October 7, 2020

Back to All Updates

Dear SFUSD Families:

Staff, families and students are all understandably curious about what progress we’re making toward offering in-person learning options. Last week we shared a set of criteria our district is using to determine that we are ready to move to offering in-person instruction to select student populations. We announced that we would start with offering in person instruction for our youngest learners in PreK and students with individual education programs (IEPs) who receive special education services for moderate to severe disabilities in our special day classes.

I can assure that we are all working tirelessly to continue providing distance learning while also putting everything in place to safely welcome back our students. In an effort to make our preparations more visible to our community, we will be sharing a dashboard to monitor progress on key indicators at the Board of Education meeting on October 20. 

Here is short list of what’s happening now: 

• Conducting school site assessments with regards to ventilation and classroom capacities in light of physical distancing and other safety measures
• Meeting with various labor groups related to returning to in-person instruction
• Putting out a request for proposals to identify providers who can oversee regular COVID testing 

Families, students and community members who are eager for our public schools to reopen to in-person learning — we hear you. And for those of you who want to stay in distance learning to limit the spread of COVID-19 –– we hear you too. Our schools are essential to the lived experiences of over 54,000 students and their families and over 9,000 staff and their families. I can assure you we are taking this very seriously and we’ll share more progress updates in the near future.

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

Updates

SFUSD partners with SF Public Libraries to Go-Go

The Bookmobile is here! On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-6 p.m., the Library’s fleet of bookmobiles will park at Jose Ortega Elementary School, Willie Brown Jr. Middle School and John O’Connell High School. The mobile will be at Treasure Island on Wednesdays from 2-6 p.m. Patrons can drop-off library materials and retrieve holds at each location.

How it works: Place a hold through your library accounts for books, DVDs, audiobooks, LPs or any circulating item and select the SFPL To Go-Go site for pick up. Once the holds are ready, patrons will receive an email, print notice or phone call letting them know that their materials are ready. Patrons are welcome to bring their reusable bag, but per health guidelines, they may not be placed on the pick-up table. Bags will be provided for those who do not have them. SFPL employees will operate the bookmobile, and SFUSD school librarians will help facilitate properly distanced curbside pick-up. In more good news, on October 13, the Library will start SFPL To Go service at Chinatown, Ortega and Visitacion Valley branch libraries. For more information visit sfpl.org/sfpl-to-go. Use this map to find the nearest SFPL to Go location.

Your child has a library card

On Tuesday, September 1, the SF Public Library emailed library card numbers to all SFUSD students. If you have not received your card, please fill in this online library card application using your SFUSD email.

SFUSD librarians are working with your child's teacher to help students activate their library cards, check out eBooks, and place holds on print books at "SFPL to Go" locations throughout the city.

SFUSD librarians have curated lists of recommended titles that your students can check out. Please find these lists and other resources at our temporary site, sfusdlib.org. 

Learn about Proposed Changes to the Elementary Student Assignment Policy 

You are invited to a Community Information Session to learn about the proposed Student Assignment Policy that the Board of Education will vote on in December. 

This is an opportunity to ask questions about the policy, understand its key features, and provide input on how we implement the policy in the coming years. The policy changes will impact elementary schools only, and will not affect incoming kindergarten students any sooner than SY 2022-23. 

The Community Information Sessions are October 27, 28, 29 & November 7. To learn more and register, visit sfusd.edu/student-assignment-community-information-meeting 

View Report Cards in ParentVUE

In last week’s digest, we shared grading periods. Report cards for students are available in the Documents tab of ParentVUE and can be downloaded in PDF format. Report cards are posted after the grading period's report cards are finalized by school staff. Given the process, the timelines for posting may vary by school. Learn how families can access student report cards in ParentVUE: sfusd.edu/pvuereportcards. 

Vegetarian Meals Now Available

We now offer all-vegetarian grab and go meals at Mission High School (3750 18th St) and Willie Brown Middle School (2055 Silver Ave). When picking up meals, just let the staff know that you'd like a vegetarian bag and they will provide you with a bag containing only vegetarian meals. Other questions? Please visit our Special Dietary Needs page.

