Why We Love El Dorado ("El Do") Elementary School! A Guest Blog Post

A guest Blog post by Hayley Walker and Dorothy Curry-Holman

As a manager at Real Options for City Kids, or R.O.C.K. for short, I’ve had the opportunity to work side-by-side with staff and parents at El Dorado Elementary School. R.O.C.K. and El Do have a unique partnership that expands far beyond the school day–we work with them to provide additional resources for families, a free after school program open to all students, and in-school support where it’s needed most. Through this partnership, I’ve been able to experience and participate in the true community school model that El Do offers. But don’t take my word for it–I sat down with Dorothy Curry-Holman, parent of a kindergarten student at El Dorado Elementary School, who shared some of her favorite things about El Do.

Community School

El Dorado Elementary School is a community school in every way. They offer small class sizes and work with teachers and specialists who are well-equipped to accommodate learning differences. “When we first got to El Do, we loved it! It's small, it’s really active in the community, and they do a lot of stuff with the parents. The staff is wonderful, R.O.C.K. and the regular staff.”

And of course, a community school is not just a place for learning from 8am to 3pm; El Do offers parent workshops, literacy nights, family games nights, and more outside of school hours. Dorothy shared that they attended a cooking class recently, and her daughter, Miracle, chimed in that they do reading and get to watch movies together, too. 

I’ve witnessed the staff at El Do go above and beyond to support students and families, and Dorothy commented on that as well. “The staff is really there for you, and if you need assistance with computer work or something like that, they’ll help you out. We have our own book club every Friday in the neighborhood, and they’ve really been supportive with that.” She even gave a special shout out to Ms. Keisha, the School Secretary, and Mr. Glover, the Assistant Principal, who have been instrumental in making book club happen each week by helping parents fundraise and create flyers.

Another stand-out feature of El Dorado Elementary School is its full Wellness Center, which Dorothy said her daughter told her about after school one day. The Wellness Center at El Do offers a safe space for students who need social and emotional support, and both school staff and R.O.C.K. team members are always around to provide one-on-one time for students. As students have returned to in-person school after over a year of distance learning during the pandemic, the Wellness Center has proved to be a critical resource during this time of heightened need. 

Parent Involvement
El Do provides numerous opportunities for parents to be involved in their children’s learning. The school Principal, Ms. Cordero, hosts monthly Principal Chats at two different times so that parents and guardians can join even if they have busy schedules. Dorothy also commented on the excellent communication between school administrators and families, stating that she receives “lots of text messages and emails, even phone calls” to keep her in the loop.

Last fall, Dorothy even had the opportunity to take on a leadership role at a school event. El Dorado is a polling place during election season in the Visitacion Valley neighborhood, and each year the school hosts a bake sale fundraiser while community members stop by to vote. 

“I was running the poll, and it was my first time doing that,” she shared. “I was able to do the bake sale and work the polls at the same time, and it was a great experience. I loved it. It was a long day but it was well worth it.”

Partnership with R.O.C.K. 

When I shared that R.O.C.K. has been working solely in Visitacion Valley for over 27 years, Dorothy was impressed. It’s true–our roots run deep in this neighborhood, and our unique partnerships with schools like El Dorado Elementary School are one of our greatest accomplishments.

Dorothy’s daughter attends R.O.C.K.’s after school program at El Do, which is free for all students and is open every day until 6pm. Staying in line with the school’s vision and dedication to being a true community school, R.O.C.K. brings in additional support, resources, and opportunities for children and families to learn and grow even outside of school hours. Students at El Do have access to enrichment classes, sports teams, and homework help after school, as well as weekend and summer activities for students and families–including an overnight camp near Lake Tahoe. 

The relationship between El Do, R.O.C.K., and the school community is more than just a partnership–it’s a family. Dorothy has experienced this first-hand as she’s gotten to know the school staff and R.O.C.K.’s teachers. She shared a special story about a time she had the opportunity to show her appreciation for the after school team. It was an uncharacteristically hot day last fall, and she asked the staff how they were going to handle the heat. “Well slushies would be nice!” one of them shared. Dorothy’s response? “They didn’t know I was going to do it, but I went and got slushies for everybody, and they were really appreciative. They were really happy.” 

I can speak on behalf of the whole R.O.C.K. team when I say that we truly are appreciative, not just of the slushies, but of Dorothy’s engagement as a parent and her contributions to our school. She’s one of the reasons our community at El Do is so wonderful.

To learn more about El Dorado Elementary School, visit www.sfusd.edu/school/el-dorado-elementary-school.

Hayley Walker is the Marketing & Development Manager at Real Options for City Kids, the nonprofit community partner of El Dorado Elementary School. She recently spoke with Dorothy Curry-Holman, mother of a kindergarten student, to learn more about her experience as the parent of an El Dorado Eagle.

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The opinions expressed by guest bloggers are of the individual author only and not necessarily those of Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco or its staff or board of directors.