April 15, 2020 - Family Digest

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Dear SFUSD Families:

Times like this remind us of what matters most, which is why we are prioritizing connections over content. It is important that your child continues to make progress in their learning, and as we continue in our first official week of teacher-led interactive distance learning, I want to remind you that caring for yourself and your family comes first, always.

Continuity of Learning: PK-2 Learning Kits

• SFUSD has distributed over 10,000 learning kits, including over 30,000 books to PK-2 families. We are excited to continue to provide learning materials and resources to families throughout school closures.
• If you have not received your PreK-2 learning kit, there is still time. See updated pick up information:
  • When: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm through this Friday (April 17)
  • Where (locations have been updated): Pick up PK-2 Learning Kits at any of these school sites (or your own school site - if your school reached out directly)
• Find a link to the worksheet portion of the Learning Kits in the opening paragraph of each grade-level page under “Learning from Home”: PreK & TK; Kindergarten, 1st grade; 2nd grade. 

Continuity of Learning: Technology Resources

• SFUSD students have an SFUSD-provided Google account. With this account, students have access to communication, collaboration, and learning tools, such as Google Classroom and Seesaw, virtual meeting tools such as Google Meet and Zoom, and a menu of learning tools through the SFUSD Digital Backpack. 

• Need Help? Visit sfusd.edu/familytechnology to get support, including videos, with using Chromebooks and accessing learning tools like Google Classroom and SeeSaw, video conferencing tools like Zoom and Google Meet, and email through your child’s SFUSD Google account.
• Need Your Child’s Google Account? See step-by-step instructions and a video to get your child’s Google account. 
• Virtual Meetings with Students: Learn more about virtual meetings with students or get help logging into Zoom.
• Be Responsible Online: Help your child practice responsible online norms in virtual meetings and check out more digital citizenship resources to help your child navigate digital spaces safely and responsibly.

• SFUSD Family Portal: Stay connected via Family Portal (ParentVUE)
  • If you need help with ParentVUE, please submit a request at bit.ly/familyportalhelp.
• Borrow a Chromebook, if needed - More than 10,000 Chromebooks have been loaned to students. There are more distributions next week. 
• Get help connecting to the internet

Reminder - Food Resources

• Pickup times and locations for SFUSD meals: sfusd.edu/schoolfood
• City information on where to get food resources. You may also call 311. 

Reminder - Accept 2020-2021 School Placement or Apply by THIS FRIDAY (April 17)

• If you have not yet accepted your Round 1 school placement offer, you have until April 17. Students with a Round 1 assignment offer will lose their school placement if families do not register.
• If you have not yet applied for May Placement (Round 2), but plan to, you have until April 17.

Learning begins at home. Here are four suggestions to support you and your family in this new experience of distance learning: 

• Make life as predictable as you can - we are creatures of habit.
  • Create daily rituals.
  • Set Daily Activities
• Demonstrate flexibility - we all need a little give and take.
  • Create the daily schedule with your child!
• Keep that human connection - we all need to feel a sense of belonging.
  • Make a plan with your child to be able to connect with people they miss!
• Make family-centered choices - focus on family first.
  • Take time to focus on what is important and matters for your family

Read SFUSD updates and explore the Distance Learning resources provided on the SFUSD website

Arts organizations, like many others, may have gone dark since the COVID-19 shelter in place, but their creativity is shining bright. World-renowned San Francisco-based dance company Robert Moses Kin has created a powerful online performance to help SFUSD students in need during the shelter in place. The work is called “For Our Students, For Our Schools,” and all proceeds from the work go to Spark* SF Public Schools, our district’s non-profit, which is raising funds to provide meals and equip students with computers during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Warm regards,
Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews