Even I, a black educator who has studied ethnic studies and critical race theory, still perpetuate tenets of White Supremacy Culture. 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. In addition, we might see curricula that affirms and engages students of color and assessment practices that dismantle racial bias in standardized testing. Further, we must look at how it has affected us and how we have perpetuated White Supremacy Culture. View property details, photos, and neighborhood info. This can create power struggles, a learning opportunity gap, and as the scholar Monique Morris writes, students being pushed out of schools. We work hard to create a positive school climate where students are recognized for their growth. The Zestimate for this house is $1,039,700, which has increased by $3,460 in the last 30 days. $93. 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. 3 Baths. I had never done meditation before, but now I do Quiet Time. The work of exploring White Supremacy Culture gave our staff a new framework to define our North Star, being an anti-racist school. Students at Visitacion Valley School in South San Francisco observe 15 minutes of quiet time every morning. and our Visitacion Valley Middle School Spark Program site. 2023 San Francisco Unified School District, Week 25 newsletter in different languages, Week 24 newsletter in different languages, Week 21 newsletter in different languages. (DiAngelo, 2018). It is imperative that we examine our actions to see if they are further harming students of color, disempowering them, and creating a psychologically hostile learning environment. Visitacion Valley Middle SchoolHIGHLIGHTS 415-469-4590 Vis Valley MS 26.8 0.4 9.3 16.2 16.2 1.6 29.5 AA AI C F J K L ONW OW DS Percent of Enrollment Mr. James S. Dierke, Principal VVMS's Parent Representative/Liaison maintains an office within the main office. Now, I have other principals asking me about Quiet Time. We are the operators of some piece of the education machine, and therefore, if we change our actions, we can change the larger system. For years, educators' requests for more. View more recently sold homes. The work to address racism in schools has been called cultural competency, diversity training, and equity. Theres an explosion of mental health problems among young people and its going to be incredibly expensive to treat in the future. 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." White Supremacy Culture. ft. home is a 2 bed, 1.0 bath property. These beliefs lead to actions that are dehumanizing to all races of people; however, they have a more drastic effect on indigenous, black, and people of color (IBPOC). WSC shuts down learning. The first day of school will be Wednesday, August 17, 2022. Quiet Time isnt just a slogan but a daily regimen at Visitacion Valley. I began my career in education in Richmond, CA. It is time that we detox and make the invisible visible. Homeowners' Insurance. Most of the students seemed disinterested in Dierkes announcements about the springs impending graduation, upcoming field trips, and recent birthdays. This presentation was made as part of a National Education Summit on Quiet Time in the Classroom Linda Esposito - What One Urban School District Can Teach the Country About Stress Relief Huffington Post, And thats one of the challenges., However, Swarana Patel, a teacher in a north London secondary school where behaviour is often an obstacle, can see the benefits of a more intensive programme like this. Price: $759,000. It has 358 students in grades 6-8 with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. The Transcendental Meditation technique is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. James Dierke, principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco: Principal James Dierke "When I arrived at this school thirteen years ago it had the highest absentee rate, the highest suspension rate, the highest teacher turnover rate, the lowest academic achievement rate. Ka warbixi maqnaanshaha. But to start, we must go inward. In between, she spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching English in Cape Verde, West Africa. The programme, introduced to all ages, sees students sit for 15 minutes of meditation twice a day. David Lynch Foundation (20:44), John Hagelin, PhD It really is quiet time.. expanded to serve middle school children and grow with the kids it was already serving. 2023 San Francisco Unified School District, I look forward to our partnership this upcoming school year and collaborating with all of you to support our brilliant students. This work has gotten co-opted and watered down, leading to many people talking the talk, without much walk. 3rd Street Youth Center & Clinic Government Administration SAN FRANCISCO, California Visitacion Valley still struggles with significant challenges. 1. James Dierke, Principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco, like so many thousands of principals and teachers who are working in inner-city schools throughout the US, knows how frustrating it can be trying to provide an education in America's low income, high stress localities. This requires dismantling White Supremacy Culture and building a new foundation for an anti-racist and empowering education. Racial-equity leaders must be both intentional and responsive when doing this anti-racist work. Imagine that. Once white fragility is defined and debriefed amongst a team, we can begin to talk about racism, anti-racism, and White Supremacy Culture. 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. It is the water we are swimming in. Anecdotally, favorable feedback poured in from both students and staff members. Mad Sal's Dockside Inn in Ale House Alley, and Mission Blue. Once the students got over that, they were open to trying to meditate. They thought their classmates would be making fun of them, staring at them, maybe possibly even hitting them, he says. Principal James Dierke monitors school activities with his handi-talkie at Visitation Valley Middle School, 450 Raymond Ave, San Francisco. The UK has already started experimenting with meditation: 400 secondary schools offer programmes like the Dot B mindfulness meditation programme, which tends to take place once a week in personal, social, health education (PSHE) class. 