PARENT HANDBOOK 2020–2021
Table of Contents
2020–21 Academic Year Calendar
2
Mission
4
Building & School Hours
4
Culture
5
Attendance, Arrival, & Dismissal
8
Daily Life 10
Health & Safety
12
Special Programs & Policies
17
Events
21
Student Assessment
23
Off Campus Education
24
Tuition
25
Fundraising at Friends
26
Communications
26
Parents Association
27
2020–2021 Academic Year Calendar
Please be aware that all dates are subject to change due to the evolving circumstances and restrictions on in-person school over the course of the school year. * Note: on November 4 & March 3, Grades K–4 will not be in session.
August
September
October
November
December
January
February March
April
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1st Day of School. K: noon dismissal. Grades 1–8: 1:00 p.m. dismissal. ED/A3 available. 26 Letter Writing Day 2 Community MFW 7 Labor Day – No school, no ED/A3 24 Lower & Middle School Back-to-School Night, ED/A3 available. 7 Community MFW 12 Fall Holiday – No school, no ED/A3 30 Professional Development Day – No ED/A3 4 Community MFW *4 Lower School: Conference Day. No School K–4; ED available all day. *4 Middle School: In Session. Afternoon / Evening Conferences. A3 available. 11 Conference Day – No school; ED/A3 available Grandfriends Day – Noon dismissal, ED/A3 available 24 25–27 Thanksgiving Break – No school, no ED/A3 2 Community MFW 5 Crafts Fair 15 Candlelight MFW 18 Winter Celebration – Noon dismissal, ED/A3 available. 12/21–1/1 Winter Break – No school, no ED/A3 4 Classes resume 6 Community MFW 13 Teacher Work Day – Noon dismissal, ED/A3 available 18 MLK Day – No school, no ED/A3 Community MFW 3 15–19 February Break – No school; ED/A3 available 2/16–2/19 3 Community MFW *3 Lower School: Conference Day. No School K–4; ED available all day. Middle School: In Session. Afternoon / Evening Conferences. *3 A3 available. Conference Day – No school, ED/A3 available 10 Professional Development Day – No school, no ED/A3 29 5–9 Spring Break – No school; ED/A3 available 4/6–4/9 14 Community MFW
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May June
5 7 31 2 3 4 8 9
Blue Party Community MFW Field Day – 12:30 p.m. dismissal, ED/A3 available Memorial Day – No school, no ED/A3 Community MFW Middle School Portfolio Presentation Night – ED/A3 available Lower School Portfolio Day Year-End Celebration & Last Day of School – No ED/A3 8th Grade Graduation
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Mission
At San Francisco Friends School, students learn in a community grounded in the Quaker values of reflection, integrity, peaceful problem---solving, and stewardship. Our teachers challenge students with a dynamic curriculum that inspires curiosity, cooperation, and hard work. We teach children to listen to all voices and trust their own. We engage with the world around us with kindness and conviction, working toward the Quaker ideal of a caring and just society.
Building & School Hours
Please refer to our Parent Handbook Friends@Home Addendum for Friends@Home hours. The building is open from 7:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Regular School Hours: Kindergarten 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. 1st & 2nd 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 3rd – 8th 8:20 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. On Wednesdays, students in Kindergarten through 4th Grade will be dismissed at 2:20 p.m.; students in Grades 5 through 8 will be dismissed at 2:30 p.m. Students may be dropped off in the Front Yard starting at 8:00 a.m. Morning childcare is available from 7:45–8:00 a.m. for an additional charge (see section on Extended Day). Please do not drop your children off before 7:45 a.m., as there is no supervision before that hour.
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Culture At the heart of a Friends school education are the Quaker values, or testimonies, of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Stewardship (SPICES). From the daily interactions in our classrooms to our long---term partnerships in the neighborhood to the connections in our extended school community, we strive to live these testimonies as best we can. While few of our families or staff are practicing Quakers, we collectively commit ourselves to these values, each bringing our own perspective and experience. • Simplicity – Clarity, priorities, and moderation. • Peace – Peace within ourselves and the concentric rings of family, neighborhood, city, country, and world. Skills at solving problems peacefully, and removing the sources of conflict. • Integrity – Being true to oneself and one's values, honesty. “Let your life speak.” • Community – Understanding our role(s) in forming and sustaining inclusive, vibrant groups in the classroom and beyond. • Equality – Respecting every person's right to fairness, including and valuing each voice. • Stewardship – Caring for the gifts we have been given such that others might enjoy or benefit from them. Meeting for Worship – Our Meetings are held on Wednesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. This gathering is simply a time to sit quietly and reflect upon yourself, your friends and family, and the world around you. Often students compose queries, which are questions posed for thought or discussion. You are invited to join the children and teachers at Community Meeting for Worship on the first Wednesday of each month. Peaceful Problem Solving – When a normal social conflict arises, we’ll work to solve it by listening carefully, proposing solutions, talking through possibilities, and building consensus. This Quakerly process takes time but produces a resolution that is sound and lasting. In the younger grades, children use the “Peace Table” to support the development of problemsolving skills such as attentive listening, “I” statements, and assertive language. “Meeting for Business” is also used to discuss conflicts as a group with the guidance of a teacher. In Middle School, peer mediators are trained to help students manage social conflicts of all kinds. Quaker Life – Here are a few terms that you might run into at San Francisco Friends School:
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AFSC – American Friends Service Committee. The AFSC is housed in the same building as the San Francisco Friends Meeting House, at 65 Ninth Street. Clerk – A person who facilitates a meeting or committee. Kelly McKane and Maureen McAvoy are co-clerks of our Board of Trustees; Shawn Wrobel and Mina Muraki are co---clerks of the Parents Association; Courtney Wilde and Diali Bose-Roy are co---clerks of the professional community. The Quaker Life Committee of the Board of Trustees sponsors a clerking workshop some years. FCE – Friends Council on Education. A non-profit organization based in Philadelphia that supports Friends schools, colleges, and study centers across the country. San Francisco Friends School is a member of the Friends Council on Education. FCE organizes workshops, publishes many of the pamphlets we share with you, and offers curriculum designed to assist teachers in Quaker schools. Our teachers and staff members have attended numerous FCE conferences at a Quaker retreat center outside of Philadelphia called Pendle Hill. Friends (or Spirit-Led) Decision Making – Friends organizations come to decisions through an inclusive process that focuses on clarity, community, and a sense of unity. At school meetings with faculty, parents, and children, we encourage “active listening” and work to come to a group decision that thoughtfully addresses issues and concerns that have been raised. The faculty learns about spirit---led decision making at a workshop sponsored by FCE entitled “Educators New to Quakerism.” George Fox and Margaret Fell – Founders of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain during the 17th century. Holding in the Light – Focusing on a person or a concern in a spiritual, prayerful way. Quaker Testimonies – Quaker values or core beliefs such as peace, simplicity, equality, and a commitment to nonviolence. Annually our school community focuses on a particular testimony along with queries to help guide our thinking, reflecting, and acting. Queries – Moral questions Friends ask themselves about how they are living their lives. Children at our school learn to construct queries based on their experiences on the playground and in the classroom; such questions might look at friendship, fairness, or ways of dealing with conflict. Children respond to queries in their journals, in Meeting for Worship, or at a class Meeting for Business. Religious Society of Friends – The formal term for the Quaker faith. In 1650, Friends bade an English judge to “tremble before the word of God.” He called them “Quakers.” SPICES – An acronym we use to identify the Quaker values or testimonies—simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship. You’ll hear about “SPICE workshops” where you can learn about these values as they apply to our everyday lives at school and home.
