Author: Alfredo Casuso

Spark SF Public Schools and SFUSD Release 2023-24 Annual Report: Showcasing the Transformative Power of Public-Private Partnerships

Media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc / (415) 676-7007 /news@davidperry.com 

6 March 2025 — San Francisco, CA: The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and Spark SF Public Schools, SFUSD’s official nonprofit partner, today announced the release of the 2023-24 Annual Report for Spark SF Public Schools, highlighting the impactful role of philanthropy and community partnerships in advancing student success. Since its founding in 2015, Spark SF Public Schools has mobilized over $138 million to support the district’s highest-priority initiatives—investing $14.7 million in Fiscal Year 2024 alone.

Entering its 10th anniversary year, Spark SF Public Schools continues to work in close collaboration with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Maria Su to ensure every student has access to an excellent education. The report showcases how Spark’s strategic public-private partnerships have helped drive measurable student success and improve SFUSD’s public school system.

FY24 Highlights of Impact:

Advancing Excellence in Teaching and Learning:

• Provided access to digital math tutoring platform to 6,211 students. 
• 1,262 students participated in paid internships or career exploration programs.
• 3x increase in student enrollment at the Mission Bay Hub, expanding STEM access.

Uplifting Equity:

• 64% increase in reading scores for students in the Mastering Cultural Identity program.
• 160% increase in students reporting a positive “sense of belonging” after participating in Black Star Rising.

Serving the Whole Child:

• 23,554 unique mental health services provided to middle school students.
• 3,043 unhoused students received essential support services.
• 82 cafeterias redesigned, 4 kitchen renovations completed, and a 200%+ increase in breakfast and lunch participation following the opening of the McAteer Culinary Center.

“The partnership between SFUSD and Spark SF Public Schools has been instrumental in expanding educational opportunities for all our students,” said Dr. Maria Su, SFUSD Superintendent. “We deeply appreciate the unwavering support from the Spark community and call on the broader San Francisco community to continue investing in our schools. Together, we can create lasting, systemic change.”

“As we look ahead to the next decade, our vision is one of even greater impact,” said Ginny Fang, President of Spark SF Public Schools. “By strengthening public-private partnerships, we can unlock new opportunities for SFUSD students to succeed and thrive.”

The 2023-24 Annual Report reinforces the pivotal role of philanthropy and cross-sector collaboration in shaping a brighter future for San Francisco’s students. Spark SF Public Schools remains committed to fostering community engagement, securing essential resources, and driving initiatives that support SFUSD’s mission.

For more details, view the full 2023-24 Annual Report here.

About SFUSD:
Serving approximately 50,000 students across 119 schools, SFUSD’s mission is to provide every student the quality instruction and equitable support required to thrive in the 21st century. The district is committed to helping all students develop strong academic knowledge and skills, as well as the dispositions and behaviors to increase their curiosity and engagement, activate their full potential for learning, and prepare them for life, work, and study beyond their secondary school years. 

About Spark SF Public Schools:
Spark SF Public Schools is the only non-profit 501(c)3 organization in formal partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District to receive and mobilize philanthropic and community funds on behalf of the district, working to ensure every SFUSD student has access to an excellent public education. In partnership with SFUSD’s Superintendent of Schools, Spark identifies pivotal opportunities within SFUSD’s highest priority student outcome initiatives where philanthropic dollars can act as a catalyst to exponentially amplify success in driving significantly better student outcomes across San Francisco’s public school system.

Un momento para los patriotas

— por David Eugene Perry

Cuando era niño, daba recorridos por el Capitolio del Estado de Virginia en Richmond. Me sentaba frente al televisor con mi grabadora de casetes y registraba el audio de los Bicentennial Minutes de Walter Cronkite en 1976. Mi madre y mi abuela alimentaron mi curiosidad y mis ansias de conocimiento llevándome a tantos sitios de la Revolución Americana, la Guerra Civil y la historia indígena en el estado que terminé con ampollas en los pies y una estantería repleta de libros y direcciones de conservadores de museos. De niño, fui un patriota precoz.

Mi primera carta al editor fue en defensa de la entrevista de Betty Ford en 60 Minutes, en agosto de 1975, en la que hablaba abiertamente sobre temas como el sexo prematrimonial, el consumo de marihuana, el derecho al aborto y su propia batalla contra el cáncer de mama. Llamé “mentes superficiales” a quienes se oponían a su franqueza. El editor del Richmond Times-Dispatch llamó a mi madre (quien no sabía que yo había enviado algo al periódico) para preguntarle: “¿Está segura de que esto lo escribió un niño de 13 años?”

— “Sí.”

