BOE Candidates Forum

There will be a BOE candidates forum held at ThereLincoln HS tomorrow, (Sept. 25) at the Lincoln HS (24th Ave./Quintara from 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

There is another forum scheduld for October 7th at Everett Middle School, in case this notice arrives too late.

If you hear about any other BOE candidate forums, let us know in a comment.

Growing Greener School Grounds Conference

This sounds interesting: (hat tip to Rachel for the link!)

Next month, the San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance will host the third Growing Greener School Grounds Conference, a workshop-style event that will bring together over 300 teachers and community members from all over the San Francisco Bay Area to learn more about creating, using, and sustaining ecological schoolyards..

More info here.

SFUSD 2008-2009 Instructional Calendar

I basically forgot to post the instructional calendar for the upcoming year. It was published long ago, and is available from the district website here(PDF). In years gone by this information was hard to come by, and I notice that some web traffic comes here searching for it. So I'm happy to republish it here and on our SfSchools Calendar

San Francisco Unified School District 
2008-2009 Instructional Calendar 

• Jul. 4, 2008 — Independence Day (Holiday)
• Aug. 20, 2008 — Teacher Work Day
• Aug. 21-22, 2008 — Professional Development Days
• Aug. 25, 2008 — Students Report — First Day of Instruction
• Sept. 1, 2008 — Labor Day (Holiday)
• Oct. 13, 2008 — Columbus/Indigenous People's Day/El Dia de la Raza (Holiday)
• Nov. 11, 2008 — Veterans Day (Holiday)
• Nov. 26-28, 2008 — Thanksgiving Recess
• Dec. 22-31, 2008 — Winter Break
• Jan. 1-2, 2009 — Winter Break
• Jan. 16, 2009 — Fall Semester Ends
• Jan. 19, 2009 — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Holiday)
• Jan. 20, 2009 — Professional Development Day (Schools Closed)
• Jan. 26, 2009 — Lunar New Year Observance (Schools Closed)
• Feb. 16, 2009 — Presidents' Day (Holiday)
• Mar. 30, 2009 — Cesar Chavez Day Observance (Schools Closed)
• Apr. 6-10, 2009 — Spring Break
• May 25, 2009 — Memorial Day (Holiday)
• June 9, 2009 — Last Day of Instruction/Spring Semester Ends

Go Student Journalists!

Today I had the delightful and moving experience of attending a preview of the work of student journalists at Burton HS in the Portola district. Through a partnership with public radio station KALW, the journalism class at Burton has created an hour-long radio documentary entitled “Stories During Wartime: An Intergenerational Conversation.” The students interviewed veterans of World War II, Vietnam, Desert Storm and Iraq, as well as conscientious objectors and civilians affected by war .

Senior Ronnisha Johnson interviewed Sean Moynihan, an Iraq war veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She told me it took a long time for him to open up, but once he did, stories about the horrors he witnessed came pouring out. Freshman William Tatlonghari interviewed his grandmother about fleeing her home in the Phillippines after her country was invaded by Japan during World War II. Freshman Paul Yang interviewed David Mitchell, a Vietnam veteran who described the anger of the American public towards soldiers returning from Vietnam.

The full documentary will be broadcast on KALW, 91.7 FM, at 7 p.m. on Memorial Day, May 26. Don’t miss it! It’s an astounding achievement by the students, their teacher Ellena Weldon, and Emily Wilson, a KALW producer who assisted with the project.

Excerpts from the project are also available online.

