Welcome to Beresford Elementary! We are a small, vibrant K-5 public school located in San Mateo, California. We are proud to serve a diverse population of 276 amazing students. We provide a standards-based curriculum and believe in developing the whole child based on the Highly Effective Teaching model. Our dedication to developing every child into a smart, responsible citizen is evident in our hallways, in our classrooms, and in our academic results. Click here for a link to the California State Content Standards: http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/index.asp

At Beresford, we teach to the whole child, balancing the need to excel academically with a child’s need to develop into healthy citizens who can succeed socially. We believe that our success is due to this balance. Click here to learn more about Beresford’s academic progress: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ar/

Language Arts

We believe all students need a balanced approach to literacy learning. Each child receives daily instruction in Reading and Writing Workshop, when students develop their skills in learning how to become lifelong learners and lovers of reading and writing. In reading, they teach the habits of good readers and develop the word attack and comprehension skills necessary to excel across genre. In writing, the students study at least three different genres each year, learn about mentor authors, and publish their own writing several times over the course of the year.  In addition, all students receive individualized instruction through guided reading, reading conferences and writing conferences, based on formative and diagnostic assessments. Word study and vocabulary skills are taught in all grade levels.

Math

We are excited to be in year three of our district-wide implementation of Everyday Math http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/. Our students receive over an hour of math instruction daily, and study mathematical concepts as well as the important facts and algorithms that are needed to be successful.

Science

Our teachers use the FOSS program to incorporate a hand-on approach to teaching science. http://www.fossweb.com/The FOSS program was developed at the UC Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science. In addition to learning grade level standards in an accessible way, our 3^rd-5^th grade students attend a field trip each year to LHS and extend their learning of the concepts they are experiencing in class.

Social Studies

We teach Social Studies with a thematical approach, integrating California Standards and the HET model of brain-compatible teaching. Each grade level works together to create a yearlong plan of developmentally appropriate themes (i.e. “Families” in Kindergarten and “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” in 5^th grade), tapping in to the real issues that students go through in a school year and teaching social studies standards within that framework.

Enrichment opportunities

In addition to our core curriculum, we are proud of the enrichment opportunities students have here at Beresford. All programs are fully supported by our generous PTA:

*  Art program--All students receive 8-9 weeks of Art instruction from Mrs. Canda each year when they learn how to draw, paint, sculpt and design. They study famous artists, learn technique, and celebrate their work at the Spring Art Show each June.

* Technology program--We have a new computer lab where each class visits every week to receive instruction from Mr. Abrams on keyboarding skills, internet safety, word programming and internet research. In addition, classes visit the lab when they are working on projects and/or publishing their Writing Workshop pieces.

* Spanish class--All 1st-5th grade students who are fluent English speakers receive 30 minutes of Spanish instruction from Mrs. Sepulveda four days each week. Students learn vocabulary, art, music and history as they are introduced to a foreign language and culture.