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Why I love Daniel Webster Elementary School
I love Daniel Webster because it’s a small school where staff and teachers are tight knit and care deeply about their students. With enrollment and test scores on the rise, fresh paint and DreamWorks designed murals, and a developing edibles garden where there used to be concrete, DW is a school coming to life.
Our growing community is committed to building on the improvements made since 2005 when DW was threatened with closure. Our Spanish Immersion Program, established in 2008, is continuing to grow and adding vibrant new teachers to our staff. Our General Education Program is strong with devoted teachers, some with the school for more than a decade, others brand new to us, bringing fresh ideas and energy.
My twin boys are in kindergarten and are each happily finding their way, making new friends, learning Spanish and trying new things. We are lucky to have Dance with Ms. T, World Drumming, thanks to our PTA, with Drum Master Timomo, weekly art class with a volunteer Kinder parent, lots of sports with our PE teacher Mr. Castro and fun games with our Playworks coach Ms. Gabi. There's also an affordable, private Spanish Bi-lingual preschool right on campus that gives priority enrollment to DW siblings and Potrero Hill residents.
Our PTA is growing and I’m always thrilled to see our Parent Room crowded with new faces. We’re especially happy when Latino families get involved so to encourage their participation, we always have translation available. The PTA provides dinner and childcare too, so no one has to feel stressed to attend. Our fundraising isn’t on the level of bigger schools with a more socioeconomically mixed population, but we’re committed to coming up with new and different ways to encourage our families and our surrounding neighborhood to contribute.
I’m inspired by how far our school has come in the past several years to become a place we can all be proud of. Like everyone else, I worry about the impending budget cuts. Schools like ours, with nearly 80% of students on free or reduced lunch and 10% of families in transition, can’t afford to lose enrichment programs and support staff. We can’t make up for the losses with PTA funds the way larger schools can. I love my school, but I also love the whole idea of public school. All of our schools need to work together to make sure all children get the education and programs they deserve.
Dena Fischer is a literary agent, freelance writer, founding member of The Potrero Residents Education Fund (www.prefund.org) and the mother of twins in Kindergarten at DW.
Our growing community is committed to building on the improvements made since 2005 when DW was threatened with closure. Our Spanish Immersion Program, established in 2008, is continuing to grow and adding vibrant new teachers to our staff. Our General Education Program is strong with devoted teachers, some with the school for more than a decade, others brand new to us, bringing fresh ideas and energy.
My twin boys are in kindergarten and are each happily finding their way, making new friends, learning Spanish and trying new things. We are lucky to have Dance with Ms. T, World Drumming, thanks to our PTA, with Drum Master Timomo, weekly art class with a volunteer Kinder parent, lots of sports with our PE teacher Mr. Castro and fun games with our Playworks coach Ms. Gabi. There's also an affordable, private Spanish Bi-lingual preschool right on campus that gives priority enrollment to DW siblings and Potrero Hill residents.
Our PTA is growing and I’m always thrilled to see our Parent Room crowded with new faces. We’re especially happy when Latino families get involved so to encourage their participation, we always have translation available. The PTA provides dinner and childcare too, so no one has to feel stressed to attend. Our fundraising isn’t on the level of bigger schools with a more socioeconomically mixed population, but we’re committed to coming up with new and different ways to encourage our families and our surrounding neighborhood to contribute.
I’m inspired by how far our school has come in the past several years to become a place we can all be proud of. Like everyone else, I worry about the impending budget cuts. Schools like ours, with nearly 80% of students on free or reduced lunch and 10% of families in transition, can’t afford to lose enrichment programs and support staff. We can’t make up for the losses with PTA funds the way larger schools can. I love my school, but I also love the whole idea of public school. All of our schools need to work together to make sure all children get the education and programs they deserve.
Dena Fischer is a literary agent, freelance writer, founding member of The Potrero Residents Education Fund (www.prefund.org) and the mother of twins in Kindergarten at DW.
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Comment by Stacey Bartlett on January 29, 2010 at 11:17
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Here, here! Well said Dena. Contact us if you want to get involved at Daniel Webster or find out more about education on Potrero Hill: info@prefund.org.
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