Barbara Cushway

Barbara Cushway is a native San Franciscan and alumnus of Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School, A.P. Giannini Middle School, and Abraham Lincoln High School. Barbara returned to her roots in SFUSD after her university studies and – in the decades she has been teaching in San Francisco public schools – has never looked back. Ms. Barbara, as she is known to her students, has shown empathy, caring and nurturing ways towards students' needs, while remaining committed to the school communities she has served in support of teaching and learning. Currently Ms. Barbara continues to teach in the Out of School Time (OST) Program, in the same Sunset District neighborhood where she grew up and attended SFUSD schools. Ms. Barbara has served in the Early Education Department in the Prek and OST programs. Leadership is also something that comes natural to Ms. Barbara, whether she is serving as a lead teacher or helping to hire new team members, she has shared her expertise and knowledge in an unselfish and humbling way.In the Out-of-School Time Program, a component of SFUSD’s Early Education Department, Ms. Barbara instructs students during their extended learning time to develop new skills and interests, helping them build on what they’ve learned during the school day.“The best part of my job is the children,” Ms. Barbara says. “I never get tired of seeing children have their ‘ah-ha’ moment!”