Festa! And Washington / Harborside has a Booth!

Festa is this weekend: October 13th and 14th, this Saturday and Sunday.

Festa is Little Italy's grand Festival with booths, food, entertainment, a stickball tournament, a Ducati display and their famous chalk art in action. And we have a booth, generously donated by the Little Italy Association. Parent-volunteers are still needed to man this booth and talk about our program, particularly the Preschool component. If you're interested please contact Mae Lin Levine.

And if you will be coming to Festa (and you should) — stop by the booth. We have a great space (FD17A) at India and Date, right in front of the Reader building. Some of your teachers will be there!

For more information on Festa, check out out Little Italy's website.

Open House! Thursday, September 27th, 5:30

Come see the Preschool, and the Kindergarten through 5th grade classes, meet the teachers and parents, tour the campus, get involved in the community school. Hope to see you there.

Preschool Price REDUCED!!

Here is the information:

Monthly rate is $850.00 - this includes...
• Minimum 24 children enrolled
• Hours of operation: 7:30-6:00
• Minimum 3 day attendance per week, however full rate would still be maintained.
• One classroom only, with 3,4 and possibly 2 ½ year olds.
• Potty trained 2.5 year olds may be enrolled.
• 12 month program
• The rate is based on 12 months=238 days per year.
• Closed for 2 weeks during winter break, 1 week during spring break, which will coincide with the elementary school. Plus, all National holidays and school district closures.
• Suanne Pearson and Kristen Bernert plus an additional aide and 4 hour teacher will be maintained.
• A 2.5 hour housekeeping attendant
• Clerical costs for 3 per week
• Administrative costs for 6 hours per week
• Office supplies
• Food services = 1 am snack, hot lunch, 1 pm snack, all included
• Supplies and instructional costs, all included

We need at least another 12-13 students to enroll, however we can enroll up to 30 as long as we are averaging 24 per day. Lesley will be at school M, W, F from 7:30am to 9:30am to answer questions and take registration forms. We hope to see more of you there!

Two important announcements

1) TODAY IS MINIMUM DAY (K-5) - pick up is 12:15 unless you've signed up for after-care!!!

2) The Preschool lunches are NOT the same as the K-5 lunches. Preschool lunch is provided for by the Child Development Center. A menu will be passed out soon.

More to come later...

School Starts Tuesday

Can't believe it's already time to begin school again.

School starts at 8:15 am on Tuesday, September 4th.

And fyi — the lunch offerings on Tuesday are (a) Turkey with Gravy and Mashed Potatoes; (b) Chicken Patty on a Bun; (c) Bean and Cheese Burrito, and everyday the offerings at the salad bar.

To download the lunch schedule go to http://www.sandi.net/food/menus2.htm

See you there!

Preschool

It was announced yesterday. While the price is higher than any of us expected at $1020/mo, it does include snacks, lunch, before care and after care, and automatic entry into the public and therefore free Harborside Program for K-5. (With Diana De La Pena in place teaching Kindergarten.) And Ms. Pearson and Ms. B are the teachers, the kids and families familiar and the rooms are lovely.

Preschool and Junior Kindergarten News!

Meeting/Registration. There is a meeting scheduled for 4:00pm this Thursday 8/30 for all preschool/Jr. K. parents in the Library at Washington Elementary. There will be a presentation regarding the preschool/Jr. K program which will include the cost of the program. Parents can register their children immediately after the meeting.

Calls from Washington. Every parent should be receiving a call in the next 24 - 48 hours regarding before care and after care. The school needs confirmation on how many children will need before care and after care and the hours this care will be needed. If you don't receive a call by the end of the day tomorrow, please call the school.

Start Date. The program will start on 9/4/07 with the rest of the school.

Teachers. Ms. Pearson will teach in Jr. K and Ms. B in the 3-4 year old class. Each will have another teacher with them.

Cost. Unfortunately we still don't know. They had made some incorrect assumptions regarding enrollment and hours that will greatly affect the cost. The Preschool folks will announce the price at the meeting. All we know is it won't be more than it was at Harborside last year.

That's the latest update and all we know. Obviously more information and details will be revealed at Thursday's meeting.

PLEASE READ: Extended Day Care

Principal Suarez is trying to ascertain exactly how many students need the Extended Day Program, executed by the YMCA for 1st - 5th grades. (Preschool, JK and Kindergarten extended day is handled through the Child Development Center and more info will be available on that soon.)

If you have already filled out a form and mailed it into the YMCA, can you please email harborsideaction@yahoo.com and we'll cull the numbers. If you haven't, download the application below and bring it to Washington Elementary as soon as possible.

Download YMCA Extended Day Form (New!)

Preschool and JK: More Info Later Today

This is just a quick reminder to those families with PK (3 year olds) and JK students (4 year olds). The District is meeting today and will determine the price of the PK and JK (K-5 is free) but also the registration Date. It is not this Saturday. It will likely be mid-week, check back here for more information soon. And yes, it is scheduled to open on the same day as the K-5, which is September 4th.

***Added 8/24 8:19 PM: You cannot register for this program just yet. If you have filled out forms at one of the other offices, they will not be valid as they have had the wrong information. Unfortunately not everything was finalized in today's meeting, so we expect details, including price and Registration day, come Monday. Again, in spite of these late meetings, they have assured us that the program will start as planned on 9/4. ***

* If you still want or need to register an K-5th grader, please see the previous posts for all the dates and places you can still do this.

More K-5 Registration News

Today was great, even more kids and parents than yesterday, more new families, more familiar families. Mr. Suarez stuck around all day and talked to parents. In fact it was so great, they're going to set up again tomorrow at Washington Elementary!

Not that the wonderful Karen and her coffee and donuts and kid activities and the plethora of parents or teachers will be there-- they won't. But Mr. Suarez will be in and out and he's eager to spend a few minutes with the parents if they have questions. And you can pick up the paperwork, turn in the paperwork, fill out the paperwork, whatever you need, tomorrow, Thursday and Friday. So if you haven't done it, you still can. They will either be set up on the south side of the auditorium, or in the main office.

If this week doesn't work for you (lots of parents are on vacation this week) then please see the previous post for more alternatives next week and on the weekend. Yes, you can register on a Saturday, but not at Washington, at the central registration offices at Roosevelt Middle. For the address, hours and phone number, see the previous post, below!

Some classes are filling up! So don't wait too long...

Kindergarten - Fifth Grade Registration

Today's registration went great! New families, familiar families... it's all coming together. I believe we had new families in every single grade!

If you haven't yet registered here are your opportunities to do so:
This is first come, first serve so please don't wait too long. And also, please note the new place and time for the Saturday Registration.

** Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 21st at Washington Elementary
From 8 - 10 the Principal, Mr. Nestor Suarez, will be there to answer any of your questions.
The wonderful people from the District will there helping you fill out forms from 8-3.
Note, this is the last "formal" registration at Washington.


** Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, August 22nd - 24th at Roosevelt Middle School
12 noon - 7 pm
3366 Park Blvd. (next to the Zoo)
619-725-5672
Free parking available at the Upas Street entrance
These are the District's Central Registration Offices, you simply have to let them know that you are registering for— "The Harborside Program at Washington Elementary"


**Saturday, August 25th at Roosevelt Middle School
8 am - 1 pm
3366 Park Blvd. (next to the Zoo)
619-725-5672
Free parking available at the Upas Street entrance
These are the District's Central Registration Offices, you simply have to let them know that you are registering for— "The Harborside Program at Washington Elementary"


** Monday, August 27th - Thursday, August 30th
At Washington Elementary School
Just go into the office and they will have some extra forms and can finish your last minute application, if there is room in the class you are seeking entrance in. Don't wait too long!


Remember that even if you filled out an enrollment form you MUST fill out all this paperwork, including bringing your child's birth certificate, immunization record and gas bill to prove district residency.

Preschool and Pre-K Registration is not this week

It will be next week (most likely Wednesday, the 29th but confirmation to come)

Tomorrow there is a District meeting to determine the cost and details.

We will get a full report the following day, so please, check back here for more information over the next few days. Sorry no more to report, but it's looking great and the classrooms and play structure are really great, shady too!

Donuts and Coffee with Mr. Suarez

Monday and Tuesday are registration days. 8 am - 3 pm. The Principal, Mr. Nestor Suarez, will be there to meet and to greet between 8 am and 10 am both days. If you can make it during those hours, it will be worth it-- he's a warm, personable, open and communicative man. Otherwise, you can meet him once school begins!

Next week, besides the Registration, there are a lot of behind-the-scenes meetings going on: Preschool Registration will be firmed up, but it's looking like it will happen on the following Saturday. Ms. Pearson will be there! Not sure if Ms. B is back from her summer away by then. At that meeting happening mid-next week, the cost will be finalized and announced. There are meetings regarding the Foundation, the organization that will help fund the Enrichment teachers, so that in turn will lead to more information on those teachers' schedules. And the 6-6 Program, which will be handled by the YMCA and which we have been told will have enough spots for those who wish to participate, is also being firmed up this next week. We do know that the Kindergarten after-care will be handled by and combined with the Harborside Preschool's after-care. But 1-5 will be with the Y.

Wanted to share some pictures of the campus.

Calling all volunteers!

We need to mobilize. We need your help.

First up, we will need volunteers for the Meet and Greet / Registration Event. If you can be there for an hour or more, either Monday or Tuesday, please email Karen Rolfe at shaynerolfe@cox.net

Second, we are still trying to get the word out to more like-minded parents who are still looking, even at this late hour, for a great school for their children. If you belong to a professional group or parent group, or just want to circulate an email to your friends, here is a "postcard" in an email-able format. Click this link and then drag or save the image to your desktop:

Email Blast about the Harborside Program at Washington Elementary

We've been including text like this with it:

The BIG Registration Event is Monday August 20th and Tuesday, August 21st,
from 8 AM - 3 PM @ Washington Elementary

You can tour the school!
Meet the Principal!
Talk to the Teachers!
And register for this great new program!

And don't forget to bring:

* Child's Birth Certificate
* Child's Immunization Record
* SDGE bill or some other bill to prove SD District residency

See you there!



If you'd just rather that someone email you the complete email to forward on to your lists and friends, email me (Clea) at superclea@cox.net and I'll send you one. Likewise, if you'd like to get some of the actual posters or postcards to distribute to neighbors or around your neighborhood, just email me and we can arrange a drop!

***And remember, even if you have filled out an Enrollment Form, you still need to register for school on one of these days. If you cannot make it Monday or Tuesday, please email me (superclea@cox.net) and we will help facilitate another time / date for you. ***

Meet and Greet Registration Event: August 20th and 21st

I dont' want to bury that last post, so please read the below post with lots of new information. But I do want to talk about the MEET 'and ' GREET REGISTRATION EVENT!

**Even if you have filled out a District Enrollment Form, you MUST still register your child for this school. The Enrollment Form is simply holding your spot.**

The event will take place at Washington Elementary School's campus at 1789 State Street in Little Italy, our new home!

Monday, August 20th and Tuesday, August 21st
8 AM - 3 PM both days

At this event you can:

* Fully register your child(ren)
* Meet Principal Nestor Suarez
* Talk to your old and new teachers
* Sign up for committees and such
* Get more answers to those pressing questions
* Check out the campus (although classrooms will not yet be ready)
* Bring new families to check it out

To register your child(ren) you will need to bring:

* Copy of their birth certificate(s)
* A bill with your address, like an SDGE bill (this is to prove San Diego residency)
* Immunization / Shot Record(s)

You will have to fill out a few forms. The whole process takes about a half an hour.

** If you cannot make it to these events -- and we know, they are weekdays during work times -- Washington Elementary is having their Registration on the following Saturday, August 25th. Our teachers will not be there on these days, but the District will have the forms for you to fill out. And you'll still get to see the campus and meet other Washington parents. Just remember to let them know you are enrolling in the Harborside Program as opposed to the regular Washington school.**

It's becoming a reality!

The Harborside Program at Washington Elementary is all coming together. It took all summer, but that really is a short amount of time in the big scheme of things. Harborside Program at Washington will start September 4 and be ready to serve Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten through Fifth Grade.

I'm going to just ramble on about some of the latest news...

We fully expect to have all the enrichment teachers on board, they are being contacted currently and that is being wrapped up next week: art, spanish, performing arts and PE. Our teachers have jobs, the campus is going to accommodate us with big, full size classrooms (most as big or bigger than our original rooms); there are black top and grass PE areas, a playground, a covered arbor to eat in, a hot lunch program, an auditorium, a library with a certified librarian and computer lab!

The website will be fully functioning by Monday, but you can check it out now at HarborsideProgram.com — we will continue to post news and updates on this blog since it's so easy to add the latest quickly.

The new Principal of this entire school, our program included, is Mr. Nestor Suarez. Several of us have met with him in an effort to coordinate the Enrichment Program and the Foundation and I am so thrilled to tell you that he is energetic, excited, very open and approachable and passionate about teaching the whole child. He really has so many wonderful ideas for the us and for the whole school and I think we are very lucky to have him.

