Ross Valley School District Overview
The Ross Valley School District is an elementary/middle school district serving the central Marin communities of San Anselmo and Fairfax. The district includes four schools: Brookside Elementary School, Manor Elementary School and Wade Thomas School for kindergarten through 5th grades and White Hill Middle School for grades 6th, 7th and 8th. District enrollment is 1,880 students. Most Ross Valley graduates attend Sir Francis Drake High School in the Tamalpais Union High School District. The Ross Valley School District Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Strategic Plan
The Ross Valley School District completed a two year strategic planning process in the spring of 2007 with the board adopting the District Strategic Plan. The purpose of the plan is to create a vision, guiding beliefs and mission to guide the District in the years ahead. The Strategic Plan Task Force, composed of more than 60 people included teachers, administrators, staff; board members, students, parent and community members. The Strategic Plan addresses the critical topics of engaged student learning and standards; governance and communications; technology in support of excellence in education; and social / emotional development of our students. Major goals and strategies of the Strategic Plan provide guidance and direction for action plans developed each year. Highest priority strategies for initial implementation were identified by the Strategic Plan Task Force. This plan strongly guides the District’s annual planning, priority-setting and allocation of critical resources – human, physical, facilities and goodwill.
Support Services
The Ross Valley School District provides a full continuum of special education programs and services. Each site has resource specialist services, occupational therapy services, speech/language services and other services as identified by the Individual Education Planning (IEP) teams. The district has information literacy/library specialist services, counseling services and school nurse services, and Multi Age Program (MAP). The district also offers an alternative education program, Title I, a program for gifted and talented (GATE) students and services for homeless, foster youth, and students with 504 plans.
Student Achievement
Standards-based progress reports, report cards and parent conferences are used to report student progress in grades K-5. Letter grade progress reports, report cards and parent conferences are used to report student progress in grades 6-8. The STAR (Standard Testing and Reporting) assesses student knowledge of grade level content as well as state content standards. Students in grades 4 and 7 participate in a STAR writing test and students in grades 2-11 participate in a STAR multiple choice test. STAR results are available at the district office or online at the California Department of Education's website: http://star.cde.ca.gov. The Physical Fitness Assessment, completed by students in the spring of their 5th, 7thand 9thgrade years provide information that can be used by students to assess and plan personal fitness programs, by teachers to design the curriculum of physical education programs, and by parents/guardians to understand their children’s fitness levels. Ross Valley also offers other local measures of achievement.
Community Involvement
Parent participation is encouraged through Parent Clubs, PTAs, School Site Councils, many district committees, volunteer work at the schools and ongoing dialogue. Parents, community members and local businesses support the schools through a parcel assessment, bond measures and contributions to the YES Foundation. The YES Foundation provides supplemental funding for district programs, such as art, music and technology, as well as after school enrichment classes and musical theater.
Bryce Sumnick, Superintendent
Ross Valley School District
110 Shaw Drive, San Anselmo, CA 94960
Tel: 415.454.2162 Fax: 415.454.6840
BROOKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
LOWER CAMPUS (Grades: Kindergarten – 2)
# Students: 324 students School Hours: Kindergarten: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm Grades 1 and 2 Slip Session: M/T/Th/F: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm (or) M/T/Th/F: 9:30 am - 3:05 pm W: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm
Library Hours: 8:30 am - 3:00 pm
UPPER CAMPUS (Grades: 2 – 5)
# Students: 286 students School Hours: M/T/Th/F: 8:20 am - 2:50 pm W: 8:20 am - 1:45 pm
Library Hours: 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
Brookside School, a California Distinguished School, is housed on two separate sites in suburban San Anselmo.
Facilities at both sites include modernized/new classrooms, dedicated music and art rooms, school gardens, multi-use rooms and playing fields. Both campuses provide after school child care programs.
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Brookside prides itself on providing students with a balanced education that focuses on the academic, social and emotional growth of its students. The school’s goal is to provide students with creative and innovative learning opportunities that promote critical thinking.
Community service is emphasized through ecology projects and a wide array of philanthropic events that take place throughout the school year.
Brookside has an exceptional Parent Club organization that supports the school and its staff in many ways. Parents are seen as vital partners in educating the children and are welcome to participate in classrooms.
