Si tiene alguna duda sobre esta nota debido a la traduccion,
por favor comuniquese con Rafael Friedmann via email: rfriedmann@aol.com
Message from the Principal
Dear Emerson Families,
It’s hard to believe there are only a few weeks of school left. I thank the Emerson Staff for last week’s informative Open House. If you missed the Zoom, you can watch it here: Emerson Open House 2022. Although we missed seeing everyone in person, it was nice to hear from each grade level in one Zoom. We were all impressed to hear how each grade level builds upon the next to create a robust, comprehensive academic program that incorporates social-emotional learning and a culturally responsive curriculum. We have a great school!
This Friday, May 20, is Harvey Milk Day and is also Emerson Spirit Day! Students have been learning Anti-Bullying / Discrimination and Inclusive Lessons through our board-approved Welcoming Schools Curriculum. On Friday, we remember Harvey Milk, who was the first openly Gay Person elected to the California Legislature as SF City Supervisor. This day has become a time when we celebrate and call attention to the progress and ongoing work to stop discrimination against LGBTQ people. We are asking students to come to school on Friday, wearing their class colors which are:
Kindergarten: Red
1st Grade: Orange
2nd Grade: Yellow
3rd Grade: Blue
4th Grade: Green
5th Grade: Purple
We will take a school photograph on the blacktop, which will represent the colors of the Rainbow and our support for the LGBTQ community. Thank you for partnering with us on this last Spirit Day of 2022.
Superintendent Stephens recently sent an email to families asking you to consider having your child wear masks indoors. We are experiencing an uptick in COVID-19 Cases. Here is the district COVID-19 dashboard: https://www.berkeleyschools.net/coronavirus/case-dashboard/
We had numerous COVID-19 cases this week, including an outbreak in one of our classrooms. As in the past, if your student was exposed you will be notified by the district nurse's close contact letter. Please monitor and keep your child home if they are exhibiting symptoms and email Leahlopez@berkeley.net (Attendance Clerk, Ms. Michelle) if your child stays home. We will need to see an emailed picture of a labeled and dated, negative Covid test for your child to return to school. Let’s work together to finish the year as safely as possible.
Thank you for your support,
Jana Holmes
Upcoming Events and Key Dates
May 30: Memorial Day, School Holiday
June 3: 5th Grade Class Promotion. 8:30-10:00am.
June 3: Last Day of School. Kindergarten dismissed at 12:30pm; Grades 1-5 at 1:10pm.
Add the Emerson Google Calendar to yours!
Note to Readers: BearFacts articles and calendar items are based on submissions from the community and reviewed and edited under the PTA communication policy. Inclusion of an item in BearFacts by itself does not indicate sponsorship or endorsement by the PTA, Emerson school staff, or BUSD.
PTA UPDATE
On Tuesday May 17th at our last Association meeting of the school year, the PTA elected VPs to Emerson's PTA Board for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.
Big thanks to the Nomination Committee led by Executive Vice Presidents Erica Carter and Kyla Portugal, our trailblazing teacher Board members!
President: Rana Cho
Executive VP/Parliamentarian: Krysten Curtis & Arabelle Malinis
Treasurer: Scott Hofmeister, Aya Nagano, Amy Fire
Secretary: Kevin Jude
School Support & Academic Enrichment: Chelle Putzer, Merlin Edwards II, Christina Edwards
Teacher Reps: K-2: Lori Barnes and Jenny Weddle
VPs of Equity: Cielo Rios, Rachel Terp, Silvia Kim Ahn
VP of Community Building: Ariel Clute
VP of Community Outreach: Elise Kneram
Co-VP of Communications: Rose Lynn Abesamis-Bell
We continue to seek Board members for these roles:
VP of Advocacy
VP of Fundraising
Co-VP of Communications
Get Your RECEIPTS INTO THE PTA by JUNE 2nd:
The deadline for the submission of any final expenses, receipts, or requests for payment is 5pm on Thursday, June 2. Please submit a reimbursement request form with attached documentation either via email to emersonptatreasurer@gmail.com or in to the Treasurer mail slot in the office at school. Any expenses that miss this date may need to wait for approval at the next Association meeting in October.
