Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
10027 Rose Street
Bellflower, CA 90706
562-804-6521

Dina Hernandez, Principal

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is located in a residential area on Rose Street in Bellflower. The facilities include 36 regular education classrooms, four special education classrooms, a multipurpose room (which also serves as the school cafeteria), a school library, a 40 station computer lab and smaller breakout rooms for students needing assistance in specific academic areas.

Thomas Jefferson serves 670 students. The attendance rate at the school was 95.79 percent during the prior school year. Student enrollment includes a variety of ethnic backgrounds: American Indian two percent, Asian four percent, Pacific Islander one percent, Filipino two percent, Hispanic 59 percent, African-American 19 percent, and Caucasian 13 percent.

Students at Thomas Jefferson are regularly made aware of career opportunities within their core academic subjects. Daily lessons include ways in which the subject matter relates to real world situations and careers. Students are also given opportunities beyond the classroom setting to experience the world of work through student council activities related to curriculum and instruction.

The school has 32 regular education teachers, four special education teachers, one Title I teacher, a part-time assistant principal and an administrator. Other personnel serving the school include a psychologist, two health assistants, a guidance intern, a family advocate, a technology technician and a speech and language teacher. All staff meet the credential requirements of the State of California. 75 percent of our certificated staff have advanced degrees.

Special programs at the school provide additional support for student growth and achievement include the Special Improvement Program, Title 1, Gifted and Talented Education, Limited English Proficient program, Academic Intervention programs, and the Apple Program.  There are programs outside the regular school day that offer extended academic support to identified students.

Staff development activities are essential for maintaining a quality educational program for students; therefore, the district provided more than 300 hours of staff development activities for teachers and classified staff. The emphasis of the staff development program has been in the areas of language arts, math, science, authentic assessment, and thematic instruction. Approximately 85 percent of the teachers at our school took advantage of district or outside staff development offerings.

The mission of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is to help develop in each student commensurate with his or her ability, the essential skills, knowledge, habits, attitudes, ideas and appreciations which are essential for the fullest individual development, and for family and community living in a democratic society. It is our belief that our educational program provides a framework which accomplishes this mission.