2007-2008 SFDS Annual Report - San Francisco Day School

From the President of the Board of Trustees
The biggest news in the 2007-2008
school year was that the school
community enthusiastically welcomed
David Jackson, our new head of school,
and his wife, Phyllis, to San Francisco.
Dr. Jackson energetically embraced
the mission, values and characteristics
of the School while lending his extensive experience,
compassion, curiosity, and wonder to our community.
In 2007-2008, the board reaffirmed its three primary
purposes as an independent school board: the support of
the head of school, the stewardship of its resources, and
the keeping of the mission. The board’s responsibility in Dr.
Jackson’s first year was to support and familiarize him with
the workings and rationale of the SFDS program. He sat in
on innumerable committee meetings and also visited every
classroom. In his April report to the trustees, Dr. Jackson
reviewed both curriculum and teaching practices and
administrative processes. New differentiated instruction
programs were presented and implemented. A new
benchmark-based budgeting process was introduced; the
faculty compensation system was reviewed and updated
to better reflect board guidelines; and a Summer Institute
on Teaching and Learning was created. The board fully
supported these programs and initiatives.
As part of its stewardship responsibilities, the trustees
monitor the physical plant and manage the financial
resources of the School. This past year, after reviewing
a proposal by a joint committee of trustees and
administrators, the board approved extensive work on
the technology infrastructure of the School which was
completed in the summer of 2008. This work included new
computers and smart boards, as well as cabling, servers, and
an updated telephone system.
This year Elaine Foppiano, chair of the Parents Association,
worked with fellow officers to reorganize the responsibilities
and activities of the PA to better reflect the needs of both
parents and the School. Our many parent volunteers
contributed untold hours to the community throughout the
year. Nearly 100% of our parent body contributed close to
$1 million to the Annual Fund, and with the generosity of a
Challenge Grant, the Annual Fund totaled $1,078,736. Clay
Corbus, Rob Gorlin and Rob Hurlbut, Annual Fund chairs,
were the drivers behind these efforts.
At year end, the trustees were pleased to welcome five new
members to join the board - Sandy Dean, Malcolm John, Carl
Kawaja, Laura Spivy and Diana Wolf. We also bade farewell
to departing trustees Adam Elsesser, Elaine Foppiano, Midge
Wilson, Melanie Young and Ron Zeff.
This was my third year as board president and tenth year at
San Francisco Day School. I am pleased to report that both
the board and the School have remained true to the mission
of inspiring students to “achieve their highest academic and
creative potential, to embrace ethical values and to become
active contributors to their communities.”
The School has many exciting and ambitious plans for the
upcoming year. All of these are made possible through the
efforts of an accomplished and dedicated faculty, a team
of experienced administrators, and the generous efforts of
its parent community. Thank you for your support of San
Francisco Day School. We all look forward to the years ahead
under Dr. Jackson’s leadership.
Su Moon-Paik
President, Board of Trustees 2007-2008
Board of Trustees
Su-Moon Paik, President
Kirsten Bibbens-Domingo, Vice President
Diana L. Nelson, Vice President
Adam Elsesser, Secretary
Melinda Ellis Evers, Treasurer
Elaine Foppiano, Parents Association President
David E. Jackson, Head of School
Nancy Adler
Beth Berliner
Lesley Bunim
Peter Dickstein
Mike Halper
Janie Havemeyer
Susan Mayer Hirsch
Lynn B. Kaplan
Lenny Lieberman
Kamini Ramini
Leslee Subak
Peter Thorp
Midge Wilson
Yvonne Wu
Melanie Young
Ron Zeff
Advisory Board
Frank Damon
Doris Fisher
Bob Green
Kaatri Grigg
Ellen M. LaFollette
Linda Meier
Louise Rosenberg
Sally Rosenblatt
SAN FRANCISCO DAY SCHOOL 2