O'Farrell Community School
Encyclopedia
O'Farrell Community School or O'Farrell Middle (CDE
official name) commonly referred to as O'Farrell is a charter school
in the Southeast San Diego
neighborhood of Encanto
serving grades 6-9 in the K-12 American education system
. The school opened its doors in the San Diego Unified School District
in 1959 with its name chosen in 1957 as Mabel E. O'Farrell Jr. High. It was voted to become a charter school in 1994. President Bill Clinton
made a visit to San Diego in 1995 to sign the "Goals 2000
" education bill and to visit O'Farrell because it was charter. It was also mentioned in Hillary Clinton's book It Takes a Village
. It has a code of conduct
of how to become a good citizen called the Falcon way, of Focus , Attitude , Leadership Citizenship , and Non-Violience , that is indoctrinated per student. Instead of being called principal, faculty and students refer to the educational leader as the Chief Educational Officer (CEO). The large conspicuous mural
in front of the school on the side of the Auditorium was a tribute
to a faculty member by the nickname "Animal" who died. The mural was painted by students.
For 2006-2007, the school academic progress place it with an Academic Performance Index
of 710 base with 720 growth, where 800 is the California state goal. The school boasted itself as being #1 in API compared to other surrounding schools in its November 2007 edition of its newsletter. For October 2005, the demographic makeup of the student body consisted of 36% Hispanic, 31% Black
, 24% Filipino
, 3% White
.
Hillary Clinton also mentions the O'Farrell way extending beyond these rules that also includes the graduation requirement of time for community service
. However, the graduation requirement actually fits under The O'Farrell Standard which is just an award and recognition issued for those who have essentially accomplished (1) good academic performance, (2) portfolio compilation
, (3) presentation of the portfolio, (4) 12 hours of community service equally distributed at home, work, school; (5) good citizenship The O'Farrell Way all of which were mentioned in the school's charter proposal.
√
in combination of dance. The family structure was introduced in the 1990s and more connected to newer brand
ed O'Farrell Community School than older O'Farrell Junior High School.
It is organized in such a way one set of families serve the 6th grade then another set of families serve both 7 and 8 grade students simultaneously, especially the first class of the day is called homebase. Associated close with the letters are a name of a broad theme for example: I for Inspirations; E for Exceeders; F for Fantastics; D for Discovery; A for Achievers.
In later years, the school designated its families as Family 1, Family 2, ..., Family 6 with newer names such as "Great Force" for Family 5 and "Horizon Explorers" for Family 6.
California Department of Education
The California Department of Education is a California agency that oversees public education. The department oversees funding and testing, and holds local educational agencies accountable for student achievement...
official name) commonly referred to as O'Farrell is a charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
in the Southeast San Diego
Southeast San Diego
Southeast San Diego is the southeastern portion of the City of San Diego, generally represented by the urban neighborhoods directly east of Downtown San Diego, bordered by Interstate 5 and south of the Martin Luther King Jr...
neighborhood of Encanto
Encanto, San Diego, California
Encanto is a hilly neighborhood located in the southeastern part of San Diego, California. The neighborhood of Encanto is split into two sections, North Encanto , and South Encanto ....
serving grades 6-9 in the K-12 American education system
Education in the United States
Education in the United States is mainly provided by the public sector, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. Child education is compulsory.Public education is universally available...
. The school opened its doors in the San Diego Unified School District
San Diego Unified School District
San Diego Unified School District is the school district of San Diego, California. It was founded in 1854...
in 1959 with its name chosen in 1957 as Mabel E. O'Farrell Jr. High. It was voted to become a charter school in 1994. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
made a visit to San Diego in 1995 to sign the "Goals 2000
Goals 2000
The National educational Goals were set by the U.S. Congress in the 1990s to set goals for standards-based education reform. Many of these goals were based on the principles of outcomes-based education, and not all of the goals were attained by the year 2000 as was intended...
" education bill and to visit O'Farrell because it was charter. It was also mentioned in Hillary Clinton's book It Takes a Village
It Takes a Village
It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us is a book published in 1996 by First Lady of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton. In it, Clinton presents her vision for the children of America...
. It has a code of conduct
Code of Conduct
A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the responsibilities of or proper practices for an individual, party or organization. Related concepts include ethical codes and honor codes....
of how to become a good citizen called the Falcon way, of Focus , Attitude , Leadership Citizenship , and Non-Violience , that is indoctrinated per student. Instead of being called principal, faculty and students refer to the educational leader as the Chief Educational Officer (CEO). The large conspicuous mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
in front of the school on the side of the Auditorium was a tribute
Tribute
A tribute is wealth, often in kind, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. Various ancient states, which could be called suzerains, exacted tribute from areas they had conquered or threatened to conquer...
to a faculty member by the nickname "Animal" who died. The mural was painted by students.
For 2006-2007, the school academic progress place it with an Academic Performance Index
Academic Performance Index
The Academic Performance Index is a measurement of academic performance and progress of individual schools in California, United States. It is one of the main components of the Public Schools Accountability Act passed by the California legislature in 1999...
of 710 base with 720 growth, where 800 is the California state goal. The school boasted itself as being #1 in API compared to other surrounding schools in its November 2007 edition of its newsletter. For October 2005, the demographic makeup of the student body consisted of 36% Hispanic, 31% Black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
, 24% Filipino
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
, 3% White
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
.
Hillary Clinton also mentions the O'Farrell way extending beyond these rules that also includes the graduation requirement of time for community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
. However, the graduation requirement actually fits under The O'Farrell Standard which is just an award and recognition issued for those who have essentially accomplished (1) good academic performance, (2) portfolio compilation
Career portfolio
Career portfolios are used to plan, organize and document education, work samples and skills. People use career portfolios to apply to jobs, apply to college or training programs, get a higher salary, show transferable skills, and to track personal development. They are more in-depth than a resume,...
, (3) presentation of the portfolio, (4) 12 hours of community service equally distributed at home, work, school; (5) good citizenship The O'Farrell Way all of which were mentioned in the school's charter proposal.
√
Family organization and designations
The school is known to use a social structure called a Educational Family, but students use term Family. The faculty of the family taught interdisciplinary subjects. For example, one teacher taught history in combination of biology while another teacher taught SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
in combination of dance. The family structure was introduced in the 1990s and more connected to newer brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
ed O'Farrell Community School than older O'Farrell Junior High School.
It is organized in such a way one set of families serve the 6th grade then another set of families serve both 7 and 8 grade students simultaneously, especially the first class of the day is called homebase. Associated close with the letters are a name of a broad theme for example: I for Inspirations; E for Exceeders; F for Fantastics; D for Discovery; A for Achievers.
In later years, the school designated its families as Family 1, Family 2, ..., Family 6 with newer names such as "Great Force" for Family 5 and "Horizon Explorers" for Family 6.
Notable alumni
- Rosalie Hamlin known for 60s Angel BabyAngel Baby (song)"Angel Baby" was a 1960 single by Rosie & The Originals. The song was recorded independently on a two-track machine when lead singer Rosie Hamlin was only 15 years old. Initially unable to find a label willing to distribute the song because of its unpolished sound, the group convinced a San Diego...
song - Tom WaitsTom WaitsThomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
claimed to have attended this school and remembered it as an all black school in a 1973 interview. - Shirley HortonShirley HortonShirley Horton is a U.S. politician, having served as a Republican Member of the California State Assembly. Horton represented the 78th Assembly District, which includes southern San Diego, Chula Vista, Lemon Grove and...
, California assemblywoman and former mayor of Chula Vista