And understand that our program that our our program, and that the next time that you have a plan, that you take into consideration who we are and what our needs as a community because we are community completely different in many ways. All we want is to contribute so this state has students that are proficient. Thank you, and may god bless you all. [applause]. [ speaking Spanish Language ] [ speaking through the interpreter ] [applause] hello. My name is eucin portillo, and im in second grade at mec. While i think its that kids could come from other countries and feel uncomfortable because kids laugh at them because they dont know the language. When i first went to mec, i was afraid because i wouldnt have a lot of friends, but when i entered, i had a lot of kids talking to me. I also thought the teachers would not be kind or polite, but as the days went by, i saw they were very kind, and every day, when they came by my side, they would greet me, things that made me remember of my country, because when i was starting school, the teachers would always greet us at the entrance. Thats why i think this program is very good for the kids that are newly arrived because it prepares them for the other schools to learn english, and it can teach them for when they are older. And another part of this school also teaches the parents and gives them the space they need to also adapt themselves. My mother participates a lot. She comes to hear the conversations and the workshops and to learn, and that makes me feel very happy because some things that my mom learns in school, she teaches us, and we learn together. Please have that in consideration that this program is different, unique, and special. Thank you. [applause] [ speaking Spanish Language ] [ speaking through the interpreter ] [applause] hi. My name is merding. Im 11 years old, and im a fifth Grade Student at mec. I love that school because they talk to us in spanish and at the same time they teach us english. Im worried because all that ive been told next year they are planning to put another School Inside ours. Im worried when all those new kids from all overall these countries come to the United States, there will be no longer space for them and they will be taken to other schools where they will be sad because they will not understand english, and i want them to have the same opportunities that i had, to adapt to this country. I am worried that in other schools, these kids might not find the motivation to go to school. In emc, they teach us words, and they give us tools that are going to be useful for us to go to another school and be prepared. Here. We have a space that is adequate, and the classes are fun. Besides, if these kids would come, it might be that some of them will be subject, not all of them, might be subject to bullying amongst them. In this program this program is very special. I would like for all of the kids to have the same opportunity. Please, i would like you to listen to my petition, which is in the name on behalf of all the kids at mec because this is a unique, special program, with a structure and values that are very different. Plus, our teachers love us. They support us. They value us, and they understand us. Thank you. [ please stand by ]. Good evening, commissioners, and deputy superintendent lee. First, we want to thank you for your positive comments regarding black History Month. We also want to acknowledge that this is something we want taught 365 days in this school, and this is something that were going to continually ask for. We also acknowledge that there are many schools who are not celebrating black History Month at all, and this is something that deeply saddens us because our children need to fully understand their history, understand where they came from, in order to know where they came from. In 1926, negro history was commenced launched by the study of Negro Alliance and history. It was intended to encourage coordinated teaching of black history among Public School systems. In 1969, the black United States at Penn State University in ohio proposed expanding the celebration to a month. The university agreed to do so the following year. With support from president gerald ford, the president officially recognized black History Month, along with the bicentennial celebration. This is something that has been historically important, and it has not changed today, and so we ask that the board stand behind apaac and continue to support all of our school sites to celebrate black History Month. If we want to really get in and interrupt this system thats plaguing our children, where theyre not performing, let them celebrate where they came from and let them make the Great Strides that they continue to make. Let them see that they came from kings and queens, and not just slaves, and theyll begin to see the positive changes that they will continue to make. Thank you. Good evening. Board president , board commissioners, my name is Betty Robinson harris, and im the proud early educator in this district for over about 30 years. About 30 years. As we celebrate our programs 75th year this year, i can say that we have one of the best programs in the nation. Being president on state committees and nationwide committees, i can attest to that, but theres always room for improvement, and im here tonight wearing multiple hats. Im here wearing the hat of the Early Education committee that represents the students and parents and teachers and early educators. Im also here as a Child Development teacher, im living and im practicing working with Young Children every day. Im here today to share some concerns. Pooley park is being renovated as we speak. Im here speaking about