CELEBRATING AAPI HERITAGE:
You are invited to share in celebrating AAPI Literary Voices this Thursday from 6-730pm on Zoom. Innosanto Nagara, Panda Dulce, and Shanthi Sekaran will read selections of their work; the authors are also asking for students to submit questions in advance of the event that will be shared with the authors.
Please also check out “Lifting Up AAPI Voices”, a visual campaign to share narratives with our students and broader community; we are delighted to see our 2nd grade elementary teacher, Ms. Suzuki sharing her story alongside other members of our school communities. We are so fortunate to have Ms. Suzuki as a teacher at our school and appreciate her sharing her story, starting with a very big trip when she was 6 years old from Tokyo to Chicago.
EQUITY CORNER
dignidadrebelde, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Yuri Kochiyama, born on May 19, 1921, turned her Japanese-American family’s experience in internment camps into action in pursuit of racial and social justice. In 1941, shortly after graduating from Compton College, Yuri and her family were forced from their homes and moved into 3 successive internment camps; after meeting her husband in one of the camps, they both moved to Harlem, where they lived in public housing, the only affordable option for their family that was made available because of her husband’s veteran status. Driven by her lived experience, Yuri began hosting artists and activists (also called salons) to connect with the local community to bridge the people to the racial and social justice movement. Yuri’s focus on fighting racial injustice extended in her work fighting against nuclear proliferation, supporting union labor, safer streets, and integrated education. Yuri could be found attending rallies for Puerto Rican independence, supporting anti-war efforts, advocating for reparations for Black Americans, and lobbied for the Civil Liberties Act in the 1980’s. Yuri died in Berkeley in 2014 and was recognized by the White House for her dedication to the pursuit of social justice for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and all communities of color.
Adults, to learn more about Yuri’s life and work, please check out this episode of Throughline
FREE COVID RESOURCES:
Residential households in the US are now eligible for another order of free at home tests on USPS.com; each order now includes 8 rapid antigen COVID-19 tests (4 tests in each package) and the entire order ships to you for free. Please share this free at-home testing resource with your community! https://special.usps.com/testkits
The CDC continues to offer Free respirators (N95) to community through local pharmacies. To find a location near you, follow this link; please also call before to ensure they have inventory as the site lists participating locations but does not include current inventory levels.
COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY
COME ONE, COME ALL!
After a really tough year, the Berkeley Public Schools Fund will be celebrating educators and the larger BUSD community at our first-ever Spring Block Party on Saturday, May 21, 12-3 PM!
We’ll be closing off part of downtown Berkeley (Shattuck & Center) for an all-community, open-air celebration with music, speakers, kids’ activities, a biergarten, and the unveiling of a very special mural. The mural is being painted by BHS alums and was commissioned by the Schools Fund, in honor of the educators, volunteers and parents who held BUSD together over the past 2 years.
Bring your people and join us in celebration!
RAINBOW FAMILIES PLAYDATE
EMERSON GARDEN HELPERS NEEDED
Friends are needed to spruce up the Emerson Garden and make it ready for the summer. Everyone is welcome! The plan is to do two hours of light weeding in May and then a few hours in June to spread mulch.
Anyone that is interested, please email Miss Jeanette at jeanettekjobmand@berkeley.net.
Find Emerson Online
Website: emerson.berkeleypta.org
Remind: Text @7f6hb to 81010; or go to www.remind.com/join/7f6hb
Facebook: www.facebook.com/emersonpta (or follow @emersonPTA)
About BearFacts News:
BearFacts News is a weekly publication created by parent volunteers and posted online at emerson.berkeleypta.org.
BearFacts articles and calendar items are based on submissions from the community and reviewed and edited under the PTA communication policy. Inclusion of an item in BearFacts by itself does not indicate sponsorship or endorsement by the PTA, Emerson school staff, or BUSD.
If you have a news item or announcement to include in the BearFacts News, please send an email to emersonschoolnews@gmail.com. Please keep your message brief and include all the pertinent details including dates, times, locations and contact information. Send images as an e-mail attachment. The deadline is each Monday at 6 p.m.
Copyright © 2021. Emerson Elementary PTA. All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
2800 Forest Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94705