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February | March 2026 | Issue #37 |
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Talofa*Aloha*Alii*Bula*Fakaalofa lahi atu*Hafa adai*Iokwe*Ia orana*Kia orana*Kia Ora*Ko na Mauri*Malo e lelei*Mogethin*Hello!
(These are various greetings in different Pacific Islander languages)
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SFUSD Fa'aSamoa Initiative Announcements
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Join NH&PI Matua Advisory Council for their general monthly meeting!
March 4th, 2026
5:30pm-6:30pm (VIRTUAL)
Agenda and Virtual Meeting LINK found at
www.sfusd.edu/mac OR District Calendar OR Scan Agenda from flyer.
Contact: Herbert "Coach Wylie" Ilalio; ilalioh@sfusd.edu |
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Interest Forms are now Open!
We are back with our 3rd Annual Lalaga le Ato Summit (Weaving the basket summit). This summit is for our SFUSD 5th & 8th graders and their parents/guardians. During this summit, students and families will attend workshops that will prepare our rising 6th and 9th graders get their questions answers and things to look forward too as they prepare their transition to a new school, and new grade level. Workshops will be facilitated by current school counselors and cultural affirming facilitators. If you or your child are interested in attending Lalaga Le Ato,
Please contact Herbert "Coach" Wylie Ilalio (ilalioh@sfusd.edu) to receive your field trip slip, use the QR code on flyer to register OR click the link below!
Friday, March 6th, 2026
9:00am-3:00pm
Southeast Community Center
1550 Evans Ave
San Francisco, Ca 94124 |
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Each & Every Family MONTHLY Book Club is BACK for the SPRING!!
For the month of MARCH!
Join Us: Saturday, March 7, 2026
12pm-1:30pm
During Family Book Club families will practice simple & fun reading strategies that support early literacy development. We'll explore how reading skills grow over time and how everyday moments at home help children become confident readers.
To Register, click on the link below.
TINYURL.COM/EACHANDEVERYBOOKCLUB |
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OCEANIA DAY AT THE MUSEUM
Saturday March 14, 2026
Doors Open: 9:30am
Follow us on social media for event agenda & announcements.
We're excited to host the first Oceania Day at the De Young Museum. Join us for a day of Oceania Arts & Culture. This FREE event will offer
- Film
- Performing Arts
- Family Art Activities
- Access to the De Young Oceania Collection & open exhibits.
This event is made possible through the collaborative efforts of: De Young Museum, Pasifika By Design, Tongans Rise Up, Fa'asamoa Initiative & Matua Advisory Council of SFUSD, Utopia SF Bay Area & Samoan Solutions.
Bring your family & friends. All are welcome.
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Spring 2026 | SFUSD Announcements
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These are a few important SFUSD updates in February, and click button below for more information and messages from Superintendent's messages to SFUSD Community. Stay informed. |
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No School Dates:
March 27 - April 3rd (Spring break/Spring Recess) |
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The Information and Resource Conference (IRC) is a FREE annual conference for families of children with disabilities, the professionals who work with them, and community members.
Co-Hosted by Support for Families & San Francisco Unified School District & SFUSD Community Advisory Committee for Special Education
When: Saturday, March 14 @ 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Where: John O’Connell Technical High School,
2355 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94110
What to Expect:
Exhibitor & Resource Fair
Meet community organizations, school-based programs, and service providers. Learn about programs, services, and supports available to children, youth, young adults, and their families—all in one place.
Workshops & Panel Discussions
Practical workshops and panels led by experts and people with lived experience, designed for families and the professionals who support them.
Workshops will explore:
Getting Started & Building Foundations
Early Intervention
Know Your Rights & How to Use Them
Advocacy Tools for Navigating Education, Disability & Service Systems
Understanding Your Support System Schools,
Regional Centers,
Health Care,
Community Partners & How They Work Together
Growing Up & Looking Ahead
Healthy Sexuality & Relationships
Transition to Adulthood
Free Lunch & Community Spaces Lunch is provided at no cost to families. Families and professionals are invited to connect in community spaces, including language-specific spaces in English, Spanish, and Cantonese.
Sensory Room for Children & Youth
A sensory activity room will be available for children and youth to take a break and engage in activities (all participants must be accompanied by their grown-up), activities facilitated by Children’s Creativity Museum.
