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SFUSD is all about learning—not just student learning but also staff learning in order to provide high-quality and engaging educational opportunities. We're also improving our practices to ensure student safety. In this e-newsletter you'll read about what we're doing—and what you can do—to prepare for the potential of an earthquake. Let's keep learning together.
—Dr. Vincent Matthews, Superintendent
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Wednesday, Oct. 10 is International Walk and Roll to School Day! Start a lifelong healthy habit and help make SF streets safer. Pledge to walk and see if your school is registered to participate at bit.ly/WalktoSchool2018.
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Are you and your family prepared for an earthquake? It’s a question every San Franciscan should ask themselves, and pretty soon every seventh grade student in SFUSD will be asked that very question in their science class.
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A record 55,000 State Seals of Biliteracy were awarded for 2017-18, and about 20% of SFUSD graduates were among the awardees. Learn more about our accomplishments in biliteracy and bilingual education.
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If you haven't already, register to vote by Oct. 22 for the Nov. 6 election! You can also look up your sample ballot and polling place, volunteer to be a poll worker, or apply to vote by mail at San Francisco's Department of Elections.
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Did you know San Francisco high school students can volunteer at polling places through the High School Poll Worker Program? Students can gain great experience and even earn a stipend for their service. Interested students should apply by Oct. 17!
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Learn more about the School Food Advisory (SFA), a cohort of high school students across the district who are working with Student Nutrition Services to redesign school meals.
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Back to School events
Middle and high school Back to School events are in October. Get to know your child's school better and plan for the year ahead, and ask your school about when their Back to School event is.
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Enrollment Fair
Enrolling your child for the 2019-20 school year? Learn about our schools and attend workshops on the enrollment process at the Enrollment Fair on Oct. 13.
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SFUSD in the News
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Chinese Education Center re-dedicated to honor late Mayor Ed Lee and wife, Anita
Officials gathered along with the late Mayor Ed Lee’s family at the former Chinese Education Center to celebrate and re-dedicate the school as the Edwin and Anita Lee Newcomer School.
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Nonprofit arm of Salesforce donates $15.5 million to San Francisco and Oakland schools
Salesforce.org, the nonprofit division of Salesforce, today pledged to give $15.5-million to two California school districts to bolster computer science education, train teachers, teach math in innovative ways and support projects to encourage mindfulness. Since 2013, Salesforce.org has donated more than $50 million to the two Bay Area school districts. Last year, it donated $12.2 million to expand computer science education in both. This year San Francisco Unified School District will get $8 million, and Oakland Unified School District will get $7.5 million.
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CA superintendent touts state's biliteracy goals during school visit
California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson paid a visit to a San Francisco elementary school this morning to highlight the record number of bilingual students graduating from California high schools. During his visit to Bryant Elementary School in the city's Mission District, Torlakson announced that 55,000 State Seals of Biliteracy were awarded to students across the state last school year.
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Trailblazing pilot speaks to SF school kids
A group of San Francisco elementary school kids got a chance this week to hear all about what it's like to be an airline pilot.
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Kevin Durant presents $10K check to SF school
Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant surprised middle school students in San Francisco Friday. He not only gave the school a check for $10,000 from Alaska Airlines but he also played basketball with the kids, took selfies and signed autographs.
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San Francisco schools feature new earthquake curriculum
San Francisco school officials and emergency management authorities are working together to bring a new curriculum this year about earthquakes. This plan is intended to teach students and their families to have an action plan in case of an earthquake.
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City approves funding to engineer safer streets near schools
The San Francisco County Transportation Authority approved $1.1 million in funding on Tuesday to engineer safer streets near San Francisco schools. From Mission High School to Hillcrest Elementary School, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory High School and Francisco Middle School, up to 35 schools citywide will soon see streets around them redesigned to be safer.
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San Francisco arts school students pay 'respects' to Aretha Franklin with music video
The World Music students of the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts (SOTA) have released a video tribute to Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul who recently passed away. The video features the entire department's students and teachers lip-syncing and dancing to Franklin's hit song (by Otis Redding) as they pay ''R-E-S-P-E-C-T.'' The video was the brainchild of Robert A. Wong, a 17-year-old senior, and Monina Sen Cervone, the founder and director of SOTA's World Music department. Wong and Cervone took three days to plan the tricky tracking shot, and captured it all on an iPhone.
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SF Mayor Breed dazzles kids at school book-reading
“Hello everyone, I’m London Breed, and I’m your mayor,” Mayor London Breed said to an audience of around 100 middle and elementary school students in the Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 auditorium Thursday evening. “I am so excited to be here today, not only to read, but also to share how I became Mayor. Do you want know how I became mayor?”
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SFUSD fires up Bayview teachers in hopes they will stick around
Teaching can be tough—especially for educators who work in schools where families are scraping by, lots of kids face challenges at home and in the community, and they often score low on standardized tests. Add to that isolation and high staff turnover and you’ve got a recipe for a revolving door. That’s been a problem for years in San Francisco Unified schools in the city’s Bayview district. But SFUSD administrators have been working hard to stabilize the workforce, and there are signs of success.
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2 San Francisco schools renamed, honoring Dolores Huerta and Ed and Anita Lee
Two San Francisco schools have new names Tuesday after the school board voted to honor former Mayor Ed Lee and labor leader Dolores Huerta with district namesakes. After unanimous votes late Monday night, Fairmount Elementary became Dolores Huerta Elementary, honoring the co-founder of the United Farm Workers union, while the Chinese Education Center was changed to Edwin and Anita Lee Newcomer School, after the late mayor and his wife.
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SF Symphony's 'Adventures in Music' program celebrates 30th anniversary
Adventures in Music (AIM), which started in 1988, is turning 30 this year. The program brings small ensembles (like string quartets, brass bands, and more) to perform at every public school in San Francisco. Each year, a common theme is chosen for the performances and discussed beforehand in the classroom. "If it hadn't been for the Symphony and AIM, our first through fifth grade students would have limited exposure to music," explains Marlene Callejas, principal of Spring Valley Elementary School in Nob Hill.
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Stories from high school journalists
This is a special edition of Crosscurrents, showcasing the work of students in the San Francisco Unified School District.
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Suspensions drop at SF school due to positive climate among students and teachers
Over the past school year, Francisco Middle School in San Francisco has dramatically improved its culture among teachers and students by using encouragement and constructive feedback. As a result, suspensions have dropped.
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San Francisco schools welcome back more than 50,000 students on first day
The first day of school welcomed more than 50,000 students back to class in San Francisco Monday morning. San Francisco Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews started his day like all other students did—at school. Matthews left his desk and visited with the kids on their turf. He started at Hillcrest Elementary School.
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SFUSD boosts hires as school year starts
As of August 6, the district reported a total of 80 certificated vacancies, which included 45 open classroom positions and 35 open non-classroom positions, compared to 61 open classroom and 59 open non-classroom positions reported at the same time last year, according to a district spokesperson Laura Dudnick. In all, the district reported that a total of 765 positions were filled for the upcoming school year, up 7 percent from last year.
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City ramps up traffic enforcement as children head back to school
Traffic enforcement will increase at 20 San Francisco schools next week as students return next week, city and education announced leaders Friday. Instruction at the city’s public schools resumes on Monday, and enforcement will focus on campuses located near high injury corridors, streets where a high number of people have been injured or killed in traffic collisions.
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