Go Gators!: A Profile of Garfield Elementary School

This article is the first in a series of profiles of San Leandro's schools.

's mission statement is, “Working together, all members of the Garfield School community will do whatever it takes to get everyone to the same place, while fostering high academic achievement and social standards for ALL students. We will provide a safe, supportive and accessible school environment so that all students and adults are valued and respected for their unique qualities, strengths and contributions.”

Garfield’s mission statement truly embodies the spirit of the school and the great work being done by students and staff this year. With excelling students, active parents and teachers fully utilizing technology in their classrooms, Garfield is serving its community well.

Garfield was originally constructed in 1948 and currently comprises 21 permanent classrooms, a library, a staff lounge, a multi-purpose/cafeteria room and two playgrounds. Recent renovations to Garfield include a new roof built with Measure B bond funds. In the next few years, the school will also be receiving to-be-determined outdoor renovations, thanks to the recently passed Measure M sports facilities bond.

Garfield educates approximately 375 kindergarten through fifth grade students. The make-up of the student population (by government categories) is 13.4 percent African American, 13.4 percent Asian, 12.1 percent Filipino, 43.0 percent Hispanic or Latino, 1.1 percent Pacific Islander, 13.7 percent White, 3.2 percent Two or More Races.

Garfield receives Title 1 federal funding because more than 40 percent of its students qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch program. The Title 1 program’s goal “is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high quality education and reach, at minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.”

The Principal

Jan Nuno has been the principal at Garfield for the last 12 years. Over the course of 25 years, she has worked at all San Leandro USD schools except two.

One of her great contributions to the schools has been her expertise at grant writing. During her time in the she has raised $3.6 million in grant money.

Last year she wrote a school improvement grant for Garfield and received $236,000 that was used to build a new computer lab and to bring technology to every classroom. Sadly, she will be retiring at the end of this school year.

Cause to Celebrate

Garfield has many great success stories to celebrate this year, but I have picked out four to highlight:

1) Garfield is one of two San Leandro schools to employ Playworks this year with Title 1 funds. Playworks is a national nonprofit organization that supports learning by providing safe, healthy and inclusive play and physical activity to schools at recess and throughout the entire school day.

A full-time coach facilitates games during all recesses and also trains the older kids to be junior coaches, fostering leadership among the students.

2) Garfield also uses Girls Inc.’s Pathways Counseling services. A psychotherapy intern comes to the school regularly to meet with several students who need help. The program has shown positive results, school leaders say.

3) The school qualified for the Quality Education Investment Act, which funds class size reduction to 20 students per classroom (including fourth and fifth grade) through 2014.

4) Thanks to Garfield's PTA, each grade level will go on a field trip related to science or social science by the end of this school year.

Next Big Thing

Garfield’s Spirit Week will be June 6-10. The daily themes are Monday, Blue and Gold; Tuesday, Crazy Hair; Wednesday, Sports; Thursday, Famous People; and Friday, Pajamas.

What You Can Do:

• Attend Garfield’s Parent Town Hall on April 20 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to learn about the school's plans for next year.
• Volunteer at . They need help with classroom support, tutoring, materials preparation, field trip monitoring, computer lab assistance and recess supervision. Learn how to volunteer .
• Donate to one of the school's classroom projects on DonorsChoose.
• Donate to Garfield's PTA.

Also, be sure to join the San Leandro Unified School District, the San Leandro Education Foundation and the Friends of the Theater at the Sneak Peek of the San Leandro High School Arts Education Center. Wednesday, April 20, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. $50 suggested donation. For more information, visit www.sledfund.org