THE NEWSLETTER OF THE SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL
GAVEN STREET
THE
GAZETTE W I N T E R
2015 4 1 20 UAL N N A ORT REP
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HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY SFS! by Steve Morris, Head of School
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE 50th Anniversary
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From Our Board Chair
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Auction for Tuition Assistance
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2014-2015 Annual Report
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School is Life
11
Happenings
12
Alumni News
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THE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR IS OFF AND RUNNING. Let me be the first to say Happy Birthday San Francisco School! This year we celebrate 50 years (1966 – 2016), and I am so excited to share this amazing accomplishment with each of you. We have several great events planned to honor this anniversary. We already hosted an alumni panel at the fall All School Meeting, where panelists shared their accomplishments and how SFS helped them become who they are today. The months to come will bring more opportunities for our alumni families to return to campus, to share stories, to see what is happening now, and to help us think about the future. The energy we are putting into celebrating and learning from our school’s history, combined with our continued self-study with the California Association of Independent Schools will lead to one of the best years for the school to date! Our Mission feels more relevant now than ever. The city of San Francisco is grappling with the complexities of its economy. Our country is wrestling over its conservative and liberal values. And, the world is on edge wondering when tragedy will strike next. I truly believe that today’s students need the type of education that SFS provides—one that will prepare them and perhaps even foster a sense of responsibility for leaning into such challenging circumstances. Our diverse
community and the wealth of ideas, perspectives and interests that we all bring to bear are essential in supporting our Mission. In the pages that follow, you will read a poetic telling of our school’s history by Doug Goodkin—who is working harder than ever in this, his 41st year as a music educator and “master of ceremonies” at SFS. You will get snapshots of some of the latest happenings at SFS and the wonderful things that our alumni are doing both locally and around the world. Eighth Grade Humanities teacher, Michelle Yi-Martin, reflects on her mini-sabbatical that took her to Highlander Research and Education Center (Highlander Folk School) in Tennessee and the Ega Ungdoms Hojskole in Aarhus, Denmark—and ultimately helped foster wonderful lessons in her classroom. Finally, in this Annual Report, you will witness the tremendous philanthropic generosity of our community. Twelve years after I began my own journey at SFS, I continue to be humbled by the opportunity to serve as Head of School. There are so many things to love about my job. In the end, our kids are happy, our staff is passionate about the work they do on a daily basis, and our parents partner with us in a consistent and thoughtful way. For those of you who are currently not a part of our daily community, I look forward to seeing you in the weeks and months to come!
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GAVEN STREET
THE
GAZETTE
2015-2016 Board of Trustees Ellen Fey Chair
established, but still there was more to come—the art program, the music program and a bit later, the Spanish program were in their beginning stages and the all-school traditions and celebrations were just starting to take shape. The frame was in place—now came the work of building a “ship of the future,” sturdy enough for the long voyage.
Anton Honikman Neil Kaye
Jim Macksood Vice Chair Marian Baldauf Lora Blum Jim Bustamante Logan Campbell Jeanie Chang Ruth Chang Hess Sam Cuddeback Thor Denmark Dee Desmond Steve Holman
Barbara Landolt Whitney Larson ‘00 Rich Levine Gabe Lucas ‘87 Cathy Manshel Steve Morris
Chris Mader Head of Middle School Maggie Weis Head of Lower School Stewart Dorsey Director of Admissions
by Doug Goodkin, SFS Music Teacher for More Than 40 Years
Michael Northover
Tiphani Russell
“Come let us build the ship of the future, in an ancient pattern that journeys far….”
Carla Silver
—FROM THE SONG: “THE CIRCLE IS UNBROKEN” BY THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND
Fro Rosqueta
Elyse Wolland
Administration Steve Morris Head of School
SAILING INTO THE FUTURE
Jennifer Keese-Powell Director of Advancement Jeanette Moore Director of Finance and Operations Steve Rubin Director of Technology
Photography Cristiana Ceppas, Lena Corwin, Erika Jones and Mugsy Clicks
The facts are simple. A group of parents and teachers got together in 1966 to start a new school. It prospered and grew and changed and stayed the same. A few thousand children passed through its halls and carried its lessons with them into their adult lives. And it’s still here today 50 years later. But the facts tell so little. Behind the facts is a living mythos, a shared vision that found feet for its wings. Those founding folks uncovered some timeless truths about childhood and teaching and community. They were swept along in the excitement of their times—1966, one year before the Summer of Love, two years before the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy. It was a time of sweeping cultural shifts and great turmoil, when everything we thought was right and true was called into question and challenged and re-thought and re-imagined. Freedom was in the air—civil rights, women’s rights and yes, why not children’s rights? If freedom were finally to earn its promise as a word with body and meaning and muscle, then schools needed to be the training ground. And thus, free schools. Being young and innocent and idealistic, so many felt freedom meant lack of restraint, removing the shackles of rigid education. But we soon discovered that freedom was a discipline and a practice that required rigorous thought, clear boundaries and tools for expression. And so while some schools were following the Yee-haw! philosophy of “anything goes” and others pushing a political agenda, The San Francisco School was founded on the principles of a radical revolutionary from over a half century earlier— Maria Montessori. She was a doctor, a scientist, an astute observer of children and a deep philosopher with a humanistic vision of harmonious life on this planet. When I joined the community in 1975, it had a solid nine years of trial and error behind it. It had grown from a small first class of three-year olds in a church basement to 90 preschoolers and some 60 elementary students ending at 6th grade. There were two administrators and around 20 teachers, 9 men, 11 women. Much of school culture had been
The Gaven Street Gazette is published two times annually by the Office of Advancement of The San Francisco School. We always welcome feedback and story ideas through this email address
[email protected]. Accreditation and Membership The San Francisco School is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
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Throughout the 70’s and early 80’s, all was a possibility, a work perpetually in progress, not only inside the gates of 300 Gaven but outside as well in a vibrant San Francisco. There was the growing Zen Center, Keystone Corner Jazz club, the Pickle Family Circus, the SF Mime Troupe, the growing World Music scene, the burgeoning Castro. Experimental theater, music, dance, art, life. The vision was in the air, we felt it in our bones. A crystalized Mission Statement would form some 15 years later, but for now all was intuition and an unspoken ethos and a shared vision of what felt right. We sailed out into the unknown waters with confidence, grounded in ancient and contemporary patterns that lo and behold, have “journeyed far”—50 years forward to this moment. And so here we are. The addition of Middle School, the doubling of Middle School, the growth in Administration, the building of the Community Center, the expanded curriculums and specialist topics—big changes from those early days. And the world outside the gates has changed as well—economic shifts of great magnitude, technologies that change culture, fear of litigation, the experimental edge moving to the safety of center. “Seasons they change, but with gaze unchanging” says another line in that Incredible String Band song. Outer change is as natural as the seasons, but keeping the vision constant is a community decision. Looking back at that founding vision helps us look forward to the next 50 years and I, for one, hope that the core values of who we have been will sail us forward into the next half century and beyond. I hope we can keep true to our character with wild, festive and joyful celebrations, an artistic and poetic approach to every subject, a constant delight in the beauty and promise of children of all ages. A perpetual work-in-progress sailing on the wind of our collective dreams. May it be so!
HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE IN OR CONTRIBUTE TO THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY? 1) Stay in Touch! There are many ways to stay in touch with former classmates and the School. 2 Update your contact information on the new website www.sfschool.org/alumni 3 Submit your photos and share memories on the website www.sfschool.org/50th 4) “Like” our Facebook page, The San Francisco School www.facebook.com/ thesanfranciscoschool 5) Join our LinkedIn Alumni group. Connect with peers or be a resource for recent alumni as they enter the workforce with internships or jobs. www.linkedin.com
CLASS REPRESENTATIVES As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, we would especially appreciate having alumni help get the word out to their peers about the upcoming events and/or perhaps organize casual class get togethers if there’s interest. Please contact Jenn Keese-Powell if you would like to be a class representative at jkeesepowell@ sfschool.org or 415.287.2003.
SFS is commemorating its 50th year with special events throughout the 2015-16 school year. Please save the dates below. We hope that you will join us in celebrating our golden jubilee!
Alumni Social Monday, December 28, 2015 6:00 - 9:00 PM Bernal Star (in the rear Cottage & Patio) 410 Cortland Avenue San Francisco, 94110 First drink and apps are on us! “Glitter and Gold” Auction for Tuition Assistance Saturday, March 19, 2016 at SFS 6:00 - 10:00 PM 50th Anniversary Celebration featuring Alumni Exhibition Saturday, April 30, 2016 at SFS 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM Please check the website for details as the year progressesat sfschool.org
William Range, 2013
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FROM THE BOARD E L LE N F E Y, BOARD CHAIR
in the music. Singing time is super important because it gives you time to connect with each other through song. Ten years after my wife and I walked Ben into the South Class for his first day of preschool, eager new community members embracing the school’s culture and mission, our fondest hopes have been realized.
As The San Francisco School enters its 50th anniversary year and my son, Ben, now in 7th grade, nears the end of his SFS arc, I find myself reflecting on the mission and values which first drew our family to SFS. Recently I had the opportunity to see our core values in action when I accompanied 46 middle school students to the American OrffSchulwerk Association conference in San Diego. The children’s performance was all that I have come to expect from our richly talented music teachers and highly engaged children. But it was the students’ unrehearsed comments the next
day (at a conference break out session) that epitomized the invaluable legacy of an SFS education and, coincidently, eloquently reflected many of the elements of our mission statement. The following is a composite of quotes from the children: Music sets you up to work with other people, like a job. It’s good teaching (music to) a kid, ‘cause your brain is still developing, you’re able to learn and get into the habit of music, able to get that rhythmic feeling and then when you’re a grown up you’ll think ”Oh, I did this when I was a kid and I can totally do it now!” Singing is about connecting with yourself
Portola Map Among the various committees of The San Francisco School’s Board of Trustees is the Public Purpose Committee. The Committee recently produced The Portola Map which celebrates the tales, trails and details of the neighborhood that SFS has called home since its founding in 1966. It’s part map, part history lesson, part scavenger hunt! The reverse includes illustrations drawn by SFS Second Graders that guide you to one of the many colorful murals throughout the neighborhood, tasty treats along San Bruno Avenue or sweeping city views from the heights of McLaren Park. Our astute illustrators set out to document and record and in the process discovered many delightful surprises in the neighborhood. Pick one up at the Front Desk.
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I am honored to be Chair of the Board of Trustees during this most auspicious year. As we near the completion of our CAIS accreditation self study and celebrate 50 years of The San Francisco School enriching children’s minds and hearts, let us reflect as a community. I, for one, am thankful for every opportunity I took as a parent—as chaperone, field trip driver, soccer coach, tour guide, room parent, photographer, and now as Board Chair —to help foster our culture. I am regularly struck by how members of our community are inspired by our mission statement. It is these mission-driven conversations, intentions and actions that distinguish SFS and guide us as a leader in 21st century education. And our children will benefit. Some songs make you feel differently, so you can really relate to each other when singing and dancing. Sharing music with other people—and connecting with yourself—feels amazing.