the move that go he happening a move thats happening and the fact that we have been asked to move three different times. I currently recently moved out of the Main Building. Im being asked to move to a temporary site this summer and back into the Main Building again. Three separate moves. I was told by the project manager this week that they would only reimburse us for seven hours. They indicated that that was negotiated. They also said that they had no idea what was going on in terms of why the pay wasnt paid. I personally packed 100 boxes out of my classroom, and im not finished. Im going to make it quick cause im not sure about my two minutes or not. Sk thats it. It is . Yes. Okay. Thank you. Im going to call up virginia marshall, melissa nufuly, jessica quansinots, monica choi, and monica oversight. [ please stand by ] i couldnt help from commenting following the testimony from the parents and the few students from m. E. C. , we are living in a time attack that comes right about education is their bottom line so on the one hand we have a president who is still pursuing his racist plans to build walls and keep out our immigrant students and their families and m. E. C. Is one of the schools that has a unique history and the comments here tonight spoke to that. If there is a dip in enrollment, i cant help think its not a connection to national policy, which we are, which the district itself has taken a strong stand into and protecting our values here. And to move in a child to this special space is unacceptable. There has to be another solution. Theres nothing more immigrant theres vulnerable students. There has to be a better way. Thank you, very much, and well be following up. My name is Julie Roberts and i would press appreciation for the African American families at our School Across the district who have been encouraging our schools to teach African AmericanHistory Month this month. They will survey schools to understand the baseline. My children are asian and white. Its important they understand and learn black history. Black history is american history. When we fail to teach black and other histories that is a key building block. I appreciate the work that families are doing. It also has started important conversations at our schools where its open to conversations about race and what histories we are teaching. One of the things that we realised is theres an interest in making sure that were teaching all of the history of the diverse students in our schools. The reality is we have a policy of inclusive and ethnic studies within our district. But we havent actually, in my opinion, resourced it and created the structure to make sure that thats actually happening in classrooms. So in the same way we provide professional development and planning time for classes its urgent we provide the same support for teachers and the school staff to be able to do that work and carry out these policies into the classroom. The reality is that very few of us were taught anything other than a white washed version of history in our own schooling so its unrealistic to think without additional preparation, anything different than that would continue in our classrooms. As we think of planning and budgeting i would love to us to see how we can fully resource that. So again, i appreciate black families that are doing this work. I hope the district will also take on the support of implementing it and i want to support the families from m. A. C. And point out the Charter School being asked to work with them service less english language learners and is displacing 100 english language learners so i would like to ask we not do that. Thank you. Hi, good evening. My name is melissa. And i am a parent from rooftop elementary. My daughter is 7yearsold. She suffers from a form of epilepsies. She had brain surgery for this little over a year ago. She was at rooftop. She has a pair professional and im here tonight to speak with concerns over her professional consolidation and the allocation process with the district. My daughters professional is amazing. If it werent for sure, there are days when i feel that my daughter wouldnt even be able to stay in the classroom. Theres cognitive issues but also trauma as a result of all the medical intervention shes had. Shes just terrified. Im very concerned to have lost pair professionals from roof tops. This academic year. Im concerned about the policy of allocation based on just a number and not on the number of children who have i. E. P. S and even though thats a federally protected status for our students to have equal access to education. I am just expressing my concern about that and asking you to reconsider that decisionmaking Going Forward. Thank you. Hi, im also from rooftop. You will hear more stories about this as well but i think i have two simple asks. One is to reexamine the formula that was put together for how you staff pairs. I look at r. S. P. Staffing. And really the impact of this is that pair and r. R. S. S are two distinct support services and school sites, not just rooftop, are struggling to provide varying levels of pair support. Theyre linking the number in every pair side to the number of r. S. P. Based on peoples i. S. P. S. I think since s. F. U. Is a driven district i ask the board request an official state of inclusion report that includes aggregate school sites. That includes special academic instruction hours, pair hours, number of r. S. P. And school sites and cohorts. As well as the percent of staff with emergency credentials. These are hard positions to fill and there are a number of first year people in there with emergency credentials and boy thats a hard job. They do their best