The Foundation is different from the Parent Organization (HpO or PTO)— but it is a money-raising non-profit group made of parents. The Foundation will help fund some of the enrichment teachers, as well as other large-scale projects. We will want volunteers now and ultimately board members for both the PTO and the Foundation. We will have sign up sheets at the Meet and Greet Registration Events, or you can contact Karen Rolfe for the PTO side and Kerry Kawamura on the Foundation side. The Foundation does need your support and for those former-Harborside parents, let me just say that unlike your tuition at the old Harborside, any money given to the Foundation is tax-deductable! The Foundation is in the process of being set up, but certainly you can pledge your money now.

The dress code at Washington Elementary and therefore our own, is Navy and White. (Sadly they don't include red! Perhaps we can petition for next year?) We believe -- although admittedly we are honestly making this assumption from photos in the office and not from any written statement -- that Khaki and Navy pants, shorts, skirts and dresses are acceptable as well as white or navy polos, tees, shirts and sweatshirts. In all honesty, the school as a whole is not strict about this, but when we were there when school was in session last May, the kids were all following this code. This does not apply to preschool or pre-kindergarten, they can wear whatever they want, just like the old school. The PTO / Foundation will be making branded Washington and Harborside shirts to purchase in the first months of school, and those will include Preschool sizes. They're especially great for field trips!

Preschool: This is still coming together in the last few weeks, but Kristen Bernert and Suanne Pearson have been offered jobs. We know school is set to start September 4th, and the calendar will be the same as the K-5, the hours will be 9:00 AM - 3:00 and they will also have before and after care. They expect to have a summer program, as there is one already in place. There will be two classes, one for the 3 year olds (Preschool) and one for the 4 year olds (Pre-Kindergarten). Costs are being finalized next week and we should also have a special enrollment date then too. If you've put in an enrollment sheet to the District this will hold your spot, but you will still need to come down and fully register. The program will be run through the CDC (Child Development Center - the preschool arm of the District). However, it will be the Harborside Program, with its philosophies and teachers. It will feed into the Harborside Program at Washington.

We really want to pump up our enrollment, especially in the upper grades, so we can warrant bringing Lori Korovec on board. The District is prepared to offer her a job if we have enough kids in those upper classes to avoid a combo. So, if you know of any great parents of great kids who are disappointed by the options, who didn't get into the school of their choice, who are unhappy with their current school -- SEND THEM OUR WAY. Direct them to the website, to this blog, to any of the teachers or to me! We will post a PDF you can email to your friends about the program later today. Our school offers Spanish, Art, PE, a wonderful philosophy, a great facility and AMAZING teachers. For free...

Every single work day Mr. Suarez and Dr. Aleman have meetings regarding this school and program and more information is coming out daily. I'm sure I'm forgetting plenty, but we will cover it in the next couple of weeks.

The dates for the Open House!

There is so much new stuff to post and I will do so in the next 12-24 hours or so, but I want you to mark this in your calendars! The Meet 'n' Greet (aka the Open House) will take place on Monday, August 20th and Tuesday, August 21st, from 8AM - 3PM. These will also be registration events where you can officially sign up: you'll need birth certificates for your child(ren), immunization records and a bill, preferably SDGE, to prove San Diego District residency.

Like I said, tons of information is coming in regarding preschool, Principal Nestor Suarez, the Enrichment teachers, marketing plans and so far, it's all really good! But I wanted to let everyone know these dates now. If you can't make it on the weekdays, we will post additional dates to register on the weekend. More information tonight / tomorrow.

Meet 'n' Greet / Registration
August 20th and August 21st
8 am - 3 pm
Washington Elementary
1789 State Street
Little Italy, San Diego
92101

New Website!

So it's just the first stage of the website but it looks pretty and you can download enrollment forms effortlessly!

Check it out at: HarborsideProgram.com

Soon look for links to teacher bios, more information on the program, the latest on uniform policy, school calendars, 6 to 6 programs and more.

In other news: The posters are being hung in neighborhood family haunts as I type. The first run of postcards will be done tomorrow. Brochures are being finalized and Handbooks are being readied for the first day of school. The Open House dates get confirmed tomorrow so we will have those soon too. You can check the whole deal out at the Open House or even fully register if you haven't already, which includes bringing copies of birth certificate and shot records -- but don't worry we will let you know the dates and give you a list of all that you will need. You can also check out the campus then, talk to the teachers, meet the Principal and eat snacks.

We promise more information in the next few days as it comes in. Nestor Suarez has only just completed his first days on the job as the new Principal of Washington Elementary and the Harborside Program at Washington.

Last Night's Meeting

A zillion things were discussed, but possibly of most importance was the question how to inform and sign up both interested Harborside families and new families who are also looking for alternatives when it comes to school choice. We have been planning an Open House now for some time, but time and logistical constraints have continuously postponed this event. We do absolutely plan to have one, and we are looking at August 18th, although that date must be confirmed with our new Principal so that he, and the school rooms, are available! This will be a great event where parents can meet the Principal, see and talk to their teachers, explore the campus and their rooms, sign up for preschool, K-5 and the 6-6 program, ask loads of questions, get some answers, talk to other parents, including, we hope Washington's own.

We've been working on ways to steer those new parents to the Open House-- chiefly a postcard drive to wait lists of some of the like-minded public schools in nearby areas. In addition to that, we've got posters that a dozen or so parents have agreed to put up around town touting this new choice in the SDUSD. Perhaps the most exciting thing is that in just a few days (early next week) we will have a website up that can inform our families as well as new families all about the evolution of this school, our wonderful teachers, who we are and what we stand for. And of course, how to sign up! The posters will point to that website. News on that at the beginning of next week.

The teachers met the previous night and discussed and finalized the discipline policies. They are anxious to meet with Mr. Suarez and get their room assignments. And excited, too.

One more time, here is the link to the District Form to sign up for the Harborside Program at Washington Elementary. Make sure to write "Harborside" at the top and add the grade your child will be entering.

District Enrollment Forms

Fax them to Sandy Robles at 619.725.7159; or mail them to her at SDUSD: Office of School Choice, 4100 Normal Street, Annex 7-A, San Diego, CA 92103-2682. Or even hand deliver it to these same offices in the University Heights area.

School starts September 4th!

Finally, we'd like to say a hearty thank you to all the faculty who gave their support to this effort, those that are continuing with us and those who are not. To that end, we wanted to let you know where some of the other faculty have gone -- we wish them the best -- Cara Hetrick is going to High Tech Middle; Kristine Schneid to Chabad Hebrew Academy; Steve Edele to National University; John Maschino to the Jewish Academy; and Pedro Afan has taken a position in Chicago.

