Students, families, and school staff can email requests to sflink@sfusd.edu,call 415-340-1716(M-F, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m., closed from 12 to 1 p.m. every day), or complete an online request form. Former principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco and a former Principal of the Year. Racial-equity leaders must be both intentional and responsive when doing this anti-racist work. It serves 358 studentsin 6 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 14.3:1.Its teachers have had 79 projects funded on DonorsChoose. One day children came in to find three dead bodies dumped in the schoolyard. Meditation program mends troubled Visitacion Valley Middle School "Instead, the parents demonstrated their faith in Dierke's leadership by not withdrawing any children from the school.". In recent years however, Principal Dierke and a growing number of other educators have found a way to break the predictive power of demographics. Having served the past two years as Assistant Principal, VVMS is a community that I love and care for. Now we can get to the work of promoting anti-racism, liberation, and achievement at our school, by looking through the lens of White Supremacy Culture. Don't be confused. Start with one class or year and let it grow from there.. 2023 San Francisco Unified School District, Week 25 newsletter in different languages, Week 24 newsletter in different languages, Week 21 newsletter in different languages. A lot of the kids have deep anger issues or problems focusing, she says. Specifically, this pushed on us to think about and change how we work together: We worked to create norms that encourage people of color and women to contribute, we shifted the relationship between teachers and administration so that teachers had more input in budget and hiring decisions, and finally, we adjusted the pace of our professional-development plans to emphasize quality over quantity. 379 Winding, San Francisco, CA 94112 | Estately | MLS# 423725010 It can result in white rage, broken relationships, grievances, and further harm to oppressed students. Specifically, this pushed on us to think about and change how we work together: We worked to create norms that encourage people of color and women to contribute, we shifted the relationship between teachers and administration so that teachers had more input in budget and hiring decisions, and finally, we adjusted the pace of our professional-development plans to emphasize quality over quantity. 2023 San Francisco Unified School District, I look forward to our partnership this upcoming school year and collaborating with all of you to support our brilliant students. You can find more information about the fair at sfusd.edu/fair. Sign up for the Well Family newsletter to get the latest news on parenting, child health and relationships with advice from our experts to help every family A restless din filled the large room. Visitacion Valley Middle School. They simultaneously tell us that we are not good enough and keep us to the bottom rungs of racial hierarchy if we do not assimilate. Visitacion Valley Middle (San Francisco) is a 06 to 08 grade school in San Francisco, and has made tremendous strides in improving the acceptance rate and education its students receive. Joe Truss That funds four and a half (full-time equivalent) Quiet Time staff on site to teach the classes and support students. This can create power struggles, a learning opportunity gap, and as the scholar Monique Morris writes, students being pushed out of schools. . Mad Sal's Dockside Inn in Ale House Alley, and Mission Blue. (Dan Schreiber/The Examiner) In 2004, two students discovered the partially decomposed body of a 19-year-old stabbing victim. The 1,233 sq. Visitacion Valley Middle School to meditation? Quiet Time isnt just a slogan but a daily regimen at Visitacion Valley. In order to build this ideal structure, we must start at the base and engineer for equity. School attendance zone boundaries are provided by a third party and are subject to change. About This Home Great Visitacion home with 2 bed/ 1bath upstairs and bonus room/bath downstairs. Thus, we are building a collective purpose and a commitment to learning. And our teacher turnover and absenteeism is almost zero.. Consequently, "all other cognitive functions such as learning, problem solving, or creative thinking stop," (Hammond, 2015) activating our fight, flight, or freeze response. that teachers and students enjoy and which preliminary data suggest is effective. For the majority of urban students, drugs, gangs and violence are part of everyday life. His school, along with other urban middle schools in low income neighborhoods, is in the midst of a battlea battle against the predictive power of demographics. White Supremacy Culture also tricks us into thinking that if we change to fit a white model, we can be more valued but still never be white. In the outside world, TM has been criticised for the price-tag it comes with; the programme at Visitacion Valley costs $280,000 (185,128) a year - paid for mainly through private donations to CWAE. Specifically, we must look at how it shows up in our own lives, in our personal relationships, in between school staff, and in our histories. Breaking the "predictive power of demographics": SF principal talks At first glance, it might not appear the principal of the year would come out of Visitacion Valley. Visitacion Valley Middle School - realtor.com Annual math and English scores improved in the students who meditated, while they declined in those who didnt meditate. Home - Valley Middle School of STEM - District 196 Report an absence. One seventh grader at Visitacion Valley said, I used to be really fidgety, couldnt stay in my seat for very long. Dismantling WSC unites staff to work toward being anti-racist. We might also see students connecting their identities to their learning and applying it back to their communities to manifest social justice. Visitacion Valley Middle School - Public School Review That kind of stuff makes it hard to focus on algebra, he said. These are also known as bank-owned or real estate owned (REO). And a 2015 review of the program, issued by the Center for Wellness and Achievement in Entire contents copyright 2023 Maharishi Foundation USA, a non-profit educational organization. A Clipper Card is not required for buses and trains, however it is needed to receive a free fare on cable cars. Sometimes the whole school meets to meditate in assemblies. In addition, we might see curricula that affirms and engages students of color and assessment practices that dismantle racial bias in standardized testing. Located in a quite cul-de-sac setting with easy access to freeway, banking and various amenities. Visitacion Valley Middle School, Public District Grades 6-8; Revere (Paul) Elementary School, Public District Grades KG-8; . MLS # 423724059 In my dream, I imagine that educators can become comfortable talking about race and how it informs the work of educating children. Of even greater interest, the increase in G.P.A. Just meditate!. To do this, we use diverse staff resources and improve student access to high quality programs during the school day and in after-school programs. Here are two pitfalls to avoid. $365. Racial-equity work is like trying to defuse a bomb and cutting the wrong wire. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: cd77petanque.com Comit de seine et marne de ptanque By Joe Truss, the principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco and a leadership coach. . visitacion valley middle School students 14The QuieT Time Program DaviD Lynch FounDaTion 1 5 7. We should be planning for the righteous rage of IBPOC (Indigenous Black People of Color), but 82 percent of our teaching force is white, so we will also plan for white fragility. Classes take place at students desks after the qualified TM teacher rings a bell. The School Plan for Student Achievement is the template on which this review and stakeholder engagement process is codified. campaign: %%CAMP%% -- %%CAMP_UID%%, creative: %%ADID%% -- %%AD_UID%%, page: %%PAGE%%, targetedPage: %%TARGETEDPAGE%%, position: %%POS%%, evaluated in public middle school students performing below proficiency level, Under Stress, Students in New York Schools Find Calm in Meditation. Known nationally for its innovative programs, teachers and students use technology, cross-curricular writing programs, and project- and standards-based instruction throughout the year. Here are two pitfalls to avoid. Therefore, it was necessary to create shared understandings and subsequent commitments, which was facilitated by exploring a framework of White Supremacy Culture. He says the lives of students were infected by violence in the community, and several fights would break out every day. Homeowners' Insurance. Letter from the Principal | SFUSD This change comes at the cost of detaching ourselves from ourselves, which also is dehumanizing. Main Office: 952-431-8300. On a personal note, I was born and raised in the midwest, but I have called San Francisco home for the last 13 years. Ale House Alley, Mission Blue, and Lucky's Bakery & Cafe. General education entry grade seats per application: https://sfusd.zoom.us/j/89260175755?pwd=R2VLdWJQOVdySElJa1c2UUhCTkw5QT09, Districtwide before and after school program information, Social-Emotional and Culture Climate Report, School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA). and students grade point averages rose each year. With respect to race, the foundational issue is White Supremacy Culture, and we must attack the problem head on. One does not have to be a white supremacist to hold these beliefs, because we have all been conditioned through exposure to media, parenting, schooling, and our interactions with power structures. 420 Harkness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94134 | Zillow "He has put his heart and soul into making sure his students feel safe and secure in their school building and has developed a school climate that nurtures academic excellence," Tirozzi said. We were looking for a way to get kids to relax, he said. Besides dealing with problems outside school, Visitacion Valley faces challenges in school, too. It is the water we are swimming in. They are owned by a bank or a lender who took ownership through foreclosure proceedings. Further, staff moved to thinking about how our school practices perpetuate WSC and send negative messages to our students. When the school year starts, students may use Student Portal Student Portal (StudentVUE)and families may use Family Portal (ParentVUE)to keep track of a student's attendance, assignments, and grades, and contact teachers. Public, 6-8 Serves this home. Other schools have taken a few minutes off lunch and tutorials. I look forward to our partnership this upcoming school year and collaborating with all of you to support our brilliant students. The first pitfall is failing to scaffold for white privilege and white fragility. To our teachers and staff, joyful learning means that each student is able to maximize his/her abilities and be successful in learning through different learning methods. Stacey Buchwald promoted to principal at Valley Middle School of STEM District 196 Superintendent Mary Kreger today announced the promotion of Dr. Stacey Buchwald from interim principal to principal of Valley Middle School of STEM in. When they started everyone said it would be impossible to get 12-year-olds to sit for even a minute, but through transcendental meditation (TM) they proved critics wrong. Prompts for reading a White Supremacy Culture article (Courtesy of Joe Truss). Visitacion Valley Middle School prides itself in its active role in the community by welcoming parents, families, and community partners to participate on all levels of creating a culturally responsive 21st Century Middle School. But to start, we must go inward. Nearby homes similar to 183 Tucker Ave have recently sold between $1,150K to $1,150K at an average of $475 per square foot. I got to sit right by him and the whole school meditated with him.. There he is leading with a vision of Love, Literacy, and Liberation. This pushed some folks to identify who they could be safe with, be it for comfort or growth. 2,414 Sq. We work hard to create a positive school climate where students are recognized for their growth. Just as long as they are quiet. With respect to race, the foundational issue is White Supremacy Culture, and we must attack the problem head on. SFUSD's Student Family School Resource Link supports students and families in navigating all of the SFUSD resources available to them. They are more motivated, more confident, more focused, more successful and more joyful. students who meditated showed a significant decrease in anxiety and a significant increase in resilience compared to nonmeditating students. Quantum Physicist (16:40), By Mario Orsatti on 02/15/2012 Blog Home. The teacher has also seen dramatic transformations in his students. One other middle school and two high schools in the Bay Area adopted the program. It is time that we detox and make the invisible visible. One of San Francisco's toughest schools transformed by the power of meditation A pioneering programme has reduced stress and improved grades at Visitacion Valley middle school - with lessons other schools can learn from. In Violent Neighborhood, 15 Minutes of Meditation Calms Students NBC News Cynthia McFadden, Tim Sandler and. The work of exploring White Supremacy Culture gave our staff a new framework to define our North Star, being an anti-racist school. 