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Board approves pilot field-sharing MOU, defers full First Student contract decision to allow site input
Summary
The board approved an amended memorandum of understanding to expand weekend shared use of school athletic fields with the City and to return revenue to sites, delegating authority to the superintendent to add or remove participating schools; the First Student transportation contract was severed from the consent calendar for further review.
The board considered severed consent items including a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand a pilot program that allows community and youth sports organizations to rent and share SFUSD athletic fields and a proposed extension to the First Student transportation contract.
Public comment and staff presentation: Stewart Berkowitz, co‑president of the San Francisco Viking Soccer Youth League, urged the board to support the field-sharing memorandum, saying it increases available play space for about 4,000 schoolchildren and offers small nonprofits a way to contribute to maintenance. David Golden, chief facilities officer, described a prior pilot using Mission, Lowell and John O'Connell fields that generated revenue and said the program would be rolled out again with the intention of returning some revenue to school sites.
Principal and principal‑outreach concerns: Several commissioners asked staff to ensure that school principals and athletic directors had been notified and consulted; staff acknowledged a communication gap at a small number of sites (Galileo was cited) and committed to additional outreach. Commissioners amended the MOU so the superintendent or designee is authorized to add or delete participating schools to keep scheduling flexible. That amendment was adopted and the amended MOU passed on roll call (recorded as 6 ayes).
Consent calendar: The board severed the First Student contract (transportation extension) for separate consideration; a First Student representative attended to answer questions.
Why it matters: The field-sharing pilot is intended to better use public facilities, generate modest revenue for sites and support youth sports in a city with constrained field capacity. Commissioners emphasized principal buy‑in and neighborhood considerations as staff implements the program.
