Posted inSchools

Berkeley School Board primer: Discussion of overcrowding solutions continues

The Berkeley School Board, at an August 2014 meeting. Photo: Mark Coplan/BUSD The Berkeley School Board, at an August 2014 meeting. Photo: Mark Coplan/BUSD The Berkeley schools Board of Education meets tonight (Wednesday, Dec. 10) for a closed session at 6 p.m., followed by its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. See the Dec. 10 agenda packet. Ty Alper, elected in November, […]

Posted inSchools

Berkeley School Board primer: enrollment and capacity, recess restriction, emergency preparedness

The Berkeley School Board, at an August 2014 meeting. Photo: Mark Coplan/BUSD The Berkeley School Board, at an August 2014 meeting. Photo: Mark Coplan/BUSD The Berkeley schools Board of Education meets tonight (Wednesday, Nov. 5) for a closed session at 6 p.m., followed by its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m.  Follow along via the Nov. 5 agenda packet. The board will […]

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Berkeley School Board: 3 seats contested by 5 candidates

The current Berkeley School Board, at an August 2014 meeting. Photo: Mark Coplan/BUSD The current Berkeley School Board, at an August 2014 meeting. Photo: Mark Coplan/BUSD Three seats on the Berkeley Unified school board are being contested by five candidates in this year’s election. Three of the candidates — Josh Daniels, Karen Hemphill and Julie Sinai — […]

Posted inSchools

Berkeley School Board primer: BCCE union contract, compensation report on the agenda

The Berkeley School Board, at an August meeting. Photo: Mark Coplan/BUSD The Berkeley School Board, at an August meeting. Photo: Mark Coplan/BUSD The Berkeley schools Board of Education meets tonight (Wednesday, Oct. 22) for a closed session at 6 p.m., followed by its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m.  Follow along via the Oct. 22 agenda packet. The board is scheduled to […]

Posted inOpinion

Op-ed: School district overcrowding is an opportunity that begins as a problem

Last week’s Berkeley School Board meeting kicked off a series of important community input meetings to address the issue of overcrowding in our schools. Parents from local elementary schools shared observations about how increasing demands on our teachers, classrooms, schoolyards and cafeterias undermine the quality education that we want for Berkeley’s kids. Although our schools […]

Posted inSchools

Berkeley School Board primer: English Learner master plan and increasing enrollment are on the agenda

The Berkeley School Board meets Wednesdays twice a month. Photo: Mark Coplan/BUSD The Berkeley schools Board of Education meets tonight (Wednesday, Oct. 8) for a closed session at 6 p.m., followed by its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. Follow along via the agenda packet. The board will discuss the district’s English Learner Master Plan. It will also begin a four-part […]

Posted inOpinion

Op-ed: Less shoot-from-the-hip, more planning for schools

In the past fourteen years, the Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) has authorized $327 million in capital improvements. That represents approximately $15,000 in taxes per household, or about $35,000 per student, a generous investment by Berkeley residents. Most people are surprised to learn, however, that BUSD has allocated these resources without a Facilities Master Plan. A […]

Posted inSchools

State-mandated kindergarten program explains perceived student numbers squeeze at Berkeley schools

First day of school at Malcom X Elementary School in Berkeley. Photo: Mark Coplan/BUSD When the Berkeley school district added two new kindergarten classes – one to Cragmont school and one to Malcolm X — just before school began, some parents were concerned about what impact the move would have on the schools, which, they said, were neither […]