Despite being one of the best places to live, San Francisco has become more and more difficult for families. Together, we can create a more welcoming San Francisco for children and youth, who represent our City’s diversity. Too often families feel they have to leave the City when their children become school age. Families who choose San Francisco face daunting challenges with schooling, keeping their kids safe, and simply finding space – both affordable housing and outdoor areas to let their kids play and just be kids within their own neighborhoods. We must advocate for clean and safe parks and recreation centers and maintain our beautiful new libraries, and the ability for everyone to access these great centers. Parents must be empowered to make the best possible choices for their children, with the right balance towards neighborhood schools and the ability to access pre-school, head start, immersion schools, and the other programs that the City provides.

As a Supervisor, I’ll facilitate, advocate, and problem solve. Making District 8 as family friendly as possible for all families – LGBT and straight – will be one of my top priorities. Our city has tremendous services, yet we lack coordination to ensure these services get to those in need. Here is a summary of what I will do to make this vision a reality:

Facilitate:

• Collaboration is key.  I’ll hold monthly meetings with school principals – public and private – to identify and advocate for issues of mutual concern. We will include PTA presidents and teachers to discuss funding, transit, and safety issues; and bring school representatives together to help pool efforts towards our goal of a family friendly San Francisco.

• Bring schools into the political process.  Currently members of the Board of Education cannot place items on the agenda of the Joint City and School District Select Committee. I’ll introduce changes to allow members of the Board of Education to bring forward any issue for discussion.

• Our office will organize a District wide school auction to benefit all the public schools in the District. School auctions are a great way to encourage public participation in our schools.

Advocate:

• Empower parents in school placement. Parents need more information in ranking their public school choices and there needs to be a good balance in school assignments towards the dual goals of neighborhood schools and integration.

• Preserve school programs during difficult economic times. Early child development programs must remain afloat. The Children’s Fund is crucial to supporting child development centers. We must find innovative solutions to keep these funds intact.

• Increase parental involvement. Parental involvement in local public schools is a must. As that increases, everyone’s investment in the school increases – for the parents, the teachers, the administrators, and most importantly, the kids. As Supervisor, I will promote and attend PTA meetings and District School events.

Problem Solve:

• Safe and affordable transit to and from school. Ensuring transit line safety, especially for children, must be a top priority.  I will work to make all routes to and from District schools safe for all riders, including upgrading bus camera systems, safety monitors, and furthering the police partnership with MUNI. Additional bus service during peak school transit hours to minimize overcrowding will be explored. Crosswalks and stop signs are other ways to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and keep children safe from traffic.

• After-care partnerships. As a former Recreation and Park Commissioner, I understand this issue. Whether its family day care centers, non-profits needing access to space, or teenagers wanting to play ball at an appropriate facility, I’ll find ways for SFUSD and the Recreation & Park Department to work together on meeting these needs. For example, Upper Noe Recreation Center and Duboce Park should be viewed as a district-wide models for integration of use.

• More recreational options. The Dolores Park renovation will affect all District residents, but will be especially hard-hitting for families that already have too few recreation options. I’ll respond proactively by suggestion popular programs like Sunday Streets to be held each summer weekend while the park is closed.

We live in a city with one of the lowest ratios of children to adults in the country – with nearly 9 adults for every child. Imagine what we can accomplish if we build a community in which every adult is committed to making sure that the kids in our neighborhoods can thrive. Our children are the future, it is crucial that we support them in the present.