Parking can be challenging! We strongly recommend taking public transportation to attend the conference.
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Superintendent's 21st Century Award 2026 application is OPEN!
Scholarship amount $2,000!
Application Deadline, February 27, 2026!
Click on button below for application!
Eligibility: All SFUSD seniors (12th graders) are eligible for this award regardless of citizenship status! |
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In Community...Announcements |
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The Lumana'i Education Gift is OPEN!
If you are a Samoan student
(a drop or a lot) you may be eligible to apply for one of the Lumana'i Education Gifts this year. For the last 17 years, the Lumana'i Education Gift has offered monetary & in-kind support for students pursuing their academic and or artistic goals. There are different gifts available. To learn more, check out the image below. We encourage all who qualify to apply today.
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Love through the arts: Leland Avenue Market
On February 28, 2026
10:00am to 1:00pm,
Hans Schiller Plaza
at Leland Avenue & Peabody Street
Love is in the air, and it's time to celebrate the heart of our community through art, music, dance, and creativity. Join us for an unforgettable free event where families and friends can enjoy live music, traditional and modern dance, kids' activities, art-making, and so much more.
Bring your curiosity, your joy, and your love for Visitacion Valley there's something for everyone to experience and celebrate! Come be part of a joyful celebration of community, culture, and creativity at the heart of Leland Avenue. |
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Teine Toa (Our Mana, Our Selves)
6-week body literacy and wellness program for Pacific Islander girls 12years and up to explore their bodies, cycles, and self-care through culture, connection, and community. This program helps young girls build confidence, embrace their bodies, and rise as warriors rooted in pride and purpose!
March 4, March 11, March 18, March 25, April 8, April 15
3:00pm-4:30pm
1530 Sunnydale Ave, San Francisco, Ca 94134
Food provided every session.
Participants who join will be eligible for raffle prizes/gift cards at each session! |
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Save the Date
4th Annual Fealofani Festival, taking place on
May 2, 2026; 1:00 PM
Phillip & Sala Burton High School
400 Mansell St Suite 106, San Francisco, CA 94134
The Fealofani Festival is a celebration centered on our Pacific Islander youth, providing students from your schools the opportunity to come together and showcase their cultures through dance. Our goal is for students to feel seen, valued, and celebrated not only by their families, and friends but also by their school communities.
The Samoan word "Fealofani" means unity, harmony, and togetherness, values that are at the heart of this event. Now in its fourth consecutive year, the festival proudly features Pacific Islander students and clubs from schools such as
Burton High, Balboa High, Lincoln High, Jefferson High, Downtown High, John O’Connell High School, KIPP High School, MLK Middle School, Visitacion Valley Middle School, KIPP Middle School, Aptos Middle School,
Our Lady of Visitacion, and
many more.
We invite you to join us as we kick off AANHPI Heritage Month and celebrate the talents and cultural pride of our Pacific Islander students.
For more information, contact:
Tino Felise, tino.felise@scdcsf.org
Vonnie Kiliona, vonnie.kiliona@scdcsf.org |
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Events in San Mateo County - Bay Area |
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Event Details:
4th
Annual Sister to Sister SMC Leadership Conference
March 26, 2026
9:00am-4:00pm
Millbrae Recreation Center
477 Lincoln Cir.
Millbrae, Ca 94030
Our theme this year is Village to Voyage, reminding us that every journey begins with where we come from. Our
village is made up of our families, cultures, traditions, languages, and communities, along with the people and places that have shaped us. But our village isn’t just in the past, it grows as we do. As we take steps into the world, our village expands to include mentors, friends, teachers, and allies. Our
voyage is the path forward, the journey of discovering who we are, building confidence in our voices, and stepping into our dreams and leadership. It’s not always easy, but we don’t have to go it alone. We carry the strength of our ancestors, the lessons of our culture, and the support of our growing village.
This year’s conference will also honor our beloved Heartwork Queen, Nani Wilson, whom we lost in September 2025. Nani, affectionately known as
Aunty Nani to the community and our Sister to Sister participants, was a powerful force who touched countless lives. As our Sister to Sister SMC emcee, she brought her light, humor, and heart work to every conference she helped create. Her absence is deeply felt as we continue the Heartwork she began. Nani believed wholeheartedly in this conference as a space for young AANHPI women to learn that their voices matter and that they are never alone.
For More Information, Contact: Marcelle Jalate-Valdez - marcelleavaldez@gmail.com |
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SAVE THE DATE!
Event Details
Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 1:00 - 5:00 PM
Location: San Mateo County Event Center (Fiesta Hall)
1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo, CA
Parking: On-site parking is a separate fee charged by the venue:
$18 (credit card) / $20 (cash) per vehicle
What happens when kids see their culture and their curiosity celebrated in the same room? They start to picture themselves as builders, creators, and future innovators.
Pacific Islanders Encouraging Fun, Engineering, Science, & Technology (P.I.E.F.E.S.T.) is excited to invite you and your family to the 5th Annual Bay Area Pasifika STEAM Fest. This will be a joyful, family-friendly day of hands-on learning designed with a Pasifika lens.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Bring the whole family for an afternoon of exploration, creativity, and community connection:
- Hands-on STEAM activities and interactive exhibits
- STEM career exploration and mentorship moments
- Community resource partners and local programs to explore
- Cultural learning experiences like the engineering of Samoan fales, the art of Fijian masi making, the physics of Tahitian drums, and more
PLUS, ALL THE FUN
- Maker Space
- Sensory Play
- Robotics
- Raffle prizes & giveaways
- Free lunch (while supplies last)
- Cultural dance performances
- Photobooth
Whether you’re a parent, guardian, educator, or community supporter, this event is about opening doors and expanding what our kids believe is possible. Enjoy a highlight from last year's event.
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MANA Youth Summit 2026
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
9:00am-2:00pm
San Mateo County Office of Education
101 Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City, Ca 94065
This summit is presented to the community by PCRC in partnership with the San Mateo County Office of Education.
Last year, we brought together adults and youth in a powerful combined conference rooted in our heritage reminding us that our culture is fuel to reach our ancestors’ wildest dreams and hopes for us. During the youth session, students openly shared the challenges they face, including turning to alcohol and drugs to cope with everyday pressures. Those honest conversations inspired us to focus the 2026 Youth Summit on reducing alcohol use and encouraging a healthy, resilient lifestyle.
This year’s Summit is FREE to attend, meals will be provided, and space is limited.
Who Should Attend: The Summit is designed primarily for high school students, with limited space available for middle school students (7th and 8th grade).
Students must register through their school and attend with a designated adult advisor/chaperone.
Important Deadlines
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Student Registration Deadline: April 14, 2026
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Raffle Prize Donation Deadline: April 18, 2026
How You Can Support
We invite you to be part of this movement by:
• Advocating at your child’s school: If you have a child who is a high school student in San Mateo County, encourage administrators and advisors to approve student attendance and connect with the PCRC team.
• Donating raffle prizes or student giveaways: Help us celebrate and uplift youth participants. Monetary donations can be made using this link: MANA Summit Donations
• Making a monetary contribution: Your support funds meals, speakers, materials, and culturally grounded prevention programming.
To Register and Book Transportation, contact: social@pcrcweb.org | 650.229.9218
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Additional Information/Resources: |
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Fa'aSamoa Initiative has moved departments in SFUSD! Fa'aSamoa Initiative moved from the Office of Superintendent to Curriculum & Instructions Department - Local, State and Federal Programs - Access & Equity Division. Herbert Coach Wylie Ilalio and UrsulaAnn Siataga are now housed under the same department with 18 others from Indian Education, Migrant Education, LCAP, Multilingual Learner Pathways, Matua Advisory Council, LatinX and Asian PAC, State & Federal Programs. We are excited for the levels of collaborations and partnerships this year, and look forward to continue aligning our work with HAPI Resolution, MAC Recommendations and District goals - to address the academic needs of our students and families. |
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This image above shows many types of offerings throughout the years that has shown positive impacts with educators, students and families. Each of these events/programs were implemented in the last four years in partnership with educators, students, community-based organizations and Matua Advisory Council as examples of strategies useful for improving the ways in which the district serves equitably our Pacific Islander/Samoan students. The programs/events cover students programming, parent/family and community engagement and professional/curriculum development. Check out our websites for more information.
Matua Advisory Council website - www.sfusd.edu/mac
Fa'aSamoa Initiative website - www.sfusd.edu/fasi |
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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.
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