Visitacion Valley Middle School Welcome Newsletter

450 Raymond Ave. San Francisco 94134

415-469-4590 | visitacion-sfusd-ca.schoolloop.com Spring 2O17

Engaging students with Modern Band

Hot Chili Peppers and James Hetfield of Metallica.
Their last concert included songs by Justin Timber-

“
lake, Pink and Macklemore.

The program at Visitacion is engaging

Students learn contemporary songs on instruments like acoustic
guitar, keyboard and drums in the Modern Band class at
Visitacion Valley Middle School.
because the kids are able to play music
that they like. It builds community really
quickly. The kids are trusting themselves.
When they’re playing music, they’re vul-
nerable,” said Schwartz, who is trained in
music therapy.
Schwartz started teaching music at Visitacion Valley
14 years ago through a partnership with a communi-

S
tudents won’t find clarinets, flutes or other
traditional school band instruments in Lau-
ren Schwartz’s music class. Instead, Schwartz
is keeping students engaged by encouraging
them to sing and play today’s chart-topping songs.
ty organization. At VVMS, Schwartz has the freedom
to experiment with teaching to meet all students’ in-
dividual needs. In sixth grade, students take Modern
Band as an elective, where they learn the basics of
the class. In grades 7-8, students learn more ad-
vanced music skills.

In her Modern Band class at Visitacion Valley Mid-
dle School (VVMS), students learn electric bass,
acoustic guitar, keyboards, drums, rapping, and
singing. Schwartz’s students have performed with
Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas, Chad Smith of the Red
Modern Band engages students in a way other
classes can’t, Schwartz said. In her class, students
dance, sing and move around the room. “Music gives
students confidence and a voice,” Schwartz said. “I
believe in the power of music.”

Our Principal welcomes you to Viz Valley

Welcome to Visitacion Valley
Middle School -- a family commu-
nity that values equitable oppor-
tunities, individualized learning,
student diversity, and social and
emotional wellness. Students
succeed academically with the
support of our Quiet Time pro-
gram to help relieve stress, the
ROCK afterschool program, and
opportunities to learn golf and
perform in Modern Band class.
We also serve as a community
resource for families to further
support student learning. Visit us
and learn more about Visitacion
Valley Middle School!
Sincerely,
Principal Joe Truss

Follow Us! @VVMSFalcons Like us @VVMSFalcons Follow us @vvmsfalcons

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Helping English learners transition to
new school
Ana soon found her favorite
place at school -- the library.
There she read book after book,
quickly learning English. Within
a year, Ana transitioned from
classes in the Newcomer Pathway
for English-learner students to
general education classes.
“When they moved my classes,
I felt so proud,” said Ana. “My
mom was especially proud of me.
If an English learner is feeling
M oving to a new school is
never easy. When Ana
enrolled in seventh grade last
nervous about going to a new
school, this school is a good place
to go because they can learn
year at Visitacion Valley Middle English fast, and they will have so
School, she also prepared herself many activities to help them.”
to learn a new language.
For a community service project,
“The first week I felt so nervous,” Ana plans to volunteer and tutor
said Ana, an eighth-grader. “But other students in English. She
then I started making friends, also wants to be a lawyer so she
and my teachers helped me a lot. can continue helping people.
This school helps people.”
“
I like Visitacion Valley
Middle School because I
only speak Spanish, and it’s
easy for me to communicate
with teachers and staff because
most of them also speak Spanish.”
- Maria Tirado, parent
Top 5 reasons to enroll at Viz Valley
1. Individualized support in small classes
2. Learn computer programming and golf
3. Hands-on learning with 35 field trips a year
4. Learn in a newly renovated school
5. Stress relief through daily meditation
Follow us @VVMSFalcons Like us @VVMSFalcons
Kania Tucker is a teacher at Visitacion
Valley Middle School.
Individualizing
learning at
Visitacion Valley
Middle School
Teacher Kania Tucker says
Visitacion Valley Middle School
is where students can be them-
selves and lessons are tailored
to the interests and needs of
students.
“
The teachers really take
time to get to know their
students and create curric-
ulum that’s interesting for
students,” said Tucker, drama
and digital media arts teacher.
Growing up in San Francisco,
Tucker remembers hearing
positive stories about Visitacion
Valley Middle School and the
neighborhood. When a tutoring
job opened in the afterschool
program, Tucker jumped at the
opportunity. She worked in the
ROCK (Real Options for City
Kids) program for three years
before becoming a teacher two
years ago.
“I felt welcome from the very
beginning,” she said. “It’s very
much a family environment.”
Follow us @vvmsfalcons
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