oneSMFC
Superintendent Diego Ochoa bringing together teachers, students, administrators, community members. decision makers, to discuss the San Mateo-Foster City School District.
oneSMFC
Building Foundations: Expanding Preschool and Providing Access
Current Kindergarten teachers are seeing some impressive skills from the new 2024-2025 students entering elementary school. Many of their students had access to our newly opened preschool classrooms at their neighborhood schools.
In this episode of the onesmfc Podcast, we explore the vital role of preschool education and its impact on families. Joining Superintendnet Ochoa are the key leaders from the Turnbull Children's Development Center, who have been instrumental in opening new preschool classrooms and witnessing firsthand the positive outcomes.
- Cristina Haley and Amanda Driscoll, Directors of Turnbull Children Development Center, share their experiences in leading this initiative, discussing the shift to opening preschool programs at Elementary schools where there is a need.
- Nataly Barba, Community Services Specialist, highlights how family communication and resources have played a critical role in the success of families navigating the early education system, reinforcing support with multilingual families and ensuring that all students and families are supported every step of the way.
- Claudia Ramirez, Early Learning Center Technician, provides insights into the operational side of opening these classrooms, having worked at Turnbull for over a decade.
Tune in to hear more about how we leverage community collaboration to support all students and families at the San Mateo-Foster City School District.
Interested in learning more? Check out our recent On the Road to Year 3 Annual Report!
It started September 30th and by November 16th we were opening up our brand new classroom, the first one. We had filled Miroslava's class, so she was already at 24. That didn't take very long. So we really are about families.
Speaker 2:We've been hiring I don't know over 30 people in the last two years and some of those people are actually community members of families of former students moms, siblings and we've been changing not only the students but really the families.
Speaker 3:Our students are arriving to kindergarten ready for the academics so familiar with small group instruction and group time and circle time and holding attention, sharing with friends.
Speaker 4:Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for joining me on the One SMFC podcast. This is a program that we produce here in the district. We really like our families to know what we're doing. We think it's important to tell our story. I think it can be hard to follow along with everything that's happening because we're all very busy people and we all have a lot going on, so this program really helps families be able to access just what's new for us and what has changed for us. This episode makes me very happy because it's all about preschool. Yay, see what happened. They were listening back there. They forgot all about that and really a lot has changed with preschool. Remember back in 2022, christina, you were the principal of. Do you want to talk about that? You love this place. I want to give you a chance to talk about your old school?
Speaker 4:Yeah, tell us about it.
Speaker 1:I loved working at Sammertail Park. I was in my seventh year of being a principal there.
Speaker 4:And then I said will you have breakfast with me?
Speaker 1:Exactly.
Speaker 4:And what's our place called Stacks Stacks in Burlingame. I said will you have breakfast with me? And you must have thought.
Speaker 1:I'm either in trouble or something weird is happening? Definitely, and at that moment you brought up the idea of preschool yeah and it. It was the fastest. Yes, let's do it. Yeah, and I just knew in my heart that that's where I was meant to go next. It was a time in my life where I was getting ready to take a leap, and this was the exact place that I needed to leap to you just knew it.
Speaker 4:Where were you in 2022?
Speaker 5:I was at highlands elementary school and lots changed for you too a lot yeah, what was it like being there at highlands. It was amazing. It was great seeing all the families it's like a very close-knit place, right.
Speaker 4:It is Because people have to drive so far to get there.
Speaker 5:Yeah, it's hard for some of our families to access the school when they don't have cars, all of that. So it was an interesting place too. Like meeting with parents was a little bit more difficult than having—.
Speaker 4:You were in the office, I was. I was a community worker at the time. In the office helping your principal was Ms Betty. Too right, Correct, yeah. And then how did you end up? You're now with the preschool program. How did that happen?
Speaker 5:I was told that they were growing. There was a position opening for a community services specialist and I heard more about it and I was very excited to to join everyone and the plan that you guys had to when was that?
Speaker 4:2023 yeah, so it's been a couple years for you, yeah, about to be two years now. Amanda, we had. Christina was over at Park.
Speaker 3:I was at Baywood Elementary. I was starting my seventh year, or, yeah, seventh year also seven years.
Speaker 4:Were you at Highlands for seven years.
Speaker 5:I was not. I was there for a year. What were the?
Speaker 4:exception. It wasn't just people who were there for seven years.
Speaker 3:No, I just made that connection with Christina, when she said that yeah. I was actually just thinking we have all, we've all been connected before coming to preschool.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Christina was, or my children went to preschool at Park Elementary with Miss Joa.
Speaker 1:Yes, the sweetest little preschool class yeah.
Speaker 4:And.
Speaker 3:Natalie and I met at community meetings and we used to host community meetings.
Speaker 4:In North Central.
Speaker 3:In North Central and Claudia's daughter went to Baywood Elementary.
Speaker 4:Is that right?
Speaker 2:Yeah she was there for five years and Christine and I also went in some panels interviewing people for the district.
Speaker 4:So, amanda, you were at your office at Baywood and I came knocking at your door. I said can I just chat with you for a couple of minutes?
Speaker 3:yes, I thought we were going to dive into data, because I think it was the first or second day of school. I thought, all right, we're gonna get started on the school year and make some goals but I, I had different ideas in mind.
Speaker 4:You did yeah.
Speaker 3:And, similar to Christina, it was such a hopeful next step for me and just felt like the right. Everything was falling into place of where I wanted to head.
Speaker 4:And do you remember we talked about the program? We did Right, like the importance of preschool. Yeah, we had talked about the program. We did Right, like the importance of preschool.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we had talked about it as a leadership team, I believe, before this conversation.
Speaker 4:Yeah, just prior.
Speaker 3:We were looking at fourth grade reading data.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and we were tracing it back to preschool.
Speaker 3:Mm-hmm yeah.
Speaker 4:Claudia, you were already at Turnbull. Yeah, I've been with the preschool program for 20 years, so I've seen a little bit of everything so Miroslava is back there like go another 20 years and call me 20 years is a long time excuse me.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's been a long time and it's been wonderful to see not just the growth but of numbers, but of supports that we're providing our students and families. It's been a dream.
Speaker 4:Because a lot has changed.
Speaker 2:A lot has changed and the conversation was always preschool is important, but it's important for who? Who thought it was important? We knew teachers and staff, but I think it really came from the leadership to say it really is important. We're going to show it and we're going to make changes and we're going to grow and going to support our families the best we can. And it's wonderful to see that, um, after covid especially, um, how much it's been like we're open for business and we mean, uh, we're going to do the best we can.
Speaker 4:And you and your coworkers there at the office, you really changed the way the office looks too.
Speaker 2:A hundred percent. I think the way we welcome our families has been from day one. When Christina joined our team on September 30th two years almost she said families first, that's what we're going to do and and that's what it is. Families come in and we have new, new staff, uh, and members in the office who work working with families, and at the time of hiring, that was the key word when they said I like working with families, I like you know talking to people and we're like we need you here, so, so it was very intentional.
Speaker 4:It's become part of how you decide who works there too.
Speaker 2:Oh, a hundred percent. We watch them and they're really happy to serve families and families are happy to be there and you know if families are happy, kids are happy or teachers are happy, and you know office is happy. So it's just we want to make sure that every member of our staff understands that or teachers, or paras and I have to say we've been hiring I don't know over 30 people in the last two years and some of those people are actually community members on your families or former students, moms, siblings and we've been changing not only the student but really the families. So it's really very powerful what's been happening for the last two years, that we're going to see even more right as years go by, how much impact we have made in the last two years. Thank you to your leadership.
Speaker 4:It's very powerful. Christina, you came on board a couple years back and said families first. Did that really also mean to you I want kids in school?
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Families first means that students need to be learning. Students need to be at school full days. Families can go to work and do what they need to do, and all of us are moving forward and moving ahead, and that is what our families need.
Speaker 4:They need this opportunity because it's not just a catchphrase. No, you're not just saying no because I think that happens sometimes. Right like I could just put up a big sticker that says family first. Everybody's gonna see that sticker and say, oh, that's really nice so in the first, let's see.
Speaker 1:Okay, they started september 30th and by november 16th we were opening up our brand new classroom. The first one we had filled, miroslava's class. So she was already at 24, that that didn't take very long. So we really are about families. It wasn't that we were just saying that we knew we had work to do, and that was reaching out to families and saying welcome to preschool, let's go.
