City Hall: Supervisor Carmen Chu

New School Assignments

As we head into October, schools are back in full swing. For parents with children who have yet to enter the public school system or who may have students entering a new school next year, I wanted to make sure you are aware of current discussions regarding the new student assignment system.

Our office has heard concerns from many parents regarding the current student assignment system and how it can be problematic for students who are assigned to schools across town.

We conveyed these concerns to the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) as they were in the process of re-designing the student assignment system. After considering several different options, the SFUSD Board of Education approved the general outline for a new student assignment system in March, which would take effect for the 2011-2012 school year. The new system would primarily use a family's home address and school requests to place students. However, the placement priorities are different depending on the school level (elementary, middle or high school).

The Board of Education voted on specifics of the new system at its Sept. 28 meeting, which included approval of new attendance zones for each school. The Board of Education also voted unanimously to delay its plan to automatically assign middle school students based on where they went to elementary school due to concerns that specialized programs, such as language immersion, would exceed capacity.

This means that for school year 2011-12 only, middle school placements would be prioritized by:

1) younger siblings of students who are already enrolled and will still be attending the school;

2) students living in areas of the City where students with the lowest test scores are living;

3) all other students. Parents still have the choice to select a school outside of their neighborhood.

If you would like further information, visit the website at www.sfusd.edu/enroll or contact our office at (415) 554-7460 or via e-mail at chustaff@sfgov.org. We also encourage you to reach out to members of the Board of Education at (415) 241-6427.

City takes action in response to San Bruno pipeline tragedy

Our thoughts go out to the many people impacted by the recent San Bruno gas-line explosion. While the loss of lives and destruction of property can never truly be repaired, many municipalities have been reminded of the importance of remaining vigilant in ensuring that our first responders and coordinators have all the information they need to respond quickly and effectively in the case of an emergency. This includes information about not only our public infrastructure but also other private structures.

On Tuesday, Sept. 14, I introduced a resolution urging PG&E to cooperate completely and swiftly with all requests from the city administrator and fire chief in a "utility infrastructure safety review," and to share with all relevant city departments the risk level and maintenance plan for existing pipelines in San Francisco. The resolution, which was co-sponsored by supervisors Sophie Maxwell and Ross Mirkarimi, also called for an initial report on these efforts to be heard at the Board of Supervisors within 45 days.

District 4 Clean-Up: Saturday, Oct. 2

Our office is partnering with the SF Department of Public Works for the annual Gigantic 3 event on Saturday, Oct. 2, from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Pacheco Street.

Volunteers will help plant trees, work on greening projects and remove weeds along Sunset Boulevard. Volunteers can also assist with painting out graffiti and picking up litter along our merchant corridors. Please contact our office with any questions.

Taraval Street Fair: Saturday, Oct. 30

Join us from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. There will be food, music, merchants and a costume contest. If you would like to have a booth or donate to the festival, please contact Taraval Corridor Manager Ashley Summers at asummers@SNBC.org or call (415) 889-7984.Ê

Supervisor Carmen Chu represents District 4.