Berkeley schools rely on testing, not contact tracing, to battle omicron surge
The district is relying on its new twice-weekly testing regimen and is giving two KN95 masks to all staff and students.
Berkeley Unified School District
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Election 2020
Laura Babitt, Ana Vasudeo win school board seats with campaigns for smart school reopening, student safety
The two candidates will take over for Judy Appel and Beatriz Leyva-Cutler, who are both retiring from the board.
Distance learning equity, student safety are critical issues for Berkeley School Board candidates
In a race with no incumbents, six candidates are running to fill two seats during an academic year upended by COVID-19.
Election 2020: School Board candidates answer Berkeleyside questions
Meet your Berkeley School Board candidates in Berkeley’s November 2020 election: Laura Babitt, Jose Luis Bedolla, Esfandiar Imani, Michael Chang and Ana Vasudeo.
Election 2020: Who is Jose Luis Bedolla?
Meet Jose Luis Bedolla, one of six Berkeley School Board candidates in Berkeley’s November 2020 election.
Election 2020: Who is Ana Vasudeo?
Meet Ana Vasudeo, one of six Berkeley School Board candidates in Berkeley’s November 2020 election.
Related stories
Despite the surge, Berkeley Unified plans to stay open with bolstered testing
The district has ramped up its testing and plans to provide 19,000 rapid tests weekly to all students.
Student, staff absences rise at Berkeley schools amid omicron surge
Committed to keeping schools open, the district is ramping up testing and passed a booster-or-test policy that take effect Feb. 25.
Berkeley kids return to school amid omicron surge
As of Monday afternoon, at least 227 students and staff have tested positive as the Berkeley school district ramps up testing, anticipates new isolation rules.
A year’s trash in a tiny jar: Berkeley’s zero-waste classroom is almost there
Jacqueline Omania’s fifth-grade students have been spreading the zero-waste gospel to everyone in their lives, from kindergarteners to parents to politicians.
Parents, staff lean toward 3-zone option for middle school enrollment, survey shows
The school board will consider the data next November when voting on whether to leave in place the current two-zone enrollment policy or replace it with a new policy.
Vaccinated Berkeley students were 6 times less likely to get COVID-19 this fall, district data show
The data mirror statewide trends showing lower rates of infection in vaccinated people.
Buffy Wicks considers legal changes to prevent educator sexual misconduct from getting ‘swept under the rug’
Prompted by Berkeleyside’s investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against a Berkeley High teacher, Wicks is considering changes to the California Public Records Act and Education Code.
In 2nd lawsuit, another student accuses Berkeley High chemistry teacher of sexual assault
The suit argues that the Berkeley school district’s inaction reveals a pattern of protecting “predators over students.”
Berkeley Unified could face $6.6M in budget cuts
But state money may mitigate the need for cuts in a district that’s lost 600 students since the start of the pandemic.
Police called to a fight outside King Middle School
Police responded to a report about a group of people involved in a fight near the school. No one was arrested or hospitalized, police said.
Berkeley High knew for 15 years of allegations chemistry teacher sexually harassed students
After years of sexual misconduct complaints, the school district signed a gag order allowing Matthew Bissell to quietly resign.
