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Our School

Meet Our Principal

David Cid is a fun principal, photo of him covered in sticky notes

Mr. David Cid

Welcome to Gallatin Elementary School. I am Mr. David Cid and am honored to be the Principal! A top priority for me is to continue to provide parents with on-going communication and feedback. This helps promote parent partnerships that enhance academic programs and the all-around success of our students.

We have a tremendous team of teachers and staff that are committed to ensuring the success of our students. With hard work, dedication, and a collaborative approach between home and school, we believe our students will achieve a high level of learning.

Please reach out if there is anything you need and while I am out and about before and after school, stop by and say hi. A great year is ahead and we watch with anticipation ALL of the students who will be positively impacted. In the Downey Unified District, we believe that “Our Kids Deserve the Best!” and we truly believe that. This is our compass that guides us in all that we do!

Fun Facts:

  • Mr. Cid is a sports fanatic and loves basketball, baseball, and football. His office is decorated with his favorite teams.
  • He loves to travel all over the world and his favorite vacations are on cruise ships.
  • Mr. Cid met Shaquille O’Neil and worked for his charity foundation.

Our Mission

The mission of Gallatin Elementary School is to provide an academically challenging education in a caring and safe environment. Through our partnerships with staff, parents, students, and the community, we are committed to maintaining a positive school climate that maximizes the academic achievement, character development, and physical well-being of all students.

We will accomplish this through our standards-based educational program that emphasizes critical thinking and problem-solving skills. For all students, we are committed to providing equal access to the core curriculum, meet their diverse needs, and develop within all a responsibility for learning and behavior that supports their personal development.

Photo of kids playing with robots

Our Vision

All Gallatin Students acquire 21st-century skills to ensure that they are college and career-ready, globally competitive, and citizens of strong character. Students achieve their maximum potential in an engaging, inspiring, challenging, and innovative environment that fosters a love for learning.

School-Home Compact for Achievement

What is a School-Home Compact?

A School-Parent Compact for Achievement is an agreement that parents, students, and teachers develop together. It explains how parents and teachers will work together to make sure all our students reach grade level standards.

Effective compacts:

  • Link to goals of the school improvement plan.
  • Focus on student learning skills.
  • Describe how teachers will help students develop those skills using high quality instruction.
  • Share strategies parents can use at home.
  • Explain how teachers and parents will communicate with regard to student progress.
  • Describe opportunities for parents to volunteer, observe, and participate in the classroom.

Jointly Developed

The parents and staff of Gallatin Elementary School developed this School-Parent Compact for Achievement. Meetings are held on a yearly basis to review the Compact and make changes based on student needs. Parents are welcome to contribute at any time. If you would like to volunteer, participate, or observe in the classroom, please contact the school.

Building Partnerships

Your support and input are valued and instrumental in helping our students succeed! Opportunities for involvement include:

  • Back-to-School/Parent Night
  • PTA Meetings
  • Parent Workshops
  • Open House
  • School Site Council Meetings
  • Title I and English Learner Advisory Council
  • Awards Assemblies
  • District Sponsored events
  • Family events
DUSD logo

District Goal

By June 2027, 90-100% of all students will perform at grade level or higher and upon graduation meet the requirements for entrance into the UC and CSU system or have developed skills to be career ready.

School Goals

By June 2027, we will continue to increase the number of students reaching proficiency in mathematics and reading.

Our focus in ELA will be:

During the 25-26 school year, Gallatin will show a 5% cohort increase in the percent of students scoring Met or Exceeded in English Language Arts (ELA) on the iReady Diagnostic Assessment.

Our focus in mathematics will be to:

During the 25-26 school year, our school will show a 5% cohort increase in the percent of students scoring Met or Exceed in Mathematics on the iReady Diagnostic Assessment.

Positive Behavior Support and the Whole Child

During the 25-26 school year, staff will provide opportunities for all students and families to participate in an environment that promotes behavioral, cognitive, physical, and emotional development. Gallatin staff believes that regular attendance is vital to the teaching/learning process. We will implement a multilayer attendance program to ensure that Gallatin Grizzlies attend school regularly. We will provide student growth both academically and socially and encourage attendance.