1. Dr. Bettina Love writes in her book, We Want to Do More Than Survive, To even begin to attack our destructive and punitive educational system, pedagogies that promote social justice must help educators understand and recognize America and its schools as spaces of Whiteness, White rage, and White Supremacy, all of which function to terrorize students of color. (Love, 2019) It is imperative that we examine these deeply held beliefsboth conscious and unconsciousto build on top of a new set of habits, behaviors, and systems. They worked harder, paid more attention, were easier to teach and the number of fights fell dramatically.. Discussing WSC gave us more impetus to make changes, because we now knew what was happening if we refused: microaggressions, dehumanization, widening the opportunity gap, and producing disproportionate outcomes. Down Payment . David Lynch Foundation (20:44), John Hagelin, PhD I also enjoy cooking (and eating) good food with family and friends. The highlights are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Filipino, and Vietnamese. Principals Page / Principal Bio - Seneca Valley School District Chaos at SF middle school is not an isolated case Students. One of San Francisco's toughest schools transformed by the power of $93. Property Taxes. 132 Britton St, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134 - Redfin Before becoming the Assistant Principal at VVMS, I served as an Assistant Principal at two different elementary schools in Richmond, CA. Its also important to start small. We should be planning for the righteous rage of IBPOC (Indigenous Black People of Color), but 82 percent of our teaching force is white, so we will also plan for white fragility. SFUSD annually surveys families and school staff on a range of school climate indicators that have been found to predict positive student academic achievement. School Profile: Visitacion Valley Middle (CA Dept of Education) San Francisco Unified School District ( SFUSD ), established in 1851, is the only public school district within the City and County of San Francisco, and the first in the state of California. 4 Beds. 375. So the privately funded non-profit Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education (CWAE) was set up. When you have it up, it keeps the rain off, and you can focus on trying to build a culture with kids. 1971 Visitacion Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94134, We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school starting. This is true for our staff as well, contributing to racial fatigue and staff sustainability for IBPOC. An easy way to remember our website is to memorize our bit.ly URL! Students meditating at Phillip and Sala Burton Academic High School in San Francisco. This prompts staff to reflect and ultimately declare, "I want to be an anti-racist teacher, but I don't exactly know how." Principal James Dierke monitors school activities with his handi-talkie at Visitation Valley Middle School, 450 Raymond Ave, San Francisco. After graduating from Seneca Valley in 1996, I e arned my bachelor's degree from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. In their schools, the Quiet Time/Transcendental Meditation program is playing a key role in that breakthrough. fear. At times, it appeared that we weren't clearly aligned philosophically and did not have a focused call to action. Therefore, unexamined behaviors of White Supremacy Culture are preventing students from being comfortable or supported enough to learn and flourish. Meditation, which is taught as part of the program, or engage in other quiet activities like silent reading. It has 358 students in grades 6-8 with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. Yes, this is built into our systems of power, structures, policies, and rules. Historically, those predictions have been accurate. Get Well's Running email for practical tips, expert advice, exclusive content and a bit of motivation delivered to your inbox every week to help you on your running journey. Likewise, test scores have increased in recent years but still remain low compared to other SFUSD middle schools. Week 25 Newsletter | SFUSD One does not have to be a white supremacist to hold these beliefs, because we have all been conditioned through exposure to media, parenting, schooling, and our interactions with power structures. Grades: 6-8. For over 10 years, Visitacion Valley Middle School has been utilizing Transcendental Meditation to help students address stress and improve focus. In addition, Dierke said regular Quiet Time has also helped teachers relax. These beliefs lead to actions that are dehumanizing to all races of people; however, they have a more drastic effect on indigenous, black, and people of color (IBPOC). At times, it appeared that we werent clearly aligned philosophically and did not have a focused call to action. Visitacion Valley Middle - School Directory Details (CA Dept of Education) Why shouldnt all our students have access Lastly, this work connected well with our concurrent work of racial affinity groups, social-justice teaching, and revising our school mission statement. Its important to note that these responses work to maintain current consciousness and white supremacy. Search for Public Schools - Visitacion Valley Middle (063441005678) Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco CA - SchoolDigger This took the form of discussions, watching short video clips, annotating readings, and doing some deep personal introspection. 609-611 Naples Street, San Francisco, CA 94112 | Compass Thats what were gradually doing here., The payoff might be most evident in students like Angelica Mahinay, who says, Man, when I hear students getting an attitude, or theyre saying theyre going to fight, I say, Hey! According to state test scores, 12% of students are at least proficient in math and 26% in reading.