School Information

District Information

 School Name

 Cipriani Elementary

 District Name

 Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary

 Principal

 Lisa Zachry (Maureen Kremers in 2002-2003)

 Superintendent

John McIntosh (Anne Campbell in 2002-2003)

 Street

 2525 Buena Vista

 Street

 2960 Hallmark Dr.

 City, State, Zip

 Belmont, CA    94002-1454

 City, State, Zip

 Belmont, CA    94002-2943

 Phone Number

 650-637-4840

 Phone Number

 650-637-4800

 FAX Number

 650-637-4839

 FAX Number

 650-637-4811

 Web Site

 www.belmont.k12.ca.us/main/cipriani/

 Web Site

 www.belmont.k12.ca.us

 Email Address

 lzachry@belmont.k12.ca.us

 Email Address

 jmcintosh@belmont.k12.ca.us

 CDS Code

 41-68866-6043442

 SARC Contact

 Marcia Harter <mharter@belmont.k12.ca.us>

Cipriani School, located in the City of Belmont on the peninsula south of San Francisco, is one of five elementary schools in the Belmont- Redwood Shores School District. Students are promoted to the 6th grade at Ralston Middle School, the middle school that serves our District. The Cipriani School community consists of families for whom education is a priority. The school is the hub of the community for many of these parents. Families enthusiastically support the Parent Teacher Association, School Site Council and countless volunteer activities and projects.

Mission Statement

Cipriani School seeks to create a safe learning environment where students, parents, and staff interact to solve problems, seek answers, and support each other in pursuit of the knowledge and insight that leads to high academic achievement and success for all students. We want Cipriani students to: - acquire a strong academic foundation; - solve problems and make decisions; - develop confidence; - work with persistence and determination; - communicate effectively; - value and learn from differences. Because we know that unique and significant contributions of individual members add richness to the results, we believe in sharing the decisions, the responsibility, and the commitment to our vision of educational excellence among all members of our school community.
 

In the event of an emergency such as earthquake, fire, power failure or any event that interrupts school, Cipriani School staff will respond as follows:

• If police or firemen require children to be relocated for safety reasons, regular announcements will be made on Bay Area radio stations and TV. A public information line will also be maintained at the District Office, (650) 637-4800. The staff and PTA will initiate a telephone tree.
• Staff requests that parents PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL. We must have lines open for emergency calls.
• Parents are encouraged to pick up their child and any other children for whom you are the emergency designee.
• Staff requests that when picking up children, drivers LEAVE DRIVEWAYS CLEAR FOR. EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
• Each child will be released only to a parent, relative, or other persons designated on the emergency card.

Teachers and the administration work toward knowing each student as an individual. All staff model a caring, respectful attitude to others. Weekly school-wide "Monday morning meetings" where individual students get recognized for birthdays, honors, and other accomplishments contribute to the positive learning environment and a strong sense of belonging. 

In the classroom teachers build an environment where students can take risks and explore freely. The staff regularly monitors the campus during recess and before and after school to insure safe practices. Through the joint efforts of parents, students, and staff an effective discipline policy establishes a setting where students can make responsible choices. The school climate encourages students to make decisions and learn from the outcomes of their decisions, building a self-discipline that will serve them well throughout their education and beyond into adulthood.
 

In September 1998 every teacher in the District received a computer for both instruction and classroom management. Every staff member received mandated technology training. Every staff member was provided a telephone number and voice mailbox. 
 

The curriculum - what we teach - is rigorous and incorporates District and State guidelines into all academic subjects. The curriculum areas taught include:

• English/Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• History/Social Science
• Visual and Performing Arts
• Physical Education and Health

Instruction and Support for Special Needs

Support for the special needs of students begins with Student Study Teams who meeting regularly and develop strategies to help students become more successful in school. They coordinate school resources and services which include:

• Referral for Special Education Assessment
• English Language Learners Program
• Speech and Language services
• Resource Specialist/ Inclusion services
• School Psychologist services

“Pull-out” programs for students with specialized needs have been carefully scheduled in order to provide longer blocks of time in the core classroom to ensure that students have access to the full curriculum regardless of their special needs.

The Gifted and Talented Education program (GATE) serves fourth and fifth grade students who have been referred by the teacher or parent and screened through the GATE testing program. Once students have qualified and enter the program, they meet with the GATE teacher to plan an individualized in-classroom program. Students also worked with the GATE teacher on a pullout basis once a week.

School Site Leadership

Leadership at Cipriani is shared among several groups of school community participants. The staff selects a leadership team from among the teachers to serve on the School Site Council and function as liaison between the Site Council and the staff. The School Site Council combines parents, teachers, other school staff members, and principal to set goals and monitor progress toward those goals.

The staff, with the principal as facilitator, leader, and coordinator, makes the teaching decisions that lead the school toward its vision.

Individual staff members provide leadership and expertise in a variety of areas. Additional staff members share their knowledge and experience with colleagues. The resulting leadership that is shared among school participants provides a rich environment for new ideas, best practices, and school effectiveness. New teachers participate in the District's BTSA/PAR program.

Instructional Staff Qualifications

Teachers at Cipriani have California State teaching credentials. Some teachers also have credentials from other states and additional graduate degrees, credentials, or certificates in a variety of areas. Substitutes used by Cipriani School have passed a qualifying examination administered by the State of California. When a teacher is absent from class, a qualified substitute teacher teaches the class. If a substitute is not available, a credentialed district administrator or a teacher without a regular class assignment teaches the class. Last year, teachers averaged about 1 day of absence per month. This included illness, in-service training, and other leaves.

Student/Teacher Ratio

Primary (K - 3) classrooms have a maximum class size of 20 students. 4th through 5th grades are staffed at a ratio of 25.5 to 1. With rare exceptions, classes do not exceed 28 students in grades 4 and 5. To offset larger class size in grades 4 and 5, the School Site Council provided an art teacher to work with each 4th and 5th grade class once a week. Parent volunteers, senior citizens, and other community members may also assist students within or outside the classroom.
 

During these staff development days, teachers received training in:

1. English Language Arts
2. Mathematics
3. Grade Level Teaming
4. Curriculum Planning for the Year
5. Integrating technology into daily lesson plans
6. Curriculum and Instructional Practices
7. Visual and Performing Arts

Individual staff members also participated in additional off-site workshops and training according to needs outlined in the SPSA.
 

The District has adopted the following textbooks in accordance with State standards.

• Everyday Mathematics (K-6)
• Harcourt Brace “Signatures” for English/Language Arts
• Houghton Mifflin and McGraw-Hill for History/Social Science
• Silver Burdett Music Series
• Full Option Science System (FOSS)

The State and District provide regular classroom materials to support our program goals. Enrichment and supplemental materials are purchased through SIP funds.

The Parent Teacher Association provides funds to teachers for additional classroom needs. They also fund field trips and assemblies to enrich the curriculum for the students. This year (02-03) PTA provided 20 computers to set up a computer lab.

Cipriani School has one television set and VCR for every classroom. The school has three (3) scanners, three (3) digital cameras and one video camera, and an electronic projection system. Seven classrooms have amplification systems to enhance student listening.

All classrooms, the library, and small group instruction rooms have Internet access. Primary grades (K-3) have 1-3 student computers per classroom. Upper grades (4-5) have 4-5 computers per classroom. The school library contains over 5474 books and 6 student computers. The computer lab has 20 computers and two printers.