The Harborside Program at Washington Elementary is a go!

Yes, our Preschool and K-5 teachers have gotten their job offers!

Diana De la Pena, Antionette Crivello, Erika Witham, Cindy Moser, Kristen Bernert and Suanne Pearson have gotten calls to confirm their employment status! And there are more to come!

And shockers! Back from North Carolina is Lori Korovec, who is awaiting word on enrollment numbers. If we come through with enough, she's back to teach our kids too!

The teachers have had a long, long wait. But they're SO excited to move forward with the new evolution of this school. Evolution is the key word here. It isn't going to be the same. This is a public school. And the teachers and parents on the Action Committee have seen and felt that— we're dealing with a large bureaucratic entity, a public school district. But we're also here to tell you that everyone we've encountered at this District has been thoughtful, responsive, communicative, excited and very willing to engage in positive conversations and productive discussions over the immense possibilities.

So now for the next MEETING
Thursday, August 2, 6 PM.
The Moran's Office in the Spreckels Building
121 Broadway suite 302 San Diego,CA 92101

On the table to discuss:

* The Enrichment Teachers: Erin Pennell (visual arts), Ginny Foleta (spanish), Colleen Marble (PE) and Graham's Pacific Children's Theater (performing arts)
* The Foundation and how other public schools get the "extras"
* The upcoming OPEN HOUSE where you can meet Principal Nestor Suarez
* Enrollment: Preschool and K-5

Several of us have put together a marketing plan in an attempt to attract students and families that have similar desires for their children's education. The bottom line is we need more kids— more kids to bring Ms. Korovec on, more kids to ensure the funding of our enrichment teachers, more kids and parents to experience this with us.

There are on-going daily discussions over funding the enrichment programs and the program is constantly evolving into the school we know it can be. Both Nestor Suarez, the Principal and Dr. Aleman, the superintendent, have been forthright and available for the on-going discussions of how to do this. There has also been a lot of movement on the Foundation side, which will be the money-raising arm of the school, that can also contribute to funding our enrichment programs, much like public schools such as Grant, La Jolla Elementary, Bird Rock and Green do. We were so saddened and disappointed there simply wasn't the enrollment numbers to support the middle school this year, but we are happy to report it is this Principal and Superintendent's intention to add a 6th grade next year, for 08, and then a 7th and 8th to follow. This will ultimately be a PK-8 school and that is why we want to particularly get our enrollment numbers up in 4th and 5th grade.

Our school was no longer able to survive and it wasn't because we had fancy digs or were living the high life— unfortunately, it couldn't support the low enrollment in some grades and all of our programs that we loved so much. New strategies must be put into place. But with the core of our school being supported and funded by the District, it allows us the parents to fill in the gaps, be involved like never before, have our concerns and desires addressed, and ensure the very best education for our children—one that we and the District can support together.

Also very soon we will be posting dates and times to come register your child for this school if you choose to do so. This will happen in the next two weeks. We urge you to talk to your previous or future teacher about the possibilities— they are truly excited. We still have a few bumps along the road ahead to navigate, but it's an exciting journey!

Harborside Program: An Overview

The following was written by a coalition of parents and teachers.

Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember,
involve me and I understand.

The Harborside Difference

In traditional schools, students learn not to ask too many questions, instead to repeat rote answers. Memorizing facts and information is not the most important skill in today's world. Facts change, and information is readily available -- what's needed is an understanding of how to get and make sense of the increasing mass of information. Our students learn not only new information and knowledge, they learn how to learn, how to process information effectively and therefore how to interact, react and respond in the modern world.

Our Philosophy

• We encourage children to become lifelong learners through an emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving and we do this by incorporating an educational philosophy that includes Inquiry-Based and Constructivist theories.

• We are dedicated to providing each student with an instructional experience designed to target a full spectrum of learning styles and the various dimensions of his or her critical and creative thinking.

• We hold the academic, social, emotional, physical and creative growth of each child as equal in value and importance.

• We value the interrelationship and importance of all the disciplines: language, mathematics, science and health, social studies, visual and performing arts, and physical education.

• We believe in grounding learning activities in a real-world context and particularly in our own urban environment to further stimulate, challenge and engage students.

Our Academic Program

• We operate as a parent participation school. Each family assists with some aspect of the classroom or school throughout the year.

• We provide a learning environment where children are encouraged to observe, research and problem-solve academic and social topics that are student-relevant both independently and cooperatively.

• We utilize innovative hands-on teaching methods as well as emphasize language and reading through daily journal writing, literature circles, word study, guided reading, independent reading, and writer's workshop.

• We incorporate field trips to enrich the learning experience as well as fully utilize the resources of the community to further enhance instruction.

• We provide the children with opportunities to exercise choice within planned learning activities.

• We feature classroom environments that emphasize a collaboration and an exchange of ideas.

• We integrate subject areas around selected themes or units.

• As a public school, we are able to utilize the full resources of the San Diego Unified School District.

Our Teachers

• Our Teachers are enthusiastic and experienced in the inquiry-based methods of teaching.

• Our Teachers are dedicated to inquiry-based philosophy and continually strive to expand their professional knowledge.

• Our Teachers serve as guides, resources, facilitators and leaders to our children.

• Our Teachers are recognized for their gifts in the fields of science, math, language, art, drama and music.

• Our Teachers work with our parents to enrich the academic and emotional growth of the whole child.

Our Students

• Our Students are encouraged to challenge themselves so as to develop their personal strengths.

• Our Students participate in decisions that affect their academic well-being.

• Our Students feel respected, capable and motivated.

• Students learn to give and receive respect in their immediate and broader community.

• Our Students learn to work cooperatively.

• Our Students become astute observers, critical thinkers and able problem solvers.

• Our Students are prepared to compete in the larger local, state, national, and international arenas and to excel in our global society.

• Our Students are actively involved in their own education and thus they take responsibility and ownership of it.

Our Families

• Our Families know their children attend a school where teachers and families share similar values and expectations.

• Our Families have the opportunity to contribute to the classroom experience by sharing their skills and interests.

• Our Families feel welcome in the classroom and a part of their child's experience.

• Our Families support each other and make a difference to the community.

• Our Families help in many ways by planning events, fundraisers, and field trips.

• Our Families learn and grow with the teachers and children.

Recap from Wednesday's Meeting

Okay we got a recap from Wednesday's meeting courtesy of Marianna:

Approximately 40 persons (parents and teachers) and 10 children (with a Superstar Childcare Provider) attended the meeting.