THE SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL AUCTION FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE
Many thanks to the San Francisco School community for its contributions to the 2015 Auction for Tuition Assistance. Last year’s theme, Rock Around the Clock, transformed the Community Center into a 1950s sock hop where parents and guardians, faculty and staff, trustees, alumni and friends of the school rocked to the sounds of the oldies, enjoyed 1950s diner fare, and bid their hearts out. The annual auction is a vital fundraiser for the school, bringing the community together for a great time while providing fiscal support to our Indexed Tuition
program. 100% of the proceeds go to supporting our core commitment to tuition assistance. Thanks to generous donations and sponsorships, online, silent and live bidding, and Fund-A-Need
donations, this year raised $160,000 for Tuition Assistance at SFS. Thanks for your support! See you next year on Saturday, March 19 2016 for “Glitter and Gold” while we celebrate our golden anniversary!
FUND-A-NEED DONORS | 2015 AUCTION FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE Marian & Hans Baldauf
Peter Hess & Ruth Chang Hess
Ellen Perelman
Aimee Bell & Nate Koechley
Todd Hing & Maria Yap
Miriam Phillips & Charles Eley
David Benson & Melinda Norrell
Steve Holman & Lamisse Droubi
Erika & Snuller Price
Michael & Alison Brody
Anton Honikman & Jessica Lindl
Derrick Rebello & Melita DeHazes
Jim & Dorothy Bustamante
Daria & Jeff Hutchinson
Mike Romano & Kiernan Warble
Mark & Rebecca Clendenin
Prasanna Jagannathan & Jaclyn Kuwada
Gretchen & James Sandler
Steve Cooper & Lora Blum
Jonathan & Tracy Kaplan
Dean Scheben & Samantha Campbell
Sanjeev Datar & Ellen Chen
Waren Lathe & Guy Berryessa
Rajan & Michelle Sharma
Michael Demmer & Rachel Benson
Lance & Irene Lee
Jessica Tomlinson & Jen Taylor
Stefano Dezerega & Johanna Hartwig
Rich & Nancy Levine
Sarah & David Whitelaw
Kate Dyer & Ellen Fey
Brian Marsh & Michele Casadei
Chris & Cliff Yin
Kim Fisher
James Maxwell & Kevin Herglotz
Ameila Zimmerman-Wolff & Keith Wolff
Daniel & Priscilla Flores
Bruce McCarthy & Jim Macksood
Alison Gass & Alex Hathaway
Robyn & Paul McGrath
Michael Glaser & Kristine Hernandez
Chris Nordstrum & Rich Brown
Emily Goldenberg
Kim & Jon Oakes
Adam Hassett & Rahna Brown
Michael & Bethany Paves
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The San Francisco School 2014 - 2015 Annual Report A N N U A L FUND |
2014 - 2015
PARENTS Achilles Family Alain Algazi and Gail Shibata
Eduardo Cabrera and Raissa Williams v Sheila Cahill and Fro Rosqueta
David Edwards and Del Greger b Kortney Eichenberger
Anonymous
Marcelo Camberos and Ana Zacapa
Brett and Elan Emerson
Ben Ancock and Pamela Vig
Brian Case
Patrick Fahey and Chuck Prosper b
Bruce and Susan Anderson v
Robert Chan and Gina Leung v
Robert and Carol Feng
Carol Anderson and Stephanie Smith b
Sunil and Elfi Chandra
Jeremy Fitzhardinge and Rachel Chalmers
Josh Anish
Christine Cho and Sean Purcell
Daniel and Priscilla Flores
Irene and Tomás Aragón b
Giselle Chow and Darby Hillyard v
Richard and Marlene Ford v
Badi Azad and Shabnam Koirala-Azad
Oliver Chubb and Daphne Li
Ralph Forde and Mary Jean Koontz v
Erich Bagen and Christine Padlan
Kathryn and Dave Clark
Julie Galles and Megan Stansbery-Galles v
Marian and Hans Baldauf b
Roderic Clark and Elizabeth Nichols
Seth Gentzler and Kara Takeuchi v
Dee Bardwick and Jennifer McGlone
Mark and Rebecca Clendenin
Marguerite Gilligan and Eran Steinberg
James Barton and Julia Lee b
Olabisi Clinton
James Gislason and Jennifer Van Horn b
Amos and Talia Baruch
Carla Collins
Michael Glaser and Kristine Hernandez
Jessica Battilana and Sarah Picard
John Conklin and Patty Ngai v
Patrick Goggin and Belisa Amaro
Annette Bauer
Bruno Connelly and Nina Rosenberg
David Goldenberg v
Tom and Erin Becker
Lena Corwin ‘91 and Josh Dreier
Emily Goldenberg v
Robin Beers
Elizabeth Cronin v
Ian Green and Cristiana Ceppas
David Benson and Melinda Norrell
Sanjeev Datar and Ellen Chen
Talitha Greenfield
Nico Berry and Sarah Frisch
Maggie Day and Roger Teich
James Gross and Mary Whooley b
Guy Berryessa and Warren Lathe
Todd Dayton and Christina Mangurian
Ashok and Susan Gujral b
Stephen Bissinger and Taara Hoffman
Christopher De Meo and Kristin Spilman
Deepak and Sapna Gupta
The Blum and Cooper Family v
Christine Dehlendorf and Matt Lever
