September 9, 2020

Back to All Updates

Dear SFUSD Families:

With new announcements every day about some schools opening to in-person instruction, we continue to get a lot of questions about when SFUSD will be offering in-person options for students. We are actively preparing our school sites, having discussions with staff and monitoring health data closely so that when data and science suggest it is safe to do so, we can begin to offer in-person options for students. 

School buildings are being utilized now in a variety of ways including as work spaces for educators who have requested a place to provide distance learning as well as meals and learning materials distributions.  The intent of distance learning is and continues to be to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission. The success of our reopening will depend on the behavior of our community members in observing the SFDPH’s guidelines now so that we can decrease the spread of COVID-19. 

Updates

Student Attendance and Participation Expectations during Distance Learning

As a reminder, when engaging in distance learning student participation and attendance can take multiple forms. Students are expected to actively participate in instruction, daily, as informed by their teachers. Participation will look a variety of ways and may include:

• Attending a Zoom class, with or without camera on
• Joining a Google hangout, with or without speaking
• Participating in a group chat(s)
• Direct email, call, or text with their teacher
• Evidence of completion and submission of assignments.
  • Assignments may be submitted via district-designated platforms, or via emails, photos, phone conferences, or other forms of documentation (as appropriate)

There may be points in time when teachers want students to demonstrate their learning (i.e state mandated assessments) and the instructor may ask the student to visually represent the skill with the video on. 

As is common in the traditional school setting, students, families and teachers should be in communication about expectations, questions and concerns regarding student attendance and participation.

Digital Reading Resources available in English and Spanish

Learn how to access these digital literacy resources in students’ Digital Backpacks.

• To support foundational reading, we have RAZ Kids, which provides all TK-3rd grade and students in our special education program with access to digital, leveled texts. 
• Students in 3rd-5th grade, also have access to Newsela--a digital database of high-interest, up-to-date articles that can be tailored to students’ reading levels.  
• Additional leveled reading texts are available for students participating in reading intervention and students in English Language Development classes 
• Hoopla provides opportunities for accessing authentic texts in a variety of genres and topics for all students (PK-12) and teachers

Books in Print

• To support beginning reading skills, leveled take home books are available for K-2 students. Students should have received multiple leveled texts during materials distribution.

• Additional reading materials were also made available to support English Language Learners. 
• All students should have received their SF Public Library card numbers via email on September 1st. Teachers and SFUSD librarians have begun helping students activate their cards in order to reserve print books from the “SFPL To Go” locations gradually opening around the city. In the meantime, students are able to choose eBooks from the library; our librarians are compiling lists of suggested titles that link students, via the digital backpack, directly to downloadable eBooks and audiobooks. 

To increase student access to library books, we are currently finalizing plans to establish three SFUSD sites as “SFPL To Go” locations. Look out for information about our Bookmobile by the end of September! The Bookmobile will deliver print books and materials to select SFUSD schoolyards twice a week. 

SF Loves Learning Season 2 starting this Monday at 2pm!

We will be airing an hour long episode every weekday on KTVU Plus, aimed toward PK-2nd grade students. Enjoy this Trailer for the SF Loves Learning TV show!

The show will provide daily culturally affirming academic, social emotional, movement, and creative content from SFUSD educators, students, families, and community partners. It will model SFUSD's Core values, develop students' Graduate Profile (life) skills, and provide opportunities to showcase their work.

How to watch SF Loves Learning:

   On KTVU Plus on TV:

• Broadcast Channel - 36
• AT&T - 1006
• Comcast - 6 / 706
• DirectTV - 36
• DISH - 36
• WAVE - 92 / 201
• On our Website: SFUSD will also post each episode on the same day it is airing on the  SFUSD YouTube Channel by 2pm, which will be linked from the SFUSD website. You can find all past episodes on our website too.

K-2nd Grade Contributions to the show?

We encourage teachers to promote the show with their students and assign activities on Seesaw related to the show. We invite students with their family to submit work from the show using this media release form: bit.ly/SFUSDyes or QR code.

How SFUSD staff and community can contribute content for the show?

Teachers, family and community members, please share 1-5 minute content aimed toward PK-2nd graders you would like us to consider airing on the show - lessons, activities, celebrations, greetings, stories, etc. Review this guidance document for tips on producing quality clips, then submit your content using this Community Voices Submission Form. We will let you know if we are able to air your clip on the show.

Grab & Go Meals are Now Free for All Students and Siblings (even if not enrolled in SFUSD)

Free meals are now available to all students, regardless of eligibility, and are now available to siblings not enrolled in SFUSD as well.

Every Wednesday, a bag of 5 days' worth of meals (including breakfast, lunch, supper, fresh fruits and vegetables, and milk) is available at 18 school sites. View the list of sites and schedules at sfusd.edu/schoolfood.

At this time, our meal sites serve SFUSD students and their siblings only. Adults can continue to pick up meals for children.

To pick up meals for SFUSD students, please provide: 

• Barcode for meal account (printed or on your smartphone)
• If you do not have the barcode, please bring one of the following: student ID card, meal account pin number, direct certification letter, eligibility letter, or 20-21 school placement letter

To pick up meals for siblings not enrolled in SFUSD, please provide the following:

• School-age children: school enrollment letter or student ID card
• Younger children: birthdate to receive a grab and go card

Reminders

Take these Steps for Your Child’s School 

Every year families are asked to submit forms to their child’s school. Even if you have a returning student, some forms need to be updated annually at the beginning of the new school year. You may have received some from your school already. This year more forms are online and accessible through ParentVue. If you need a ParentVUE account, please contact your school site for an activation key. For parents who do not have an activated ParentVue account, SFUSD will be reaching out by mail. 

• Emergency Card Form

Log in to ParentVUE and click “Online Forms” to get started. By completing your emergency card you will be able to update your student’s health information, emergency contacts, and upload health forms and immunization records. You will also be able to update your contact information including your phone number, email address, and mailing address. Please visit sfusd.edu/emergencycard for step-by-step instructions. If you already submitted a paper emergency card to your school, no further action is required. 

• Family Rights 

Submit and/or download the following Family Rights forms:

• Technology Acceptable Use Agreement
• Consent for Video Recording during Virtual Class
• Media Consent 
• Information about the Multipurpose Family Income Form

Simply log in to ParentVUE and these “Acknowledgements” will pop up on your screen. Please read the instructions which will be available in all six languages. For more information, please visit sfusd.edu/acknowledgements. 

• Multipurpose Family Income Form 

It is still essential that all SFUSD families complete the Multipurpose Family Income form for the 20-21 school year.  Even if your child does not eat school meals, please submit this form to secure classroom funding. Submit online at sfusd.edu/MFIF.  The recent policy change allowing free meals for everyone is temporary. Families who qualify for meal benefits will be eligible for free meals through September 2021 if they fill out the MFIF. Even if your child does not eat school meals, please submit this form.

Need Tech Support? Family Technology Support Opportunities

• Family Webinar Series: Webinar 1- Student Device Setup (Chromebooks, Hotspots, WiFi) Did your student receive an SFUSD Chromebook or hotspot for and need help getting online? Live webinar opportunities are available this week on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10, at 6 pm. Find the link to the YouTube livestream, plus a recording of a previous session, slide decks, and translations on our sfusd.edu/family-webinars page. The fall Family Webinar Series is a collaboration between the Department of Technology and the City and County of San Francisco and the San Francisco Public Library, to provide Family Technology webinars to our families, so that they may be equipped to support their students' basic technical needs throughout distance learning.​​​​​​​

 

• 1:1 Technology Tutoring for Families - Sessions Still Available!

Do you need extra support with core distance learning technology? You can sign up for free, 30-minute phone or video conference tutoring sessions, provided by trained tech worker volunteers, for help with Seesaw, Classroom, Zoom, Meet, and Chromebooks. Tutoring is offered in 20 languages! Check out this announcement for more information and to sign up. The program is coordinated by the San Francisco Education Fund.

• SFUSD Family Technology Website

Visit sfusd.edu/familytechnology for how-to-resources, video tutorials on SFUSD technology platforms and tools.

Bright Spot

Learning from a distance is challenging, but educators and staff are sure finding creative ways to make the best of these circumstances. For instance, Ida B. Wells reimagined their Culinary Arts program. They shifted from training restaurant workers to teaching students and families to cook healthy meals at home. The Culinary Arts staff also assembles bags of groceries and cooking materials that are delivered to students’ homes weekly so that during class, each student can join from their own kitchen where they cook together, creating a dinner that the whole family can enjoy at home.
 

Warm regards,

Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews