Mission Bay Elementary marks 1st new SF school building in nearly 20 years

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco students are returning to the classroom on Monday for the start of a new school year marked by major facility updates, districtwide phone bans, and ongoing conversations about future campus closures.

1st new school

What we know:

Among the biggest additions this year is the opening of Mission Bay Elementary. Serving students from transitional kindergarten through fifth grade, it marks the district’s first new school building in nearly 20 years and sits in one of the city's fastest-growing neighborhoods.

The new academic year follows a tumultuous end to the previous school year, which included the district's first teachers' strike in decades. However, officials report significant improvements in staffing and fiscal stability heading into the fall.

What they're saying:

"I'm really proud that we're starting the school year with 96% of our classrooms filled with a teacher, and that's actually more than we had last year and definitely more than the years before," said SFUSD Superintendent Maria Su. "We now have a stable budget. We have a three-year, balanced budget that gives our students, our teachers, our staff, our families, more predictability. And with that, there's more stability. So I can very confidently offer a job to a teacher."

School closures?

Big picture view:

Even with the new opening, district leadership faces looming discussions regarding potential school closures and consolidations in other parts of San Francisco. SFUSD plans to conduct research and hold community listening sessions before making any decisions, which are not expected to take effect this year.

Students will also face stricter rules regarding technology. In alignment with state policy, SFUSD is banning all cell phone use during school hours. Individual principals will determine how those enforcement rules are carried out at their specific campuses.

San FranciscoEducation