Community, Congresswoman Talk About Parkway's Future

Technology, facilities and disciplinary procedures need to be improved at , according to input by parents, teachers, students and city officials at a café-style conversation held at the school Tuesday night and attended by Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough).

In October, Speier pledged her support and dedication to working with the school, stating that she would become Parkway’s “guardian angel.

“This school has been left behind,” said Speier, an alumnus of Parkway. “And I want to turn that around.”

Speier participated in Tuesday's conversation as a way to discuss the status of the school and possible solutions to its current issues. Talk circulated around implementing digital learning techniques and responding to staff, parent and student surveys concerning Parkway’s needs.

Assistant Superintendent Jackie McEvoy spoke as a representative for her conversation table when she said students need access to technology while teachers need training in said technology.

“You put certain things in place, but you have to actually use them,” McEvoy said.

Discussion participants also voiced a concern with a digital divide among students whose families cannot afford or do not own digital tools.

“That really becomes a burden to the parents who need to make that happen,” McEvoy said.

Superintendent Alejandro Hogan, emcee of the community conversation, said he would like to see a blend of technology-based curriculum and traditional teaching methods.

“Technology is a tool for us,” he said. “But it shouldn’t be an end-all.”

Students must use technology in the classroom, Speier said, even if schools need to allocate more funds in order for that technology to be available.

Speier has reached out to local South City companies to partner with schools in an effort to engage students in STEM (science, technology, engineering mathematics) subjects.

“You’ve got the STEM capital of the world right in South San Francisco,” she said. “Imagine if we brought some of these eighth graders in and imprinted upon them how they can get jobs.”

Data collected from surveys of Parkway staff, parents and students found among concerns were student disciplinary policies and poor facilities.

Only 39 percent of Parkway staff agreed with disciplinary actions and 25 percent of staff said they do not believe the disciplinary polices at the school are effective, while 22 percent of students said they do not feel entirely safe at school.

Principal Stephen Redmond said bullying has become a major issue in middle schools across the United States, but Parkway has implemented several campaigns and begun producing a student-directed video on anti-bullying.

“A lot of it is educating about what bullying is,” he said.

Bullying and pre-gang activity, Speier said, should absolutely not be tolerated on any campus.

“It’s about teaching responsibility and respect,” she said.

Hogan said he would like to implement behavior programs such as the Six Pillars of Character.

Mayor Richard Garbarino said he would like to work with the school district to address gang-related behavior. Middle-school aged children are at a susceptible age for being influenced by gang culture and intervention should happen beforehand, he said.

“When they get to middle school,” he said, “we’ve lost them.”

Many who participated in the conversation agreed that if school facilities are up to date, students are much more likely to make education a priority.

Parkway has been in Program Improvement status since the 2003-2004 school year.

The surveys showed that parents, teachers and students named the school’s field, restrooms and computer lab as the most desperate need of improvement.

ASB President Jesus Garcia said that having an adequate soccer field, computer lab and other facilities would encourage students to come to school every day.

“Our second computer lab needs help,” Garcia said. “It’s wasting our class time.”

Garcia said that he has to wait at least five minutes for his computer to boot up and challenged anyone to voluntarily trade his or her computer with one from a Parkway computer lab.

“The spirit of the student is here,” Garbarino said. “But kids can’t learn if they don’t have the materials to work with.”

Principal Redmond said the answer to Parkway’s needs is a construction of a new school.

According to Redmond, the South San Francisco Unified Board of Trustees recently made a recommendation to revise the allocation of Measure J bond funds to include renovations at Parkway.

“We’re still waiting to hear what the new proposal will look like,” Redmond said.

Discussions on how to utilize the $162 million bond have been focused on construction of and , but Redmond said Parkway should be priority.

“We need an environment that enhances learning activities,” he said.

Superintendent Hogan said district staff will review the comments and ideas made by community members and staff in order to tackle the issues discussed.

He hopes to bring similar community conversations to schools throughout the district.

“I want the answers to come from the community,” Hogan said. “I want this process to take place first, and it will yield new ideas.”