Berkeley Unified's mission is to enable and inspire our diverse student body to achieve academic excellence and make positive contributions to our world.
Thank you, class of 2020! The plaque reads: “Six Feet Apart We Sit In Solidarity: This Installation Stands In Honor Of The Class Of 2020 Who Did Not Get To Finish Their Senior Year On Campus And The Berkeley High Community Who Made It Through These Unprecedented Times Together"
Thanks to our amazing Nutrition Services team for serving 7,250 meals today to children in our community. This includes meals to cover next week's break. "I love what I do...I'm doing something with a purpose."
#BerkeleyUnified
Let’s make some noise Berkeley! Step outside for two minutes at 5:20 pm on June 12 to make “joyful noise” and congratulate the Class of 2020. Then view the graduation at 5:30 pm here: More information:
Thank you,
@CityofBerkeley
and Carbon Health for quickly rolling out school-based clinics where more than 500 of our students ages 5-11 have already been vaccinated. Special thanks to the many BUSD students who received their vaccine and were happy to show off their band-aids!
Congratulations to BUSD Cragmont Elementary School teacher Neelam Patil for being named one of TIME's Innovative Teachers of 2022. Patil made the list for her work bringing the first Miyawaki School Forests in the U.S. to three BUSD schools.
A shout out to our Nutrition Services staff on School Nutrition Employee Week. Thank you for all you do! Take-away meals are available on Mon/Wed/Fri from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at these locations:
#BerkeleyUnified
Congratulations to Berkeley High School science teacher Glenn Wolkenfeld who will be the recipient of the National Association of Biology Teachers' 2020 Outstanding Biology Teacher of the Year Award for the state of California.
It was a wonderful first day of school all across BUSD. Students reconnected with friends and educators, learned new routines, and began to engage with their classmates as learners. We loved seeing parents and caregivers back on our campuses too!
Today, BUSD alumna Kamala Harris made history as she took the Oath of Office to become the first woman Vice President of the United States, as well as the first Black and South-Asian Vice President.
Teachers can resume scheduling video conference instruction with students beginning this Monday. The smiles exchanged between this Malcolm X student and his teacher say it all.
From a beautiful welcome to TK-2 students on the steps of Ruth Acty, to In-Person and Distance Learning teacher appreciation from Oxford parents, there is much appreciation and admiration going around BUSD today.
Longfellow Middle School students returned from break to a large new Makerspace with modular furniture designed to facilitate project-based learning and collaboration.
On October 12th, students across BUSD will walk, bike, and roll to school to celebrate International Walk and Roll to School Day. This is a great opportunity to make our streets safer, reduce traffic, improve air quality, and have fun exercising with the BUSD community!
"I write to share an update on how our schools are doing so far this week, what we’re planning to confront this surge, and to reassure you of our absolute commitment to keep our schools open and as safe as possible."
A giant BUSD Thank You!!! to Valerie Kratzer
@schools_fund
for her above-and-beyond contribution to our BUSD students, families, and staff over the last six years, and most notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. We see you and we appreciate you! (Photo: Haldun Morgan)
As we end the third week of school, I continue to feel that the “headline” for our learning community – the most important story about our Berkeley public school community – is that we have succeeded in reopening our schools...
Thank you, Oxford Elementary School community, for decorating your school sidewalk to honor BUSD teachers! Our teachers inspire BUSD students to be lifelong learners, curious about the world around them, and empowered changemakers. They are the best!
#TeacherAppreciationWeek
Emerson Elementary School staff began last night's virtual open house for incoming and current families with this message to the school community. 💙💚
#BerkeleyUnified
Thanks to
@rideact
for adding a trip to lines 7 and 67 in order to better meet bell times at Berkeley High School. The printable PDF timetables for Line 7 () and Line 67 () have been updated.
BUSD is happy to welcome Ruth Acty Elementary School to our family of school names. In 1943, Ruth Acty was hired as the first teacher of color at the Berkeley Unified School District. Learn more about her distinguished career here:
More than 200 BUSD students and community members were vaccinated at yesterday's Malcolm X Elementary School vaccine clinic. Anyone age 5+ is now eligible for a booster. Thanks
@CityofBerkeley
,
@CarbonHealth
, and
@schools_fund
(for the clinic volunteers!).
#BerkeleyUnified
!
Today, we celebrate César Chávez Day at BUSD. We honor the birth and legacy of César Chávez, a civil rights and labor movement activist who worked to improve the lives of farmworkers and so many others.
#CesarChavezDay
BUSD today announced that local internet service provider
@sonic
will provide free high-speed fiber-optic internet access to student households for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year (through July 1, 2021) Thank you
@sonic
!
Between Dec. 24 and the morning of Jan. 1, a total of 5,231 iHealth tests results were uploaded into Primary Health. The positive case rate for these results is 1.8%. Anyone testing positive on or after Dec. 24 should not return to school on Jan. 3.
Students and staff displayed their fun and fabulous Halloween costumes and spirit this morning at BUSD schools. There is no school for students on Friday, October 29.
#HappyHalloween
!
Thank you, BUSD bus drivers! We appreciate your patience, kindness and excellent service to our students. We are so happy to see you transporting our students to our schools for in-person learning!
Happening right now: the amazing, articulate, and absolutely inspiring BUSD Class of 2022 is graduating at Jacket Stadium. Congratulations to all of you. Enjoy this wonderful day!
From preschool to high school, we've seen many masked, happy faces as teachers and students have been returning to BUSD campuses and reconnecting for an expansion of our Phase 1 Cohort Program.
Many preschool and K-2 students returned to their campuses for In-Person Learning today, while Distance Learning students met new classmates among the familiar faces in their classes. Wherever we learn, we learn together.
#BerkeleyUnified
This International Walk and Roll to School Day, students and families at Emerson Elementary School tracked which fuel-saving way they got to school using stickers and spent some time rolling on the playground with Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel.
#WalkAndRoll23
Black Lives Matter. BUSD stands with our African American students and their families to end racism and build a community that lives in freedom and is committed to justice. BUSD statement:
Thank you, community members, for taking the time to appreciate the incredible effort made by BUSD staff over the last two weeks. Your messages of appreciation inspire us!
#BerkeleyUnified
Thank you, BUSD School Librarians, for all you do. On National School Librarian Day, BUSD recognizes the dedicated professionals who keep our school libraries running and create environments where our students can learn. We appreciate you!
Congratulations to Nevaeh for an inspiring first place win at BUSD's 2022 Middle School and High School Oratorical Fest! Join us tonight at 5 pm to support our elementary school students as they "Get Up! Speak Up! Demonstrate Black Resilience and Joy!"
As our school community enjoys some leisurely reading over Spring Break, we want to thank our librarians for curating the books and related resources that are integral to learning at BUSD and for instilling a love of reading in our students.
Last night, across the district, parents and caregivers returned to our elementary school campuses to gather with educators for Back To School Night. What a fun, welcoming, and wonderful experience to all be together again in support of our students' education!
#BerkeleyREADY
!
Thank you to BUSD's OFEE staff and our amazing community partners
@SupplyBank
,
@schools_fund
, and Covenant Church for a beautiful day in the park yesterday. There were so many happy and excited faces as students received their supplies for the first day of school!
#BerkeleyREADY
!
As we say goodbye to 2019, we extend our appreciation to our students, families, and staff for a productive (and fun) school year so far. Enjoy Winter Break. We'll see you all back at
#BerkeleyUnified
on Jan 6, 2020.
"On August 15, the 2022-23 BUSD school year will begin. In addition to working with staff to ensure that our schools are welcoming, rigorous, and joyful, I will spend my first 90 days in BUSD listening and learning." Learn more:
Congratulations to all BUSD fifth-grade students who are graduating in joyful and affirming ceremonies this week. We are all so proud of your efforts and look forward to seeing you in middle school on August 16!
