News

On Thursday, September 17, SF Day upper school students had a special guest visit from incumbent state senator, Scott Wiener. The students have been learning about elections, both national and local, and so Senator Wiener came and talked campaigning, passing legislation, and how students and citizens can lobby for their beliefs! 

Our upper school students in grades 6-8 were recently treated to an intimate conversation with the illustrious Ruby Bridges, a civil rights activist and icon. Although Ms. Bridges had originally been planning to visit SF Day for an assembly, she graciously rescheduled for a Zoom meeting instead. Ms. Bridges shared her experiences as the first African-American student to desegregate an all-white school in Louisiana on November 14, 1960. Students were able to speak with her directly, and asked her a range of questions. We learned about the first time Ms. Bridges saw her likeness in the famous Norman Rockwell painting that she inspired, how her grandmother was a huge source of inspiration in her life, and about teachers who had supported her in the midst of an unfathomably difficult time for a young student. She concluded our conversation by encouraging our students to engage in civics by studying, voting, and even running for office, knowing that they are our future and hold the power to make change happen. We are incredibly grateful to Ms. Bridges for her strength and courage, both then and now, as well as for her grace and humanity. 

The results are in! Wilder, an upper school student, is headed to the 2020 National Geographic GeoBee State Competition on Friday, March 27. After competing in the SF Day Geo Bee, Wilder participated in an online geography test last month and earned his place among the 100 top-scorers in California.

According to a press release from National Geographic Society, 2.4 million students took part in the 2020 GeoBee with more than 8,000 fourth through eighth graders becoming school champions nationwide. Winners of the state competition will move on to the finals in Washington D.C. this spring.

Congratulations and good luck to Wilder as he advances to the next stage of the competition!

How would you fare as a National Geographic GeoBee contestant? At the school GeoBees this year, students had to answer questions like these: 

• Which state is located west of Lake Huron—Minnesota or Vermont? Minnesota
• Known for the tree nuts resembling deer eyes, which midwestern state is called the Buckeye State—California or Ohio? Ohio
• Which country does not border the Atlantic Ocean—Moldova, Angola, or Ireland? Moldova
• Once the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad, Tacoma is a major port and industrial city in which northwestern state? Washington
• Government designated preserves have helped protect giant tortoises in the Seychelles, a country made up of over one hundred islands located north of Madagascar in what ocean? Indian Ocean
• The Matterhorn is an iconic peak in the Alps on the border between Switzerland and what other country? Italy

 

The safety and well-being of our community is our top priority. As you are likely aware, on Tuesday, February 25, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provided an update on the current status of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and what steps should be taken moving forward. Given the elevated level of concern, we are carefully monitoring developments and modifying our school’s preparedness accordingly. We will keep you informed if and how these efforts may impact school-related events (field trips, outdoor education trips, etc). 

We wanted to share with you some of the standard procedures our school follows to keep SF Day healthy: 

• High touch surfaces (electronics, doorknobs, light switches, etc.) and high traffic areas (library, cafeteria, lobbies) are regularly disinfected. 
• Cleaning supplies and hand sanitizers are readily available for all classrooms and shared spaces. 
• All students are explicitly reminded to wash their hands multiple times a day (e.g. before lunch, after using the restroom, after recess, etc).  

In addition to the above, we are taking the following precautions:

• Providing community education for faculty, staff, administration and students.
• Revising menu items in the cafeteria to provide alternatives to items eaten primarily by hand (e.g. sandwiches, pizza, burritos) and supplementing the salad bar with pasta and proteins (meat, vegetarian, and vegan).
• Increasing the frequency of disinfecting high traffic areas. 
• Posting signage around campus to help remind us to practice healthy hygiene. 

Please help us keep SF Day healthy by practicing the recommended precautions with your children: 

• Wash hands carefully and frequently with soap and water. 
• Avoid touching the eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
• Avoid sharing personal items such as water bottles or eating utensils.
• Use a flexed elbow or tissue to cover the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing (then discard tissue and wash hands).
• See a healthcare professional if there are signs of virus-like symptoms.

Also, if you or a family member have recently traveled to a destination with risk of community spread coronavirus, please take important note of the CDC’s travel advisories.

Per our Parent/Guardian & Student Handbook, please remember that children with a fever should stay home until they are fever-free for 24 hours, and those who have vomited during the night should not be sent to school the following morning. If your child has been diagnosed with the flu or is out sick with a fever, it is imperative to notify Sandi Gilmore (sgilmore@sfday.org or 415-568-3604). As always, SF Day will notify parents/guardians of any exposure to a contagious disease (lice, flu, etc.) in their child’s class.

In times of uncertainty, we are especially grateful for the inclusive and supportive nature of our community. Thank you for taking care of yourselves and each other.