Rancho Elementary

Welcome to Rancho Elementary!

A woman with a warm smile wears glasses and a headband.

We are committed to developing the next generation of learners into 21st-century scholars who are prepared to contribute in meaningful ways to the increasingly complex world in which they will work and live. We accomplish this as a community by setting rigorous academic and high social expectations for each and every child.

With a growth mindset, we provide a path for learning that encourages all learners to take risks and reflect on outcomes. Through the Frist School foundations of learning (i.e. Culture of Caring, Culture of Competency, and Culture of Achievement), we develop the “6 C’s” of the NUSD Graduate Profile which include: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Conscientious Learning, Cultural Competence, and Character.

Read on for more about our school…

Principal Catherine Nam

Rancho is a Transitional Kindergarten through 5th-grade neighborhood and open-enrollment public school with a typical enrollment of 350-400 students, and one of eight elementary schools within the Novato Unified School District. We have a staff that is dedicated to supporting students and their families socially, emotionally, and academically, along with a P.T.A., English Learners Advisory Committee, and School Site Council who work collaboratively to support our students.

Through the Frist School foundations (i.e. Culture of Caring, Culture of Competency, and Culture of Excellence) of learning, we develop the “6 C’s” of the NUSD Graduate Profile which include: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Conscientious Learning, Cultural Competence, and Character.

Our commitment to the social-emotional growth of our students is evident in the expectations instilled in our motto “Do Good. Be Kind.” and the Eagle Pledge, and our Restorative Justice practices. In fact, Rancho’s Restorative Justice practices have gained public recognition and server as the model for other elementary schools.

Our aim is to prepare young adults for success in high school, post-secondary learning, and the workplace, and support their development into capable, responsible, and caring citizens.
Rancho Elementary School is committed to a culture of learning that promotes a growth mindset and motivates each and every student to maximize his or her potential. Our staff, students, and parents model and foster a positive and collaborative educational environment. Together, we will strive to instill in each student a sense of responsibility, citizenship, and pride in achieving academic excellence.
Every child will learn and grow in a highly enriched environment with rigorous standards and integrated learning practices. We commit to high personal standards, instill meaningful lifelong skills, foster responsible connections, and inspire positive impacts within our global community.
- Academic excellence
- Partnership between staff, parents, and students through a strong school/home connection
- Consistently high expectations for student learning and behavior
- Instilling exemplary behavior through character development, community building, as well as relevant and meaningful restorative practices
- Inspiring students to develop into socially aware, responsible citizens through community service and environmental awareness
- Developing an understanding, appreciation and respect for all cultures and becoming conscious of the connection between their studies and the world
- Technology integration
We have an especially diverse student body and believe that greatly enriches our community. Our team works hard to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment where all students can thrive, whatever their individual needs, abilities, backgrounds and economic circumstances.
It is the goal of Rancho Elementary to assist students in their social and personal development as well as academics.

The Student Success Team (SST) and Coordination of Student Services Team (COST) meet regularly to discuss student supports. The team is made up of the principal, school counselor, data TOSA, restorative practice facilitator, special education teacher, and regular education teachers.

Families who have a concern about their child, whether it is academically, behaviorally, or socially related, are encouraged to first speak to their child’s teacher. As a result of noted concerns, the teams may recommend various interventions and/or counseling in support of the student’s success. Assessment for special education eligibility and support may be considered when a severe discrepancy between ability and achievement is suspected.

Support personnel are available to serve the needs of Rancho students:
- Community Liaison
- Data/Student Support Teacher
- EL Specialist
- English Learner Para-Educator
- Reading Intervention Para-Educator
- Speech and Language Pathologist
- Occupational Therapist
- Resource Specialist
- School Psychologist
- School Counselor
- Restorative Practices Facilitator
Individualized Education Plans

Rancho Elementary provides Special Education services to students who are assessed and found to be eligible for Special Education. Programs and services designed to meet students’ needs are identified in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The Resource Specialist Program serves students with exceptional needs who are able to function in the regular classroom for the majority of the day. They receive individual, small group, or classroom instruction designed to meet their identified needs.

Designated Instructional Services are provided to students who are eligible for Occupational Therapy, Speech/Language Therapy, or other services.

English Language Learners

Rancho Elementary School teachers offer our English Language Learner (EL) students English Language Development instruction during the instructional day. All Rancho teachers are CLAD or SDAIE trained. All teaching staff is trained and participate in year-long ongoing training with Clark Consulting. An EL Para Educator works with our beginning EL students on foundational skills. A newcomer counselor also works with EL students who are new (three years or less) to the country.
Rancho’s philosophy emphasizes the importance of the home school partnership. Volunteers are at the heart of the program at Rancho Elementary School. During the 2024-25 school year volunteers contributed 7,825 hours to Rancho Elementary School.

Parent support begins with the “Welcome Back Coffee” on the first day of school, where parents sign up for volunteering in classrooms along with a host of PTA committees, and continues throughout the year. Coffee Chats with the Principal offer presentations and conversations on parent-generated topics of interest.

Rancho School has an active and committed PTA which not only funds supplementary programs for our students such as: field trips, assemblies, yoga, community building activities, and family nights but also orchestrates the efforts of volunteers.
Rancho was originally constructed in 1961 and is comprised of 23 classrooms, one multipurpose room/cafeteria, one library, one staff room, one wellness hub (Eagle’s Nest), and four playgrounds. Rancho Elementary is located at the end of a cul-de-sac. Transitional kindergarten classrooms are situated in a separate building with their own bathrooms. TK and Kindergartners have their own fenced-in playground.

The school’s library, staffed by a full-time Library Clerk, provides an extensive variety of reference and special interest materials, in addition to hundreds of educational and recreational books. Students visit the library on a weekly basis with their classes and are encouraged to visit before and after school.
Rancho is devoted to the integration of technology in the classroom to increase student engagement and achievement. With support from the “One to World” program funded by Measure G, our 1st through 5th-grade students have regular access to a personally-assigned Chromebook, and TK and Kindergarten classes have access to both Chromebooks and iPads in the classroom.

Each teacher has a learning station comprised of a laptop, document camera, and LCD projector, and the ability to check out a Chromebook or iPad carts to provide a 1:1 ratio of devices to all students.

In addition, The Library Media Center supplies print materials and has 10 workstations available for student use, and Rancho has a computer lab with 32 computers. Computer skills and concepts are integrated throughout the curriculum and teachers follow a district-provided scope and sequence for Digital Citizenship.