Bulletin No 20 - May 26

Dear Families,

I hope this finds you all well!

It is hard to believe this is the last full week of the school year. This year has been unlike any other year of my 26-year career. COVID-19 created many surprises and yet because we are such a resilient community we are able to bounce back. We feel so honored to be your partner in your child's education. 

I am heartbroken regarding the school shooting on Tuesday in Texas. Please know we take your child's safety very seriously and we will be reviewing safety protocols again at our weekly staff meeting. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or any staff member.

This Friday we will be celebrating the closure of the school year. We are taking measures to keep everyone safe and healthy and so we have decided to have a small student-only event. It will be a fun afternoon for the students and each will receive a photo memorializing the day. You may send your child to school in a nice shirt for the photos but we will have activities such as running and painting and drawing with chalk. Please note the last day of classes is Wednesday, June 1 which is also an early dismissal day. Some of the staff and I will be attending a conference on June 1 to learn more about implementing our community school model. We are excited about the opportunity to learn more but sad that we will not be there on June 1.

Please contact Ms. Nayeli regarding the ExCel summer program. It is always a lot of fun for the kids. The program begins on June 6. 

I would like to thank our wonderful and hard-working teachers and staff for their tireless work and attention to our community. MEC received a state award for our strategies and practices during Distance Learning 2020-2021 to support students and families. The award is called the California Pivotal Practices award and MEC is one of two schools that received the award. Bravo to our teachers and staff! This recognition is very well deserved. 

In closing, I would like to say THANK YOU for the honor and privilege to work with you this year. As your first school in the United States, we hope you have had a most positive experience. Though we are happy you will soon have a new community, we are always here to support you. 

Please take very good care of yourselves. I will miss you and your darling children tremendously. If your child will be returning next year, we will see each other on Wednesday, August 17!

Sincerely,

Carla Vasquez

MEC has its mandated vision and hearing screening on May 11th. Results for students who did NOT pass these screenings were sent home with students on May 11th. Please follow up with your clinics if you were given results. 

Dental Sealant Program - through SF Department of Public Health:

The Department of Public Health was at MEC on May 10th and May 11th to place the sealants that the students were previously screened for. Results were sent home with students who participated (provided consent forms). If your child was referred for dental services, please follow up with your dental provider or with the providers listed on the results paper. Please let us know if you have questions. 

Please confirm that you have these completed!

Please note that it is a family's responsibility to make sure their student is up to date on immunizations - even if they have not received a notice from the school.  Please check your student's record and compare with the requirements below. If you are missing any required immunizations or any doses of the required immunizations, please make an appointment with your clinic as soon as possible so that your student is not denied entry to school in August. If you are unsure, check with your student's clinic. If you do not have a clinic, please call (628) 217-6730 to register for all languages using interpreter services as soon as possible. 

What are the Health Requirements for School Entry? 

All students new to SFUSD

1. Tuberculosis (TB) clearance within one year before entering SFUSD
2. Required immunizations. Students must have at least one dose of every required vaccine and no deadline for any missing dose has passed.

• Immunization Requirements by Grade

  TK-12 students

  • Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP, DTP, Tdap, or Td) — 5 doses (4 doses OK if one was given on or after 4th birthday. 3 doses OK if one was given on or after 7th birthday)
  • Polio (OPV or IPV) — 4 doses (3 doses OK if one was given on or after 4th birthday)
  • Hepatitis B — 3 doses (not required for 7th grade entry)
  • Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) — 2 doses (first dose given on or after 1st birthday) 
  • Varicella (chickenpox) — 2 doses

3. Physical examination for any TK, kindergartener or new first grader. This documentation should be submitted any time during the kinder year or before first grade. The date of the physical examination should be no earlier than 6 months before the start of the kinder year. A virtual visit with a physician counts as long as the physician is able to complete the health form based on the virtual visit. School Health and Oral Health Forms

Community Clinics

• SF Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP)/"Gateway")
  • Eligibility criteria: families with children and youth (ages 0-18yrs) who are uninsured (or underinsured) and low to moderate income
  • Can obtain temporary full-scope, no-cost Medi-Cal benefits at the time of service
  • Call to make an appointment:(628) 217-6730 for all languages using interpreter services.
  • Flyer: English | Spanish | Chinese | Vietnamese,| Tagalog | Arabic
• Teen Clinics for Primary Care and Immunizations (for students 12 years old and older)
• SF Health Network New Patient Intake Line (Public or low cost clinics): Call to make an appointment  (415) 682-1740

Round 2 notification letters have been mailed and are downloadable on ParentVue for families who applied by the May 2nd deadline.