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Welcome to Paulo Freire Freedom School -Downtown
PAulo Freire Freedom School's MISSION
Paulo Freire Freedom School is a joyful and just community dedicated to environmental sustainability and social justice that embraces creative, collaborative and compassionate teaching and learning.
CITY CENTER FOR COLLABORATIVE LEARNING's Mission
CITY Center designs, implements, and advances exemplary practices in teaching and learning that transform the lives of young people and their educators.
School Calendar
PFFSD School News
As I wrap up on my first month as principal, I want to highlight the amazing PFFSD community. I am incredibly grateful for the warm welcome from our students, families, and staff. Our school is truly a special place - one where small class sizes and a close-knit community ensure that every student gets the support they need to grow academically and personally. Middle school can be a challenging time, but at PFFSD, students have the space to be themselves and learn in a way that is often hard to find in larger schools.
Our teachers are dedicated and deeply committed to engaging in the work to help improve our impact for our students. From integrating differentiation into their instruction to social-emotional learning lessons during advisory, everything I have given them, they have received with the excitement and desire to increase our student-centered practices. Their creativity shines through their engaging, project-based learning experiences that align with our school's environmental focus - from building solar ovens in science with Mr. Nick to exploring social justice themes in ELA with Ms. Ghazal.
I also want to thank the parents, guardians, and family members of my amazing students. I have felt your support from day one and have appreciated working with you to meet the needs of our students.
I am thrilled to be part of this incredible community and look forward to seeing all that we will accomplish this year and the years to come.
The week before spring break, PFFSD students will be participating in our intersession programing. For the entire week, students will engage in out-the-door learning focused on various subjects. Each teacher proposes and leads their own intersession. Programs range from visiting various museums focused on local and natural history to getting behind the scenes tours of local restaurants complete with cooking lessons where students learn to make cultural dishes.
Pictured above are two students participating in the Fall Cyanotype Printing intersession where students learned the science behind camera-less photography using light sensitive chemicals and the sun to create designs on fabric.
Teachers will be presenting their new intersessions for the spring at our whole school meeting Monday 2/17. Students then have the opportunity to self-select their intersession. This programing allows for student-centered, out-the-door, and unique learning experiences while also fostering student appreciation for their local community, environment, and cultures.
Next week, PFFSD students and their families will be participating in Student-Led Conferences. This is a major part of our student-centered approach at PFFS to develop student's skills in self-advocacy, public speaking, self-reflection, and life-long learning.
Parents and Guardians can schedule their student's SLC with their student's advisor. SLCs will be held Wednesday 2/12 - Friday 2/14. Feel free to review the schedule for Thursday and Friday as our school schedule has changed to accommodate meeting times.