The Urban School of San Francisco is an innovative, independent coeducational high school located in the historic Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco, California.
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Mission statement
"The Urban School of San Francisco seeks to ignite a passion for learning, inspiring its students to become self-motivated, enthusiastic participants in their education--both in high school and beyond."
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History
Urban was founded in 1966 by a group of Bay Area parents and was innovative in many ways. It was the first coeducational SF private high school, it was the only SF high school of its time to not include letter grades and it pioneered a nuanced blocks schedule system. Today Urban has grown from its original 22 students into a highly selective school with a student body of more than 400, but it is still guided by its founding core values.
Evaluation and grading
Urban's grading and evaluation system discourages competition and comparison. The school, up until 2011, did not show students letter grades until their senior year. Now it provides letter grades at the end of each course, but the primary focus is on written teacher evaluations. Urban teachers write two thorough reports each term for each student, providing comprehensive feedback on student achievement and setting specific goals and strategies for improvement. Students are also asked to reflect on and formally evaluate their work.
Schedule and curriculum
Terms and block schedule
Urban organizes the school year using a three-term system rather than a conventional semester system. The schedule divides the academic year into three, 12-week terms: fall, winter and spring. Students take four classes every term. These classes meet for 70-minute periods with one 2-hour+ period per week. (Urban will introduce a slightly revised schedule in the 2017-18 school year including more opportunities for teacher-student tutorial time, school day activities such as fitness, and a later start time each day.)
Urban's schedule allows for more concentrated, less fragmented learning than does a traditional high school schedule. It enables students and teachers to focus on each area of study in greater depth and approach the material in a variety of ways: in-depth discussions, independent and group projects, films, research and field trips into surrounding communities and environments.
In addition, students take electives such as Jazz Band, Urban Singers, or Newspaper, or participate in physical activity or study halls during a shorter period. There is also time for advising, grade-level meetings, all-school meetings, and consultation periods for students to meet individually with teachers within this block schedule.
Curriculum
Urban's curriculum includes core academic classes common to most high schools, as well as a number of specialized courses, advanced electives and creative arts courses usually found at the college level.
Two terms of a class make up one credit; an elective class that only lasts one term is therefore .5 credits. In order to graduate from Urban and complete the required courses for admittance to the UC system and other highly selective colleges, the following credits must be taken in each subject matter:
Student life
Through strong relationships with their teachers, advisors and with each other, Urban students learn early on how to navigate a culture of collaboration, inclusion and mutual respect. Urban has more than 40 student clubs, as well as student government, an active outdoor and class trips program, and a student newspaper, yearbook, and online literary and arts journal. Performing arts opportunities include fall and winter theater productions, circus class performances and the annual One Act Festival, as well as a strong music program.
History of equity and inclusion
"We honor the uniqueness of each individual and embrace diverse backgrounds, values and points of view to build a strong, inclusive community and to prepare students for lives in a multicultural society."
Since its inception, Urban has continually re-evalutated itself on diversity, equity and inclusion. From creating one of the first admissions diversity goals in San Francisco schools in the 90s, to its current annual Month Of Understanding in January, and Identity and Ethnic Studies class for Freshmen, Urban has asserted itself at the forefront of this conversation within independent high schools.
Urban is currently working toward ensuring equitable access to its programs and practices, inclusive teaching practices and student culture, and freedom of personal expression and experience among students.
Athletics
A member of the Bay Area Conference and Bay Counties League-West (BCL-West), Urban fields title-winning interscholastic teams in baseball, basketball, cross-country, fencing, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. Athletic practices and games are held in Urban's New state-of-the-art Mark Salkind Center Gym, the St. Agnes Gym, as well as venues throughout the city and in Golden Gate Park. More than 60 percent of all Urban students participate on 27 boys, girls and co-ed athletic teams in the department.
College matriculation
Graduates of the Urban School matriculate to a variety of schools, including Ivy League and highly selective public and private colleges and universities, as well as specialized schools for those gifted in science, engineering, and visual and performing arts. In the past five years, students have gone on to more than 130 colleges/universities. Typically 99-100 percent of Urban students attend a four-year college or university after graduation.
Tuition
The Urban School, because it is private and self-supporting, charges $42,551 per student for tuition and laptop fees[1]. Urban provides financial aid to 30+% of its students who have demonstrated need as determined by the school and the NAIS Student Service for Financial Aid .
Student newspaper
Urban's student newspaper, called "The Urban Legend," is an award-winning member of the National Scholastic Press Association.
Notable alumni
- Mitch Lowe, founder of Redbox and Netflix
- Rebecca Walker, writer-activist, daughter of Alice Walker
- Gabby La La, musician
- Lhasa de Sela, musician
- Jené Morris, WNBA Guard
- Alison Elliott, actress
- David Sandner, author and editor
- Phoebe Gloeckner
- Jacob A. Weisman, author, editor, and publisher at Tachyon Publications
- Onome Ojo, American football player with the NFL team New England Saints
- Brad Wollack, writer, comedian and executive producer of E! network's Chelsea Lately program
- Yunji de Nies, television new correspondent for KITV4 news in Hawaii and formerly White House Correspondent for American Broadcasting Company's ABC News
- Zelda Williams, actress, daughter of Robin Williams
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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