& ... Teachers Leaderhip Institute presentation

The San Francisco Education Fund's Teachers Leadership Institute cordially invites you to the
Annual Policy Brief
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
5:00-7:00 p.m.
The Women's Building
3543 18th St., San Francisco


Teachers Leadership Institute Fellows, along with Peer Resources student leaders, will present their research findings and policy recommendations to SFUSD Board of Education President Mark Sanchez and the education community. Topics will include:

• High teacher turnover at low performing schools
• Supporting students to see themselves as writers
• Improving classroom climate through explorations of race and gender
• Teaching test taking as a genre
• Experience-based learning
• Using the arts for academic outcomes
• Authentic assessments & eliminating the achievement gap
• Reciprocal teaching for ELL students
• Students' perspectives on effective teaching

Please join teachers, students, parents, community-based organizations, district leaders, and elected officials for lively group discussions on strategies to improve teaching and learning in San Francisco.

To register for the event, please click here.

Click on the following link for more information about the Teachers Leadership Institute including how to apply for a 2008-2009 Fellowship.


Please contact Jeff Issenberg at jeff@sfedfund.org or 415.912.2236 for more information.

SFUSD School Events THIS Week-end - May 2, 3, 4

Another weekend packed with school events.

Hi, everyone:

Here's my weekly report on the many activities going on at/for SFUSD schools this weekend. Once again, you can have another perfect "Support Schools and Students in the SFUSD" week-end AND IT DOESN'T INVOLVE A MEETING!!!! -

1. Car Washes and more this Saturday benefiting:
   
   • Balboa HS SGA Car Wash
     Saturday, May 3 - 9:00am-1:00pm
     Location: KRAGEN Auto Supplies Store, 1150 Ocean Avenue (by City College)
     Suggested Minimum Donation: $7
     Benefits activities for the sophomores - Class of 2010 activities.
     
   • International Studies Academy HS Rummage Sale
     Saturday, May 3 - 9:00am-3:00pm
     Location: Enola Maxwell Campus, 655 De Haro Street (at 18th St)
     The funds raised will help cover costs associated with ISA's Prom and Graduation.
     
   • Beautify Hoover Day
     Saturday, May 3 - 9:00am-3:00pm
     Location: Herbert Hoover M.S. Campus, 2290 14th Avenue (at Santiago St)
     
     Celebrate Earth Day and clean to the beat of KMEL! Meet District 7's Supervisor Sean Elsbernd! Breakfast and lunch provided. Bring your work gloves, cleaning tools and buckets, rakes and hoes. We will be organizing work parties for specific projects.
     
     Sponsored by the 6th grade - Class of 2010 in collaboration with SFPD GREAT Program. Send an email to Niki Gibbons if you are interested in helping: gibbonsn1 @at sfusd.edu
   ..SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD..
2. Performances and Activities:
   • San Francisco School of the Arts [SOTA]
     Vocal Music Department invites you to...
     Senior Showcase
     Friday, May 2, 7:30 PM
     Main Stage, San Francisco School of the Arts, 555 Portola at O'Shaughnessy
     Admission: $5.00 Students / $10.00 Adults
     
     The seniors bring a collection of solo and ensemble selections to the Main Stage, as a farewell concert. Music styles vary from classical to popular, from folk to the theatre. The seniors will even sing their favorite choral selections from their SOTA experience.
     
     Tickets, information, map and directions: www.sfsota-ptsa.org
   • Boswick the Clown
     Performance benefiting West Portal E.S.
     Friday, May 2 - 7:00pm
     West Portal E.S. Auditorium
     Admission: $5.00 Kids / $8.00 Adults
     
     All Proceeds to Benefit West Portal E.S.
   ..SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD..
   
   OR
   
3. If you'd prefer a different type of event [and you just received some extra $$$ from the I.R.S. or the Lottery], there's
   • New Traditions 2008 Carnival & Auction
     Saturday, May 3 11:00am-3:00pm
     2049 Grove Street [bet Clayton and Cole]
     Games, Food, Entertainment, Raffle, Prizes
     Hundreds of Auction Items, Great Deals
     on-line bids
     Proceeds benefit the Creative Arts Program.
     
