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Happening at Live Oak

2023

  • Choco-la-te! 

    Ashlley Vela, Spanish Teacher
    In our fifth grade Spanish class, students explored the origin of chocolate in Aztec culture, with Mexico as our featured country. The core vocabulary, including "Es (is), le gusta (likes), prefiere (prefers), and dice (says)," provided the foundation for our learning journey.
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  • Understanding Our City

    By: Lianna Kali, Director of Instructional Innovation
    The ChangeMaker Lab is a space that responds to our curriculum and student learning needs, which means the projects can vary wildly day to day. We might go from bookbinding in the morning to making self-watering planters in the afternoon. But sometimes a connecting theme will organically pop up between grades, which happened recently around how we can use the ChangeMaker Lab to explore the topic of cities. 
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  • In the Audience

    By: Virginia Paik, Head of School
    Live Oak’s annual Gratitude Graffiti Project invites all members of our school community to reflect and share their appreciations, their feelings, their hopes, and their wishes. It instills a spirit of mindfulness, connection, and care in our community that extends beyond the project’s timeline to infuse these values in our school all year long. 

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  • Pre-Order Your New Live Oak Merch

    Start your holiday shopping early and get your loved ones new Live Oak Lightning merch! Don't forget to get something for yourself too :) Pre-orders will be available for pickup when you stop by the Book Fest. 
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  • A Feast of Colors

    By: José Trujillo and Mario Martinez-Muñoz, Lower School Art Teachers
    Fourth grade artists engaged in a multi-step project that combined artistic expression with cultural exploration.
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  • Community Assemblies Celebrate Identity

    This Fall Live Oak is again featuring a series of Community Assemblies that give voice to our students' and staff's traditions and celebrations around their cultural holidays. 
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  • Congratulations to All Fall Sports Teams

    The Fall sports season has come to a very successful close and we want to congratulate all our middle school student-athletes and coaches who gave it their all this season. Read about the final results from the volleyball and cross country teams.
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  • Our Annual Book Fest is Almost Here! 

    Johnny and the Book Fest Gnomes have been working tirelessly to plan a fun and exciting event. Details about author visits and pre-orders will be coming soon, but we wanted to share a few exciting new happenings for this year.
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  • Bringing the Past and Future Together in a Journey of Memories and Goals

    Edward Lee, Sixth Grade Math Teacher
    Sixth grade students recently wrapped up their Timeline Math project, designed to strengthen their math skills, encourage reflection on their past experiences, and inspire goal-setting for the future. 
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  • The Live Oak Gear Swap is Back!

    Want to get rid of out-grown sports clothing/gear and Live Oak branded fits? Want to pick up some "new" sports clothing/gear and Live Oak branded fits? You're in luck; the Live Oak Gear Swap is back!
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  • How Our World Has Changed: Putting the Clues Together

    Rebecca Mallabone and Lesley Miyagawa, Third Grade East Teachers
    How do scientists know so much? Why do scientists keep notebooks? How can I learn more about what the world was like thousands of years ago? These are all questions third graders get to explore by sketching observations, imagining experiments, recording data and writing down their thoughts in their science notebooks.
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  • Contact Information for Grandparents and Special Friends

    At Live Oak School, the grandparents and special friends of our students are warmly welcomed and appreciated in our school community. We want to be sure invitations to special assemblies, Grandparents and Special Friends events, and other important notifications are sent to the correct address. Please submit updated contact information for grandparents and special friends. If your grandparents' and special friends' information has changed, please resubmit this form. Reach out to the Advancement Office with any questions, advancement@liveoaksf.org.
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  • Lightning Win All Four Divisions for First Time

    The Live cross country team participated in their third race of the season this past Monday at the Polo Field and Hellman Hollow in Golden Gate Park. After a couple more weeks of training, the Live Oak runners impressed by placing first in the team standings in both the 5th/6th and 7th/8th boys and girls divisions for the first time in school history.
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  • Math Enrichment Activities

    The Live Oak Math Department has put together another great series of math enrichment opportunities. Math enrichment ranges from challenging, competitive programs to more review-based skill development. Whatever your student's skills or interest level, there are ways to continue enhancing their love for math. 
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  • Jackson Park Playspaces Design Workshop

    Join the Friends of Jackson Park, Fletcher Studio landscape architects, neighbors and community friends to help design the future playspaces of Jackson Park! Want a curvy slide? What would the ‘longest monkey bar run on the planet’ look like? Stop by and work with them on Saturday, November 11 from 10am to 12pm at the Jackson Park Clubhouse on the corner of Mariposa and Arkansas. 
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  • Fall Student-Athletes of the Month