David Finnane, Principal Lower Campus Brookside Elementary School 116 Butterfield Road San Anselmo, CA 94960 Tel: 415.453.2948
Tracy Smith, Principal Upper Campus Brookside Elementary School 46 Green Valley Court San Anselmo, CA 94960 Tel: 415.454.7409 |
MANOR SCHOOL (Grades: Kindergarten – 5)
# Students: 361 students School Hours: Kindergarten: M/T/W/Th/F: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm M/T/W/Th/F (MAP): 8:30 am - 1:00 pm Grades 1 - 2: M/T/Th/F: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm or 9:30 am - 3:05 pm M/T/Th/F (MAP): 8:30 am - 3:05 pm W: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm Grades 3 - 5: M/T/Th/F: 8:30 am - 3:05 pm W: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm
Library Hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Manor School is situated in the Oak Manor neighborhood of Fairfax. Student learning is extended through our library, art room, computer lab, music room, multi-purpose room, as well as two playgrounds, a nature trail and a school garden.
Manor offers two exceptional programs: the K-5 and Multi-Age Program (MAP). These programs are designed to serve the diversity of the community. Each has their own uniqueness in providing an instructional program specific to their students while also sharing the culture of Manor School. Manor has been recognized nationally for its educational programs that focus on the environment and efficient ways to save energy.
Catalina Nocon, Principal Manor School 150 Oak Manor Drive Fairfax, CA 94930 Tel: 415.453.1544 |
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WADE THOMAS SCHOOL (Grades: Kindergarten – 5)
# Students: 322 students School Hours: Kindergarten: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm Grades 1 - 2: M/T/Th/F: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm or 9:30 am - 3:05 pm W: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm Grades 3 - 5: M/T/Th/F: 8:30 am - 3:05 pm W: 8:30 am - 1:55 pm
Library Hours: 8:30 am - 3:00 pm
Wade Thomas, twice selected as a California Distinguished School, is located in one of San Anselmo's oldest residential neighborhoods and is built on the site of the very first school in San Anselmo. The school facility includes a computer lab, music room and art room plus a multi-use room and playgrounds, which are used extensively by the community during non-school hours.
The core curriculum is based on state standards and includes hands-on projects and activities to engage students in their own learning. The district-adopted curricula in reading and math provide continuity for student learning K-5. Wade Thomas has a school-wide program to promote strong values, a sense of respect, responsibility and cooperation. Our district YES Foundation provides enrichment programs in music, art, technology and poetry. Students and parents are actively involved in community activities, ecology and site improvements. Student Council sponsors several projects as part of an all-school community outreach. The Parent Association and community members volunteer many hours in the classrooms and on school improvement projects.
Chad Carvey, Principal Wade Thomas School 150 Ross Avenue San Anselmo, CA 94960 Tel: 415.454.4603 |
WHITE HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL (Grades: 6 – 8)
# Students: 587 students School Hours: 8:00 am - 8:45 am (Pre-period) 8:50 am - 3:15 pm
Library Hours: 8:00am - 4:00 pm Office Hours: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
White Hill Middle School, located on a 22-acre site at the base of White's Hill in Fairfax, is the middle school for three elementary feeder schools in the Ross Valley School District. In June 2001, White Hill Middle School received recognition as a California Distinguished School.
The core academic program is challenging, offering a breadth of opportunity in elective classes and an enrichment wheel and is supplemented by an active student activities program. In addition, credentialed instructors teach music, fine arts, foreign language and physical education courses. Thirty-three teachers, two administrators and fourteen support staff, supported by an active and generous community, implement the rigorous educational program at White Hill Middle School. A full-time counselor provides extensive group and individual service.
White Hill uses a block schedule to encourage in-depth project-based learning. During the 2006-2007 school year, the While Hill Work Group sub-committee completed the Ross Valley Strategic Plan relating to deepening curriculum, improving instruction, increasing personalization, and better meeting the needs of under performing students.
Michele M. Patterson, Principal Nancy Wasserman, Asst. Principal White Hill School 101 Glen Drive Fairfax, CA 94930 Tel: 415.454.8390 |
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