 

Get Ready to Enroll for School Year 2021-22

Virtual Enrollment Fair and School Town Halls: November 6-13, 2020
You are invited to the SFUSD PreK-12 Virtual Enrollment Fair from November 6 -13, 2020. If you have a child starting prekindergarten, kindergarten, middle school, or high school next year, you are encouraged to attend this event! Talk to principals and school staff, learn how to apply, and watch videos about each school--all online for your convenience. Language interpretation and ADA services provided. Learn more here and be sure to register.

Main Round Enrollment Deadline: February 5, 2021
The last day to apply for SY 21-22 is February 5, 2021. The application (online and paper) will be available on sfusd.edu/enroll by November 1, please visit sfusd.edu/enroll for updates and details. 

Need support? You can call us at 415-218-8454, email us at enrollinschool@sfusd.edu, or schedule a 1:1 appointment with our team. The Educational Placement Center offices at 555 Franklin St. is closed due to shelter in place, but our team is still here to support you. 

12th Grade Unofficial Transcripts Are Now Available Through STUDENTVUE + PARENTVUE!

Unofficial transcripts for Seniors are now loaded into StudentVUE + ParentVUE. Unofficial transcripts can be used for course planning, college applications, and some scholarships. If students need an official transcript due to college or scholarship requests, they can request one here. Junior transcripts will also be uploaded to these platforms soon. 

How do students and/or families access the unofficial transcript? (video instructions)

• Log into StudentVue or ParentVue
• Click on the left menu bar tab called 'Documents'
• Click on "2020-2021 PREfall NonCollege USAGE Unofficial Transcript" 

Grade level counselors will be reaching out to students and families to offer assistance if needed.

Reminders

Keep Your Contact Information Up-to-date in ParentVUE!

To ensure you are receiving important notifications, please update your contact information (phone number and email address) in ParentVUE by submitting your Emergency Card form: sfusd.edu/emergencycard. Log in to ParentVUE and click “Online Forms” to begin. You can also update your information in the ParentVUE mobile app by following these steps: sfusd.edu/contactinfo.

Use the New ParentVUE Online Device Request Form for Technology Needs

As of October 5, families need to use the ParentVUE Online Device Request Form to submit requests to borrow and/or exchange SFUSD technology. Your school will receive your request and will follow up with you regarding pick-up options. You can access the Online Form through ParentVUE at portal.sfusd.edu. 

For more information, please refer to the Family Guide at bit.ly/SFUSDtechrequestguide and find the written guide and step-by-step instructional video in your language within this family resource library.

Technology Support for Families

Live Personal Support for Parents on District Technology Tools!

Families can still receive free, personalized support sessions with multiple district technology tools, including filling out the Multipurpose Family Income Form (MFIF), ParentVUE, Google (Classroom, Drive, Docs), Seesaw, Classroom, Zoom, Meet, and Chromebooks. Check out this announcement for more information and to sign up for a 30-minute video conference or phone call. The program is coordinated by the San Francisco Education Fund.

Family Webinar Series: Accessing SFUSD Technology Apps for Distance Learning (ParentVUE, Clever, Seesaw, Google Suite, and Zoom)

Need guidance on how to support your students in navigating their SFUSD online platforms for distance learning? SFUSD will continue to host live webinars throughout October. On the webinar we will discuss the basic functions of SFUSD online platforms: ParentVUE, Clever, Seesaw, Google Suite, and Zoom. Find the link to the YouTube livestream, upcoming webinar dates, plus a recording of a previous session, slide decks, and translations on our sfusd.edu/family-webinars page.

Submit the Multipurpose Family Income Form

Completing this form helps provide essential funding for your school. Submit today at sfusd.edu/MFIF. 

Need help? In collaboration with SFUSD, San Francisco Education Fund volunteers are providing multilingual phone and video support to families submitting the Multipurpose Family Income Form online through SchoolCafe. Sign up for a SchoolCafe appointment! 

Education Funding Measures on November Ballot

Ballots are arriving by mail to registered voters’ households this week. Please remember to look for and vote on Proposition J, which addresses a legal loophole to continue providing funds to SFUSD, and California Proposition 15, which would increase revenue for public education and other services. Learn more about these measures.

Bright Spot

In honor of World Teachers Day, I want to give a special shout out to every one of our educators working hard to support students. While World Teachers’ Day was officially recognized this past Monday, let’s celebrate teachers and all that they do each and every day.

Warm regards,

Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews