Dear Friends of the SAISD Foundation,

 

SAISD faces an unprecedented challenge in navigating the COVID-19 crisis given that 90 percent of the families it serves live in poverty. Families look to the school system for not just educational services, but also social services. Within social services, our two most pressing issues are food delivery and securing both devices and hot spots to ensure that all of our students have connectivity to ramp back up learning.

 

The SAISD Academics and IT teams are working diligently to ensure they have the digital content to provide robust learning opportunities to students during this extended break. SAISD launched The Digital Playground  (click on link) that hosts curriculum and other remote learning tools. Additionally, SAISD is also conducting numerous online trainings to ensure teachers are able to deliver relevant, critical and engaging content.

 

Now, we must ensure that educators have the means to deliver the content and engage students in remote learning. Now is the time to close the gap and eliminate the digital divide in SAISD. With the likelihood that schools will be closed for the majority—if not all—of the remainder of the year, the need is urgent to provide devices and internet access for our students. The SAISD Foundation is committed to supporting our SAISD community during this critical time, and right now our top priority is to ensure that every student has a way to connect.

 

While we are operating in response to this crisis, the opportunity to close the digital gap now is also a significant opportunity for SAISD students in the long-term.  The district’s strategic plan calls for having all schools operate in a 1:1 format with regards to technology, meaning that each of SAISD student would have access to a district-issued device which will allow for differentiated, blended and individual learning opportunities. The COVID-19 crisis provides a unique opportunity to accelerate these plans. You can help support this endeavor by making a donation HERE! Your gift will enable us to take action to support the immediate needs of our students, and even better, will set them up for long-term success. While the lift is large, we are already having individuals and companies step up. Join them, join us!

 

Together, we can help us ensure that every SAISD student has the means to stay connected and keep learning!

 

Sincerely,

 

Your friends at the SAISD Foundation

JOIN SAISD NATION

We’ve launched a new tool to connect SAISD alumni, former SAISD employees and Friends of the SAISD Foundation with opportunities to support our current students and recent grads. As we are asked to spend increasing amounts of time in social isolation, it is more important now than ever to connect with the communities that matter most to us--including our SAISD family. By taking a few minutes to upload a pic and tell us about yourself, you will be extending a virtual hand to students and other alumni who are looking for meaningful ways to support each other and our district. Sign Up Here!

STAY INFORMED

Information is changing quickly - Follow the SAISD Foundation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter where we will be sharing timely news, events, and updates that impact students and families in our community, and letting you know how you can help. Click on the icons below for our social pages!