Parents play a large role in our success. They are encouraged to participate in any way they can. In addition to the Core Values Committee, parents can get engaged in the PTA, which sponsors a host of community activities and supports the school with volunteers and dollars; the Site Council, which is another guiding committee impacting school business; Partners in Education (PiE), which raises funds for supplemental staffing at all Palo Alto schools; and the Farm Council, which is the guiding force behind the Ohlone Farm. There are parents who volunteer in the classrooms and Library on a regular basis, drive on field trips, and volunteer to work with kids on the Farm.
Yes, here in the middle of suburban Palo Alto, we have a Farm. It is complete with animals (chickens, sheep, goats, and now bees), a small orchard, an indigenous plant and pond area, and extensive gardens. Through the Farm, our Outdoor Classroom, we are able to integrate classroom curriculum, especially in science and social studies. Our Farm instructors work with all of our students on a regular basis. The Farm is also the center for our opening and closing ceremonies each year, as well as our fall Harvest Festival, and is an integral part of our culminating activities. It is an important, unique part of the Ohlone experience.
The main focus of the Ohlone experience, though, lies in the classrooms. Each one is a community unto itself. Each teacher is skilled at creating an emotionally safe environment for students while also providing stimulating curriculum. One of our values is to help students to focus on their own growth rather than to compete with or compare themselves to others. This is one reason why we don't have grades. We do an abundance of on-going, meaningful assessment, and our focus remains on the growth of each and every student. Our goal is to create a rigorous program appropriate for each student and to help each student make at least one year's worth of progress each school year. We try to create a love of learning and to model lifelong learning in a variety of ways.
Academically, we also strive to address student needs. Differentiation of curriculum occurs regularly, and much of the students' work is project-based and hands-on. We address all state standards while delivering curriculum that is appropriate for each student. We embrace the work of Carol Dweck and her research related to student attitudes. Our emphasis with students is to give their best efforts and to maintain growth mindsets.
For our entire history, we have acknowledged the importance of social and emotional well-being. Years before neuroscience supported it or it became fashionable, we were addressing social-emotional ("SE") needs on a regular, integrated basis. Teachers are skilled at helping students learn to solve problems, to be positive members of a group, and to make friends. Each classroom also addresses SE skills through explicit lessons related to such topics as resilience, adversity, stress, responsibility, respect, and more.
Ohlone is a wonderful place to learn. This has been substantiated by our many successful alumni who have returned over the years. We also have visitors from all over the world, who are interested in what we do here. We take great pride in not only our test scores and academic successes but also in the quality of people who graduate from Ohlone. We have outlined specific skills which we aspire to instill in each of our students by the time they move on to middle school and beyond.
Welcome to Ohlone, and we hope that you will continue to visit the different areas here on the website to gain a deeper understanding of the Ohlone Way.
Over 35 years ago, a group of forward thinking teachers here at Ohlone agreed that there must be a better way to educate 20th century students. They went through a three-year consortium and afterwards agreed to embark on a new journey, a new direction in education. The seeds they sowed are the same ones that we harvest and replant today in the 21st century. Originally, such educational reforms went by such terms as Open Classrooms, Open Philosophy, Whole Child, Developmental Approach, Differentiated Curriculum, and more. They all mean basically the same thing: that we embrace a philosophy built on the uniqueness of every person, the trust and respect that every person deserves, and the need to develop the whole child. As a result, we spend a proportionate amount of time giving students the tools to navigate life, as well as the curriculum. We actively give our students opportunities to be trusted, learning from our errors in "teachable moments". We also call each other by our first names since we realize that respect is something that is earned and not given due to a position. These are just a few examples of how the philosophy can be witnessed. At the root of our philosophy is a set of guidelines called the "Core Values". These have become our conscience so to speak and keep us true to our mission. They include the need for trust, the use of developmental approaches, the addressing of all aspects of the child, the use of cooperation and collaboration techniques, the value of the parent-teacher partnership, the importance of using relevant and meaningful curriculum, and the use of a variety of forms of on-going assessment. These are all manifested in a variety of ways on a daily basis in each classroom. They are the "core" of the Ohlone experience. The philosophy goes well beyond the classroom though. It can be seen in the large levels of parent involvement, both in leadership roles and as volunteers. It can seen in the nature of efficient and positive communication that goes on continuously between all members of the community, even when delivering difficult messages. It can be seen in the tremendous effort that is given to including everyone and working together for the benefit of both the whole of the community and all of its components. It is an example of the best of what public education has to offer.
