CONNECT: SLUSD UPDATE May, 2020 • Volume 5, Issue 6 Español 中文

SLUSD GRADUATE PROFILE IN ACTION, EVEN VIRTUALLY Our current world has added an urgent relevance to the essential skills we identified in our SLUSD Graduate Profile. Despite the physical distance, we continue to make teaching and learning connections that build these critical components for lifelong success. Here are some examples from our virtual classrooms:

Critical Thinkers: Our students are actively developing cognitive tools to identify underlying factors that contribute to real-world problems. SLUSD students learn to ANTICIPATE, PERSEVERE & REFLECT on their learning. By remaining OPEN & CURIOUS they can see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. They are becoming FLEXIBLE & CREATIVE learners in a variety of new environments. The San Leandro High School leadership class is conducting their officer elections for the 2020-21 school year completely online, including candidate platform videos and voting! See their speeches here!

Communicators & Collaborators: These core competencies require that students LISTEN and seek to understand multiple perspectives. They are learning to DELIVER INFORMATION EFFECTIVELY and COLLABORATE through a variety of mediums with confidence and fluency. Check out this video from one of our Bilingual Kindergarten virtual classrooms at Wilson Elementary.

Ethical & Cultural Leaders: With 38 languages spoken in our schools, building strong cultural connections strengthens our ability to connect every member of our society. Our students ACT WITH INTEGRITY & RESPECT by grounding their actions in compassion and with a strong sense of history. Our Social Justice Academy at San Leandro High School continues their activism with prominent local Bay Area policy directors and organizers to address societal inequities through Zoom calls and presentations.

Healthy Mind and Body: We want all students to PURSUE A PASSIONATE, JOYFUL, AND VIBRANT LIFE with confidence in their intellectual, physical, and emotional well-being. The Peer Advocates Program at Bancroft Middle School creates videos for the daily announcements to keep connected. Check out these words of wisdom!

GRADING DURING EMERGENCY DISTANCE LEARNING We know that stress related to COVID-19 will negatively impact student academic performance. Additionally, academic performance during this time is more likely to reflect economic and resource disparities. Teachers and students were also asked to engage in emergency distance learning without formal preparation of carefully tailored instruction that would allow for accurate assessment. Knowing that our students wellbeing and safety comes before grades, our secondary students will be receiving either a Pass or Incomplete for their second semester grades. Any student who receives an incomplete with have six weeks after our school buildings reopen to complete the work and receive a pass on their coursework. Our elementary students and families will receive individualized check-ins between May 26 and June 4 to summarize progress throughout the year, including the transition into emergency distance learning activities. This equity-based online grading policy was highlighted recently by KQED as a way to insure that a student's grade makes learning meaningful without reflecting the challenges they face during a global pandemic. Read more about the work here.

VIRTUAL END OF YEAR CELEBRATIONS Much to everyone's disappointment, our end-of-year graduations and promotions will not be able to happen in-person. However, we have partnered with Herff Jones, a nationwide company that organizes high-quality virtual graduations and school promotions for our secondary schools. These livecast events will feature speakers, graduate video clips, and other types of personalized content for each of our graduates. The community can visit each school's website to view the event on the dates and times below: San Leandro Adult School - June 1 at 5:00 pm Bancroft Middle School - June 2 at 2 pm Lincoln Alternative Education Center - June 2 at 5:30 pm John Muir Middle School - June 3 at 2 pm San Leandro High School - June 4 at 5:30 pm Our elementary school 5th grade promotions will also be virtual celebrations, but each school will be creating the content. Stay tuned for more information from the 5th grade teams. Look for information from your school’s principal for more details on possible viewing parties being organized for each school. We are also proud to provide lawn/window signs to our graduates' families to show their pride for this very significant accomplishment. Congratulations to all of our scholars!

