November 4, 2020

November 4, 2020

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Dear SFUSD Families:

I know that times are tough right now. Over the next several weeks your school will be reaching out again to discuss your child’s learning and overall well-being. Please take time to share your feedback and resources you may need to better support your child. 

On another note, SFUSD is actively preparing to offer in-person learning options at a select number of schools first to PreK through first graders, students enrolled in County schools and students enrolled in SDC classes who have moderate to severe learning disabilities. More students and schools will follow. Next Tuesday, November 10 at the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting, SFUSD will share more information about ongoing preparations. Also, our progress dashboard is updated weekly.

Please keep reading today’s digest for more important updates.

Updates

PreK-12 Virtual Enrollment Fair November 6th to 13th

If you have a child starting pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, middle school, or high school next year, you are invited to attend the PreK-12 Virtual Enrollment Fair. 

When: The fair will take place over a week (see schedule), November 6-13, 2020 (except for Wednesday, November 11, Veterans Day). This weeklong format aims to accommodate the routine of families who are sheltering at home.

Workshops: Workshops (How to Apply, About Language Programs, Special Education, etc.) will be livestreamed on Saturday via YouTube Live and Facebook Live.

Town Halls: To replace tables at the fair, schools will host Town Halls, which are Zoom meetings where families can talk to school staff directly.

School Videos: To replace in-person school tours, each school has created a 4-5 minute video showcasing their programs, curriculum, and community. These videos will be promoted before and during the fair to families and have translated subtitles. They will be hosted on SFUnified’s YouTube channel and will be available after the fair.

Connect With Families: To replace community tables, parent advisory committees and CBOs will have a virtual “Coffee Chat” where families can get information about their work and ways to get involved.

Languages: Language interpretation, American Sign Language, and closed captions can be requested for any of the workshops and town halls.

Know Your Rights

Even during distance learning, students and families have rights we want you to know about.  SFUSD has updated its equity-related policies related to: 

Please also see the announcement about detailed changes to the District's Sexual Harassment/Title IX Student Policy (5145.7). For additional information about the District's updated Sexual Harassment policies, made in accordance with TItle IX Changes from the Department of Education, please visit this website. The Student and Family Handbook has more information about these rights and others.

Schedule Changes for Grab & Go Meals

Grab and go meals are available for SFUSD students and their siblings. View locations and more information at sfusd.edu/schoolfood. Download Grab & Go Calendar

Meal Pickup Changing to Tuesday Afternoons

  • Starting November 10, the weekly pick up time for all grab and go sites will change to Tuesday, 2-3:30 p.m. On Tuesdays, 5 days’ worth of meals, including breakfast, lunch, supper, fresh fruits and vegetables, and milk is available. Brown, Lau and Mission stay open until 4 p.m.

New Second Pickup Day Offered

  • Starting November 13, sites will also be open a second day to pick up additional meals and snacks. On these days, 2 days’ worth of meals, plus snacks, fresh fruits and vegetables, and milk is available. Pick up meals one or both days!

November Schedule

  • Wednesday, November 4, 10:30-12 (5 Day Bag)
  • Tuesday, November 10, 2-3:30 (5 Day Bag)
  • Friday, November 13, 2-3:30 (2 Day Bag)
  • Tuesday, November 17, 2-3:30 (5 Day Bag)
  • Friday, November 20, 2-3:30 (5 Day Thanksgiving Holiday Bag)
  • Thanksgiving: Closed

Technology Tips for Families During Distance Learning

  • Are You Getting Dropped From Your Zoom Calls?
    • A common cause of dropped Zoom calls is not having enough Internet connection strength, which can be the result of a number of factors including several people or devices connecting at once. To learn how to use minimize this issue, see “Hotspot Issues” in the “Troubleshooting Help for Families” guide: bit.ly/tech-help20
  • Seesaw App for Families
    • Download the Seesaw Parent and Family app to receive real-time updates when your child submits work to their class. Ask your child’s teacher for the family invitation to connect to your child’s journal. 
    • You can view your child’s work and even leave them comments of encouragement! 
    • Learn more about Seesaw for Families

Need Tech Help? 

  • Free Technology Tutoring for Families Will Continue for the Rest of the Year!
    • Get free, personalized support on using ParentVUE, Zoom, Seesaw, Chromebooks, Google Suite, Google Meet and Classroom, and filling out the MFIF (Multipurpose Family Income Form).
    • Visit bit.ly/sftechtutors for more information and to book an appointment in one of 20 languages!
  • SFUSD Family Technology Online Resources
    • Visit the SFUSD technology resources page at sfusd.edu/familytechnology for links to instructional videos, recorded webinars, and information on SFUSD technology tools and platforms during distance learning.

No Digest Next Week Due to Veterans Day Holiday

SFUSD is closed in observance of Veterans Day and will not send a digest next Wednesday. Please check online at sfusd.edu for any new announcements.

Bright Spot

Congratulations to the SFUSD student winners of the San Francisco Historical Society’s annual Fracchia Prize writing competition! Named after Charles Fracchia, the founder of the Historical Society, the Fracchia Prize was established to both cultivate the next generation of San Francisco historians and to give the city’s high school students an opportunity to make a difference in their communities.

Warm regards,

Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthew

This page was last updated on November 4, 2020