The Foundation of the Ohlone Alternative
Trusting and Respecting Each Individual: Mutual respect, honesty, and personal responsibility are key elements
Developmental Approach: Each student's curriculum acknowledges the uniqueness and developmental level of that individual
Growth and Assessment: An ongoing process of observation and feedback is utilized, designed to recognize individual growth and change
Meaningful, Relevant Curriculum: Ohlone provides a "training ground for real life" so that each student becomes a self-directed, thinking, lifetime learner
Multi-dimensional Learning: Optimal learning focuses on the whole child: Social, emotional and academic development are of equal importance
Cooperation and Collaboration: Students of multiple ages work together on projects designed to help them share strengths, accept support & communicate ideas
Student-Teacher-Parent Partnership: Students, teachers, and parents are partners who work together to support the students and school programs
Ohlone's core values distinguish it from other neighborhood schools and form the basis of its educational and community structure The Core Values Committee (CVC) provides Ohlone families and the larger community with a deeper understanding of and commitment to the Ohlone approach to education
Goals of an Ohlone Education
Self - Awareness - Our children will have positive self - images and know their strengths and challenges
Independent Thinking - Our children will have a growth mindset, think for themselves, act responsibly and be resilient
Time Management - Our students will manage their time wisely, focus on quality work and take responsibility for their own learning
Democratic Values - Our children will realize the meaning of democratic values and give voice to their principles through their words and actions
Acceptance and Compassion - Our children will show compassion for others and value different perspectives
Citizenship and Community - Our children will understand their places in the global community and care about the environment
Lifelong Learning - Our children will view learning as a lifelong process that will enrich their lives
Physical Awareness - Our children will be aware of, and comfortable with, their own bodies
Risk Taking/Creativity - Our children will be comfortable taking risks to express their creative selves
One of the cornerstones of the developmentally-based education at Ohlone is the Ohlone Farm, which provides a place where children can interact with and learn about nature. A physical embodiment of Ohlone's Core Values, the Farm helps foster an awareness of the environment, the nurturing and caring of animals, cooperative learning, and respect for living organisms. Activities on the Farm help give children a sense of accomplishment, promote self-esteem, and allow for exploration and discovery in a peaceful, inviting, intellectually stimulating and safe environment.
Teachers Bill Overton and Jana Littlefield founded the Farm during the 1984-85 school year. The Farm is a unique facility that includes a vegetable garden, an orchard, a pumpkin patch, a native habitat with a pond, a greenhouse, a large gathering area that includes a stage, an animal area (which houses sheep, goats, and chickens), a greenhouse, a composting system, a gardening instructional area and an outdoor science classroom. The Farm offers teachers and children a wealth of opportunities for hands-on practice of learning objectives in the sciences, arts, mathematics and social studies. The curriculum is overseen by the Farm Vision Team. Classes come out on a weekly basis and are instructed by the farm staff. Parent volunteers help during the outdoor lessons.
The Farm owes its existence to the generous donations of resources and labor that are made by countless individuals throughout each year. Financially, the Farm relies entirely on private donations and project-specific grants. Farm produce and other products from the Farm are sold at an ongoing weekly fundraiser the Ohlone Farmer's Market. The animals are cared for by families who volunteer time in the evenings, on weekends and during holidays through the animal care program. Physically, the Farm relies on constant contributions of time, attention, foresight, care, good humor and elbow grease by members of the Ohlone community during Farm workdays.
The Farmer’s Market sells baked goods, farm produce, and other farm products after school on Thursdays twice a month. The Farmer’s Market is run completely by parent volunteers and the Ohlone Guides, and is a private event open to members of the Ohlone community only. This completes the farm-to-market cycle, and raises money for animal feed, farm staff, and other Farm expenses. There are many fun volunteer jobs needed for the Farmers' Market such as Bakers, Chefs, Set Up staff, Sales staff, Harvesters, and more. Typically the market takes over 80 volunteers to run.
Core Values Committee
Ohlone's core values distinguish it from neighborhood schools and form the basis of its educational and community structure. The Core Values Committee provides Ohlone families and the larger community with a deeper understanding of and commitment to the Ohlone approach to education and how it is practiced. Our goal is to educate the community so that the unique nature of our school is understood, embraced, and sustained through a home-school partnership.
The Core Values Committee (CVC) is a gathering of parents and staff who meet monthly to educate ourselves about Ohlone's values and how we can build an inclusive community around these values. We aim to deepen our understanding of the "Ohlone way" and how we can support the goals of an Ohlone education at home and at school. The CVC includes parents, teachers, the principal, and counseling staff. Everyone is welcome at all CVC meetings. Check the Ohlone calendar online for up-to-date meeting details.