Soy lo que en el Sur llaman un Yella’ Dog Democrat: alguien que votaría por un perro amarillo antes que por un republicano. Y sin embargo, aunque nunca obtuvieron mi voto, Ronald Reagan, Bush padre y Bush hijo se ganaron mi respeto por la manera en que representaron a los Estados Unidos en la escena internacional, aunque eso me llevó a escribir muchos artículos de opinión y a participar en muchas marchas de protesta contra sus políticas.

Siempre me he considerado primero un estadounidense y, en segundo lugar, un demócrata.

— Hasta hoy.

Fui objeto de burlas despiadadas en la escuela primaria — “Fairy Perry” — así que sé reconocer a un matón cuando lo veo. Ver a Donald Trump transformar sistemáticamente — y con gran éxito — la política exterior de EE.UU. en un ejercicio de extorsión, negligencia e información falsa me ha convertido, antes que nada, en un ciudadano del mundo, oponiéndome con horror y repulsión al carácter y la crueldad del 47.º presidente de los Estados Unidos y sus secuaces. No es un republicano. Es un mafioso en busca de una corte medieval y una corona. La corte, ya la tiene. La corona: aún no.

¿Hay mérito en algunas de las políticas de Donald Trump? Posiblemente. ¿Hay mérito en desmantelar en menos de 100 días el orden mundial por el que lucharon mi padre, mi tío y mi hermano? No. Para citar a Patrick Henry: “Dios Todopoderoso, no lo permitas.”

Soy ciudadano del mundo. Soy ciudadano de EE.UU. Soy demócrata.

Soy miembro de la Resistencia.

Exhorto a todos los estadounidenses a marcar dos fechas: el 3 de noviembre de 2026 y el 7 de noviembre de 2028.

Hasta entonces, debemos seguir adelante y asegurarnos de poder votar con seguridad en esas fechas. Lamentablemente, en este caso, el consejo de FDR no aplica. Hay mucho, muchísimo más que temer que solo el miedo mismo.

David Eugene Perry nació y creció en Richmond, Virginia. Se graduó de St. Paul’s Parochial y del Benedictine Military Institute. Ahora vive en California con su esposo. Trabaja a nivel internacional y ha visitado más de 70 países.

A Time for Patriots
by David Eugene Perry

When I was a boy, I would give tours of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond. I sat in front of the TV with my cassette player and recorded the audio to Walter Cronkite’s “Bicentennial Minutes” in 1976. My mother and grandmother fed my wide eyes and horizons by traipsing through enough Revolutionary and Civil War and Native American sites in the Commonwealth to generate blisters and a bookshelf groaning with books and curators’ addresses. As a child, I was a precocious patriot.

My first letter to the editor was in defense of Betty Ford’s 60 Minutes interview in August 1975 in which she candidly discussed topics such as premarital sex, marijuana use, abortion rights, and her own breast cancer battle. I called those who opposed her openness as “shallow minded.” The editor of the Richmond Times Dispatch called my mother (who didn’t know I had submitted something to the paper) to inquire: “Are you sure a 13 year old wrote this?”

“Yes.”

I’m what is referred to in The South as a “Yella’ Dog Democrat”: someone who’d vote for a yellow dog before voting for a Republican. And yet, although they didn’t earn my vote, Ronald Reagan, Bush I & II earned my respect for the way in which they represented the United States of America on the international stage, albeit with many more opeds and protest marches along the way against their policies.

I have always been first an American; secondly a Democrat.  — until today.

I was mercilessly teased during grade school — “Fairy Perry” — so I know a bully when I see one. Watching Donald Trump systematically — and to great effect — turn U.S. foreign policy into a bully’s exercise of extortion, malfeasance and misinformation — has made me firstly a citizen of the world in opposition and sickening horror to the demeanor and meanness of the 47th President of the United States and his minions. He is not a Republican. He’s mafioso in search of a Medieval court and crown. The court, he has. The crown: not yet.

Is there merit in some of Donald Trump’s policies? Likely. Is there merit in single handedly dismantling in less than 100 days the world order for which my father, uncle and brother fought? No. To quote Patrick Henry: “Forbid it Almighty God.”

I am a citizen of the world. I am a US Citizen. I am a Democrat. 

I am a member of The Resistance. 

I urge all Americans to mark two dates: November 3, 2026 and November 7, 2028.

Until then, we need to keep on keeping on to make sure we can safely cast a vote on those dates. Sadly, in this instance, FDR’s advice does not serve. There is much, much more to fear than fear itself.

David Eugene Perry was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia: a graduate of St. Paul’s Parochial and Benedictine Military Institute. He now lives in California with his husband. Working internationally, he has visited more than 70 countries.

