the other schools, too.
Since Monday, I am noticing this type of behavior everywhere. I am seeing middle schoolers gleefully playing with kindergarteners and first graders, “taking it easy” on them in a game or letting them win. I am noticing third graders are taking great pains to help our new students from Germany adjust to our school and our classroom, even if it means giving up some valuable recess or reading time. I am noticing that students are holding the door for me when my hands are full, even if it means they might be late for class. I am noticing that teachers are covering for each other if somebody doesn’t feel well, even if it means losing some break time.
Nobody can be the best at everything all the time. But PHS kids and adults seem to know that sometimes it’s not about winning and it’s not about merely what’s in it for you. Sometimes it’s just about showing up and cheering for whoever else showed up too.
Tanya Finley, 3rd grade teacher, Cross-country coach