As a concerned parent of two children attending a Kindergarten to 8th grade school in San Francisco, CA, I am writing this petition to urge the SFUSD school board and administration to reconsider the starting year for implementing the new Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program scheduled for the 2024-2025 school year.

Personal Story:

My older son is currently in 7th grade, while my younger son is in 4th grade. Our school campus is already overcrowded with students ranging from 5 years old to 13 years old. The addition of TK students will only exacerbate this issue further. We simply do not have enough space within our existing facilities to accommodate an additional class of 22 TK students.

When parents recently found out about Lawton starting a TK program, there were many concerns raised by parents.  This ranged from the reallocation of available resources to mealtime concerns to lack of Lawton community input.  Of all the concerns raised, the most recurring ones are described in more detail below.

Our Concerns regarding Safety:

The biggest concern we have is regarding the safety of all students at the Lawton Campus.  We have one large yard and virtually no division between these play areas. We already have had accidents happen in our large yard, which tries to accommodate kindergarteners, middle school 8th graders, and moderate/severe special needs children.  Adding 22 TK students to this large yard without a solid plan to ensure their safety is just more dangerous accidents waiting to happen. Other potential safety hazards include the crowded stairways, hallways, meal areas, which will all be used by both TK students and middle school students.  Even restroom usage may be shared between these students at times.

The Impact on Learning Time:

Another major concern that arises with the inclusion of TK students is the potential impact on learning time for all students. With limited space and resources, it will be challenging for our school to provide adequate classroom time for both regular curriculum and extra-curricular activities such as art and music. These classes are crucial for fostering creativity and well-rounded development among our children.

Space Constraints:

Building a separate room or expanding our current facilities would be an ideal solution to address the overcrowding issue caused by introducing the TK program. By creating a dedicated space for these young learners, we can ensure that they receive appropriate attention and support without compromising on the learning environment of other students.

We support SFUSD’s plan to start TK programs in San Francisco, but believe that this should be done at sites that are feasible and in a manner that ensures the safety of all students.  We believe the implementation of a successful TK program is achievable at Lawton after addressing the many concerns raised by parents, including student safety and space constraints.  A delay in the implementation of the TK program at Lawton will ensure there is enough time to allow careful and thoughtful planning to ultimately achieve a successful implementation. This decision will not only benefit the TK kids by providing them with a suitable learning environment, but also safeguard the educational experience of existing students.

I kindly request all parents, teachers, and concerned community members to support this petition. Together, we can advocate for a better educational experience for our children and alleviate the overcrowding issue in our beloved school.

Thank you for your attention and support.

 

Nina Konno