October | November 2024 | Newsletter SFUSD Fa'aSamoa Initiative

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Fall 2024 | Just in case you missed it...

On October 31st: SALT/Pacific Islander Resource Hut & Pacific Islander Cultural District Team and Parents/Guardians went out to support amazing Leola Havard EES Team during their Fall Harvest Event! Leola Havard EES is the home of our Vasega Amata Samoan Dual Language Learner Program! Beautiful outdoor fun activities and students win toys or mini cupcakes!

A few photos of event below:

On Saturday, October 26th in Visitacion Valley/Pacific Islander Cultural District we had our first Pasefika Reads: Celebrating literacy in our community event!

4 Pacific Islander Food Vendors, BBQ & desserts!

Over 200+ Attendees (100 students)

FREE 1000 Books given away (PK-8)

FREE 120 Pumpkins given away

$2,100 Value of Raffle Prizes

Lots of Resource Tables with Literacy Activities!

Authors: Dr.Ruby Fanaika Faagau & Jacqueline Tiliti featured and read their books at the Read-a-Loud Corner!

Let's not forget Mikey's Animatronics Station!

Great family event with our Visitacion Valley Schools and Organizations! Hope to continue this event next year! Check out pictures below, some with TenderHeart Bear from CareBears:

Many more photos & videos from Pasefika Reads Event can be found on instagram @salt_association_ @fanaikafaagau, @pasefikabydesign @p.i.culturaldistrict @fasi_sfusd

On Saturday, October 26th, Central Valley Pacific Islander Alliance had their Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander College Pathways Virtual Event. This event was open to High School Students, Undergraduate Transfers and Parents/Guardians to listen to Professors, College Students and shared their academic journeys and how their current work in Education was shaped by their journey.

SFUSD Fa'aSamoa Initiative team represented and honored for opportunity to share with Pacific Islander Communities!

On October 26th, in Hayward High School was the NPIEN's 23rd Annual Education Conference hosted by the Northern California NPIEN Chapter! First year this conference was held in the Bay Area!

Keynote Panel included, SFUSD Fa'aSamoa Initiative Team (Herbert Coach Wylie Ilalio & UrsulaAnn Siataga) sharing the initiative's journey, bright spots and examples of utilizing Village Concept of Community, Educators, Parent/Guardians, Students and District voices to improve and implement equitable services for Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander students and families in Public Education. Pictures and Program details below.

Michelle Change, Verna Castro and Glenn Castro pictured below make up 90+ combined years of serving SFUSD students and families as Educators, Administrators and Advisors! Thank you so much for all you do for our families, students, staff and communities! Congratulations to Glenn Castro for receiving the Seva Ma’ae Educator Award & UrsulaAnn Siataga for receiving the Sala Auelua Counselor Award!

NPIEN 23rd Program details

Tuesday, October 29th, Stanford Pacific Islander Student Association and Dr.Hafoka hosted 25 Visitacion Valley Elementary Samoan students on a Stanford Field Trip and Campus Tour! Photos below are Herbert Coach Wylie Ilalio his son Payton Ilalio from the San Diego Legion Rugby Eagles prepare lunch at Stanford for students,chaperones and educators! Second photo below is Leila Tamale (Stanford Alum) and Dae Apineru (Current PISA President)! Field Trip included a fun scavenger hunt around campus and a mock lecture activity for 3rd-5th graders.

On October 29th, 15th Talanoa Series. Talk with Makerusa Porotesano as he delivers the importance of climate change. For more on his biography and talk - visit https://linktr.ee/ccsfvasa

Saturday, October 19th, Matua Advisory Council new Chair, Aspesionau Finau (photo above) tables at the SFUSD Enrollment Fair at Balboa High School. Ms.Finau was giving away Pacific Islander bracelets, flower seis, books and information of resources for students and families! MAC also contributed to the enrollment fair raffle prizes with two Pacific Islander-Themed filled gift bags.

Winners of raffle prizes are those who attended enrollment fair and submitted an evaluation/feedback survey. Below are photos of Raffle Winner, Ben Calderon accompanied by Ms.Alica Jones from Enrollment Placement Center! Congratulations! 2nd photo is our amazing Julia Martin, Special Education Ombudsperson holding the two raffles prizes.

On October 10th, SF State University launched their Oceania Scholars Program and welcoming Tupou Drake, coordinator of Oceania Scholars Program! This program is to support current gators navigate college, retention and Pacific Islander focused academic support. Among the crowd at event were PIC Alums, PISA organization, current SFSU gators, community based organizations, Professors in Critical Pacific Islander and Oceania Studies and student presenters from Dr.Ponipate Rokolekutu's class! Below are two photos from the night.

On Saturday, October 12th in Garden Grove, Ca, marked the 1st Annual Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islanders Peace & Justice Summit 2024! Many impacted by violence and violence prevention agencies gather together to share their journey's and work they all currently do in creating peace and justice in community in Southern California! SFUSD Fa'aSamoa Initiative team was present to table, support and provide raffle prizes.

November 2024 | A Few Upcoming Community Events

These monthly newsletters are to support and share information about Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Events, Collective work in Education and Community, SFUSD resources and more!

Thank you for reading!

To check out previous Monthly Newsletters or to subscribe to this newsletter - please visit www.sfusd.edu/fasi.

If you are interested in sharing content on this monthly newsletter, please contact: UrsulaAnn Siataga, siatagau@sfusd.edu.