DON’T FORGET THE 2020 CENSUS & OUR FREE MEALS It’s quick and easy. It’s safe and secure. Most importantly, it’s not too late! The results of the 2020 Census will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities every year for the next decade. Help shape the future by taking the 2020 Census here. And don’t forget, SLUSD is providing free meals for children 18 and under. We are serving over 25,000 meals per week from our three service locations. We serve on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11-12 pm at the following locations: San Leandro High School - 2200 Bancroft Avenue John Muir Middle School - 1444 Williams Street Monroe Elementary School - 3750 Monterey Boulevard

CHROMEBOOKS AND HOTSPOTS IN SAN LEANDRO SLUSD has checked out over 4,000 Chromebooks and continues to offer devices to any student who needs one. Please contact your school’s principal to arrange a pickup.  Did you know, the City of San Leandro has free WiFi spots? Click HERE for a map of the locations.

The award-winning school district in your backyard is enrolling all online! Students new to SLUSD can start the enrollment process HERE . We are now offering phone appointments for assistance with the enrollment process, or you can make an appointment to attend one of our enrollment fairs on June 9 or 11.

Jefferson Elementary’s modular buildings are moving along quickly.

New landscaping at John Muir Middle School is underway.

Roosevelt Elementary modular building installation is well ahead of schedule.

McKinley Elementary is really taking shape fast!

Garfield Elementary’s modular building is complete!

Madison Elementary’s new classroom building includes a new library, STEAM lab, and Maker Space.

Wilson Elementary’s modular building is also complete!

Our current school facility closure has allowed our construction teams to start on all building projects much earlier than anticipated, which is changing the look of many of our school sites! Teachers will soon be moving into brand new modular classrooms at Garfield, Wilson, and Madison Elementary, thanks to San Leandro voter support. Stay up-to-date on these and other facilities improvements by visiting our Measure J1 Bond website .

DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION (DLI) PROGRAM NOW OPEN AT JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY DLI programs are specialized biliteracy pathways that provide unique opportunities to critically think, read, write and collaborate in both English and Spanish. DLI integrates English speaking students with native Spanish speaking students to achieve academically in both languages. By 5th grade, students will communicate bilingually in diverse teams and complex settings. This program will fill up fast, so sign up today HERE !

APPRECIATION FOR MEASURE N SUCCESS Measure N passed with 63.91% approval! In a difficult election cycle for school measures statewide, Measure N Campaign Chairperson, and former San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy highlighted causal factors behind Measure N’s success. “San Leandro is a model for California on how local elected officials, parents, teachers and students can come together, and with the support of voters, take ownership over the condition of their public schools,” said Cassidy, “ I deeply thank the members of the Yes on N steering committee for their hard work and dedication and all who volunteered on the campaign.” School Board President Peter Oshinski echoed Cassidy’s gratitude for the strong community support shown for Measure N. “With extremely inadequate state funding for public education, we are incredibly proud of the collective efforts we have put forth to improve the quality of education here in San Leandro,” said Oshinksi, “To know that our community is aligned with our goals makes the work particularly rewarding.” A combination of essential renovation projects and needed new construction will be addressed with funds from Measure N. A full, site-specific project projection with a completed Measure J1 bond project comparison can be accessed on our website here .

VIRTUAL SMILES FROM AROUND THE DISTRICT Such love and support from all corners of this community!

Madison Elementary Mustangs show their love during Teacher Appreciation Week!

McKinley Elementary staff send a message of positivity and hope to their Eagles!

Roosevelt Elementary staff show that Hornets stay strong and swarm with love.

Wilson Elementary staff are keeping those Dolphins swimming through the storm.

Important District Dates to Note: May 18 to 22 - Classified Employees Appreciation Week May 25 - Memorial Day (NO SCHOOL) May 26 to 29 - Management Employees Appreciation Week San Leandro Adult School Graduation - June 1 at 5:00 pm Bancroft Middle School 8th Grade Promotion - June 2 at 2 pm Lincoln Alternative Education Center Graduation - June 2 at 5:30 pm John Muir Middle School 8th Grade Promotion - June 3 at 2 pm San Leandro High School Graduation - June 4 at 5:30 pm June 4 - Last day of instruction

For a list of all SLUSD locations, click here .

San Leandro Unified School District | communications@slusd.us | www.slusd.us

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