Thread by @PPSSFBoardWatch

Hello BoardWatchers! Sorry for the late start, we are just joining the Regular SFUSD Board of Education meeting. I think we are on the "rave awards" portion of the agenda. Recognizing Corrina McGraw, Special Ed Supervisor. Congrats! #BoardWatch

Second RAVE award is a distinguished service award going to Blanca Gonzales of Mission HS. She serves the Migrant Education program and has been with SFUSD over 20 years! #BoardWatch

Ms Gonzales: working with migrant families is a "labor of love." Dedicates award to son César who passed away. #Boardwatch

Public comment. This is the time for comment on issues NOT on the agenda. There will be time for comments on agenda items at the time those items are called. #BoardWatch

Public comment: school bus driver asks the district to reconsider decision on not providing school bus driver health care benefits during this time #BoardWatch

Public comment: school bus driver with 3 kids in SFUSD school going through hard times trying to help kids and also left without health insurance. "We are there for you guys when you guys need us, would love for you to be there for us now" #BoardWatch

Public comment: school bus driver commenting on Medium article published by Dr. Matthews. Feel there are errors in the article. There is a response in the comments. (this is the article medium.com/@sfusd_supe/su…) #BoardWatch

Public comment: please help renew lease on Presidio Early Ed center so it doesn't close permanently. #BoardWatch

Public comment: representative from one of SFUSD's unions (representing student nutrition workers and others) are heroes, but being treated as "zeros." Also support bus drivers and teachers. #BoardWatch

Public comment: front line workers in schools should be getting hazard pay. People are getting sick and dying doing this work. #BoardWatch

Public comment: teacher from Hilltop HS is asking board to consider thinking of how to better support the City's learning hubs that are just getting going. How to better support youth at these hubs. Students I teach would really benefit from being able to go to these hubs.

Comment cont. How can we help CBOs to make this happen? Work with an org called HOMEY that is having a hard time making it happen. This is a time to figure out how to "untie our hands." We need to support our students! #BoardWatch

Public comment: another bus driver asking that health coverage not be dropped effective Oct 1. Have strong connections to students and families. Most other school districts are still paying wages and health benefits. #BoardWatch

Public comment: pre-k clerk at two school speaking on food pick-up program. Some members are complaining about scanner system that district is making families use. Sometime nutrition workers have to handle phones and paperwork. Face to face and hand to hand contact. #BoardWatch

Public comment: speaker who works with immigrant families hearing that folks are having difficulty finding resources online. Many learning apps are limited. Possible to have small groups of students to work on language or math skills? or 1:1? Students are suffering. #BoardWatch

Public comment: SSC member from Sutro ES thanking SFUSD for changing from "Thanksgiving" to "Fall break." Please make sure all schools know to reflect this language. Out of respect for Native American families. #BoardWatch

Public comment: Virginia Marshall from Alliance of Black School Educators rings her bell to celebrate a former SFUSD student was recently commissioned in the US Air Force! #BoardWatch

Next up: report from the CAC for Special Education. Here is a link to the report that will be presented: go.boarddocs.com/ca/sfusd/Board… #BoardWatch

About 12% of students in SFUSD have an IEP. #BoardWatch

Here are the priorities for CAC this year #BoardWatch

CAC has focus on institutional racism, systemic bias, and equity in special education. Recommend this series: disabilityvisibilityproject.com/ada30/ #BoardWatch

This graph shows disproportionality in special education identification #BoardWatch

Literacy is very important. CAC recommend this article: kqed.org/mindshift/5662… #BoardWatch

This Thursday's CAC meeting is at 6PM and the topic is mental health supports. More information here: sites.google.com/view/cacspedsf… . Also inclusive schools week is coming up Dec 7-11! #BoardWatch

CAC participated in Digital District Day to learn about technology tools that helps students have access to education. #BoardWatch

Some concerns: 1) ask to keep distance learning for students who are thriving in virtual school. 2) ask for an in-person option for students who cannot access distance learning - many students are struggling, 3) concerned about layoffs of bus drivers, 4) in-home therapies

Here is a list of all the meeting topics for this year!

Public comment from many school district and community partners appreciating the hard work of the CAC and the alliances that have been built with AAPAC and other orgs. #BoardWatch

CAC Meetings have become more accessible in age of Zoom, have provided interpretation services with help from SFUSD and also have close captioning. Would help to have capacity for larger Zoom platform. #BoardWatch

Commissioner Norton is curious about issue related to families having to sign contracts for in-home services. Chief Robertson says there is a waiver process to be able to allow someone into the home. Claim waiver is negotiable. #BoardWatch

Commissioner Lam is asking for update on partnership with UCSF and assessments #BoardWatch

Chief Robertson says she meets once every 3 weeks with UCSF. Feels the work is healthy and strengthening. The assessment information is sitting with her and labor. A task force met and came up with recommendations. Negotiations start tomorrow. #BoardWatch

Commissioner Collins thinks parents should be paid for the work that they are doing for the district for free (like the CAC members who made this presentation) #BoardWatch

Commissioner Collins: what is our dashboard? How do we track how we are responding to advisory recommendations? Need a transparent and visible way to track recommendations of district identified PACs. Asking Superintendent how he thinks we should track? #BoardWatch

Superintendent Matthews: Thinks it should be tracked on a spreadsheet with Red, Yellow, Green to indicate done or not done. Also notes that not every recommendation will be moved forward. #BoardWatch

Question from Commissioner Collins about relationship with Community Hubs. Chief Roberson says there is a relationship with Boys and Girls Clubs, ready to sit down with Maria Su to talk about how to support kids in these programs #BoardWatch

Commissioner Collins: have been disappointed with Director Su and DCYF who have said in the past that they were not open to supporting kids with IEPs. "Those kids" are all of our kids. #BoardWatch

Commissioner Lopez: how are we measuring what is working (eg. some kids are doing better in distance learning)? Answer from CAC: have been polling members and getting feedback from families. #BoardWatch

Figuring out the best ways to survey but no decisions on what the best way is yet #BoardWatch

Fall back to your distance learning plan, trying to ensure that distance learning is better than in the spring #BoardWatch