379 Winding, San Francisco, CA 94112 is a 4 bed, 3 bath, 1,597 sqft house now for sale at $1,280,000. Its provided a lot of stability to our school, helping staff and kids get through the stress they have in their lives., The impressive results have led to more schools in the city introducing the programme. Don't be confused. 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. Dont be confused. Anther example might be superficially speeding through content or discouraging interruptions for questions. I look forward to our partnership this upcoming school year and collaborating with all of you to support our brilliant students. Racial-equity work is like trying to defuse a bomb and cutting the wrong wire. Other schools have taken a few minutes off lunch and tutorials. This prompts staff to reflect and ultimately declare, I want to be an anti-racist teacher, but I dont exactly know how. This has the power to unite folks at the foundational level, setting the stage for deeper commitments to learning new strategies, practices, and routines. Nov 2020 - Present2 years 4 months. "Instead, the parents demonstrated their faith in Dierke's leadership by not withdrawing any children from the school.". Besides dealing with problems outside school, Visitacion Valley faces challenges in school, too. Principal At times, it appeared that we weren't clearly aligned philosophically and did not have a focused call to action. and San Pablo, CA. As a result, staff were curious to take action to be anti-racist and promote a learning community that did the same. As for getting the children to start meditating, ODriscoll says the biggest hurdle was getting them to feel comfortable with their eyes closed. This leads to resistance or failure to follow through, maintaining a status quo of disproportionate outcomes for students based on race. For a more complete list, see the 15 WSC characteristics from Tema Okun and Kenneth Jones in the 2001 Dismantling Racism Workbook. Monday - Thursday 3:15 p.m.; Program offered free of charge from end of school day until 6 p.m.; Saturday Field Trips and Summer Programs, Rosetta Stone (foreign language instruction), STEAM (science; technology; engineering; arts; mathematics). This prompts staff to reflect and ultimately declare, "I want to be an anti-racist teacher, but I don't exactly know how." Therefore, unexamined behaviors of White Supremacy Culture are preventing students from being comfortable or supported enough to learn and flourish. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me for anything (harrisc@sfusd.edu). This took the form of discussions, watching short video clips, annotating readings, and doing some deep personal introspection. foot 2 bed, 2 bath townhouse for sale. All school events, including athletic events, will be posted in this calendar. 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. 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. This page was last updated on June 8, 2021. It would be nave to think that meditation alone could erase the effects of the many factors, like poverty, that are barriers to educational achievement. The trouble is we dont even see it. Even in failure, there is growth, if you are using a critical lens to understand and improve. Which Type of Exercise Is Best for the Brain? 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. Students meditating at Phillip and Sala Burton Academic High School in San Francisco. 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. Mortgage insurance $0. . With the help of the David Lynch Foundation and the San Francisco-based Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education (CWAE), Visitacion Valley trained teachers on how to conduct Quiet Time sessions in their class. It is time that we detox and make the invisible visible. We focus on equitable teaching practices and encourage student participation. 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. Thus, we are building a collective purpose and a commitment to learning. It's important to note that these responses work to maintain current consciousness and white supremacy. One of San Francisco's toughest schools transformed by the power of meditation 2023 Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. CWAE specialists counseled students on meditation techniques and five full-time staffers remain on campus to help maintain the program. Visitacion Valley Middle School We have seen attempts at creating buy-in fail for initiatives like ethnic studies, mastery-based grading, or project-based learning. 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. Specifically, we must look at how it shows up in our own lives, in our personal relationships, in between school staff, and in our histories. Also, we might hear phrases like, "That comment triggered me, it was a microaggression," "I think we can do better for our Latinx students," or "This is not consistent with our commitment to anti-racism." In recent years however, Principal Dierke and a growing number of other educators have found a way to break the predictive power of demographics. This includes emotions of fear, anger, and guilt, as well as actions of argumentation, silence, and withdrawal. I saw this personally at VVMS, as situations got awkward, uncomfortable, and uncertain. Home has a beautiful view with a nice size backyard for entertainment. Some conversations fell flat, and others were superficial. They couldnt concentrate on school.. To do it properly Visitacion Valley middle school made the day 30 minutes longer. Further, we must look at how it has affected us and how we