March 3, 2021

March 3, 2021

Back to All Updates

Dear SFUSD Families:

There are many developments to celebrate this past week as we prepare for a safe return to in-person learning. As we continue to make progress, we will share as much information with you as possible. Please keep reading today’s digest for important updates.

Return Safely Updates

SFUSD is committed to reopening as many schools as possible for in-person instruction as soon as all the necessary and agreed upon conditions are met. Here are some current events related to the preparation process: 

  • On March 2, San Francisco was reassigned by the State to the red tier based on COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates.
  • SFUSD is implementing a staff vaccination program per the health and safety agreement with labor unions. SFUSD continues to work with the City to expedite vaccinations for all staff members who are critical part of the District’s return to in-person learning. Today SFUSD sent personalized priority access codes to 2,650 staff. For more information about vaccines, see the Did You Know Section below.
  • SFUSD is making steady progress to prepare facilities so our youngest learners can return to in-person learning:
    • Reopening applications for Wave 1 schools have been approved by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH).
    • DPH inspections for Wave 2 schools will begin on March 5, and preparations for Wave 3 schools are underway.
  • At the March 2 Committee of the Whole meeting with the SF Board of Education, SFUSD provided Return to In-Person Learning Updates, with the following highlights:
    • SFUSD is planning outdoor in-person learning options to complement indoor learning by exploring usage of schoolyards and SF parks (slides 14-21).
    • SFUSD is partnering with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to increase the number of facilities for DCYF Hubs to provide in-person learning for elementary students in the Summer, and to middle and high school students starting in the Spring (slides 22-23).
    • SFUSD proposed an updated instructional plan with a “blended schedule” for secondary schools to minimize disruption, maintain existing relationships and schedules for focal student populations (slides 24-35)
    • SFUSD will be offering extended learning opportunities such as summer school, internships, and end-of-year activities for middle and high school students (slides 41-44).

Distance Learning Updates

School Social Worker Appreciation Week

National School Social Worker week will be celebrated from March 7 - March 13, 2021 to focus public attention on the unique contributions of school social workers. In SFUSD, school social workers are essential. They seek to ensure equitable education opportunities for all students; ensure that students are safe, healthy and ready to learn; and promote respect and dignity for all students and families. Here are a few ways to celebrate your school social worker this week:

  • Send them a personal thank you note. Consider mentioning specific examples of why you appreciate them.  
  • Promote thank you/appreciation notes to your School Social Worker from members of your school community.
  • Encourage cards/drawings or virtual messages from students (individually or as a classroom group); “This year you taught me …”, “I appreciate my School Social Worker for …”

SF Loves Learning

Would you like to use SF Loves Learning videos and Seesaw activities to learn about Science? Check out New lessons, songs, movement, and read alouds in this deck: Learning and Growing: The Needs of Plants and Animals.

This month’s Science theme is: “What do engineers do?” and our cultural theme is Women’s History Month. You can find segments on both of these themes throughout the month.

This week’s theme is Pushes and Pulls. Check out these segments that are airing this week:

  • Design Cycle (Daily Lesson): Meastra Meza introduces the Design Cycle (Learn, Plan, Make and Test) in order to create a hill that we can pull a car up. 3/3/2021
  • It's a Cycle (Song): This song is about the water cycle and talks about water as a vital resource. It also is about the bodies of water. 3/1/2021
  • Strong like a Girl (Read Aloud): When people try to tell Rosa what she can't do because she's a girl, she sets the record straight once and for all. Rosa knows she can do anything because so many other strong girls have already shown her it's possible. 3/3/2021
  • Pushing and Pulling with Props in Dance (Movement): Ms. Joti and Mr. Bongo explore the forces of pushing and pulling in dance and use props to show many ways we incorporate them in movement. 3/2/2021

You can watch any content from the show in these ways:

  • Segments Library: Find any segment (read aloud, daily lesson, music, movement, community)!
  • YouTube channel: Subscribe to this channel, explore the playlists, and receive notifications when new content is published.

SF Loves Learning airs every weekday, 8:30-9am on KTVU Plus and any time at sfusd.edu/sfloveslearning.