Heidi Hamilton and Moosa Choudhry v
Josefina and Mark Bolton
Michael Demmer and Rachel Benson
Neal Hansch and Sandra Chang
Jon Bonanno and Kathryn Shedrick
Thor and Hannah Denmark
Adam Hassett and Rahna Brown v
Michael and Alison Brody v
Helen DeNormanville
Alec Hathaway and Alison Gass
Ben Brooks
Stefano DeZerega and Johanna Hartwig v
Francisco Hernandez and Sarah Carp
Dana Burd and Jeanie Chang
Jeremy and Alison Diessner
Sandra Hesla and Sean Seymour
James and Dorothy Bustamante v
Kate Dyer and Ellen Fey v
Peter Hess and Ruth Chang Hess
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T H E G AV E N S T R E E T G A Z E T T E
Tod Hing and Maria Yap v
Craig McKown
Jay and Elizabeth Seirmarco
Sarah Holcombe and Eric Weaver v
Meade Gillingham Family b
Linda Serizawa and David Eisenberg b
Steve Holman and Lamisse Droubi v
Rakesh Mishra and Monica Gandhi
Rajan and Michele Sharma v
Anton Honikman and Jessica Lindl
Belinda and Neal Moen
Michael Siou and Polly Arenberg
Jeffrey and Lisa Hord v
Olivia Mole and David James
Andrew Slakoff and Nicole Wolff
Darragh and Suzanne Howard
Steven Morris and Beth Goya-Morris v
Jason and Andrea Spero v
Jason Hughes and Kelly Iura
William Morthel and Enikia Ford Morthel
Liz Steinfield and Janell Fischer
Daria and Jeff Hutchinson
Gary Moskowitz and Kim Milosevich
Ioelu Taeotui and Lisa Afalava
Jeffrey and Jenny Isenberg
Tracy Nasse
Luis Tamayo-Thompson and David Thompson
Lee Jacobek and Suzanne Ginsburg
Nicole Nastari ‘90
Amit and Jessica Tiwari
Prasanna Jagannathan and Jaclyn Kuwada
Sara Newman
Suzanne Toller and Derf Lewis v
Maneesh Jain and Nadya Ramsaroop v
Tung Nguyen and Huyen Cao
Jessica Tomlinson and Jen Taylor v
Lucien Jamey and Tanya Aly b
Kurt Noble and Kate Haug
Dahlia and Ronn Uchihara
Angyl Jamison and Alana Ramirez ‘77 b
Chris Nordstrum and Rich Brown v
Heidi Van Horn
Ramesh Johari and Hsin Chau
Michael and Margot Northover v
Billie Visram v
Tim Johnson
Kim and Jon Oakes
Valerie Wagner and Tim Wong
Kirk Jones and Brenda Ng
Adam Oberweiser and Melissa Curran v
Jennifer and Mark Wallace b
Norman Kamimoto and Barbara Landolt b
David Onek and Kara Dukakis b
Matthew Walter and Wendy Turner
Jonathan and Tracy Kaplan
Sam Osborn and Sally Kobayashi Osborn
Hilary Ware v
Edward and Christine Katzin
Bethany and Michael Paves
Sharron Watts v
Neil Kaye and Loren Pogir
Matthew Penfield and Christine DeMaria Penfield
David and Sarah Whitelaw
Nate Koechley and Aimee Bell
Ellen Perelman
Steven Whitney and Denise Newman
Wendy Kosanovich and Mary Alice Drumm
Vahlee Peters and Greg Wright b
Kristin Wiederholt and Barak Kassar v
Alex Kral and Kelly Knight
Kamon Pierce and Kashina Turner Pierce
Chad Wiley and Ann Fleishell
Simone Kriz and Timothy Chon
Luis Poot and Marcia Camal
Ron and Tina Will
Michael Kwun and Sigrid Anderson-Kwun
Dawn and Alexandros Poulos
Keith Wolff and Amelia Zimmermann-Wolff
Anita Lal
Maria Pracale-Ocampo and Jose Ocampo
Elyse Wolland and Jennifer Maeder v
Stacy and Wyman Lee
Erika and Snuller Price
Charlotte Worcester
The Lee Family v
Shannon Range and Laura Post
Darren and Margot Yasukawa
Michael Lee and Amy Bricker v
Noman Rangwala and Neelam Noorani
Chris and Cliff Yin b
Nik Leung and Anita Chawla
Mehul Rawal and Asha Gohil
Benjamin and Monique Yohanan
Rich and Nancy Levine b
Derrick Rebello and Melita DeHazes b
Zehren-Anderson Family v
Eric Lewis and William Katz v
Mark Risher and Deborah Yeh
Aaron and Jewel Zimmer
Tony and Anne Lopez v
Tim and Anne Roberts
Peter Lorentzen and Karen Park
Jamie and Beth Robinson
Marlin and Tracy Lum v
Michael Romano and Kiernan Warble v
Nathan and Tammy Lundy
Mallory Rome and Michal Blech
Alexander Macgillivray and Shona Crabtree
Kihana Ross and Kamel Jacot-Bell
Brian Marsh and Michele Casadei
Bill Rusitzky and Cathy Manshel
Jennifer Martin
Marcus Ryu and Torrey Simons
Alex and Julie Mason b
Rohit and Darpun Sachdev
Melange Matthews
Rami Saker and Randi Barshack
Michelle Matz
Gitta Salomon and Ovid Jacob
James Maxwell and Kevin Herglotz
James and Gretchen Sandler b
Betsy Mayer and Miko Maruoka
Daniel and Leah Santi
Bruce McCarthy and Jim Macksood
Dean Scheben and Samantha Campbell
Steve McConnell and Paula Rivers
Carl Scheidenhelm and Kimberly Fisher b
Robyn and Paul McGrath
Ande and Matte Scheinker
v 5 Year Consecutive Donors b 10 Year Consecutive Donors
Thank you for your generous support of the Annual Fund.
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The San Francisco School 2014 - 2015 Annual Report A N N U A L FUND |
2014 - 2015
ANNUAL FUND |
2014 - 2015
ALUMNI, ALUMNI PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, FORMER GRANDPARENTS, FRIENDS, STAFF, FORMER STAFF AND TRUSTEES
CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS
Matt Allio v
Peter Hemenway b
Abraham Kaplan Charitable Foundation
Lisa Andrews
Paloma Herman v
Advent
Tom and Carol Baker
Carol Herman
AmazonSmile Foundation
Bea Baldauf
Tamara Hicks and David Jablons
Andreessen Horowitz
Bill and Annemarie Bauer
Vivian Holley
Apple
Bunny Bauer
Pat Jackson and Dan Gleich v
Atlassian
Paul and Kathy Bissinger
Ginger Jackson-Gleich ‘99
Bi-Rite Catering
Ilan Blech
Sharon and Michael Jong v
BlackRock
George Borges
The Keese-Powell Family
Briggs Foundation
Laura Burges
Elizabeth Kilmer
Chevron Corporation v
Robert Burkhead and Gloria Lau
Maya Kilmer-Fahrenwald
The Clorox Company v
Nicholas Calabrese
Pamela and Roger Kostmayer
Community Thrift Store
Logan Campbell
Frank Lalle and Susan Schwartz v
Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation
Sam Chase and Jane Wattenberg
Marcus Lee
Dodge & Cox
Ian Christoph and Lucile Irwin
Helen Lee
Engelsma Family Foundation
Joseph and Dianne Clendenin
Robert Lind
GAP Foundation
Patty and Blade Corwin
Harris and Jane Loeser b
Genentech v
Sam Cuddeback
Thomas Lorch and Wendy Portnuff
Google v
Oracle
University Games b
Liz Curley
Linda and Alfred Louie
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Red Banks Consulting
The Walt Disney Company Foundation
Ramona Davies
Gabe Lucas ‘87
The Herbst Foundation
Salesforce Foundation
Wells Fargo b
Horizons Foundation
The San Francisco Foundation b
The Willow Foundation
Intuit Foundation
Target
Zephyr Real Estate
Just Us For All Foundation
The Thendara Foundation
Zynga
Carla Silver
The Keith Campbell Foundation For The Environment
True Compass
LinkedIn
Paul and Anne Scherer
David and Sara DeZerega
Brian McCaffrey and Sylvia Yee
Barbara and Dennis Diessner
Scott and Karen McKown v
Solveig Dimon and Steven Goldbeck b
Jonathan Miller and Anne Milner
Kate Ditzler and Stuart Gasner b
Jeanette and Kevin Moore
Melissa Doezema
Robert Mostovoy and Linda Kaplan Mostovoy
Stewart Dorsey
Elizabeth Mulvihill
Francoise Sorgen-Goldschmidt and Oliver Goldschmidt
Mufeed Droubi
Alberta Neilson
Joan Spero
Terry and Kathie Edeli b
Marvin Norman and Tamara Lightfoot
Eugene Stampley
Michael and Linda Edwards
Kevin O’Connor and Kristen Bailey b
Jim and Joan Swanson v
Dolores Elkin and Joe Rubin b
Tom O’Hara
Joseph Taylor and Linda Liebschutz
Jackie Ennis
Corrine and Michael Olague b
John Teerlink and Jean Craig-Teerlink
Linda Erkelens
Meg Oldman
David Teitel and Helen Loeser
Lauren Fedman
Hilda Ortiz
Tice-Hekker Family b
Nancy Ford
Drew Parker-Rose and Flavio Epstein v
Molly Treadway ‘99
O NLI NE
SEC UR I TI ES
AS A BEQ UES T
Priscilla Frisch
John Pepin and Karen Bisgeier
Jeremy Uejio and Scarlett Liang-Uejio
Harald Frohlich
Miriam Phillips and Charles Eley b
Victoria Vasey and Byron Bias
You may donate to The San Francisco School online at www.sfschool.org/donate.
Elena and Peter Fuentes-Afflick
Peter Range and Linda Harris
Jim Watson and Davida Desmond
Terry Gamble Boyer and Peter Boyer b
Chuck Rategan v
Bernie Weiner and Heide Linsmayer
For more information about including The San Francisco School in your estate plans, please contact the Advancement Office at 415.239.1475 or advancement@ sfschool.org.
Emily Garlock
Andrea Reed b
Maggie Weis
A gift to the school of appreciated securities are gladly accepted. For more details and information, please contact the Advancement Office at 415.239.1475 or
[email protected].
Ruth and Richard Gass
Linda Robertson
Jean and Lew Wolff
Carol Glanville
Leslie Roffman
Betsy Wolkin and Michael Gaines
Talia Goodkin
Joel Roos and Laurie Isenberg
Sarah Wood
Doug and Karen Goodkin v
Steve and Devon Rubin v
Lucy Yin
Rod and Donna Goya v
Tiphani Russell
Bo Zawadsky and Constance Clark b
Carla and Johnny Greene
Philip and Judy Ryan
Marian Greenfield
Sabrina Sajous
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T H E G AV E N S T R E E T G A Z E T T E
Andy Schine and John Hall Sharon and Jim Seirmarco Judy Shirley
v 5 Year Consecutive Donors b 10 Year Consecutive Donors
United Way of the Bay Area
v 5 Year Consecutive Donors b 10 Year Consecutive Donors
WAY S T O G I V E T O T H E S A N F R A N C I S C O S C H O O L The San Francisco School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (#94-1629702) and gifts are tax deductible to the extent allowed by the law. We offer various ways to support the school, including:
BY PHO NE Gifts are gladly accepted over the phone with a credit card at 415.239.1475.
