Join us at this years SFUSD Virtual Enrollment Fair for Middle and High Schools, October 24-27, 2022! ft. home is a 2 bed, 1.0 bath property. A Clipper Card is not required for buses and trains, however it is needed to receive a free fare on cable cars. As a result of these high-stress conditions, thousands of schools have predictable problems: low attendance, high violence, and low performance. When the bells sound twice a day at Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco, students who used to be too rowdy to even sit still close their eyes and spend 15 minutes clearing their minds. Here are two pitfalls to avoid. If I can be vulnerable and honest, white educators can and must do the same. For instance, we might see folks making eye contact, leaning into conversations about racial identity, and asking probing questions. We are the operators of some piece of the education machine, and therefore, if we change our actions, we can change the larger system. Out of view, city dignitaries and his students waited inside Visitacion Valley Middle School to surprise him with the news: He was the National Middle School Principal of the Year. We have seen attempts at creating buy-in fail for initiatives like ethnic studies, mastery-based grading, or project-based learning. Grades: 9-12. . 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. expanded to serve middle school children and grow with the kids it was already serving. This might include wanting to win an argument, not making space for others to talk, and rushing through meetings. I can be really hyperactive, he said. The second pitfall I will offer is avoiding the tendency to externalize the work of dismantling White Supremacy Culture. Can You Safely Lose Weight While Breast-Feeding? White Supremacy Culture is the silent killer flowing throughout classrooms and school hallways, like carbon monoxide gas. - Managed relationships and contracts with principals and key staff at our 3 middle schools. Together, educators are doing the reimagining and reinvention work necessary to make true educational equity possible. Education in collaboration with the San Francisco Unified School District research department, had more good news. Some conversations fell flat, and others were superficial. Consequently, all other cognitive functions such as learning, problem solving, or creative thinking stop, (Hammond, 2015) activating our fight, flight, or freeze response. Ft. 45 Arleta Ave, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. We must name, define, and plan for white fragility, the defensive response by whites when discussing racism. 322 Bayview Cir, San Francisco, CA, 94124 is a 1,317 sq. provides quality after-school programming to children in the area. students who meditated showed a significant decrease in anxiety and a significant increase in resilience compared to nonmeditating students. At VVMS, we were able to get past defensiveness and excuses and get to the heart of the matter. I like to think of myself as a recovering perpetrator of WSC. They are owned by a bank or a lender who took ownership through foreclosure proceedings. But he admits that it takes a big time commitment in resources and attention commitment to do this. Once the students got over that, they were open to trying to meditate. One other middle school and two high schools in the Bay Area adopted the program. 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. The Standing Up for Racial Justice coalition defines White Supremacy Culture as "the idea (ideology) that white people and the ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and actions of white people are superior to those of People of Color." However, when we name oppression, racism, and more explicitly White Supremacy Culture, folks have to determine where they stand, what they value, and why they work in education. Two controlled studies have been published so far; others are in submission Quantum Physicist (16:40), By Mario Orsatti on 02/15/2012 Blog Home. Now that the shock of reading these words has worn off, lets explore what it is and why we need to dedicate more time to exploring its dehumanizing effect in our schools. This leads to resistance or failure to follow through, maintaining a status quo of disproportionate outcomes for students based on race. At Visitacion Valley Middle School (VVMS), in the San Francisco Unified school district, our brave staff spent a majority of the 2018-19 school year unpacking White Supremacy Culture (WSC). You can listen to Mr. Dierke speak at a conference in Los Angeles in December 2011 about his school districts research on the effect the Quiet Time/TM program has had on his students and teachers since it became part of their school five years ago. During the 2017-18 school year, I s erved as an assistant principal in Ryan Gloyer Middle School (Seneca Valley Middle School at the time) before being named principal of the building for the 2018-19 school year. For instance, we might see folks making eye contact, leaning into conversations about racial identity, and asking probing questions. It is invisible and it is toxic. I saw this personally at VVMS, as situations got awkward, uncomfortable, and uncertain. For example, we looked at how our implicit bias when responding to student behavior leads to racially disproportionate discipline incidents and we organically identified restorative practices as a focus for the following year. In 2007, James Dierke, then the principal of the Visitacion Valley Middle School in a troubled neighborhood in San Francisco, was determined to improve both the quality of education and. David Lynch Foundation (20:44), John Hagelin, PhD Property has a great layout with large kitchen, formal dining room, living room and decent size bedrooms. 3. For example, pushing students to work independently or write before processing verbally can lead to stress and isolation. We might get verbal disagreements, but the kids are able to talk through it and move on instead of punching each other, says ODriscoll, adding that the last fist fight at the school was three years ago. When the staff at Visitacion Valley Middle School explored White Supremacy Culture, it gave them a new framework to define their North Star: being an anti-racist school. An all-party parliamentary group has also recommended the Department for Education designate three schools to pioneer mindfulness teaching, and set up a 1m fund to allow more schools to benefit from support in the practice. Welcome to our new incoming 6th grade students! Mortgage insurance $0. The Visitacion Valley Middle school vision is that our students will strength their passion for learning, develop the skills to become empowered community members, and gain the knowledge to be ready for high school with a clear path to college, career, and future success. The school has something to offer everyone, from new programs of study and a variety of clubs to join. When Dierke took the helm of Visitacion Valley in 1999, it was the lowest-performing of San Francisco's 18 public middle schools on the state's Academic Performance Index; now the school ranks 10th. In my dream, I imagine that Culturally Responsive Teaching, restorative practices, and deeper learning are all alive in classrooms across the United States. During those times, students could either practice Transcendental With respect to race, the foundational issue is White Supremacy Culture, and we must attack the problem head on. On a personal note, I was born and raised in the midwest, but I have called San Francisco home for the last 13 years. For over 10 years, Visitacion Valley Middle School has been utilizing Transcendental Meditation to help students address stress and improve focus. increased attendance and increased academic performance. 1. Student-centered learning advances equity when it values social and emotional growth alongside academic achievement, takes a cultural lens on strengths and competencies, and equips students with the power and skills to address injustice in their schools and communities. Students. I also enjoy cooking (and eating) good food with family and friends. This pushed some folks to identify who they could be safe with, be it for comfort or growth. The teacher has also seen dramatic transformations in his students. Likewise, test scores have increased in recent years but still remain low compared to other SFUSD middle schools. Report an absence. The letter is also available inChinese/andEspaol. Its also important to start small. A major factor preventing underserved children from learning is the stress they encounter on a daily basis from factors like poverty, deprivation, lack of steady parental input, physical danger and constant Physical Education teacher Barry ODriscoll agreed that Quiet Time has helped improve the staffs quality of life. It really is quiet time.. Our school commits to delivering high quality educational program that addresses individual needs. [2] Under the management of the San Francisco Board of Education, the district serves more than 55,500 students in more than 160 institutions. Ultimately, we are here to help students empower themselves through education. for the lowest performing demographic was double that for the overall student group. Since beginning Quiet Time, Dierke said things have improved: Daily attendance last year was more than 98 percent, and there have been fewer suspensions and higher test scores. Racial-equity leaders must be both intentional and responsive when doing this anti-racist work. We needed to go deeper than our previous conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion. This is true for our staff as well, contributing to racial fatigue and staff sustainability for IBPOC. A $60K Starting Salary for Teachers? The school is working on improving parent involvement through our Parent Liaison. These are also known as bank-owned or real estate owned (REO). This took the form of discussions, watching short video clips, annotating readings, and doing some deep personal introspection. I like to think of myself as a recovering perpetrator of WSC. 379 Winding, San Francisco, CA 94112 is a 4 bed, 3 bath, 1,597 sqft house now for sale at $1,280,000. (Dan Schreiber/The Examiner) In 2004, two students discovered the partially decomposed body of a 19-year-old stabbing victim. One teacher, Mary Chirichella added, Some teachers had the courage to approach others to have