BUSD celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the many contributions of our vibrant and diverse AAPI community. Learn more about AAPI events and resources at BUSD, including an Anti-Asian Racism panel on Thursday, May 6 at 7:00pm:
A shout out to BUSD families who took time to share these heartfelt, decorative messages of gratitude today at our district office. You made a difference today! We are in this together and so grateful for our BUSD community.
#BerkeleyUnified
Thank you, Ruth Acty Elementary School 5th-grade students and teacher Rick Kleine for this 3,792 fabric circle quilt honoring BUSD's first Black teacher! Ruth Acty dedicated nearly 50 years of her life to teaching students in Berkeley, from Kindergarten through Adult School.
On School Bus Driver's Day, we are reminded to thank every BUSD bus driver for their dedication to our students and their commitment to safety. Our bus drivers make a difference in the lives of so many BUSD students every school day. We see you today and we appreciate you! 🚍
Power is back in Berkeley, but this week's
@PGE4Me
shutoff is still a good reminder for all us that we need to be prepared for disasters.
Take one step to keep safe today: sign up for emergency notifications: .
#BerkeleyReady
Berkeley High School is among only 26% of CA high schools to offer a Personal Finance elective. Thank you to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond for taking the time to speak with our students today.
We're proud of our beautiful BUSD facilities and grateful to our dedicated maintenance staff who work behind the scenes to keep everything in top condition. Thank you, Maintenance Engineers, Maintenance Technicians, and General Maintenance Technicians! We appreciate you!
Thanks to our Gardening and Cooking Program, and with help from
@schools_fund
volunteers, BUSD provided 800 home garden kits to students. Happy planting! Gardening tips and videos:
While there may have been some first-day jitters, the mood was easy going and fun as friends and classmates reconnected at Berkeley High School today. Welcome back!
BUSD Community: Get your feet walking and wheels rolling on Wednesday, October 6 for International Walk and Roll to School Day. Celebrate by walking, bicycling, skating, scooting, and using shared transportation to get to school for this
@AlamedaCoSR2S
event.
#walkandroll
Thank you, COVID testing technicians,
@schools_fund
, and community volunteers who are helping us to test students and staff across BUSD. We are stronger together! Want to help? Volunteer as a test technician here:
#berkeleyunified
Congratulations to these BUSD students whose zero-waste actions were recognized by the United Nations. A photo of the students at a press conference at the Berkeley Transfer Station is on display in an exhibit in Geneva, Switzerland:
Today, we recognize you, our BUSD Administrative Professionals who keep our schools and the District running--something even more important now as we navigate the challenges of this pandemic. Students, families, and staff can always rely on your guidance and support. Thank you!
Thank you,
@julie_sinai
and
@tyschoolboard
, for your outstanding service to the Berkeley Unified School District and all in our community during your tenure on the Board of Education. BUSD wishes you both the best in all that comes next.
Congratulations to the Longfellow Middle School Tigers on their 8th-Grade Graduation! Thanks to
#BerkeleyUnified
staff for making it a special day. Let's welcome these rising 9th-grade students to the Class of 2024!
Thanks
@BerkFoodNetwork
for operating this food pantry with BTA on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 2:30 - 4:00 pm. And for working in the rain!
#BerkeleyUnified
How did you get to BUSD today? Across the district, many students (and staff) had fun walking and rolling to school. Check out Longfellow Middle School's Walk and Roll to School Day chart and Superintendent Ford Morthel's skates at Oxford Elementary School!
Big BUSD shout out to the
@schools_fund
volunteers who made our vaccination clinics at Malcolm X and Rosa Parks run so smoothly. They also made the clinics fun for our students--with entertainment, snacks, stickers, and music! We appreciate you!
