Fall 2022 Welcome Back Letter
August 3, 2022,
Dear Students/Parents/Guardians:
Welcome to the 2022-23 school year! We are so excited to have students back in a few short weeks. The first day of classes will start on Wednesday, August. 17 at 9:30 am. A strong relationship with you is essential during these critical years of your child’s life. Family and community support and collaboration are crucial to student success, and with your partnership, we can make our school vision a reality for all our students.
APG School Vision
Our students will be critical thinkers, globally conscious, and lifelong learners. They will be successful practitioners of their chosen careers and life callings. They will be impactful members of their communities who have the tools to work for justice for all.
In May we hired a new Assistant Principal and unfortunately she resigned due to personal reasons. Fortunately, we were able to hire an excellent candidate a few weeks ago. Our new A.P is Heidi Smoot. We have included an introduction letter from her and we look forward to a great year together with her as part of our team.
We know you have questions about returning to school. Please visit the links below and follow up with us if you have other questions:
- SFUSD
- APG Website (Updates will be added this week)
- SFUSD Covid-19 Updates and Resources
- Guidance from the Cal. Dept. of Public Health
6th GRADE ORIENTATION: There will be a 6th-grade orientation on Friday, August 12, 2021, between 9:00-11:00 to support students and their families as they transition to middle school. (Families and Students should attend)-. Location- Meet in the APG Yard and proceed to students' first-period class. Flyer
The goals of the orientation Include:
- An introduction to teachers (Four core content teachers, PE, Elective)
- Familiarize students with the school grounds, so students know where to go on the first day of school
- Connect with friends from elementary school
- Meet and register for the Beacon afterschool program. Register for fee-based language programs (Spanish & Mandarin)
- Meet PTSA members and purchase APG gear
Student Class Schedules: All student schedules will be accessible in Synergy by Monday, August 15. Parents and students must be signed up in ParentVUE and StudentVUE to access student schedules through Synergy. The Counseling Department will support students and families signing up for ParentVUE and accessing Synergy the week of August 10th. Please be on the lookout for your ParentVUE activation code, which is being shared by the district. Our school counselors can assist with the activation code as well.
On behalf of the faculty, administration, and staff, we welcome you to a new school year. Please contact us at one of the numbers listed below if you have any questions or concerns throughout the school year:
Attendance/Counseling Office 415-759-2773, Main Office 415-759-2770, Dean’s Office 415-759-2878.
Sincerely,
Tai Schoeman, Principal
Gloria Minjares, Assistant Principal
Heidi Smoot, Assistant Principal
Essential Information to Begin the Year
New Hours of Instruction) (All Middle Schools) Block Schedule (All Middle Schools) Advisory (All Middle Schools) |
Schedule for the year:
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School Communication |
* Synergy- Is used in middle school as a grading system and for communication between families, students, and staff. * ParentVUE - Communication with families during this time is vital. ParentVUE is the best way for families to update their contact information to ensure they receive district and school notifications. Families may visit www.sfusd.edu/parentvue for more resources. Questions? Visit Family Portal Translated Info: For more information on mobile apps, you may also refer to our guide: English | 中文 | Español | Tagalog | Tiếng Việt | عربى If you need support with ParentVue or schedules, please contact the counseling department or secretaries. Counselors 6th gr.- Steven McDaniel - McDaniels@sfusd.edu 7th gr.- Carriane Mei - Meib@sfusd.edu 8th gr.- Joaquin Jang - jangj1@sfusd.edu Head Counselor- Jonah Backstrom - Backstromj@sfusd.edu Secretaries Stacey Dawson - dawsons@sfusd.edu (Counseling Office) Anna Cheng - chenga3@sfusd.edu (Main Office) Melanie Rubio - rubiom@sfusd.edu (Main Office) |
Recommended School Supplies |
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Multipurpose Family Income Form |
The Multipurpose Family Income Form (MFIF) is not needed for participation in school meals; however, it has a considerable influence on school sites. See Family Benefits Guide for examples of benefits available to families
View a Step-by-Step Guide: |
School Meals |
Starting in the 2022-2023 school year, thanks to the new California Universal Meals Program we will continue to serve free meals to all students. |
Staff Directory and New Staff |
New to the APG team this year Assistant Principal -Heidi Smoot Math -Daniel Sandoval (7th/8th Gr.) Science -Scott Shupert-Nadig -Cynthia Smith -Suzanne Felipe Special Education -Emma Petrellil English Language Arts/Social Science -Ariana Diaz -Andrew Tinsman Counselor -Carriane Mei |
Morning Fee-Based Programs and Afterschool Program Information |
All-Stars Mandarin Program -ASMC 2021 Fall to 2022 Spring Online Registration -Mandarin class starts on the first day of school, 8/17 Wednesday. Classes begin at 8:10 am and end at 9:10 am. -Tuition & Discount: Refer to All Stars Mandarin website for tuition information -If you have any questions, please contact Hao An, ASMC Program Coordinator, at allstarsmandarincenter@gmail.com Sunset Beacon Spanish Morning Program Spanish Program - The Spanish Morning Program starts on the first day of school, 8/17 Wednesday at 8:10 am. See link for information regarding the Spanish Morning Program. For questions, please contact the Beacon Director, Beth Guy, at bguy@bacr.org Sunset Beacon Early Bird and Afterschool Program Beacon - The Early Bird and Afterschool Program will start on the first day of school, 8/17 Wednesday. The Early Bird Program starts at 8 am. For more information, please click on the link. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Beacon Director, Beth Guy, at bguy@bacr.org |
Athletics |
APG Baseball, Girls Softball, and Boys Soccer Team Informational Meeting & Tryouts Informational Meeting for all three teams will be right after school on Wednesday, August 17th, at 2:15 pm in the Gym. To be eligible to try out for the team, you must submit or email the physical packet to Mr. Cheng (Athletic Director) before the tryout date. Tryouts for all three sports will begin on Thursday, August 18th, at 4 pm at the West Sunset Fields.
APG Athletics 2022-2023 Google Classroom For all students interested in receiving information and updates about Giannini Athletics for the 2022-2023 school year, please join the Giannini Athletics 2022-2023 Google Classroom. The class code is qkkt7vl https://classroom.google.com/c/NDg0MjYzNzE3NjY2?cjc=qkkt7vl
APG Athletics Website & Tryouts Information For more information regarding Giannini Athletics; please visit: APG Athletics Website Tryouts Information - APG Athletics Tryout Information Girls Softball, Baseball, and Boys Soccer Tryouts will begin right at the beginning of the new school year in August.
Physical Packet: All students trying out for any school athletic team(s) must complete all of the forms prior to the tryout dates. If the packet is not completed, the student-athlete will not be allowed to try out.
Please email Mr. Cheng (Athletic Director) at chengc1@sfusd.edu if you have any questions. |
Principal's Message
Welcome!
A.P. Giannini Middle School, located in the Sunset District of San Francisco, is a rich and culturally diverse student body reflecting the remarkable city in which we live.
We have a wide variety of programs and methods designed to meet student needs and we believe in making a big school small where 6th grade students are in self-contained or core classes, and 7th grade students are in teams. We place our 8th grade students in individual classes to prepare them for high school.
AP Giannini is known for excellence in academics with programs servicing GATE, ELL, and Special Education students. We have an award-winning music program that offers choir, orchestra, and band, and a unified arts program with drama, art, and guitar.
We have something for every student at AP Giannini. Our students can select from an assortment of school clubs, join sports teams and lunchtime intramural sports, become involved in the student council, represent AP Giannini in community activities such as cleanup day, and participate in a full elective program that performs at many venues throughout San Francisco.
Our families and community are an integral part of the academic, social, physical and emotional success we experience at AP Giannini. We rely on our community and encourage everyone to join the PTA and contribute to the Jaguar Fund. In addition, A.P. Giannini has an active School Site Council that utilizes a site-based management model where we promote a standards-based curriculum, equitable access to resources, and community-based partnerships.
I invite you to spend some time getting to know AP Giannini Middle School and learning about the numerous and wide-ranging offerings we have in our remarkable community.
Tai Schoeman, Principal


Digital media and technology are evolving at a dizzying pace, both unlocking extraordinary opportunities and posing real risks for young people. Students are using the immense power of the internet and mobile technology to explore, connect, create, and learn in ways never before imagined, both in and out of the classroom. At the same time, tech use can bring up ethical challenges such as cyberbullying and misinformation and health issues related to media balance and social and emotional well-being. APG sees these as teachable moments.
This page was last updated on February 2, 2023