BY M AI L Gifts can be mailed to The San Francisco School 300 Gaven Street San Francisco CA 94134 attn: Advancement Office
AS A M ATC HI NG G I FT Many employers have established a matching gifts program that allows an employee’s gift to be matched, often 1:1. Please ask your employer about their matching gifts guidelines. If available, please inform the school that the gift will be matched at the time of the donation.
T HANK YOU F OR YOUR SUPPORT.
T H E G AV E N S T R E E T G A Z E T T E
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The San Francisco School
SCHOOL IS LIFE
2014 - 2015 Annual Report
by Michelle Yi-Martin, SFS Humanities Teacher
F I N ANC IAL REPORT |
2014 - 2015 REVENUES & EXPENSES
ANNUAL GIVING Annual Fund Auction for Tuition Assistance Walkathon/ Other
$ $ $
458,179 124,936 26,373
Total Annual Giving
$
609,488
CAPITAL GIVING Community at the Center Endowment
$ $
46,408 9,062
Total Capital Giving
$
55,470
TOTAL GIVING
$
664,958
Revenues Tuition and Other Program Revenue Total Annual Giving Investment Income/ Other Total Revenues
$ 7,735,493 $ 609,488 $ 447,534 $ 8,792,515
Expenses Salaries & Benefits Indexed Tuition Instructional Support Occupancy Debt Service Total Expenses
$ $ $ $ $ $
5,174,079 1,189,035 843,189 493,003 353,339 8,052,645
T H E SAN F R A NCISCO SCHOOL END OW M E NT The San Francisco School has an active and growing endowment. The school’s endowment was established in 1982 and has grown to surpass $3,100,000. Currently, the endowment totals $11,000 per student with the longer-term goal of having an endowment that equals $25,000 per student. A strong endowment provides essential income that is consistent and reliable. It provides an ongoing source of funds that compliments and supplements both annual fundraising and tuition income.
G I F T S TO ENDOWMENT FUND S | General Fund Dave Edwards v SFS Class of 2015
NAMED FUNDS
2014 - 2015
OTHER NAMED FUNDS
Sandler Family Endowment
Ayrshire Foundation Fund for Teacher Development
Schwanke Fund for Staff Development
Bal Villasenor Endowment Fund
Wong Family Fund for Academic Innovation
Arthur J. Tice Memorial Fund
Baldauf Family Fund for Sustainability
Chester & Clara Miltibarger Fund for Tuition Assistance
Burkhead Lau Scholarship Fund
Marie Bergstedt
Chrissy Bates Memorial Scholarship Fund
v 5 Year Consecutive Donors b 10 Year Consecutive Donors
Gloria Darrow Memorial Scholarship Fund
Donors who made gifts to the school between
Sue Schaefer and Hale Conklin v
Dekovic Memorial Scholarship Fund
July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015 are listed in this
Frank Korn Memorial Scholarship Program
Dekovic Memorial Scholarship Fund for Staff Development
Edeli Family Endowment Fund
Chizuko Korn b 10 Year Consecutive Donor George Borges b
Equity and Justice Fund Gamble Boyer Endowment Fund
annual report. We have tried to provide complete and accurate information for this report. Our apologies to any persons inadvertently omitted. Please let the Advancement Office (415.239.1475) know if we need to correct our records.
Gari Grant Memorial Scholarship Fund
Patty Wright Memorial Fund for Performing and Visual Arts
Hancock Fund for Teacher Development
Charles & Helene Wright
Morris Family Fund for Equity and Justice
THANK YOU.
The teaching life converges with one’s personal life. At this point, there is no separating of the two, and its journey is fueled by the one fundamental question we must all ask, “To what end?” I’ve been exploring this question for the past thirteen years as a humanities teacher, mother, partner, and steward of human rights. And as the fire grew inside of me, so too did my discontent. Discontent for an increasing system where wealth and privilege trumps the voices of the marginalized, people of color, the environment, and yes, even the youth. And because these are the challenges of young people, there is no surprise that they play out in the classroom, on the yard, in writing, through language, and in attitude. School is no longer just a place in preparation for life, school is life. Last year, the SFS community supported me in a year-long study that allowed for a return to the world of critical and transformative education. As a graduate student, I was lucky enough to have mentors such as Herb Kohl and Rick Ayers, both progressive educators and activists. From their continued mentorship, I made a trip to the Highlander Research and Education Center (Highlander Folk School) in the mountains of Tennessee. For many Americans, Highlander’s significance in American history, especially the Civil Rights movement, is little known and hardly mentioned in school books. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Pete Seeger, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Grace Lee Boggs, and Myles Horton, were all teachers and learners in a “folk school” model. The school defied the then current laws of segregation, practiced participatory research, formed its lessons based on the people’s needs, and put strategies into action to combat economic and racial injustice. It was, and continues to be, a place of courage,
Michelle Yi-Martin, left, with Ega Hojskole colleagues
hope, and action. It was life-changing to experience this while joining an international group for economic justice for a week in October 2014. The visit to Highlander was the beginning of my studies of the folk school model. Myles Horton, the school’s founder, went to Denmark in the 1930s to figure out how a model of education can “lift” the common people to enlightenment, empowerment, and towards an equitable working democracy. So, in April of 2015, I set out to Aarhus, Denmark to learn and teach at the Ega Ungdoms Hojskole, a folk high school for youth, ages 16-19. To my surprise, there were so many similarities to Highlander: the round sky meeting room, community singing, informal discussions, walks into nature, cooking and cleaning together, making textiles, poetry, reading of the classics, cross-generational learning and teaching,
and all without exams, grades, homework, and diplomas. The teachers ate with their students in a communal dining room, and everywhere, you were reminded of what could be when an institution diminishes hierarchy and academic distinctions; when an institution values and practices critical-thinking, self-examination, and the freedom of the arts; when an institution becomes a community. I have brought with me a new set of eyes, an open heart, and of course, even more questions. I am so grateful to have a place like SFS to support me in my journey, and my hope is to translate these practices into my own teaching. I hope for young people to examine their own lives with an eye on history and current events; I hope for young people to imagine a world that is ruled by compassion and fairness to see that it takes a community to lift an individual; all so that they may also ask, “To what end?”