tough conversations about microaggressions. In the first year of Quiet Time meditation, suspensions at Visitacion Valley were reduced by 45%. Most definitely recommend this school to parents in the neighborhood with kids in Kinder-5th grade. In addition, we might see curricula that affirms and engages students of color. This took the form of discussions, watching short video clips, annotating readings, and doing some deep personal introspection. The results of 17 studies conducted to date in the Bay Area, varying in duration from three months to one year, showed benefits across parameters including reduced stress, increased emotional intelligence, reduced suspensions, It serves 358 studentsin 6 - 8 with a student/teacher ratio of 14.3:1.Its teachers have had 79 projects funded on DonorsChoose. 7 /10. I saw this personally at VVMS, as situations got awkward, uncomfortable, and uncertain. As for getting the children to start meditating, ODriscoll says the biggest hurdle was getting them to feel comfortable with their eyes closed. 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. Real Options for City Kids (R.O.C.K.) This listing's school district is San Francisco Unified School District. As a result, staff were curious to take action to be anti-racist and promote a learning community that did the same. This is such a pattern in urban schools that researchers consider it a predictable outcome. $365. We can have equity missions plastered on walls and front that we are about closing the opportunity gap, but we dont go deeper than diversity trainings. 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. Jill Tucker has covered education in California for 22 years, writing stories that range from issues facing Bay Area school districts to broader national policy debates. Connection is first and foremost because this work is all about relationships - connecting with stakeholders, earning trust, and sharing in the decision making. We are committed to Love, Literacy, and Liberation. Visitacion Valley Middle School Unclaimed 1971 Visitacion Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94134 Contact info Website 3 /10 GreatSchools Rating 5 reviews Public school 375 Students Grades 6-8 Updates Compare 3 /10 GreatSchools Summary Rating 2/10 Test Scores below average 4/10 Academic Progress below average 1/10 Equity below average As a leader, it is easy to hoard power, claim objectivity in decision making, or believe that there is only one way to fix education. 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. . were the happiest in the whole of San Francisco, to more schools in the city introducing the programme, Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education, recommended the Department for Education designate three schools to pioneer mindfulness teaching, international lessons in education series. He blogs at culturallyresponsiveleadership.com and is a racial equity leadership coach. I was very reluctant when it first started, he said. By Joe Truss, the principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco and a leadership coach. Over the next three years, Visitacion Valleys suspensions dropped by 79 percent, attendance rose to 98 percent, In addition, Dierke said regular Quiet Time has also helped teachers relax. 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. Further, staff moved to thinking about how our school practices perpetuate WSC and send negative messages to our students. Visitacion Valley Middle School provides quality education that prepares students for a fulfilling life in a global society. They are not guaranteed to be accurate, up to date . Besides dealing with problems outside school, Visitacion Valley faces challenges in school, too. Imagine that. For students of color, characteristics of White Supremacy Culture similar to microaggressions hijack the amygdala. White Supremacy Culture. Please refer to legal details concerning copyright and trademark protection. They couldnt concentrate on school.. One teacher, Mary Chirichella added, "Some teachers had the courage to approach others to have tough conversations about microaggressions. Visitors are always amazed, Dierke said afterwards, but it works. We must name, define, and plan for white fragility, the defensive response by whites when discussing racism. Principal Broker: William J Oliver. This is because we are starting with the branches of the tree instead of the roots. Then, Dierke struck a bell and said, Okay, its quiet time.. Its very peaceful here now.. It can result in white rage, broken relationships, grievances, and further harm to oppressed students. The Transcendental Meditation technique is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. wall," a reminder of trouble that awaits them when the afternoon bell rings.. That funds four and a half (full-time equivalent) Quiet Time staff on site to teach the classes and support students. 