In addition to monthly meetings, the CVC sponsors events aimed at building community and nurturing the unique nature of our school, such as Prospective Parent Information Nights and Tours, Buddy Night for new incoming families, and Parent's Night Out.
The Farm Council is a group of parent volunteers and staff members that raises funds, recruits volunteers for animal care and farm maintenance and infrastructure, and supports its learning curriculum. Meetings are generally monthly and are open to all interested members of the Ohlone community.
Animal Care: Families can volunteer for animal care on evenings, weekends and holidays.
Noon Farm Coordinator and Volunteers: Help supervise students during lunch visits to the Farm on Tuesdays to work on projects and connect with nature. We need weekly volunteers as well as someone to coordinate the program.
Farm Workdays: An opportunity to help in the maintenance and improvement of the Farm. Every Ohlone family is asked to participate at least once per year per child at Ohlone. Your class will be assigned to one Farm Workday during the school year, but everyone is welcome at any time. Farm Work Days are always on either Saturday or Sunday. They last from 9am to 1pm.
Farm Workday Coordinators: Help set up, oversee, and manage Farm Workdays. Each member of the team helps lead 2 or 3 workdays per year. You don't need to have any prior knowledge about the Farm. We'll provide training.
Farm Classroom Volunteers: Work directly with students and teachers on the farm during their child's classroom's set weekly time slot. Help set up, clean up, and manage activity stations during a science or garden lesson. Having small groups and multiple activities is possible through these parent volunteers. Contact: Room Parent or Classroom Teacher
Harvest Festival: The major fundraiser for the Farm. ALL families encouraged to participate. Each classroom is responsible for staffing a booth or activity at the event. Share homemade baked goods for the Bake Sale or homemade crafts to sell at the Craft Table.
Handy Help/Tech Help/General Help Volunteers: The Farm is always looking for volunteers with any and all "handy" or technical skills that help with one-off jobs (big and small) that occur throughout the year.
Farm-Classroom Liaison: Facilitate communications between the Farm and your child's classroom.
The Mandarin Chinese Dual Immersion Program at Ohlone is designed to develop full bilingualism in Mandarin and English. English-speaking students and native Mandarin speakers are taught together using Mandarin and English instruction to develop bilingual academic fluency.
The program began as a 3-year pilot program in the fall of 2008 with two K-1 classes at Ohlone. In the 2012-2013 school year, the expansion was complete with two classes at each combined-grade level (K/1, 2/3, 4/5).
The program aims to:
Develop bilingual proficiency and literacy in Mandarin and English
Promote academic achievement at or above grade level in both languages
Foster positive cross-cultural attitudes
Grade-level descriptions are available for download:
Since the inception of the Ohlone philosophy about 35 years ago, social-emotional learning (SEL) has been an integral part of the curriculum.
The value of embedded SEL is validated through neuroscientific research. The fact that all or most of what we learn first passes through the parts of the brain that regulate our emotions is one supporting scientific conclusion.
While implementation of SEL practices varies somewhat from classroom to classroom, every class includes daily meetings. These meetings serve as a medium for strengthening community and addressing proactively such concepts as empathy, self-advocacy, safety, communication skills, conflict resolution, and personal responsibility. Teachers access an array of resources for introducing such concepts.
In addition to this, teachers are encouraged to take the time necessary to debrief situations that occur at recess. Often, classrooms will meet as a whole to solve problems democratically. It is also not uncommon for individuals to be invited to a different classroom so that problems can be solved and lessons learned.
The Ohlone Culture
While character education and SEL programs are a relatively new idea at many schools, they have been an integral part of our school culture for years. We seek to integrate SEL into all that we do. We do approach social bullying and other related concepts on at least a daily basis-and have for years. It is a part of our identity and has been embedded in our culture for a long period of time. Does that mean that our playground is bully-free? Absolutely not. But are teachers given the latitude and encouragement to address SE needs on an immediate basis, at times in conflict with other subjects? Yes. It is part of the Ohlone Way.
Ohlone has a strong culture of volunteering and parent involvement. Our school would not be the wonderful place it is without your help. Many parents work full time and can contribute during evening and weekend hours. This is great! Some families can volunteer during the school day and be available for meetings and events. Also great! We need all kinds of help -- days, weekends, evenings, online. There is truly something for everyone at Ohlone and we gratefully ask that you find something that works best for you. View Original on the PAUSD Ohlone website