At School

The Gallatin staff will work with students and their families to support students’ success in reading and math. Some of our key connections with families will be:

  • Communicate regularly with parents regarding current academic programs and be accessible to parents/guardians to discuss questions and/or concerns.
  • Provide materials and information to help parents support the school’s academic program.
  • Offer Parent Workshops in Literacy and Math to provide strategies and resources for home support.

    At Home

    Gallatin Elementary School parents joined staff to develop ideas about how families can support students’ success in reading and math.

    • Discuss and review my child’s schoolwork nightly and contact the teacher with questions and/or concerns.
    • Read and use the classroom materials and information to support learning at home.
    • Read with or listen to my child read every day.
    • Attend Family Friday events and use the strategies to support my child’s literacy development.
    • Involve my child in solving real-world math problems every day.
    • Ask about homework, reading requirements, and iReady reports.

    Student Responsibilities

    Gallatin School students know the importance of being responsible. A responsible student will come to school every day on time, prepared, and ready to learn. To make connections between learning at home and at school, students will:

    • Take home, review, and discuss schoolwork and materials nightly with parents/guardians.
    • Ask for help when they have trouble with their schoolwork.
    • Participate in classroom discussions and group work.
    • Read to and discuss the text with an adult for 20-30 minutes every day.
    • Use strategies learned in class to solve real-world math problems.
    • Update iPad Regularly and come to school with it fully charged.
    • Complete 2 or more i-Ready lessons in BOTH math and reading weekly.
    • Exemplify and model the Six Pillars of Character, everywhere and all the time.

    Engagement Policy

    The school recognizes that parents and guardians are their children’s first and most influential teachers. We believe that continued parental involvement in a child’s education contributes greatly to student achievement and conduct. This Parent and Family Engagement Policy is an integral component of our school plan to promote a meaningful partnership between the school and the home.

    Part 1: General Expectations

    Gallatin agrees to implement the following requirements:

    • The school will jointly develop with parents, distribute to parents of Title I children, a School Parent and Family Engagement Policy that the school and parents of participating children agree to uphold.

    • The school will notify parents about the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, will distribute this policy to parents in English and Spanish.

    • The school will revisit the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy yearly to meet the changing needs of parents and the school.

    • The school will make the School Parent and Family Engagement Policy available to the local community through a website link.

    • The school will adopt the Home-School compact as a component of its Parent and Family Engagement Policy.

    • The school will provide accessibility and opportunities for parents with limited English proficiency, parents with disabilities, and parents of migratory students.

    The school agrees to be governed by the following definition of parental involvement, and will carry out programs, activities and procedures in accordance with this definition:

     Parental involvement means the participation of parents, including those with disabilities and/or with limited English proficiency, in regular and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities, including ensuring –

    • that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning;

    • that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education; including the Home-School Compact;

    • that parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision-making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child;

    • the carrying out of other activities, such as those described in section 1118 of the ESEA.

    Part 2: Policy Implementation

    Gallatin will take the following actions to involve parents in the joint development and joint agreement of its Engagement Policy and its schoolwide plan, if applicable, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way under section 1118(b) of the ESEA:

    • Title I Parent Meetings will be held to create, review, and improve the Engagement Policy and the Home-School Compact yearly.

    • Parents will have the opportunity to discuss and share ways to improve the Title 1 Program.

    • Parents will have the opportunity to complete a survey about our Title 1 Program each year.

    • Parents will be provided, if they request an appointment for regular meetings.

    Gallatin will take the following actions to distribute to parents of children participating and the local community, the Engagement Policy:

    • The hard copy of the school’s Parent and Family Engagement Policy will be available to any parent when requested.

    • The Engagement Policy will be posted on our official School web site for the community to view.

    Gallatin will review yearly and update periodically its Engagement Policy to meet the changing needs of parents and the school:

    • A team meeting will be held yearly to review and/or update the Engagement Policy.

    • The Fall Information Meeting will review the Williams Uniform Complaint Procedure.