   • James Lick FROLIC [Auction]
     Saturday, May 3 6:00–10:00pm
     Noe Valley Ministry
     1021 Sanchez Street (bet 23rd and Elizabeth)
     Admission: $15 in advance; $20 at the door
     
     For more information visit: www.jameslickptsa.org

Happy May, May Day, Cinco de Mayo!
Shellie Wiener
VP-Communications, SFPTA

Weekend event wrap-up

Another jam packed Saturday is upon us. Sorry for the late notice:

Hi, everyone:

The events are pouring in. Here's some suggestions for another perfect "Support Schools in the SFUSD and Their Students" week-end AND IT DOESN'T INVOLVE A MEETING!!!! -

1. If you're not planning to attend the PPSSF Annual meeting this morning, then treat your car to a car wash [and more] this Saturday [today] benefiting either:
   • Balboa HS - 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Location: KRAGEN Auto Supplies Store 1150 Ocean Avenue (by City College) Suggested Minimum Donation: $7 Benefits the activities of the Balboa Student Government.
   • James Lick MS - 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Garage Sale, Breakfast and Car Wash Location: 1220 Noe St (@ 25th Street) Breakfast is only $5 - Served 9am-11am Blowout garage sale - All Day 9am-4pm Car wash - Cars $5, SUV $8 - All Day 9am-4pm Help us send 103 sixth graders to visit the UFW center in the Central Valley. All proceeds go to support student scholarships.
   • Starr King ES - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm 3rd Annual Car Wash & BBQ Location: Wisconsin (bet 23rd & 25th) Prices - $10 Basic Wash, $15 Deluxe Wash Free BBQ with every wash! AND... There's also a bake sale - the proceed from which will support the cost of sending two Starr King 5th graders on a trip to Washington DC to attend a leadership program.
   ..SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD..
2. Then get in that shiny car & drive over (unless you can just walk over which is MUCH better) to see:
   
   SFUSD Elementary Music Festival 2008
   
   The Visual and Performing Arts Department of the San Francisco Unified School District is presenting our annual Elementary Music Festival Concert.
   
   This special concert will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, April 26th, 2008, in the Lincoln High School Auditorium located at 2162 24th Ave.
   
   Each year approximately 700 instrumental music students participate in the San Francisco Unified School District's Elementary Music Festival to represent the 7,000 instrumental music students from our 71 elementary schools. This performance will include musical selections played by violins, clarinets, trumpets, flutes, recorders and our Festival Choir.
   
   ..SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD..
   
   OR
3. If you'd prefer a different type of event [and money is burning a hole in your pocket], there's
   • Alice Fong Yu Spring Gala Satruday, April 26 6:00-11:00pm St. Anne's Church
   • Lafayette ES Silent Auction Saturday, April 26 6:30-10:30pm The Club House @ Lincoln Park Golf Course (34th Ave & Clement Street) $10 Cover Charge, Cash Bar, Killer Appetizers & Desserts - Adults Only
   and then there's the ON-LINE experience:
   • Leonard Flynn ES inaugural On-line Auction Closes Midnight, Sunday, April 27
     
     It’s simple to bid online:
     • Go to the Leonard Flynn auction site
   • If you are not already registered with eBay, you will need to do so. Click on the word REGISTER in the upper right.
   • Start bidding by clicking on the items you're interested – a typical e-bay window will open up.
   • To get back to the Flynn items, click on "View Seller’s other items" in the right side under "Meet the Seller"

Happy End-of-April!
Shellie Wiener
VP-Communications, SFPTA

Parents for Public Schools - SF Annual Meeting

The PPS-SF annual meeting takes place this Saturday, April 26th, 9:30-12:00 at PPS's new home in the Women's Building. If you're a member then you know all about it. If you are not, this is a great opportunity to find out about PPS and learn what they have accomplished in the past year. Best of all, the meeting will feature a town-hall meeting with Superintendent Carlos Garcia.

Hope to see you there!

Mary (Reviving Ophelia) Pipher to speak in SF

Mary Pipher, author of the iconic book "Reviving Ophelia," will speak on Monday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California St.

From the JCCSF publicity materials:

Mary Pipher became a cultural force in 1994 with the publication of Reviving Ophelia, the book that opened America's eyes to the psychological toll that adolescent girls face growing up in a country rife with sexual abuse, school violence and an overwhelming pressure to be thin.

Her next book, The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families, explores the loss of community in America that encourages people to develop their own family structures rather than rely on popular culture to do it for them, and urges them to be selective in the media they allow to enter their lives.

Tickets: $15 members, $20 public available at https://tickets.jccsf.org/public/hall.asp, or call 415/292-1233

High-end college fair coming our way

For ambitious super-achievers, five of the colleges that want your application in their inboxes are teaming up to offer a college presentation that looks rather exclusive. Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Penn (University of Pennsylvania) and Stanford have formed a project, if that's what you call it, called Exploring College Options, www.exploringcollegeoptions.org

Presentations in the Bay Area and Sacramento:

San Jose/Santa Clara
Monday, May 12, 7:30 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Santa Clara
5101 Great America Parkway
415/200-1234

Oakland/East Bay
Tuesday, May 13, 7:30 p.m.
Oakland Scottish Rite Center
1547 Lakeside Drive
510/451-1902

San Francisco
Wednesday, May 14, 7:30 p.m.
Hilton San Francisco
333 O'Farrell St.
415/771-1400

Sacramento
Thursday, May 15, 7:30 p.m.'
Doubletree Hotel Sacramento
2001 Point West Way
916/929-8855

The publicity material sounds like reservations are seriously required. Go to the website for more information and to RSVP.

Go wash your car, TODAY!

Then get out and have a nice weekend -- and support your schools!

Here's the scoop from the SFPTA with some ways to do that:

Hi, everyone:

This is my suggestion for the perfect "Support Schools in the SFUSD and Their Students" week-end AND IT DOESN'T INVOLVE A MEETING!!!! -

Treat your car for a car wash this Saturday benefiting either:

• Balboa HS - 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Location: KRAGEN Auto Supplies Store
1150 Ocean Avenue (by City College)
Suggested Minimum Donation: $5

• Buena Vista ES - 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Location: 2641 25th Street (off San Bruno
Ave)
Suggested Minimum Donation: $5

• James Lick MS - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Location: 1220 Noe St (@ 25th Street)
Suggested Donation: $5-$20

..SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD..

Then get in that shiny car & drive over
(unless you can just walk over which is MUCH
better) to see one of these great performances:

• Les Miserables

at Lowell High School's Carol Channing Theater
1101 Eucalyptus Drive (off Forest View Drive)
April 10, 11, 12 at 7:30 pm
April 13 at 2:00 pm
Tickets - $10 at the door

• Little Shop of Horrors

at George Washington High School Auditorium
600 32nd Avenue (enter at 30th & Anza)
April 11 at 8:00 pm
April 12 at 2:00 pm
April 17 at 7:00 pm
April 18 at 8:00 pm
Tickets - $10 General Admission
$ 7 Students/Seniors

..SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD...SFUSD..

or,
If you'd prefer a different type of event [and money is burning a hole in your pocket], there's

• Alamo ES Silent Auction & Gala "A Green Theme"

Friday, April 11 6:00-10:00pm
Location: Hall of Flowers, GGP at 9th Street

• Lakeshore ES Auction & Wine Tasting Gala

Saturday, April 12 6:00-10:00pm
Location: Janet Pomeroy Center [behind SF Zoo]

• Sherman ES Silent Auction "A Taste of San Francisco!"

Saturday, April 12 5:30-9:00pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Club
[150 Greenwich St by Battery]

Whatever you decide to do - have a lovely week-end.

Shellie Wiener
VP-Communications, SFPTA

Thanks Shellie! I second that motion: have a nice day.