Message from the Principal

Welcome to Belle Haven Community School! We are excited to share the fundamental changes we have made in support of student achievement. The Belle Haven School leadership team and School Site Council (SSC), which is a group of parents and staff who make decisions about how to improve student achievement and support activities, together approved the development of our full-service community school model and renamed our institution the Belle Haven Community School.

Belle Haven School is a center of learning where school and community are vital partners. Through the teaching of literacy and a commitment to high expectations and equity, our staff provides an exceptional standards-based and technology-focused education. Empowered with social skills, academic knowledge, ethical values, and a passion for learning, our diverse student population will meet the challenges of our dynamic, global society.

The foundation of this model has been developed in school district partnership with the City of Menlo Park, Peninsula Foundation, Stuart Foundation, United Way, Stanford School of Education, University of Kansas, the San Mateo County Office Consultants, the University of California at Santa Cruz New Teacher Center, YES reading, the Palo Alto Rotary, and other community organizations.

Data about student achievement now guides the direction of our core academic programs. Professional development for teachers focuses on explicit and targeted planning and teaching tailored to the unique needs of student groups and individuals. Ongoing and end-of-unit test results are reviewed on a regular basis to identify student needs and plan instruction. Our teachers develop their skills in all core academic areas through collaborative teamwork. The central focus of our School Improvement Plan is reading and writing literacy. To enrich our school program and celebrate our vibrant cultural heritage, we are developing an Art and Technology Magnet program at Belle Haven.

Our community school approach surrounds the academic program with embedded services that support healthy families and readiness for learning. These services include birth-to-adult educational programs, mental and medical health services, a clothing co-op, preschool, extended-day, and enrichment programs. Our Parent and Family Center located on campus is open to our community each day and provides meeting space and office space for family service workers. We are inspired and committed to building and strengthening a sustainable community school and resource in the Belle Haven community. We invite you to join us in this collaboration.

Program Offerings

We employ three Reading Recovery teachers in the first grade. (Reading Recovery is a one-to-one tutoring program for first graders who need extra help with reading.) Consultants train teachers in balancing the literacy curriculum. We employ one literacy coach. A joint city/school librarian and staff provide library services for students and families. Our YES reading tutorial program serves approximately 100 students during the regular school day. We employ technology support staff to maintain and support best use of our hardware and software.
Belle Haven has one full-time art teacher, a science lab teacher, and a part-time PE teacher. We collaborate with Stanford University to support English learning. Our full-service community school program supports preschool, health, and parent education services.

• Gifted and Talented Education: Educators identify academically gifted or talented students based on teacher recommendations or tests for inclusion in enrichment programs called Gifted and Talented Education (GATE). Our school has 16 students who qualify for this program.
  
• Special Education Program: Students with moderate to severe learning differences are sometimes entitled to individual education plans and extra attention. Our school has 50 students who qualify for these special education programs.
  
  Belle Haven has been a full-inclusion program school for four years. This means that, unlike most schools, Belle Haven does not pull out students with learning disabilities for special classes.
  
  All of our students are considered to be regular education students. Students who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are served within the classroom by a team of education specialists. This team includes five teachers, a speech teacher, a psychologist, behavior support specialists, coordinators, and administrators.
  
  We believe that fully including our students provides them the best education possible in the least restrictive environment. We also believe that it models the kind of society we wish to live in: one that is inclusive and respectful of differences.
  
• English Learner Program: Most students not yet fluent in English enroll in special classes that help them gain fluency. We strive to advance our English learners into regular classes as soon as possible.
  
  Belle Haven School teachers are trained in the use of Santillana (for sixth through eighth grades) and Avenues (for kindergarten through fifth grades) ELD curricula. English learners receive 30 to 40 minutes of ELD instruction each day. In addition, teachers use Structured English Immersion strategies to teach all subjects. In this program, English learners attend class with English-proficient students and are taught in English. District specialists and consultants support ongoing staff development in ELD and assist in monitoring student progress. Teachers maintain an ELD profile for every English learner. Students are tested annually using the CELDT. We expect every English learner to achieve language proficiency within five years to ensure academic proficiency.