We first talked about Enrollment... It's exciting to hear that former Harborside Families want to come back to Harborside AND New Families who heard about the program want to come as well.

If you haven't sent in an enrollment form, here's how to do it: Download the form here. ON TOP of the Enrollment Form make sure you state "HARBORSIDE ACADEMY, GRADE Level_____" and fax it to 619-725-7159. Then email me (Marianna Moran) and let me know the child's name, grade level, and parent's email address.

Second, we talked about the curriculum and teacher involvement. The Teachers have put together the curriculum, admissions and discipline policies for the grade levels. They have been working very VERY hard.

Third, the communication with the District-- The Action Committee is pushing on the District hard, as much as they can, with regards to the teachers contracts. We all understand that this is our priority.

Fourth, the pre-school update...Hon. Curiel (a parent) has been working with Ms. Pearson and the District to confirm that she's on board. There are some minor hurdles and since some were on vacation, it was hard to connect. Nevertheless, Dr. Aleman has re-assured us that the District REALLY WANTS the pre-school as it "feeds" into the rest of the school and is an integral part of Harborside.

Finally, with respect to the "Foundation", Kerry has lots of ideas for the collecting and distribution of the monies raised. Many parents are excited to be on this committee since there are invaluable resources around us.

THANK YOU to all the teachers and parents who have been patient in our quest to push this along. I apologize in advance, if I failed to mention something!

Latest Enrollment Numbers

I was unable to attend the meeting last night so I don't have an update just yet--that's still coming from another parent. But meanwhile The Morans got a headcount on enrollment from the District. There are still more rolling in every single day. Here they are as a of two days ago:

Preschool 37
Kindergarten 14
First 9
Second 7
Third 10
Fourth 4
Fifth 9
Sixth 6
Seventh 4
Eighth 4

For a grand total of 103! Now please, if your particular grade feels low, do not fret just yet. These numbers are far and above better than they thought, more are coming in every day AND there has been a detailed enrollment policy designated by the teachers. The Marketing Committee has been busy devising ways to get the word out to new families, particularly with regard to the middle school.

That's it for now, but a review of Wednesday's meeting should be here in the near future.

An interesting article on enrollment

Thanks to the person who posted this Voice of San Diego article in the Comments. It really speaks to why Dr. Aleman came to the Harborside community with this proposal, as well as how we as a group are so valuable to the District.

And don't forget, meeting tonight at 6 pm— kids are welcome, some food will be served. See below post for details.

Next Meeting: July 11

I have been asked to post that the next meeting will take place on Wednesday, July 11th, after work. Details haven't been firmed up yet, but we shall post them here soon. On the table for discussion is the Open House as well as updates from the various committees. Please send any other topics you want covered to Marianna at moranrealtyinc@hotmail.com -- Hope to see you all there!

The Letter from Dr. Aleman

Click on the picture above to see it full size if you wish.
It's my understanding it's in the mail, but you can download the PDF here as well.

The Action Committee Meeting Recap

Well I didn't take as copious notes last night as I have been and do not have the names of everyone in attendance, but know this: the room was packed. We thought we'd have 22 or 24 parents and teachers from the emails we received, but we had double that. Thank you Bill and Marianna Moran for hosting this exciting meeting. If there was any question that the parents couldn't make things happen and have themselves and their concerns and wishes and desires heard, there is none now. The mood was really positive and respectful. Thank you everyone for coming and speaking up.

We started with an update from the Teacher (Faculty) meeting that occurred earlier in the day. I've written those notes up on the previous blog post. Following that we discussed any District Updates. We do have some numbers on forms per grade level from the Office of Enrollment, but unfortunately these numbers were very incomplete and didn't include forms still at Washington or in Dr. Aleman's possession. And we got SEVEN more last night at the meeting. We hope to post complete numbers, per grade level on the blog soon.

The biggest news from the District is that the School Board has made two decisions that affect us. First, a Principal has been named to Washington Elementary. His name is Nestor Suarez and while we don't know a ton about him just yet, here is what we do know. He has moved up the ranks fairly quickly, from teacher to Vice Principal. Last year he was VP at Hamilton Elementary. His kids go to Longfellow where he is very active. Dr. Aleman had assured us that the candidate they were looking at was excited and very open to this new program of ours on campus. The second bit of School Board news is that they approved the Provisional Internship Permit which may apply to our teachers and be yet another way to hire them if they are not at the time of hiring, fully credentialed.

The letter to our parents, from Dr. Aleman, that states that this school is a go didn't go out yet but will this week. He wrote Marianna and told her it wasn't because there is doubt, but rather simply logistics. You should be receiving it soon.

After the District Update there were several questions regarding the lack of Fifth Grade teacher and the potential to continue to utilize the middle school teachers in Fifth Grade. As I may have mentioned before, this was one of Dr. Aleman's possible solutions when he was discussing how to make our middle school teachers full-time.

After this we moved on to talk about the various Committees that are needed. Parents attached themselves to a particular Committee and we broke into groups. The Committees are Enrollment, PTO, Marketing, Foundation and Preschool.

Enrollment, which is the biggest Committee right now, has the task of calling every parent that was enrolled at Harborside last year. Mostly teachers and a few parents are making those calls-- expect one soon! They are calling to see if you have concerns, suggestions, questions (that they can answer) and to see if you've turned in a District Enrollment Form. As I have stated on this blog many times, these do not oblige you to anything, nor do they boot you from any other arrangements you've made as back-up or other. They are essentially an interest head-count. If you have any interest at all, please download the form HERE.

You can fax it 619-725-7159 Attn. Sandy Robles (Harborside)
-OR-
Mail it to: SDUSD - Office of School Choice,
4100 Normal St. Annex 7-A,
SD, CA 92103-2682
Attn. Sandy Robles (Harborside)

As I said earlier, we got SEVEN new forms just from our Action Committee last night. We can add those to the 75 or so we have thus far. But we really REALLY need even more, particularly from our Middle School Community. The teachers in Middle School that we had remaining are interested in pursuing this but we need more Middle School family support.

The Marketing Committee is focusing on getting some of this excitement in print, as well as looking into other options for recruiting new students to our program. They are working towards an Open House in early August that will be held at Washington to introduce our existing families and newly interested families to the program, the campus, the Administration, the teachers and other parents.

The Preschool Committee needs more volunteers. Please contact us here or email Marianna and we will put you in contact with others. This Committees job is to shadow the department in charge of the Preschool development the way the Morans have shadowed Dr. Aleman (Ha ha ha - Oh and thank you!) Dr. Aleman has been involved in pushing the Preschool along, but you should know, it's technically not under his jurisdiction. But progress has been made, thanks to him, and we need a few Parents to really baby this part of the Program.