    Live Oak recently honored two Student-Athletes of the Month to recognize their hard work and leadership skills in the classroom and in athletics. Seventh grader Coleman P. and eighth grader Kyelle G. were recognized this Fall. 
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  • Looking at Ourselves, Establishing Community, and Creating Connections 

    Sharyne Beza and Mallory Faldt, First Grade East Teachers
    The beginning of the school year brings about so much excitement for first graders. They find their classrooms, meet their teachers, and connect with friends, new and old. The start of the school year also ushered in the first unit of study for 1 East: Friendship and Communities. This unit of study guides students to learn about the circles of community around them.
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  • Inferences, Hypotheses, and Guesses About the Eclipse

    Londynn Young and Lisa Duque, Fifth Grade East Teachers
    Fifth graders have been learning some foundational scientific skills while using the upcoming solar spectacle to learn a bit about eclipses. That’s because there are TWO eclipses happening this school year, and we want to be ready to observe and understand them.
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  • Preparing for More Family Affinity Gatherings

    With the new year underway, we are eager to continue building our Family Affinity Networks with more opportunities to gather, connect, and celebrate shared culture. The school supports Family Affinity Networks in an effort to help all Live Oak families feel represented and celebrated in the life of the school. These networks help to deepen belonging by giving groups who have not historically been served by independent schools time to connect over their common experiences at Live Oak and in the world at large.
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  • 6th and 7th Grades Embark on Outdoor Ed

    Sixth and seventh graders recently spent a few days in Pinnacles National Park and Yosemite National Park, respectively. Their outdoor education experience helped give them make first-hand connections with the natural world, while also building important social relationships with their teachers and peers.
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  • Bitter: How is Change Navigated and Shaped Toward Justice?

    Renata Martin & Rob Wasielewski, Eighth Grade Humanities Teachers
    Eighth grade humanities students just finished their first unit in which we set out to answer our primary year-long throughline: How is change navigated and shaped toward justice? Akwaeke Emezi’s Bitter “explores both the importance and cost of social revolution–and how youth lead the way.” 
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  • Lightning Volleyball and Cross Country Starting Strong

    Three of the four Live Oak middle school volleyball teams have officially started their seasons, while the cross country squad raced in its second competition of the year at McLaren Park this past week.
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  • SPEAK Event: Rupture & Repair: How to Reconnect After Conflict

    Throughout the year, Live Oak partners with other independent schools and organizations to offer valuable parent enrichment opportunities that are open to the public. Coming up November 1, SPEAK is putting on an event titled, "Rupture & Repair: How to Reconnect After Conflict" featuring Dr. Jean Clinton and Lisa Rothman. 
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  • Save the Date for Fairytale Sketchfest

    This year's middle school fall play, Fairytale Sketchfest, will run on October 27 and 29. Performances are open to the public and are a great way to see the creativity and hard work of Live Oak's middle school actors and stage crew come together. 
     
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  • Culture, Food, Music, and More at Around the Live Oak World

    The Live Oak community enjoyed a beautiful afternoon on the rooftop this past Sunday, celebrating one another’s cultures through food, music, dancing, art, and more. We saw a wonderful turnout and felt the collective joy throughout the afternoon. Thank you to all the families who attended and contributed food and activities to make it another great Around the Live Oak World event!
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  • Building Community With Groves

    Live Oak's Groves met for the first time this past week, giving returning Grove members a chance to reconnect with friends across grade levels, while welcoming in new members of the Live Oak community.
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  • Play Forms the Academic Foundation

    Kendall Jones and Audrey Soriano, Kindergarten South
    “Play is work!” is an important mantra in kindergarten at Live Oak. Our youngest students dive into meaningful constructivist play from their very first day of school. Through meaningful and structured play experiences, kids are learning and acquiring foundational skills needed to prepare them for more challenging academic work, school activities, and life experiences.
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  • Do You Know an Alumni Changemaker?

    We are seeking nominations for the annual Changemaker Awards, honoring Live Oak graduates who model empathy and responsibility, demonstrate the capacity to create change in the community, and inspire action in others. The Alumni Changemaker Award recognizes alums who are at least 25 years old, while the Young Alumni Changemaker Award is open to junior and senior high school students. Self-nominations are accepted. All nominations are due Tuesday, October 31, 2023. 
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  • October Holiday Care

    October Holiday Care will be offered on October 9, 12, and 13. If you are interested in Holiday Care services, you must register online via the Extended Care resource tile in the Portal. The cost is $100 a day; please note that charges are adjusted for those participating in the Adjusted Tuition Program. 
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  • Live Oak Lightning Open Fall Season Strong

    The fall sports season has officially begun and the Live Oak Lightning middle school cross country runners and volleyball players enjoyed a successful opening to the 2023 campaign. Read more about each team's first competitions and stay tuned for more sports updates throughout the season. 
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  • Why do Writers Write?

    Jen Phillips and Jenny Burns, Second Grade East
    During our first writing workshop of second grade, we asked the question, “Why do writers write?” To begin this activity, we introduced the thinking routine, See, Think, Wonder. Thinking routines were developed out of Harvard’s Project Zero, where Jen went for professional development this summer. 
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  • Fall Grade Level Roundtables

    Each year, Live Oak administrators and resource specialists host Roundtable conversations at the school. Parents/guardians and Live Oak staff discuss the developmental characteristics of children at a particular age and stage as they relate to the Live Oak academic program.
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  • Showcasing Culture at Around the Live Oak World

    One of the core values at Live Oak is knowing students well; that means everyone is able to bring all of themselves, their history, and their identity into our community. In honor of this value, the Parent & Guardian Association and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee invite you to our third annual Around the Live Oak World, an all-school event in appreciation of the rich cultures and family traditions at our school. 
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  • Find Your Affinity Grove! 

    With the new school year underway, Affinity Groves will begin meeting, offering inclusive spaces for students to find community, learn about themselves and others, and engage in meaningful conversations and activities around identity.
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  • A Warm Welcome at the Sunflower Assembly

    The whole school gathered on the court at Jackson Park this past Friday to formally welcome the newest kindergarten members of our community in the Sunflower Assembly! 
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  • Meet Our Extended Care Staff

    Our Extended Care staff play an important role in engaging our students in a full day of work, play, and creativity. Even though you may not always see these dedicated educators before or after school, we want to introduce the Extended Care team, including three new members to the team this fall. Read more about them below and say hi to them if you see them around campus before or after school! 
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  • Introducing New Live Oak Faculty & Staff

    This fall we welcome a group of new faculty and staff members to the Live Oak community. We are excited to have this group of talented, passionate, and committed educators join our staff!   

     
     
     
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  • Learning Beyond the School Day

    When children enter the Extended Care afterschool program, a whole other world of imagination and growth opens up to them. Through experiential learning opportunities and consistent care, students explore and thrive in a supportive and fun setting. 
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  • A Starter Guide for New Families

    Welcome to a new school year at Live Oak! We hope you are as excited to start the year as we are to have you joining our community this fall. The information found on this page is intended to reinforce and supplement that which you received via email over the last few months.
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  • Live Oak Welcomes Maurice Hill to Admissions Team

    Live Oak School is pleased to welcome Maurice “Mo” Hill, Jr. as the Director of Enrollment Management and Admissions. Maurice brings over a decade of innovative independent school and higher education admissions experience with a demonstrated commitment to expanding equity in the admissions process and leveraging community partnerships to increase access for all students.
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  • Camp Live Oak: An End-of-Year Tradition

    Students, families, and staff packed their sleeping bags, loaded up their gear, and set out for YMCA Camp Jones Gulch to enjoy three days of outdoors, new activities, and community time.
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  • Eureka! Gold Fever in Kindergarten

    Audrey Soriano and Kendall Jones, Kindergarten South Teachers
    The Gold Rush Unit is the final curricular theme each year in kindergarten, marking the end of an exciting year of learning and growth for Live Oak’s youngest students. This unit of study allows kindergartners to practice and refine many skills from the school year including reading, writing, drawing, and asking big questions as they learn why people came from all over the world to California in the 1800s.
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  • The seventh grade JV boys won the league championship.

    Futsal Marks Strong End to Sports Year

    The Live Oak athletics season came to a close this spring with a lot to be proud of. Highlighting the accomplishments was the seventh grade boys JV futsal team, which won the championship with a 3-1 victory over CAIS. The team title capped a perfect season for the JV boys as they finished 8-0 for the year.
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  • A Warm Live Oak Welcome to Grandparents & Special Friends

    The hallways and classrooms were filled with new guests and our students were filled with joy  as they got to share their school with the most important people in their lives on Grandparents & Special Friends Day.
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  • Tools for Learning

    Lianna Kali, Director of Instructional Innovation
    In the ChangeMaker Lab we believe in using real tools for problem solving and building. From the earliest visits in kindergarten, students have the opportunity to practice their skills as designers, then use tools to make those ideas into a reality.
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  • Art Show Puts Creativity on Display

    The hallways became an art gallery at the annual Live Oak Art Show.
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  • 2023 Alumni Changemaker Brendan O'Callaghan

    Brendan O’Callaghan ‘02 is the 2023 Alumni Changemaker Award for his outstanding work in public affairs and politics.
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  • Changemaker Showcase for Earth Day

    Live Oak showed its environmental changemaker spirit at the Earth Day Celebration.
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  • Dynamic Relationships in Ecosystems

    By: Renata Martin and Neil Cashman, Middle School Science Teachers
    Sixth grade science students just wrapped up their study of interdependence through the lenses of population ecology, community ecology, and ecosystem dynamics.
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  • Middle School Music Festival is Music to Our Ears

    The Middle School Music Festival showcased the talent and hard work of our Middle School musicians and teachers.
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  • Grandparents and Special Friends Week!