Shout-out to Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School students who celebrated Earth Day last week by creating this chalked-in design. Thank you to educators Louise Paige and Julie Searle who have been creating this mural with our students.
Syliva Mendez Elementary School students got to “Meet the Symphony” yesterday - enjoying an assembly where Ming Luke and the Berkeley Symphony played for and interacted with them. Students learned about how music is made and what an orchestra is. Thanks,
@BerkeleySymph
!
Today, we recognize with deep gratitude the contributions BUSD nurses make every day to improve the safety, health, and academic success of all students. Thank you for all you do for our students and the BUSD school community!
Congratulations to our students at Berkeley Arts Magnet (BAM) Elementary School and to the families who supported them in taking active or shared transportation to school.
We are thrilled to announce the winner of the 2023 Platinum Sneaker Award: Berkeley Arts Magnet School in the
@BerkeleyUnified
School District! During the
#GoldenSneakerContest
, 74% of Berkeley Arts Magnet students took active or shared transportation to school. Way to go! 🏆
This week we recognize BUSD Classified Employees as an exceptional group of colleagues who work tirelessly, and often behind the scenes, to support our students, families, staff, and community. They keep our schools running!
Congratulations to our rising 6th-grade middle school students! We are proud of your many achievements in elementary school and look forward to welcoming you at Longfellow, Martin Luther King Jr., and Willard middle schools in August!
Reminder: Please help your students take their first iHealth test today, Friday, December 31. BUSD staff should also test today. Please test again on Sunday, January 2.
#StopTheSpread
Directions:
English:
Spanish:
Principal Raygoza:“You have offered growth, integrity, voice, justice, empathy, respect and leadership to us all.” Principal Weber: “Congratulations Class of 2022! We love you and we’re so proud of you!”
A big BUSD shoutout to our OFEE staff for their amazing work at the BUSD School Supplies Giveaway today and their dedication to our students every day! Thank you, BUSD families, for the great turnout today. We'll see you back at BUSD on Wednesday, August 16!
On June 2, 2021, the BUSD Board of Education passed Resolution 21-041 in honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. A rainbow flag will be displayed at BUSD schools and facilities throughout June to signify support for the LGBTQ+ community. Here's the flag at Ruth Acty Elementary School.
Malcolm X Elementary School students & families chose the active & eco-friendly option of biking to school this morning for Alameda County's Bike to School Day. Over 90 schools throughout the county are participating to celebrate the joy of biking to school.
#BikeToSchoolDay
Are you ready for the first day of school on Monday, August 15? We are --
#BerkeleyREADY
! -- And we can't wait to see our students and families tomorrow morning!
Thank you to Berkeley High School Personal Finance teacher Crystal Rigley for inviting State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond to speak with Berkeley High School students on the importance of financial literacy today.
Thank you,
#BerkeleyUnified
community, for your collective efforts to keep our schools open and safe. Thank you, BUSD students, for your hard work, love of learning, and kindness. Thank you, BUSD educators--you're the best! Wishing you all peace, joy, and rest over winter break.
We are pleased to announce that the District and the Berkeley Federation of Teachers (BFT) reached a tentative agreement that, once ratified, establishes a timeline for the reopening of all our schools, PK-12, into a hybrid model of instruction.
BUSD and
@CityofBerkeley
have teamed up to host a Red Cross Blood Drive at Berkeley High School's Donahue Gym on Tuesday, August 4. Open from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm. Here's how to donate:
Today, August 3, BUSD begins a series of Town Hall meetings for our community to learn more from district leadership about the Distance Learning Plan for the Fall of 2020. Here's how to attend:
Elementary school parents and caregivers can enroll students in distance learning or 5 full days on campus each week. The enrollment form is due Thursday, March 11.
We help all students rise when we assure them they will be free to express themselves and live authentically in schools that are safe, welcoming, and free from stigma and discrimination, regardless of gender identity or expression.