The PTO and Foundation Committees are our parent organizations. They will fill out more as the Enrollment Committee's job lessens. But we have a lawyer-parent working on the Foundation, which is our outlet for contributing and soliciting money for our program. We're taking a look at how other successful schools structure and utilize their financial resources.

All in all, truly productive and positive. Next week we work in our groups, continue to get updates from the District and give them to you via this blog, call our parents and enjoy the holiday. Hope you enjoy yours. Send any questions or suggestions this way (just click on the word "Comments" at the bottom of this or any post) or email Marianna, or even me (superclea@cox.net) I don't have all the answers, but I'm trying to gather what I can in one place. Happy fourth.

From The Teachers' Meeting: Curriculum

Here is the "Curriculum & Approach To Teaching" that the Faculty drew up yesterday at their meeting:

Harborside School is an independent school that offers the pre-kindergarten through eighth grades the resources of downtown San Diego, striving at all times to build a unique and high-quality educational experience. The academic program emphasizes a project-based, hands-on, interdisciplinary style of learning that provides the students with lessons that acknowledge and foster the individual strengths of self-motivation, commitment to learning, social awareness, problem solving and critical thinking of each student while also supplying individual support for increased competency across the learning spectrum. We are committed to building a community of confident, independent learners in a cooperative environment and to developing among our students the virtues of thoughtful and constructive citizenship. We strive to provide academic excellence and become the school of choice within our urban community.

Teachers' lessons are geared toward fostering student initiative, rather than the standardized, one-size-fits-all approach geared toward lecture, rote worksheets, and textbook-oriented chapter tests.

Inquiry-based learning fosters, rather than inhibits, the natural curiosity of adolescents at an age where they are becoming increasingly aware of the larger world around them. The development of critical thinking skills as they are applied in the classroom is more than just an academic exercise-- it is essential for healthy civic engagement with society that these students will inherit as adults.

The constructivist model relies on research indicating that the deepest understanding of knowledge is created through exploration, reasoning, and discussion. If you reflect for a moment on how you, as an adult learn a new concept or skill, you are most likely to find that interaction, questioning, and practice each play a part.

Our program emphasizes extending the classroom into the urban community using the many resources the city of San Diego has to offer. We also emphasize participation and community service by both our parents and our students. The academic program progresses from the acquisition of strong foundational skills through the development of critical analysis using exploration and project based learning both inside the classroom and in the greater community. The program is designed to reach beyond the standards outlined by the state.

Teacher Meeting Recap: Admissions

So much to say, my fingers can't type that fast! I'm going to start with the Teacher Meeting Recap, but let me just say both meetings we're very exciting.

The agenda for the Teachers' Meeting was to establish an admissions policy that works within the framework of our new situation, as well as delineate the curriculum objectives in an easy to digest single page document that we can use to promote this school and further define it.

If you're child was already in Harborside, they are automatically admitted (if you choose) in this program. For all others, here is the Admission Process per the Teachers' Committee. This is what they are putting forth to the District:

* Parents must agree in advance to volunteer at the school 30 hours per school year.
* Students must agree to volunteer in the community throughout the school year.
* Parents and Students must take a tour of the school and be interviewed by an admission committee before filling out the admissions application.
* Students must have a letter of recommendation from a previous teacher in a format (created by staff and administration) including the following domains— Social / Emotional; Academic; Behavioral.
* In sticking to our original mission, students must score an average to above-average grade on the assessment instrument. There will be another meeting today that determines what this test will be.
* Preschool students must be potty trained prior to admission.
* Preschool students must come in for a behavioral assessment prior to admission, as before.
* Class size is maximum 18. Preschool ration is 10:1.

The question they would like to pose to the District is this: If students are admitted into the program and fail to meet our criteria, are we able to remove the student from the program? We hope to have an answer for you soon.

In the meeting that will happen today they will also determine a Discipline Policy.

In attendance at yesterday's meeting were Antionette Crivello, Erin Pennell, Diana De La Pena, Russell Jufiar, Erika Witham, Colleen Marble, Cara Hetrick, Steve Edele and our parent representatives, the Christy and Terry Rockwell.

Two Meetings on Wednesday, the 27th

Just a head's up-- the Faculty are meeting tomorrow as well, at 1 PM to discuss Enrollment / Admissions and Curriculum matters.

The Action Committee will meet at 6 PM. Again, everyone is welcome, just email Marianna. There will be a movie on for the kids and some light food. Details below in the previous post.

If you cannot attend but have issues you'd like addressed, please send them on over, to Marianna (moranrealtyinc@hotmail.com) or post them on this site in the comments and we can add them to the work-in-progress-Agenda. Thanks!

Next Meeting

Action Committee Meeting on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

121 Broadway #302, Historic Spreckels Theatre Building on the third floor.

Please park in yellow or metered parking (which are both free after 6!) Or you can even park at Horton Plaza. (Which is free with validation.)

We will be serving light dinner and drinks.

Please bring the kids if you need to-- they can watch a movie (there's enough space).

FYI - this is simply parents and teachers meeting so anyone who is interested is oh-so welcome.

Also, please send your ideas for the agenda directly to Marianna Moran (moranrealtyinc@hotmail.com)

Hope to see you there.

Teachers' Meeting: The Report

I should start by saying I had to leave a touch early so there will be more information coming from the latter part of the meeting from another parent. This meeting was held at the Washington Elementary Library. Dr. Aleman led the discussion. In attendance were about seven parents and the following teachers: From Preschool — Ms. Pearson and Ms. Laurie; from elementary —Ms. Colleen, Ms. Moser, Sra. Foletta, Mr. Graham, Mr. Jufiar, Antoinette Crivello (who was hired from Preschool to be the new 2nd grade teacher before "Black Friday"), Ms. Witham; and from Middle School Ms. Moses and Ms. Schneid. Ms. Hetrick was represented by one of the other teachers (she's out of town) as was Preschool Asst. Teachers Carey Johnston and Kristen Bernard. Ms. De La Pena was out of town, but has met with the District. In fact all of these teachers have either met with the District's HR Dept. or are scheduling to do so very soon. In addition to these Teachers and the parents, Mr. Edele was also in attendance.

As a side note, it was lovely to see Dr. Aleman respond to Ms. Pearson's question with a "I've heard so much about you, in fact I've never heard so many wonderful things said about any Preschool Teacher - You're very popular." That made the room smile.

He said they have 75 or so District papers signed and turned in thus far and a few more trickle in every day. There has also been some interest from parents who have heard of the program (probably from our own parents.) In total, he feels confident there could be 100 in the end and he said they would have been happy with 30. So to quote him, "We have the numbers to support this."