Media Contact: David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

“The Play’s the Thing”
Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival Returns for 2025
www.psypf.org

Submission Deadline: March 31

Mentorship with Hollywood Veteran Jack Kenny and Scholarships Await
Festival Takes Place June 8 at Palm Springs Cultural Center

25 February 2025 – Palm Springs, CA : “The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.” Shakespeare’s immortal line from Hamlet reminds us of the power of storytelling to shape hearts, minds, and society. For the seventh year, the Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival (PSYPF) returns to celebrate that power by cultivating the next generation of playwrights. With a submission deadline of March 31, 2025, young writers across Riverside County have the chance for professional mentorship, scholarship opportunities, and the thrill of seeing their words come alive on stage.

“We believe that stories shape our world—and every year, PSYPF proves that young voices have some of the most compelling stories to tell,” said David Youse, Founder and Executive Director of the Festival.  “This is about more than scripts. It’s about empowering young playwrights to believe in their potential, to hear their words spoken aloud, and to see the impact of their creative vision. The March 31 submission deadline is a golden opportunity for aspiring writers to take that first step.”

Hollywood Expertise Meets Local Talent:
Returning this year as a mentor is Jack Kenny, a name synonymous with storytelling across stage and screen. With a distinguished career that includes creating NBC’s The Book of Daniel and FOX’s Titus, running the hit Syfy series Warehouse 13, and writing for fan-favorites like Marvel’s Jessica Jones and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Kenny brings a wealth of experience from Hollywood’s frontlines.

“The theatre is where it all began for me. Plays demand the truth—raw, unfiltered, and immediate,” said Kenny, after many years in Hollywood, now a full time Palm Springs resident.  “The young playwrights who submit to PSYPF aren’t just writing stories; they’re writing their future. Mentoring them is an honor, and watching their voices emerge is always inspiring. The March 31 deadline isn’t just a date—it’s a doorway. I hope many walk through it.”

Kenny’s extensive Broadway and Off-Broadway acting experience, including performances in Fiddler on the Roof and The Normal Heart, combined with his Juilliard training and decades of television writing and directing, provides festival participants with mentorship that bridges every dimension of the theatrical arts.

Festival Details & Impact:
The 2025 Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival will take place at 12pm on Sunday, June 8 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center (2300 E. Baristo Rd., Palm Springs, CA 92262). General admission is $10, with students admitted free. Tickets are available at:
brownpapertickets.com/event/6581051.

The March 31, 2025 submission deadline is critical: plays can be submitted via psypf.org, with winners announced on April 15. Each winner will receive a $500 scholarships to further their arts education and participate in a staged reading of their work, gaining invaluable professional feedback and real-world theatrical experience.  The 2025 Festival will be hosted by Anthony Banuelos and Abigail Alldredge, winners of the 2024 competition, highlighting the program’s tradition of paying it forward.

Changing Lives, One Story at a Time:
The impact of PSYPF on young writers is profound. As Xuan Anh Ly Biggs, a 2023 winner now attending USC’s BFA program in screenwriting, shared:
“Because of PSYPF, I can now attend my dream school. The experience empowered me to pursue a career as a writer.”

For Brooklyn Rutledge, also a 2023 winner, the festival was transformative:
“I’m not exaggerating when I say that PSYPF genuinely changed my life. I wouldn’t have continued playwriting without it.”

And for Yamani Scoggins, a 2021 winner, PSYPF provided clarity and motivation: “As a young Black woman uncertain about her path, PSYPF showed me doors I didn’t know existed. It was a catalyst for my dedication to the arts.”

Sponsors and Community Support

The 2025 Premier Sponsor of PSYPF is The Cherry Lane Alternative. Leading sponsors include:

• Rowan Kimpton Hotel, Palm Springs – Peggy Trott, General Manager
• The Palm Springs Cultural Center
• City of Palm Springs
• The Riverside County Office of Education
• Paul Reid and Tom Hartnett
• Scott Poland and Eddie Nestlebush
• Jason Smith and Tom Valach

“These sponsors and partners recognize the importance of nurturing young voices,” added Youse. “Their support ensures these talented young writers are given a platform—and a future.”

About The Palm Springs  Young Playwrights Festival:
The Palm Springs Young Playwrights Festival is dedicated to promoting creative writing in the theatrical form among elementary, middle, and high school students in Riverside County, CA. By offering mentorship, scholarships, and the opportunity for public staged readings, PSYPF invests in the next generation of storytellers, ensuring that diverse and fresh perspectives continue to enrich the world of theatre.

For more information, submissions, and tickets, visit: www.psypf.org.