Starting Gate School
| Starting Gate School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
579 Couch St. , 94590 United States | |
| Coordinates | 38°07′37″N 122°15′07″W / 38.12694°N 122.25192°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, Coeducational |
| Established | 1972, 2009 |
| Founder | Genevieve M. Reignierd |
| Closed | June 30, 2020 |
| Principal | Lisa Bogel |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Enrollment | 100 (2012-2013 school year) |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Colors | Blue, and White |
| Team name | Eagles |
| Website | http://www.startinggateschool.com/ (archived on July 23, 2019) |
Starting Gate was a co-educational non-profit private school in Vallejo, California, encompassing kindergarten through 12th grade with a separate preschool facility. It opened in the 1970s and closed in 2020.
School
Starting Gate School encompassed kindergarten through 12th grade, with a separate preschool. Class sizes were limited to 10;[1] enrollment was approximately 50 in 2011[2] and 58 in 2013 (with approximately 30 in preschool).[3]
The school held a book drive for a library in 2012;[4] it was named in honor of Jim Capoot, a Vallejo police officer who was killed in the line of duty in 2011,[1] and students also raised money to make a donation to his widow and erect a sign as a memorial to him.[5][6]
History
The school began in 1972[1] with a day care center opened by Genevieve M. Reignierd for a local Episcopalian church, shortly followed by teaching in her home. Reignierd was a high school and college teacher who developed an educational methodology based in part on the theories of Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget; Reignierd School expanded grade by grade and in 1976 added a pre-school in a then dilapidated house.[7] Reignierd's son Steven Reignierd became principal.[7][3]
Reignierd School was housed for a year in the day care center at Saint Catherine of Siena Church, and after an opportunity to buy a school campus fell through, moved to Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and then acquired another dilapidated building, which accommodated all the K–12 years. Following Genevieve Reignierd's death in 2008, it was reorganized as an educational non-profit under the name Starting Gate School, with support from the D'lonier Foundation, established by the family of Reignierd's mother.[7] The school was registered under its new name with the California Department of Education in January 2010.[8] In 2009 Starting Gate moved to facilities rented from Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on the historic U.S. Route 40.[7][3] The church sought in 2013 to terminate the lease as unprofitable.[3]
Steven Reignierd died in 2016.[7] David Reignierd, Genevieve Reignierd's grandson,[1] and Lisa Bogel[9] subsequently served as principal. The school closed in June 2020.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d Richard Freedman (August 29, 2018) [October 30, 2017]. "Mayor Bob Sampayan visits independent, private school". Vallejo Times-Herald. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
- ^ "Starting Gate private school serving about 50 students in Vallejo". Vallejo Times-Herald. August 29, 2018 [May 10, 2011]. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Vallejo church asks private school to leave". Vallejo Times-Herald. August 29, 2018 [November 8, 2013].
- ^ S. Reignierd (August 29, 2018) [August 15, 2012]. "A library to be proud of". Vallejo Times-Herald (press release). Retrieved February 9, 2026.
- ^ Tony Burchyns (August 29, 2018) [January 27, 2012]. "Vallejo private school makes donation, honors slain officer with memorial sign". Vallejo Times-Herald. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
- ^ "Friends of slain Vallejo officer Capoot collecting books". Vallejo Times-Herald. August 29, 2018 [June 24, 2012]. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e "About Us: History". Starting Gate School. Archived from the original on August 28, 2018.
- ^ "Starting Gate School". California School Directory (archived on December 21, 2019). California Department of Education. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019.
- ^ Richard Freedman (February 9, 2019) [February 8, 2019]. "Con Funk Shun bass player stops in at Starting Gate". Vallejo Times-Herald. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
- ^ "Starting Gate School". California School Directory. California Department of Education. June 30, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
External links
- "Starting Gate School". Archived from the original on July 23, 2019.