April 14, 2021

April 14, 2021

Dear SFUSD Staff:

We are excited to celebrate this week’s milestone of welcoming our youngest learners back into school buildings. Thank you for all that you’re doing as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times together. Please keep reading today’s digest for important updates.

Return Safely Updates

SFUSD is welcoming our youngest students back to in-person learning while maintaining health and safety as our priority. Here are some of the latest updates:

  • On April 12, SFUSD welcomed students back at 36 schools (early education, elementary and county schools). Check out a few of the snapshots we captured in the Bright Spot section below.
  • Preparations continue for students returning to in-person on April 19 and April 26. 
    • Families with students receiving an in-person placement will be notified about their student’s placement information. For more information on how to prepare, visit How Families Can Prepare.
    • School sites will contact families returning to in-person learning about participating in a mandatory orientation.
    • Families can log onto ParentVUE to complete required forms and review important health and safety information by the first day of school. Placement information has been mailed to families who do not have an email on file with SFUSD. Visit Placement Packets and review the FAQs for more resources and support with completing the required forms.

For In-Person Families: Possible Schedule Shifts Due to Limited Substitute Availability

  • We currently have a limited pool of substitute teachers who will be prioritized to cover classroom teachers who have been granted remote work accommodations. 
  • We will make every effort to assign a substitute teacher but there might be a shift from in-person/hybrid learning to distance learning for the days when a substitute teacher will not be available to cover an in-person classroom teacher’s absence.
  • If we are unable to confirm coverage for the next day’s class by 4pm, site administrators will contact families of students who are impacted to inform families that they will be in distance learning that day.
  • We will strive to provide as much notice as possible, and appreciate your patience and understanding while we navigate these unprecedented times.

Share In-Person Learning Highlights #SFUSDReturnSafelyTogether

We’re excited to see how you and your school are returning safely for in-person learning as well as continuing distance learning. Share pictures, videos, and stories by mentioning @SFUnified on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and using the hashtags #WeAreSFUSD and/or #SFUSDReturnSafelyTogether. You may also share the following suggested copy and images on your school’s social media channels or your personal ones.

If you/your school is not on social media and you have any pictures/videos you’d like for us to see and/or potentially share on SFUSD channels, please email them to the Communications Office at newsline@sfusd.edu.

Coordinated Care Team (CCT) Google Classroom Updates to Support School Reopening

We have added the following materials to support school reopening in the CCT Google classroom:

  • COVID Safety and School Reopening Module:
    • Health and Safety Lessons
    • COVID 19 Resource Landing Page
    • Return to Sites Health and Safety Playlist
  • Proactive Classroom Circles: Hybrid Learning Circle Planning resource

Three ways to let us know if you have any questions or need support accessing these resources: 

  1. Email your request to familylink@sfusd.edu - please put your support needs in the subject line of your email.
  2. Call 415-340-1716 and Press 7 to be routed to or leave a message for the school site support team
  3. Visit familylink.sfusd.edu to complete an online request form.

Return to Sites Health and Safety Playlist for Secondary Sites

Please review the Return to Sites Health and Safety Playlist for Secondary Sites to find resources and updates containing:

  • Distance learning lessons to prepare students for reentry into school sites.
  • In-person lessons to teach students about health and safety practices while in school buildings.
  • Lessons and activities to help students process anxiety, grief, or other feelings experienced during the pandemic.
  • Resources for families to support students to safely return to sites.

Attendance Guidance During Hybrid and Distance Learning 

  • Welcome back teachers! Please follow the attendance taking guidelines during Hybrid and Distance Learning. Students’ attendance will be marked as DL by default to signify distance learning. 
  • IMPORTANT! Students who are attending in-person must be marked present (by selecting the blank drop-down option) or absent (by selecting A). No tardies should be marked for the remainder of the school year. 

Reminder: Return to Sites Health and Safety Lessons Playlist - PK-5

Please see the PK-5 “Return to Sites Playlist” for:

  • Distance learning lessons to prepare PK-5 students for reentry to in-person learning at school sites.
  • In-person lessons to teach students about health and safety practices while in school buildings.
  • Resources for families to support students to safely return to sites.

Reminder: Summer Together

  • SFUSD is partnering with the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and their Families (DCYF) to provide SFUSD families free in-person and virtual summer opportunities.
  • There is an early registration period between April 19 and May 7. Eligible families will receive targeted outreach and communications through existing programs.
  • General enrollment for SFUSD families begins on May 8. While space is limited, SFUSD families will be prioritized over non-SFUSD families. SFUSD families will have to provide their student’s SFUSD Student ID Number for verification.
  • SFUSD will continue to provide updates and enrollment information for Summer Together programs. For more information, visit DCYF’s Summer Together website.

Distance Learning Updates

SF Loves Learning

Would you like to use science videos with your students? Here’s another deck of videos from SF Loves Learning about Recording Data with a Notebook! You can find all of our science and cultural decks so far in this deck.