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). Find COVID-19 testing, vaccine, and daily health screening information. and students grade point averages rose each year. For the majority of urban students, drugs, gangs and violence are part of everyday life. Students meditating at Phillip and Sala Burton Academic High School in San Francisco. The second pitfall I will offer is avoiding the tendency to externalize the work of dismantling White Supremacy Culture. This prompts staff to reflect and ultimately declare, "I want to be an anti-racist teacher, but I don't exactly know how." White Supremacy Culture. CWAE specialists counseled students on meditation techniques and five full-time staffers remain on campus to help maintain the program. This includes emotions of fear, anger, and guilt, as well as actions of argumentation, silence, and withdrawal. The announcement was made today during a surprise ceremony at Visitacion Valley. Lastly, this work connected well with our concurrent work of racial affinity groups, social-justice teaching, and revising our school mission statement. At Visitacion Valley Middle School (VVMS), in the San Francisco Unified school district, our brave staff spent a majority of the 2018-19 school year unpacking White Supremacy Culture. In 2008 Mr. Dierke was named MetLife/NASSP National Middle Level Principal of the Year. Due to stereotype threat, this is especially problematic when students of color are a numerical minority in a classroom or school. We have seen attempts at creating buy-in fail for initiatives like ethnic studies, mastery-based grading, or project-based learning. 82616 to call in a student absence. Consequently, "all other cognitive functions such as learning, problem solving, or creative thinking stop," (Hammond, 2015) activating our fight, flight, or freeze response. We get thrown a new thing every couple of years so I didnt put too much faith in it. But in April, just a month after meditation began, teachers noticed changes in behaviour. 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." 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. Bursts of laughter and errant shouts punctuated the buzz. If you would like to learn more about our wonderful school, please join our School Info Session on Tuesday, October 25 at 5 pm or 6pm. 2023 Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. We might also see students connecting their identities to their learning and applying it back to their communities to manifest social justice. Visitacion Valley also got attention from actor Russell Brand, who visited the school just before Christmas on a trip sponsored by the David Lynch Foundation. Before the students learn to meditate, the Quiet Time programme requires all staff to be trained in TM. Joe Truss This includes emotions of fear, anger, and guilt, as well as actions of argumentation, silence, and withdrawal. Students at Visitacion Valley School in San Francisco meditate, as part of a program in which students meditate for fifteen minutes twice a day. Further, we must look at how it has affected us and how we have perpetuated White Supremacy Culture. I think of my mantra, and it helps me calm down., Bob Roth, Executive Director for the David Lynch Foundation, said meditation is not just a way for students to relax but has real cognitive benefits. I value growth because I am constantly reviewing data, asking how we can be better for our students. A restless din filled the large room. Further, staff moved to thinking about how our school practices perpetuate WSC and send negative messages to our students. Phones will be closed on school holidays, including the fall, winter and spring breaks. 3. White Supremacy Culture. Visitacion Valley Middle School is a public school in San Francisco, California that is part of San Francisco Unified School District. This can create power struggles, a learning opportunity gap, and as the scholar Monique Morris writes, students being pushed out of schools. So the privately funded non-profit Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education (CWAE) was set up. Further, we must look at how it has affected us and how we have perpetuated White Supremacy Culture. The first day of school will be Wednesday, August 17, 2022. $1,150,000 Last Sold Price. But adopting the programme isnt without its challenges. Homeowners' Insurance. The work to address racism in schools has been called cultural competency, diversity training, and equity. levels of self-confidence and happiness. Visitacion Valley Middle School. Yes, this is built into our systems of power, structures, policies, and rules. *The name of one student has been changed. 3D & VIDEO TOUR. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider regarding any medical condition. Ka warbixi maqnaanshaha. in San Francisco. Most of the students seemed disinterested in Dierkes announcements about the springs impending graduation, upcoming field trips, and recent birthdays. Visitacion Valley Middle School 2 4 reviews Grades 6-8 Students 375 Type Public School District San Francisco Unified School District 450 Raymond Avenue San Francisco, CA 94134 (415) 469-4590 https://visitacion-sfusd-ca.Schoolloop.com/ Nearby Schools Elementary Middle High Alvarado Elementary School K-5 Public 515 Students Just as long as they are quiet. Zestimate Home Value: $930,000. This 3-bedroom 3 bath Tri level home has a lot of character and with the right owner can be brought up to date. $5,220. Young people are incredibly stressed, says