April 17, 2020 - Staff Digest

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Dear SFUSD Staff:

As you may have heard in the news recently, San Francisco continues to be a model for taking proactive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. I know this has been an incredibly difficult time for all of us, but I want to thank you for doing your part to protect our community, especially the most vulnerable among us. As we head into the weekend, please remember to take care of yourselves and your families while following guidance from public health officials.

SFUSD Learning on TV

• We are excited to share that SFUSD is partnering with KTVU Plus to provide an hour-long television episode every weekday especially for PK-2nd grade students in San Francisco. The show is called SF Loves Learning and will air on KTVU Plus from 2-3 pm, Monday-Friday, from April 20 through June 2, 2020.
• The content on the TV show is created entirely by San Francisco public school educators and special guests. Each episode includes a daily lesson, wiggles & dance, a read aloud, music, mindfulness, and more. I (Superintendent Matthews) will be performing some magic tricks –– yes, real magic –– on some of the episodes. 

Current Year Enrollment Starts Monday

• Current year enrollment (2019-20) begins Monday, 4/20. There are a small number of new students seeking enrollment in SFUSD (newly arriving, returning from abroad). After pausing current year enrollment from March 16-April 17, EPC is going to start placing new students on Monday 4/20. For the remainder of the school year, EPC, LEAD and Pupil Services will meet each week to review and assign new students to ensure a proper transition and handoff. 

Reminder - Volunteers needed to support Chromebook distribution

• Sign up to volunteer for any of the following roles:
  • Hand out devices from 9:30 am -1:30 pm Monday through Wednesday next week.
  • Drivers/Deliveries (minimal human interaction): Pick up and delivery of devices and/or materials to families or community sites. 

• Webinars & Office Hours: Access webinars, PLCs, office hours, and other professional learning opportunities on this SFUSD Webinars page. New webinars have been added!
• Virtual Meetings with Students: Google Meet and Zoom are both available to host virtual meetings with students. Google Meet meetings can launch through Google Classroom, providing an even more secure experience. Visit the Guide to Virtual Meetings with Students to learn more about Zoom and Meet.
• Digital Citizenship: leverage SFUSD’s Guidance for Digital Citizenship and Norms for Online Teaching and Learning to prepare for successful virtual meetings with your students. SFUSD has also curated self-guided digital citizenship resources by grade level for students and families to access.
• Cyberbullying & Cyber Harassment: Visit the Cyberbullying & Cyber Harassment page to learn how to identify and address inappropriate online behaviors.

The role of social and emotional learning during this time is crucial, as social and emotional connectedness is critical for students, caregivers, and staff (both at school sites and at central offices). The CASEL CARES webinar series explores the means by which we can express our emotions, build relationships, and support each other - see YouTube links:

• Strategies for Being Your Best Self
• So Now What? Supporting SEL at Home
• Building Resilience to Support Ourselves, Others, and Our Students

SFUSD has distributed 11,799 PreK-2 instructional Packets and over 30,000 books in the past week to support distance learning! Thank you to all of our staff, volunteers, and donors who have been collecting materials, assembling packets and reaching out to families to make sure we provide access for each and every one of our students to continue learning.

Warm regards,
Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews