Newsletter August 13, 2025

Dear SFUSD Families, Educators, and Public School Champions,

With the first day of school less than a week away, we at SF Parent Coalition want to extend a warm welcome to new SFUSD families and educators and a warm welcome back to those returning to our schools. We’re excited to kick off the 2025-26 school year with you!

Our district continues to face some challenges, but we are starting this school year feeling hopeful. SFUSD has passed a balanced budget for the first time in years, which is an important step towards improving our financial outlook. We’re cautiously optimistic that SFUSD will continue to take the necessary steps to achieve long-term solvency, so that we can all spend less time thinking about the budget and more time focusing on student learning. Speaking of student learning, this is also the first time in years that students in K-8 will be starting the year with highly rated district-wide curricula in both math and English Language Arts. Last year, the district rolled out new ELA curricula, and this fall, they are launching a new high-quality math curriculum. Replacing our previous patchwork of mediocre curriculum has been a top priority for SF Parents for years, and we are thrilled to see our (your!) advocacy pay off. This is a huge win – and the work is not yet done. In order to see results for our kids, SFUSD needs to provide ongoing support for teachers and regularly monitor and report outcomes. We’ll continue to keep an eye on this and to advocate for the district to keep its focus here.  As our organization celebrates its fifth (!) anniversary, we’re reflecting on how much we’ve grown – from just a handful of parents connecting on Facebook to over 10,000 email subscribers – and how much we’re still learning. One thing we’re clear on is that we exist to support you and make sure your voice is heard. We are here for you, whether you are just joining us or have been part of this work for years.  On this last week of summer, we wish you a positive start to the new school year, and we look forward to connecting with you during the year. In community, Jennie Herriot-Hatfield Board Chair, SF Parents Coalition

Dear SFUSD Families, Educators, and Public School Champions, With the first day of school less than a week away, we at SF Parent Coalition want to extend a warm welcome to new SFUSD families and educators and a warm welcome back to those returning to our schools. We’re excited to kick off the 2025-26 school year with you!

With the first day of school right around the corner, SF Parents is sharing some resources that will help your family start the year off on the right foot. SFUSD’s Curriculum Guides for K-8 Families Elementary English Language Arts Middle School English Language Arts Elementary School Mathematics Middle School Mathematics  SF Parents’ Updated Back-to-School Guide For families new to the district, check out our back to school Guide for New Families. This parent-created resource covers everything from what to expect in your first weeks, to understanding district communications, getting involved at your school, and finding helpful community resources.

Join us for the 8/26 School Board Meeting & Parents’ Night Out Join SF Parents Coalition for our first Parents’ Night Out of the school year on Tuesday, August 26, from 7:00–9:00 PM at Anina (482 Hayes St.).Before we gather to reconnect and catch up, we’re inviting parents to meet us at 6:30 PM for public comment at the SFUSD Board of Education meeting at 555 Franklin St., 1st Floor. We’re aiming for a strong parent presence to share our priorities for the year and to show the board that families are paying attention. After public comment, we’ll walk over to Anina together. Let us know if you can join us by RSVPing here—and if you’re not sure yet, just show up. We’d love to see you there.

Join Us for Our First Community Meeting of the School Year – Sept. 11 Join us for our first community meeting of the school year on September 11th from 12-1 PM via Zoom. We’re excited to kick off the new academic year with special guests from the SFUSD Curriculum & Instruction team, who will share insights into what families can expect in their children’s classrooms this year. Additionally, we’ll outline SF Parents’ key priorities for the year ahead—shaped directly by your valuable feedback and input, and discuss our updated advocacy agenda with the District. This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow parents, stay informed about district developments, and help shape our collective voice for San Francisco students and families. As always, our community meetings are great opportunities to learn more about what’s going on at SFUSD and how you can make your parent voice, ideas, and concerns heard. RSVP here today, then grab the Zoom link and add it to your calendar.

Update your information with SF Parents Coalition Have you changed schools, emails, or want to hear more about specific issues you care about? Take a minute to update your contact info so we can keep you looped in on the work happening in your school community and citywide. Click here to update your info! It only takes 3 minutes and helps us keep our parent network strong, local, and connected.

Don’t forget to check out the Our 415 Program, led by the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families (DCYF). Our415 is your source for everything San Francisco has for young people and families. It’s your one-stop-shop for programs and resources from the City and County of San Francisco and its nonprofit partners. For more information, visit the Our 415 website at www.our415.org.

As always, let us know if you have any questions. We’re here to inform, engage and connect families across SFUSD, to ensure thriving, equitable schools for SFUSD students.  In community, Nichole Gangitano on behalf of SF Parents Coalition