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Oakland Tribune, The (CA){PUBLICATION2}

November 24, 2005
Section: San Mateo
Article ID: 3248488

AT FIRST GLANCE, many might think a family lives in the large Victorian home at 446 Turner Terrace. But inside, 18 students, who have had difficulties in traditional public schools, attend classes tailored to their individual needs.

Russell Bede School has been something of a secret since it opened 25 years ago. But Principal John Piper is ready to tell the community about the second-through-fifth-grade school that he considers a hidden gem.

Outside, there's no sign posted, or anything else for that matter, indicating that it's a school — and that's the way school officials plan to keep it.

Many of the students who go to Russell Bede have anxiety disorders, and even a school sign might prompt them to turn away.

Some of the challenges for students include learning disabilities, communication difficulties or alternative learning styles.

"We don't want to look like a school," Piper said. "Our students quickly learn that they don't have to worry about going to school when they're here."

The school uses the same academic standards as the San Mateo-Foster City School District. Thesmaller classes, however, allow teachers to address each students' learning differences. There are six students to every one teacher.

Unlike many traditional schools, students at Russell Bede also go on monthly field trips related to a topic they are learning. For example, in October, students went to the Sanchez Adobe in Pacifica to learn about history, and this month they went to the Sunnyvale Children's Theatre for their drama class.

One of the school's main objectives is to prepare students for a traditional school environment. When most students leave Russell Bede, they typically transfer to a traditional public school.

"One of my big goals is to make them feel independent from the beginning," said fifth-grade teacher Dotty Gradwohl. "I tell parents not to help their kids too much with homework."



Not afraid anymore



Many of parents say they sent their children to Russell Bede because the children were terrified of school.

Bob Rice said Russell Bede was a miracle for his son Michael, who suffers from social anxiety.

Rice, who lives in the East Bay with his family, rented an apartment in San Mateo so he doesn't have to worry about a long commute while his son is attending Russell Bede.

Now in the fourth grade, Michael started attending the school in March, and Rice said he's already seen dramatic changes.

When he went to a public school, Rice said, it was too overwhelming, and Michael did not want to go back.

"Now my son gets ready for school in the morning instead of kicking and screaming," he said.

He also is no longer afraid to ask questions, Rice said.

"We went to a store yesterday, and he asked someone working there if they had this Spider-Man game," he said. "It was amazing."



One woman's dream



Russell Bede School was founded by the late Helen Myers, who tutored many children with learning disabilities.

When Myers learned there was an overwhelming number of children with learning difficulties in the community, she decided to open the school naming it after her father, Russell Bede, who also had a learning disability, said Peggy Feld, daughter of Myers, who is on the school's board of directors.

The family purchased the house on Turner Terrace and renovated it so it could operate as a school.

It now has three classrooms, a computer lab, a library and a separate building in the back yard typically used for physical education and music classes.

The school's tuition is $16,250 per year. There are no scholarships offered for students from low-income families, but the board of directors is trying to raise money for an endowment that would go toward scholarships.

For Jean Kovacs, paying the tuition has been worth it for her identical-twin daughters who are in the third grade.

"It's almost like a family there," she said. "The girls really like the school, and they feel more comfortable reaching out to other kids now."



Reach staff writer T.S. Mills-Faraudo at (650) 348-4338 or tmills@sanmateocountytimes.com.


Photo: 
DEREK FENELIUS follows the lead of music teacher Gina Baldridge during music class at Russell Bede School. Baldridge uses role-playing and movement to inspire the students' imaginations.

(c) 2005 The Oakland Tribune. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.