SFUSD Board of Ed meeting starting now! Follow our live tweets. Starting with Superintendent's report: Celebrating Latinx Heritage Month! #BoardWatch
Starting September 1st, SFUSD meal program is free to all students again! Pick up every Wednesday. 5 days of meals. sfusd.edu/services/healt…#BoardWatch
Superintendent's report: a reminder that SFUSD Loves Learning TV show is still happening daily and available on YouTube sfusd.edu/services/healt…#BoardWatch
Superintendent ends by sharing appreciation for all educators and administrators for everything they are doing! #BoardWatch
Now Student Delegate reports: Delegates Hines-Foster and Correa presents on the recent retreat for the Student Advisory Council, round-table discussions, and support for amendment to proposed resolution supporting Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students in SFUSD. #BoardWatch
Superintendent Matthews presents video highlighting the work of Peer Resources and introduces Peer's ED Ophelia Williams #BoardWatchpeerresources.org
Coordinator from Everett explains how students in Peer Resources lead circles, facilitate restorative mediations, and work on transformative institutional change work. Two students are speaking about some of the work they do in Peer Resources, like teacher observations/workshops
ED Williams also speaks of project Peer Resources at Lowell HS did to figure systemic issues and barriers to participation / equitable enrollment at Lowell. Working to increase transportation which was identified as a key barrier #BoardWatch
Public comment time! Only for items NOT on the agenda. There will be time to speak to those when the item is called. #BoardWatch
Public comment: parent of 4th grader at Huerta ES have been in discussion with many families at the school. Very concerned about the pace and lack of transparency around the issue of reopening elementary schools. Districts in Detroit and NY are so much further ahead. #BoardWatch
Comment: parent at Presidio EES want the board to reconsider decision to continue tuition while the school is closed in person. Family being asked to pay 850 per month for distance learning for 2 and 4 year old. Have to pay to hold spots. #BoardWatch
Public comment: employee of SFUSD feels least supported ever. Still working from office had to pay for myself because SFUSD has not provided space. Assigned spot is a 13-hour daily walk. Most districts allowing teachers to teach from own classrooms #BoardWatch
Public comment: school bus driver of 35 years says board and district have treated drivers like "outsiders" - have ignored pleas for fairness and decency. About to leave us with no health care during a pandemic. #BoardWatch
Public comment: another commenter in support of keeping Presidio EES open, but not charging tuition to hold spots. #BoardWatch
Public comment: teacher at "heat of the kitchen" at Ida B Wells continuation school also needs access to classroom to be able to provide instruction #BoardWatch
Comment: bus drivers are not just part of SFUSD community but bay area community. It is the wrong time to do this to school bus drivers. SFUSD should reconsider paying for students that go to treatment centers outside of SF - corrupt industry says speaker. #BoardWatch
Public comment: there is a rally to reopen schools today at 350 McAllister at 4:30 (I think that is what she said). Feels planning has been "behind closed doors." #BoardWatch
Public comment: school bus driver who has been with the company for 5 years (First Student, contractor of SFUSD). Took a job for the benefits. Had 4 children and a mortgage. Lost a child in February. Find it appalling that one of richest cities cannot cover health coverage.
Comment: parent calling on behalf of many families: willing to send students to school under a hybrid model. It is a hardship for my family with multiple learners at home. Ready and anxious for that to happen #BoardWatch
Comment: mother of 1st grader w/ two working parents. Has been extremely difficult for mental health. Pleading with district to please try to prioritize younger children. UCSF has shown data that 10 and under are lower risk. Give choice. Private schools are going to open=inequity
Comment: 10K COVID cases in SF and 1.1K children. 1/2 of cases in kids are under 10. Would like to hear more discussions of criteria for opening and the science of safety. Personally reassured that seems SFUSD won't apply for a waiver. #BoardWatch
Public comment is over (for general items). Now time for Parent Advisory Council report. #BoardWatch
Happy to hear about extension of free meals. Want to remind SFUSD families to fill out Multi-purpose family income form! sfusd.edu/services/healt…
PAC report continued: report on first meeting. PAC and other advisories will be reviewing the district's Learning Continuity Plan. PAC also established priorities for the year (communication and equity)#BoardWatch
PAC is recruiting! Looking for voices from many backgrounds representative of students in the district. pacsf.org has info on applications (available in multiple languages). To request an application email pac@sfusd.edu. #BoardWatch
Now onto vote on consent calendar. One item pulled for discussion (legal counsel contracts). The rest of the calendar is approved. #BoardWatch
Commissioner Moliga wants to know how rates for contract attorneys are determined. Current rate is $385 says Moliga and most seem to be new contractors. A. from SFUSD GC Houck: this is actually a low rate, many attorneys charge upwards of $800 per hour. Most not new.
This item was approved by vote of board. Now onto approval of 5 updated board policies which were given positive recommendation at rules committee meeting #BoardWatch
Commissioner Lam: there have been recent updates from the US Department of Education. Added additional protection under non-discrimination/harassment policies and bullying policies to try to mitigate what we perceive to be bad policy coming out of Betsy DeVos and DOE. #BoardWatch
All policy updates approved unanimously by board.#BoardWatch
Next up: public hearing on the Learning and Continuity and Attendance Plan. A new document that California Department of Education is requiring. This is a different "LCAP" explains Ann-Marie Gordon from budget office. #BoardWatch
Here is the whole presentation (it's short) and an image of the new timeline for LCAPs of various types :) go.boarddocs.com/ca/sfusd/Board…
There are some requirements that the public be engaged in creating this plan. Includes opportunity for written feedback (due Friday)
Previous engagement activities can be considered - much of the content is similar to distance learning plan #BoardWatch
This slide shows elements of the Learning, Continuity and Attendance plan that are new (highlighted in yellow). Other items mostly come from other docs we have already discussed (like DLP) #BoardWatch
Timeline for feedback on plan and adoption. Plan to adopt on Sept 22 so can submit to CDE by end of month deadline. #BoardWatch
Public Comment: want to know more about student engagement. How are we connecting what we know about student engagement to what supports are needed? Question about use of learning loss funds. Also why set aside large amount for unanticipated expenses? #BoardWatch
Comment continued: how are funds going to be used for pupil engagement and outreach ($14M)?
Response to public comment questions: in the plan there is a caveat for expenditures—awaiting clarification from CDE about total dollars that are supposed to be in plan. Not sure if just focus on learning loss mitigation funds or all of LCFF funds built into this plan.
Reserve funds: have built-in reserves to make adjustments ready to deploy when finalize a plan to shift to hybrid learning. #BoardWatch
Next item: (a bit of a hard one to explain) - asking board to direct staff to prepare a budget-balancing plan by 12/15 if don't meet required reserves. This is because part of budget being submitted includes City funds that have not been formally approved.
In other words, if the city funds don't come through, or if expenses are higher than anticipated, the Board of Ed would need to agree they will make cuts in other places. The state is asking for this assurance. The board approved this item. #BoardWatch
Next up, a report on Community Partnerships with SFUSD. Presented by Chief Lau-Smith and Deputy Superintendent Ford-Morthel #BoardWatch
Town halls were co-planned with community partners. Working groups also had participation by community partners. Hosting ongoing partnership forums. Over 669 participants from different groups. More access in virtual world #BoardWatch
Learnings and accomplishments: relationship building and more. Convenings were co-planned and co-facilitated by community partners #BoardWatch
There have been some challenges around sharing data, student information while maintaining student security and privacy #BoardWatch
How do we do this work in alignment with anti-racist practices? Now that we have many perspectives in the room, how do we lift all voices and do more in service of students and families? #BoardWatch
Next steps:
Public comment: Efrain Barrera at Mission Promise Neighborhoods agrees that there has been increase in accessibility looks forward to continued partnership and focus on product of work #BoardWatch
Public comment: when will Our Children, Our Families Council meet again? This seems very linked says Cass Terry at Roosevelt Beacon. #BoardWatch
Student delegate Correa: excited about more accessible collaboration and the increased opportunities to hear voices through Town Halls this summer #BoardWatch
VP Lopez says that CBOs often have stronger relationships with families, would love to hear about specific projects. Chief Smith says no specific projects, right now focussed on technology access. Will continue to iterate. #BoardWatch
Lopez: what accommodations are we giving to CBOs who used to provide services in person. Now they don't have access to information to help them do their work. Lau-Smith: big challenge—trying to get some people access to SFUSD accounts so they can join Zoom meetings #BoardWatch
For more information, email partnerships@sfusd.edu. End of this item. #BoardWatch
Next item: introduction of resolutions. Renewal petition for Mission Preparatory School (charter). This will be discussed at committee and by charter school oversight committee before coming back for a vote. #BoardWatch
Report from committee meetings. Joint BOS/CCSF/SFUSD now meeting every other week on Fridays. Ad Hoc Student Assignment Committee: deadlines for enrollment moved back, new online enrollment, and timeline for policy change. Expect to bring proposal in late October. #BoardWatch
That link didn't work, trying to figure out the right one.. There is also a meeting on September 29 at 5PM. Other upcoming committee meetings here: go.boarddocs.com/ca/sfusd/Board…#BoardWatch
We are popping into the SFUSD Board of Education Budget and Business Services meeting. We missed the presentation and public comment on the PEEF presentation. go.boarddocs.com/ca/sfusd/Board… Joining as commissioner remarks begin. #BoardWatch
Commissioner Sanchez is concerned about funds being shifted around from one line-item to another. Edwin Diaz who is PEEF director shares info about the process. #Boardwatch
Working to incorporate regular updates on where the district is in terms of funding, but have not regularly shared info on use of fund balance. Isn't because we don't want to, just have not built that into the update process. Plan is to incorporate this moving forward #BoardWatch
Hi there, joining the SFUSD Board of Education meeting. Superintendent report now. Highlighting one recipient of the Superintendent's award each week. A really nice video was shared, look forward to seeing each of this year's winners in upcoming videos! #BoardWatch
We won't be live-tweeting the whole meeting tonight, but will bring you some updates as they happen. #BoardWatch
Reminder from Student Advisory Council! Students can vote for student delegates until 12PM tomorrow. bit.ly/SFUSDStudentVo… (only students can access this) #BoardWatch@SFUSD_SAC
Joining back in to bring you a bit of the presentation on return to school. Reiteration that there will be in-person graduation for HS, MS will not have in person promotion for 8th graders #BoardWatch
SFUSD is still looking into adding a secondary grade for in person this spring, but waiting until late April after current waves go back. #BoardWatch
Here is some data about assignment for return to in-person learning. Some groups had lower response rates and lower interest in returning (Asian and Homeless population especially). Less than 1/3 of those who have had limited engagement returning. #BoardWatch
We are joining the Board of Education meeting for a very small portion of the regular meeting today. The Board is currently considering the nomination of a new Vice President #BoardWatch
There is a back and forth as to whether to vote on a new VP now or wait to allow more time for the public to weigh in. A motion to postpone the vote fails. @FaauugaMoliga is the VP nominee. #BoardWatch