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Summer 2018

This Season...

Golden Bridges School Mission Statement
Social Justice Committee (SJC) Mission Statement
SJC "drives"
SJC organized Alphabet Rockers and Community Potluck
2nd Grade Giving Garden
Farm Camp
Enrollment

*** Timely Recommendation - Looking to talk to your children about the current immigration and family separation issue? The SJC recommends this website that offers children's book that might help lead a conversation. ***

Golden Bridges School offers an innovative, place-based education steeped in the urban outdoors of the southern neighborhoods of San Francisco. With a passionate commitment to the development of the whole human being, we strive to harmonize the physical, emotional, and intellectual life of each child. By bringing developmentally appropriate academic rigor through hands-on experience, nourishment of the imagination, care for the earth, and a commitment to social justice, we equip our students with the tools to become free-thinking, moral human beings.

Golden Bridges School Farm sign

3rd Grade class play - Moses

Preschool village in Glen Canyon

May Fair at the farm

Social Justice Committee Mission Statement

The GBS Social Justice Committee is comprised of parents, teachers and staff. Our mission is to create an inclusive, safe space at Golden Bridges School for all. It is a priority for us to give a voice and leadership to, hold dialogue around, and take action on issues of social justice, including, but not limited to: People of Color (in particular those with Black and Brown skin), members of the LGBTQ+ community, differently-abled persons, persons of lower socioeconomic status, non-Americans, and people who hold religious beliefs that are non-Christian.

Our goals include: to assist Golden Bridges School in becoming an authentically anti-racist school; to create a culture where open conversation about social justice (or the lack thereof: racism, white privilege, white supremacy, heteronormativity, christocentrism, etc.) is welcome, honest, safe and non-judgmental; and to educate parents, teachers and children (taking into consideration developmental appropriateness) through school curriculum, school-led community events, discussion, literature or film, and extra-curricular activities such as presentations, field-trips, and visitors, so that exposure to and celebration of difference is an ongoing, integral part of the education at our school.

This year, the Social Justice Committee coordinated a series of drives benefiting neighbors in need.
- 107 coats for One Warm Coats
- Black socks for Larkin Street Youth
- 100 pounds of soup for Marin Food Pantry
- Established a monthly presence at the Excelsior Food Pantry

Alphabet Rockers

In response to parent’s request for tools to talk about race, identity and difference, the SJC organized the first offering for the whole family and extended community. Alphabet Rockers’ presented an interactive and dynamic workshop featuring hip hop music and dialogue from their Grammy nominated album Rise Shine #Woke. In partnership with the newly formed GBS Parent Community Council, the SJC hosted a free potluck so families could continue the conversation and connect as a community. Event included opening activities related to race and friendship, morning refreshments and many volunteers. More than 150 families attended representing half of GBS and half community members. We look forward to continuing the conversation in the new school year.

SJC Organizers - Michelle, Christy, and Aaron Families in the audience

Craft activity - what color is your skin? Alphabet Rockers perform

2nd Grade "Giving Garden"

To compliment the second grade study of saints and good deeds, the second graders joyfully undertook a year long service-learning project, “The Giving Garden”, funded by GreenWorks! Community Action and Service Learning Grant. The creation and execution of this interdisciplinary project was a collaboration between the class teacher, Mr. Cook, and Farmer Jenna. In the fall, the children learned how to use shovels, hoes, and rakes to clear our “Giving Garden” space together and prepare for planting. We imagined what our garden, the farm, and all of the bay area once looked like before the arrival of metal tools. We envisioned how our garden might look, taste, smell, and feel in the future. When it came time to plant, the children chose cool-weather crops and planted two rows of five in each of their individual plots. Winter brought mulching, fertilizing, greenhouse planting, and farm journal binding. The themes of generosity and empathy were brought throughout the year through story. In the spring, the children made beautiful offerings from their “Giving Garden” and throughout the farm, collected eggs and baked quiches, and we walked as a class with harvest baskets to the Excelsior Community Food Pantry to donate our fresh produce and volunteer for the day.

SUMMER FARM CAMP is underway!

Farm Camp is:

An opportunity to work on an educational urban farm - harvesting, planting, watering, and weeding fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Feeding and tending to bunnies, chickens and ducks.
A safe and beautiful outdoor environment for singing, crafting, games and free play.
A thoughtful and rhythmical program held by the teachers at Golden Bridges School.
Open to the children of San Francisco ages 4-10.
A weeklong camp from 8:30-2:30. From July 2 - August 24. Space may still be available.

SIGN-UP HERE

Kindergarten clay work Third Grade bookwork

Second grade hand-made sewing kits First Grade paintings

Kindergarten Farm Day

Enrollment

We are still accepting applications for Kindergarten through 4th Grade.

Open house dates to learn more about the 2019-2020 school year will be announced at the end of August. Stay tuned.

Please contact Jessie Elliot with enrollment questions.

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