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San Francisco Friends Meeting House – Located at 65 Ninth Street (near Mission), the Religious Society of Friends welcomes you to attend Meeting for Worship, which takes place on Sundays, from 11:00 a.m. to noon. There is a special program for children during the silent (“unprogrammed”) worship. The San Francisco Friends Meeting also organizes various activities, hosts speakers, publishes a newsletter, and supports community events. Please contact a member of the Quaker Life Committee if you are interested in knowing more about—or attending—our local Friends Meeting. There are “Seekers Packets” and books about the Religious Society of Friends available at the Meeting House and SFFS libraries. Families are encouraged to help at their Saturday food pantry. Please visit the wiki for information and sign ups. Birthdays – At Home: We urge you to handle birthday celebrations thoughtfully. Please do not plan on distributing invitations at school unless the entire class is invited. If your child is planning a party for only girls or boys, leaving out one or two children results in hurt feelings; if you are not planning to invite the whole class, please invite less than half the class. If you have questions or concerns, talk to your child’s teacher for guidelines. At School: At school, we strive to keep acknowledgements of students’ birthdays simple and equitable; classes might choose to sing a special birthday song, share a special book, or hold an appreciation circle in class. Families, students, and teachers are asked not to bring in special treats for the children. We trust that children are well celebrated at home and acknowledged at school. Gifts – Please encourage your child to express her/his gratitude to teachers and staff members on an ongoing basis, not just on special occasions or holidays. Any gifts brought to school should be simple and homemade—a jar of jam, a drawing, a note, some flowers, a loaf of bread. The Parents’ Association Teacher Appreciation Committee will organize summer and holiday gifts to be given to faculty and staff. For happy last---minute gifts like spare tickets to a cultural event, please send them along to the Head’s Assistant, Violet Borowski, who will make sure that they are enjoyed by a member of the team at San Francisco Friends School. Holidays, Traditions, and Special Occasions – Over the course of your child’s time at San Francisco Friends School, we’ll learn about and celebrate holidays and traditions from around the world in response to our program. However, we do not celebrate holidays as a regular, isolated part of our curriculum. That means both Valentine’s Day and Halloween will seem like typical school days here, as we do not choose to highlight these events with parades or school---wide celebrations. Each year we focus on a single Quaker testimony or value, and in the 2020–21 school year our testimony is community. Media/Electronic Devices – Whenever possible, our teachers encourage free and imaginative play, helping around the house, time outside, reading, building, drawing—even boredom, as alternatives to time spend on electronic devices. SFFS hosts an internet safety workshop for the parents of older children, explaining the school’s philosophy, policies and
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procedures, and sharing some parenting tips to help you support your child’s media journey. E---readers, such as Kindles and Nooks, may be brought to school and used by students at the classroom teacher’s discretion. Any student requiring a cell phone for after---school communication is asked to keep it off and out of sight during the school day. If a student has one but it’s not needed, they are discouraged from bringing it to school. With adult permission cell phones may be used in designated areas referred to as “phone booths” during break or after the school day has ended. See the Technology link on the Parent Wiki for more information on our technology policies wiki.sffriendsschool.org/sffs/wiki.cgi/TechnologyPage. Clothing – Please send your child to school with warm, comfortable, simple clothes and shoes appropriate for the day’s activities. We’ll make every effort to create an environment in which clothes neither distract from nor impede the work and play of the children. We’d like you to help us de---emphasize the importance of outward appearances, and help children understand that fancy clothes are for special occasions, not for everyday life; if your middle--schooler wears something inappropriate (in Clarke’s opinion) he or she will be issued a lovely (large) SFFS t---shirt and/or sweats for the day.
Attendance, Arrival, & Dismissal Attendance – We expect your child to be at school and on time every day. If your child is ill, please email your child’s teacher/advisor and attendance@sffriendsschool.org before 9:00 a.m. If we do not hear from you by 9:00 and your child is marked absent, we will call you to confirm the absence. If your child needs to leave school during the school day, please email attendance@sffriendsschool.org or provide permission in writing, with the name of the person who will be picking your child up. Your child will have a more pleasant and successful experience in school if s/he arrives on time and can settle into the daily routine with the rest of the class. Teachers send the class attendance lists to the front desk each morning. If your child arrives late to school, please remind him/her to check in at the front desk before going to his/her classroom so that we know to reconcile the child as a late/tardy arrival rather than absent. Please don’t take your child out of school for family vacations. You’ll impact his/her ability to succeed at school and disrupt the flow of the school year, of which each and every day is important. Please refer to our Parent Handbook Friends@Home Addendum for the Friends@Home attendance policy. Arrival/Dismissal
Arrival: Each morning, beginning at 8:00 a.m., all students enter through the South Gate. We strongly urge you to walk, take public transportation, ride a bike, or arrive in a carpool. If you are arriving by car, anticipate a wait; please come southbound on Valencia Street, and pull up to the concrete loading island, where a staff member will meet your child and guide
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them into school. Be very careful of bicyclists in the designated bike lane. If you arrive late to school, please legally park your car and bring your child(ren) to the front desk; the Front Desk Clerk will make sure your child gets to class. During morning drop---off, it is prohibited to drive down either of the side alleys of Brosnan Street or Clinton Park. Dismissal: If you have more than one child to pick up, please arrive at the later pick---up time. You must have your safety seats on the passenger side of the car, in the rear seat; please do not get out of the car. We’ll help Kindergartners get buckled up; 1st- through 8th-Graders should be able to fasten their seat belts by themselves. During afternoon pick---up, drivers are not permitted to use Brosnan Street; they can use Clinton Park. However, drivers cannot queue on Clinton Park prior to dismissal time, nor can we allow more than six cars on Clinton Park at any one time. It is imperative that drivers support the school’s gesture of goodwill and respect for our neighbors by observing these rules. The school takes its role as a steward in the community, and we have had a long---standing policy to protect the neighbors on both Brosnan Street and Clinton Park from the traffic and CO2 related to our drop---off and pick-- up procedures. In addition, it is strictly prohibited from queuing/idling your car alongside the bike lane on Valencia between Duboce and Clinton Park (or anywhere else), or to use the loading zone in front of Francis of Assisi on Guerrero. Our neighbors and SFMTA are relying on us to observe these best practices. Please see the Carpool Etiquette section in Health & Safety for more detail. Dismissal Form – Lower School parents should fill out the weekly dismissal form on the wiki (wiki.sffriendsschool.org/sffs/dismissalform.cgi) by Sunday evening each week to indicate their child’s dismissal plans for the week ahead. Your part in communication is paramount to a safe dismissal. If for some reason you neglect to fill out this weekly form, or neglect to communicate plans early in the week directly to the teacher or TA, or if you have last-minute changes that are not recorded with a supervising adult before noon, your child will be released to the carpool area, and then to ED, if not picked up by 3:30 p.m. Please be sure to communicate your carpool plans clearly, as noted on the dismissal form, if your child is to be picked up by another supervising adult.
