March 30, 2020 - Staff Digest

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Dear SFUSD Staff:

I hope you had a restful weekend and are continuing to take care of yourselves and your loved ones as we remained sheltered in place. As we begin Spring Break, I hope those of you not working this week have a chance to rest. And for those of you continuing to work this week, thank you for your continued service through this difficult time. 

School Meals 

Today we began our new schedule for distributing free grab-and-go meals to families. Many of our school meal sites had an overwhelming demand and were unable to serve everyone today. Last week, we served 9,000 meals on our busiest day and today we served over 24,000 meals. While our ordering quantity was increased for this week, we have doubled our quantity going forward. As the COVID-19 crisis continues in our City, we want to ensure that we are able to provide free meals for all children.

As a reminder, free grab and go meals will be available only on Mondays and Wednesdays between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. at these 16 sites. We have reduced the number of days families have to leave their homes to get food, but the amount of food each family receives will remain the same. Also, parents no longer have to bring their children to pick up meals.

Access to Technology for Students 

As we shared with you last week, while schools are temporarily closed we’re working to provide access to technology for students in need, to the greatest extent possible, to support the continuity of learning.

SFUSD students in grades 3-12 who do not have access to a computer during the day at home to support distance learning can borrow one from SFUSD. Students who have completed SFUSD’s Distance Learning Device Request form, or have been in touch with their school about their computer needs, can pick up a Chromebook during Spring Break at one of our centralized pickups starting on Tuesday, March 31 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a staggered schedule based on the student’s last name.

For more information on pickups, including locations, pickup times, and what families need to bring to borrow a device, visit the Technology for Families Resources site under “Need a device?” Please view our list of resources to connect to the internet.

Shelter in Place  

Everyone should already be practicing “shelter in place” (stay home, practice social distancing and monitor for symptoms). If a person experiences symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing), they should contact their healthcare provider. The healthcare provider will order the COVID-19 test if indicated. 

Access to school buildings limited

The Custodial Department is coordinating with Student Nutrition Services & the Department of Technology to identify food distribution and device deployment sites. These sites are NOT open for other SFUSD staff to enter the building during this Spring Break week.

Non food distribution and device deployment sites will be cleaned and then closed for the duration of the school closure period.The Custodial Department will release a school access protocol during the week of Spring Break.

Please continue to take care of yourselves and your loved ones by following the current City and State guidance to stay home except for accessing essential needs— which includes not accessing school sites for any reason—including meetings with colleagues, working independently, or working with volunteers.

Learn about digital tools, best practices, and other distance learning topics by signing up for a webinar or watching a recording. During Spring Break, webinars will be limited but many will resume again the week of April 6.  See upcoming and recorded webinars here!

Using hand sanitizers is a good way to prevent infection and the spread of germs, including coronavirus. Hand sanitizer is a convenient alternative to hand washing, if there’s no soap or water available, and as long as your hands aren’t visibly dirty. Watch this 30-second video to make sure you’re using hand sanitizer correctly.

As we join the world in appreciating the important work of healthcare professionals, we want to congratulate longtime SFUSD nurse Lynda Boyer-Chu who recently received the Fulbright Specialist Program Award! Read more about Lynda’s story

Warm Regards,

Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews