About Us
Diversity & Values
Diversity, equity, and inclusion have always been at the heart of Pacific Primary’s mission. Since 1974, our school has welcomed families and educators from different backgrounds into a community in which everyone’s voices are valued and weave our social fabric.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
At this point in our country’s history, there have been too many examples of racism, bigotry and exclusion. In response, we feel compelled to reassert our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
We teach diversity, equity, and inclusion through developmentally appropriate practices which include curriculum, modeling, and peaceful conflict resolution. We talk to children about fairness and equity, read children’s books that emphasize diversity, and march in our Peace Parade to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, other peacemakers, and the values they upheld. We live these values every day in our school community, emphatically.
The racial, cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, the diverse family structures, and the learning differences of the members of our community present opportunities for each child to learn from those whose life experiences differ from their own. We are dedicated to maintaining a diverse school. This commitment informs our decision-making and organizational processes, including admissions policies, tuition assistance, professional development, curriculum implementation, staff hiring, and board recruitment.
Pacific Primary does not tolerate bigotry, hatred or exclusion of any kind including racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia or any other form of oppression. We are committed to providing an emotionally and physically safe space for each of our students, their families, and our staff.
Supporting every child
Belonging is not only about who is in the room; it is about making sure each child is met as an individual. Our teachers get to know every child’s temperament, strengths, and pace, and they shape the day around the child rather than the other way around, whether a child is a cautious observer, a constant mover, a deep feeler, or somewhere in between.
We welcome children with a range of needs and learning styles, and we partner closely with families, and with outside specialists when that is helpful, to support each child’s growth. We also celebrate the many home languages and cultures in our community, weaving them into the songs, stories, and celebrations of the year.
Diversity by the Numbers
Pacific Primary enrolls 154 children with broad ethnic diversity.
Ethnicity
| African American / Bi-racial | 13% |
|---|---|
| Asian / Bi-racial | 32% |
| Hispanic / Latino / Bi-racial | 12% |
| Other | 12% |
| White / Caucasian | 31% |
Our Eco Statement
Written by The Earth Protectors, a group of passionate teachers who are leading Pacific Primary in our commitment to creating a more green and sustainable school.
Pacific Primary’s philosophy has always been centered on principles of Love, Kindness, and Compassion. These values are evident in the interactions families, children, and teachers share daily and continue to inform the curriculum, professional development, materials, and everyday decisions we make as educators. We learn that problems are solvable and to not turn a small problem into a big problem.
We are currently facing a global environmental emergency; at no other time in Earth’s history have humans had as great an impact on the planet’s life-sustaining systems. We are facing a challenge, and it is our responsibility as educators to cultivate an environmentally literate generation of children, who will have the ability to identify environmental issues, the knowledge and motivation to evaluate potential solutions for those issues, and will learn to make informed, effective decisions concerning the environment. This problem can be seen as solvable if we are mindful of our resources and the interconnectedness of all living things. At Pacific Primary, we see education focusing on the environment as a crucial tool in expanding our capacity for Love, Kindness, and Compassion.
Land Acknowledgement
Pacific Primary would like our community to know that our school sits on the unceded traditional lands of the Ramaytush Ohlone* people. We pay respect to their elders both past and present. The Ohlone family of tribes have been living in the Bay Area for 10,000 years. This land continues to be of great importance to the Ohlone people. Long before Pacific Primary, and before there was a San Francisco, this area was the ancestral land of the Ramaytush Ohlone. We are grateful to the Ohlone people and recognize the history of the land on which we stand.
The Land Acknowledgement is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose land you stand on, and is a powerful way of showing respect. It is a step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous People’s history and culture and toward inviting and honoring the truth.
*Ramaytush Ohlone: the original peoples of the San Francisco Peninsula. Pronounced: Rah-my-toosh O-lone-e.