Statement from Han Phung on Everett:

Every SFUSD school should be a safe and welcoming environment where

students can learn, thrive, and feel cared for. While there are many challenges
that exist, we have taken many steps to improve and positively impact the
Everett community based on the feedback from parents and the school
community.  
 
The Everett community has been working with Middle School LEAD (the
SFUSD Central Team that supports all middle schools) to engage in dialogue
with families on an ongoing basis.

In December 2021, Middle School LEAD met with about 4 - 5 Latinx parents
who lifted concerns at Everett Middle School. The three main concerns were
around communication, safety and lack of substitutes. During this meeting, it
was also shared how they and other families could further engage in the school
and current structures to do so. 
The families shared ideas that they had to improve the areas of concern. In
response to parent recommendations and feedback, Middle School LEAD
worked with central and site leadership (as well as city and community partners)
to implement and enhance interventions and support that were available. 
 
Principal Fensel and her administrative and support staff teams have led family
meetings and discussions to hear concerns and open dialogue (including
Principal Chats, PTSA meetings, family workshops, individual family
conversations, etc.). As Everett is navigating a leadership transition, there will
be upcoming opportunities for families to engage with the new principal.
Everett is excited to partner with families who are interested in volunteering,
and already has a number of parents/guardians who volunteer in a number of
different ways.  
• We continue to leverage the PTSA and community meetings to encourage
families to get involved, including upcoming staff and family community
circles.
• We currently have a number of families that are volunteering and the district is
in partnership with the SF Ed Fund to support needed logistics such as training
regarding COVID protocols, and how to engage with students.  
 
Additional opportunities to volunteer are described in the weekly newsletter
from the principal.
 There is an increase in the number of investments at Everett Middle School to
support safe and nurturing learning environments at Everett:
 
• Increase human resources: 
◦ The Everett community has worked with SFUSD Human Resources to identify
qualified substitutes specifically for Everett. Sub coverage increased in the
months of January and February. 
◦ The school hired a security guard who started in February, in addition to
existing security guards and support staff such as social workers, Instructional
Reform Facilitator, counselor, nurse, and Peer Resource worker who are at the
site. 
◦ By strengthening the partnership with Street Violence Intervention Prevention,
there is a point person from the community to facilitate restorative justice
practices such as the deescalation of incidents, and work with students and
families
• Implemented a no cell phone policy where students locked their cell phones
away during instructional time. Using Yondr, Everett is activating best practices
given the success of the model, which is used at other middle schools. 
• Secured private funds for a reimagined and restructured outdoor space: Based
on family feedback and recommendation, Everett is providing more community
space, areas for sports and activities during recess and lunch. Families believed
that engaging students in positive ways would decrease negative interactions
and were in partnership with the school community to realize this vision.
• Everett increased the Social Emotional lessons during Advisory.
 
As the Everett community continues to navigate the current realities associated
COVID and its disproportionate impact on various communities, the challenges
reflect larger trends around social emotional wellness across the state and
nation. 
 
Data has shown the community is resilient. After the interventions above were
put in place, there was a significant decrease in physical altercations between
October 2021 to April 2022 and incidents involving dangerous objects brought
to school are at the lowest in the month of April than what it has been all year.
 
Still, we are honest about the challenges. We continue to see an increase in
students who are non-responsive to classroom correction, and see most incidents
occur in classes where there is a substitute or absence of a regular teacher. There
is a tight correlation between this trend and staff absences. As noted above,
 SFUSD Human Resources worked closely with Everett to address the continued
challenge with staff absences, due in part to an increase in COVID-19 cases.
SFUSD Human Resources deployed qualified substitutes to provide adequate
coverage during January & February while Middle School LEAD has deployed
2 team members to substitute and provide supervision for the last three weeks.
 
SFUSD values authentic partnerships with families and stakeholders at our
schools to support our students and their success. Based on family feedback
during engagement opportunities between the school administration and parents,
interventions and support are put in place and currently exist at the school,
including:
• Small Teacher to student ratio 17:1 student-teacher ratio
• As a Tier 3 school, Everett has 5 staff assigned to support through: 1 Assistant
Principal, 1 Instructional Reform Facilitator, 1 Social Worker, 1 Counselor, 1
Nurse
• Student Family Service Department  also provides - 1.0 Peer Resource Teacher,
3 T10s (Security) 
 
Beyond the interventions above, the following additional support structures
were implemented to facilitate equitable access, including:
 
• Middle School LEAD (the Middle School Central Team that supports all middle
schools) is on campus in support two days a week to provide administrative
support; and we have worked with HR to provide a point person to be there on
Fridays and Mondays for the next three weeks
• The school reviewed data and students with intense needs. Support plans and
services were created for these students
• Middle School LEAD is working with DCYF and SVIP to increase wrap-
around supports and identify a staff person to more deeply support student
issues, reintegration after an incident and case load
• Everett is slated to be given supports for the Middle School Wellness Pilot in
the 2022-23 school year which would include hiring a Community Health
Outreach Worker
• Everett created a Everett Culture & Climate Action Plan and shared it with
stakeholders
 
In conclusion, I want to reiterate that the Everett community is diverse, vibrant,
and resilient, with a committed staff who are dedicated to creating a supportive
and nurturing environment so that our students succeed.