http://www.mckinleyschool.org News feed for the McKinley Elementary School es 2007 custom perl script 60 http://mckinleyschool.org/images/school_loweryard.jpghttp://www.mckinleyschool.org/400225 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:04:03 PDT Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:43:04 PST McKinley celebrated the Lunar New Year for the 21st time, and this year featured a special performance. The San Francisco Police Department Lion Dancers came and amazed the students and community with their traditional dance intended to summon luck and fortune in the New Year. The Kindergarten and first graders held their own parade in celebration of 4708 - the Year of the Tiger. Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:15:23 PST Many McKinley students submitted artwork to this year’s PTA National Reflections contest and several have been recognized with awards. Designed to enhance rather than replace a quality arts education, the Reflections Program provides opportunities for students to express themselves and to receive positive recognition for their artistic efforts. This year’s theme was “Beauty is…” The McKinley honorees are: Award of Excellence -Jonathan J. Hyatt - Photo, 1st grade, Beauty is...Roger my TurtleMadeleine M. Bastable - Visual Art, 2nd grade, Flower ValleyHonorable Mention -Melanie K. Ige - Visual Art, Kindergarten, UntitledVincent T. Stevens - Visual Art, 1st grade, Beauty is Outer Space (pictured) Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:16:37 PST The fourth and fifth grades took a field trip to the New Conservatory Theater today to see an HIV Prevention &amp; AIDS Education Play for 9 - 12 year olds: Get Real! uses fast, funny sketches to educate young people about HIV &amp; AIDS prevention, eliminate the discrimination and stigma attached to the disease, and encourage young people to make positive, healthy choices when they are faced with difficult situations. The script is updated to reflect new trends and prevention information. Each performance includes a Q&amp;A between the cast and student audience after the play. Our McKinley students were a great audience and they asked some really great questions at the end. More information about the play, including a full script, is available here. Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:21:24 PST The McKinley PTA voted to sponsor the upcoming Funding Our Future Townhall Meeting on February 25. In addition to donating $100 toward supplies and printing costs for the event, several members of the McKinley PTA will be on hand as event volunteers.This important meeting will feature representatives from city and state government, the School Board, and many important educational advocacy and non-profit organizations. All parents, teachers, and public school stakeholders are encouraged to attend and make your voice heard about the state of our current educational budget crisis. Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:19:24 PST Our very own Annie Moore wrote this beautiful essay about McKinley that was recently featured on the "Mommy Files" blog of SFGate: Why I love McKinleyI love McKinley because the outstanding community of our school is one you could not buy with all the private school dollars in the world.My children, husband and I are surrounded by a tight-knit group of teachers, support staff, administrators and families who come together in the common thread of wanting a diverse, excellent education rich with laughter and challenge for all our students. The building itself shows the warm embrace of our community: a many-legged octopus of classrooms encircling our well-stocked and cozy library; wood paneled walls are a refreshing contrast to the usual long white painted hallways of San Francisco's school buildings. This warmth extends outside the building, into our native plant garden and outdoor classroom, 6 grade-specific vegetable gardens and bright, safe new playground built by our community with the support of a KaBOOM! grant and designed by students, teachers and parents with all ages and grade levels in mind. This is only the start; read the full post here. Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:11:07 PST McKinley is thrilled to welcome back Coaches Michael Simpson and Michael Torterelli, as they lead our students yet again through our Lunchtime Wellness Program. Thanks to grants from CPMC and Visa, McKinley has only had to pay $2500 for a $10,000 program. Mike &amp; Mike are training ASEP staff so that we can sustain this program ourselves in the future, and Mike &amp; Mike can take their expertise to another school.The program focuses on 5 key life skills, below:CooperationConcentrationSelf-EsteemRelaxationImaginationMike and Mike integrate these concepts into highly energetic post-lunch group activities, with nutritional information included throughout the playtime. In addition to these sessions the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders will be introduced to and play games that will become a part of our playground play stations, creating a structured, safe and all inclusive playground atmosphere. The program will also introduce fitness concepts, exercises and play in alignment with the California Standards for fitness testing as well as provide a pre- and post-Fitness Gram assessment. Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:33:33 PST For over 20 years McKinley K - 2nd grade students have built gingerbread houses under the watchful eye of Mr. Woo, who started this special event and keeps it alive. Parents and community members donate the graham crackers, cereal, candies, and frosting while staff collect the milk cartons that serve as the base for the structure. Parents and staff all supervise this beloved annual event. Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:53:44 PST McKinley parents and friends enjoyed a sweet treat of holiday music and more, at last week’s evening K-3 performance. The children demonstrated their latest dance moves, vocal achievements, and percussion rhythms in celebration of their classes in performing arts. The students themselves got to be the audience for a repeat performance on Tuesday, December 15. Each class took to the stage in front of the entire school audience so that the children could see what their friends had been learning. This time the 4th and 5th grade orchestral students also joined in, with some amazing performances of violin, clarinet, and recorder music. Way to sing, jam, and stay on your toes, McKinley! Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:05:14 PST The Castro Street Fair once again has been generous to McKinley, thanks to the hard work of many families who gave up their Sunday for our school! The total check this year is for $2,160.14 with an additional $750 raised through our new tradition of charging fair attendees to park in the McKinley lot. This gives us a grand total of $2,910.14! Thank you again to all of the volunteers who spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon in the Castro on behalf of McKinley. Your efforts paid off! Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:59:22 PST Thanks to all of you who helped, shopped, signed, mingled and made the Books Inc. event an all-around success. We made $1,896.86 for our great little school in one fabulous night! A Big Thank You to Darby Davenport, Lisa Brown, Martha Brooder and the rest of the Books, Inc. planning team. The night was a smashing success, and the crowd of McKinley families and friends was great to see. Our three busily signing authors really kept the evening going, and I thank Scott Mickelson, Robin Dutton-Cookston, and Lisa Brown for this fabulous addition to our annual Books, Inc. shopping night. All the store employees were a great help to us (as usual), and so many parents and friends offered to help buy books for classroom libraries! The McKinley Fundraising team appreciates the efforts of everyone who came, donated, baked, bought, cooked, served, set-up, cleaned up and more! Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:30:52 PST Next week is the end of the McKinley Readathon and the students have been reading up a storm all month! Our first order of new library books arrived last week and the kids were so excited. McKinley students are really avid readers: in the month of November the library circulated almost 1500 books! This year's Readathon money will be spent on library books (particularly updating our science and history sections), purchasing software, headphones and stools/chairs for our new library computer lab, buying 2-3 digital cameras for multimedia projects, and installing lattice around the perimeter of the library and rebuilding the entrance gates with proper doorknobs and locks. Please support McKinley by donating to the Readathon. Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:57:41 PST Room 17's kindergarten class went on a field trip on Friday to the Contemporary Jewish Museum. The children enjoyed a docent-led tour, and frolicked in the outdoor garden before returning to school. Many of the classes have begun taking the first field trips of the year, including trips to the Mission Science Workshop, SFMOMA, the Symphony, and the newly-opened local library branch in Eureka Valley. Thanks to all the parents who work hard to ensure these trips go smoothly. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:47:26 PST This year's Fall Annual Appeal has been an unprecedented success; the final tally of donations topped $34,000. Many thanks and recognition to our families who have contributed to McKinley's annual appeal. This fundraising effort funds art, science, PE, music, etc--all the things that can so easily fall through the cracks in these tough budget times. 84 families, or one third, of our McKinley Community participated. These families gave anywhere upwards of $5 to the cause. Thank you so much to everyone who gave what they could. If you'd still like to contribute, it's not too late... You are welcome drop any donation to this cause in the office or donate online. Every penny counts, no amount was too small,We're the Little School with a Big Heart,Supporting our kids and loving them ALL!We'd still love to see our percentage of participating families get closer to100%, and please know that even $1 makes a difference! Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:51:57 PST The ever-popular Harvest Festival was held on Friday night at McKinley, and raised over $3000. The Halloween carnival is a fundraiser for ASEP and the PTA, and this year's attractions included a jumpy house, carnival games, a haunted house, food and other activities. Mualimu Collins (pictured) After School Enrichment Program Executive Director and costumed revelers enjoyed a beautiful, if a bit windy, evening of fun in support of the aftershool program. A special thanks goes out to John Chamberlin and Patricia McFadden for the foresight and professional craftsmanship (not to mention - serious labor) put into the creation of all of the great carnival games. Thank you also to the planning committee (Arjuna and Mualimu who held it all together, Yvette Norman who coordinated the fantastic food station, Linnell Williams for some awesome ribs and potato salad, Christian Neville for our first ever costume contest, Jen Norris the Raffle Queen, Jessica Martines for PR, Le Vu for design work, Annie Bauccio-Moore for learning the ropes for the PTA.) Adrian and his friends get a special thanks for their amazingly professional, fun and spooky Haunted House. And finally, all the amazingly generous volunteers who ran the games, served food, sold tickets, gave prizes, and all did more than they signed up for! Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:08:53 PST A huge thank you to our wonderful McKinley community of gardeners, fixers, painters, sweepers, rakers, and handymen and women. Our school is gorgeous, sparkling, and organized, and our teachers and staff are thrilled. Thank you to everyone whose hard work and effort makes our school such a wonderful place for our children. We had over 60 parent volunteers at McKinley, and lots and lots of kids for a total of over 275 volunteer hours worked in just one day. From cleaning out the pine needles from the yard facing Henry Street to planting a garden on the 14th Street side to sorting through all the items in the Lost &amp; Found to helping out in the classrooms, this year's volunteers did it all. A special thanks to Lisa Zahner from the Building Committee and Ariane Reineke from the Garden Committee for planning ahead so everyone knew just what to do. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:20:44 PST This year's Pumpkin Patch had beautiful weather on both days for the Halloween-themed games and crafts. Students played games, including Halloween croquet (pictured) and decorated pumpkins. Many thanks to the parents who volunteered to staff the games and shepherd students from event to event and to John Chamberlin for taking over and organizing this year's Pumpkin Patch. And special thanks to James "Tick" Falletti and Falletti's Market for generously donating 300 pumpkins to McKinley so every student could take home their pumpkin. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:49:20 PST Two teams of intrepid McKinley parent volunteers simultaneously launched new programs on Tuesday, October 13. The newly created Hospitality Committee hosted the first weekly Coffee Klatch upstairs in the teachers’ lounge. Coffee was donated by Four Barrel Coffee and parents brought baked treats to share. The room was packed and the klatch will meet each Tuesday for the rest of the year.The second new event, Stop, Drop, &amp; Roll, is in response to the upcoming closure of the lower yard to all vehicles. Since families are no longer able to park in the lower yard, teams of parents and 5th grade escorts in orange vests now greet cars in front of the school on 14th Street. Children are safely led into the building and parents or guardians do not have to worry about finding street parking. The first day was dark and rainy, but our volunteers weren't deterred. Thank you to parent volunteers Lisa Zahner and Kim Krogan for organizing the program and for keeping our children safe! Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:42:04 PST Despite windy conditions, McKinley students sculpted their hearts out at the LEAP Sandcastle Classic at Ocean Beach on Saturday, October 3. Taking the award for “Best Interpretation of a Nursery Rhyme,” McKinley created a contemporary twist on the classic “Old Woman in a Shoe” story which featured a high-top Converse sneaker. McKinley takes part in this event every year, with upper grades working alongside community partners to actually create the sand sculpture entry. Younger grades assist by ferrying sand and water, and cheering on the contestants. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:48:09 PST Over thirty families contributed at least 100 hours to assist in the annual Castro Street Fair fundraising event for McKinley. The fair raises money via donations for several neighborhood organizations and non-profits, including McKinley Elementary. More volunteers results in a greater size donation to our school! Volunteer parents, representing kindergartners through fifth graders, graciously gave up their Sundays to stand at one of the fair entrances and solicit donations. A special thank you goes out to parent-with-the-most-stamina, Susie Sanchez, and 4th grade teacher, Mr. Savant. Kindergarten parents Rachel Jacobs and Dan Steiger also held down the fort back at school, raising $750 in parking lot fees from fair-goers. The final amount raised from the fair itself will be available in a few months. Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:57:53 PST McKinley Elementary is partnering with Carpooltoschool.com and the SFUSD Sustainability department to encourage carpooling, which cuts down on carbon emmissions, saves money and helps build community.Carpooltoschool.com gives parents a safe, easy way to form or join a carpool. Features include a secure matching service integrated with Google maps, scheduling, and built-in text messaging to remind parents when it’s their turn to drive. To learn more, click here: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:10:05 PST Parents at McKinley have formed soccer teams for students, and the second grade and kindergarten teams have started the year with a bang. The the second grade team (pictured) are under the leadership of willing and able parent coaches, and have had a great first two games of the season. The kindergarten team had their first game of the season, and the kids on both sides had a grand time. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:28:18 PST Once again, McKinley beat the record at this year’s car wash and bake sale. A hardworking crew of washers and dryers, including many McKinley students, soaped and scrubbed enough cars to earn nearly $2,400. An equally impressive crew of volunteers helped sell a delectable array of homemade goodies and treats, supplied by McKinley families. Dianne Zinky and John Chamberlain led the charge for this year’s event, which has become an annual community-builder in addition to a fundraiser. Dianne and John artfully coordinated an army of parents, grandparents, and friends, making the entire operation both fun and seemingly effortless. Go Team McKinley! Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:55:18 PST Our Annual Direct Fund Appeal has kicked off with the personal distribution of letters on September 16th at Back to School Night. The goal for this 2009 appeal is $30,000.00, and all funds raised will directly support programs for McKinley's students such as Technology, class size reduction in 4th and 5th grades, Spanish, Theater Arts, our annual Marin Headlands Programs, physical education and science. Watch our progress on the McKinleyLand Bulletin Board in the Main Lobby. To date, we have received five checks in response to the direct appeal totaling $3,325. The Gingerman is on the move! Be sure to stop in and watch the Gingerman continue to climb the path to sweet success, and help keep him from getting stuck in the mud! we have received five checks in response to the direct appeal totaling $3,325. the silver man is on the move Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:37:47 PST The first PTA meeting of the 2009/10 school year at McKinley had a jam-packed agenda, and a record number of students and their siblings utilized the childcare during the meeting. 54 children enjoyed the potluck dinner before moving to the teachers lounge for fun and games, supervised by ASEP staff. Their parents and guardians enjoyed (endured?) a very full agenda, but newly-elected PTA President Aaron Anderson kept things moving and the meeting ended on time. The next PTA meeting is October 8. Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:08:27 PST McKinley Elementary proudly took part in the nationwide event that presented students with President Obama's "My Education, My Future" speech. Camera crews from local and national news were on the scene to capture the reactions from members of the McKinley community, and several students, parents, and teachers shared their responses. San Francisco's Channel Two, KTVU, highlighted commentary from Principal Rosa Fong and PTA President Aaron Anderson. The segment was shown on the noon, 5pm, 6pm, and 10pm news. Univision, the Spanish language channel, ran a piece on the event as well, featuring 4th grade teacher, Mr. Ablao. Fifth grader William Geist also received national attention when the New York Times picked up his quote for their coverage on students' reactions. Click on the links above for the complete footage of our impressive and eloquent community members. Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:31:04 PST In the library, the back wall is being transformed into our Multimedia Center. In the next 6 to 8 weeks, first grade parent John Renko is installing twenty Sun Microsystems computers in the library, and a server for all of them. John has single-handedly conceived, planned, acquired this technology center. Taking on a significant project like this is a McKinley tradition. In 2007, new kindergarten parents recognized that the need for a new playground would take more than a small effort, so they banded together and worked furiously, and along with KaBOOM!, a new playground was built in July. In 2008, parents saw that the building needed some simple, and not-so-simple renovations and started our Fall Fix-It and Spring Spruce Up days. They also brought in Rebuilding Together and worked closely with the principal and SFUSD to greatly enhance the facilities at McKinley. These are just three examples of how parents have transformed the school. Many thanks to John Renko and all the parents who have worked so hard to make McKinley a better school for all our children. Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:44:35 PST The McKinley community kicked off the school year with the annual BBQ picnic on the school playground. Designed with new and returning families in mind, the event was coordinated by Will Garcia and Avi Goldberg, parents of 1st grader Shai. Hundreds of McKinley parents and children feasted on burgers and hot dogs, and everyone got to sneak a peek at classroom assignments for the year. The welcoming continued at the traditional first-day-of-school breakfast. Hosted by the Recruiting Committee of the PTA, the breakfast offered new families a warm smile and understanding shoulder to lean on, especially for those parents who said good-bye to new kindergartners. PTA officers introduced themselves, and new families were able to get answers to last-minute school year questions. Big thanks to the many parent and grandparent volunteers who made both events happen! Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:43:49 PST The work is nearly complete, and the district has promised everything will be done for the first day of school. But between now and then the teachers need to move everything back into their classrooms (and there will be some classroom changes) and get set up for the new school year. Over the summer, McKinley has undergone some significant renovations, including: *New flooring for classrooms and school hallways - the carpet has been replaced with soundproofed linoleum/vinyl *New carpet in the library *Renovated student bathrooms on the first and second floors, including beautiful new tile *New counter (ADA compliant) and work area for Ms. Vikki in the school office *Roof has been repaired and the heating/cooling units have been replaced *New sinks and cabinets were installed in classrooms and the library *Additional soundproofing in the cafegymatoriumDuring the 2010/11 school year, the district has committed to replacing the windows and painting the exterior. McKinley will have a bright new look in the next two years! Sun, 31 May 2009 01:10:31 PST McKinley students traveled far and wide to places such as Japan, India, and even Nigaria, all without leaving school. The fun was part of United Nations Days, a McKinley tradition. As part of UN Days, each classroom served as a model country, and each student was issued a passport with his or her picture on the front. Classes took turns visiting other classrooms, where teachers and parents hosted games, music, food, and art projects from various countries around the world. Thank you to all of the parent and community volunteers who sang, provided food, wore costumes, and escorted students from class to class. Tue, 26 May 2009 23:46:07 PST McKinley students were not alarmed to visit the lower yard on May 21 and discover a fire truck, police care, sheriff’s car, ambulance, and police horses and dogs. These visitors were all part of Safety Day, a day of safety demonstrations and activities. Representatives from the City’s finest public servants were on hand to show McKinley students their daily jobs and how to stay safe. Linell Williams, grandfather of Mary Williams, organized the event and fired up a special barbecue lunch for the entire McKinley community. Thank you Mr. Williams, and thank you to all of the parent and grandparent volunteers who made this great day happen! Wed, 13 May 2009 10:21:38 PST Veteran first grade teacher, Mr. Woo, was recently honored as part of Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Teacher of the Month Award program. The award recognizes outstanding San Francisco public school teachers for their dedication, professionalism, and work on behalf of our City's young people. Ten winners for 2008-2009 were whittled down from a district-wide anonymous selection process, in which students and parents nominated their favorites. The ten honorees, including Mr. Woo, were then treated to a banquet event with Mayor Newsom and presented with certificates from the Mayor, Supervisor Bevan Dufty, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, and other notables. In addition, Mr. Woo received a cash award, a gift certificate for a hotel stay, and a crystal apple from Tiffany jewelry. Congratulations, Mr. Woo! You are certainly the apple of McKinley’s eye! Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:49:01 PST The third, fourth, and fifth grades were at the Marin Headlands for their overnight camping trips last week, and when they returned on Friday, the consensus was that they had a great time. Parent chaperones reported that students would probably be sleeping well that night, because some students were up before dawn!Students enjoyed many of their favorite parts of these annual trips; the campfire, the hiking, and also enjoyed some new adventures. All students are looking forward to this week's school visits from the Marin Headlands Institute staff, who will bring the Headlands experience back into the classroom. Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:31:53 PST If you ask any one of the hundreds of humans and canines who came out for DogFest 2009, McKinley’s spring carnival, dog show, and fundraiser, and he or she will definitely tell you that it was a great day! The sun was shining down on Duboce Park, dogs were barking, kids were playing, and the turnout was fantastic. Friends and community members from the McKinley school population and the surrounding Duboce Park neighborhood came out in droves for tasty treats, bouncy houses, and a relaxing day in the park.And the best part? DogFest surpassed its goal of raising $20,000, with a grand total of approximately $26,000. This is double the amount raised at last year’s event. Congratulations to the many McKinley volunteers who pulled off a spectacular festival! And a special thank you goes out to fundraising chair, Annie Bauccio-Moore! KTVU covered the event, producing a slideshow of photos and a video featuring co-chair Katy Wilcoxen. Thu, 16 Apr 2009 23:22:53 PST The McKinley PTA elected new officers and fundraising chairs for school year 2009-2010. The officers are:President – Aaron AndersonSecretary – Kim KroganTreasurer - Denise LawwillFinancial Secretary – Aloisia Stevens Executive Vice President – Georgia McNamaraVice President of Development – Annie BauccioVice President of Communications – Patricia McFaddenVice President of Staff Communication – Jean MicheliStaff Members – Jen Martin and Robert Savant Shellie Wiener was appointed Parliamentarian. And several parents stepped forward to serve as fundraising chairs: Books Inc - Darby DavenportCastro Street Fair – Robin Dutton-Cookston DogFest - Sian Brady and Molly MichelsonCar Wash – John Chamberlain and Dianne ZinkyReadathon – Ren Volpe If you see any of these volunteers, please thank them for serving in a leadership capacity at McKinley. And, remember, it will only be one year until these posts need filling again! Keep an eye out for the position where YOU can best serve! Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:43:00 PST McKinley students of all ages recently submitted suggestions for the latest category to add to the DogFest Dog Show Contest. Michaela Richter, kindergarten student age 5 1/2, topped the list with her bouncy suggestion: Highest Jumper Click to see all the other entries below: Stinkiest: Conor, age 8 3/4 Running: Nehemiah, age 12 Tricks: Gabriel, age 9 Color: Devonte, age 11 Softest Fur: Simone, age 6 1/2 Best Costume (Tutu): Riley, age 5 Wildest: Kaileia, age 9 Biggest Ears: Andrew, age 7 Fattest: Maceo, age 9 Curliest Tail: Kailiyah, age 7 Frisbee Catch: Morgan, age 8 Way to go, Michaela! We look forward to seeing all of those high jumpers at DogFest on April 18! Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:49:20 PST New and current families mingled and got to know each other in the at the McKinley Welcome Breakfast event. The library overflowed with parents of currently enrolled students, who gave up their morning to volunteer, and with parents and children who recently received McKinley assignment letters. After the breakfast reception, new and old families alike were treated to a quick but charming performance by current kindergartners and a partnered-off playtime on the upper yard. This popular tradition, which allows incoming kindergarten families to connect and ask questions, was the most successful to date--we had an incredible turnout! Thanks to all the McKinley families who helped bring food, set up, meet and greet, and clean up. And a huge welcome to all of the incoming McKinley families who will be joining our community next year. Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:14:34 PST McKinley 4th and 5th grade chorus and instrumental students performed in the citywide SFUSD Elementary Music Festival on March 21 at Lincoln High School. Each year approximately 700 fourth and fifth grade instrumental and choral music students are invited to participate in the Festival. These students represent over 7,000 elementary music students participating in the SFUSD Elementary Music Program. This has been an exciting event for young San Francisco musicians for over 20 years, and McKinley is proud to be an enthusiastic participant. Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:32:09 PST The first assignment cycle (Round One) of the SFUSD student assignment process is now complete and letters are in the mail to those families that applied for SFUSD schools. McKinley has seen growth in every year, and this year there is triple-digit growth in families choosing McKinley. Total requests are shown in the diagram to the left, and this year's high of 313 families surpasses the expectations of the recruiting committee. Families that listed McKinley as their first choice have also increased, from 22 in 2005/6 to a high of 45 for 2009/10. The secret is getting out, and the McKinley community is looking forward to welcoming our new kindergarten families at a Welcome Breakfast on Tuesday, March 24 at 8:15am. The children will have the opportunity to meet current kindergarteners and work on an activity together while the parents have one-on-one time with current McKinley folks. Coffee and light breakfast refreshments will be served. Thu, 12 Mar 2009 23:34:05 PST Three McKinley students and their music teacher, Scott Hindman, provided musical selections at today's CPMC Davies Campus Chapel Opening Service. Fifth grader Maya Lennon and fourth grader William Geist performed "Faith of our Fathers" on the clarinet and fifth grader Fiona Lennon performed a violin solo, "Mozart Theme and Variations" at the afternoon ceremony. Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:57:52 PST The school district has started the bidding process on significant improvements to be made at McKinley over the summer, and more are slated for the 2010/11 school year. This summer's work includes:*New flooring for classrooms and school hallways; new carpet in the library*Renovated student bathrooms on the first and second floors*Roof repairs and/or replacement*New sinks and cabinets in classrooms and the library*Additional soundproofing in the auditoriumDuring the 2010/11 school year, the district has committed to replacing the windows and painting the exterior. McKinley will have a bright new look in the next two years! Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:52:06 PST McKinley mamas, papas, and other adult community members spent Friday night getting down at the first ever McKinley adult social. Parents brought food and drinks to share, and a few brave souls even dared to expose their iPod playlists for background music. It was strictly no-kids-allowed (even though we love them so) except for babies-in-arms, at this adults-only fete. All members of the McKinley parent, grandparent, and staff adult communities were invited, and at least 50 people turned out and had a blast.The fun took place in the Vista Room at California Pacific Medical Center, almost directly across the street from McKinley. The view was stupendous, the food was tasty, the drinks were flowing, and the crowd was a boisterous group of friendly McKinley grown-ups. “I had a great time getting to know some parents that I otherwise would never have met!” said Robin Dutton-Cookston, kindergarten parent. “McKinley is full of so many interesting, nice families, and it was great to visit with some other parents in a relaxed setting without the usual distraction of our children.”Big thanks to Lisa Zahner, first-grade parent, for coordinating this fantastic evening. If you missed this one, be sure to keep an eye out for future events because plans for the next McKinley grown-up party are already underway! Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:51:22 PST McKinley continued its celebration of Black History Month with its first-ever school-wide Black History Assembly. The fun began at lunch time last Friday, when children sampled tastes of soul food. The chicken wings, macaroni &amp; cheese, and collard greens were generously prepared by Linnell Williams. Students were then treated to a poem recital by 2nd grader Kayla Grays and a spirited dance show, featuring the history of breakdancing. Many thanks to the extra-special performances by International Studies Academy Students, the Cal State East Bay Men of Success, and staff from McKinley’s own ASEP after-school program. Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:42:47 PST Last Thursday's PTA meeting attendees were treated to a fascinating talk by Raye Richardson, McKinley's student advisor. Raye shared stories about growing up with her family's bookstore, Marcus Bookstore on Fillmore Street. Marcus Bookstore is the oldest independent African-American bookstore in the country. Raye's family history rubs elbows with literary giants and interweaves with civil rights leaders. Raye's namesake grandmother was the dean of black studies at San Francisco State University and co-founder of Marcus Books. Raye has worked in the bookstore her whole life, and has done many jobs, including shuttling contemporary author E. Lynn Harris to and from the airport. The PTA guest speaker event tied in perfectly with McKinley's celebration of Black History Month. Other school events include an upcoming African-American read-in, and a school-wide Black History Celebration. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 11:22:44 PST Gung Hay Fat Choy! The McKinley Community celebrated the Year of the Ox by participating in the 2009 San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade on Saturday, February 7. Over 80 students, teachers, and family members marched, danced, and drummed their way through Chinatown and Union Square as part of this tradition dating back to San Francisco's Gold Rush days. This was the first year for McKinley Elementary to take part in the parade, and it was such a wild success that it will become a new school tradition. It was the best night of my life, said Maya Lennon, fifth grade student who marched in the parade. Principal Rosa Fong and a hearty band of walkers led the McKinley contingent, carrying a dragon-emblazoned banner. They were followed by McKinley dance teacher, Julia Graham, and her troupe of costumed McKinley students performing a special choreographed Year of the Ox routine. Performing arts and drumming teacher, Alfie Macias, directed the McKinley drum corps in keeping the beat as they rode on top of a beautiful community-made float. Channel 2 coverage of McKinley in the parade is available on YouTube. Most parade participants were from older grades, but kindergartners and first graders had their own mini-parade around the school on Friday, February 6. The younger grades made dragon puppets and other Chinese New Year decorations, and marched around the school in anticipation of the city-wide parade on Saturday. Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:51:59 PST McKinley Elementary and Rebuilding Together SF are creating a hands-on school facility and schoolyard designed to teach students sustainability and about our natural resources. The focus in particular is on our San Franciso Bay Area, and our water and food supply. Where does it come from, how do we use it, and how can we best preserve it? We'd like to demonstrate our water's journey from the Sierras to the city, using McKinley's naturally undulating site to simulate the concept. We want to help our kids to understand where our water comes from when they turn on the faucet. The project will incorporate McKinley's unique hillside layout to demonstrate our water's journey from the Sierras to the city, using McKinley's naturally undulating site to simulate the concept. We want the kids to understand where our water comes from when they turn on the faucet, and physically demonstrate how our water is impacted by natural elements such as our mountains and topography and man-made elements such as resevoirs, dams and canals. Materials will include landscaping with California Native and drought-tolerant plants, as well as water elements such as streams or flow-forms, murals and mosaics. The water would flow to an edible garden, which will be used to teach students basic agriculture and nutrition. We will also try to include power generation through windmills or solar panels. Teachers will be able to incorporate the entire school facility into their lessons as students will be able to explore, play and plant (and eat!) the gardens, water and energy features. Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:58:39 PST Author Oliver Chin will highlight the creative process and his newest book, "Year of the Ox", in two assemblies for McKinley students. Mr. Chin has written many thoughful and zany children's books, including other Chinese zodiac stories and "Julie Black Belt: The Kung Fu Chronicles". His books are available for purchase and signing, and Mr. Chin will be donating 40% of all sales to the McKinley PTA. Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:31:00 PST Every Thursday morning our music teacher, Scott Hindman, plays the piano beforeschool in the cafeteria from 7:30am until the bell rings at 7:50am. Parents report that it creates such a wonderful atmosphere to begin the day, and everyone enjoys it immensely. If other parents are willing to bring their musical talents, or musical appreciation, this program could be expanded! Thursday, January 22, McKinley is hosting "Making Better Family Time" a workshop designed to help families make family time better for everyone. This is the first in a series of Parenting Workshops led by McKinley parent Dr. Jeff Cookston, Associate Professor of Psychology at SFSU. Childcare will be provided. Mon, 12 Jan 2009 01:18:28 PST The donations for this year's third annual Library Readathon have been tallied and the grand total raised was $6,260. We had excellent participation from students, parents, and staff. Children read many many hours and sponsors were generous.Ren Volpe, the Library Media teacher who has organized the Readathon every year, says she is "very proud to be part of such a supportive school community, and look forward to all the new books we will be able to purchase." Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:38:49 PST Students returned from the winter break to a new program. Our neighbor, California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC Davies Campus), has generously partnered with the Joy of Sports Foundation to give all of our students a healthy workout during the noon recess. Students will partidipate in organized sports, fitness routines, learn nutrition tips and conflict resolution skills. The program begins the week of January 19th, and continues weekly, Tuesday through Thursday. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:16:04 PST For the first time ever, McKinley students will be marching in the Chinese New Year Parade on Saturday, February 7, 2009. Approximately 60 McKinley students will be in the parade. This is the Year of the Ox, and McKinley volunteers are working to construct the float and costumes for the marchers. The parade goes on, rain or shine! Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:33:24 PST The CBS and Ecozone Green Schools Initiative launched a “Green My School Contest” in which the grand prize is a $250,000 green makeover for the winning school. The money will supply the school with products and services to aid in an environmentally minded overhaul, as conducted by a professional “green schools coach.” McKinley has submitted two video entries to the contest, one from Mr. Kallok's kindergarten class, and another entry from the 4th and 5th grades. Watch Mr. Kallok's kindergarten class's "Easy Being Green" video. Watch the 4th and 5th grades "Green Revolution".Students, teachers, and parents worked very hard to put these together. Thanks to the teachers, kids, and parent volunteers who made these great videos. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:46:44 PST Last Wednesday night was the winter performance for the Kindergarten and 1st grade. The students sang, danced or drummed. McKinley has three performance artists who lead the students in chorus, dance, and drumming once a week, and the classes rotate so they learn each area--and perform what they've learned! At McKinley, ALL our children are all OUR children, and families and friends support and applaud every child who performs. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:19:57 PST Thank you to everyone who made our holiday shopping night at Books Inc in the Castro at 2275 Market Street on Monday December 1st a rousing success! The donation from Books, Inc. for our PTA general fund is $1072.96.An enormous debt of gratitude to Annie Bauccio for organizing, and thanks also to Darby Davenport, Lhesa Green &amp; Martha Brooder who did such a lovely job setting up, and Lhesa &amp; Aaron Anderson who made short work of the clean up. And thanks to everyone who bought, brought, helped, talked, tidied, organized, inspired, shmoozed, shopped, recommended, and partied! Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:44:33 PST In the fine tradition of classically trained professionals, Ben Sollee came to McKinley Elementary on Monday, November 24, to showcase making music out of what you have around the house. Sollee brought his kit and scads of enthusiasm, mixed with a great number of years playing the cello, to educate, amuse and entertain the whole school population and invited guests. Sollee is a 25 year old classically trained cellist who plays blues, folk, and rock and he presented his workshop "On Playing a Wooden Box". If anyone ever wondered why classical music was considered "high brow" this great event will dispell that notion. The whole workshop will inolve the children in making music - cacophony or not - and the endeavor will be filmed by independent filmmaker Kyia Clayton. San Francisco's Channel 7 News also filmed the workshop, and the piece ran on Thanksgiving day featuring our McKinley students! Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:30:47 PST ASEP has organized field trip for all the students; depending on their age, students will be participating in one of the following during the after school program:Crissy Field Rocks! New geology-based program where students gain critical knowledge of the different types of rock that can be found in the Presidio or near Crissy Field! Children will compare and contrast sand, silt, clay, regular soil in special scientist beakers, explore the beach and examine our state rock serpentinite, and examine chert and basalt and also experiment with edible minerals.Bugs and BeyondVenture from the Crissy Field Center to El Polin Spring on this easy one-mile walk. Investigate the bugs, slugs, worms and insects along the creek using bug boxes and hand lenses. Explore the exciting world of tiny creatures! Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:03:58 PST Great news regarding the Marin Headlands trip all McKinley students go on every year—first grade teacher and trip organizer, Jean Micheli, has applied for and received a group scholarship from the Headlands Institute of $17,340. This is higher than the amount we received last year! The award is based on the number of students on the trip, the percentage of students who receive Free and Reduced Lunch, and McKinley’s continuing participation in the Headlands Environmental Literacy Partnership.Students are looking forward to another tremendous learning experience on the coast. From the kindergarten day trip, to the multi-night sleepovers of the upper grades, all kids get an opportunity to learn about the natural world on one of the most beautiful shorelines on earth. Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:34:11 PST Congratulations are in order for the special education students of teacher Jennifer Martin in room 24. On November 6, 2008, they participated in the SFUSD Special Olympics and took 2nd place overall and 1st place for Elementary in the Soccer Team Competition. Kudos go to coach Mike Haimes, one of the class para-professionals, for guiding the team to their success.There are several meets throughout the school year, each focusing on different sports. Everyone is looking forward to the next event--basketball--in the spring. Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:23:32 PST Our annual Readathon began wtih a celebration of the joy of reading, started on Friday, November 7, with Snuggle Down and Read. Kids wore pajamas to school, and parents were invited to school for the last 30 minutes of the day to snuggle down and read together. For the Readathon, students keep track of how many hours they read between November 7th and 30th. They can read anything--picture books, chapter books, comic books, magazines, etc. They can read aloud, silently, or be read to. Friends and family are encouraged to sponsor a child by pledging to donate to the Readathon. All proceeds benefit the library and library media programs. Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:09:35 PST Hannah Caminos, the Spanish Enrichment instructor, has arranged Day of the Dead activites and celebration during the Spanish classes last week. All students made Day of the Dead masks, which they decorated with marker, glitter, yarn, and other materials. Some students even wore their masks during the Halloween parade. There was a small altar, "Day of the Dead-style", in the lobby. Staff and students brought in flowers, bread, lights and candles (which were not lit),and pictures or drawings of people or pets they have lost. Hannah and the students enjoyed these projects immensely, especially learning about other ways people celebrate "Halloween" in different parts of the world. Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:29:50 PST Last Saturday was a work day in the Native Plant garden, and volunteers did a fabulous job of creating the seating area around the tree and the pathways. The stepping stones were created during the KaBOOM! playground build in July; parents poured the cement into the forms, and kids placed bits of tile, mosaic-style. Another Community Gardening Day is scheduled for this Saturday, November 1 with adult students from CCSF who will be working on the Learning Garden in the Upper Yard behind Room 11. They'll be renovating the plots, preparing the soil, adn plant seeds and juvenile plants. With some watering--and the rainy season--the garden should be in great shape for spring. The Native Plant Garden is not only beautiful, it adds to our childrens' very important access to nature at school. Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:44:07 PST This was a busy weekend at McKinley--Friday night was the ASEP Harvest Festival Fundraiser, and a great time was had by all. Parent volunteers manned the food booth (kudos to the cotton candy makers!), the carnival games and prize store, the jumpy houses, and the haunted house. The balmy weather made it just that much better.All proceeds from the event will pay for enrichment and program supplies, field trips, subsidizing spring and summer camps, and professional development for staff. Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:04:36 PST Tim Lennon is a parent volunteer who started and runs the McKinley Elementary tutoring program. This week he wrote about the program in School Tutoring Programs -- A Case Study. "The education of our children involves the whole community. Children advance as the result of committed teachers, involved parents and supportive staff. Nonetheless, even the best schools face the challenge of students who fall behind. The appropriate response demands the involvement of everyone. However such an endeavor is limited by the resources available to each school and the school district as a whole.""Parents can provide significant support to address this gap by tutoring in the schools. The important role of parent volunteers in classrooms has been recognized in the law and in fact the California Family-School Partnership Act requires that employers support parents who volunteer in the classroom. Obviously, teachers have the best ability to address those students are unable to keep up with their classmates. But even so, parents perform a true service to struggling students by making a commitment to tutoring." Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:28:26 PST McKinley's First Annual GLBT Picnic was a great success. About 20 adults and 15 kids (and some dogs) met in Dolores Park for food and games. The kids ran around while adults exchanged chit chat and also discussed homophobia in the public school system. Parents agreed on the necessity of explicitly including homophobia in McKinley's anti-bullying campaign, which will kick-off this November. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:11:51 PST Saturday's 2008 Carwash &amp; Bakesale was a resounding good time and a success--together we earned nearly $1,900 for programs for our kids at McKinley! Thanks to everyone who washed, dried, squeegied, cheered, rinsed, corralled kids, hawked cars, bake-saled, sold tickets, brought their cars (and then washed them!) collected money, celebrated, laughed, played, blew bubbles, took photos, filled buckets, fetched, carried, set up, cleaned up, got wet and generally worked their fingers to the bone. There were so many folks out yesterday--teachers, principals, parents, friends, and neighbors--that it truly was a community event. Many in the neighborhood came by and volunteers heard countless stories about what a great school and neighbor McKinley was. Things like how "my daughter went to McKinley 38 years ago, and she's a lawyer today," and " my son attended McKinley and we still live in the neighborhood, so I had to stop because the school was so good for him." (Many thanks to those that leaflet-ed the neighborhood to let them know what we were up to!) Special thanks to car wash organizers Annie Bauccio and Martha Brooder for bringing it all together, and many thanks to Tracy Crespo who brought her amazing car washing super-trailer and kept us all on task as she power-washed her way into making this our most successful car wash to date. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:08:19 PST The tour season has just started, but a local parent has posted a glowing review of McKinley. McKinley used to be a well-kept secret, but in a few short years the reputation--and popularity--of McKinley has grown. We've gone from a school that students were assigned to because they couldn't get into any of their choices, to a school that has more students choosing McKinley as one of their top assignments. (More on the increase in enrollment requests for 2008/2009 school year and the 2007/8 school year.)Much credit belongs to Lisa Schiff, our long-time recruiting chair, and Tim Lennon, indefatigable tour leader, for getting the word out about McKinley. Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:21:24 PST Saturday was the 25th Annual LEAP Sand Castle Classic, with the theme of "Freestyle", and it was a fabulous day at the beach for McKinley and the other 23 participating school groups. The sun came out, the weather was warm, and the sand and water flew! McKinley took the honors in the "Most Fun" category. Congratulations to everyone who was there to help with the creation of our awesome 'sandcastle' - actually a giant pizza upended by a wave at one end and being eaten by a shark at the other. Also many thanks to Swinerton Builders and BAR Architects who were our professional partners. They worked with our 4th &amp; 5th grade students to develop their winning entry, and students from all grades participated in the building of this amazing sandcastle.The Sandcastle Classic is Northern California's largest sandcastle building event. Every year Leap hosts this spirited competition between teams of architects, engineers, contractors, designers and local elementary school students. LEAP - Adventures in Learning, a non-profit dedicated to bringing Art &amp; Architecture to ALL Bay-Area Schools, raised over $200,000 from sponsor support for the Sandcastle Classic. Fri, 03 Oct 2008 01:16:07 PST This is the tenth year of ASEP (After School Enrichment Program) at McKinley. Started by McKinley parents who wanted a safe, fun, and learning afterschool program, ASEP has grown along with the school under Executive Director Mualimu Collins.This year ASEP is introducing a new arts enrichment program. Seven artists will introduce the class they will be teaching and the medium they will be exploring, and the students and parents will select and prioritize classes of interest together.Also new this year, ASEP is creating a volunteer program to help parents and community identify programming areas and additional ways to get involved, including homework assistance, field trip chaperoning, and event planning and organizing. The Harvest Festival is coming up, and parent volunteers are needed to help this year's Harvest Festival be as successful as last year's. For more information, contact Mualimu, or Arjuna Sayyed, Program Director. Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:26:55 PST In commemoration of Hispanic Heritage month, San Francisco Giants rookie relief pitcher Sergio Romo came to McKinley to host a talk with students and staff of McKinley. Almost all the classes came out to hear him speak, and many of the students went home with autographed items. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:11:19 PST With next year's process just starting up and the memories of this year's snafu's still fresh, enrollment is a hot topic. Last week's School Beat article in BeyondChron was a discussion about finding schools in light of the problems with the assignment process last year, written by McKinley's own Lisa Schiff.School Beat: Finding Schools and Evaluating the Assignment Process Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:20:44 PST This week the musical instruments come out for the 4th and 5th grades. They will be choosing among violin, clarinet, and recorder in their weekly lessons with music teacher Scott Hindman, who also teaches at four other SFUSD schools. Scott has a long history with McKinley Elementary--he was the music teacher in 1987, and he choreographed the opening ceremonies for the Junior Olympics that are still used today.This year the music the 4th and 5th graders will be learning are American folk songs, and will tie in with their American history lessons. Song will be from, and about, areas such as the Erie Canal, the Shenandoah Valley, and California's rich history. Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:20:34 PST A School Site Council (SSC) is mandated for every school in California. The SSC has a number of important responsibilities, including: Reviewing and analyzing student achievement data, gathering community input, helping develop the Academic Plan and the school site budget, and monitoring the implementation of the plan and budget. The SSC can have other duties--only SSC members were permitted to be part of last year's principal selection process. This year the SSC will be working with Principal Rosa Fong to adopt the SFUSD "balanced scorecard". McKinley Elementary's SSC holds a community meeting each spring to get input and feedback from parents to validate the current year's plan and future years' goals. SSC positions are held for a minimum of 2 years, and include the principal (required), parent, and teacher/staff representatives. SSCs can elect to include community members and students as well, and this year we have decided to add student representatives from the 4th and 5th grades. There are also two teacher/staff positions open, and one parent position open. Elections for the parent position will be held at October's PTA meeting. Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:05:51 PST Back to School Night is this week, and one of the things that parents and guardians will be hearing from their student's teacher is the new math program that is being used this year. "Everyday Mathematics is a rigorous PreK-6 curriculum used across the country. It is scientifically research-based and proven to build students' mathematical knowledge from the basics to higher-order thinking and critical problem solving." There is more of a take-home component than last year's math program, and parents and guardians are highly encouraged to follow along and work with their student. The first of these Everyday Mathematics Family Letters should already have come home in your student's homework folder: Dialogue and discussion are at the heart of Everyday Mathematics. Family Letters from the Math Masters are provided at the beginning of the year, at the end of every unit, and with selected Home Links to establish a partnership between home and school, while explaining upcoming content and activities. Wed, 03 Sep 2008 01:12:04 PST School is in full swing after the Labor Day holiday. Now that students have started, it's time for family, guardians, and community to begin thinking about how they may want to contribute to the school. Find some time to help out this year.* Volunteers are needed for fundraising--the first two events are the Castro Street Fair on Sunday, October 5 and a Carwash and Bakesale on Saturday, October 2* Room parents may be needed for your child's class; check with the teacher.* Recruiting for next year's students is starting; tours begin on October 1 and volunteers are needed to lead tour and attend other recruiting events.* For the first time, stuffing the Wednesday folder will become a volunteer task, so people are needed on Wednesday mornings to collate the items sent home * The library can always use help shelving books, etc. * The garden team needs volunteers to help with the planting done over the summer and to create the native plant garden * Tutors are needed to help students in reading, math, and other subjects. * And more! There are many other opportunities to volunteer--do you have something you love to do? Something you think needs to be done? Get involved! Come to the PTA meeting next Thursday, September 18 at 6pm (5:30 potluck) or email volunteer@mckinleyschool.org to find out more about how you can help. Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:55:32 PST Today was the first day of school for the 2008/9 school year. Our new (to McKinley) Principal Rosa Fong welcomed parents and guardians with their new and returning students. A welcome breakfast was held in the library right after students went to their classrooms where Principal Fong, PTA President Susan Colson, and other parents welcomed everyone to a new school year. Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:56:38 PST It's hard to believe, but summer is over and Monday marks the official start of the 2008/9 school year. For more details on the year's official SFUSD event, see the SFUSD Calendar. To see what's available in the cafeteria the first week of school, see the breakfast and lunch menu for August 25 - 29. Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:47:33 PST Thanks to a group of dedicated parents, KaBOOM! and Washington Mutual, McKinley Elementary has a brand-new playground. Bigger, better, and accessible for all grades! As one of our intrepid organizers said, "Nine months of blood, sweat, tears, panhandling, begging, orchestrating, organizing, praying... and we have a new playground for McKinley Elementary School. We replaced the rusting, splintering, cracking 33-year-old structure that was built back when ABBA ruled the airwaves. Huge thanks to WaMu for funding and volunteering and to KaBOOM! for helping us pull the darn thing off." Read the article in the Globe Newspaper to hear more about the build. Timelapse photography courtesy of Ricky Montalvo. Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:16:02 PST The demolition has begun--we're nearly ready for our KaBOOM! build day, which is Saturday, July 19. McKinley has committed to providing 75 to 100 volunteers on the build day, and additional volunteers are needed for non-build activities such as food, safety and kids activities. Kids are welcome to attend, but they will not be able to participate in the primary build activities. (There will be fun stuff to do related to the playground build!) If you're interested in volunteering, email playground@mckinleyschool.org. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:16:28 PST The school year is officially over, but there are a couple of can't-miss events for the McKinley community coming up. July 19 is the KaBoom! Playground Build Day, August 23 is our Welcome BBQ (and when teacher assignments are posted), and August 25 is the first day of school. Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:26:26 PST Last Thursday and Friday, May 29 and 30, were United Nations Days at McKinley, part of the History and Social Studies curriculum. The goal is to provide each student with the opportunity to experience another culture through story telling, sampling regional foods, studying maps, art, and other cultural artifacts.This year the classrooms represented Argentina, China, Denmark, Belgium, Mexico, Guatemala, Nigeria, Thailand, Russia, and Turkey.This Thursday and Friday, June 5 and 6, continue the theme with Jr. Olympics, in which the student participate in the parade of nations as athletes from their class' country at the opening ceremonies. After that, the games begin! Students participate in the athletic events of their choice Thursday and Friday mornings, and in the afternoons the students step up for the Walkathon. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:05:40 PST McKinley students recently enjoyed Safety Day with the San Francisco Police Department. Students saw safety demonstrations, sat on the motorcycles, toured a patrol car and 'paddy wagon', and enjoyed seeing a drug-sniffing demonstration by a canine officer. The kids loved the dog!Many thanks to retired police officer Mr. Linell Williams, grandfather of a McKinley student, who arranged the event. The only thing missing was the horses, and Mr. Williams still wants to bring the horses to show the kids. Wed, 28 May 2008 00:12:44 PST Phase One of the McKinley Native Plant Garden, funded by a Lowe's Toolbox for Education grant, is complete. Thank you, Lowe's! Even at this interim stage, the students are thoroughly enjoying the garden. The native flowers have been attracting bees and other insects, and many a student has stopped to see exactly what they're up to. Next fall we will begin Phase Two, expanding the garden to include more native plants and seating areas. There will be a meeting soon after the start of school to plan the next workday. If you are interested in helping, please contact garden@mckinleyschool.org Fri, 23 May 2008 15:38:20 PST One of McKinley's beloved kindergarten teachers, Irene Fong, was one of ten winners of Mayor Newsom's second annual Teacher of the Month Award. (Ms. Fong is fourth from the right.)While teachers are selected throughout the year, they are all honored at during National Teacher Appreciation month. Winners will receive prizes, including cash and gift certificates. Congratulations, Ms. Fong! Tue, 20 May 2008 23:20:32 PST This school year, 2007/8, marks the 100th full year of school for McKinley Elementary. After the 1906 earthquake, there was a school on the site, but it started late in the year (as many things did that year.) Principal Bonnie Coffey-Smith organized a wonderful event, with students from as far back as the 1930's, families with generations who've attended McKinley, and one family whose father was the custodian at McKinley for nearly 20 years. It was a special event and those who attended got to hear the stories of families who cherish their (and their families' time) at McKinley. Fri, 16 May 2008 12:28:37 PST Operation Playground hosted a design day for the new play structure. This was the first opportunity for students, parents, staff, and community to help design the play structure and be part of the decision-making process. Representatives from KaBOOM! and Washington Mutual, our generous donor, were on hand to see the designs the students came up with. There were some amazing creations, but some of the ideas, like the tunnel to the cave and the water balloon cannon, didn't make the cut. An enormous debt of gratitude is owed to the Operation Playground Team, and especially Patricia and Nicki for wrangling the whole project before they knew what they had bitten off, and sticking with it when even after they found out how much work it was! There will be more meetings in the summer, culminating in the playground build day on July 19th. Plan to join us! Sun, 11 May 2008 22:32:01 PST A first grader in Mr. Woo's class, Sophia Brutschy, has won Honorable Mention in San Francisco Zoo and SFUSD’s second annual “Wild About Art” contest. The citywide art project encouraged students in kindergarten through 5th grade to learn about how wildlife uses the planet through art. During the 3-month art project, all kindergarten through 5th grade classrooms in the SFUSD were invited to participate in activities designed to meet California science content standards for each grade level and submit a drawing.McKinley had two winner's last year, too. A big round of applause for all our students who worked their hardest to submit wonderful pieces of art to be judged among the 1,200 entries this year. Mon, 05 May 2008 02:38:17 PST This year marks a significant transition for McKinley Elementary--Principal Bonnie Coffey-Smith is resigning. Bonnie has been principal at McKinley for the past 10 years (she has been with SFUSD for 38 years) and she has worked hard to transition McKinley to a vibrant, up-and-coming general education public school. As she has said, retiring was not an easy decision because she is dedicated to public education and our children. Read Bonnie's letter to the community announcing her retirement here. The McKinley Community has been strong and supportive throughout the interview and selection process. Lisa Schiff, McKinley parent, has written about how important a principal is to a school, and how they should be honored. Given Bonnie's recent "Principal of the Year" award, her departure is bittersweet--she leaves very big pair of shoes to fill! A new principal has been selected; Rosa Fong was the unanimous choice of the interview committee. She has had various roles in education for the past 20 years (15 years with SFUSD). She spent 8 years as a math/science teacher at Marina Middle School, several years as administrative assistant at Alamo Elementary School, one year as Assistant Principal at Francisco Middle School, one year as Assistant Principal at Gordon J. Lau Elementary School, and for the past year she was principal of Excelsior Middle School. We look forward to another successful school year next year with Rosa Fong at the helm. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:20:57 PST McKinley Elementary has a new look! Rebuilding Together brought approximately 100 volunteers from Goodby Silverstein, organized by Baya Area Young Architects, to McKinley to paint, sand, landscape, install bulletin boards and soundproofing, add murals, and rearrange furniture. Still to come in the next few weeks: sound proofing in the cafegymatorium and new built-in storage for our classrooms Changes you'll see right now:- new lobby furniture, and a colored stripe in the lobby that carries on the "rainbow" theme from the cafegymatorium- a brightly painted front office- a newly painted cafegymatorium: stage, back walls, new bulletin boards on the walls- newly painted staircases- landscaping in the upper yard, and outside the back fence - LOTS off weeding and clearing away of dead plants- newly sanded, painted and repaired benches in the upper yard with "conversation centers"- newly painted stair railings outside and inside- bulletin boards installed outside every classroom, so teachers have a place to show student work- a bright entry/exit hallway with groovy circles to the upper yard Special thanks to McKinley parents Gary Head, Le Vu, Darby Davenport, Aaron Anderson, Jonathan Hoyt, Lisa Zahner, and Tom Kohler. We are very excited about the results of our Rebuilding Weekend, and invite you to join the Building Improvement committee to plan our other long-term facilities improvement projects, such as new carpeting, painting the outside of the building, replacing the classroom windows, and more. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:29:09 PST Dear Proud (Buttons-Bursting-in-Air) McKinley Community Members, I am honored to be asked to send you this message to officially announce that Bonnie Coffey-Smith, our beloved Principal who is retiring this year, has been awarded one of the San Francisco Mayor's Principal of the Year Awards. Most of you know already that Bonnie Coffey-Smith is a superb Principal; damn good at her job, well respected by teachers, parents, and children alike. Those at the helm of educational enterprises often, for better or worse, have personalities that both permeate and reflect the very communities they have been selected to lead and serve. Fortunately for us, if attitudes were contagious, Bonnie Coffey-Smith's would be worth catching. In fact, many of us have been seriously, and happily afflicted with her infectious and overwhelmingly positive spirit. We all know that many of us came to place our children at McKinley, simply put, because Bonnie convinced us that McKinley was and is a special place. It is through actively participating in the community (interacting with the teachers and other families engaged in this entity called "public" school) that we all eventually came to realize, indeed, when it comes to McKinley Elementary School, resoundingly, she was right. Now, after all her years of faithful service the secret is leaking to the greater San Francisco Community. Here we are presented with an an opportunity to recognize Bonnie for all she has done, knowing full well that no award would be suitable (well, except for a multi-million dollar grant to endow her retirement and the school in perpetuity) beyond the wish that every teacher dreams - that her students go forth and do great things. Wisely, the Mayor's office has cobbled together a mechanism for recognizing great works. In an industry where there are no quarterly bonuses, no annually merit increases based on past measured improvements, no lavish options offered as shares of the company accrue great and vast market capitalization, we rest our laurels where we can and may. And our humble and jovial Principal, Bonnie Coffey-Smith will be receiving one of those heralded awards Friday, at Noon, delivered by the Mayor and the Superintendent themselves at the McKinley Campus. Although I'm not entirely a sports analogy fan, the first image that came to mind when I heard the news comes from sports. Michael Jordan had his moment, retiring at the top of his game. Lance Armstrong, likewise, retired after winning the Tour de France an unprecedented seven times. Bonnie Coffey-Smith, appears to be following suit. Retiring after a banner year for McKinley seems most appropriate. Receiving the Mayoral award as one of our City's Finest Principals this year cements the recognition we all know she has long deserved. Congratulations to Bonnie Coffey-Smith. Let's help her celebrate! Hats off to her, the staff and teachers of McKinley Elementary. And more importantly, let's rededicate ourselves to fulfilling the promise, as "all our children are all our children," and renew our commitment to ensure that existing and future McKinley student population grows to do and accomplish great things as nearly one hundred years of McKinley graduates have done. Sincerely, Aaron Anderson, Ph.D &amp; Proud K-Parent Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:02:30 PST On Saturday, July 19th, McKinley is getting a new play structure! This is a long-overdue improvement--rumor has it this is the second-oldest structure in the school district--because the structure is literally falling apart and in need of frequent repairs. Because of its age and condition, it cannot be used by 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. An up-to-date and safe playzone would improve students' recess experience considerably. The structure has many worn, damanged, and decomposing parts. A grant through KaBOOM! funded by Washington Mutual will provide the majority of the funds to build a brand new play structure including new rubber safety surfacing (worth at least $50,000). It's a community build, which means the McKinley community will be working together to design and install it. There is lots of work ahead, and the McKinley community will need to contribute $10,000 and on July 19th provide 90-100 volunteers, supply lots of tools, provide lunch for the volunteers, entertainment for the kids, a PA system and DJ, etc. There are many things to be done, but first and foremost the Operation Playground committee deserves a hearty and hearfelt thanks for making this happen. Their time, effort, and persistence paid off and this would not have happened without them. And thanks to everyone else who contributed their change to the coin drive. The design portion of the preparations will take place at school on Tuesday, May 13 from 8:30am to 1:30pm. Stay tuned for more details on that event, or contact playground@mckinleyschool.org. for more information. KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit organization whose vision is a great place to play within walking distance of every child. Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:50:39 PST The first annual DogFest fundraiser for McKinley Elementary was a success! Fun was had by all, and funds were raised. The efforts of tireless volunteers have helped make McKinley's first annual DogFest a fun and fabulous community building event, as well as a successful fundraiser. An announcement of the final total is soon to come, but it looks like the net total is nearly $10,000!!! This money will benefit all of McKinley's students and programs. To see what happened at DogFest, or to relive the experience, NBC 11 sent a photographer , and a professional photographer from Nuena Photography took photos that can be ordered (and they are donating a portion of the proceeds from any photos ordered to McKinley). Thank you to everyone who came out to Duboce Park, brought friends, sold raffle tickets, bought hot dogs, put their dogs in the contest, and contributed to the general energy of the day! It was such a successful event that we're already looking forward to the second annual DogFest in 2009! Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:10:07 PST The Marin Headlands trips are fast approaching. This is an amazing experience for McKinley students, due almost entirely to the efforts of 1st/2nd grade teacher Jean Micheli. Generous benefactors have donated the majority of funds this year, including the money to use private buses so the students can stay longer.First grade is taking a day trip on April 25, third grade is going for an overnight trip on April 24 and 25, second grade is going for an overnight trip on May 22 and 23, kindergarten is going for a day trip on May 27, and fourth and fifth grades are going for three days from June 11 through the 13.For field trips outside of San Francisco, permission forms must be turned in two weeks before the trip. There are no exceptions, and if the forms aren't filled out and turned in, the child cannot attend. So fill them out and get them in so all our children can experience this enriching, hands-on trip. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:08:19 PST This week's School Beat entitled Schools Are What We Make Them was written by McKinley's own Lisa Schiff. She writes about where McKinley was when her children started in 2003, and how the school has moved forward, courtesy of a very active community."That larger group of parents has enabled a great little school to see its dreams come true, dreams like having more one-on-one time with students, implementing a vibrant library program, organizing educational programs for parents, hosting fun social events for classes outside of school time, and yes, expanding fundraising to add in new programs that weren’t possible before. The influx of eager folks (who like parents at all schools volunteer their time despite working full-time and having other kids who also need attention), has meant that we, as public education supporters who have a direct stake in a particular school, could roll up our sleeves and work with each other and the school staff to make this school what people see and hear about today." Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:29:57 PST Our monthly PTA meeting will take place next Thursday, April 10, in the school cafeteria/auditorium. Our potluck dinner starts at 5:30pm, and the meeting begins at 6pm. Bring a dish to share--appetizers and main dishes are always welcome. Childcare is provided by ASEP.We will be voting for officers for the next school year. The currently nominated slate of officers for 2008/9 is: * Susan Colson, President* Charles Nelson, first Vice President* Jean Micheli, second Vice President* Georgia McNamara, Secretary* Alan Geist, TreasurerCome to the meeting and vote for next year's PTA officers. A full agenda will be sent to the Yahoo! group. Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:48:49 PST Sandpaper, paintbrushes, and staple-removing tools were all in heavy use during the second Spring Spruce Up Day on Saturday, March 22. Over 25 of McKinley's community spent the first Saturday of spring break preparing walls for painting (removing staples, sanding) and cleaning out the art and paper rooms upstairs. The goal is to make Fall and Spring Spruce Up Days a tradition at McKinley where parents, staff, and community members contribute their manual labor to make McKinley a better environment for our children to learn. To kick things off, there are three Spruce Up days this spring. The first was March 1, this was the second, and the third is April 26. On that day over 100 volunteers from Bay Area Young Architects (BAYA), an AIA San Francisco committee which connects young architects, designers, and associates to gauge their career development, provide an opportunity for community involvement, peer networking and resources, and host social events. This is a big day for McKinley, and many improvements are planned, including installing sound-dampening in the auditorium/cafeteria, installing straw color fabric panel for a pin up walls at lower level and upper levels, painting railings inside and out, etc. Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:37:58 PST Registration for DogFest is now open! Register and pay online, print and mail in your registration, or (if there are spaces available) you can register at the event. On April 19, 2008, from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm at Duboce Park (Noe &amp; Duboce Streets), the fun starts with a promenade at 11:00 am. Come for the promenade, stay for the day! Ther will be a raffle (including a trip to Disneyland!), jumpy houses, pup and pet stuff, face painting, music, food, a silent auction, craft tables, and contests:* Best Costume (approximate start time 11:30 am)* Best Bark (start time 11:55 am)* Best Trick (start time 12:15 pm)* Most Ear-Resistible (best ears) (start time 1:00 pm)* Best smile (start time 1:25 pm)* Mutt What? (most mysterious, interesting, mixed breed)(start time 1:50 pm)* Best Couple (dog-owner look-alike) (start time 2:15 pm) PLEASE NOTE: All times are estimates – please check in 10 minutes before start time noted. Questions? Email fundraising@mckinleyschool.org or call 415/710-7387 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:12:39 PST We're looking forward to welcoming all the new families to McKinley! On March 18, from 8:15 - 9:15am we are hosting a new family welcome in the library with refreshments, Q&amp;A with staff and parents, and activities for your child to meet current kindergarten students. However, it appears that SFUSD has over-enrolled McKinley for kindergarten. Parents who put McKinley on their list but did not receive an assignment to McKinley and want one should bring a copy of their application to the Educational Placement Center at 555 Franklin. Parents who were assigned to McKinley and want to accept that assignment should call our principal Bonnie Coffey-Smith at 415-241-6300 if they are definitely going to register and then come to the school and register. Parents who were assigned to McKinley and don't want to accept that assignment should attend one of the Round 2 counseling sessions this week and next week:Thursday, March 13, 6-8pm, Jose Ortega ES, 400 Sargent St. @Arch St.Saturday, March 15, 10am-12pm, Starr King ES, 1215 Carolina St. @Wisconsin St.Monday, March 17, 10am-12pm, (in Chinese only) Chinese for Affirmative Action offices, 17 Walter U. Lum Place @ Clay Tuesday, March 18, 6-8pm, John O'Connell HS, 2355 Folsom St. @20th St. Thursday, March 20, 6-8pm, Excelsior MS, 325 La Grande Ave. @ Brazil St. People can also contact Parents for Public Schools for assistance (info@ppssf.org or 415-861-7077) and check out the PPSSF website for more enrollment information. Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:43:22 PST McKinley Elementary is one of the SFUSD schools with the greatest increase in enrollment requests for 2008-2009 school year. McKinley was the 5th most improved school for kindgergarten requests with a 39% increase over last year. Kindergarten requests increased from 143 to 203 this year. In addition, there were 20 requests for other grades. This continues our trend in the growing number of requests for McKinley in the past five years. For the 2003/04 school year, McKinley had ­ 40 requests, for 2004/05 McKinley had 73 requests, for 2005/06 - 100 requests, for 2006/07 -­ 108 requests, for 2007/8 146 requests. SFUSD has a press release on the first assignment cycle (Round 1). We're looking forward to the full enrollment report--and to welcoming all the new families to McKinley! On March 18th, from 8:15 - 9:15am we are hosting a new family welcome in the library with refreshments, Q&amp;A with staff and parents, and activities for your child to meet current kindergarten students. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:45:07 PST Tonight's Science, Math, and Health night was a rousing success for all the students who attended. Activites ranged from making your own flubber to measuring the sugar in soft drinks to many more fun and educational experiments. Many thanks to the teachers and staff who worked hard to bring these exhibits to life, and to the Rosenthal family who generously supported the event. Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:34:00 PST McKinley received an unexpected donation from the San Francisco Law School Black Law Student Association, which they'll be delivering next week. As Beverly Roberts Charles, President of the association said in her email,"McKinley is the closest elementary school located near San Francisco Law School. In the spirit of giving to our community and in celebration of Black History Month, the SFLS Black Law Student Association collected donations of new art supplies, school supplies, and many wonderful items from the wish list Vicky provided to us....We had a wonderful experience collecting the items, as we baked chocolate treats for our classmates and faculty in return for donations, and hope that McKinley will benefit from our efforts."We are thrilled to be the recipients of a such a generous donation! Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:33:35 PST The kindergarten, first, and second grade classes went on a field trip to the San Francisco Symphony today at Davies Symphony Hall. They Symphony's "Making Music!" program is geared toward schoolchildren from kindergarten to third grade. For more information, and games and other activities, check out the symphony's website for kids: SFSKids.org. Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:34:35 PST DogFest 2008 is coming soon! This is a first-ever fundraising extravaganza of fun and festivities to benefit McKinley Elementary. Enter your dog in contests for best trick, best costume, best look-a-like duo, mutt what? and many other categories. All proceeds from this event will support much needed educational enrichment programs for our children. Come join the fun on at Duboce Park (Noe &amp; Duboce Streets) Saturday, April 19 from 11 am - 3 pm. The fun starts with a promenade at 11:00 am.For more information, check out the web page or contact: 415.710.7387 or fundraising@mckinleyschool.org. Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:05:02 PST Thanks to the tireless efforts of parent volunteer Dianne Zinky, McKinley parents and staff will have a school directory containing contact information (phone numbers and/or emails) for students and parents, teachers, PTA officers, SSC members, ASEP and school administration staff. One should have come home already, but if you don't have yours, ask your child's teacher to send another one home. Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:02:23 PST McKinley Elementary's second grade classes were chosen for a special San Francisco Ballet program. All three classes will be going on a field trip to a performance at the War Memorial Opera House this Wednesday, and then will participate in 8 weeks of ballet lessons. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:47:39 PST It may not look like anything is going on in the Native Plant Garden, but work is progressing. The cardboard is working as an organic weed killer (when the rain doesn't wash it down the hill), and will be removed or composted into the soil this week. Students will be spreading California native wildflower seeds this week, too. Behind the scenes, plans are underway for the hardscaping. The focus is on creating a foundation for the garden, including teaching spaces. To create these, a 2 foot retaining wall and safety railing will be installed. Irrigation will be manual, and boxed hoses will be included, so students can actively participate in maintaining the garden. Planting the new native plants will follow. Currently there is not enough money in the budget to fully plant the entire garden, so any donations toward this effort would be greatly appreciated! Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:15:13 PST Even though the school library is only staffed 2 days a week (Wednesday and Thursdays) by our Library Media Teacher, nearly 1,800 books are circulated a month. This is an amazing number for our approximately 265 students! And the new Grab-n-Go library is another hit with the kids--they can take a book to read on the honor system, returning it to the kiosk when they're done. Parents are also encouraged to check out books from the school library, too. Parents and family members may take up to 10 books at a time; please stop by during school hours on any Wednesday or Thursday. Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:36:29 PST The instructional calendar for next year was voted on in December, and is official. The first day of school is August 25, 2008, and the last day of school is June 9, 2009. In a change from this year, Cesar Chavez Day doesn't extend Spring Break, which is from April 6 - 10, 2009. Download the PDF version here, view it on the SFUSD website. Sat, 12 Jan 2008 18:53:21 PST McKinley's own Lisa Schiff is very active not only at McKinley, but with Parents for Public Schools (PPSSF), too. She writes regularly for the School Beat column on BeyondChron, and recent article was What’s up in 2008 for San Francisco’s Schools . The budget is always at the top of the list, especially with recent state funding cuts on the table, but there's always more going on: school assignment, the distribution of Prop H funds, the upcoming election, and No Child Left Behind's reauthorization. More of Lisa's columns, including last week's on graduation rates, can be found here. Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:54:55 PST Our teachers let it all hang out last year for a fundraiser aimed at replacing our aging playground structure. Not only did they help raise more then $1,200 toward the cause through photo sales, they obviously had a good time doing it. The original jumbo poster remains resident in our lobby to give visitors a sense of our school’s unique personality. Come see it in person! Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:22:40 PST The Readathon final results are in, and this year we raised a little over $5,000 for the school library! The money we raised will be used for new library chairs and new library books. Ren Volpe, the Library Media Teacher, would like to thank everyone who participated--students and staff and parents and friends and family--for supporting our school library. Without the Readathon money, the McKinley Library really has no budget. This year the district gave every school $3.00 per student for library books. Our school received $780 for new books - a new library book costs approximately $20--so that's only 1 new book for every 7 kids! Our Books, Inc. winter fundraiser was another success. According to Ken Irish, Books, Inc. Manager, "Sales were $5990.38 for just over 2 hours (we did include all the last remaining stragglers), so your portion of the procceds is $1198.08." A big thank you to the entire McKinley school community for your support of our winter fundraiser! A big thank you to everyone who volunteered--those who helped keep everyone in wine and nibbles, All the room parents who found refreshment donors, the fundraising team, Principal Bonnie and the teachers and staff who were able to attend, and of course all of those people who brought food and drink, helped explain our mission to the customers, encouraged customers to come in to shop, bought wish-list books, and who shopped themselves! Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:18:09 PST This week starts the dramatic arts Winter Performances! This Thursday, December 13, the Kindergarten and 2nd grade classes will be performing and showing what they've learned in dance, choral, and drumming.Students should arrive at school, with their costume, at 5:50pm and go to their classrooms where they'll have a simple snack. The performance starts at 6pm, and ends at approximately 6:45pm. Sat, 08 Dec 2007 00:34:00 PST Come one, come all! Our fall Books, Inc. fundraiser is almost here--just in time for all your holiday book shopping! On Tuesday, December 11, from 6 to 8pm at the Books, Inc. at 2275 Market Street (between Sanchez &amp; 16th &amp; Noe) they will donate 20% of all sales to McKinley. All purchases during that time will count, so please tell friends, family, neighbors, anyone to stop by! Can't make it? Call the store (415-864-6777) with your order and payment info, and pick up your books at your convenience.We'll have snacks, drinks, and lots of McKinley family, staff, and friends to chat with, so don't miss out! Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:04:05 PST Confused about the Standards Based Report Card? You are not alone! This is the second year the SFUSD has piloted the report card. At present, the majority of the standards are in Language Arts and Mathematics. The standards listed are the ones for which we have the assessments. this report card looks at the question: Does your child have mastery of a skill? Throughout the year, each standard is tested. The number (1 to 4) indicates the performance level that your child received at the last testing interval. Benchmark is considered grade level; thus your child should be receiving 3's and 4's to have mastery of that skill. Some skills are introduced and reviewed several times during the year, while others may only be assessed once. Tue, 27 Nov 2007 08:55:24 PST Two new December fundraisers for McKinley--ordering gift cards and shopping at Sports Basement. Buy Gift Cards from McKinley McKinley families who purchase gift cards during the holiday season can purchase them through Great Lake Scrips so that the McKinley PTA can earn some extra money. (We usually average 7% earnings). Purchase them to give as gifts or puchase them to buy your gifts or everyday items! There are over one hundred merchants available -- Peet's, Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Safeway, Macy's, AMC and Regent Movie Theatre cards and tickets ... and many more (full list here). To purchase gift cards before the holiday, please submit your order using the order form and a check payable to McKinley Elementary Education by either November 26th or December 3rd. Paper copies of the order form and list of merchants are available in the office. For more information, please contact support@mckinleyschool.org. Shop Sports Basement in support of McKinley Elementary and get a 10% DiscountOn December 9th from 10am -12pm, McKinley Elementary's Operation Playground is hosting a shopping event at Sports Basement where you'll receive 10% off all your purchases and McKinley's Operation Playground receives a percentage, too. Our goal is to raise $75,000 to build a new structure by the end of 2008. Get your holiday shopping done while helping McKinley Elementary raise funds for a new playground!Sports basement carries great stuff at discounted prices:* Brand name athletic gear and casual clothing for men, women and kids* Athletic and casual shoes * Camping, sporting and outdoor gearThe Presidio location is at 610 Mason @ Crissy Field. Please register as a guest of McKinley as you enter to ensure you get your discount. There will be complimentary snacks and beverages and childcare provided in the play area. Thu, 15 Nov 2007 08:34:21 PST A recent School Beat column in BeyondChron by McKinley's own Lisa Schiff was titled: Public School Assignment in San Francisco—What Works and What Doesn’t. Lisa writes about "an assignment process that is somewhat opaque and definitely more uncertain than the neighborhood school system most of us grew up with....The flip side of the immediate uncertainty of our assignment process is a great amount of opportunity."Her column goes beyond the fear-mongering articles in other publications and the scuttlebutt on the playgrounds. There really are many excellent public school choices in San Francisco! (Speaking of which, McKinley is hosting an Open House this Saturday, November 14, from 10am to noon where prospective parents and guardians can speak with our principal, teachers and families and take a tour of the school. No RSVP required.) Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:54:30 PST The students at McKinley Elementary are participating in a school wide “Read-a-Thon” this November to raise money for the school library. The money raised will be used to buy new library books for the school library and to replace the worn-out library tables and chairs. Sponsors pledge to donate a certain amount for the time the child reads between November 1st - November 15th. For example, a person could pledge $1 per hour read and if the student reads for 10 hours during the Read-a-Thon, that person would donate $10. If a different person pledged 10 cents per hour, the same student, who read 10 hours, would collect $1. A sponsor could also give a flat amount, for example $10, $25, or $100. The students keep track of the amount of time they read on a reading log, and they're building paper chains with each link representing a book they've read. Find out more or donate here or at http://readathon.weebly.com/. Sun, 04 Nov 2007 21:11:09 PST From the Principal's Newsletter, October 31:"As we think about Thanksgiving, I am so grateful to the staff and parents who give so much time and effort to make McKinley special. it takes everyone in our community to support all of our children. This year, we have parents who are volunteering to tutor and give students more time with an adult. We have committees of parents who are recruiting new kindergarten students. We have groups that are fundraising for Marin Headlands and a new play structure on the upper yard that can accommodate all students--kindergarten through 5th grade. We have parents who have taken leadership in our SSC and PTA and we have scores of other parents who help out in classrooms and at events. The McKinley staff gives ours beyond the school day, weekends and evenings to plan, attend meetings, and conference with parents. For all this and more, I am very grateful to be the principal of this dynamic school. I wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving season." Sun, 28 Oct 2007 16:24:25 PST Saturday was this year's Public School Enrollment Fair where all of San Francisco's public and charter schools, grades K-12 are available to talk to prospective parents and caregivers. McKinley had more representation in the form of teachers, administrators and parents then could fit in the booth, and we talked to a lot of prospective parents. The silly pose poster of the teachers was a huge hit--stop by the school lobby to see what the faculty have been up to! Last year we had a record number of applications put McKinley in their top spots, and we're looking forward to another banner year. Tours have started, and McKinley is hosting our own open house on November 17th from 10 - noon, too. Wed, 24 Oct 2007 07:30:24 PST Saturday was McKinley's 3rd car wash, and it was a rousing success. We raised $1,410.16 for the PTA. Despite the rainy week and a slow morning, McKinley families, friends, neighbors and strangers turned out to have their cars washed and enjoy delicious bake sale treats.Thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of this event -- time, money, energy, dancing in the street to bring cars into the lot, yummy baked goods, lemonade, equipment -- and more. We had a great crew of volunteers -- big and small! And special thanks to Traci Crespo who brought her pressure washer all the way over from the East Bay. Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:08:37 PST The Lost and Found, located just inside the second set of double doors, is quickly filling up. As the weather turns, the students seem to have more things to lose--coats, rain gear, etc. Be sure to check to see if your student has left something behind, because once it's full, all items will be donated to Community Thrift.Community Thrift Store accepts donations in the name of an organization and when those items sell, the organization receives a portion of the proceeds. They're located at 623 Valencia Street (near 17th Street) and their phone number is (415) 861-4910. Donations are accepted daily between 10:00am to 5:00pm in Sycamore Alley, which runs parallel to 17th Street (enter from Mission Street) and be sure to designate McKinley, #129, as the beneficiary. Sat, 13 Oct 2007 19:40:32 PST Today was another working day in the garden! The garden area has been covered with a thin layer of compost and cardboard over it to get rid of any non-native plants and seeds that might be left. We will water the cardboard (or let it get rained on). After about two months the cardboard will break down and we will mix it in with the dirt. Then we will be ready to lay out the garden. Many thanks to today's volunteers, and to the volunteers from McKinley and One Brick (pictured) who helped dig up the non-native plants and trees on September 9. Mon, 08 Oct 2007 23:17:05 PST Saturday's Sandcastle Classic was a great success. Many thanks to McKinley's general contracting partner, Swinerton Builders, for providing the food and the expertise. And special thanks to all the people who came out to make McKinley's 'Nature Rocks' Swingin' Starfish Rockin' on an iPod such a success! Everyone had a good time and McKinley won the "Hippest Sandcastle" award. McKinley parent Brad DerManouelian put together this video of the event: Mon, 01 Oct 2007 23:59:26 PST McKinley's teachers and staff have put together a wish list of items they need for the classroom, office, and library. These are items for the start of 2007/8 school year; please see the teachers for more specific details concerning some of the items requested. Many thanks to those that can help out! Tue, 25 Sep 2007 12:59:33 PST Kindergarten parent Nicki Dugan has taken on the formidable task of figuring out how we can replace the decrepit playground structure in the upper yard. Rumor has it this is the second-oldest structure in the school district. An up-to-date and safe playzone would improve our kids' recess experience considerably. If you haven't looked at the structure recently, it has many worn, damanged, and decomposing parts, which you can see here, contrasted with the new playground structure at Leonard Flynn Elementary. Nicki is researching various options, including Kaboom!, which Leonard Flynn Elementary used to replace their play structure last year. If you're interested in helping with this effort, email playground@mckinleyschool.org. Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:53:22 PST Snacking is encouraged for students at McKinley, in fact the Kindergarten through second grade are encouraged to bring a healthy snack out to recess to keep them going until lunch. Snacks are covered in SFUSD's Student Wellness Policy, here in a message from Dana Woldow, chair of the SFUSD Student Nutrition and Physical Activity Committee. A reminder to school staffs and parent groups: As school begins again, please remember that the SFUSD's federally mandated Wellness Policy prohibits the sale of food at school (beyond the cafeteria) during the school day; this includes all sales by parents, school staff, or students, including student or parent run school stores, bake sales, or class-room food sales. Please do not plan fundraising events around the sale of any kind of food, especially any kind of candy, during the school day.In June 2007, the Board of Education amended the Wellness Policy to include all food sent to school for sharing, such as food for parties, celebrations, or classroom snacks. Additional information on snacks:More on food sent to school for sharing, including birthday celebrations A quick and easy guide to finding healthy snacks for sharing at schoolSFUSD's Wellness PolicyFAQ about the Wellness Policy for elementary and middle schoolFor more information on student nutrition or the Wellness policy, go to: www.sfusdfood.org Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:25:04 PST Next week will be the start of McKinley's many enrichment programs. Grades K - 4 will start their Spanish Enrichment classes and GATE Enrichment classes will begin for grades 3 - 5. All students will begin their musical theater programs--dance, drumming, or chorus. There will be a 'Dinner &amp; a Show' performance night for K &amp; 1, grades 2 &amp; 3, and grades 4 &amp; 5. Stay tuned for an announcement the date, and be sure to ask your student to demonstrate what they're learning! Mon, 10 Sep 2007 14:14:26 PST Principal Bonnie Coffey-Smith and the rest of the McKinley staff take attendance very seriously. A recent op-ed in the New York Times noted that while attendance is typically good in elementary schools, truancy problems are common in middle and high schools. Setting a firm foundation in the importance of attendance is one way to help students, and their families, remember the importance of coming to school every day. As Bonnie has said many times, if they're not here, they're not learning!There is a table in the main lobby starting at 7:55am and any student arriving after that time must sign in late. Late minutes are added up, and 30 minutes equals a tardy. Any student arriving after 8:20am is considered tardy. Parents of students with 3 or more tardies will be scheduled for a conference. If attendance does not improve, parents will be referred to the SFUSD Attendance Office. Tue, 04 Sep 2007 22:24:23 PST We now have an online calendar of McKinley and other school-related events available on this website, and it's updated through November. If there's something you'd like to see there, please let us know at webmaster@mckinleyschool.org. Thu, 30 Aug 2007 23:09:17 PST The Spring STAR testing results are back! (See details here.) Our overall scores show a 1 point loss in Language Arts and a 6 point gain in Math. The scores released to the newspapers compare 2006 fourth grade scores with 2007 fourth grade scores. At the Proficient and Above level, there was no change in Langage arts and an increase of 7 in Math. The long term trend indicates we are improving, moving more students from the lower categories (Far Below Basic and Below Basic) to Basic, Proficient and Advanced. All parents of third, fourth, and fifth grade students should be receiving individual test scores by mail. We have not received our API or AYP (No Child Left Behind) data; however we expect to see an increase in our API score and a YES in the AYP. Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:50:21 PST Yesterday was the first day of school, and a photo from McKinley's first day of school was in today's San Francisco Chronicle. (Chronicle photo by Lea Suzuki.) McKinley has over 280 students enrolled for the 2007/8 school year, and we're looking forward to another great year. Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:29:53 PST Our annual BBQ to welcome the new families to McKinley will be on Saturday, August 25th and we encourage all McKinley families to attend. We usually have over 100 family members, and it is a great way to welcome our new families and re-connect after the long summer.The festivities start at 11 a.m. and end about 2 p.m. We'll grill some hamburgers and hot dogs (including veggie burgers and veggie hot dogs). We ask parents to bring a salad, pasta dish or desert to share. We also ask that parents bring some bottled water, juice, etc. (We we wish to keep the sugar sodas to a minimum.)Teachers typically attend, and we can provide tours of the school. If you're a new or current McKinley family, please plan on attending! Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:56:36 PST The McKinley PTA earned $1630 from the car wash and bake sale on Saturday, June 9th. Cars were washed non-stop from 9 am to 2 pm, when the gate was closed. There was probably one five minute period when there was calm. Many thanks to Tony and Traci Crespo for bringing their pressure washer. The proceeds will be used to fund various projects for students at McKinley, including San Francisco Symphony concerts at Davies Hall, outdoor education at Marin Headlands, and many other programs. Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:50:48 PST McKinley has received a grant from Lowe’s Toolbox for Education program for a native plant garden. Designs for the garden have been submitted from Thomas Y. Wang's students at the City College of San Francisco's Department of Environmental Horticulture and Floristry. They're on display outside the front office, and everyone (including students!) is encouraged to vote for their favorite. The winning design will be implemented in the fall. Mon, 04 Jun 2007 12:42:02 PST McKinley's principal Bonnie Coffey-Smith in an article in yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle Insight section:Home prices' hard lesson: As families leave S.F., schools struggle to attract those left"Principal Bonnie Coffey-Smith of McKinley Elementary going out in her school's neighborhood, to the Castro Street Fair, to meetings at the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center, touting her school's Spanish enrichment program, its performing percussion group, its artists-in-residence. The extra effort has paid off: The school was on the closure list two years ago with an anemic enrollment of 170. Next fall, enrollment will be around 260; at least one-tenth of McKinley's student body now comes from gay and lesbian families."You can read the entire article on the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/06/03/ING8OQ456Q1.DTL ">San Francisco Chronicle's web site. Fri, 01 Jun 2007 12:39:30 PST Our fifth graders will participate in a promotion ceremony on Tuesday, June 12 at 9:00am. Brothers and sisters of 5th graders may attend the ceremony, but must remain with their parents at all times. Fri, 25 May 2007 19:12:53 PST McKinley's 23rd Annual Jr. Olympics is coming again this year on Thursday and Friday, May 31 and June 1. Opening Ceremonies will be at 8:45am on May 31.Once again, our students will be walking around the school in connection with our Jr. Olympics to earn money for McKinley's PTA and school programs. Students are asked to get pledges for each lap walked. Sun, 20 May 2007 12:56:30 PST McKinley students will be traveling to the following countries during this year's United Nations Days--complete with passports! Be sure to ask your globe-trotters about the places they visited: Thailand, Kenya, Japan, Eritrea, Germany, Tonga, Bhutan, Zambia, Australia, Canada, Spain, and El Salvador. Tue, 15 May 2007 13:46:48 PST McKinley 3rd grade teacher Richard Swerdlow is a contributor to public radio KQED's Perspectives, a series of daily commentaries by KQED listeners. His latest broadcast can be heard at the KQED website:Richard Swerdlow takes his third grade class camping in the wilds of the Marin Headlands. Richard Swerdlow hates camping. You can hear more of Mr. Swerdlow's pieces, including others on McKinley, here in the KQED archives. Fri, 11 May 2007 13:26:24 PST Spring Performances for all grades are coming up.May 22 - 4th and 5th gradesMay 29 - 2nd and 3rd gradesMay 30 - K and 1st gradesPotluck dinner is at 5:10pm, and the show starts at 6pm. Mon, 07 May 2007 14:15:02 PST Please join us for the last PTA meeting of the 2006/7 school year. Potluck is at 5:30pm, and the meeting starts at 6:00pm. Childcare is available. And thanks to all the parents who have given time to make the many events we do at McKinley successful. Tue, 01 May 2007 13:12:34 PST Sophia Mire, McKinley second grader was the winner of the San Francisco Zoo's Grand Prize for the 2nd grade entry for the Bear Necessities Art Contest. Sophia and her classmates visited the zoo on Thursday April 26th for a special tour, lunch and the award ceremony. Dale Melvin, McKinley fourth grader received special recognition for his submission as well. Congratulations Sophia and Dale!Also, a big round of applause for all our students who worked their hardest to submit wonderful pieces of art to be judged among the 1,800 entries from 49 grade schools! Thu, 26 Apr 2007 01:01:09 PST Due to the effort of McKinley parent Beth Grady, McKinley has been awarded $2,100 in a grant from Lowe's Home Improvement through their Lowe’s Toolbox for Education program for McKinley to plant a native plant garden. The garden is currently under design by Thomas Y. Wang of City College of San Francisco and his students in the Department of Environmental Horticulture and Floristry. Work on the garden will begin in the fall. Sun, 15 Apr 2007 15:04:01 PST Books Inc. at 2275 Market Street will donate 20% of the proceeds from pre-order and Midnight Release Party sales of the newest, and last, Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling to McKinley and Sanchez Elementary Schools. Call (415) 864-6777 or visit www.booksinc.net for details. The Midnight Release Party for the book will be held on Friday, July 20th at 11pm at Books Inc. Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:05:41 PST All first graders and their family members are invited for a potluck dinner, get acquainted activities, and (of course) family BINGO! Thursday, April 19th from 5:30 – 7:30pm in the McKinley Cafeteria. More information and a potluck signup sheet is in the Wednesday folder. Tue, 27 Mar 2007 14:31:54 PST McKinley 3rd grade teacher Richard Swerdlow is a contributor to public radio KQED's Perspectives, a series of daily commentaries by KQED listeners. His latest broadcast, on an anonymous benefactor who offers to help McKinley, can be heard at the KQED website: “An anonymous benefactor offers to help Richard Swerdlow's elementary school.”: You can hear more of Mr. Swerdlow's pieces, including others on McKinley, here in the KQED archives. Wed, 21 Mar 2007 22:43:35 PST A big congratulations to Lisa Schiff and her recruitment committee--also the many parents who helped out with tours for kindergarten fall enrollment. Our hard work has paid off! We received 146 requests in first through seventh choice, up from 108 last year. The most important fact is that 200 families toured, and 146 put us on their list!The five year trend for McKinley looks incredible. For the 2003/04 school year, McKinley had ­ 40 requests, for 2004/05 McKinley had 73 requests, for 2005/06 - 100 requests, for 2006/07 -­ 108 requests. The full enrollment report is available from the SFUSD site: Highlights of Round 1: 2007-08 School Year Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:51:19 PST Welcome to all the new families! On Thursday, March 29 from 8:15am - 9:15am we'd like to invite you to come to McKinley for refreshments, Q&amp;A with staff and parents, and activities for your children to meet current kindergarteners. We look forward to meeting the entire family! Mon, 12 Mar 2007 13:44:39 PST The lost and found is overflowing in the main hallway. Is your child missing a sweater? Sweatshirt? Coat? Hat? Please check for lost items. When you attend your child's conference, please stop and go through the containers. Any clothes remaining after Parent Conference week (March 19 - 23) will be donated to Community Thrift. Thu, 08 Mar 2007 13:44:39 PST Please join us for our annual family night with hands-on activities. Fun for all family members! Starts at 6pm and lasts until 7:30 on Tuesday, March 13. Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:32:45 PST Watch the video of the McKinley Elementary School Drum Ensemble, performing at the SFUSD PTA Awards dinner. Recorded Feb. 9 2007 San Francisco, CA. Musical Director / SF Arts Ed. Project Alfie Macias. Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:51:53 PST The March elementary school lunch menu is available.They're listed on the Student Nutrition Services (SNS) page on the SFUSD site. Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:21:34 PST Kindergarten, first grade, second grade classes will be taking a field trip to Davies Hall to hear the San Francisco Symphony perform. The Symphony has a special website for kids, too, that teaches the instruments of the orchestra, the basics of reading music, and has an online radio to listen to some classical music's greatest hits. Thu, 15 Feb 2007 12:52:42 PST Our second performance is February 28. (This will be for rooms 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, and 18). We will have a potluck dinner beginning at 5pm, and the show will be at 6pm. Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:30:36 PST Families at McKinley are looking into establishing a food box program for staff and students. Local organic farm Eatwell could deliver boxes here filled with a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables. For more information, contact Eatwell Farms directly at (800) 648-9894. Fri, 02 Feb 2007 21:18:39 PST Our annual meeting to gather input from parents and others in our school community is February 6. We will discuss programs, priorities, and the budget for the School Site Plan. It is very important that we get input from all community members. We look forward to seeing you Tuesday, February 6, 2007. Dinner will be provided at 5:30pm and the meeting starts at 6:00pm in the McKinley school auditorium. There will be childcare available. Thu, 01 Feb 2007 17:11:31 PST Click here for the February 2007 Lunch Calendar on the SFUSD website. Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:35:34 PST McKinley 3rd grade teacher Richard Swerdlow is a contributor to public radio KQED's Perspectives, a series of daily commentaries by KQED listeners. Early in the school year, KQED broadcast his thoughts on a new teacher at McKinley, which you can listen to via the KQED archives: “At Richard Swerdlow's school, a newly minted but not exactly young teacher brings new energy to the job.”; Wed, 17 Jan 2007 17:33:38 PST The art team from Urban High School is completing the mural on the upper yard--the theme is 'Explore'. Wed, 10 Jan 2007 14:34:44 PST Don't miss this event! 75 2nd and 3rd graders on stage plus the debut of our newly-formed Performing Percussion Group of 4th and 5th graders. Sat, 06 Jan 2007 16:03:15 PST Two corporate donors have contributed funds to send our entire school to Marin Headlands Environmental Education Center this year. Our PTA and several staff members have been working diligently to raise funds for this new program. Dates for grade/class trips coming soon. Sat, 30 Dec 2006 23:39:05 PST School begins on Tuesday January 2, 2007. Parents and students, don't forget to turn in all your pledges for the Read-a-thon. You can fulfill your pledges by clicking on a PayPal button to donate directly, visit the Readathon website.