    • Fall meeting with survey regarding dates times and topics.

    Gallatin will convene an annual meeting to inform parents of the following:

    • That their child’s school participates in Title I,

    • About the requirements of Title I

    • Of their rights to be involved in:

      • Parent and Family Engagement Policy

      • Home-School Compact

      • Williams Uniform Complaint Procedure

    • About their school’s participation in Title I

    • Invitations emailed home in English & Spanish and posted on social media

    • Dialer callers in English and Spanish and at convenient times for parents

    • Parents are encouraged to attend parent functions, through various incentives

    • Parents are encouraged to takethe LCAP survey yearly, to voice their opinions

    Gallatin will hold a flexible number of meetings at varying times:

    • Invitations will be sent home in English and Spanish, with plenty of notice along with automatic dialer calls

    • Spanish translation will be provided at parent functions

    • Parent surveys will be given to determine parent interest needs

    • The school will provide information about Title I programs to parents of participating children in a timely manner

    • A Fall meeting will be held

    Gallatin will provide to parents of students a description and explanation of the curriculum being used, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet:

    • Please contact your childs teacher or counselor if you need assistance with curriculum, grades or any other concerns regarding your childs academics and progress.

    • This will also be discussed at the Title I Informational Meeting.

    Gallatin will provide parents opportunities to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children:

    • Informational meetings

    • SSC – School Site Council

    • PTA Meetings

    • Annual Title I Meeting

    • District LCAP Survey

    Part 3: Shared Responsibilities for High Achievement

    Gallatin will build the school’s and parents’ capacity for strong parental involvement, in order to ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, through the following activities specifically described below:

    • Needs Assessment Survey taken by parents (conducted by Title I)

    • Parent input through team meetings (conducted by Title I)

    • Parental requests (conducted by Title I)

    • Varied / multiple meeting times (conducted by Title I)

    • PTA Meetings (conducted by the PTA board members)

    • Encouragement to attend “Back To School” night and Open House (conducted by the staff and principal)

    • Principal’s newsletter which is distributed in Spanish and English

    Gallatin will incorporate the Home-School Compact as a component of its Parent and Family Engagement Policy:

    • Both policies will be reviewed at the meetings held for Title I parents

    • Both policies will be displayed on our school website

    • Both policies will be available in the school office

    Gallatin will, with the assistance of its district, provide assistance to parents of children served by the school in understanding topics, such as the following:

    • the State’s academic content standards

    • the State’s CAASPP proficiency levels

    • the State and local academic assessments including alternate assessments

    • the requirements of Title I

    • how to monitor their child’s progress

    • how to work with educators

    • Results of the annual Title I review – These various topics will be addressed at the Title 1 Informational Meetings and through Parent Education throughout the year

    Gallatin will, with the assistance of its district, provide materials to help parents work with their children to improve their children’s academic achievement, through:

    • parent brochures / newsletters

    • parent education

    • parent meetings and school functions

    • Gathering parental input on desired parent education trainings

    Gallatin, with the assistance of its district and parents, educate its staff, in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners: 

    • Staff Meetings

    • Professional Development

    • Professional Literature

    • ‘Q’ Parent Connect Online System through the DUSD App as well as Canvas.

    • ParentSquare

    Gallatin will, to the extent feasible and appropriate, take the following actions to ensure that information related to the school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities, is sent to the parents of participating children in an understandable and uniform format, including alternative formats upon request, and to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand:

     

    • All parent invitations and information will be translated in Spanish.

    • All parent invitations will be emailed home and posted on social media.

    • Auto dialer and email.

    Part 4: Adoption

    This Parent and Family Engagement Policy has been developed jointly with, and agreed on with, parents of children participating in Title I, as evidenced by Carrie Lopez.

    This policy was approved and adopted by Gallatin’s School Site Council in May 2025 and will be in effect for the 2025-2026 school year. The school will be available school wide to all parents of students through our website. It will be made available to the local community. Notification to parents of this policy will be in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provide a copy of this policy to parents in a language the parents can understand.

    Students in classroom