PTA Enrichment Programs

Thanks to our parent community and the generosity of philanthropic organizations that have awarded us grants, the Alvarado PTA raised about $300,000 last year. That money is used to provide our entire student body with the enrichment programs described below.

Each program is supported by a committee. To volunteer to help organize and/or implement any of these programs, please click on the appropriate email or visit the PTA Committees page. See the Calendar to see when these committees meet.

Afterschool Clubs

The PTA aims to organize afterschool clubs once per semester. The classes offered each season are a function of volunteer and student interest as well as teacher and space availability. Past clubs have included hip hop dancing, art, gardening and Lego club.
To volunteer, contact afterschool_clubs (at) alvaradoschool.net.

Art

Our arts program dates back to the late sixties when Bay Area artist and Alvarado mom Ruth Asawa introduced discarded fabric, egg-cartons and milk cartons as tools that help children think creatively and solve problems. Some of the materials have changed, but the basic principle has not.
To volunteer, contact arts (at) alvaradoschool.net. 

ELAC

The English Learners’ Advisory Committee advises the principal, PTA and SSC on bilingual programs and services for ESL students. We organize family workshops in Spanish and community events. We are the voice of our children and we work to find solutions for their educational needs.
To volunteer, contact ELAC (at) alvaradoschool.net.

Gardening

Alvarado has two large gardens, one pond and one 1,300-gallon water storage cistern. The gardens are divided into four specialized areas where we connect learning and play to environmental awareness and stewardship.
To volunteer, contact gardening (at) alvaradoschool.net.

Go Green

Thanks to the stewardship of our Go Green committee, Alvarado is a leader in the school district for its compost and recycling efforts.
To volunteer, contact gogreen (at) alvaradoschool.net.

Library

Thanks to city voter-approved funding, we have a bilingual librarian who comes three days a week. All kids come to the library with their classes once a week. Our librarian reads to them and helps them find books they might like or need for a report.

Literacy

We have two bilingual literacy specialists who focus on Reading Recovery with first graders and coordinate the rest of the literacy program. They oversee five tutors who work with 30 students in grades 2-5. Thanks to a grant, we also have an afterschool tutoring program called Reading Partners that has reached more than 50 additional students. At every grade level, we are implementing “Writing by Design,” a nationally recognized program that trains teachers to develop literacy through writing.

In addition to supporting these core literacy programs, the Literacy Committee also oversees school-wide events such as our read-a-thon, book fairs and family literacy nights.
To volunteer, contact literacy (at) alvaradoschool.net.

Music

Our music programs are funded by Prop H and by the San Francisco Unified School District. We offer eight weeks of Orff music for students in grades K-3 and instrumental music for students in grades 4 and 5.

Physical Education

Alvarado’s physical education includes Motor Skills classes and the Playworks recess program.
To volunteer, contact healthykids (at) alvaradoschool.net.

Science

Alvarado’s Science Committee secures funds for science field trips, runs Science Nights and supports our outstanding science instructor Carolyn Gencarella, now in her fourth year of enhancing the science curriculum at Alvarado through hands-on learning for all students in grades K-5.
To volunteer, contact science (at) alvaradoschool.net.

Technology

Students learn computer skills starting with mouse manipulation and on to basic Web site construction and Excel spreadsheet function. Most of these skills are taught by our half-time, bilingual computer teacher, but we have computers in every classroom, too. The Tech Committee also helps out with tech support for teachers, and with the rollout of new hardware and software in the classrooms.
To volunteer, contact technology (at) alvaradoschool.net.

Theater

We offer an eight-week theater program for students in third grade, a twenty-week theater program for students in fourth and fifth grade, and an eight-week theater program for students in grades 3-5 who participate in our Special Day program.
To volunteer, contact arts (at) alvaradoschool.net.