have perpetuated White Supremacy Culture. Visitacion Valley Middle School. Speak with a TM teacher: 888-LEARN-TM (888-532-7686), Stanford research: TM is twice as effective, Reduced for adults, By Joe Truss, the principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco and a leadership coach. I noticed a lot of them missing school, fighting, and getting angry a lot. This can create power struggles, a learning opportunity gap, and as the scholar Monique Morris writes, students being pushed out of schools. In fact, based on certain urban zip codes, education researchers can predict students attendance rate, behavior, test scores, and overall academic achievement. If I can be vulnerable and honest, white educators can and must do the same. Now our previous work on Culturally Responsive Teaching, use of rubrics, and adding student voice had a theoretical underpinning. I saw this personally at VVMS, as situations got awkward, uncomfortable, and uncertain. James Dierke, Principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco, like so many thousands of principals and teachers who are working in inner-city schools throughout the US, knows how frustrating it can be trying to provide an education in Americas low income, high stress localities. For students of color, characteristics of White Supremacy Culture similar to microaggressions hijack the amygdala. Together, educators are doing the reimagining and reinvention work necessary to make true educational equity possible. They are not guaranteed to be accurate, up to date . 82616 to call in a student absence. But Quiet Time is a relatively inexpensive intervention Middle Schools Elementary Schools Fares The Free Muni for Youth Program provides San Francisco youth ages 5-18 with free Muni service, regardless of household income level. Staff watch a clip about white fragility during a staff meeting (Courtesy of Joe Truss). Visitacion Valley Middle School provides quality education that prepares students for a fulfilling life in a global society. Can You Safely Lose Weight While Breast-Feeding? That kind of stuff makes it hard to focus on algebra, he said. Consequently, "all other cognitive functions such as learning, problem solving, or creative thinking stop," (Hammond, 2015) activating our fight, flight, or freeze response. Please use 651-683-6969 Ext. after meditating, I can sit down for a whole class without standing up. Barry ODriscoll, the schools director of physical education for the past 14 years, said, In the first seven The student population of Visitacion Valley Middle is 358 and the school serves. This coming year, we are looking at how to build more community in the classroom, how to unify our students across cultural differences, and how to reduce bias in our discipline systems. ODriscoll was sceptical at first about mediating himself, but since giving it a try he can concentrate better and feels less stressed. As a leader, I hold three core values close to me: connection, growth, and appreciation. All rights reserved. Coming soon. provides quality after-school programming to children in the area. He said the neighborhood around Visitacion Valley can be rife with violence and crime. David Lynch Foundation, involved introducing two 15-minute periods of quiet into the school day. As Boys Get Fatter, Parents Worry One Body Part Is Too Small. A Clipper Card is not required for buses and trains, however it is needed to receive a free fare on cable cars. 1971 Visitacion Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94134, We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school starting. Also, our school is rich in ethnicity and culture. The social-emotional learning of students in grades 4-12 is also assessed. But Quiet Time took years to develop. Nearby Public Schools The nearest high school to Visitacion Valley Middle School is Burton (Phillip And Sala) Academic High School(0.6 miles away) The nearest middle school is Bayshore(0.6 miles away) As a result, staff were curious to take action to be anti-racist and promote a learning community that did the same. stress and its manifestations for example, anxiety, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. This might include wanting to win an argument, not making space for others to talk, and rushing through meetings. White Supremacy Culture. In the first year of Quiet Time meditation, suspensions at Visitacion Valley were reduced by 45%. This took the form of discussions, watching short video clips, annotating readings, and doing some deep personal introspection. San Francisco principal Jim Dierke knew something was up when he saw more cars than usual parked in front of his school Friday morning. Visitacion Valley Middle School. In my dream, I imagine that educators can become comfortable talking about race and how it informs the work of educating children. In the outside world, TM has been criticised for the price-tag it comes with; the programme at Visitacion Valley costs $280,000 (185,128) a year - paid for mainly through private donations to CWAE. Even I, a black educator who has studied ethnic studies and critical race theory, still perpetuate tenets of White Supremacy Culture. But no one touched on the real problem stress.. The school is working on improving parent involvement through our Parent Liaison. Of even greater interest, the increase in G.P.A. 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. Mr. Dierke wondered whether meditation might reduce students stress levels and help them learn. Thats what were gradually doing here., The payoff might be most evident in students like Angelica Mahinay, who says, Man, when I hear students getting an attitude, or theyre saying theyre going to fight, I say, Hey! Thats amazing for an urban middle school, he said. In addition, meditating students reported sleeping better as well as higher The program, which had initial funding from the These beliefs lead to actions that are dehumanizing to all races of people; however, they have a more drastic effect on indigenous, black, and people of color (IBPOC). Teachers. . 