Back to school 2023: SF students begin a new year

Across the Mission and San Francisco, students and their parents flocked to schoolhouse gates today, ending their summers and starting a new year in San Francisco’s public schools.

For some, it was their first time in a San Francisco school. Hana, 8, is attending Marshall Elementary School in the northern Mission after moving from Cleveland, Ohio. She rushed to school and arrived excited, happily chatting as she walked to the front doors near 8:30 a.m.

“I feel good, and tired, because I came running to make it here,” said Hana in Spanish. “I’m still drinking water,” she added, taking a gulp from her bottle. Her mother, Ana Soto, said she was excited but also unsure how things will go sending her third grader to a new school.

Asked what her favorite class is, Hana pondered: “Do they have P.E.?”

We confirm that yes, there is likely a gym class. “P.E.,” she nodded.

Todd Eng, on the other hand, has been bringing his fifth grader, Rose, to Marshall since before the pandemic. The school has been “generally great,” even with all the changes in the neighborhood, he said, naming the advent of autonomous cars and a potential homeless housing site proposed at 16th and Mission streets, in the former Walgreens space and adjacent to the schoolyard.

“There’s still a lot of questions that the community has, regarding that,” said Eng, who used to be PTA president.

His daughter, Rose, has seen some changes, too. “I don’t like braces,” she grumbled bashfully.

The school year starts amid significant challenges for the district: About 25 percent of the district’s unfilled positions are still vacant, some 100 positions in 115 schools — a higher rate than this time last year. And last year, teachers were on the receiving end of a bureaucratic meltdown when the school district’s payroll system skipped checks, underpaid, overpaid, withdrew money for retirement accounts but failed to fund those accounts, and all manner of salary mishaps.

Those problems persisted as of last month for lunch workers, janitorial staff, and some of the school district’s lowest-paid employees.

Still, for most parents and students, the school district’s issues were not their own today. Most parents were simply excited to see their kids off.

David Sanderson and Catharine Burhenne had never sent their 5-year-old daughter to a public school before. She was previously in a private preschool, but started at Marshall on Wednesday.

“It’s all new to us; we’re kindergarten parents,” Burhenne said. “We’re so, so excited.”

“We were at one of the bananas-expensive private schools,” Sanderson added. He remembered the first birthday party the family was invited to for their daughter’s classmate. It was hosted in a $40 million mansion. He realized: “OK, this is not the real world that she’s gonna grow up in.”

“We’re really excited to invest in San Francisco schools,” Burhenne said. Their shy daughter hid behind her parents.

Further on, Sara Dominguez, 5, said she was preparing to make new friends. “I’m excited and nervous,” she said in Spanish, barely audible over the chatter of a schoolyard filling with kids and their parents, “because it’s my first day.”

Cesar Chavez Elementary School

In the center of the neighborhood, hundreds of Cesar Chavez Elementary School students awaited instructions at their designated spots on the blacktop, towered over by a colossal mural of the school’s namesake.

Fifth-grader Keyrin Perez and her two friends tittered by the fence, near the recycling bins.

“We’re looking for who’s in our class, and if we can see them,” she said.

This year, she’s really nervous. “I don’t know why. I’m always nervous.” But she would not let it affect her, she said. “I’ll get higher grades,” she said determinedly. She dressed in a skirt and a silver Mickey Mouse necklace, the perfect confidence booster.

Hanging by the railing before morning announcements, fourth-grader Danny and his parents chatted together. Suddenly, Danny, 9, realized his Apple Watch had its sound on, but he did not know how to turn it off before class. His dad swooped in to save the day, reaching over Danny and his bulky backpack to fiddle with the watch. There, fixed.

With that settled, Danny could focus on the day ahead: Meeting his friends, and learning about his favorite subject, science. “I love the chemical reactions,” he said.

Across the asphalt, a scream: “Oh, my God! ALICIA!” a girl shrieked. Old friends sprinted until they were back in each other’s arms. Alicia and her friend walked hand-in-hand to the classroom assignment postings in the back. Breathless with excitement, Alicia said, “Let me see!”

If the students weren’t already hyped, morning announcements probably did it. An administrator took the mic near 9:30 a.m. and asked students to join in a call and response to kick off the first day.

“When I say Cesar, you say Chavez!” She boomed. “Cesar!”

“Chavez!”

“Cesar!”

“Chavez!”

She reminded the children — and parents — to be on time, just like today. And she said there were a lot of new students to the school, so: “Be kind.” Make a new friend today.

Bryant Elementary School

It’s the first day back for crossing guards, too, who are just as thrilled. Latisha put 3D butterfly clips in her hair and a phone in her breast pocket, which is playing R&B aloud as she guides parents and students across the street. The parents appreciate it. “They say, ‘Oh, now you playin’ my favorite song from back in the day!’”

When she spotted a group of kids and their parents, she crossed to her car and lifted the trunk. The moms gasped in delight. There, in the tote bag, were clothes for the kids.

“Those kids, they love me and I love them,” Latisha said. “Sometimes, when I’m down and they come by, I just light up.”

But she doesn’t play favorites. She bought a bunch of students shoes and clothes, and learned their sizes through a Spanish-speaking parent who acted as interpreter. Latisha is practicing, though, to get over the language barrier.

When she’s done, she has to rush off to drop her three sons at school: two at George Carver Elementary in the Bayview, and the eldest at Willie Brown Middle School, his first day there. He’s definitely bummed to leave his siblings and cousins behind, and nervous. On his last day of fifth grade, he refused to cross the stage, at first. “He thought that if he didn’t cross, you didn’t have to leave the school,” Latisha laughed.

John O’Connell High School

Abby in red and Angela in black are both 10th graders at John O’Connell High School. Abby just moved back to San Francisco from Oakland; it’s her first year at John O’Connell.

“We are just nervous to go inside and step into the classroom,” said Angela, who’s already spent a year here.

They are each other’s best friend, and spent all summer together, Angela says, wrapping her arm around Abby while both held Starbucks coffee and water cups.

Nearby, four siblings of the Malane family stood together, the oldest attending John O’Connell. Their mom drove an SUV this morning, dropping them off at three different schools.

Asked whether he was nervous for a new school, Dante answered confidently: “No.”

His mother chimed in: “Yes. All of us are nervous for the new schools.”

Dante said he wants to do participate in more sports in the coming year — football, dancing. “I’m super good, five star,” he said. He’s not worried about making friends at all, though he knows nobody here. “They all come to me,” he said.

Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8

“You’re wearing pants!” Isabel, 6, screamed when she saw her older sister, Eleanor’s, teacher — it was a sweltering morning, and Isabel herself was decked out in shorts. The two chatted about the family’s vacation to Montana.

“Last time we went, I was only two and a half, and I still drove the boat!” Isabel said.

She and Eleanor, 10, are back at Buena Vista Horace Mann, which they’ve both attended for years. Eleanor’s in fifth grade now, but she says she still doesn’t feel like one of the big kids.

“I’ll always be the youngest in my class,” Eleanor said.

The girls’ mother, Xochitl, loves the school, and she’s excited that the girls will be back on a weekly routine.

“The summer can get chaotic,” she said.

Jarico and Linda have been dropping their child off at Buena Vista Horace Mann since kindergarten. Now, their child is starting eighth grade, and Linda says it has her feeling verklempt.

“The community here is amazing. It’s tight-knit, very strong advocates for your children, very interesting parents,” she said. “My son has been here since kindergarten, and he’s made some really tight bonds.”

Asked if they had any particular concerns, they said no. “We’re worried about the usual: Adjusting to our kid being a teenager,” Linda said. “Now we have to get him ready for high school,” Jarico added.

Nearby, Lani, 9, said she was nervous to start fourth grade. This is her first year at Buena Vista Horace Mann. “Everything will be new and different,” she said, quiet. Still, she’s excited to make new friends.

Angelo, 6, is more excited: He is starting first grade and, when asked what he was looking forward to, he took a second to think.

“I like everything,” he said. “Soccer. Helping everybody … I like everything!”

He and his 9-year-old brother, Alejandro Jr., say they have nothing to worry about.

“I think it’s gonna be fun!” Alejandro Jr. said. 

Everett Middle School

Karen, 11, was with her dad on Wednesday morning and attending Everett Middle School for the first time. She doesn’t speak English and doesn’t know many people at her new school, but thought two of her old friends would be there. The class she was most looking forward to is math. “I just like it,” she shrugged.

Samantha, 11, spoke for herself and her older sister, Stephany. How are they? “Nerviosas,” she said decidedly. It was her first time at Everett, entering sixth grade. But she was excited, too.

“Me? To meet new people,” Samantha said in Spanish. As for favorite classes, she was not so convinced yet by any of them.

“Ninguna,” she said glancing at her mother — none of them.

Her mother, Sandy Lopez, piped in: “Lunch, eating time.”

Lopez graduated from Everett herself back in the day, and grew up in the neighborhood. She switches to English: “I really didn’t engage last year, because I was working a lot. But I’m hoping to be more involved this year.”

Follow along for more updates on back-to-school day.