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Thousand Oaks Students Use Creative Expression to Learn and Teach about Berkeley Creeks
The annual fifth grade play at Thousand Oaks was about Blackberry Creek and the history of the Berkeley creeks. Drama teacher Jennifer Wendel collaborated with fellow teachers, a local historian, and stewards of the creeks to create the original play. Song and dance provided students with a fun and exciting way to learn and teach about the history of Berkeley creeks. You too can learn about Berkeley's creeks by watching the performance!
Re-Opened UC Theater to host BHS Jazz Ensemble and Pacific Mambo Orchestra: June 3
The Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble is opening for the Grammy award-winning Pacific Mambo Orchestra on Friday, June 3rd at the brand new UC Theater!  Click on the image to read more.
District Meetings & Events
School Board Members Hold Monthly "Office Hours"
Join a board member in a local cafe and bring your ideas, suggestions, and questions.
 
Find the Board Member Office Hours Schedule
Google Calendar
Brown Act Committees Open to the Public:

Tues., April 19, 7:15-9:30 p.m.
2020 Bonar St., Room 126

Wed., April 20, 7:30 p.m.
(School Board Meetings are held in the Board Room at 1231 Addison St.)
All School Board meetings are televised live on local cable channel 33 and stream live on the BUSD YouTube channel.
2016-17 School Year
Calendar 

Note: The first day of school is TUESDAY, August 30 (not Wednesday as in prior years)!
California State Seal
Don't Wait, Vaccinate!
Starting January 1, 2016, a new state law (Senate Bill 277) no longer allows parents/guardians of students in any school or child-care facility, whether public or private, to submit a personal beliefs exemption form for any currently required immunization.

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QSA Students Lead LGBTQ Awareness
Students of the Queer Straight Alliances (QSA, formerly GSA) at Berkeley High School, and at each of the district's three middle schools, led activities to honor the Day of SiIence in support of a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. 

Some students stayed silent for the entire day, while others were "breaking the silence" with events and activities that are helping to make anti-LGBTQ bullying, harassment and name-calling unacceptable in our community. At Berkeley High School, students participated in an informative and compelling Q&A session about LGBTQ issues; at Willard Middle School, the whole school participated in a "breaking the silence ceremony" on the playground at the end of the day. This Friday Longfellow's QSA is leading two awareness assemblies, and doing their own version of "breaking the silence" at the end of the school day.
Berkeley Technology Academy 
Garden Makeover
A local business, sweetgreenopens its doors today, Tuesday, April 19 with a community gift: 100% of opening day proceeds go to rebuild the garden at the Berkeley Technology Academy (BTA) and to support other "sweetgreen in the schools" efforts in Berkeley and Oakland.

date: April 19th (Today!)
time: 10:30 AM - 10 PM
where: sweetgreen, 1890 Shattuck Ave (location formerly occupied by Oscar's)

The next day, Wednesday, April 20, sweetgreen will sponsor a "Garden and Gather"  at the BTA Garden. Find out more here to volunteer.
Malcolm X - Gold Ribbon School
Malcolm X Elementary School successfully completed the California Gold Ribbon Schools Program application process and has been recognized as one of 772 California Gold Ribbon Schools for 2016!

The award is given to schools with demonstrated success in creating a positive learning atmosphere for students, and for succeeding in using standards-based activities, projects, strategies, and practices that can be replicated by other local educational agencies.

The California Gold Ribbon Schools Award was created to honor schools in place of the California Distinguished Schools Program, which is on hiatus while California creates new assessment and accountability systems. 

Congratulations to the entire Malcolm X Elementary School community! 
First Draft BSEP Renewal Ballot Measure Being Reviewed this Week
During more than a year of planning and community engagement in preparation for the renewal of the BSEP Measure in November 2016, there have been wide-ranging conversations, and general agreement that the programs funded by BSEP are central to excellence in our schools. There were many discussions about strengthening, expanding and adapting BSEP programs to further improve opportunities for our students. 

The language from the BSEP Measure of 2006 has been revised to reflect the best thinking about how these precious local taxpayer funds can be best used to serve Berkeley's public school students for the next 8 years. 

The BSEP Planning & Oversight (P&O) Committee and the School Board will discuss the first draft of the BSEP Measure this week.(Meeting schedule in left column of this newsletter.)
 
Both meetings are open to the public and provide dedicated time for public comment. You can also follow the board meeting discussion from home on local B-TV Channel 33 or on the district's YouTube Channel.

Oxford Elementary Receives Common Sense Digital Media Certification
Oxford Elementary School's Digital Media Certification follows quickly behind the same announcement about John Muir Elementary just two weeks ago. Oxford's "tech teacher" Robin Harley, and other Berkeley educators, are leading efforts to address the challenges that technology brings to the classroom in innovative ways. School communities are working to address the behavioral and social issues that many students experience, such as cyberbullying and digital drama, oversharing of information, digital cheating and plagiarism, as well as how to analyze and evaluate the credibility of websites. 

Way to lead the way, Oxford!

Berkeley Unified School District | 2020 Bonar Street | Berkeley | CA | 94702