Rooftop Alternative K-8 School History Project

This website is a work in progress. 

The Rooftop History Project was created to tell the story of Rooftop Alternative K-8 School, located in the hills of Twin Peaks of San Francisco.

Today’s technology gives us new ways to share and preserve information.

The Rooftop Alternative K-8 School’s history timeline includes:

  1. ★Photos and journals from the original Twin Peaks School from the 1900‘s

  2. ★The philosophy and mission behind the founding of Rooftop Alternative K-8 School by a team of seven teachers in 1970’s

  3. ★The origins of the Rooftop Art Program with Aiko Cuneo in the 1980’s

  4. ★The commitment to excellence in arts education continues, as Rooftop works to implement site programming aligned with the goals of the SFUSD’s Arts Education Master Plan adopted in 2006.

Learn more by traveling backwards in time to the beginning.


If you have information or images that you would like to share, please e-mail rooftop-art@sbcglobal.net.

Thank you!


Partial list of artists & arts organizations who have worked, performed or provided services for Rooftop Alternative K-8 School (1980’s - present)

Teaching Artists & Arts Organizations

  1. ★   African American Shakespeare Company (2010 to present)

  2. -  Sherri Young, Founder, teaching artist


  4. ★    Asian American Pacific Islander Cultural Center (2011 to present)

  5.    - Flo Oy Wong, visual artist   

  6. -  Darryl Smith, The Luggage Store Gallery


  8. ★   BookPALS (1997 to present)

  9. - Mary Dilts, actor / BookPALS

  10. - Peter Donat, actor / BookPALS

  11. - Carla Hatley, actor / BookPALS

  12. - Tracy Heffernan, Rooftop parent, actor, Rooftop librarian


  14. ★   Blue Bear School of Music (2006 to present)

  15. - Mike Rao, teaching artist, music


  17. ★   Blue Marble Project (2010 to present)

  18. - Wallace J. Nichols, ocean scientist

  19. - Sarah Kornfeld, conceptual artist


  1. ★    California Poets in the Schools (2002-2010)

  2. - Gail Newman, poet


  4. ★    Contemporary Jewish Museum (2009 to present)


  1. ★   de Young Museum (2007 to present)

  2. - Emily Doman, Education Director


  4. ★Fifth Stream Music (2007 to present)

  5. - Dr. Anthony Brown, composer/musician

  6. - The Asian American Jazz Orchestra

  7. - devora major, Poet


  9. ★  First Voice (2007 to present)

  10. - Brenda Wong Aoki, storyteller

  11. - Mark Izu, composer/musician


  13. ★   Julia Morgan Center for the Arts / Lincoln Center Institute (2001-2005)

  14. - Sabrina Klein, executive director

  15.     Creative Education Consulting

  16. - Rica Anderson, teaching artist, theater / Ed Director at Cal Performances

  17. - Beth Donahue, teaching artist, theater

  18. - Rebecca Fisher, teaching artist theater

  19. - Bret Hitchock, teaching artist, visual art

  20. - Dave Maier, teaching artist - theater /

  21.     Outreach Coordinator at Berkeley Rep

  22. - Jill Randall, teaching artist - dance

  23. - Jeff Raz, teaching artist /

  24.     Founder of the Clown Conservatory

  25. - John Thomas, teaching artist - music


  27.     JMCA “Selected Works for Study”

  28.     - Ruth Asawa, artist & arts advocate

  29.     - Circus Finelli

  30.     - Facing East Dance & Music

  31.     - Oakland Ballet

  32.     - Savage Jazz Dance Company

  33.     - Shotgun Players

  34.     - Keith Terry & Crosspulse

  35.     - Liebe Wetzel’s Lunatique Fantastique

  36.     - Word for Word Theater Company


  38. ★   KQED (2004 to present)

  39.   - Kristin Farr / KQED SPARK

  40.   - Deborah Gibbon / KQED SPARK

  41.   - James Kass / Youth Speaks


  43. ★  LEAP Sandcastle Classic (2009 to present) 


  1. ★  Little Kids Rock (2009 to present)


  1. ★  Marcus Shelby Orchestra (2007 to present)

  2.   - Marcus Shelby, composer / bassist

  3.   - Tiffany Austin, vocalist

  4.   - Faye Carol, vocalist

  5.   - Marco Casola, piano

  6.   - Andrea Claburn, vocalist

  7.   - Matt Clark, piano

  8.   - “Sista Kee“ Kito Gamble, piano

  9.   - Darren Johnston, trumpet

  10.   - Anthony “True” Peterson, guitar

  11.   - Ruthie Price, drums

  12.   - Joe Warner, piano

  13.   - Kenny Washington, vocalist

  14.   - Howard Wiley, saxophone, drums

  15.   - Dan Zemelman, piano

  16.   - Red Poppy Art House


  18. ★  San Francisco Arts Education Project (2000 to present)

  19. - Camille Salmon-Olivier, Program

  20.     Director, SFArtsEd   

  21. - Danny Duncan, teaching artist - theater /

  22.     SFArtsEd

  23. - Michael Koob, teaching artist - dance /

  24.     SFArtsEd / Transit Dance

  25. - Esme Kundanis-Grow, teaching artist -

  26.     dance / SFArtsEd

  27. - Mozel Zeke Nealy, teaching artist - music / SFArtsEd

  28. - Shannon Day, teaching artist - chorus/SFArtsEd

  29. - SFArtsEd Project “The Event”


  31. ★  San Francisco Film Society (2010 to present)

  32. - Keith Zwolger, Director of Education,

  33. - Tomm Moore, director, Secret of Kells

  34. - Tamarind King, animator, El Salon Mexico

  35. - Joe Procopio, director, Onion Skin

  36. - Myles Jewell, teaching artist, film


  38. ★   San Francisco Opera ARIA Education (2008 to present)

  39. - Ruth Nott, Director of Education,

  40.     San Francisco Opera

  41. - Candace Forest, teaching artist

  42.     composer

  43. - Lua Hadar, teaching artist   

  44.    - Sarah Helen-Land, teaching artist

  45.    - John Bischoff, teaching artist

  46.    - Alyssa Stone, teaching artist

  47.    - Thomas Conroy, teaching artist

  48. - Christopher Verdosci, costume

  49.     designer

  50.   San Francisco Boys Chorus

  51.   San Francisco Girls Chorus

  52.   San Francisco Conservatory of Music

  53.   San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows  

  54.     - Ryan Belongie, counter-tenor

  55.     - Susannah Biller, soprano

  56.     - Sara Gartland, soprano

  57.     -  Brian Jagde, tenor

  58.     - Ao Li, baritone

  59.     - David Lomelì, tenor

  60.    - Kenneth Kellogg, bass

  61.     - Daveda Karanas, mezzo-soprano

  62.     - Heidi Melton, soprano

  63.    - Nadine Sierra, soprano

  64.     - Allen Perriello, coach / accompanist  

  65.     - Katherine Tierney, soprano

  66.     - Kip Cranna, San Francisco Opera

  67.    - Caroline Altman, Director of Education,

  68.     San Francisco Opera Guild


  70. ★   San Francisco Symphony

  71.         Adventures in Music (AIM)


  1. ★   StageWrite (2007 to present)

  2.   - Elana Lagerquist, director, StageWrite

  3.   - Laura Lowry, teaching artist, StageWrite

  4.   - Carrie Paff, teaching artist, StageWrite


  6. ★    Yerba Buena Gardens Festival (2012 to present)

  7. - Darren Johnston, teaching artist, composer

  8. - Erica Chong Suchs, teaching artist, choreographer

  9. - William Moses, teaching artist, vocalist

  10. - Keith Terry, teaching artist, body music




Rooftop Art Committee 2007 to present

  1. ★   Cyndy Sugawara (2007)

  2. ★    Joyce Woo (2007)

  3. ★    Judy Toupin (2007)

  4. ★    Mary Ann Cruz (2007)

  5. ★    Andi Wong (2007)

  6. ★    Amy Balsbaugh (2008)

  7. ★    Tamra Marshall (2012)

  8. ★    Rittinell Banks (2012)

  9. ★    Jeffrey Burgos (2012)


Rooftop Art Coordinators 1982 to present

  1. ★    Aiko Cuneo, Rooftop parent & artist / Rooftop’s first art coordinator (1982-1990)

  2. ★    Cyndy Sugawara, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (1986-1998), art teacher

  3. ★    Mary Jung, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (1990-1991)

  4. ★    Lois Glanting, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (1990-1991)

  5. ★    Betty Katcher, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (1990-1992)

  6. ★    Susan Cuevas, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (1990-1992)

  7. ★    Joyce Woo, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (1998-2001), classroom teacher

  8. ★    Catherine Palmer, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (1998-2001)

  9. ★    Robin Dawson, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (2001-2004)

  10. ★    Shauna Goodkin, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (2001-2005)

  11. ★    Andi Wong, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (2001-2009), SFUSD site arts coordinator (2007-2009), Art Is... teaching artist (2001 to present)

  12. ★    Jill Stern, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (2005-2006), clay coordinator (2007-2008)

  13. ★    Sandra Proctor, Rooftop parent & art coordinator (2005-2006), clay coordinator(2007-2008)

  14. ★    Terry Weber, Rooftop parent & art parent coordinator (2007-2008)

  15. ★    Lilli Lanier, SFUSD site arts coordinator (2009-2011) & clay coordinator (2009-2011)

  16. ★    Judy Toupin, Rooftop teacher, SFUSD arts arts coordinator (2009-2013)

  17. ★    Amy Balsbaugh, Rooftop parent & art parent coordinator (2008-present), SFUSD site arts coordinator (2013-present)

  18. ★   Miki Fujiwara, Rooftop parent & clay coordinator (2011-present)


Rooftop-In-Performance (RIP)  1984-1995

  1. ★    Elissa Elliot, Rooftop parent, Rooftop-In-Performance, program director

  2. ★    Roger Bruno, Rooftop parent, Rooftop-In-Performance, composer/musician

  3. ★    Marcos Estabez, Rooftop parent, Rooftop-In-Performance, actor/musician

  4. ★    Barbara Klutinis, Rooftop parent, Rooftop-In-Performance, & film maker (1991)

  5. ★    Dorothy Moskovitz Falarski, Rooftop parent & Rooftop-In-Performance, music director

  6. ★    Aggie Guerard Rodgers, Rooftop parent & Rooftop-In-Performance, costume designer

  7. ★    Pam Wong, Rooftop-In-Performance, dance  


Lunch Bunch  1984-?

  1. ★    Sandy Ramet, director


SFUSD Art Teachers 1998 to present

  1. ★    Cyndy Sugawara, 5-8 visual art (1998 to present)

  2. ★    Flora Wong, K-5 general music (2008 to present)

  3. ★   Kaitlin MacChesney, 4-5 instrumental music (2013 to present)

  4. ★    Marcella Guzman, 6-8 instrumental music (2010 to present)

  5. ★    Monica Leung, 4-5 instrumental music (2008-2012)

  6. ★    Rachel Johnson, 6-8 instrumental music (2008-2010)

  7. ★    Kiyoko Kimura, K-8 instrumental music (2007-2008)

  8. ★    Monica Perry, K-8 instrumental music (2000-2007)

  9. ★    Mr. O, K-8 instrumental music (unknown-2000)

  10. ★    Greg Brooks, 6-8 theatre (1998-1999)


Rooftop Afterschool Chorus 1999 to present

  1. ★    Victor Cervantes, chorus director

  2. ★    Shannon Day, chorus director

  3. ★    Naomi _. chorus director

  4. ★    Lisa Quoresimo, chorus director


Dare to Perform (DTP)  2004-2009

  1. ★    Shannon Day, teaching artist - theater/chorus

  2. ★    Elizabeth Rosas, teaching artist - theater/visual arts


North Star Project (NSP)  2010-2013  

  1. ★    Marcus Shelby, teaching artist, music


International Festival (IF)  2000-2012  

  1. ★    The Freeze (2012)

  2. ★    Capoiera Mission (2011)

  3. ★    Kenny Washington (2010)

  4. ★    The Gitameit Choir of Myanmar (2009)

  5. ★    Linda Tillery (2009)

  6. ★    Keith Terry & Slammin’ (2008)

  7. ★    Asian American Orchestra (2007)

  8. ★    Loco Bloco (2006)

  9. ★    Red Panda Acrobats (2005)

  10. ★    San Francisco Taiko Dojo (2004)

  11. ★    Brother Clint Stockwell, storyteller  (2001)

  12. ★    Masankho Kamsisi Banda, storyteller  (2000, 2002, 2003)


Artist Performances & Workshops

  1. ★   Hazel Rose, spoken word (2012)  

  2. ★    Jo Kreiter, choreographer / Flyaway Productions

  3. ★    Felicia Hoshino, book illustrator (2010)

  4. ★    Josef Norris, muralist / KidServe (2006-2010)

  5. ★    Linda Mihara, origami artist (2006)

  6. ★    Sondheim’s 70th Birthday Benefit (2000)

  7.      - Jake Heggie, composer

  8.      - Kristin Clayton, soprano

  9.   - Nicole Foland, soprano  

  10.   - Wesla Whitfield, singer & Mike Greensill, pianist


Artists from the Rooftop Community

  1. ★   Lenda Barth, Rooftop parent & sculptor

  2. ★    Susan Cervantes, Rooftop parent & muralist / Precita Eyes

  3. ★    Mark Decena, filmmaker, Dopamine

  4. ★    Wendy Hanamura, Rooftop parent & General Manager/Producer, LinkTV

  5. ★    Ashley Wolff, Author/illustrator

  6. ★    Mario Yedidia, student actor featured in Francis Ford Coppola’s movie, “Jack” / now a political activist.