Here are the big important general things you should know:

* Dr. Aleman is sending out a letter to all the parents on Monday regarding the green light on the move.

* Dr. Aleman said next week he will be able to tell the teachers, each one specifically, where they are in the process and if the District can offer them the contract. They will not receive the contract then, but they will be assured at that point that one will be there for them for Fall.

Now on to the details and specifics that we got.

As you may or may not know, Washington does not currently have a permanent Principal. Dr. Aleman said they were hiring someone by end of June (early July at the latest.) It is believed this person will come from inside this District but no more information on that topic has been given.

Dr. Aleman has asked for information on materials and instructional aids that would be needed for our program so that they may figure out what they need to order. Mr. Edele said he would take care of providing Dr. Aleman with that list.

On the Middle School front he said, "I don't know yet the numbers for 6th, 7th, and 8th. Not yet." He said he was looking for 15 per class in Middle School, but we know we didn't have that at Harborside (Ms. Moses or Ms. Schneid pointed that out.) He said that there are a few possibilities-- he said there could be mixed age groupings (where they do some combine classes) or there could be recruitment from outside Harborside. District philosophy is to add a grade a year, starting with 6th, but that is not how it has to be done. Figuring out Middle School enrollment is a priority. He encouraged everyone to tell Middle School parents to sign the forms if they are interested. It doesn't mean you're committed, it means that you are interested. This way they can see how many MS students they potentially have. And this makes a difference in the hiring of those MS teachers. Yes folks, it's a bit of a Catch 22. But the forms do not commit you or boot you from any "back-up" options, so please fill them out if you think you would sign up if all goes forward to your liking.

Dr. Aleman had many answers for those teachers who are shy some of the requirements for credentialing. He said they could hire the teachers as "Permanent Substitutes" to "place hold" their position at Harborside. They can therefore teach while they finish credentialing. And for the middle school teachers, he said there were ways to making them "full time" even if there were not enough classes-- by adding tutoring, making them multi-level resource teachers that teach in the "upper" lower grades. He didn't make any guarantees, I want to make that clear. But he did say they were looking to find solutions and make sure they got all the teachers aboard who wanted to come, one way or another. They would be "creative." One thing he did guarantee was that our teachers had first priority to be hired over other teachers for this Harborside program, no matter what our teachers' or the other teachers' credentials.

Admission came up. Harborside students are automatically in if they want to be. As for filling the rest of the seats, this is still a bit gray, although this is another priority. Dr. Aleman explained that bi-literacy programs and dual language programs in the District have admissions policies. Basically it goes like this: parents have to show interest, the school explains the programs to the parents, parents can choose it and then they wait on a list that is chosen by lottery. In G.A.T.E. and Seminar programs students are chosen by Raven test scores. He said he is absolutely open to hearing whatever our admission policy was or what we wanted it to be. The teachers are going to be discussing this with Mr. Edele. It was brought up that our school has used the ERB test as well as teacher assessments but ultimately let's most kids in.

Dr. Aleman clarified again that this is not a Magnet or a Charter School. This is a program offered on the campus of Washington. Magnets are tied to specific public funding and this particular program isn't getting specific funds earmarked from the State so it isn't a Magnet. But he did note that about 75% of the current student body doesn't live in the area (like a Magnet.) They choose this school, often because their parents work in the area. And there currently is a G.AT.E. Program at this school.

A parent did ask about the fear that there may be an unwanted separate "elitist" feel to our program, what with a formerly private school coming on the campus of a public downtown school. Dr. Aleman's response was that there are other programs that operate on schools across the District like the G.A.T.E. and Seminar programs, the Dual-Language Programs and the International Baccalaureate Programs. These programs don't include all the students on campus, just some and he says it works just fine. He felt that ultimately it depends on the parents and then he praised the Harborside parents and the Washington parents he's met with as being very accessible and friendly. Marianna Moran has been in contact with the Washington PTO president and would like very much to get together with her and their organization over summer and really "make friends" from the get-go.

The District's media person will be getting in touch with this Parent-Teacher Group (yes, the Action Committee) to get the word out. The more it's written about, the more real it becomes.

Lastly, we need more parents to be involved. We're going to meet next week and we encourage anyone who wants to be a part of this parent - teacher group to join us. We especially NEED to hear from Middle School parents, but again, we really want to hear from anyone who wants to participate. It's tentatively scheduled for Monday after-work but more specifics will come soon. If you want to be included please email Marianna Moran at moranrealtyinc@hotmail.com

Hope this helps, more to come, I'm sure. -- Clea
(And I apologize for my typos.)

Teacher Meeting: At WE Library

Here's the deal on the Teacher Meeting tomorrow. We were told Dr. Aleman wouldn't mind if parents came and he could talk to them as well. So most of us are going. We want to hear what Dr. Aleman says. Like we said, we'll post what we hear right here in the afternoon. But if you're coming down, it's going to start at 11 AM at Washington Elementary in the Library. It's a good time to check out the school too, if you haven't seen it.

Thursday Meeting Confirmed

Dr. Delfino Aleman, the District 5 Area Superintendent who has been working hard to make this Harborside Program happen, is meeting with our teachers this Thursday, June 21st at 11 AM at Washington Elementary. Parents are welcome to attend. We'll report any news here Thursday afternoon. Hope to see you there.

FAQ, Part 1

So many questions, so little time. We're going to try and answer the questions that are floating around to the best of our abilities. Please send us your questions. We'll revisit this Q&A format often.

How many kids per class?

Dr. Aleman has stated the max will be the same max as we had at Harborisde. He said "15" and stated that was totally reasonable.

Will we keep our uniform policy?

Yes, or something quite similar we would think. The students of Washington already wear "Uniform Dress Code" -- that means they wear Navy or White shirts and dark or khaki pants. The differences are that they don't include red and the children are allowed to wear jeans, provided they are clean, unadorned and not ripped. Shirts are preferably collared but plain unadorned t-shirts (or school logo shirts) in Navy or White are accepted. Solid dresses and skirts in Navy or Khaki, just like we do, is the norm. We've even talked about selling an inexpensive logo'd polo before school starts, something that was in the works at the old Harborside. We can certainly do this school-wide.

When will the program be "defined"?

We're awaiting the first document that provides much in the way of BIG definitions such as class size, utilization of Harborside teachers, curriculum assurances, interaction between Washington and Harborside students, and admin structure. We hope to have this THIS WEEK. Further definition will come with each passing week over the first half of summer.

What about private monies?