Speaker 4:You also wanted it to look different at Turnbull Definitely so. When people come to our school now, I see a lot of parents say this is really beautiful. Why was it important to you to see Turnbull change how it looked?
Speaker 1:when people walk in our door and they're going to start doing the work of learning how to get into our, getting into our program, you want them to feel welcome from the minute they walk in. When they walk in now, there's a place for their children to play. There's a place for them to ask questions. There's a place for everyone to feel like they belong, and that's how it starts From the moment you walk in the door, you feel like you belong. Part of it is getting the offices inviting, making it feel like they have a place to sit.
Speaker 1:In the beginning, when I first got there, it just didn't feel that way, so we really needed to look at what does it feel like when people come on campus and what does it feel like to be a student? Is there a place to play? Is there a brown? You know we tried something that didn't really work and it ended up looking like sand, but it was actually something that was meant to be there, but it wasn't working for preschool. So remove that. Let's make it an area where they can play and add some toys that they want to play with and just make it a place where learning is fun and loving. School is a part of your everyday.
Speaker 4:And we heard from our parent a little while back. She said the best part of this place is just how people treat me, how people receive me. It's really powerful to hear Natalie you work with really get integrated into the school and into the community. What do parents really want from us when you work with them? What is it that they want from us and need from us?
Speaker 5:I think it's very important to look at each family and see the needs that they have, so we're in a place where we can be a bridge between the families and the services that they need to ensure that they have a successful life and educational life.
Speaker 4:They might need housing assistance. Exactly that's a big thing in San Mateo.
Speaker 5:Housing, food services, medical services.
Speaker 4:Clothing.
Speaker 5:Exactly so just being able to being that bridge to support them, to get what they need at the moment that they need it is very important. I'm at a place where we do questionnaires to see how the kids are developing, so sometimes we can see that parents need an evaluation for their kids but they're not doing it because they have other priorities. First, they just came to the country, so their priority is to find a place to live. They need food, they need everything else. So being able to help them with that and then, once that's settled, help them to get the next steps so being able to follow up with them.
Speaker 4:You can really do the follow-up right.
Speaker 5:Exactly and have a story of the family rather than just saying, oh, they're not doing what they're supposed to be doing, like really understanding what's happening behind doors and connecting them to the right people.
Speaker 4:And then you're part of a whole network of people that do the same work you do Correct, so you're not alone.
Speaker 5:Yes, and we collaborate very well with all of our community or community services specialists in the district and then just with the community partners that we have. So it's amazing having those partnerships and not being alone, and if you don't know where to refer someone, you can always go back to someone and collaborate and co-develop plans for them to get to where they have to go.
Speaker 4:And as a program, we changed our approach. We opened our doors, we made people feel welcome, we opened new classrooms, we started new programs, we hired new staff, we started connecting with our families in a way where we could follow up in. Your position went before we had our community service specialists.
Speaker 2:You didn't have time it was very hard because you wanted to do that, that was part of your job. But there were other things, um, you know that needed to take, we needed to take care of in order to have investing enough in the preschool program.
Speaker 4:There was too few people.
Speaker 2:There were really three people in the office.
Speaker 4:Which must make you guys just shake your heads right, Like it would just seem impossible. How did they do that?
Speaker 2:And really like one or two Spanish speakers in a community that 90% are Spanish speakers. So this has changed the game, having our directors bilingual. So, the parents go straight to them and they don't need translators, so it's been really amazing.
Speaker 4:And so you're able to help that next family, you're able to get the next family in. We made all these changes. This is like the student experience side of it also needs to change, also needs to develop. Amanda, when I went and visited you, we talked about you coming in and putting a lot of emphasis and attention on what happened in between the bells once the kids entered the classrooms. Talk about what you get excited about for the future with your program there at the preschool.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I have to say that, hearing from you and Diego P about the commentary from the lead kindergarten teachers, that's exactly what I want to hear from the future, from all of our kindergarten teachers where our students are going, is that our students are arriving? Is that our our students are arriving to kindergarten ready for the academics so familiar with small group instruction and group time and circle time and holding attention, sharing with friends, making friends, obviously, some really important foundational skills as well, and so with our, I think I'm um really excited where we're heading as a team too of we've. You know we have higher expanded our program a lot and um hired various um specialty roles to really help us do this work but we also got a big grant for inclusion.
