Rooftop Elementary School

Rooftop is a unique school in the district because it is a city wide school. Rooftop gets students and families from all over the city. With 10 grades and 2 campuses, the feeling I get on campus is although we have a lot going on, there is individual care for my child. The new principal is fantastic! She said to us that it was her mission to know every kid's name, and if you watch her interact with the kids she knows their names, what they like/don't like, facts about them, and their family. Never see a principal this engaged ever. She's not like the ones before her who you can tell hated kids. It's very obvious that she loves kids. She's positive, and even with the little time she's been at the school, I'm seeing a big improvement in morale and overall happiness for everyone. I'm excited to see what she does next.

I think this school gets more hype than it should. It might have been great ten years ago, but not so much anymore. My son attended PreK here last year and that program is excellent. I highly recommend it to any parent who can get in. That program is separate from the actual school, but I thought that the PreK program would be a great indicator of the school. I was hesitant, and still am, about my selection of Rooftop. The turnover in leadership is worrisome, which leads to a lack of consistency in policies and discipline styles. My son is currently in kindergarten and there is a no homework policy for kindergarteners. I'm not sure if this a good or a bad thing. The scores reflect that the students at the school may not be doing as well as many other schools in the district such as Sunset or Lafayette, etc. who have scores above the 80s. The diversity in this school is rich, but I think that it is fair to say that there is a lack of support for those who are not doing so well at school, as the scores reflect that. I'm surprised that the school is rated an 8/10 on some websites with scores so low. I think some people want a K-8 school, but the middle school curriculum is not as developed as the elective courses are incredibly limited. Last year, when I asked the previous principal about bullying policies, he stated that bullying happens everywhere and there's no way to stop it. That was a huge disappointment, but I decided to stay because my son was used to the environment. I question my decision to stay every day and it may be that next year we are at a different school. The PTA and parents are a great group of people, some of the teachers are better at talking to students than parents, and the technology is severely lacking in the actual school and with the administration. I know that some schools use apps like ClassDojo or other ways to keep their parents informed of class events. I haven't received a single email or update from the our kindergarten teacher about what is going on in the classroom. Instead, my son comes home with lots of worksheets. To say I'm a bit disappointed is an understatement.

With two children going to Rooftop for several years now, I can say that I'm proud that they are part of this community. We've had some excellent teachers that have made a real difference for my kids. The parents are amazing at raising money and volunteering. The garden, integrated arts program, sensory motor, and outdoor ed in the upper grades add a lot to their education. And I love that the diversity in this school represents San Francisco -- I believe it adds a richness to their experience that they wouldn't get anywhere else. The not so good stuff at Rooftop? The turnover in administration has been frustrating, but I wouldn't be so grim as to call it on the decline. Great teachers and families are the backbone of the culture, and that's what I value the most.

Leadership is constantly turning over. This is a huge problem. Test scores are going down. I'm very frustrated at the direction this school is headed. Five stars rating? Maybe 5-10 years ago... This is billed as one of the top public K-8 schools in the City. Maybe the best, but my experience is it's on a decline. I love the community and parents, and still a lot of great teachers, so I hate to expose the cracks.