Jose Ortega Elementary School

I went to elementary school here, best years ever! The teachers were really nice and fifth grade was the best! We go on a camping trip and a picnic trip! It’s super fun! I assure your kids will love it here!

My daughter has been at JOES, as we affectionately call the school, for one year. I love JOES for many reasons.
First, we have a great leader. Principal Washington sets a great tone for the school — she believes in innovative child-​centered teaching, strives for academic excellence, but also emphasizes helping children grow emotionally, socially, and physically. She knows each child’s name, and she greets them with a smile as she walks down the hall. She is never too busy to talk with a child in need of some extra care.
Second, we have fantastic teachers. Despite a 1:22 ratio in kindergarten, my daughter’s teacher was able to tell me detailed information about my daughter’s personality, needs, and academic progress at parent/​teacher conferences or when I sought her advice. The teachers attend professional development in the summer. In addition to their teaching responsibilities, they also lead school committees on a variety of topics — math, English language arts, science, restorative practices, etc. As committee members, they attend conferences in their area and then return to teach their peers. Because I volunteer at the school a lot, I eat lunch in the teacher’s lunchroom often. Our teachers like each other, they seek each other’s advice, and they work together. They are happy and this spills over into their classroom teaching.
Third, we have a great community. We have one of the most diverse student bodies in the city both ethnically and socioeconomically. We have both general education and mandarin-​immersion classes, but the emphasis is always that we are one school. Kids don’t fully realize they are in one program or another. They refer to each other by their classroom numbers. All of this diversity is embraced through school celebrations of different cultural holidays, music, art, etc. We have an active PTA that hosts community events and fundraisers. At our spring social, parties hosted by parents are auctioned. I just attended a murder mystery costume party and hosted an urban campfire party This raises money for the school AND builds community.
Last, we have a great curriculum. I love the reader’s workshop and writer’s workshop used to teach English. All grades — even my kindergartener — spend each trimester studying a different style of writing. My daughter wrote a persuasive piece about why people should visit CAS after a field trip to the museum. She wrote five non-​fiction books. That’s only a snippet of the writing she did. Plus she learned to read. We have two science consultants working this year to ensure each class does one hands-​on science experiment each week.
There are so many good things happening, but what I love the most is my daughter is happy, growing, safe and welcomed each day of the school year:)

i love my elementary school. back in the days it was really cool because we all played together as one big happy family. nowadays the school system in middle and high school the kids seem to keep to their own race which really sucks.
all i have to say is i love this elementary school. class of 2000!!!

As the parent of a child who attends school here, I have only good things to say about the school.
Jose Ortega is a wonderful place to learn and grow as a child. My daughter loves her teachers, her classmates and going to school each day. The community is very welcoming and parents volunteer in a variety of ways. The principal is dynamic and dedicated — she really sets a positive tone and clearly has high standards.
The small size of Jose Ortega makes it feel like a tight-​knit family, and it is refreshing to have that sense in a big city. My daughter’s well being is important here, both academic and social, and I see how much the teachers care about all the kids. That genuine caring spirit is rare to find and just what I hoped for in a school for my child.

I have 2 kids at Jose Ortega — third grade and kindergarten — and both have had a great experience. The school prides itself on being a welcoming and diverse place. It has general education, Mandarin immersion, and inclusion programs, and the staff works hard to combine the classes in different ways (during lunch, recess, PE, dance, after school, field trips, etc.) so that the kids can make friends among the programs.
The staff seem particularly good to me and have a great love of teaching. Several of the teachers have been teaching at Jose Ortega for 20 years. It’s so sweet to hear two teachers talking afterschool about something cute that one of their students wrote during the day. The principal started at the school as a reading specialist and has been involved with Jose Ortega for 20 years. She knows every child by name and takes great care to be sure each student is being challenged at the right level.
The teachers are all trained in differentiated learning (this may be true for all of SFUSD) and the school works to provide extra resources for both struggling and accelerated students. Some examples are free afterschool tutoring that begins each January for students that the teachers determine need extra help in some area. The tutoring is done by the teachers, who know the students best, and is partly paid for by the PTA. Another project the PTA is taking on this year is to provide more higher level reading material to each classroom so that the teachers will be able to easily make reading assignments at multiple reading levels.
We have a great PE teacher that the students adore and a fantastic nutritionist who gardens, harvests, and cooks with the kids. Each classroom has a garden plot and the teachers incorporate planting into the science curriculum.
The PTA is active in fundraising to provide money for art (we have an artist in residence each year — we’re doing a mural this year), music programs, greening projects, technology (providing digital projectors to each classroom this year), family nights, and more.
The school is located in a quiet residential neighborhood on a hill with a view of the ocean. We have quite a few neighborhood families that walk to school. There is a park and community garden right behind the school that the teachers use for science lessons.
Come tour our school or look at the website for a video —

This is a gem of a public school in the Oceanview, Merced, Ingleside Heights District. We are in the Mand. Immersion Program, starting 2^nd grade, and we are impressed by the level of academics (English and Mand) that the teachers achieve. We are very pleased and happy at the quality of education that our son has received.
Location: Fantastic! We live in the neighborhood. It’s safe and friendly. This was our first choice and we got it! See, the SFUSD Assignment system does work for some! When I tell people about this school and the location they usually say that it’s «way out there.» But If you go to Stonestown or know where SFSU is, this is less than 5 minutes away up the hill! There are large boulevards and easy freeway access. I love living in this side of the city. Downside is that we are in the fog belt, but being native San Franciscans we dress in layers and the sun does come out, but usually not in the morning.
Staff: They really make the school. The teachers and staff are all genuinely interested in helping your child learn and thrive. It’s not fake. They are here because they really love kids and want to do this. They spend so much time preparing for their classes. They come in early, stay late, work on weekends! There is weekly email communication from the teacher and a Weekly Communications Folder that your child will take home. You can always call the staff via the old fashioned way of telephone. They are very accessible. The principal, Ms. Washington, has excellent leadership, managerial and communication skills. This is a caring community where everyone knows everyone.
Academics: Pleased and an excellent quality. If you want your kid to get the most out of school, you need to be prepared to spend time to assist them with homework and other activities at home. There is homework as well as other home-​based enrichment activities/​programs (i.e. home reading program, DVD program in Mand, etc.) that you should do with your child. The teachers gives the kids their best, your child has to make an effort as well as you! It’s a family decision!
Facilities: A new playground has just been installed (as of June 2010), large main yard (larger than Lakeshore), and other small yards. Aggressive and impressive greening plan (we’re raising $), Cafeteria/​auditorium. The school is not filled to capacity so there is a lot space. Clean school with a caring janitor that also takes on a lot of the gardening in the school gardens! Greenhouse on site. Plenty of kids art. Mural on the front of the school may be replaced very soon (dependent on grant funding). Pickup after school system: can double park in the queue and walk to the front stairs to pick up your child. Street parking available however this school is on top of a steep hill and surrounding streets are steep or have a moderate incline.
Population and Atmosphere: Kids are diverse, friendly and have fun. They are happy kids. My son loves going to school and looks forward to each day because it’s a welcoming, supportive community not just for the students, but for the teachers and families too!
Other Activities and Programs: There are PTA activities. For the past two years we had events such as silent auction, Umoja Carnival, Annual Walkathon, Talent Shows, Winter Program, Greening Activities, Science Night, Art Gallery, etc. There is an after school program that the Stonestown YMCA administers onsite. We are not a part of that program but I have heard great things. The also hired a Mand. tutor to help kids with their homework.
We love it and I highly recommend the school. Check it out.

Our son attends Jose Ortega and really likes it. He really enjoys the learning aspect of the school, and he seems to have learned and grown a lot over the last year. He especially loves his teachers. He was very sad last week when he was sick and couldn’t attend.
The school staff work very hard and are very dedicated. The after-​school care program is a perfect fit for our child’s needs. The PTA (of which I am a member) works hard to raise funds and support our school.

Little Infodiva’s Alma Mater hehehe Oh my Goodness The memories. Look at my school. I was here from 4^th grade to 6^th grade.
Jose Ortega Elementary School is one of San Francisco’s best-​kept secrets. Teachers are involved in ongoing professional development and many are leaders in the areas of literacy, math, social studies, science, and art. Jose Ortega enhances student learning by integrating the arts, technology, field trips and a home-​school reading program. We value and support our parents by providing many community-​building opportunities, including curriculum-​based Family Nights, a Literacy Project, Family Day Picnic, Back to School Night, PTA, and opportunities to volunteer on school projects and in classrooms. We develop student leadership through activities such as Student Council, Service Club, recycling helpers and Conflict Resolution Managers.
Tel: 469‑4726
Fax: 584‑7972
Hours of Operation: 7:50−1:50
Mrs. JoLynn Washington, Principal
Student Data
School Number 746
Grade Span K-​5 Avg Daily Attendance 94.0%
Student Enrollment 205 Excused Absences 3.5%
ELL (LEP/​NEP) 51 (24.9%) Unexcused Absences 2.5%
Special Education 27 (13.2%) Dropout Rate 0.0%
EDY 62 (30.2%) Suspended 0
GATE 9 (4.4%) Teacher Attendance 99.2%
Free Lunch 116 (56.6%) Building (Sq. Ft.) 37,100
Reduced Lunch 34 (16.6%) Yr Constructed 1953,1962
Children Center No