Speaker 4:we we did Tell me about that.
Speaker 3:We're excited for the future of our inclusion grant. We got a little. We earned or were awarded a little under a million dollars.
Speaker 4:Well, originally it was two million.
Speaker 3:Originally it was two million. I'm I have been amazed since I started in preschool by the collaboration, this willingness and the length. The amount of time that our teachers put into growing themselves professionally and that's a huge part of our grant is the amount of time we will spend outside of our workday actually making sure we have the tool set, um, to support students with the greatest needs in our program um but it really is about getting kids in more preschool it is, it's about taking away the separation exactly.
Speaker 3:Um, it's really about changing changing our mindset too.
Speaker 4:Of students who maybe historically were were placed in special day classrooms do you remember when we came over last year and walked your classroom?
Speaker 3:we do. We serve students who are in special day classrooms and we serve students who are in general education classrooms, and our goal is that our students who are in a special day class spend the majority of their day in a general education classroom as well that's right.
Speaker 4:When I went to lead last year I took our director of special education and I took our principal and we walked into an SDC preschool and it was very restrictive. There were walls up everywhere. Adults were physically sitting around kids so they couldn't even move. They were like stuck like this, and the adults were talking and talking to the kids, but the kids were just listening. None of the adults were talking and talking to the kids, but the kids were just listening. None of the kids were talking. So we left and everybody felt really kind of heavy, like wow, like this is. It was sad. It was sad to see the kids have so many rules and restrictions around them and not talking, not playing, not singing, not nothing like that. And then I went next door to Miroslava's classroom and she was having an ice cream party with 24-year-olds, 24 three-year-olds. They had dishes with ice cream, no one was making a mess, no one was throwing it. They were all totally joyful. And when we went in I said what are you doing, mijo? We're having an ice cream party. He looked at me, went in. I said what are you doing, mijo? We're having an ice cream party. He looked at me and I said this is really nice, and they were seated.
Speaker 4:When you enter Miroslava's room there's a little like kind of like kitchen area where they have the tables, and they were really crammed in there. But it was just so obvious that they were a community of learners that played together and talked together, and the kids just sat there and talked the whole time. Miroslava just sat. I think she actually had a plate of ice cream too. She had her own little scoop of vanilla ice cream, but she wasn't dominating, she wasn't leading them. They were just having an experience together. I think that's important. Right that's same day we came to your place and we saw in our preschool classes kids talking, playing, drawing, acting. They were dressing up, they had their toy cars. They were really engaging with each other, and that's what we want for every child. We don't want to have separate classrooms where those kids are off to the side. We want them all together. It's a pretty noble goal it sure is.
Speaker 3:And um, I was thinking earlier when kaylor's mom was talking about the progress her, her son, has made, and um, just giving students she said he knew like 20 words right total.
Speaker 4:So like now he won't be quiet. That's a direct quote.
Speaker 3:I won't be quiet so for students who you know this is a time in their life where you know it's really really important in their life, where you know it's really really important for them to for all students to have access to neurotypical students as well.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so what does the future hold for us? Claudia, you're there at Turnbull.
Speaker 2:The sky is the limit there is a limit. I think we're going to keep growing More kids, more kids, more schools, hopefully, and more services. We're going to keep hiring people that want to be with our students, our community. I think it's really wonderful what's to come.
Speaker 4:Yeah, how about for you, amanda? What's next?
Speaker 3:Full inclusion.
Speaker 4:Yeah, every child in every class. They don't have to earn it, they get to start there, right, yeah, and then we figure out how to help them.
Speaker 3:Exactly.
Speaker 4:How about for you, Natalie? What's next?
Speaker 5:Just like Claudia said, sky is the limit and just collaborating, learning more from our families what the needs really are and really targeting that and making it fun for for everyone. Ensuring that families feel comfortable to come to school and because they're going to continue in school for many, many years, so setting that path for them to be excited to continue learning.
