to the Rooftop Alternative School PTA Website!*
DISCLAIMER :: Due to privacy issues this site contains little personal information about the Rooftop community. Any images or personal information on this site has been provided with permission. If you need to contact a fellow Rooftop family, please see your Rooftop Directory.
Rooftop is a K-8 public, alternative elementary school located in the center of San Francisco on two sites on the eastern slope of Twin Peaks. Our student population reflects the City’s diverse ethnic background. Rooftop’s academic program, which emphasizes student self-worth and self-learning, is well defined and innovatively presented by dedicated teachers. Programs in art, music, and drama are considered an integral part of the Rooftop experience. Student service to the school community is supported through various after school clubs and organizations. Rooftop has a special spirit and sense of community shared by children, staff, and parents. Students are encouraged to take positive risks and face challenges with confidence and optimism. Rooftop nurtures a strong home school partnership which values parents as the students’ first and most important teacher. Parent participation is expected.
Rooftop is more than a school; it is a caring community. We celebrate our diversity and work hard to promote inclusiveness. When you volunteer, the school benefits from your help, your child feels proud to have you there, and you make adult friendships. Rooftop students flourish in this community of “extended family.” Parent volunteers model life-long learning as they work alongside teachers to facilitate student learning. Research shows that students whose parents are regularly involved in the school setting have significantly higher achievement patterns than same grade age peers. Working parents, fear not. We are experts in matching school needs to parent availability. Our mentor family program-pairing new families with seasoned community members further assures successful participation by all.
This poem was written by the
Burnett and Mayeda Campus teachers.
I didn't want my life to be like
a chalk mark in a rainstorm.
I liked school so much as a child,
I knew then I wanted to be a teacher.
It's in my body as natural as
the blood that flows through my veins.
A time when my father could not,
A time when others can.
I started out to play for me
and found out
I wanted to do it for them.
I see my life as a spiral.
When what I do comes back,
It feeds my spirit.
Worthwhile work.
To impact young people's
lives in a way
That will support them
to reach their potential.
Teaching offers many firsts.
The opportunity to start over,
Spontaneous laughter,
Inspiration,
And hope for the future.
The glow of power when eyes connect,
Shoulders straighten
and a slow smile develops.
“I am me,” she believes.
To learn is to empower,
To teach is to love.
If you are new to Rooftop this year, Welcome to the family! When entering any new environment, navigating the culture and setting can be difficult for everyone. Please [CLICK HERE] for some helpful tips as you begin your time here at Rooftop. Welcome again and we'll see you on the playground!
For some children, their introduction to school when entering Kindergarten may be their first real experience of being a part of a larger community. You may find your child discussing “Rooftop Spirit” throughout the school year. This concept of school “spirit” is very important to our students, and the qualities that define this mindset help to make Rooftop a very special community. Sharing, caring, kindness, helping your fellow students, respect of individual differences, and responsibility for one’s own behavior and actions — these are qualities that each Rooftop student strives to uphold.
Our challenging educational program integrates the arts to empower all students to become effective problem solvers. Rooftop’s students are academically engaged and socially responsible members of the community who face challenges with optimism and confidence. We believe that when the arts are thoughtfully integrated into the academic program, students’ opportunities to think critically and problem solve creatively significantly increase.
Rooftop Alternative School PTA. All rights reserved © 2006-2007
Rooftop Alternative School is a K-8 School in the SF Unified School District
