We Are SFUSD

The key to dealing with kids is you talk up to them, you don’t talk down. Things like that build trust with kids, and if they don’t trust you then they can’t identify with you and they won’t deal with you.

I think being fearless makes you the best player you can be. You’re fearless to make mistakes and trust your teammates, which is a big part of volleyball. Being fearless is something that contributes to the game and is one of the most important factors that got us to win the championship.

My granddaughter loves it here, and she’s always a good student. The school is more like a family school, because you can work out your issues and they look out for my granddaughter.

When I’m out on the field, I just want to play hard for everyone on my team. I do it for everyone out there, the people at home, all the friends I’ve made since I came to Lincoln. It’s been really fun.

I want to raise up a champion generation, to get our students to understand who they really are and how they could reach the moon. Let’s celebrate and build on each other’s strengths, because united we can move forward. We are SFUSD, we are Pacific Islanders.

We do young people a disservice when we do not believe in them. We do a disservice to them when we do not show and prove to them that they are capable. I believe if we spent time listening and building with them, they are ready to make this world better.

I am so grateful for the spaces that have helped to nurture my love for my family and communities. Therefore, my work in education hopes to help build and support these spaces for students--that not only honors the legacies of learning and knowledge but also reminds them that their roots are nothing to be ashamed of.

I come from a family of teachers, and I feel that I’m following in that tradition of giving back to the community. I know exactly what path I want to send my students on, because I’ve been on that path myself.

I tell my students’ parents that I teach their kids like they were my own kids. I tell them I have three kids who went through the public school system, I really have faith in this system, and I want the best for their kids the same way I want the best for my kids.

The impact that I want to have in the world is for the world to know who I am. What I mean by this is If that is in sports by playing soccer or in serving in a government seat, or even if I am a garbage man, I want to make sure that I create change for the better.

My friend and I always sat on the bleachers and we looked at the Golden Gate bridge while we ate lunch. We liked it. It was a good place to eat lunch. 

I remember that everyone liked Ms. Garin for her good sense of humor. When I recall her face she’s always smiling. I went into teaching myself and that may have been her influence.
 

“Ole ala ile pule, ole tautua” which translates “the path to leadership is through service”. Throughout my lifetime of work within the community and education, I have prided myself in helping others. It is that action that I lead with to change the world, having the ability to serve. The changes that we seek to make on a macro level are only possible through the interpersonal.

I remember vividly learning about wealth inequality with Peer Resources. I was a student at Lowell High School, and while I knew that inequality existed, that poverty impacted some communities more than others, and that such inequality caused deep harm, this workshop was the first time I had been given a framework, tools, and language with which to describe it, and consider my own role and privilege in this country’s economic system. This moment—that I remember so clearly more than 20 years later—marked an awakening for me, and Peer Resources deserves some of the credit for my early political development.

I believe in using the Community School Model and a ‘whole school approach’ to address challenges for both students and teachers. As an educator, my goal is to provide opportunities for youth to exercise student agency. It is through student agency that we disrupt the harmful social reproductive nature of schooling and liberate children.

My aunt and uncle worked at SFUSD for many, many years. My aunt for years had been telling me to work for the district because I’d get to work with kids. I finally got tired of what I was doing and I thought, ‘I’ll try it.’ And I just love it. I try to encourage the students to participate in activities and let them know, ‘Hey, this is memorable. You’re going to talk about this when you’re my age. You’ll remember and laugh.’ I try to encourage students to show school spirit by showing school spirit myself.  Once you tell them, ‘We’re going to do this, we’ll be a part of it,’ they’ll say, ‘Ok, I’ll be there. I’ll participate too.’ ”

I truly love my job. My favorite thing about it is that I give people hope. It’s a good feeling for me to be in an office where we start the process of solving situations that seem unsolvable when they first come up.  I work to earn the trust of every parent. The first thing I tell parents is that I don’t have the authority to sign off on the changes they want but that I will put all of my heart to promote their case to all appropriate staff ,knock on everyone’s door, to protect their child's best interests. Of course nothing is achieved without the wonderful help of the school's administrators and of the other departments throughout the District. Si se puede!

My parents and my elders have given me the example of serving my community and communities in struggle. I consider it a privilege to serve my community and hope to do it with love, care, and humility. So, the greatest impact I hope to have to have on young people is to get out of their way, to listen, and to be supportive. I believe the youth will make a better world than we’ve left them.

One of the things I love about this job is consistency. At Bret Harte, the predictable nature of who the students’ teacher will be, year in and year out, who the principal is going to be, year in and year out, matters to our community.  For me, the biggest piece is the consistency of high-quality staff. Find the right people, support them, make them feel really good about themselves so they stay here year in and year out. That is especially important for kids who have had inconsistency in their lives. When their school is a consistent element, it’s a much better place for them.

I decided to be a student delegate on the Board of Education because there is not a large representation of students of color, let alone immigrant students. Coming from that background and as a student at Mission High School, I wanted voices that are not necessarily heard to be heard. Because of that and the community, I’ve grown up in, it made me realize that this is what I want my future to be. It might not be in politics, but I definitely do want to be that voice for people who don’t have the opportunity to speak up.

The Stanford-SFUSD partnership helps to build a body of evidence to inform decisions in hopes of improving policy, practices and outcomes for students. When I see administrators reference the research as evidence to justify a decision that will positively impact students, that’s a win.

At Civic Center Secondary, at the root of all we do are the concepts of peace, justice, equity, struggle, and liberation. We say to our students, “I am not successful until you are successful” and that is a pledge from the adults to the students. And the students test that, to see if you’ll give up on them. But when you don’t give up on them, they understand that and then trust has been established. That’s what we do.

I began my SFUSD career as an elementary school secretary and those daily tasks exposed me to the true meaning of diversity, fearlessness and social justice. My role in assisting the Superintendent is truly my dream job. I experience how ideas that guide SFUSD students and their education are created and brought to life. Dr. Matthews gives me daily doses of inspiration and sparks my motivation with his deep commitment, dedication and a smile for all students and staff of SFUSD. It is a challenge that I am humbled by and rewarded for in so many ways.

I was close to the previous Board of Education student delegates from Lowell, and they inspired me to “go for it.” As a Student Delegate, I will try and be a role model by being honest and a friend to other students. The Student Advisory Council is an amazing program for its inclusivity and mission to be a platform for student voice and engagement.

Equity is at the center of everything I do, ensuring every child has equal access to instruction in the classroom. I am always building my knowledge and seeking ways I can improve as an educator and building my capacity so I can show my best self when teaching and interacting with my students and colleagues. I teach my students the power of yet. That we are all still learning, and that it may take someone a little longer to learn something but as long as we’re getting better, as long as we’re improving, that's what really matters.