McDowell Elementary School educates 340 students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The school has 10 classrooms at the primary level, five at the intermediate level, and one Special Day Class serving approximately 10 students in the early primary grades.

McDowell receives school-wide Title I funding, which allows for a full-time Reading Specialist, and helps provide Instructional Assistants in each classroom for at least one hour per day. District-wide funding provides every elementary school with music and physical education, counseling and library services. State and federal funds give McDowell a Speech and Language Specialist, and guarantee bilingual instructional support for the 73% of the student population who are English Learners.

State-adopted materials in language arts, mathematics, science and social studies ensure that every student is receiving standards-based curriculum utilizing researchtested instructional strategies. Reading instruction at McDowell is explicit and direct, focusing on mastering the building blocks of reading proficiency – phonics, phonemic awareness and fluency – in the primary grades, and on vocabulary and comprehension in the upper grades.

Students not meeting grade level targets are given additional instruction outside of the school day, or placed in an accelerated intervention program for a limited period of time in order to achieve grade level standards.

The strength of McDowell lies squarely with its people – the families, staff, and surrounding community. McDowell’s people are a rich combination of experience and freshness. The staff feels a great love for and commitment to the hearts and minds of its students. New programs such as Mentor Me Petaluma, the Boys & Girls Club, the School/Community Garden, and the Art Docent Program give students the added support and diverse learning opportunities they so need and enjoy.