October 14, 2020

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Dear SFUSD Families:

Today, October 14th, would have been George Floyd’s 47th birthday. His death in May sparked the ongoing movement for racial justice. Enikia Ford-Morthel (AKA Miss Nikki), Deputy Superintendent of Instruction at SFUSD, appeared on SFUSD’s TV show SF Loves Learning today to talk about George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the values of fairness, equality, and love. In this segment children are encouraged to make a special wish for our world.

Today and every day, we recognize that Black Lives Matter. SFUSD is dedicated to providing an education for each and every student that contributes to an anti-racist, fair, and just society.

Please keep reading today’s digest for important updates.

Updates

Watch and Contribute Your Talents to SF Loves Learning

SF Loves Learning continues to air every weekday at 2pm on KTVU Plus and on our website any time: SFUSD.edu/SFLovesLearning.

You can also now watch individual clips from each episode on our website (Read Alouds, Movement Breaks, Music, and more) anytime! Teachers are welcome to use these clips with their students and can also use the SF Loves Learning Seesaw daily lesson activities. Here is a video explaining how.

We encourage teachers, students, and community members to submit videos for the show. Scroll to the bottom of SFUSD.edu/sfloveslearning to contribute.

Students can submit photos, videos, and student work for the show with this form. Here is a video on how to do it through Seesaw.

SFUSD 2020 Filipino American History Month Resource Guide 

October is Filipino American History Month. SFUSD celebrates by highlighting the diversity, brilliance and beauty of the Filipinx community both in their countries of origin but particularly in the diaspora and their presence here in San Francisco.

This Resource Guide provides links to literature, lessons, content, events, and other resources to celebrate the rich history, contributions and amazing that is Filipinx heritage and presence. 

Complete the 2020 Census for Our Schools & Community TODAY!

Help make sure everyone counts! TOMORROW, OCT. 15 is the last day to complete the 2020 census.

Every 10 years, everyone is counted in the U.S. regardless of immigration status. An accurate count impacts the federal funds that school communities receive for special education, classroom technology, teacher training, after-school programs, school lunch assistance, and so much more.

The response rate in San Francisco is only about 66% so we still have more to do to reach an accurate count. Learn more about the response rates in your neighborhood.

How do you complete the Census?

You can respond online, by phone, or by mail. Go to my2020census.gov OR call 844-330-2020 to get started.

For more Census information and youth voices videos, go to the district’s 2020 Census webpage.

Need to Borrow Tech? Use the New ParentVUE Online Device Request Form for Technology Needs

• Families who need to borrow and/or exchange SFUSD technology now use the ParentVUE Online Device Request Form at portal.sfusd.edu. 
  • You will need an active ParentVue account to request tech online. Learn more at sfusd.edu/parentvue.
• Your school will receive the request and follow up with details about how to receive technology. 
• For how-to info and videos, visit the Family Guide at bit.ly/SFUSDtechrequestguide.

Students! Choose How to be Creative on Seesaw

• Students can choose how they respond to each activity in Seesaw. Encourage your child to think about the best way to show their thinking and try something new! 
  • Students can take a picture, record their voice or video, make a drawing, upload files, include links, and more!
• Explore these options and remember that children can also work offline on paper or with physical materials and then take a picture to share on Seesaw.
• Learn more about getting started with Seesaw.

Technology Troubleshooting Guides for Families

These technology troubleshooting tips may help your student.

• Have a successful Zoom experience
• Adjust microphone sensitivity for Zoom and a Chromebook
• Get their hotspot or Chromebook working and performing well

Tips for Learning with Google Classroom

Support your student in Google Classroom by learning how to help with logging in and submitting assignments on our family-facing Google Classroom basics page.

Curious about your student’s upcoming assignments or missing work in Google Classroom? Ask your student’s teacher about setting up guardian email summaries (weekly email updates from Classroom) or learn more about guardian email summaries. You can also see a sample guardian email summary. 

For TK-2nd Grade Families: SFUSD Ready4Learning

SFUSD is pleased to offer a free text messaging service called Ready4Learning for TK through 2nd grade families. Ready4Learning sends tips to family members to use with their children. SFUSD is working with ParentPowered to provide this service to SFUSD families.

Families with children in grades TK-2 will be automatically enrolled in this program. This is a free program but data and messaging rates may apply. Families can opt out at any time by texting STOP to 70138.

Ready4Learning is a free research-based text messaging program for families with children ages 0-8 that builds on daily routines and sends messages that match your child’s age.

Each week families receive 3 texts with fun facts and tips on ways to help children stay on track to meet their learning goals. Families may also receive some additional texts with tips to support distance learning. Many SFUSD PreK families and some SFUSD TK through 2nd grade families already received these texts in the previous school year, and report the service is a helpful resource for supporting their children. We hope you find this service beneficial as well.

Questions? Please contact the SFUSD’s Student and Family Resource Link via email at familylink@sfusd.edu or call at 415-340-1716.

Bright Spot

Congratulations to April Barrios-Escobar, a fifth grader at E.R. Taylor Elementary School and a poet-athlete with the America SCORES Bay Area program, who won first place in a national poetry slam. April was featured in the news yesterday when she received her award in a surprise event at her home!

Warm regards,

Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews