April 1, 2020 - Staff Digest

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Dear SFUSD Staff:

Thank you to all of you who are continuing to serve each and every one of our students, families and colleagues during school closure. To our staff and volunteers distributing meals and technology devices, ensuring our school sites are safe, and all of you who are going above and beyond, your dedication is truly appreciated. You and your families are in my thoughts. 

School Closure Timeline Link to this section

In the past 24 hours, Governor Gavin Newsom and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced that schools may stay closed for the rest of the year but state officials have not issued a directive. SFUSD's superintendent continues to work with other school superintendents, the SF Board of Education, and health officials to monitor the situation and will update families and staff if the closure timeline changes.

Reminder: Technology Access Link to this section

This information is being shared with families.

While schools are temporarily closed, SFUSD is working to provide access to technology for students in need of a device for distance learning, to the greatest extent possible. In service of this effort, the district will loan Chromebooks to SFUSD students in grades 3-12 who do not have access to a computer during the day at home to support distance learning.

• Pickups will take place through Friday, April 3 from 11:00 am until 3:30 pm based on a staggered schedule to reduce crowding and prioritize health and safety.
• Please fill out the device request form at bit.ly/sfusd-device before picking up a device.
• Have your student ID number ready at time of pickup.
• All devices are SFUSD property and will be on loan to families. They will need to be returned to SFUSD when schools reopen.
• There is a limit of one device per student.
• Pickup opportunities will continue during the week of April 6. We will share location and time information by Friday, April 3.

For information on pick-up times, locations, and identification needed to pick up a device, visit sfusd.edu/device.

DoT Guides for Meeting Online with Staff and Students Link to this section

• View SFUSD’s Continuity of Learning - C&I FAQs
• Meet and Zoom are both video conferencing tools that each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Neither tool is a perfect solution, and users should determine the best tool for themselves that matches their level of comfort and their objectives. 
• Zoom is available through June 30, 2020.
• Review this guide to learn about using Google hangouts, Zoom, or Meet.

Volunteers Needed Link to this section

• We need your help to loan devices to students this week and the week of April 6! Sign up to volunteer to deploy devices at a centralized location and/or be a driver for device home deliveries.
• Sign up to be a volunteer driver for meal delivery to students and learn more about this program.

Questions? We have answers to help you and perhaps even those you are helping. Log into sfusd.edu with your district email and then click the broadly expanded COVID-19 Employee FAQs to find FAQs that address a wide variety of questions related to this time of extended school closures.

Psychologists say that when we are unable to maintain most of our routine activities, we can start to feel out of sorts. While sheltering in place, it is helpful to continue to do things that make us feel like ourselves and maintain as much of our old routine as possible, or create new routines that work within current public health guidelines. Read more tips for sheltering in place.

As learning continues at home we are working hard to serve each and every one of our students. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, volunteers, and SFUSD staff, we have distributed over 5,200 devices to students in grades 3-12 who need access to technology to support continued learning at home!

Warm regards,
Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews