SFUSD Core Values
SFUSD Insider - December 2020
Safer Holidays
Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews

Dear SFUSD Colleagues,

 

Winter Break is just around the corner. Public health officials have sounded the alarm about the rising number of COVID-19 cases and we are being asked to only gather with those we live with, both inside and outside. 

 
These are difficult times for me as I love being together with my extended family over the holidays, but I plan to stick with the health orders. The City of San Francisco has shared guidance with ideas for celebrating the holidays safely by doing activities at home. Let’s all continue to do our part to help slow the spread. 

 

Thank you for all that you're doing, and have a safe and restful break.

 

Warmly,

Vincent Matthews, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

SFUSD's Grad Rate Rises to 87.3%
The California Department of Education (CDE) has released its 2019-20 Cohort Outcome Data, which includes graduation rates. SFUSD's cohort graduation rate improved from 84.4% in 2016-17 to 87.3% in 2019-20. Congratulations to students, families, and educators for this remarkable achievement!
SF Loves Learning Returning for Season 3
Three educators stand together in a school hallway talking.

Season 3 airs on KTVU Plus starting Jan. 5, weekdays from 9:30 am to 10:00 am! Season 3's content is aimed toward K-2nd grade students and will include culturally affirming science-based daily lessons, music, read alouds, movement, and more. The show will supplement teachers’ curriculum and instruction, both for students who return to in-person instruction and for students who remain in distance learning. Check out the highlights reel from Season 2 and the trailor for Season 3!

Old Employee Site  'Sunsetting' and Old Public Website Going Employee-Only at End of January

As you may have noticed, visiting our old public website (archive.sfusd.edu) and our old employee site (Sharepoint, or district.sfusd.edu) currently brings up a warning that your connection is not fully secure. This is because the archive.sfusd.edu and Sharepoint platforms are so old that they are no longer fully compatible with modern browsers.

 

SFUSD has been working to move content and functions of these outdated platforms to modern technology systems. Due to this migration plan and the security issues, the Dept. of Technology is planning to “sunset” or shut down Sharepoint and change the old public website so it is only accessible to employees on the SFUSD network at the end of January 2021. Learn more about these upcoming changes.

SFUSD Staff Awards & Recognition
Linda Jordan

Congratulations to Linda Jordan, who took office on Dec. 7 as the new president of the SF Alliance of Black School Educators, and thank you to Virginia Marshall, previous president, for all of her work in support of African American students and families. As the AAALI Post Secondary Pathway Manager at SFUSD, Ms. Jordan creates, collaborates, and implements culturally relevant educational and college prep programs to serve youth from all over San Francisco.

 

"I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of the trailblazers before me who have worked tirelessly in support of African American students in SFUSD," Ms. Jordan said. "I look forward to working with our partners in the district to continue to change the trajectory of student outcomes and uplift our families. It takes a village, and I am proud to carry this torch forward."

Bill Sanderson

Congratulations to SFUSD Assistant Superintendent Bill Sanderson, who has been named a 2020 recipient of the IARSLCE's Community Outcomes and Impact Award, along with Stanford University Professor Tom Dee and UC Irvine Professor Emily Penner. Their work looks at the impacts of ethnic studies courses on student attendance and achievement and has had local and national impacts as their scholarship has informed policy and practice in the development, adoption, and defense of ethnic studies requirements in K-12 schools.

SFUSD Professional Learning Opportunities
Three educators stand together in a school hallway talking.
Ready to grow your professional practice and your teacher toolkit? Find live and recorded webinars, office hours, and asynchronous modules on topics from digital tools for reading interventions to better engaging students in science in virtual spaces! Visit the Professional Learning webpage to find current opportunities on the PD Calendar. 
Community Flocks to Support SFUSD Teachers

Congratulations to SFUSD teachers who had 72 DonorsChoose projects funded on GivingTuesday! Thanks to donors from across the country and our innovative teachers, over $64K was raised to support projects in San Francisco public schools. Check out current projects by SFUSD educators on DonorsChoose.

#WeAreSFUSD
Cadi Poile
“I’m proud of how much work and how far the Facilities Department has come - it’s pretty amazing to see all the collaboration to get our school buildings open and ready.”
 
- Cadi Poile, Director of Custodial Services
Proud to Be SFUSD! Did You Catch These News Stories?
SFUSD partners with SFMOMA to deliver art kits to students - Thirteen SFUSD elementary schools received 2,000 art supply kits as well as curriculum materials from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to support 3rd to 5th graders at PITCH schools with distance learning for the visual arts and inspire a bit of at-home creativity.
SFUSD offers first look at planned Mission Bay elementary school - “We want to create a campus that allows for a lot of community engagement,” said Karissa Yee Findley, director of school portfolio planning. Staff are also considering ways to honor the Ohlone Tribe, who were San Francisco’s first residents.
Be in the Know

Winter Break
- SFUSD schools will be closed from December 21 to January 4 for Winter Break. SFUSD offices will be closed December 25 and January 1.
 
Write a Thank-You Note to Our Food Service Workers -

Student Nutrition Services staff have provided over 4 million meals for children since school buildings closed in March. On Dec. 18, we are inviting the community to write a note or make some artwork and drop it off for staff at SFUSD’s Grab and Go meal sites.


It's Time to Enroll for SY 21-22 - The deadline to apply to schools for the 2021-22 school year is February 5! For the first time, families may apply online. If families would like help with their application, they may make an appointment or call 415-241-6085. Get information about EED enrollment here.

 
Plans for In-Person Learning - As part of our plans to begin offering in-person learning to students enrolled in certain grades and programs at a set of schools, SFUSD has submitted a Letter of Interest (LOI) to the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), marking the first step in the process to obtain City approval before reopening school buildings to in-person instruction. City approval is one of a number of indicators that SFUSD must meet before reopening school buildings. At the Dec. 8 Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Matthews shared SFUSD’s Return Safely Together Plan
Cecile Labertino  

Opportunities, Announcements, Site to do's and other Important Stuff. 
SFUSD login required.
2020 Facts at a Glance - The "2020 Facts at a Glance" is now posted on the SFUSD website.
 
SFUSD K-5 Distance Learning Survey - Thank you for all your work this school year. We look forward to getting feedback on our Distance Learning resources. Please take 5-10 minutes to complete this anonymous survey by Dec. 18.
 
Teach in SFUSD: Recruitment & Hiring Webinar - This information session on Dec. 18 is for individuals interested in certificated career opportunities with SFUSD.

2021-22 Sabbatical Applications Accepted Through Dec. 18 - Information about the sabbatical program including the online application and FAQ can be found on the employee intranet at sfusd.edu. Go to the "Leaves and Separations" section under "Employee Services" to learn more. Please do not send applications via mail or come to 555 Franklin in-person; these applications will not be accepted.
SFUSD in the News

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555 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA, 94102


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