    We look forward to welcoming grandparents and special friends onto our campus in May!
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  • Los Castells de Tarragona

    By: Camilo Coelho, Middle School Spanish Teacher
    Sixth graders are blending culture with their learning of Spanish language.
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  • Students Shine Bright at Spring Play

    Hats off to Live Oak’s Middle School students who delivered an outstanding series of performances in their spring musical, Out of This World!
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  • Live Oak Recognizes Young Alumni Changemakers

    Three members of the Class of 2019 are recognized as this year’s Young Alumni Changemaker honorees: Olivia Castillo, Bruno Kai Ong, and Zoe Sokatch.
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  • Reconstruction: Rethinking What is Possible

    By: Rob Wasielewski, Eighth Grade Humanities Teacher
    Eighth grade humanities students recently started their study of Reconstruction, the twelve year period following the end of the American Civil War. This is a critically important—and often overlooked—period of American history, in which, according to Adam Sanchez in his When Black Lives Mattered essay, “the impossible suddenly became possible.”
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  • Service is a Family Affair

    Family Service Night brought Live Oak’s families together to serve as a community. The evening proved to be a resounding success, helping to support Live Oak’s community partners in numerous ways. 
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  • I Used to Hate Mold, But Now It’s Growing On Me

    By: Sydney McGhie and Kelley Plasterer, Fourth Grade East Teachers
    Fourth grade scientists study the cyclical nature of our natural world. Our big question of the year for science is: How can we make sense of problems in order to design multiple solutions? During our life cycles unit, students build ecosystem models and study how energy makes it from the sun, to our food, to us, and then back into the soil to start life over again.
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  • Differentiated Reading Instruction in Third Grade

    By: Arleigh Giroux and Lesley Miyagawa, Third Grade East Teachers
    Third grade teachers have been leading a pilot reading program intended to provide responsive instruction that elevates each learner's abilities. 
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  • The girls JV team capped off a successful season with a win over CAIS in the championship game.

    Live Oak Basketball Teams Leave it All on the Court

    The JV girls basketball team won the league championship, while all Live Oak's basketball student-athletes competed and showed their determination throughout the season. 
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  • Perspective Through a New Lens: Fifth Graders Dissect Cow Eyes

    Savannah Hair and Lisa Duque, Fifth Grade East Teachers
    Fifth graders visited the Exploratorium to dissect cow eyes, learning about the anatomy and mechanics that enable vision, while exploring their broader throughline: How does exploring multiple perspectives help me understand and shape my world? 
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  • Students show how math is art with their parabolic string art.

    Having a Choice and a Voice While Learning Math

    Kathryn Kundrot, Eighth Grade Math Teacher
    Eight graders applied their knowledge of functions and data sets to investigate subjects of interest to them.  
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  • Third graders did a neighborhood trash pickup in the blocks surrounding the Live Oak campus

    Live Oak Shows Up to Serve

    Live Oak students, faculty, and staff participated in the annual Week of Service, helping take action throughout the community in various ways. 
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  • Perspective-Taking in the Hot Seat

    By: Michelle Andelman, Seventh Grade Humanities Teacher
    Seventh graders engage in thoughtful discussion and learn about different viewpoints as they take the "hot seat" during WWII and Holocaust unit. 
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  • The New Look of Athletics: Live Oak Lightning

    Live Oak athletic teams will be retiring the Green Devil mascot this fall in exchange for a new look as the Live Oak Lightning.
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  • Growing Our Understanding of Indigenous Peoples

    Jean DeWitt and Sharon Lee, Fourth Grade West Teachers
    Live Oak's fourth graders researched California's history and the various tribal groups that call the area home.
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  • Celebrating the Joy in Reading and Writing

    Live Oak students, families, and staff got cozy with a good book and their comfy clothes during our 20th Drop Everything And Read Day as part of our week-long literary celebration, Book Fest. 
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Admissions

Live Oak School welcomes and admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, citizenship status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and faith to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities of Live Oak School. Live Oak School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, citizenship status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and faith in administration of its educational policies and programs, admissions policies, Adjusted Tuition program, and athletic and other school-administered programs.