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Early Learning Center principal outlines inclusion, community partnerships and growth at Short School
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Summary
Ally Baum, principal of the district’s Early Learning Center (ELC) at Short School, told the board the site is focusing on inclusion, family engagement and a new creative curriculum; she said the site serves about 111 students, roughly 20% of whom have IEPs, and partners with Community Action Marin for family supports.
Ally Baum, principal of the Early Learning Center (ELC) at Short School, described the program’s priorities and partnerships in a presentation to the San Rafael City Schools board on March 24, 2026. "My name is Ally Baum. I'm the principal of DLC," she said, and outlined three school goals: building community and trust, implementing a new creative curriculum, and expanding inclusion practices.
Baum said the ELC houses roughly 111 students, about 20% of whom have individualized education programs (IEPs), and that approximately 80% of the student population is economically disadvantaged. She said the site offers two DLI classrooms, three structured English immersion classrooms, two special day class (SDC) classrooms and district early intervention services that include drop-in speech, occupational therapy and physical therapy.
To build community, Baum highlighted a monthly program called Bright Beginnings that brings parents together for networking and presentations on topics parents request. She said Community Action Marin has placed a coordinator and family advocate at the site to support enrollment for CalFresh and Medi-Cal and to help families navigate services.
On instruction, Baum described the ELC’s adoption of the Creative Curriculum with six six-week units (for example, a current seeds unit and prior light and percussion units) and family-facing culminating events after each unit. She said the program is emphasizing play-based, tiered instructional supports and social-emotional learning; staff use visual schedules, predictable routines and scheduled inclusion time so students with disabilities can spend meaningful time with typically developing peers.
Trustees asked about continuity of IEP services when students transition to neighborhood schools; Baum said the site holds consent and intake processes during IEP development, documents goals and supports, and aims to ensure families know the next points of contact at receiving schools. She confirmed speech, OT and related services can be billed with family consent. Several trustees praised the school’s inclusion practices and suggested principals use the YouthTruth survey results to guide next steps.
Baum said the site is also piloting family-facing events in the evening to increase attendance and will continue partnerships with Marin Academy and other community groups to support literacy and family engagement. “It’s a sweet small school,” she told the board, emphasizing her view that early positive school experiences build long-term belonging.
The board did not take a vote on the presentation; trustees thanked Baum and moved to the next agenda item.
