Longfellow Elementary

Today my husband and I toured Longfellow Elementary, a dedicated magnet.  It took me about 10 minutes to get to the school from my house in North Park.  My first impression was that it was a typical public school.  It is not the small schools I have seen.  I noticed the diversity right away.  I saw hispanic, african american and white.  Then it was confirmed: 1/3 % white, 1/3 % African American & 1/3 % hispanic.  This works out because of the different clusters and the percentages accepted from each cluster.  But that's a whole other topic.  This is a review of the school and not the academic/demographic information

We first started in the cafeteria with a power point presentation.  Josie presented all the facts and answered all our questions.  2 things stood out for me.  1. Her emphasis on the "right" child been in this program.  She said it is important that the child is very focused.  after a september admission, the parents/teachers will know whether the child is doing fine. And 2. the class size! HOLY CLASS SIZE.    We went into 3 kinder classes and the atmosphere was calm and orderly.  The class size was 1.24.  I enjoyed seeing the kinder classes.  There are 6 total and they recess in shifts.  I saw 2 male teachers and 1 female.

We then went to a 4th grade class (this was not part of the tour, we had to request it) and that is when we saw it. HOLY CLASS SIZE.  You could barely walk through the class. It was so full.  The students were very focused despite the interruption .  The teacher was doing reading with about 12 children and the others were all doing math independently.  Again, the students did look very focused and the children reading out loud were speaking very clear spanish.

• There is traditional Art
• There is music in each class
• There is also a music election.
• PE is one hour a week,  However the children are required to do 20 hours a week in physical exercise thus the teachers incorporate that in their curriculum.
• They also have the running club in the mornings that the children may join.

• Hot lunch is available
• Buses are available for a fee   (closest one to me is Adams and 35th)
• School times 9:05-3:45 MTTHF, 9:05-12:50 on wednesdays ( i like that)
• 100% Spanish immersion until 3rd grade, then 85% until 7th grade.  7 & 8th 50%

All in all I like it.  My issue is the class size.

Kindergarten is 1.24 class size

3rd grade on is 1.35 class size 

What I saw:

diversity, order, colors, academics, spanish, recess, 

What I like:

Spanish, diversity, academics

I give this school an 8.  

also, I have to change my score for SD Cooperative :( after thinking about the whole free-range hippy atmosphere, I think it may not be good enough for my children.

UGHHH!