On Saturday, January 30, Star of the Sea continues their centennial celebrations with a Basketball Invitational featuring some of the oldest Catholic elementary schools in the city.

The all-day event will feature exhibition basketball games, free throw shoot-a-thons, raffles, prizes, food, and limited edition T-shirts available for purchase.

Participating schools include Mission Dolores (founded 1852), Saint Peter (1878), Saint Anthony/Immaculate Conception (1894), Saint Charles (1894), and Saint James (1906).

The Invitational will take place from 9am to 9pm at the Star of the Sea Gym, 345 8th Avenue. Admission for students K-8 is $1, and general admission is $2, with all proceeds going to the Star of the Sea Centennial science lab. For more information call 415-221-3399.

Sarah B.

The Richmond District is full of families, so chances are you know someone who is getting ready to send their child off to preschool or kindergarten for the first time. A big moment in their lives! And I’m not just talking about the kids.

For those that are researching kindergartens, be sure to check out the helpful website, SF K Files. The site offers up reviews of public, private, and parochial schools, as well as lots of advice and opinions from the community of parents who frequent the blog. It was started by a San Francisco mom who was seeking a kindergarten for her four-year-old daughter.

They have reviewed several Richmond District schools including Alamo Elementary School (250 23rd Avenue), George Peabody Elementary (251 6th Avenue), and St. Monica (5920 Geary).

For those who are resarching pre-schools, don’t miss next week’s Preschool Preview Night at the SF County Fair Building (9th and Lincoln in Golden Gate Park).

Sponsored by Parents Place, the event is a one-stop shop for parents seeking information about preschools in San Francisco. The evening brings together more than 100 San Francisco preschools and child-related service vendors and agencies in one setting.

Preschool Preview Night is on Wednesday, October 21 from 5:30–8pm. Cost is $5 per adult, free for kids. For more information, call Kenny at 415-359-2455 or e-mail KennyA@jfcs.org.

Sarah B.

Last Wednesday, the Geary Boulevard Merchants Association held their 63rd annual Awards Luncheon at the Cathedral Hill Hotel.

It was a star-studded affair by city standards, drawing current California Attorney General and rumored gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown, who gave the keynote speech to the crowd of City Hallers, police officers, and Merchant Association members. Also on the speaking schedule were Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, Superior Court Judge Quentin Kopp, and our own Supervisor Eric Mar.

At the luncheon, several neighborhood institutions and individuals were honored. The Centennial Award was presented to two Richmond legends that marked their 100th birthday recently: The Cliff House and The Star of the Sea School on 9th Avenue just off Geary.

Jerry Brown mentioned that his own sister had attended Star of the Sea Academy (which closed in 1985). Famed comedienne Gracie Allen was also an Academy graduate. Several other Star of the Sea alumni were also in attendance.

Merchants Awards were presented to the always delicious House of Bagels, and to Belly Burger on Geary near 21st Avenue. Bagels and burgers – these are my kind of awards!

Patricia Kaussen, Executive Director of the Richmond District Neighborhood Center, was presented with the well-deserved Community Service Award. Richard and Patricia Gibbs of the San Francisco Free Clinic also received community honors.

The Chronicle noted that new San Francisco Police Chief, George Gascón, was also in attendance…along with three of his predecessors, Tony Ribera, Earl Sanders and Fred Lau.

And though new father Mayor Gavin Newsom was invited to last week’s luncheon, he declined, telling organizers the event was just too close to his wife’s due date and he would need to stay close to home. However, the Chronicle pointed out that Newsom did manage to speak at a bio-tech conference downtown and hit Silicon Valley for another event later that day.

Congratulations to all the award winners! We’re lucky to have you in our district.

Special thanks to reader Marie for sending me info for this story.

Sarah B.

Photo courtesy of Cliffhouseproject.com. View more old Cliff House photos

The three scariest letters in a the vocabulary of a high school junior: SAT. I still get stomach cramps just thinking about that test.

If you have a high schooler at home or know one who is getting ready for college, be sure they know about the free SAT Intensive workshops that will be offered at the Richmond Library this fall.

Beginning September 25, the course will cover everything a high school junior needs to know to improve their scores on SAT, including: basic test strategy, time management techniques, process of elimination, the essay, vocabulary help, grammar, critical reading and math.

One workshop includes ten hours of instruction, another is just three hours and more condensed. Classes take place in the afternoons from 3pm – 6pm. They’re even providing teenager brain food, aka pizza.

Enrollment is limited to 25 students and priority is given to students in their junior year. Freshmen and sophomores are automatically put on a waiting list until there is room in the class.

To participate, you MUST sign up online at http://www.successlinktutoring.com/SFPL/.

For more information, contact Gregory Hom, Teen Services Librarian at ghom@sfpl.org or call 415-355-5610.

Sarah B.

Strolled by Sutro Elementary School on 12th Avenue the other day and noticed some construction going on. Looks like they’re re-paving and landscaping the grounds. Any Sutro parents or teachers out there that know the details? Leave it in a comment.

Sarah B.