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If there are mid---week changes to your dismissal plans, please email your child’s teacher and contact the front desk clerk before noon. When teachers know where your child is going at the end of each day, our dismissal runs smoothly and children can feel secure. Student Self--Dismissal – Middle School students with written permission may self-- dismiss at dismissal time (alone or with a younger sibling if indicated on the Self---Dismissal Permission Slip) by signing themselves out at the front desk. Students who self---dismiss are expected to leave campus shortly after the end of the school day or after---school activity. We ask that students not loiter at school or re---enter once they have exited, so as not to complicate supervision and other dismissal procedures. If a student needs to leave campus for a meal before an evening commitment, parents should contact Marina Vendrell or Clarke Weatherspoon well in advance, briefly outlining the need for the student to return. This should only be done when there is truly a need, sparingly, and with as much advance notice as possible. Students are not allowed to leave school and return with food or to have food delivered to school.
Daily Life Behavior/Discipline – Expectations for behavior are outlined in class, advising groups, and school gatherings. We expect children build friendships and “learn how to learn” in various settings. If a child is struggling to manage impulses, to listen or to engage with the work at hand, teachers gently redirect, and collaborate with colleagues, the Developmental Support (DS) team, Lower or Middle School Head, our Mental Health Consultant and other administrators and/or parents to understand how to best support the student. We work to help parties in conflict of any sort—aggressors, victims, or bystanders—and emphasize the responsibilities of every child and adult at school to manage all kinds of conflict. A child who kicks, pushes, or hits another child is brought to the office; the administrator will call home and will likely ask that the student be taken home. Please do not hesitate to call your child’s teacher or advisor with questions or concerns about behavior or discipline. Homework – Kindergartners and 1st-Graders do not have homework on a regular basis, although we strongly urge parents to join their children in reading and storytelling each evening. Teachers will occasionally send home projects that require parent help or supervision. 2nd- through 6th-Graders will have about half an hour of reading each evening and additional work in writing, science, math, or Spanish. Generally speaking, we try to plan about 10 additional minutes of homework per grade—20 minutes in 2nd Grade, 30 minutes in 3rd, 40 minutes in 4th, etc. Homework assignments are differentiated to accommodate individual needs whenever possible. Periodically, we will ask you to work informally with your child to reinforce skills and concepts we are learning here at school. If your child is struggling with some part of the curriculum, we’ll devise strategies (including some extra time at home and at school) to provide support. Please stay optimistic and encouraging;
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some of the sweetest academic fruits are born of the hardest work! All of our teachers underline one important message about “homework”—the best academic gift you can share with your child is reading each day, even if only for a short while. Jobs – Each child, faculty, and staff member at San Francisco Friends School works in service to the school community at large. Children often have classroom jobs, and grade levels have wider school jobs that they are responsible for, such as organizing the Lost and Found, or sweeping the yard on Friday afternoons. Help us teach the importance of each person’s work both at school and in the larger community. Labeling – Labeling clothing, lunch boxes, water bottles, books, etc. is a vital way to keep your child’s possessions in the home---school orbit. Every 4–6 weeks, the lost---and---sadly--- unlabeled items go to Goodwill or a local community organization. If you bring snacks or a special treat to school, please label the platter or bowl. Lost and Found – The Lost and Found is located in the northwest corner of the first floor, near the facilities office. Hopefully it will remain empty all year—please see Labeling. Un--- retrieved items get donated every 4–6 weeks, after many reminders in Circle Back. When we host various school events, we will display the hanging rack in the lobby or on the patio for you to peruse lost items. Lunch and Snacks – Please pack your child a lunch each day. Do not send candy, soda, gum, or anything in a glass container to school ever, even on a birthday or holiday. SchoolFoodies bagged lunches are available for purchase and are delivered to school each day. Please send along a healthy snack for your child each day of the week. Messages – Please do not call with a message for your child unless there is an emergency. When you need to touch base with a teacher, send an email or a note, call the front desk or leave a voicemail message here at school. You can expect a call back within 24 hours. If your middle---schooler has a mobile phone, please do not contact them during the school day. Please arrange play dates before the school week starts, and indicate your plans on the Weekly Dismissal Form on the wiki. See Dismissal Form for more information. Picture Day/Photo Usage – Early each school year our photographer from MugsyClicks will take a photograph of your child and of his/her full class. If you’d like to purchase prints, you may do so online or via an order form we’ll send home with your child(ren). We use pictures of our students at work and play in our publications and on our website. We don’t use full names, but if you’d rather not have your child’s picture appear in our materials, please contact Alissa Moe (Director of Communications).
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Phones – Any student requiring a cell phone for after---school communication is asked to keep it off and out of sight during the school day. With adult permission cell phones may be used in designated areas referred to as “phone booths.” See the Technology link on the parent wiki for more information on our technology policies: wiki.sffriendsschool.org/sffs/wiki.cgi/TechnologyPage. Reduce/Reuse/Recycle – We’ll be vigilant on all these fronts. Please pack your child’s lunch in a reusable lunch bag or box, with a cloth napkin, reusable utensils, and as little nonrecyclable material as possible. Help your child understand what can be reused, recycled and composted. Look for ways you can support our teaching about the interconnectedness of all things and people. Help your child understand where paper comes from, how water is a valuable resource that should not be wasted, and how important it is to understand the “cost” of all that we consume. Service Projects and Partnerships – Exploring and building community happens in many ways here at Friends, and at the core of this work are relationships: relationships with ourselves, with others, and with the world around us. For their community work each grade has a theme or topic they are exploring in their curriculum throughout the year, and work with various community partner organization. These partnerships enhance what is being taught in our classes, as well as provide real, meaningful service to organizations. We are fortunate to work with many change-makers right in our community, and through this work we’ve formed relationships that are authentic, reciprocal, and sustainable. The Parent Association Service Committee helps coordinate service opportunities for families throughout the year. More info can be found on the wiki or in Circle Back. Visiting Classes – Please call ahead and make an appointment if you would like to visit a class. Drop---in visits are disruptive; we’d appreciate it if you would arrange your visit ahead of time. It is important to note that we will not be able to accommodate any family visitors inside our building during the 2020–2021 school year due to COVID-19 safety precautions.
Health & Safety Please note: there will be additional health precautions that the school administration will encourage, require, and expect of families, as well as protocols that we will put in place at school, once we are able to return to campus—we will communicate more about this as we get closer to reopening 250 Valencia. The school works to provide relevant health and safety information to children and their parents. Faculty and staff members are trained in First Aid and CPR, and the school is equipped with first aid kits and defibrillators. Allergies –
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Food at School – SFFS is not a nut---free campus. We permit students to bring the meals of their choice from home. At each snack and lunch period and on field trips we organize a nut--free table or area. Our Extended Day programs include two daily snacks, in which there are options for children with allergies. Extended Day includes cooking classes. If there is an activity that involves food preparation, teachers are careful to attend to the needs of those students with food allergies. Animals at SFFS – There are class pets in the Lower School, and animals in the science labs of the Middle School. In addition, the school has activities and assemblies that introduce students to animals, insects and birds, and field trips to farms, zoos, and animal shelters. Such activities include a kindergarten trip to a goat farm, a 1st Grade trip to Slide Ranch, and a 2nd Grade trip to the SPCA. A Well-Informed Staff – Each fall, at our back to school meetings, we share information about student allergies. All school employees (classroom teachers, administrators, staff, Extended Day teachers) are informed of student allergies. Teachers are given all the data you provide on the allergy form over the summer, and knowledge about each student is passed from teacher to teacher at the beginning every year. In the case of severe allergies, we post photos of the students with life---threatening allergies in various spaces around the school, and make sure that we have updated Epi---pens and family instructions for the treatment of an accidental exposure. On field trips, parents are informed by the lead teacher of students who warrant special care and attention around food (or other) exposure. Overnights and International Travel – In the case of overnights (in third through eighth grade) teachers and outfitters are prepared to treat a student with an allergic reaction and transport the child to professional medical attention. When our students travel internationally, such as in the 7th Grade trip Guatemala, the students are either near a medical facility or they travel with a medic to attend to any medical issues that arise while the students are further from hospital care. Building Security – Our home at 250 Valencia Street has one entrance during school hours for parents and visitors (Brosnan Street side entrance). Parents and visitors will be screened by the front desk clerk and must sign in and out. It is essential that all parents and visitors to the school sign in at the front desk and wear a guest badge while in the school. We are responsible for every student’s safety while here at school, and having a clear log of who is on the premises and who has left contributes to the knowledge we have in the event of an emergency. Parents, we hope you will understand the precaution the school takes in this regard, and in the knowledge that we take our responsibility for the care of your children very seriously. Concussions – The school’s health coordinator has created a protocol that our staff uses when a child may have suffered a concussion. Staff members call parents immediately, and fill out a head injury questionnaire that closely tracks symptoms while closely observing the child.
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Crisis & Emergency Preparedness – Director of Facilities Todd Gjertsen directs the school’s emergency preparedness efforts. The school has staff members who have attended NERT (Neighborhood Emergency Response Team) classes, taught by San Francisco firefighters and emergency responders, as well as programs such as Wilderness First Responders. The full faculty receives training in CPR and first aid each fall. We consult regularly with San Francisco police and fire department officials about safety and evacuation procedures. The school also has a comprehensive Emergency Action Plan that is revised annually. In addition, the staff Emergency Planning Committee meets four times a year. We have food, water, clothes, blankets, a generator, radio, and flashlights on hand in order to take care of students for 72 hours in the event of an emergency. The school practices drills for fire (10 times a year), earthquake, play yard evacuation, and lockdowns (two times a year), and one major emergency role play exercise each fall; the fire drills are conducted by the SFFD, which consistently commends the school for its swift and orderly evacuation of the building. We work together with parents to respond in a developmentally appropriate way to any kind of crisis in the neighborhood or world. In the event of an emergency school, staff members will direct parents to wait in a designated area. Students will only be released to contacts listed on the student emergency/medical information card with valid identification. Once the parent/guardian has been verified, school staff members will send a runner for the child and escort the parent/guardian and child(ren) to the exit gate, where another staff member will collect cell phone numbers and affirm that the reunification process is complete and documented. In the case of a major emergency or catastrophic event in which our building or yard are not safe—or parents are unable to reach our neighborhood for an extended period of time—we will use Millennium School and Francis of Assisi as safe spaces to gather our students and professional community. Carpools – We strongly encourage carpools and are grateful for the ease in the congestion around school, the friendships that form in this daily contact, and the cleaner air we all get to breathe. Please, make this a priority! Better still, join a “walking school bus,” ride bikes, or jump on a bus! There is a map on the Parent Wiki to help you identify other families who live in your neighborhood with whom you might carpool: http://www.school--- pages.com/sffs/map.cgi. Carpool! Make new friends! Drive less! Smile more!
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Carpool Etiquette – We work hard to keep you, your children, pedestrians, and cyclists safe during the rush of pick---up and drop off times. Below are detailed carpool etiquette guidelines, and we implore you to follow them and to share them with caregivers who may pick up your students. Remember: • Do not queue along Valencia Street between Clinton Park and Duboce •
Always yield to pedestrians and cyclists
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Do not double park anywhere
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Do not make U---turns on Valencia
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Do not jaywalk across Valencia
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Do not drop off in front of Francis of Assisi on Guerrero Street
Morning Drop---Off Carpool – Do not use either of the side alleys (Brosnan and Clinton Park). Approach the loading zone on Valencia, coming south from Duboce. Upon arrival in the at the loading island in front of the school, please ensure your child is ready, bag in hand, to get out of the car. Staff and faculty will be on the island to open doors and unload the students. Walkers/Bikers – Bring your child(ren) to the Valencia gate to enter the front yard. Afternoon Pick---Up Carpool – Approach the loading island in front of the school by using the side alley Clinton Park, entering from Guerrero Street. Queue up your car on Clinton Park until you are directed to the loading island on Valencia by a staff person. Do not approach the loading zone by way of Valencia Street traveling south from Duboce. Use Clinton Park. It is absolutely prohibited to double park/idle on Valencia between Clinton Park and Duboce. Students will assemble on the basketball court inside the front north gate. A placard with the name of each student in a carpool should be visible on the passenger side of the dashboard. (Placards are mailed home each summer.) Cars will pull up to the loading island in front of the school by way of Clinton Park. A staff member will radio the name of the carpool to other staff where the students are assembled. Students will be released from inside the gate. A staff person will open the car door and the students will be walked to the car and helped in. In deference to our neighbors who live on Clinton Park, and who may need to exit from a parking space or a garage there, you may be asked to exit Clinton Park and circle the block in order to allow our neighbors to leave and not be stuck in our carpool line. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation if and when you are asked to circle the block. One Pick-Up Per Car – If you have students in your carpool with different dismissal times, you should only pick up (once) at the later dismissal time. Students who have earlier dismissal than others in their carpool will wait for their older sibling. Walkers – Walkers in grades 1–8 will gather at the south gate picnic tables. A gate monitor will let caregivers in through the South Gate.