Speaker 4:And yeah and saying I have a two-year-old. When I can, when can I come sign him up right coming to us early?
Speaker 1:continuing to grow our program. The state of california has given us two more million dollars. So in addition to what we received already.
Speaker 1:So we are opening up our Laurel classes. Just hopefully, soon licensing will be there to license the classrooms. But continuing to do that, continuing to open preschools in every site, that is our goal to ensure that every single one of our schools has a preschool class or two and just making sure that children are ready for learning and ready to go when they get to kindergarten. I always tell people we have two years to learn their story and tell their story so that when they get into kindergarten they are ready to go and we know so much more about them and can get them off to a great start. So that's what we'll be doing opening classes.
Speaker 4:We've got a lot of people coming to visit us next month. Did you know that? Just found out. Yeah, what did they say?
Speaker 2:Just contacted actually our catering because, I'm worried about the food, so we're just excited to hear more about it. I guess what's entitled for all of us to do.
Speaker 4:Tell us about it, Christina. What is it?
Speaker 1:It's a day to truly showcase the work that our program has been doing in the last two years. It really shows from the beginning of getting there and Miroslava having we're having a preschool summit. Yeah, it's a summit that showcases everything that we're doing.
Speaker 4:We're inviting teachers, preschool teachers and principals from the whole region, Down San Jose, all the way to San Francisco, over to Oakland Everyone.
Speaker 1:To show them how we can open classes CSVP, california State Preschool Program. We hear around our area that people are closing classrooms and it's making it really hard for families and we are fortunate, with your support and our community coming together and doing what we're all doing, that we're growing and opening classrooms and ensuring that families have exactly what they need to give their children the best opportunity for success.
Speaker 4:And what we saw. When kids start preschool, at three they can read. When they get to fourth grade, almost every single kid's a reader. If we can change just that, their whole academic future changes. Do we have a date?
Speaker 1:october 23rd october 23rd. That's, that's lucky, it's a great lucky day, that's a great day 10, 23. I'm so proud of the work that we're doing it's gonna be really exciting we'll have all these folks come in.
Speaker 4:We'll take them to a couple classrooms, then we'll come back here. Have they told. We'll take them to a couple of classrooms, then we'll come back here. Have they told you what you're going to do here yet? Oh well, let's tell her. You want to tell her what she's going?
Speaker 3:to be doing? You're going to lead the afternoon session? No, we're going to.
Speaker 1:You'll be presenting.
Speaker 4:Yeah, the two of you will be presenting, yeah, as a panel.
Speaker 3:So some of the topics that we've talked about today yes, accessing community resources, developing those community partnerships and in the name of supporting all of our families, right, how we get families in, how we help families, how we connect with families, so we'll have people from those other programs coming and learning and listening to you.
Speaker 2:I think it's great to be able to share the things that we've been doing and our teachers will be presenting?
Speaker 4:Do they know they're presenting?
Speaker 2:Yes, they do.
Speaker 4:Diego, will you get them on camera?
Speaker 5:Are they?
Speaker 4:nodding their heads.
Speaker 2:Big smiles. They'll be presenting, yeah.
Speaker 4:And it's a really beautiful thing, because people come and then they say, like they really affirm what we're doing, but they also give us ideas that are new for us.
Speaker 3:That's what I was just going to say. It's a chance for us also to build partnerships with educators who are doing similar and different work.
Speaker 4:Right, that's how we continue to grow. I want to share every good idea we have and I want to learn from every new idea we don't have.
Speaker 1:Yes, great way of doing it.
Speaker 4:If we do that in education, we'll be okay.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 4:Yeah. So what's your message to these families? You have families that are going to hear this, that have a two-year-old. What do you say to that family that has a two-year-old?
Speaker 2:I say please come to Trumbull, we welcome all families.
Speaker 4:We're ready for you.
Speaker 2:We're ready for you, for your students, and we just honestly, we want the best for your student and your family and we're here to support you and we have wonderful people. And before I left the office, all of the staff said don't forget to give us a shout-out. So I want to give a shout out to all of our wonderful ladies who, without them really, this work couldn't be done, it couldn't be done.
Speaker 4:Awesome people, awesome people, beautiful campuses, great programs and it's all for the kids. No-transcript.