AAPAC Updates
September 2021
Greetings African American Families, AAPAC Members, and Valued Partners,
We are almost one full month into the academic school year and from what we are experiencing as parents and hearing from many of you, it has been a mixed bag of EVERYTHING! Overall, there is deep gratitude for the opportunity to have our children be back in the classroom connecting with their peers and learning in-person from their teachers. We have also heard about the many COVID-19 scares and concerns about the social and emotional well-being of our children.
Keeping all of that in mind, AAPAC's Leadership Team met for our Annual Planning Retreat and decided that our focus for the 2021-22 school year will be Black Resilience and Accountability. We are going to celebrate, uplift, and call out the incredible and innate resilience of Black families and students and also provide resources to help one another sustain. Additionally, we are going to do a better job of holding decision-makers and leaders accountable for the outcomes and promises made to students and families. Stay tuned to learn more about how we plan to roll all of this out.
The Dream Keeper Initiative is a citywide effort to reinvest $120 million over the next two years from law enforcement into San Francisco’s Black and African American community. The initial funding received in July of 2021 served as a validation of our ongoing efforts and will go to sustain the work of the District AAPAC, expand our reach, help develop and sustain site-based affinity spaces, and support the growth of Black Family Leadership throughout San Francisco.
This year, we applied for additional funding under the DreamKeeperSF's Brighter Futures Grant. While we are still working with the SF Human Rights Commission on the distribution of those funds and our plan to use them, it is our hope that we will build out Black Family Leadership by telling our leadership journeys, hiring additional staff to uplift the work of our site based AAPACs, providing stipended opportunities to build the capacity of leaders and developing materials that support authentic partnerships with Black families.
We invite you to stay up to date and engaged with the ongoings of AAPAC via our monthly communications, by attending monthly 3rd Thursday of the month meetings, joining us in the community or virtual spaces, or becoming a parent leader within our organization.
As always, we invite you to reach out with any questions, concerns, or shareable information by contacting us at aapac@sfusd.edu or visiting our soon to be updated website at sfusd.edu/aapac. Please also follow us on Facebook.
Please check out the opportunities, resources and information below from AAPAC, SFUSD and our community partners.
In Unity,
The African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC)
AAPAC Updates
Upcoming AAPAC Monthly Meeting
On Thursday, September 16, 2021, at 5:30pm please join the virtual "Black to School" Town Hall hosted by the African American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC) in collaboration with the African American Achievement and Leadership Initiative (AAALI) and leaders from various departments in SFUSD.
We are aiming to create a space for dialogue between families and SFUSD in hopes of uplifting your successes, concerns, and/or questions for the start of the year.
Please continue to register and share questions you would like addressed by completing this linked form. The Zoom link for the Town Hall and follow-up information will be shared shortly after.
Previous AAPAC Meeting/Virtual Activity
Members of the AAPAC joined a conversation regarding the return to in-person learning via the Both Sides of the Conversation (BSOTC) virtual platform on Sunday, August 8th. To watch the recording visit the BSOTC YouTube page.
AAPAC is a parent-led organization. While every parent of a Black child in SFUSD is automatically considered a member, we have a small group of parents who lead and act on our behalf. We are growing the team and invite you to inquire about what it takes. If you are a parent of a Black child with time, commitment, and skills that you are willing to use in support of Black student success...you might be who are looking for.
Email us at aapac@sfusd.edu for more information about our upcoming New Leader Mixer on Sunday, September 12th.
SFUSD Updates
Staying Up to Date/More SFUSD Updates and Resources:
Every Thursday, families who have included their email addresses in ParentVUE will receive the Family Announcement Bulletin (FAB), an email summary of all public website announcements posted in the past week. Learn how to update your contact information in ParentVUE. Interested community members can also sign up to receive FAB.
Board of Education Meetings
Unless otherwise noticed, meetings are held every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at 4pm and are open to the public. To tune in, visit the BOE Webpage the day of and follow login instructions. Agendas are posted the Friday prior to each meeting. The next regular meeting will be on September 14th at 5pm.
To Make Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items (for regular board meetings only):
The Board President will introduce the allotted period of time for Public Comments, organized the comments, and staff indicates who will be speaking next.
To comment by video conference, click on the Participants button at the bottom of your screen and select the “Raise Your Hand” button to request to speak when Public Comment is being asked for. When called upon, you will be unmuted. After the allotted time, you will then be re-muted.