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Parking – There are several areas for parking when you are visiting 250 Valencia, the lot on 14th being the closest. Please do not ever, for any reason, block a driveway or double park at the front of the school. Cars will be towed if found blocking a neighbor’s driveway. Please help us be kind and respectful neighbors to the community around us. Ride Services for Students – Lyft, Uber, and other ride services that are not specifically designated for youth are not allowed to pick up students at SFFS. If a Middle School student is allowed to self-dismiss, once they leave campus they have been dismissed and the school is no longer responsible for their transportation choices. If a parent/guardian decides to use a youth specific ride service (Zum, Hop, Skip, Drive, Kanga, etc.) they must inform the school and submit the name of the authorized driver by 10:00 a.m. the day prior to pick up. The school is not responsible for the use of a ride share service or any other commercial transportation service, nor does the school make any representations about such services. Emergency Notification – In the event of an emergency or crisis that affects SFFS students, teachers, or families, the school has contracted with SchoolMessenger, an automated communication system, which is located out of state, to provide immediate information (and subsequent updates) by phone, text, and email. We test the SchoolMessenger system periodically. Illness – We’ll call you if your child becomes ill at school, and hope that you will come as quickly as possible to bring him/her home to bed. This year, we are hiring a health coordinator to help us track illness at school and keep health records for our community. If your child is not well in the morning, please do not bring him/her to school even for part of the day; we ask that your child has been fever-free for at least 24 hours after stopping feverreducing medicine before returning them to the classroom. Please email your child’s teacher in the morning if your child is ill and copy attendance@sffriendsschool.org, and bring a note of excuse upon their return. If a student in your child’s class is infected with a contagious condition, you will receive an exposure notice with listed symptoms and treatment. We ask that children with contagious conditions not return to school until they have been confirmed infection---free by a doctor for the prescribed amount of time. Please refer to our Parent Handbook Friends@Home Addendum for the Friends@Home policy on reporting illness to our school administration. Immunizations – Immunizations are an important safeguard against serious communicable diseases, and their effectiveness relies on all healthy children being fully vaccinated. Please make sure your children receive the necessary immunizations. New state law mandates that all students receive immunizations according to the health department guidelines before they enter school. The provisions of the law are as follows:
No students will be admitted to the school without complete immunization for their age unless they have a medical waiver stating that “the physical condition of the child is such, or medical circumstances relating to the child are such, that immunization is not considered
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safe, indicating the specific nature and probable duration of the medical condition or circumstances, including, but not limited to, family medical history, for which the physician does not recommend immunization, that child shall be exempt from the requirements.” If your child has received any new vaccinations, please send an updated copy to Melina Machuca at mmachuca@sffriendsschool.org or by fax to (415) 565---0439. Lice – Parents are responsible for performing regular lice checks on their children. We send both regular reminders and exposure notices (when a case of lice is discovered in your child’s classroom). If there seems to be an infestation in a particular grade or class at any point throughout the year, we will organize a screening (not treatment) of that grade or class. Parents of students found to be carrying lice will be contacted. The student will remain in class for the remainder of the day, but following that day shall not return to school until after treatment. Information about our lice policy can be found on the wiki: wiki.sffriendsschool.org/sffs/wiki.cgi/HealthSafetyCommittee. Medical Records and Emergency Information – All medical records and emergency information are kept securely at the school site. When children are on a full day field trip, we’ll take emergency treatment release forms with us. Relevant medical information is shared with playground supervisors and specialists at the beginning of each school year. Medicine – Required medications should be provided to the front desk, along with your doctor’s instructions in a zippered plastic bag marked with your child’s name, his/her teacher’s name, as well as your doctor’s name and telephone number. Please notify your Lower School child’s classroom teacher or the Middle School Head once you’ve done this. Please be sure to renew any medications or Epi---pens on a regular basis, as many of these are outdated quickly. Mental Wellness – All of us have encountered difficulties that may affect our ability to be available to our family in the way we would like. Children also, from time to time, experience challenges that set them back. There are several resources available to help families understand and deal with stressful situations. School staff is experienced at working with children and families in a variety of challenging passages. The Circle of Friends Committee has an array of resources to help families. Our Mental Health Specialist, Katherine Preston, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with the faculty and parents to help members of the Friends community find support for negotiating the normal challenges of raising children as well as issues of anxiety, depression and stress, or any other mental health need.
Please refer to the Health & Wellness in Uncertain Times webpage on our SFFS school website for more resources on self-care and getting through the unprecedented challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has posed to many of us.
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Special Programs & Policies Athletic Program – Our school athletic program is for 5th- through 8th-Graders. We are members of the San Francisco Athletic League (SFAL). There are three athletic seasons and our students compete in four sports—cross---country, volleyball, basketball, and futsal. In addition, students are invited to join in after---school activities such as rock-climbing, flag football, skating, swimming, and circus arts. Please note that the Fall 2020 athletic season has been cancelled due to the pandemic. Buddies – Our buddy program matches younger students with older students (K/4th/8th, 1st/5th, 2nd/6th, 3rd/ 7th). Throughout the year, buddy classes and pairings get to know one another and partner for a variety of events, sharing Meeting for Worship and assembly, reading together, and doing collaborative projects and service work. Developmental Support (DS) – We expect and assume that all children have different experiences, preferences, and learning profiles. The school works to identify each student’s various strengths and challenges, and identify those areas in which additional academic support or challenge (parent help, teacher support, tutoring, counseling, or the help of a learning specialist) will build confidence, competence, and skills. The school’s Developmental Support Coordinator (Frances Dickson), Learning Specialists, and our Mental Health Specialist work with classroom teachers to determine an individual child’s particular learning needs, meet with parents, and help construct an appropriate system of support and follow---up. When a child is struggling with some portion of the curriculum, our intervention will always be child---centered; we’ll work to maintain a positive and encouraging team, with parents, child, and teachers working together to achieve well--- defined, realistic goals. Our program includes small group support, tutoring, and study hall. As needed, after school classes are offered, as well as summer support classes such as a math camp and small group tutoring for reading and writing. We also help parents find specialists outside of the school who might complete a comprehensive evaluation of a child, and/or provide speech and language therapy, counseling, occupational therapy, academic, or social skills support. Additional information and resources are available through the DS office. Please refer to our Parent Handbook Friends@Home Addendum for more information about the additional DS supports we are implementing while in Friends@Home mode. Extended Day Programs – The San Francisco Friends School offers an Extended Day Program both before and after regular school hours for an additional charge. Extended Day programs are available during the following times: 7:45 – 8:30 a.m. (Do not drop off students before this time) 2:30 – 6:00 p.m. (starting at 2:20 p.m. on Wednesdays) Extended Day – Lower School (additional charges)
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In Lower School, our club program gives students a variety of fun, enriching activities to choose from, like coding, talent shows, a builders’ club, and outdoor games. Clubs rotate and change throughout the year so there’s always something for everyone. Healthy snacks are served at dismissal and 5:00 p.m. every day. New Time Clock and Billing System –ED is now using a new time clock and billing system: Kinderlime. ED staff will handle the clocking in and out students, so there is no need for students or parents to memorize a code. Parents will be able to view their child’s time record online and make payments. Invoices will be emailed out monthly. On certain vacation days, Extended Day is available, as well. Information about vacation coverage can be found on the Parent Wiki. The director of our Extended Day, After3, and enrichment programs is Marina Vendrell (mvendrell@sffriendsschool.org).
