Back to School - San Francisco Public Press

Education

Educators Excited, Exhausted, as School Resumes in Person

08.23.2021

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

Distance learning and hybrid schedules were taking their toll on students, teachers and parents. Now, nearly everyone is back, though school looks a little different with pandemic precautions like universal indoor masking in place. School social worker Yajaira Cuapio and kindergarten teacher Cathy Sullivan shared their experiences with the return to classrooms.

Education

City Attorney to SF School District: Show Us Reopening Plan Details

05.06.2021

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

After more than a year of online learning, certain groups of students and staff at some San Francisco schools began meeting in person in mid-April. For tens of thousands of students, distance learning continues. The school board and district intend to give every student the option of coming back full time in the fall. But the lawsuit that City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed against the district and board in February to compel them to reopen schools promptly is ongoing even as more students return to campuses. Sara Eisenberg, a deputy city attorney and chief of strategic advocacy in the city attorney’s office, said on “Civic” that the city attorney’s office is continuing the case to ensure that the district actually follows through on its promise.

Education

Signs at a side entrance to Mission High School outline coronavirus safety guidelines for students.

SF School District Charts Paths to Reopening

05.04.2021

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

Some students in the San Francisco Unified School District are back in classrooms — as of April 26, a district statement indicated more than 19,000 children had returned to campuses. But there are tens of thousands more students in the district. The Board of Education has resolved to give all students the option to return to in-person instruction in the fall. Gentle Blythe, deputy superintendent of strategic partnerships and communications with the district, discussed with “Civic” the impacts of distance learning and next steps for reopening schools. One factor is whether requirements for distance between students in the classroom remain in place, which Blythe said is the biggest limiting factor for classroom capacity.

“We’re planning for a few different scenarios.

Education

Preventing Community Spread of COVID-19 Crucial in Return to Schools, Union Leader Says

03.26.2021

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

“We had to look at community spread,” said Susan Solomon, president of the United Educators of San Francisco. “That was very important to us, that we not just protect ourselves, but protect our communities as well.”

Education

Teachers Brace for Hybrid School Reopening, Flag Equity Concerns

03.18.2021

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

Three educators — school social worker Yajaira Cuapio, special education teacher Megan Coluza and kindergarten teacher Cathy Sullivan — weighed in on the new school schedule and talked with “Civic” about the impacts of school closures on them and the families they work with.

Education

Parents: School Closures Have Harmed Student Mental Health, Worsened Inequities

03.08.2021

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

San Francisco public schools remain closed and students are still distance learning. Three parents of children in the district told “Civic” how they would like schools to reopen. José-Luis Tekun Mejia, Alicia Cruz and Jennifer Sey also expressed concern about the toll that being out of school for nearly a year has been taking on young people and parents alike.

Education

High School Students Weigh In on Distance Learning, School Reopening

03.03.2021

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

As part of a series of discussions on “Civic” about school reopening and distance learning, high school juniors Alan Terrones, at Gateway High, Adrianna Zhang, at Lowell High and William Axelrod, at Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, share their experiences and perspectives.

Education

Parents Navigate SF School System With No Reopening Date Set

01.13.2021

By Laura Wenus, Reporter & Host for "Civic"

Schools in San Francisco shut in March of 2020, and at the time, officials announced a three-week closure. Nearly 10 months later, the city has not set an official date for reopening them. As of December, the school district and unions couldn’t come to an agreement about what safety measures would be sufficient for reopening. Distance learning has been difficult for students, parents and teachers.