Jamestown Programmatic Update Fall 2020

Jamestown Community Center is pleased to share our top priorities for the 2020-21 school year. With the implementation of online learning at all San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are focused on the well being and academic growth of our students during this challenging time. In the past few months we have been diligently working to serve our families and ensure all of their needs are met. These are just some of the initiatives we have been implementing:

Cesar Chavez Elementary students show off their art.

• Over the summer, we supported 126 families with income relief through the Cesar Chavez Go Fund Me campaign and the San Francisco Family Relief Fund.

• Through our affiliation with the Latino Task Force we have been supporting food distribution, sharing informational resources and COVID-19 test sites in the Mission and Excelsior districts as we face unprecedented crises related to the pandemic.

• We are collaborating with school sites to connect students to internet access and devices, while also providing school day support working with teachers, tutors, and students to continue to improve literacy and social-emotional development.

• With the cancellation of Fall soccer, the Sports team has been working diligently to provide quality programming based on the needs and interest of the families and coaching staff. The sports team will be piloting one OST (Out of School Time) pod of approximately 14 youth in the Mission District focusing on physical activity and individual soccer development. The pilot program will be observed closely and follow the safety guidelines set forth by the SF Dept. of Public Health. In addition, Metas Para Atletas - a virtual training program that consist of weekly challenges that allow youth to learn new exercises, stay active and build soccer skills in the comfort of their homes will relaunch next month.

• Starting September 14th we will be hosting a Community Education Hub in collaboration with 826 Valencia and DCYF to serve 12 of our most vulnerable students, so they can maintain a healthy level of learning.

• Strengthening Families Program (SFP) begins this fall. This is a 14-week program where youth and their guardians will learn about communication, listening, respect, setting expectations, and personal responsibility as tools to build healthier family dynamics. All SFP facilitators attend Trauma-Informed Systems trainings funded and led by the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

• Loco Bloco will begin to deliver quality virtual Afro-Latino dance and drumming and stilt walking instruction to encourage our primarily Latinx students, to discover the connections, history, and politics behind the art they practice and strengthen their sense of identity and cultural pride. In addition, a team of Loco Bloco artists are currently working with the Zoo Labs artist accelerator program to craft a musical project and accompanying visuals to engage and celebrate the historic LB community in a new and profound way.

Please consider giving to Jamestown and help us continue our important work. We thank you for your continued love and support.

Jamestown Welcomes New Executive Director Nelly Sapinski

Dear  Jamestown Familia,

In these difficult times, we are excited to announce the Jamestown Board of Directors has selected Manuela “Nelly” Sapinski as the organization’s next Executive Director. Nelly succeeds Myrna Melgar who will step down on May 29, 2020. 

We are deeply grateful for Myrna and the incredible growth and stability she has brought to the organization. We believe Nelly is uniquely equipped to lead Jamestown and continue the powerful legacy of our organization.

Nelly’s selection comes after an extensive search process in which more than 15 candidates were vetted by a hiring committee of the Board and finalists were evaluated by panels of Jamestown staff and youth. 

Nelly joined Jamestown in 2014 and currently serves as both the Deputy Director of Programs and Interim Executive Director. With six years of experience in high level leadership, Nelly begins the position with a deep understanding of Jamestown’s mission and community. She also brings extensive experience with youth development and education, which are the foundations of how our organization serves the community.

In her time at Jamestown, Nelly has been instrumental in developing and expanding programming, while also implementing data collection and evaluation systems, so important in measuring quality. Prior to joining Jamestown, Nelly served as the After School Program Director at Reading Partners, the national literacy non-profit, and managed curriculum, instruction and evaluation for Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County.

Nelly holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Northern Illinois University and a Masters of Education from Harvard University.

While Nelly is stepping into the executive director role during turbulent times, the Board of Directors is more than confident that Nelly has the right community relationships and professional and educational background to help Jamestown continue to thrive. I hope you will join me in welcoming Nelly to her new role.

Warmly,
Betty Pazmiño
Chairperson
Jamestown Board of Directors