Please refer to our Parent Handbook Friends@Home Addendum for more information about ED programming while we are in Friends@Home mode. After3 – Middle School (No additional charges) After3 is a comprehensive after---school program of with many opportunities for Middle School students—activities, athletics, academics, and arts. Designed to offer a dynamic and balanced experience, the program allows students to work quietly, exercise, learn, socialize, play, compete, and collaborate. Coaches, developmental support staff, and teachers see to the transition from the academic day to purposeful and productive after--- school endeavors. Enrichment Classes & Music Lessons – There are three 10---week rotations of enrichment classes and music lessons in the fall, winter, and spring. Most activities take place from 3:20–4:20 p.m. There is an additional charge for these classes, and financial assistance is available. Families who receive a 25% to 49% Adjustable Tuition discount receive 25% aid, 50% to 74% receive 50%, and those who qualify for a 75% or more Adjustable Tuition discount will receive financial support for 75% of the cost of enrichment classes. An Adjusted Tuition discount is given for individual music lessons for 5th_ and 6th-Graders and for group music lessons for students in K–4th and 7th and 8th Grades. A schedule is sent home to announce enrollment prior to each session. Enrollment is handled online, and notices are sent out to sign up for enrichment classes via direct email and Circle Back. Please refer to our Parent Handbook Friends@Home Addendum for more information about music lessons while we are in Friends@Home mode.
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Horizons – Horizons at San Francisco Friends School is a public/private partnership offering a summer program that addresses the achievement and opportunity gaps of high--- need children in the Mission neighborhood through their elementary school careers. The heart of Horizons summer is an exemplary academic program that supports a cohort of students in reading, writing, math, and science, paired with swimming lessons, field trips, sports, and enrichment activities in the performing and visual arts. The program also includes a year--round component featuring family events, enrichment activities, and regular visits to and communication with students’ schools and teachers. Currently, there are 45 Horizons programs in 15 states serving 4,000 deserving young people each summer. Horizons at San Francisco Friends School opened in the summer of 2014 with one class of kindergarten students and has grown to nearly 100 K–5th grade students referred through the program's partner public schools: Marshall Elementary, Buena Vista, and Mission Prep. Horizons at SFFS is the first Horizons program on the west coast. The program will continue to grow, adding roughly 15 new students each year. For more information about Horizons at San Francisco Friends School, please visit our website (www.sffriendsschool.org/horizons) or the program’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HorizonsSFFS). Library – Our library is staffed by the school’s librarian, Suzanne Geller. Please call or email the Parents Association Library Committee co---clerks if you would like to volunteer in the library or for a library event. We hope you’ll support our library’s continued growth by attending the fall book event/fundraiser, Booktopia. The library charges replacement cost for lost or damaged books. Sibling Admissions – Kindergarten Sibling Policy – Kindergarten sibling applications are given preferential consideration and priority in the admissions process because of the large number of openings at the Kindergarten entry point, however admission is not automatic or guaranteed. We want every applicant to be successful at Friends therefore we consider each applicant’s developmental readiness and fit for our program. Families who apply for Kindergarten siblings are given early consideration and are notified of the admissions committee decision by Thanksgiving for the following school year. 1st–4th Grade and Middle School Sibling Policy – We offer an early admissions process only for Kindergarten sibling applicants; all other siblings are considered in the general pool of applicants. While we work to have siblings together in our school, we cannot guarantee admission in any given season. We encourage all parents to consider many options for their child’s school placement. We receive a high volume of applications for very few spots and strive to build classrooms that balance age, gender, racial and cultural background, and socio--economic status. A relationship to an enrolled student is one of many criteria we value.
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We seek students who are developmentally ready to engage intellectually and socially in our program. In the academic and behavioral assessment of a student for our school, the admissions committee carefully considers the interests and needs of prospective students and the school in order to ensure a mutual fit. Admissions decisions are communicated in March for the following school year. Spanish Waiver – Working together with the parents, the DS staff and the classroom teacher, it may be recommended as early as 2nd Grade that a student withdraw from Spanish in order to use the time for extra academic support. Often this decision is made when a student has a language---based learning difference requiring more time and effort to complete English language assignments and affecting the ease with which a foreign language can be learned. The decision to re---enter Spanish must be made by June before the new school year begins, and the student must complete the same summer preparation for Spanish that students new to SFFS middle school complete. The DS staff will proceed with students continuing to waive Spanish each year unless a teacher, parent, or student requests to re---enter Spanish by June before the start of the new school year. See the Developmental Support section of the Wiki for more details. Staff Tutoring and Babysitting – Parents are discouraged from soliciting faculty and staff for tutoring services directly. Our Developmental Support (DS) department is prepared to support families seeking services for their child’s learning needs, and all of those referrals and recommendations can go through our DS department, making the coordination and specialization of these services excellent, equitable, and fair. Contact Frances Dickson at fdickson@sffriendsschool.org if you would like more information about our DS services. We also discourage parents from soliciting teachers or teaching assistants for babysitting services, specifically for the students in their own classes. We find this can create equity issues among the other children in the teacher’s classes, confusion between teachers and their students, and can complicate the professional relationships between teachers and parents. If you are in need of babysitting services, parents may choose to solicit an after--- school teacher, assistant teacher, or another staff member who is not a current teacher of their child. Seeking referrals from other parents, as well as our Parents Association, can be of great support when looking for special care for your child.
Events Each school year includes a myriad of events, from class---specific gatherings to school-- wide functions. Below are a few of our most important events involving parents, but this is by no means an exhaustive list.
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Back-to-School Night – Clear your calendar for this information---filled evening! You’ll have a chance to find out more about the curriculum, spend some time with your child’s teacher(s), view student art and projects, sign up for Parents Association activities, and hear about special plans and programs. Back to School Night marks the launch of our Annual Fund. Blue Party – Each spring, the Parents Association hosts the Blue Party, an all---school themed party that includes dinner, dancing, and a silent auction to support the school’s Adjustable Tuition program. Blue Party volunteers help organize all aspects of this fun event, from party planning to soliciting auction items. Some of our most beloved auction items are one-of-a-kind SFFS family contributions ranging from a Pasta---Making Party to a hiking tour of San Francisco to a Broadway tunes sing---along and dinner. Help of all kinds is welcome; please contact the Development Office to learn more. Booktopia – Each fall, parents are invited to Booktopia, an evening event at a local bookstore to support our school’s library and Birthday Book program. This event is timed to help you with your holiday shopping. Crafts Fair – Held on a Saturday each winter, the Crafts Fair is an annual favorite, and features crafts and foods made by talented members of the SFFS community, including community partners, parents, teachers, alumni, and Middle School students. There’s music, a café, and a wonderfully festive vibe. GrandFriends Day – This beloved SFFS tradition is a time for grandparents and special friends of students to visit our school, learn about school programs and activities, and spend time with students in their classroom. This event is for non---parent relatives and friends. Presentation Night (Middle School) – See Student Assessment Portfolio Day (Lower School) – See Student Assessment Service Opportunities – Service is a great way to build connections with other SFFS families and put our Quaker values into action, and make an impact in our greater community. The Parents Association Service Committee works to organize service days in the fall and spring, as well as maintain on---going opportunities throughout the year. These are open to all families at SFFS, and typically are joint endeavors with neighborhood or city organizations. In the past, we’ve partnered with local public schools and restaurants to support various gardening and maintenance projects. We’ve also had a longstanding service project with the SF Quaker Meeting through their weekend food pantry. Keep an eye out for announcements about events and opportunities, and if you’re interested in joining the Service Committee, please reach out to the Parents Association. Winter Celebration – Held on the last day of school before winter break, this festive morning is a celebration of the performing arts and an opportunity for parents to enjoy student performances in music, drama, and dance. Students are dismissed at noon the day of Winter
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Celebration. Year-End Celebration – We celebrate the end of the school year with a Community Meeting for Worship, student performances, and a sing---along in a meadow in Golden Gate Park. Families (including siblings) are invited to join teachers, students, and staff for this all---school event. It has become tradition for teachers and students to walk or travel on Muni to the park. After the student performances and a few words from Mike and the Parents Association, students are dismissed for the summer. Rumor has it, on the way to a Year---End Celebration one year, a teacher told a Kindergartner, “You are a Kindergartner when you get on the bus, but you become a 1st-Grader when you leave the meadow!” Please note that events will look very different in the 2020–2021 school year, and we will be communicating with our families regularly regarding how we will be approaching our community events and traditions as the year progresses.
Student Assessment
Portfolios/Progress Reports/Parent Conferences – Setting and working towards goals, leaning into challenges, reflecting, and getting feedback from peers and adults: these are key aspects of our educational program. Each child in K–8 will have a portfolio of work collected through the year. This collection of work is used across disciplines to log your child’s progress; students use these portfolios actively, as self---assessment and reflection tools to celebrate accomplishments, set new goals, and work towards them. Parents experience their child’s self---reflective presentations in the form of Portfolio Day (LS) and Presentation Night (MS) each June. In Lower School, teachers complete thorough progress reports twice a year (January and June) to complete the whole picture of the student’s learning over time. The Lower School progress report is based on a developmental continuum of skills in each content area. The complete progress report balances the gradient checklists with a narrative written report. The narrative portion highlights aspects of student learning that may not be reflected in the checklists, such as strengths and areas for future growth, and also articulates goals and recommendations. The progress report is not intended to be the documentation of the content work at each grade level, but rather a report on the student’s overall progress, at his/her grade level, in all areas of his/her growth and learning in school. In Middle School, teachers complete thorough progress reports twice a year (January and June) and mid-term reports twice a year (November and March) to complete the whole picture of the student’s learning over time. The Middle School progress report is based on a developmental continuum of skills in each content area, with shading to indicate where teachers expect students to be. The complete progress report balances the checklists with a narrative written report. The narrative portion highlights aspects of student learning that may not be reflected in the checklists, such as strengths and areas for future focus and growth, and
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also articulates goals and recommendations. The progress report is not intended to be the documentation of the content work at each grade level nor is it meant to serve as a “grade.” Rather, the progress report is meant to articulate the student’s overall progress, at his/her grade level, in all areas of his/her growth and learning in school. In addition, parents receive further information about their children’s progress at parent conferences twice a year (November and March). In Lower School, teachers meet with parents; in Middle School, students lead conferences that include their advisor and their parents. Why No Grades – Simply put, grades don’t provide the kind of feedback that helps students learn. A “C” circled in ink at the top of the paper tells a student that her work is “average,” but doesn’t give her any hints about how to do better next time. Even worse, an “A” tells a student that his work is excellent, and implies that there is nothing more to learn, no need to strive any further. At Friends, teachers understand that their job is not just to evaluate students’ skills and knowledge, but also to support students in pressing further, digging deeper, asking more questions. Grades discourage the kind of risk---taking that real learning requires and diminish curiosity and internal motivation. Real learning is difficult. It’s leaning into confusion, tangling with a skill or concept that is hazy, being unsure. To truly learn, one must risk failing. At Friends, teachers carefully cultivate classroom cultures that value questions as much as answers, and earnest attempts as much as easy successes. Teacher feedback emphasizes the value of process, approach, strategy, and problem solving. At Friends, learning, not grades, is at the center of a child’s experience. Teachers consistently assess students’ skills and understanding, provide feedback to help them grow, encourage them to take the risks that real learning requires, support their internal motivation to learn, and report on progress to parents in written reports and conferences. Grades would be a distraction to this authentic learning.
Off Campus Education
On off-campus education during the 2020–2021 school year: The health and safety of our students and teachers are always a top priority for us. While these trips are important aspects of our program at SFFS, we always consider a variety of factors as to if/when we should embark on them. Weather, accessibility, and transportation are just a few of the variables we evaluate. With regards to COVID-19, we consult with various agencies and organizations and do a thoughtful and thorough risk assessment, focused on the health and safety of our students and staff. While we hope to run programs this school year, we will continue to monitor and evaluate the everchanging landscape of the virus, and communicate as often as we can about our thinking and decision-making.
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Field Trips – Each grade level takes several field trips each year, including local trips (to museums, cultural events, the library, or various service learning projects) and trips further afield to the beach, the woods, or a farm. We’ll send home permission slips for any excursion that involves parent---driven carpools or a school bus—please be prompt in returning those forms; we don’t want to have to leave anyone behind. We send home a “blanket” permission slip during the summer for field trips that are within walking distance of school or easily accessible by public transport. Our student/chaperone ratio is between 5:1 and 10:1, depending upon the age of the children, and the nature of the trip and activity. (See Outdoor Education for information about overnight trips.) In order to drive for a trip, parent drivers must submit a Volunteer Driver Registration Form and a Motor Vehicle Report Consent Form at least five business days prior to departure. All drivers must have a clean driving record and proof of current auto insurance on file. Our Front Desk Clerk submits DMV background checks for all parent drivers and if there are any issues or missing items the parent will not be able to drive. Outdoor Education and Trips – Our outdoor education programs and overnight trips seek to immerse our students in cultures, people, histories, experiences, and environments that are completely different from their own. These trips challenge students through healthy risk--taking, encouraging them to stretch themselves in ways they cannot at school. We see these learning opportunities as a unique chance for students to develop a strong sense of independence grounded in a deep awareness of our interdependence. Outdoor education and trips are firmly grounded in Friends testimonies and outdoor education and trips are firmly grounded in Friends testimonies and aligned with the academic curriculum. Outdoor education trips start in kindergarten with hikes and various field trips to experience our natural world. In third grade our children have their first overnight camping trip; the program builds from grade to grade to include elements such as rock climbing, ropes courses, and backpacking. We believe that our 7th and 8th Grade overnight trips have the greatest impact when students understand that travel is a privilege. Therefore, students are asked to fundraise $50/person for each of these trips to support their travels. NOTE: Trips are a critical part of the SFFS school experience. We work hard to provide safe, challenging programs and encourage all students to take risks and stretch themselves with these new experiences. However, a parent/guardian may choose to not allow their child to participate in a particular trip. If you do not allow your child to attend, he/she will not be allowed to come to school that day and you will be responsible for making alternative arrangements.
Tuition
Adjustable Tuition – Questions about adjustable rates for tuition, Extended Day, After3, Enrichment, or other special programs should be directed to Kim Plough, Director of Finance and Operations, or Marina Vendrell, Director of Extended Day & After3. All financial matters
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are handled confidentially. Tuition Payments – If you have questions about tuition or your tuition payment plan, please call the Business Office at extension 135.
Fundraising at Friends Fundraising is critical to the people and programs at Friends. In our short history, we’ve built a culture of full community participation, with parents, faculty, staff and friends playing an active role in building and stewarding our school. We value the involvement and generosity of all members of our community. In addition to the Annual Fund (see below), we have had special campaigns over the course of our history that have allowed us to finish our building (Light the Way and Building Friends), launch our Friends Community Scholars program (Building Friends), seed our first endowed fund, the Cathy Hunter Fund for the Future, and established our first general school endowment fund (Friends Forward). Our school community has enthusiastically and generously supported these efforts, investing in Friends to make it the school that it is today. Annual Fund – The Annual Fund is a community---wide fundraiser in which all Friends families, trustees, faculty, and staff participate. As a young school, we rely on gifts to the Annual Fund to help us attract and retain our excellent faculty and staff, fund our Adjustable Tuition program, purchase classroom materials, and maintain our physical space. Our goal each year is 100% participation from all community members—something that we have achieved virtually every year since we opened. Parent volunteers from the Annual Fund committee help us with this year---long effort, launched at Back-to-School Night. Gifts of all sizes are gratefully received and carefully stewarded. Please contact the Development Office with any questions regarding the Annual Fund. Blue Party – See Events.
Communications
Keeping Us Informed – When there’s been a change or important event in your family (illness, parent out of town, trouble sleeping, relative visiting, new baby, move, etc.) please let your child’s teacher or advisor know. We can help your child through a rough patch (or happy tumult) if the lines of communication are open. If you have a concern about your child, talk to his/her teacher. For miscellaneous changes in schedule—appointments, changes in pick---up or drop---off schedule—please email attendance@sffriendsschool.org as well as your child’s teacher or send in a handwritten note. Your child’s teacher will call you or send an email if there is a question about your child’s work or play at school. There is always a lot of
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information about school activities on the Parent Wiki. We deeply value effective and child--supportive communication, honor the importance of confidentiality, and promise to do our best to work together with parents in a positive, productive way. Blog – Our school website, www.sffriendsschool.org, contains a school blog that features stories and news about our community. We will announce new stories posted to our blog via the weekly Circle Back newsletter (see below). Our school blog is a key place to find in-depth articles on special programs and events, and to find personal reflections from our students, parents, faculty and professional community, as well as from our Head of School. Circle Back – Our newsletter, Circle Back, is emailed every Sunday. We hope that you will make an effort to read this important all-school newsletter, as it is a vital source of information about school events, policies, and other timely matters. An archive of Circle Back newsletters can be accessed at any time on the Parent Wiki. Website – Our school website is www.sffriendsschool.org. The website is a comprehensive source of many things SFFS, including curriculum outlines, staff contact information, and explanations of our philosophy and educational approach. We encourage you to read through it. We’ve created a password---protected area labeled “parents” which links through to our Parent Wiki (private, for school community members only), a detailed calendar of school events, photos, and both current and archived Circle Back newsletters.
Wiki – The SFFS Parent Wiki is an online community resource that shares valuable information about our school. The SFFS wiki includes a school directory, calendar of events, the weekly dismissal form, the school newsletter, information about the Parents Association, enrichment and athletic program details, and much more. This is the most comprehensive source of information on many school---related topics, and we encourage all families to visit and use the wiki regularly. Please ask Director of Communications Alissa Moe if you have questions about the wiki. wiki.sffriendsschool.org/sffs/wiki.cgi/HomePage
Parents Association Every parent in the school is a member of the Parents Association. The Parents Association supports school---wide efforts and coordinates special family gatherings, fundraisers, teacher appreciation events, speakers, classes, and seminars for parents. The PA leadership team and clerks of each committee meet quarterly throughout the school year to review PA activities. All parents are invited to attend these PA quarterly meetings. Every spring the PA hosts a “Naming” process to solicit volunteers to clerk the PA committees, and all parents are invited to attend and become active in our PA. Our school has been shaped by energetic, enthusiastic, and forward---looking volunteers; we hope this characteristic of our culture will never change. There are a tremendous number of ways to get involved, and a detailed list of Parents Association committees can be found on the PA section of the Parent Wiki.
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2020–2021 Parent Handbook Friends@Home Addendum
SCHOOL HOURS (Page 4 of the 2020–2021 SFFS Parent Handbook)
School hours during Friends@Home distance learning will be as follows: Lower School: M, T, Th, F: K/1st Grade: 9:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m., with virtual ED programming to follow 2nd–4th: 9:00 a.m.–3:15 p.m., with virtual ED to follow Wednesdays: K–4th Grade: 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., with virtual ED programming through 2:30 p.m. Middle School: M, T, Th, F: 5th–8th Grades: 8:15 a.m.–3:45 p.m., with virtual ED programming to follow Wednesdays: 5th–8th Grades: 8:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m., with virtual ED programming through 2:30 p.m. –––––––––– ATTENDANCE (Page 8 of the 2020–2021 SFFS Parent Handbook) If your student will be unable to attend virtual classes on a given day while we are in distance learning mode, please email Claudia at attendance@sffriendsschool.org and your child’s classroom teacher (Lower School) or advisor (Middle School). It is important that we know when a child misses school, even when we are in distance learning mode. Thank you! –––––––––– HEALTH & SAFETY – REPORTING ILLNESS (Page 16 of the 2020–2021 SFFS Parent Handbook) We ask that, as a community safety measure, you let us know if a member of your household is confirmed to have Coronavirus (please contact the Health Coordinator or communications@sffriendsschool.org). Having this information is essential to our ability to make informed decisions about our school operations going forward. –––––––––– SPECIAL PROGRAMS & POLICIES (Pages 18 & 19 of the 2020–2021 SFFS Parent Handbook) Developmental Support (DS): Our team of learning specialists will play a key role this year as we expand our efforts in assessment, differentiation, and meeting students where they are. They will be fully involved in both Friends@Home and Friends@Valencia modes, supporting students and families as we navigate the 2020–21 school year. We are expanding the scope of our DS program to include
students who struggle with distance learning. We have carefully integrated several supports into the schedule that are specifically aimed at supporting students through F@H, including smaller class sizes; office hours in the Lower School; and required tutorial and office hours in the Middle School, which will be aimed at providing individualized support to students and parents. We are also hiring an additional member of our DS team to ensure all of our students receive the support they need. In the Lower School, Frances Dickson and Kim Gitnick will each work closely with classroom teachers to provide small group instruction, one-on-one check-ins with students (as needed), and will collaborate and plan with our lower school faculty. In the Middle School, students in need of organizational and learning support will receive assistance from Mitch Neuger and Kori Riordan, along with classroom teachers, throughout the school day. The schedule includes organizational support with learning specialists, tutorial time, and office hours with teachers. ––––– Extended Day (ED): We will continue to offer virtual ED/A3 activities, led by our Extended Day & A3 Director Marina Vendrell, and share a rotating schedule for after-school activities with our Back-toSchool materials. You will note that ED activities are included in our current sample Friends@Home schedule, and ED programming will be free while we are in F@H mode. –––––– Enrichment Classes and Music Lessons: Please note that, due to the school year opening in distance learning mode, Marina will be sending out information about enrichment and lesson possibilities in the opening weeks of school.