Pate Family Endowment
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HAPPENINGS SUMMER BARN BUILDING by Solveig Dimon, SFS Naturalist & Librarian
In the Spring of 2015, The San Francisco School engaged Professor Miguel López, an expert in multicultural children’s literature and a professor at California State University Monterey Bay, to assess The School’s library catalog and classroom books for multicultural volumes. He also worked with our librarian and teachers across divisions to review and deepen their reading curriculum. Dr. López continues to work closely with 3rd through 8th Grade faculty on horizontal curriculum (integration within a grade) and vertical curriculum (threads that connect through the grades). Based on the overwhelmingly positive response from teachers, Dr. López spent an evening with SFS parents and caregivers in May of 2015, focusing on summer reading and how parents could partner with their children in choosing, discussing and taking action from books. At this “Literary World Café,” parents and caregivers deepened their understanding of the terms associated with diversity and multiculturalism so that the school community could have meaningful discussions in the classroom and at home. The School is continuing its engagement with Dr. López through a broader series of community meetings, the first of which was held in October. There will be two more opportunities in the new year for parents to work with the incredibly dynamic and informative Dr. López: January 14 and April 21, 2016.
The animals at The San Francisco School have a new home! In a project that reflects the collaborative spirit of the school, students, teachers, parents and community members worked together to design and build a new home for our school animals. On our annual spring visit to Toluma Farms, when the Second Grade class brings two baby goats back to school, Tamara Hicks (parent of alumnae Josie and Emmy and our generous host at Toluma Farms) suggested I talk to Toluma Farm Manager, Dylan Flynn, about building us a barn. Dylan, of Slide Ranch animal shelter building fame, came to SFS and met with students and our Lower School Head, Maggie Weis, to hear their ideas and talk about the animal needs from their perspectives. Dylan returned with a plan, which most elementary students looked at in detail, asking questions and imagining how the buildings would work in the existing triangular pen. The building itself was a model of collaboration in our community. Mika’s (5th
WELCOME NEW AND RETURNING TRUSTEES We appreciate our returning Board members, including our new Chair and Vice Chair, Ellen Fey and Jim Macksood and welcome our new trustees: Logan Campbell, Jeanie Chang, Steve Holman, Anton Honikman, Neil Kaye, Whitney Larson ‘00, Cathy Manshel, Tiphani Russell and Elyse Wolland. 12 |
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S E L E CT E D RE CO M M E N D AT I O N S
grade) grandfather dug the french drains with his pneumatic digger. Greg Wright (parent of 8th grader, Quincy, and husband of North Class Head Teacher, Vahlee), gave us a huge supply of materials and loaned equipment such as generators and power tools. The barn was built primarily using reclaimed wood. Facilities Manager, Jorge Garcia, Director of Finance and Operations, Jeanette Moore and our Facilities team made sure
we had everything we needed for the workdays. Parent of Oscar (5th grade), Caroline and Nadine (3rd grade), Thor Denmark, worked for over six full days with Dylan during the summer. At least a dozen other dedicated parents from across the school joined this crew for the Spring and Fall Workdays. All through the process people seemed delighted to help. Come see the chickens, rabbits and children at play in their new home!
WELCOME CHRIS MADER
CELEBRATING 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARIES!
This fall, SFS welcomed Head of Middle School, Chris Mader. He brings 20 years of teaching experience having worked most recently at Oregon Episcopal School in Portland, OR where he served as as PK-12 Science Chair and Middle School Advisor.
Many thanks and congratulations go to music teacher Sofia López-Ibor and substitute teacher Rosemary Malone for their years of service. Rosemary and Sofia are both celebrating 20 years at The San Francisco School!
PICTURE BOOK
Silent Music, A Story of Baghdad by James Rumford A wonderful story where the playful Islamic writing mirrors the soccer ball dancing down the field. The boy is inspired by Yakut, the master calligrapher who lived in Baghdad 800 years ago, also in a time of war. 2009 Bank Street—Best Children’s Book of the Year.
CHAPTER BOOK
YOUNG ADULT BOOK
ADULT BOOK
One Crazy Summer
Under the Mesquite
by Rita Williams-Garcia
by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
The Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books
In this Newbery Honor novel, New York Times bestselling author Rita Williams-Garcia tells the story of three sisters who travel to Oakland, California, in 1968, to meet the mother who abandoned them. Unexpectedly, they learn much about their family, their country, and themselves during one truly crazy summer.
Under the Mesquite is an empowering story about the testing of family bonds, the strength of a young woman navigating pain and hardship with surprising resilience, and the kind of love that cannot be uprooted.
by Azar Nafisi In smart discussions of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Babbitt, and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, author Azar Nafisi flags what she sees as important aspects of the national character reflected in so many American literary protagonists.
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GAVEN STREET
THE
GAZETTE
SFS GRADUATES ARE ENROLLED IN THESE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
ALUMNI NEWS Winter 2015 WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH THE RECENT GRADUATES OF THE SFS CLASSES OF 2011 AND 2015 ALL THE BEST IN THEIR EXCITING TRANSITION YEAR AHEAD!
The San Francisco School is proud of its graduates and the colleges they attend—diverse in terms of geography, size and type of institution. Barnard C ol l eg e
O c ci d e nta l College
UC D a v is
Bo sto n Uni v er si t y
O re g o n Sta te Univ ersity
UC Sa n D iego
Cal P ol y San L ui s O b i s p o
U n i v e rs ity of Puget Sound
UC Sa nta Cruz
Co l by C ol l eg e
R h o d e Isla nd School of D esign
Co l o ra d o C ol l eg e
S a n Di e go Sta te Univ ersity
Univ ersity of British Co lumbia, Va ncouv er
Co l umb i a Uni ver si t y
S a n F ra n cisco Sta te Univ ersity
Univ ersity of Chica go
Co nnec t i c ut C ol l ege
S c ri p p s College
Univ ersity of Colora do , B oulder
Geo rge Washi ng t on U n i v e rs i ty
S k i d m o re College
Univ ersity of W isconsin
Hami l t on C ol l eg e
S t. M a ry ’s College of Ca lif ornia
Wesley a n Univ ersity
Hampshi re C ol l eg e
S ta n f o rd Univ ersity
W hea ton College
Kenyo n C ol l eg e
S wa rth more College
W hitma n College
Le wi s and C l ar k C ol l e g e
S y ra cu se Univ ersity
W illa mette Univ ersity
New Yor k Uni v er si t y
Tu f ts U niv ersity
Ya le Univ ersity
No rth ea st er n Uni ve rs i ty
U C B e rkeley
Members of the Class of 2011 at a summer reunion Do you have news to share? We are always interested in hearing from our SFS alumni. Let us know what’s new these days! Visit www.sfschool.org/alumni/update.
STUDENTS FROM THE SFS CLASS OF 2015 CURRENTLY ATTEND THESE HIGH SCHOOLS T he Ba y Sc hool of S a n F ra n ci s c o
L o we l l H igh School
St. I gna tius College Prepar at or y
D rew Sc hool
S a c re d Hea rt Ca thedra l Prepa ra tory
Sa n Fra ncisco Univ ersit y High Sc hool
E l Cam i no Hi g h Sc h o o l
S e q u o i a H igh School
The Urba n School of San Fr anc is c o
Le ader shi p Hi g h Sc h o o l
S a i n t Ma ry ’s College H igh School
Sa n Fra ncisco Wa ldorf High Sc hool
Li ck-W i l merd i ng Hig h S c h o o l
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Ariel Dekovic ‘94, Jake Plut ‘12 and Samantha Hennessey ‘00 with SFS faculty and staff at the 2015-16 Fall All School Meeting.
Top: Emma Devereux ‘07 Bottom: Jenny Morrill ’02
This fall we heard from alums from various class years, including a few who spoke at the Alumni Panel during the All School Meeting in late September. Ariel Dekovic ’94 is currently the Interim Executive Director at City Slicker Farms, a food justice organization based in West Oakland where she is helping construct
insurance advisor for International ProInsurance where she heads the firm’s nonprofit division. Samantha Hennessy ’00 works at Google as a Regional Manager on the Global GooglersGive Team, where she leads Googlers to use their skills and talents to make an impact on the world through a variety of giving and
is currently interning in South Africa with the Organization for Tropical Studies. Cassidy Elkins ’11 is attending George Washington University where she is running track and cross-country. Prior to this Cassidy ran cross-country at SFS and Urban. Jake Plut ’12 is currently a senior at Urban where he plays the vibraphone in Urban’s
an urban farm and public park. Ginger JacksonGleich ’99, former Alumni Trustee, is attending Harvard Law School after teaching at University High School. Whitney Larson ’00 will step into the role of Alumni Trustee. Whitney is a health
volunteering programs. Jenny Morrill ‘02 co-founded Move Loot, a start up that simplifies used furniture sales which was recently featured on MSNBC. After graduating from Duke University last spring, Emma Devereux ‘07
jazz band and leads the Black Student Union among other student clubs. To watch the Alumni Panel or read more about Jenny Morrill and Emma Devereux, go to www.sfschool.org/alumni.
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5 - 201 4 1 0 2 UAL ANNORT REP 300 Gaven Street San Francisco, CA 94134 Tel 415.239.5065 www.sfschool.org
MISSI O N S TAT E M E N T
The San Francisco School cultivates and celebrates the intellectual, imaginative and humanitarian promise of each student in a community that practices mutual respect, embraces diversity and inspires a passion for learning.
OVE R V I E W O F S C HO O L
Founded in 1966, The San Francisco School is a Pre-K through Eighth independent, coeducational day school. The school is an established, vibrant educational community with a multicultural enrollment of 270 students, an experienced and dedicated faculty, and supportive and involved parents. The preschool program centers on the ideas of Maria Montessori. The elementary and middle school program reflects the ideals of a progressive, student-centered approach. The school also includes an extended care program, parent education opportunities, and summer recreational activities. Suitably characterized by a parent as “an urban school with a village atmosphere,” the school embraces San Francisco’s ethnic, cultural, and economic diversity. Our progressive approach to education encourages children to develop self-reliance, solid academic skills, integrity, and a sense of social values. The school is respected for our strong academics, our vibrant community, our personal attention to students, and our dynamic arts program. Our students graduate academically prepared, inquisitive, compassionate, and eager for the challenges ahead.
W I N T E R
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