Community Schools and Parent/Student/Community Engagement

By Matt Haney

Schools that are rooted in communities have the best chance of success. We need to forge strong relationships among our schools and our parents, neighbors and community organizations. Our schools must provide services beyond traditional academic programming to students, their families, and the larger community. Matt Haney is committed to help build community within and outside of our schools.

The level of poverty in San Francisco and the lack of sufficient support and commitment by the city to racial and economic justice is also a huge barrier to closing the achievement gap and serving all students. Our city should support a vision of eliminating poverty in San Francisco and a sustained and comprehensive attack on racial and economic inequality. We need our city to provide young people and their families the support they need to be successful inside and outside of the classroom. Health care, housing, and access to jobs all have a strong connection to a student's ability to be successful in the classroom. For these reasons, Matt will be a vocal advocate against racial and economic inequality in San Francisco.

As a Commissioner on the Board of Education, Matt will:

• Work with community based organizations and foundations to expand SFUSD's nationally recognized community schools model to provide after school, health care, parenting, and other services in our schools.

• Develop partnerships to expand parental involvement, including intensive pre-academic year programming proven to greatly enhance parental engagement.

• Support emotional, mental, and physical health services in every school, including SFUSD's successful Wellness Centers.

• Expand the Restorative Practices approach to school climate and school discipline.

• Work towards a scratch cooking, central kitchen model for our school meal program for our district school meal program with healthy, locally grown, freshly prepared food, including a possible shared central kitchen with a neighboring school district.

Our students and their parents are the experts on their experience within our schools. They know what works and what doesn't, and they know how we can better serve their needs. We must ensure that students, parents and our community have a voice in the policies that affect their lives. As a full time community organizer, Matt knows how to work with the community to make sure that their voices are heard and their needs are met. Matt would work to ensure that student, parent and community voice are strengthened and supported within the schools and at the Board of Education and SFUSD administrative levels.

As a Commissioner on the Board of Education, Matt will:

• Support Parent Liason positions at school sites, and develop innovative programming to provide parents with the tools and information they need to advocate for their children, similar to the "Parent Academy" program piloted by the PTA in South San Francisco Unified.

• Help to ensure a stronger voice for students and parents within SFUSD by working closely with the the Student Advisory Council (SAC), Parent Advisory Council (PAC), and Youth Commission and bring their issues, ideas and policy recommendations forward to the Board of Education.

• Provide regular opportunities for student, parent and community feedback and input, including holding student townhalls and forums.

• Increase funding for translation services to ensure all parent and community members are able to participate fully in all district activities.

• Create an SFSUD Board of Education internship program for students to actively involve them in the governance and reform of SFUSD.

• Solicit feedback from students about food options in our schools, and work with students to ensure that school meals are meeting their nutritional needs.

• Ensure that parents have the tools they need to understand their child's language development and hold the district accountable. Parents should be given adequate information about options and support for EL students, including putting language developing on the K-5 report card.