This week’s theme is Changing Sky. Check out these segments that are airing this week:

  • Sun, Moon, Earth (Lesson): Maestra Meza uses a model of the Earth, sun and moon to answer how our sky changes. We note the Earth always spins, the sun stays lit, and that the moon spins with the Earth around the sun. She tries to figure out why the sky doesn't always look the same by using our model to visual how the sky can change from opposite sides of the world. (April 13) Seesaw Activity 
  • Stand Up Against Hate Today (Music): Mr. Mansfield and his friend, Ami Nashimoto, play a song about standing up for others, and standing up against hate. (April 16) Seesaw Activity
  • Little Sister (Read Aloud): Read along as big brother, Malik, and big sister, Nia, teach their little sister, Imani, about responsibility. Join all three kids on an exciting, fun-filled journey together! (April 12)
  • Small Actions We Can Take to Help Fight Climate Change (Movement): Mr. Bongo and Ms. Joti explore through movement small actions we can all take to help fight climate change. (April 15) Seesaw Activity
  • Neighborhood Nature (Monterey Cypress Trees): This episode of Neighborhood Nature features Monterey Cypress Trees. (April 12) Seesaw Activity

If you’re planning for next week, the science theme is Rocks & Land Forms. You can find all of next week’s segments and our full library to support your instruction in three ways:

  • Segments Library: Find any segment (read aloud, daily lesson, music, movement, community)!
  • Seesaw page: Teachers can adapt any Seesaw activity on our page.
  • YouTube channel: Subscribe to this channel, explore the playlists, and receive notifications when new content is published.

SF Loves Learning airs every weekday, 8:30-9am on KTVU Plus and any time at sfusd.edu/sfloveslearning.

School Meal Updates

Volunteer Opportunity! Help Students Access School Meals

Reminder: Free Meals from SFUSD’s Student Nutrition Services

  • Free lunch and snacks are available daily for students returning to in-person learning. School breakfast will be replaced with a hearty snack. More information available at sfusd.edu/inpersonmeals
  • Starting Tuesday, April 27 the Grab & Go meal site at A.P. Giannini Middle School will be closed due to construction plans. Please visit any of our other Grab & Go sites listed at sfusd.edu/schoolfood

New Bill Could Provide Free School Meals for All

  • The Senate Bill #364, referred to as the “School Meals for All Act of 2021” passed in the California Senate Education Committee with unanimous support and now must be voted on by the full senate. 
  • This bill could make California one of the first states to offer universal free meals for all students. 
  • We have been able to offer free meals for all students this school year, because of temporary flexibilities granted by USDA during the COVID-19 pandemic. We need new laws like Senate Bill 364 to continue providing 100% free meals for 100% of kids!
  • Voice your support for free school meals on social media using the hashtags #SB364 #SchoolMealsForAll.

Resource Highlight

Vaccine Eligibility Now Open for Ages 16+

All people age 16 and over in San Francisco are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Newly eligible people age 16 and over should visit SF.gov/getvaccinated to learn about options for receiving the vaccine and to find links to schedule appointments at different vaccination sites.

People under 18 can only get the Pfizer vaccine and need permission from a parent or guardian to be vaccinated. However, not all sites will have the Pfizer vaccine. Check when you book.

Question of the Week

How Is SFUSD Implementing COVID-19 Testing for Staff?

SFUSD has partnered with Color to provide student and staff testing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Color is a population health testing company that has partnered with the City of San Francisco and many other California School Districts in the past year to run large-scale COVID-19 testing programs.  

Sign into the employee website to learn about COVID-19 Testing for SFUSD Staff and review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Did You Know?

SFUSD SEL/Culture Climate Survey Window Is April 19-May 4

SFUSD measures school quality by looking at the school’s climate in addition to academic performance and social emotional skills of the school’s student body.  Next week SFUSD will launch the annual Social Emotional Learning/Culture Climate Survey. Results of this survey will be used to help assess our school programs and are used in our district and site level planning for the coming school year.  

There will be three surveys: one for students in grades 4-12, one for all staff and one for all families.  The survey is voluntary and confidential and survey reports use summary aggregate data, not individual level data.

On April 19: 

  • Students in grades 4-12 will receive their Student Survey link via their SFUSD email from Panorama.
  • Staff will receive a link to the Staff Survey for your school from Panorama.
  • Site leaders can distribute Family Survey links via regular communication channels

Family Wellness Check-ins: Pausing on 4th Round

Thank you for the huge effort to complete Family Wellness Check-ins during the 2020-21 school year.  Collectively, SFUSD school sites submitted Family Wellness Check-in forms for 77% of all students during the 3rd round (Feb - March). 

Considering timing for the SEL/Culture-Climate surveys (April 19 - May 4) and reopening priorities, the final Family Wellness Check-in #4 will be paused. 

Family Wellness Check-ins will continue next year. The central SFCSD divisional team appreciates your feedback as we continue to refine these emerging strategies.

Please work with your Coordinated Care Teams to continue outreach to:

  • Families you did not hear from during the Feb-March Wellness Check-ins (check Illuminate for a list of families the school did not reach during FWC #3)
  • Families of students who have not participated in distance learning (based on attendance criteria in distance context)
  • Families who requested follow up support during the Feb/March 2021 Wellness Check-in.

Bright Spot

We love seeing the excitement of our school communities as we’ve started to reopen our school sites for in-person learning this week. Here are some of our favorite snapshots found on social media this week (without recognizable student faces for privacy reasons). 

We can’t wait to welcome back more students this spring and hope to see everyone next fall. Whether you’re returning to in-person learning or continuing distance learning, we’re excited to see your photos, videos, and stories! Tag us and use the hashtags #WeAreSFUSD and/or #SFUSDReturnSafelyTogether.

Warm regards,

Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthew

This page was last updated on April 14, 2021