Michael Matania who teaches mindfulness meditation to young people in London through a programme called Mindkit. That is not always possible for his schools students, Dierke said. Historically, those predictions have been accurate. ODriscoll also says that leadership buy-in is essential for the programme to work as there needs to be support in terms of time and resourcing. What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack? Anther example might be superficially speeding through content or discouraging interruptions for questions. At times, it appeared that we weren't clearly aligned philosophically and did not have a focused call to action. Like most groups of educators, we had spent a few years dancing around topics of racism and struggled to make lasting change. WSC shuts down learning. Our attendance is trending up significantly We used to have one of the highest suspension rates, now we have one of the lowest among all middle schools. 336 Wilde Ave , San Francisco, CA 94134-2252 is a single-family home listed for-sale at $988,888. Please use 651-683-6969 Ext. Therefore, unexamined behaviors of White Supremacy Culture are preventing students from being comfortable or supported enough to learn and flourish. This took the form of discussions, watching short video clips, annotating readings, and doing some deep personal introspection. After School Program at Visitacion Valley Middle School As the elementary programs established themselves and became more successful, R.O.C.K. Entire contents copyright 2023 Maharishi Foundation USA, a non-profit educational organization. At Visitacion Valley Middle School (VVMS), in the San Francisco Unified school district, our brave staff spent a majority of the 2018-19 school year unpacking White Supremacy Culture (WSC). He partnered with the Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education to develop a Quiet Time Program for his school. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school starting Wednesday, August 17, 2022. One seventh grader at Visitacion Valley said, I used to be really fidgety, couldnt stay in my seat for very long. Quiet Time is just like an umbrella. Some of the work I am most proud of as a teacher and leader is building relationships with all community members to create a supportive and positive environment, as well as creating systems and using data to make informed decisions regarding instructional practices that lead to increased achievement for students. 2,414 Sq. 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. As for getting the children to start. are promising. But now I meditate twice a day, and I do it at home. Grades: 6-8. Although controlled studies are difficult to perform in an academic setting, collectively the results of the Bay Area studies are encouraging. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. 375. MLS # 423724059 Thus, we are building a collective purpose and a commitment to learning. It has 358 students in grades 6-8 with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. After graduating from Seneca Valley in 1996, I e arned my bachelor's degree from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Even I, a black educator who has studied ethnic studies and critical race theory, still perpetuate tenets of White Supremacy Culture. Nearby schools include Cleveland Elementary School, Visitacion Valley Middle School and Jordan (June) School For Equity. Ale House Alley, Mission Blue, and Lucky's Bakery & Cafe. The work of exploring White Supremacy Culture gave our staff a new framework to define our North Star, being an anti-racist school. the Visitacion Valley principal who brought the program to life in 2007. But this messy middle is precisely when we need to stay curious, be vulnerable, and innovative. After the shooting, the usual culprits were blamed: guns, violent movies and video games, says Rice. 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. Therefore, unexamined behaviors of White Supremacy Culture are preventing students from being comfortable or supported enough to learn and flourish. One of San Francisco's toughest schools transformed by the power of meditation It contains 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. But Quiet Time is a relatively inexpensive intervention Yordy teaches world history, civics, and freshman seminar and volunteers as a program mentor. This has included making decisions about curriculum, school partnership, and hiring, without authentically involving teachers or students in the process. $1,041. It helps kids reduce anxiety and increase their ability to reason and concentrate., Principal Dierke said, as a result of Quiet Time, the schools image is changing. Photos, courtesy of Joe Truss, from the top: The opinions expressed in Next Gen Learning in Action are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications. Visitacion Valley Elementary School Unclaimed 55 Schwerin Street, San Francisco, CA 94134 Contact info Website 5 /10 GreatSchools Rating 3 reviews Public school 338 Students Grades K-5 Updates Compare 5 /10 GreatSchools Summary Rating 5/10 Test Scores average 6/10 Academic Progress average 4/10 Equity below average Last updated: Nov 18, 2022