School Meal Updates

Extended meal services at Mission High School Grab & Go 

Now Open 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

  • Starting Tuesday, March 9, the Grab & Go meal service at Mission High School will be open 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. on all service days. All other locations remain the same.
  • An updated list and map are posted on sfusd.edu/schoolfood

P-EBT Deadline Extended: Update Your Information by March 10

  • California is getting ready to issue Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) benefits for the 2020-21 school year. Eligible families can receive a P-EBT card with funds to purchase food while school buildings are closed.
  • To receive P-EBT, review the following before March 10:
  1. Ensure your children are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. If you haven’t already, update your household income information online by submitting the Multipurpose Family Income Form. 
  2. Ensure your mailing address is correct. Check which address you have on file or update it by completing the Emergency Card form online in ParentVUE.

The State of California will mail cards directly to families April through June.  

Learn more: sfusd.edu/pebt.

National School Breakfast Week

  • Next week is National School Breakfast Week. Our staff have served over 5 million free meals since last March, including 1.6 million breakfasts! 
  • On Tuesday, March 9, you’ll find a fun activity sheet included with our grab & go meals. Plus, California-grown mandarins and organic apples.
  • Pick up free breakfast (+ lunch, supper and snacks!) every Tuesday and Thursday, 2:00-3:30 pm. 
  • Visit sfusd.edu/schoolfood for locations.
  • View March Grab & Go Calendar

Did You Know?

Getting vaccinated is one of the most effective preventative measures in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and saving lives.

Are SFUSD staff getting vaccinated?

Yes. The City of San Francisco is currently vaccinating healthcare workers, people 65 years and over, and people who work in education, childcare, emergency services, and food and agriculture. The vaccine will be available by appointment at high-volume and community sites, certain clinics, and pharmacies.

As of Feb. 24, 2021, SFUSD staff are eligible for the vaccine. SFUSD is working with the City to expedite the process of getting a vaccine for staff members who are a critical part of our return to in-person learning.

Learn more about the vaccine rollout in San Francisco

Are the COVID-19 vaccines safe?

Yes, they are safe and effective. Learn more from the CDC about the benefits of getting a vaccine (Español | 简体中文 | Tiếng Việt | 한국어). 

Sign up to be notified when it's your turn to get a vaccine. Learn more in this FAQ.

Resource Highlight

The following people are eligible for COVID 19 vaccinations:

Phase 1A:

  • People 65 years and older
  • Healthcare workers

Phase 1B:

  • Childcare and education workers
  • Food service and agriculture workers
  • Emergency service workers

San Francisco residents in Phase 1A or 1B living in the 94124 and 94134 zip codes regardless of insurance can drop-in to the Southeast Health Center located at 2401 Keith Street:

  • Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. any day of the week. No appointment needed.
  • Vaccine supply remains low and you may be asked to return the following day if the site reaches capacity.

If you are in Phase 1A or 1B, you can sign up for vaccine appointments in the following ways:

  • Contact your primary health care provider for appointments, including Kaiser, Sutter, UCSF, Dignity Health, etc
  • Sign up for appointments through My Turn CA
  • Sign up for appointments at City run vaccine sites 
  • Check your local pharmacy for appointments

Tech Tips

Personalized Support Available for Seesaw and Google Classroom 

  • Would you like to become even more confident with Seesaw or Google Classroom as you support your child with distance learning? You can sign up for a personalized, 30-minute session with a trained volunteer, to learn more about these and almost every technology tool used during distance learning. 
  • Sessions are available in multiple languages. 
  • Vist bit.ly/sftechtutors to sign up.

Bright Spot

SkyStar Wheel, the 150-foot tall Observation Wheel located in the Music Concourse of Golden Gate Park, will reopen Thursday, March 4. All San Francisco public school graduating seniors are invited to take a free ride on the Wheel this summer beginning June 2 through Sept. 6; students will need to show their SFUSD identification card at the on-site ticket booth for the free ride. Additionally, SkyStar will continue to provide the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department with 500 free tickets each month for families enrolled in the City’s Community which provide in-person support for distance learning for San Francisco’s highest needs children and youth. 

Warm regards,

Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthew

This page was last updated on March 3, 2021