Love of Literacy (LOL)
Our Love of Literacy (LOL) program is a dedicated time during the instructional day in which all students break out into leveled reading groups. This allows for differentiated instruction for all students, whether they are reading below, at, or above grade level. This is a time when struggling students are provided with targeted reading intervention. Likewise, students performing at or above grade level expectations are challenged. All of our instructional staff are involved in LOL. Additionally, Sassarini is fortunate to have a full-time intervention teacher who dedicates the majority of her time to providing reading intervention to students in the lower primary grades.
Learning Center
Sassarini's Learning Center is staffed with a regular education intervention teacher, a special education teacher, and an instructional assistant. The Learning Center provides academic intervention to regular education students as well as specialized academic instruction to students who are eligible for special education services. We have a school psychologist who conducts assessments, facilitates individual and group counseling, and provides consulation to both staff and parents. In addition, Sassarini has a speech and language specialist and an occupational therapist who provide additional specialized services to students. Sassarini is also home to a "mild/moderate" Extensive Special Needs (ESN) class for students in grades 3-5.
Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS)
PBIS is a school-wide system of teaching expected behaviors as well as providing students with behavioral, social, and emotional support. Sassarini has a robust implementation of PBIS, as evidenced by the Spring 2024 Tiered Fidelity Index of 97%. We were recently awarded the California PBIS Silver Implementation Award.
Library
The Sassarini Library is filled with a beautiful variety of inclusive fiction and non-fiction book selections. Fourth and fifth grade classes participate in weekly book tastings on a variety of book genres. Younger grades participate in story times and library games.
Maker Lab
At Sassarini, we have a dedicated classroom for our Maker Lab program. We have a fully credentialed .4 FTE Maker Lab teacher, funded by Sonoma Plein Air and the Sassarini Organization of Parents and Teacher (OPT). The Maker Lab program provides a unique space for students to tap into their creative and engineering minds. The teacher follows a STEAM curriculum that was custom designed to fit the needs of our students and also encourage a growth mindset. Examples of student creations include bringing artwork to life with the use of Green Screen technology; Italian Street Painting; coding with robots; designing and building mini-golf courses; and building solar-powered vehicles. All students at Sassarini in grades TK-5 participate in weekly Maker Lab sessions throughout the school year. In the Spring of 2024, the Sassarini Maker Program was the proud recipient of the Sonoma State University Award for Educational Innovation. Our program was awarded 1st place amongst elementary school programs from Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Mendocino, and Solano Counties!
Music
Everyone makes music at Sassarini! All students in grades TK-5 receive weekly music lesson from one of our credentialed music teachers.
Santa Rosa Symphony “It’s Elementary” Program: Sassarini is one of 6 elementary schools in Sonoma County that was chosen to participate in the Santa Rosa Symphony It's Elementary program. Professional musicians from the Santa Rosa Symphony provide on-site music assemblies, including a String Quintet, Woodwind Quintet, Brass Assembly, and Percussion Assembly.
San Francisco Opera: Sassarini participates in three of the educational programs provided by the San Francisco Opera Guild: Opera Together, Sing a Story, and Songs of the Season. This is a rich music education experience in which students are exposed to, and perform with, professional opera singers.
Sassarini Garden
Sassarini has a beautiful, productive garden that is maintained by the Valley of the Moon (VOMGC). Sassarini TK-5 students, as well as preschool students from the North Bay Children’s Center, have access to the garden.
Sonoma Environmental Education Collaborative (SEEC)
Sassarini is a SEEC “Pathway” school. The SEEC Pathways Project aims to increase access to environmental education experiences and create a continuum of learning across grade levels, prioritizing Title 1 schools. Through these learning experiences, students learn to become environmentally literate members of their community. SEEC partners with organizations such as the Sonoma Ecology Center, Audubon Canyon Ranch, Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, Sonoma Water, and Sonoma Regional Parks. Students receive in-class experiences, such as assemblies about water conservation, as well as environmental science field trips, such as trips to tide pools on the Sonoma coast. The environmental education of Sassarini students culminates in 5th grade when students participate in a 3 night/4 day outdoor education program at Westminster Woods.
Field Trips
Sassarini loves field trips! Our faculty does an excellent job of integrating real life experiences into the curriculum. Students at each grade level are able to participate in multiple trips each year. Some of the many destinations have included: California Academy of Sciences, Bouverie Preserve, Connolly Ranch, Lake Sonoma Fish Hatchery, Sonoma Coast Tide Pools, Charles M. Schulz Museum, Sonoma County Library, Muir Woods, Viansa Wetlands, Sugar Loaf State Park, and Ring Mountain Regional Parks. Environmental science field trips are supported through our participation in SEEC. The Sassarini Organization of Parents & Teachers (OPT) also provides financial support for many field trips.
Physical Education
SVUSD has two credentialed physical education teachers for elementary. They provide weekly PE lessons for all grades. Our exploratory program focuses on introducing the students to a variety of fitness and physical activities that are fun and non-competitive. Basic skills are introduced and built upon as the students go through the grades. Physical education experiences include: parachute games, jump ropes, hula hoops, dance, running, rope climbing, net games (skills for badminton, tennis and volleyball) and ball games (skills for basketball and soccer).
Mentor Center
The Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance serves students in Sonoma Valley by matching a caring adult role model with a child in need of academic and/or social support. Mentors volunteer one hour during the school week by spending time with their mentee. The time is spent building a trusting relationship with the hope of creating a supporting connection and friendship that lasts for many years. The Program provides mentees and mentors with fun events, as well as inspirational off campus activities to strengthen and encourage the students. The Sassarini School Mentor Center is one of eight on public school campuses in Sonoma. Currently, there are over 450 volunteer mentors who are helping and guiding children in our community. If you would like to learn more about the program, or become a mentor, please visit the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance.
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