St. David School (Richmond)

Infobox School
name = Saint David School|

motto =
phone = [phone]
fax = [phone]
established = 1963 [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=6272&From=Home Our History] , Saint David School website, access date June 11, 2008]
type = Parochial; Catholic
head = Ann Pires
head_email = [e-mail]
Parish email: [e-mail]
street = 871 Sonoma street
city = East Richmond Heights
state = Contra Costa County,
California, 94805
country = United States of America
district = Diocese of Oakland
enrollment = ≈300
lower_grade_limit = pre-kindergarten
upper_grade_limit = eighth
publication = GoingsOn
mascot = Bears
website = http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/map

Saint David School or Saint David's [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm Saint David School] , Home Page, access date June 11, 2008] is a Roman Catholic Elementary Middle School of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland in unincorporated East Richmond Heights, California. The school serves students from throughout the West County area its patron saint and namesake is Saint David of Whales or "Dewi Sant" in the Welsh. [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=130013&From=Home Introduction to St. David School] , Saint David School website, access date June 11, 2008] [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=6302&From=Home Principals Message] , Saint David School, access date June 11, 2008]

Overview

History and milestones

The school's parish was established in 1951 followed by the school with four grades in 1963. An additional grade was added every year until 1967; all this while the building was still under construction. The school was employed by Sisters of Notre Dame until 1984 at which point they were withdrawn due to reorganization due to the lack of new nuns. Today the school is run by laity although there is one Sister of Mercy in addition to a priest at the adjoining church. kindergarten was added in 1982, extended care commenced in 1985, and in 1987 pre-kindergarten was added. Also in 1985 the school won the National Award for Excellence in Education. Facilities were expanded in 1992 with computer and science labs; and grants funded a state of the art computer lab in 1999. The school began a "homework hotline" that students could call to hear an automated message which stated their homework for the night in 1996, although after an initial obligatory trial the program was not mandatory for teachers and it subsequently became less reliable, defeating its purpose of creating a medium for students to find out their assignments when they had lost their planner or forgotten to write down the homework assignments.

Location and facilities

The facility is located in the Berkeley Hills [http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.909263,-122.279549&spn=0.059322,0.10643&t=p&z=13 Google topographic map] , access date June 11, 2008] and faces panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. It is situated in a residential neighborhood in the hills of East Richmond Heights straddling the Richmond, California border and the neighborhood Richmond View. A West Contra Costa Unified School District adult school is located across the street. [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/map Directions to St. David School] , Saint David School website, access date June 11, 2008]

The campus consists of a two-story building situated on a hillside with direct access from both stories via bridges on the second level. This building houses: offices, a library, teacher's lounge, thirteen classrooms, storage spaces, and a cafeteria/multi-use space known as "Echo Hall" due to persistent winds. A former convent building next door is now a day care center for after school programs and also an early morning pre-school reception center; it is known as "Willows". Across the street is "Kringle Field", a baseball field, named after former principal Barbara Kringle's late husband. There are also two yards "North Yard" and "South Yard" with play structures, also used for special event, parking, and morning assembly. The school has no auditorium however it uses its church in addition to a neighboring church. Saint David also does not have a gymnasium and utilizes yet another church for basketball games.

Also adjacent to the school is the Parish Church which receives worshipers from across central Richmond, under Father John Blaker. A residence across the street from the church provides space for the Parish Office, and housing for the priest.

General information

The school color is green, and the mascot is the Bear. The school uses uniforms as nearly all Catholic schools do and the schools uniform colors are dark blue pants, white shirts, green jackets or sweaters and green and burgundy skirts and jumpers.

The school has a non-discrimination policy regarding students covering: race, color, national origin, and ethnic origin, but not sexual orientation nor religion. [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=164159&From=Home Nondiscriminatory Policy] , Saint David School website, access date June 11, 2008]

Tuition assistance is available from the school in addition to logistical support for scholarships and grants. [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=225998&From=Home Financial Aid] , Saint David School website, access date June 11, 2008]

The school publishes a weekly newsletter in print and online called the "Goings On" which documents events, sports, topics of interest and public announcements. [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=6299&From=Home Our Web Site] , Saint David School, access date June 11, 2008]

The school has a recycling club, student government, and choir. There are also both boys and girls baseball/softball, soccer, basketball, and volleyball teams. All students and parents must also perform community service. Students all participate in "souper" kitchen" and convalescent home volunteering during junior high.

The May Fair and Halloween are annual festivals featuring games, food, dance and community socialization in addition to funds raising.

Saint David provides "hot lunch" prepared by parents two days a week, pizza one day a week, and a standard school lunch contracted with a public school nearby the remainder of the week.

=Instructors and personnel [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/staff Faculty] , Saint David School website, access date June 11, 2008] =

* Princial Ann Pires, "administrator"
* Mrs. Jane Drummond Mullarkey, "kindergarten and vice principal"
* Ms. Maria Meija, "pre-kindergarten"
* Ms. Deneshia Scott, "pre-kindergarten"
* Mrs. Marina Chainey, "first grade"
* Mrs. Grace Gedeon, "second grade"
* Ms. Cheryl Felciano, "third grade"
* Ms. Diane Francis, "forth grade"
* Ms. Sylvia Zemke, "fifth grade"
* Mrs. Deborah Magers-Rankin, "language arts/social studies (6-8)"
* Mr. Andy Shimabukuro, "math and science (6-8)"
* Mrs. Therese Larouche, "eight grade"
* Mrs. Rebecca Monson, "music"
* Sr. Anne Maher RSM, "technology coordinator, computers"
* Ms. Geraldine Washburn, "dance"
* Mrs. Diana Buckingham, "pre-kindergarten director"
* Ms. Kathy Measure, "español"
* Mrs. Jeanette Beard, "secretary"
* Ms. Gabe Perfetto, "teacher assistant"
* Ms. Gina Delucci, "Willows director"
* Ms. Martha Jaime, "Willows assistant"
* Father John Baker, "priest"
* Mr. Simon Berry, "organ player"

Notes

External links

Externalimage
align=right
width=300px

http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/images/Grads_08.jpg2008 graduating class in front of Saint David Church, father Blaker and principal Piers on left hand side]

http://www.oakdiocese.org/parishes/par30.jpgChurch and North Yard]
* [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/map Official St. David Webpage]
* [http://www.oakdiocese.org/ Diocese of Oakland]
* [http://home.catholicweb.com/StDavidSchool/index.cfm/NewsItem?id=61187&From=About Goings On]
* [http://homepage.mac.com/stdavid/Library/Library.html St. David School Library]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&q=East+Richmond+Heights,+Richmond,+CA,+USA&ll=37.946825,-122.321633&spn=0.001853,0.003326&t=h&z=18 Google maps]