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 Visitacion Valley Middle School is part of San Francisco Unified School District. This change comes at the cost of detaching ourselves from ourselves, which also is dehumanizing. Research shows that chronic stress can impair healthy brain development and the ability to learn, and that Transcendental Meditation, a stress-reducing technique that involves thinking of a mantra, can reduce Use the arrows to change between different dates on the calendar. This has the power to unite folks at the foundational level, setting the stage for deeper commitments to learning new strategies, practices, and routines. Principal and Interest. What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack? When you have it up, it keeps the rain off, and you can focus on trying to build a culture with kids. MLS# 423725010. Personal Commitment graphic organizer used in professional development (Courtesy of Joe Truss). the Visitacion Valley principal who brought the program to life in 2007. 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. Therefore, unexamined behaviors of White Supremacy Culture are preventing students from being comfortable or supported enough to learn and flourish. 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. to meditation? We are the operators of some piece of the education machine, and therefore, if we change our actions, we can change the larger system. 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. The second pitfall I will offer is avoiding the tendency to externalize the work of dismantling White Supremacy Culture. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: cd77petanque.com Comit de seine et marne de ptanque Quantum Physicist (16:40), By Mario Orsatti on 02/15/2012 Blog Home. Specifically, we must look at how it shows up in our own lives, in our personal relationships, in between school staff, and in our histories. To our teachers and staff, joyful learning means that each student is able to maximize his/her abilities and be successful in learning through different learning methods. A lot of the kids have deep anger issues or problems focusing, she says. I get to school at 7 a.m. for softball practice. A lot has changed over this period, including three principals coming and going, but ODriscoll puts the turnaround down to the one constant: the calming influence of the meditation programme. Were not perfect, Dierke said. This leads to resistance or failure to follow through, maintaining a status quo of disproportionate outcomes for students based on race. Now we can get to the work of promoting anti-racism, liberation, and achievement at our school, by looking through the lens of White Supremacy Culture. Grades: 9-12. . C. Visitacion Valley Middle School is a public school located in SAN FRANCISCO, CA. Some bowed their heads. Teacher Phil Yordy, left, works with freshman Derek Shallow, 15, right, during an after school mentoring program at Oregon High School in Oregon, Ill., in February. One teacher, Mary Chirichella added, Some teachers had the courage to approach others to have tough conversations about microaggressions. Now we can get to the work of promoting anti-racism, liberation, and achievement at our school, by looking through the lens of White Supremacy Culture. Join us at this years SFUSD Virtual Enrollment Fair for Middle and High Schools, October 24-27, 2022! Annual math and English scores improved in the students who meditated, while they declined in those who didnt meditate. School communities gather twice a year to review data and previous actions in order to intentionally plan for the coming months. Start with one class or year and let it grow from there.. Quiet Time in Los angeles The David Lynch Foundation is partnering with several Los angeles-based institutions which deliver excellence in academics and holistic student development through innovative educational models. 4 Beds. Having served the past two years as Assistant Principal, VVMS is a community that I love and care for. Meditation strengthens the areas of the brain that control our fear center, he said. Its very peaceful here now.. One does not have to be a white supremacist to hold these beliefs, because we have all been conditioned through exposure to media, parenting, schooling, and our interactions with power structures. Quiet Time is just like an umbrella. 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. Please read our Welcome Back letter. But this messy middle is precisely when we need to stay curious, be vulnerable, and innovative. During those times, students could either practice Transcendental Students. Only two teachers have left in the past five years, outside of retirements and district layoffs. About This Home Great Visitacion home with 2 bed/ 1bath upstairs and bonus room/bath downstairs. Meditation, which is taught as part of the program, or engage in other quiet activities like silent reading. Its much cheaper to focus on prevention and building resilience, and mindfulness is the single best tool that you could possibly give them., As for Visitacion Valley middle school, the area around it is still violent, but now the children are not as affected by it. I am deeply honored and excited to have the opportunity to serve as Principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School. 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. Grades: 6-8. At VVMS, we were able to get past defensiveness and excuses and get to the heart of the matter. After School Program at Visitacion Valley Middle School As the elementary programs established themselves and became more successful, R.O.C.K. Consequently, this allows for us to align our purpose with our pedagogy, curricula, policies, decision making processes, and adult structures.
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