but its clear that retention of people especially is really important. They can make a huge difference in educational access for kids with special needs. And ideally we can make this information public and something thats updated quarterly or by yearly so we can track and see how this is going through the district. With that ill bow out. Thanks. To commissioner cook, Vice President , someone said the Public Education is best when we see our students sitting here at roundtable. To all the other board commissioners, to dr. Vincent matthews, student delegates, lydia blank and susan all the members at uesf. To our beloved esther, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, im ver require marshall Vice President of the San Francisco of black school educators. What is the news. I have some good news to share. Where should we all be one week from today. Its called call and response. We should be where . Saint marys cathedral for our African American honour roll celebration. We have 1200 students. Well celebrate 1400 students of African American dissent. I got you to ring the belfour that. Who have earned a 3. 0g. P. A. Or higher from grades 312 and our elementary, middle and schools. We want to thank this board for rearranging your schedules. We normally have this on a wednesday or thursday but could not get the facility as we have done in the past. We thank you in advance for coming out to support your students, our students. We know that one day, theyll be some sitting in the seats where you are now. And we also always want to thank dr. Morisi for helping us with sponsors and we ask you to look in your little black books or your ipads and iphones, and help us with sponsors. We must raise more than 15,000 to put fourth these events and so were working hard for that. We cannot ever forget the district for your support. On particularly the third floor and kevin and his staff and don of publishing and reproduction. I want to say thank you, have a booklet. This is last years booklet. Its a masterpiece done by a retired business teacher. So again were working on this now as we speak. Please come. Bring your families and friends. And we need donations if you ar. If you want to give a donation, ill take your taxdeductible checks made out the San Francisco lions black educators. Thank you all. What was your name . Good evening, board of education. Commissioners and superintendent. My name is erik is choi and im a parent with the rooftop. Im here with rooftop parents because theres a shortage of pair professionals supporting our special education students. We need you to address this urgently. The special education students are being consolidated into classes and we feel that this is the segregation and it is illegal and its a violation of this individual or the individual disability act. This practice is shocking. Questions terring the students with disabilities is wrong. I have a child at rooftop that had a 504 floor plan. This is close to me. I urge you to please use your leadership to help our school to get at least one more pair professional at our school. Thank you. Thank you. That concludes Public Comments on general. What was your name. Ta harry reynolds. I call taharry renalds. Jessica. If you are here please make your way to the front. Go ahead. My name is taharry renalds and im with San Francisco kids versus big tobacco, which say coalition of doctors, parents, Health Organizations and Community Groups working to protect our children and youth from the addictions of candyflavored tobacco. On the june 18th ballot, the residents of San Francisco will vote to up hold the trail blazing an unanimous decision of the board of supervisors to restrict the sales of candy flavored Tobacco Products in the city. The research and evidence is clear flavored Tobacco Products have a adverse impact on publichealth. Money is power and the Tobacco Industry has a lot of it. We are asking all bay area elected officials to stand with us and reject tobacco money. On february 20th at 10 00 a. M. On city hall steps, we will be having a press conference where we will share the list of bay area officials who have come together to reject money from big tobacco. Put San Francisco kids health above Tobacco Company profits and join the american heart association, San Francisco marin medical society, the San Francisco parent pack, Supervisor Malia Cohen and many, many more. Thank you to those who have already voiced your support and i look forward to the support of others. Ill be following up via email. Thank you so much. My name is ken orcharder, im a parent at rooftop. My son has epilepsies. When he was little, he had 2,500 sees. He has fought back to do work at rooftop. But he has an i. P. And he needs pair professional support. We faced discrimination all over the city of San Francisco. Weve had our registration money returned to us by multiple summer camps and after school programmes. This is the first time weve learned of discrimination in sfusd against students with disabilities. I dont come to yall lightly. What happened was last semester, we had a pair cut bringing us down to five. We did a petition. The petition got no reply. A couple of us went to a kak meeting to ask the deputy for special he had. Five pairs, 24 classrooms. Kids at each grade level who need support. How can that be enough. We were told we misunderstood the formula and she would email it to us. She did and its right there. Its a 128 ratio. It has nothing to do. Its not what is in the i. E. P. S. So we replied saying this is a ratio. How this can be enough. And her replay was, apparently you are not intentionally grouping students with disabilities in classrooms to maximize pair