To comment by phone, you will be prompted to “Raise Your Hand” by pressing “*9” to request to speak when Public Comment is asked for. When called upon, you will be unmuted.
Covid-19 Vaccines and Testing
Anyone 12 years or older is eligible to get vaccinated. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine FAQs and vaccine resources for anyone under 18 years old. SFUSD is requiring all staff to be fully vaccinated or be tested weekly starting September 7, 2021.
For more information click the link for vaccines, testing, or daily health screening protocols.
Community Partner Updates
AAPAC encourages you to stay connected to community resources as well. Please visit the websites listed below for more information on activities and opportunities throughout San Francisco. The link to each organization is in the title.
Resource on Tenant Rights and Rent Debt Assistance via SFUSD's Family Bulletin
Do you owe back rent? Trouble paying next month’s rent? Help is available.
Get information about your tenant rights and access assistance in San Francisco through the following:
- Text “Rent” to 1888-732-3215 or sign up at bit.ly/rent-SFADC for rent relief and eviction protection updates, and/or
- Visit the San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition (ADC) website, where you can find information about your tenant rights and access assistance in San Francisco
- Find a tenant rights group to schedule an appointment.
Rent debt relief funds are limited and may run out. The eviction ban in San Francisco will expire on September 30. Families are encouraged to apply for relief programs as soon as possible.
CA COVID-19 Rent Relief will help income-eligible households pay rent and utilities, both for past due and future payments. The federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 provides funding to support the program and tenant (renter) protection laws. For additional information, to find a Local Partner Network organization near you, or for eligibility and application help, call CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Call Center at 833-430-2122. The application can be found by click the link in the tile.
COVID-19 Resources for the Black Community
Looking for local resources in your community by Black-led Organizations? Browse Covid-19 Black's directory of San Francisco Bay Area Agencies.
Rafiki's goal is to improve people’s lives by reversing the history of health inequalities that affect the Black community and other under-served groups in San Francisco. Rafiki provides a safe, supportive environment where people can find a path to wellness by understanding their health issues, becoming more physically active, and eating a healthy diet. Rafiki is also spearheading covid vaccine and testings sites as well as free food giveaways.
Mo’ MAGIC is a collaborative, San Francisco neighborhood-based, nonprofit organization whose mission is to transform the community and youth through the MAGIC of collaboration.
a comprehensive program for K-12th graders that provides after-school and summer programming that focuses on literacy, STEAM, and sports activities. Also included in the Magic Zone program is our workforce development and job readiness services through the Community Safety Initiative and partnership with Mayor London Breed's Opportunities for All initiative.
BMAGIC is a network of San Francisco neighborhood-based nonprofit organizations whose mission is to facilitate, coordinate and develop community resources and opportunities that support service providers and community members in Bayview Hunters Point (BVHP).
MegaBlack SF is a collective of Black-led organizations and Black individuals fighting for visibility, sovereignty, dignity, and justice for Black San Franciscans. For more information on MegaBlack SF or to be added to their newsletter check out their site.
Check out Mayor Breed's Press Release on the Dream Keeper Initiative (the reinvestment of $120 million in San Francisco’s African-American community over the next two years)
Our neighboring YMCAs offer a variety of resources and opportunities that are free or low-cost to the community. The YMCA offers wellness groups, fitness classes, academic support, and more for the entire family.
Community Advisory Committee for Special Education (CAC)
The purpose of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for Special Education is to advocate for effective Special Education programs and services, and advise the Board of Education on priorities in the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). CAC meets every 4th Thursday of the month. Visit their linked site for more information.
Coleman currently focuses on building more effective, equitable, and supportive public schools in San Francisco and beyond. Their primary focus is fighting to advance rights, safety, and full inclusion of low-income people of color. Be sure to check out the Equity Framework for Reopening Schools on their webpage.
Grounded in the community schools model/framework, Beacon Centers are committed to a cohesive, comprehensive, and collaborative approach that creates pathways to lifelong learning and transformative experiences for youth and the adults who support them through advocacy, leadership, networking, and program support.
Help a child in foster care stay in the city. Click on the above link to learn more about fostering, adopting, hosting or mentoring. For current foster parents, learn your rights.
The African American Parent Advisory Council, SF (AAPAC)
Email: aapac@sfusd.edu
Website: sfusd.edu/aapac
Location: 1551 Newcomb Avenue, Rm. 101 San Francisco, CA, USA
Phone: (415)241-6121
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aapacsf
