Before you write
- 1 Find out who represents you. SMFCSD has five elected trustees; check the current roster and contact info on the Board of Trustees page. You can email one trustee or all five, either is fine.
- 2 Check the board meeting calendar for the next Regular Board Meeting date if you also want to speak in person or over Zoom.
- 3 Decide what you're asking for. A private email is easiest, public comment at a meeting carries more weight, and doing both is most effective.
Email templates
1. General concern to a trustee
Best if this is your first time reaching out. Short, personal, and easy to send.
Subject
Parent concern: student device use and screen defaults
Body
Dear [Trustee Name],
I'm a parent at [school name] in SMFCSD, and I'm writing about how much unstructured screen time our students get on district devices during the school day.
I've reviewed CAASPP achievement data going back to 2014-15 alongside a group of other district parents, and I'm concerned about the consistent decline in ELA scores since 2018-19, particularly in the earliest grades. I don't think screen time is the only factor, but I think it's a factor worth the board actively investigating rather than leaving to default settings.
I'd like to ask the board to:
- Support or join a Tech Use Task Force with parent representation
- Review current Google Workspace admin settings (YouTube access, Chrome filtering, AI tool defaults) against peer districts
- Commit to a plain-language annual update on both device policy and its outcomes
I'm happy to share the data behind this or talk further. Thank you for your time and for serving on the board.
[Your name]
[Your child's school]
2. Signing up to speak at a board meeting
Short note to the board secretary or superintendent's office letting them know you plan to give public comment. Not required in most cases, but useful if you want to coordinate with other parents speaking the same night.
Subject
Planning to give public comment at the [date] board meeting
Body
Hello,
I plan to attend the [date] Regular Board Meeting and give public comment on student device use and screen time policy. I wanted to flag this in advance in case there's anything I should know about the sign-up process for that meeting.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Speaking at a meeting
- How to sign up
- In person: submit a speaker card to a Board member or the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services before public comment is called. Virtual: click the "raise hand" icon in Zoom before the Board President calls for speakers.
- Time limit
- Individual statements are generally limited to three minutes; the Board President can grant more at their discretion.
- Non-agenda items
- The board can hear your comment but legally can't take action on anything not already posted on the agenda, so public comment is for raising an issue and being heard, not an immediate vote.
- Where to check meeting dates
- smfcsd.net/board-of-trustees/board-agendas-minutes
- Mailing address
- Board of Trustees, San Mateo-Foster City School District, 1170 Chess Drive, Foster City, CA 94404