Principal's 2009 Holiday Letter
December 14, 2009
Dear Claire Lilienthal Community,
As we reach the midpoint of our school year and begin a new calendar year, joy and achievement bloom and grow at our very special school. I want to wish you and your family a beautiful holiday, and take a moment to mention only a few of the many happenings at our school. We continue to be the single most sought after Elementary and/or K-8 school in San Francisco, due to the spirit your children bring to school each day, and the work we do with our esteemed Faculty and Staff to improve Standards Based Education and alignment to specific learning outcomes.
Recent accomplishments include addressing the specific objectives of the Balanced Scorecard, which we created together last year as a Community and Faculty. We are working together to bring physical education, arts and music to your child’s education every day. Our partnership with the San Francisco Education Project, Streetside Stories, and Poets in the Schools, is stronger and more organized than ever before. The grants for technology we were awarded last year, combined with the PTA funding, and the partnership with our Tech Coordinator Vic D’Angelo, has helped integrate technology to provide curriculum differentiation for the students. We have also worked with teachers and SFUSD to improve use of technology for our staff and planning, as well, with more online grading, standards based report cards, and a new program for student achievement data analysis. The use of computers in the classroom, and a new mini-lab in the Scott Resource Room, are just a few examples of how we have improved in this area. Other BSC accomplishments include outreach to the over 15 different after school programs around the city our students attend, a Math Games night, and a more interactive and engaging elementary Math program, which we believe will address the achievement gap.
I hope you have been keeping up with this and other news through the Wednesday Bulletin each week.
Participation in Middle School sports is greater than ever. And PTA funding has been able to continue a K through 5 Physical Education Program, as well. Despite some minor budget cuts, I was able to save our new Early Literacy Program at the Madison Campus and also save our goal of expanding the Korean Immersion Program into 6th grade, through creative and diligent work with our school budget and a matching grant, both of which were priorities established through our year long series of Community Meetings and School Site Council consensus.
Scott Campus celebrates the one year anniversary of our securing a morning and afternoon Department of Parking and Traffic Crossing Guard. We expect all families who drive their children to school to respect this added resource to keep the children safe. We also celebrate the one year anniversary of the increased custodial hours at both campuses, also helping to keep our campuses cleaner, safer, and more secure. I’m sure you’ll want to express your appreciation to our custodial staff along with us; Lina, Wendy, Jaimie, and Li. Additionally, it’s hard to believe that just two years ago, our lunchroom recycled 0%. According to our most recent study by the SF Department of the Environment, we are now recycling and composting 73% of our school waste. Our student monitors, classroom teachers, and custodial staff have been a great help to us as we work to reach this new school goal.
We will tour 800 families this year who are interested in attending Claire Lilienthal, more than double the numbers of just a few years ago. They share the same concerns as you, the worry that the devastating state budget cuts to come will affect our school. I share your concern. There are no definite answers. Our Superintendent has repeatedly pledged to Principals that the district administration is working very hard to keep the cuts “away from the sites” as much as possible. Join us in directing the voice of your concerns to the State Legislature.
Our dedicated and hardworking Acting Assistant Principal Sang Yeon Lee and I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday. “Success begins in the classroom.” Our childrens’ creativity and diligence are the main reasons our school shines as bright as the brightest star, reaching far beyond our state standards.
Thank you for your partnership, your fundraising, and your continued support as we work toward existing and new goals together.
Sincerely,
William Hack, Principal