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SFUSD Insider - November 2020 |
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Dear SFUSD Colleagues,
Even though this year has been tough, there’s always something to celebrate. As Principal Brown from Willie Brown MS says in this awesome video, “There’s greatness in you and positivity around you.” I'm thrilled that San Francisco voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition J, which will allow us to sustain Prop. G salary increases, among other things. I'm heartened by our schools' ongoing commitment to finding creative ways to support students and families, such as through this Black Lives Matter Video by James Lick MS staff. If you or your school have something that you'd like to see shared, send details in an email to newsline@sfusd.edu.
Thank you for all that you're doing. I appreciate you.
Warmly,
Vincent Matthews, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
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Appreciating SFUSD Facilities Staff |
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For months, staff with the SFUSD Facilities Department have been hard at work to ensure schools are clean and safe for when students return to in-person learning. We are grateful for their tireless service to the students, families, and staff of SFUSD!
Superintendent Matthews recently created a video with Chief Facilities Officer Dawn Kamalanathan to share specific ways that SFUSD Facilities staff are preparing school buildings for a safe return to-in person learning.
Thank you, SFUSD Facilities Department! |
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"My job as a teacher is to arrange victories for my students. I may present them with a task, but as an educator I try to envision the way forward."
- Stuart Briggs, Teacher, Jose Ortega Elementary School |
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Meet the New AAALI Director, Dr. Silindra McRay |
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We are excited to welcome Dr. Silindra McRay as our new Director of the African American Achievement and Leadership Initiative (AAALI)!
With a Doctorate of Education with a focus on Social Justice and Equity, Dr. McRay brings over 13 years of experience as an Educator, Administrator, and Program Manager within Public, Private, and Higher Education settings. More recently, Dr. McRay held a managerial role in SFUSD and worked in the Oakland Unified School District. Dr. McRay also serves as an Adjunct Professor at San Francisco State University (SFSU), where she teaches in the Department of Elementary Education and Department of Criminal Justice. Dr. McRay's research centers on mitigating the classroom effects of implicit bias on minority student achievement. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, Natalia, who is a freshman in high school and is an avid athlete.
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Culinary Course at Marshall HS Cooks Up Hands-On Learning |
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Get a taste of this class! At Thurgood Marshall Academic High School, students in the Career Pathways program are using food as a way to build community across languages and cultures. Students come into the class with a desire to learn how to cook and leave with experiences and expertise that prepare them for multiple careers in the San Francisco culinary and hospitality industries.
While learning remotely, students can pick up kits on-site at Marshall to take home and cook meals for their families as part of the course. The kits also contain a variety of culinary tools that students can use to prepare meals. The food in the kits is donated in partnership with the SF Market, which also provides additional food for students in the program beyond the meal kits. Learn more about the course.
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Share Your Input on Post-OASIS Employee Communications |
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As you may have experienced first-hand, district staff are experiencing challenges accessing Sharepoint (our old intranet) and OASIS due to security challenges based on the age of these systems. For now, it is still possible to access OASIS. If you land on a page with a security warning, click the “Advanced” link, which will take you to the Sharepoint log-in page.
As part of our ongoing transition away from these platforms, we are taking a look at our employee communications channels and determining options post-OASIS.
Please complete this form to share your:
- Feedback on OASIS
- Insights on what communication tools work best for you
- Best thinking about how the district shares information and opportunities with staff
Thank you for your input - and for your continued resilience and excellence!
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Yasmir Navas, Special Education Teacher, Wins RAVE |
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Yasmir Navas, a Special Education Teacher at Sanchez Elementary School, was nominated for being student-centered by viewing every opportunity and challenge through the lens of her students.
According to her nomination, Ms. Navas brings the lens of a SpEd educator to advocate "in all settings (classrooms, staff meetings, assemblies, field trips) for accessibility and inclusion for ALL students."
Check out our other RAVE winners and nominees, or nominate an outstanding colleague or team who models the core values we are all RAVE-ing about.
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Proud to Be SFUSD! Did You Catch These News Stories? |
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SFUSD's Pathway to Teaching Now Accepting Applications |
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Know someone who would make a great teacher? Want to pursue your teaching credendial? SFUSD's Pathway to Teaching program is now accepting applications for the 2021-22 school year!
"My favorite things about Pathway are the focus on equity and social justice and the emphasis on restorative practices."
-Daniel Alonso, Bilingual Spanish Teacher, Cesar Chavez ES |
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Celebrate Inclusive Schools Week December 7-11 |
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You are invited to join SFUSD in celebrating Inclusive Schools Week, from December 7-11, 2020! This annual event celebrates each student’s unique contributions to our school communities and raises awareness about students with disabilities and all students and community members who have been marginalized. This year's theme is "The Time for Inclusion is Now" and it is brought to life by this poem from LeDerick Horne, "Until Every Barrier Falls."
Of course, our schools celebrate inclusion all year round! For instance, Paul Revere PK-8's PreK teacher Cynthia Vasquez and SDC PreK teacher Winnie Mai have combined their Zoom classroom to do music and movement for students.
How to Participate:
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Be in the Know
Fall Break - SFUSD schools will be closed Nov. 23-27 for Fall Break. SFUSD offices will be closed Nov. 26 and 27. Early Education schools and Out of School Time (OST) programs that offer year-round services will continue to operate on Nov. 23 and 24. Lincoln HS will hold regularly scheduled classes on Nov. 23, 24 and 25.
Distance Learning Support for Children of SFUSD Educators - The City’s Emergency Child and Youth Care sites provide distance learning support and enriching activities to children (in grades 1-5) of SFUSD educators. Interested parents should fill out this inquiry form, and will then be contacted by a Support Service Representative.
Schedule Changes for Grab & Go Meals - As of Nov. 10, the weekly pick up time for all grab and go sites has changed to Tuesday, 2-3:30 p.m. Brown, Lau and Mission stay open until 4 p.m. As of Nov. 13, sites are also open a second day to pick up additional meals and snacks. Get the full schedule and details at sfusd.edu/schoolfood.
SFUSD Enrollment Fair - Thank you to everyone who participated in the SFUSD PreK-12 Enrollment Fair from Nov. 6-13! Families can still access enrollment information, including school videos, here.
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Opportunities, Announcements, Site to do's and other Important Stuff.
SFUSD login required.
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Got a great idea for a story that would inspire your fellow employees? Have suggestions for making
The SFUSD Insider better? Contact the Communications Office at newsline@sfusd.edu
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