Dear SFUSD Families,

We wrapped up October with some Halloween activities at our schools, where I got to join several events across the district to see the creativity displayed by our students and staff with their costumes. It’s important to take advantage of these moments of joy in our school communities. 

Whereas October ended with some fun, the start of November reinforced the urgency with which we need to address our EMPowerSF issues. I have been focusing on our payroll issues from my first day as superintendent and taken measures to try to resolve them. However, it has become clear our efforts have to this point fallen woefully short, in spite of the tireless work of our dedicated district staff. That’s why, this week, I declared a state of emergency to implement extraordinary corrective actions and bring meaningful resources to fix EMPowerSF. You have my assurance, and the assurance of SFUSD, that these problems are my number one priority and will be rectified.

While our payroll challenges can feel overwhelming, I do want to lift up the many bright spots in our schools. 

We recently had a ribbon cutting ceremony at Marina Middle School for their new cafeteria. While there, I had a chance to speak to students about the new space and menu. They were excited that students had helped design the cafeteria and said the food is so much better. Of course, their favorite item was still pizza! Please keep reading this newsletter to learn more about the new cafeteria. 

November is also the time of year when we give thanks, so I want to end by letting you know how much you are appreciated for your ongoing partnership. I hope that you are able to find some time for rest during fall break. 

Warmly,

Dr. Matt Wayne

SFUSD Superintendent