At public schools, you can set up a Foundation for donations from parents and private enterprise. Our Program or Academy can have its own Foundation, as does Los Penasquitos Academy. We've already gotten some great legal advice on Foundation building. We want this to be open to the public to see, no secrets, no hiding. We think some of this money should be used to fortify our own program-- for instance paying for our teachers credentialing or bringing on Graham's program. But some of the money we thought could be used for the school at large. One of the great benefits of operating this school in a public setting is that we can affect change in our community.

Okay that's enough for now. More Q&A / FAQs later. Send us your questions by clicking on the comments button below. Thanks.

Did You Fill Out An Enrollment Form?

If you want to show support and get in on this program at this stage, you can fill out a San Diego Unified School District K-12 Enrollment Form. Basically, the District is seeing every form turned in as potential new cash into the district (because the school district gets State money for every child enrolled in public school.) It excites them. It makes them happy. It doesn't mean you're signed up in any contractual way. It means you're interested in this proposed program.

Download the form now.

Once you print it and fill it out, mail it to Washington Elementary:

Washington Elementary - Harborside Enrollment
1789 State Street
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 525-7475

The Teachers

Obviously the successes we've had at Harborside have had A LOT to do with our teachers. Everyone wants to know which teachers are on board. Several of our teachers have taken other positions. And we support them 110%. Meanwhile many of our teachers have been engaging in talks with the Human Resource Department of SD Unified, who would be their employer if (no, when!) this deal goes through. All of our elementary and middle school teachers who engaged in these talks are very close to qualifying and the District has said it is willing to work with them on these matters and push them through on a contingency plan that would allow them to finish their credentials in the future yet still start working in the Fall.

Dr. Aleman has packaged all their apps and is sending them to the State on Monday, the 19th and they are to be expedited. But the State needs to do the requisite background checks on our teachers and that is a good thing and we all know it will turn out well. That is one of the things that takes a bit of time though. Meanwhile, Dr. Aleman has agreed to meet with the teachers to have a Q&A-- we have tentatively scheduled this for Thursday, the 22nd and are currently contacting the teachers to see if this works. We look forward to this meeting because we know how much our teachers matter to us and to you. If they're in, many of us are in too. But of course many of them would have to turn down job offers right now to be free for a future potential job offer and that is scary. So we will see what happens with this meeting and if Dr. Aleman can convince them it is going to happen. Meanwhile, we've asked Dr. Aleman to craft a formal statement saying this proposal has been approved and is moving forward. We'll let you know as soon as we have anything in writing.

We hesitate to mention teachers by name that have spoken with the District because we really don't want to step on anyone's toes and gosh, things change by the minute around here. We can tell you we spoke with Mr. Jufiar (First Grade) yesterday and he couldn't be more thrilled about this plan. Almost all of the other elementary school teachers and lower division resource teachers (Spanish, Art, PE) have been engaged in talks with the District. In Preschool we know that Ms. Alma and Ms. Donna have passed. When we find out any information on where they are going we will post if here for you. Additionally, Ms. Encoe (Fourth Grade) has moved on and taken a position at Warren Walker in Point Loma. We adore them all and respect them and their decisions so much. The remaining preschool teachers are also engaged with the District and we hope to have news on all of them soon.

The Proposal

Here is a copy of the Proposal that Dr. Aleman (the Area 5 Superintendent) approved:

The Harborside Program at Washington Elementary

* This is what the San Diego Area Superintendent has proposed: picking up our school (our teachers, our students, our programs, our academics, our culture) and dropping it down on the campus of Washington Elementary as a unique program that co-exists with the original Washington, but that operates separately, sharing the one large campus.

* Enrollment in this program will not be automatic for the neighborhood children. Our children would take the first spots. After that, enrollment is open to San Diego students as a “choice,” but there will be some sort of admissions process that assures that the participants in the program fully understand the culture, the educational philosophies and are suited for this type of learning situation.

* The campus of Washington Elementary is located in Little Italy, ten blocks from our current campus. It is big and clean and bright. The classrooms are all quite large; there is a library, there are computers for every child, there are several playgrounds, there is a large black top PE area AND a large field. There is an assembly hall / theater, there is a hot lunch program. The students that attend Washington Elementary adhere to a uniform dress code (not that different from our own) they appear engaged and well-behaved. The teachers and staff of Washington were exceedingly welcoming.

* The District is completely confident that we can breakthrough the red tape and make this happen NOW. That means that we can have these preliminary decisions made next week and that the school will be up and running as The Harborside Program this Fall (07) for our kids to resume school as normal in September.

* The School District understands that much of the biggest successes have been the charters and magnets, many of which operate outside of the parameters of "traditional" public school formats and directives. They new thinkers of the district, including both our Area Superintendent and the head Superintendent, see a future for San Diego schools that includes many different options and styles of schools. We have an opportunity to be one of those options— retaining the teaching methods and academics that we already thrive in — while picking up resources from the district. It is a new concept but has many things in common with magnet programs and even some of the charters. And here we have the opportunity to be at the genesis of such a unique school.

BUT if for some reason it doesn't work, the office of enrollment options has ceded that they will move us to top of our list of choice schools in the district of San Diego.

* And of course as a public school, it's free. And yet, because the district will be paying our teachers, they will now receive more money and better benefits. And while many of our teachers are not fully credentialed or are missing certain tests to teach in the public system, the District is willing to work with those teachers and give them temporary status while they complete the necessary tests / classes.

* Any moneys that we as parents wish to donate and / or raise will go into a Foundation that we as a school can spend for even more resources and programs. (Some of which we could use to help get our teachers fully credentialed.) Remember this— it will be much easier to get community involvement and raise funds as a public school than it was a private institution. In fact, the CCDC (Center City Development Corp.) has already earmarked money for Washington Elementary, money which we would benefit from as a program on that campus.

* The Superintendent has said that he intends on keeping the program as-is, which means that class sizes will be capped at whatever we as a school deem appropriate (Dr. Aleman casually mentioned 15) and that our resource teachers, such as our fantastic Art and Spanish instructors, would also be brought over, if they so choose.

* Currently the school operates as a K-5 however they want to bring over our whole structure, K-8, provided we have the teacher and student support. In addition they believe they can also bring over the preschool — the facilities are already there for a preschool of our size — which would continue to serve as a feeder into the K-8 program.

* You can tour Washington Elementary at any time, although there will be some specific times set up for Harborside parents in the next week.

* The next step is for the District to secure the teachers, which they are currently working towards. From there it is up to us, the parents, to come aboard. If the District feels they have enough numbers — and of course they are realistic know these will not be full classes — then they will make it official and over the summer, the school will essentially be moved over to the new campus.