John Muir PTA – Two Years Later
By Richard Johnson

This spring marks the second year, since a group of community members formed the John Muir PTA. Many of us did not even have children in the neighborhood, but one thing brought us together: the importance of every child getting a quality education. We knew first hand, as active community policing advocates, the connection between little or no education and a life of crime and violence.

As a city we have seen many of our neighborhood schools in the Western Addition closed, and with these closures the loss of important institutions that are part of a healthy community. The John Muir Elementary PTA was formed with this in mind, to build a partnership with teachers, staff, students, families and community members to assure a quality education for every child. Our goal for the past two years has been to partner with the teachers, staff, students and families to “Let the sun shine on John Muir”.

Courtesy of Scott Dougall

Here is a summary of what the PTA, Tzu Chi Foundation, Community Partners United (CPU), Western Addition Beacon Center, CA PUC, SF School Volunteers, HVNA, HV Neighborhood Parks Group and Mo’Magic have been up to in the last year:

August – Back to School Day attended by Mayor Newsom and Supervisor Mirkarimi, SF Police Chief Heather Fong, Daniel Homsey (MONS), HVNA, Lower Haight Neighbors Organization

October – Wells Fargo Volunteer day and Halloween Poster Contest and CAPUC Halloween Haunted House.

November – Community Thanksgiving Celebration hosted by the Western Addition Beacon Center and CPU.

December – Winter Carnival for students, staff and families.
January 2008 – Free family movie night

March/April – Arbor Day/Recycle Event, sponsored by California Dept of Conservation, school officials, PTA, Tzu Chi Foundation and CPU, and kickoff for John Muir recycling program. The children have collected over 9000 bottles & cans since late March. Drop off your clean recyclables at the school office. The school has raised over $1500 for the classrooms so far; Western Addition Beacon Center offered ESL and computer classes for parents and community members. Lily Street Block Sale/John Muir PTA fundraiser raised $450; SF Rebuilding Together volunteers along with Elokin and Nora of HV Neighborhood Parks Group weeded, gave TLC to the learning garden on Webster between Oak & Page, and planted a new native plant garden with plants provided by the Bay Natives Nursery.

Still to happen:
2nd Annual John Muir Teacher Appreciation Day on May 22nd, 2008. Join us at the 8:40 am school assembly to give flowers, awards and lunch to our Community Heroes.

5th Grade Promotion Ceremony on June 12th at 10 am. Join students, teachers, staff and community members to honor our 5th graders as they move on to middle school.

For next school year, we’re working on purchasing new play equipment for the school, expanding arts programs and gardens, and challenging ourselves to meet the fiscal needs of public education.

We have accomplished a lot at John Muir, much of it due to community members, Tzu Chi Foundation, Steve Shululu of SF School Volunteers, CA PUC, Elizabeth Cleere (Student Volunteer Coordinator) of International High School and many others. We’re always looking for new PTA members and volunteers. If you are interested, contact Gail Baugh, PTA president, 626-6120 or g.baugh@sbcglobal.net. We especially want to invite neighborhood parents, who have children ages 5 to 10, to take the time to check us out and stop by enroll your child (if not already enrolled) and become an active volunteer to help students to achieve their highest potential.