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MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Emerson Families,
We had such a nice time at the February All School meeting. Our theme was Black History Month and Black Lives Matter. I was happy to have an opportunity to speak about one of my personal heroes: Rosa Parks. I encouraged students to understand that Black History is American History and learning the history of our Black and Brown heroes can motivate all of us to work toward a better community. During our Student Shout Outs, we took care to recognize the children who received a Zoom December/January Shout Out, along with our current February Shout Outs. District Truancy Staff performed two lively rap songs that encouraged school attendance. Ms. Randella, Music Teacher, inspired us by leading the sing-along of “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, known as the Black National Anthem. We invite you to view the recording of the meeting, created by our dedicated Volunteer Mr. Phil here.
Last week, students in Grades K- 2 participated in a Lunar New Year school parade. Each year, Ms. Jeannie, Literacy Coach, visits the kindergarten classes to teach students about this special holiday, its meaning and its traditions. Afterwards, students created their own personal dragon and crown to participate in our indoor parade. It was a celebratory occasion for all.
BUSD is pleased to announce the 2023 Oratorical Fest. The theme “Black Joy” was announced to the students during the February All School Meeting. Ms. Lily, the Office of Equity and Family Engagement Coordinator, will work with students during lunch recess in February. Students who wish to submit a spoken word, poetry, or another submission, should be prepared to audition it at the March 3rd Emerson All School Meeting. Finalists selected by Emerson judges will be forwarded to the BUSD District Showcase which will be held on Monday, March 20th, 5:30pm- 8:30pm. The location is TBD; stay tuned for more information. You may email lilyhowell@berkeley.net with any questions.
The second trimester is coming to a close. Teachers are finishing up assessments and working on report cards. DIBELS and STAR Assessment scores have been printed and are ready to distribute to parents. You can expect to receive your child’s report card sent home in their backpack on Thursday, February 16th before the President’s Day weekend. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s reports, please reach out to your classroom teacher. We look forward to starting the final trimester of the school year, and we have lots to look forward to, including more family events, student field trips, and continued academics.
Thank you for your support and take care,
Jana Holmes
UPCOMING EVENTS AND KEY DATES
Wednesday, February 15: PTA Association Meeting, 7:00pm via Zoom
Thursday, February 16: School Site Council Meeting, 7:00pm - via Zoom
Friday, February 17: No School (Lincoln’s Birthday)
Monday, February 20: No School (Presidents’ Day)
Thursday, February 23: ‘Meeting on the Bridge’ equity workshop, 5:30pm-7:30pm
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
HEART OF EMERSON T-SHIRTS!!
Our school-wide prize for meeting our Heart of Emerson fundraising goal this year is free t-shirts for all Emerson students and staff! Every student’s name will be featured on the back, and extra shirts can be ordered for just $15. Fill out the form below to claim your shirt - registration will close on Friday, 2/24. CLICK HERE TO ORDER
ASSOCIATION MEETING
Association Meeting #2 is on February 15 at 7:00pm, via Zoom
Please join us at the PTA Association Meeting - this is open to the community (unlike board meetings). All are welcome to connect and find out what’s planned at Emerson. All PTA members who have signed up for the year are invited to vote on budgets and committees.
The agenda will include call for volunteers for: Art Night, Spring Special, and Move-a-thon
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Help shape our future PTA by joining the Nominating Committee!
The Nominating Committee consists of the Principal or faculty representative, at least five members, and NOT the president. Please contact the PTA if you are interested in joining the Nominating Committee - volunteer@emersonelementary.org
ENRICHMENT
Spring Session has begun! Thanks to our amazing volunteers who made this happen: Rana Cho, Ariel Clute, Merlin Edwards, Jenny Nelson, Chelle Putzer. Some impressive numbers: 165 enrollments across 16 classes taught by 10 instructors, including SPANISH by our own Maestra Medina! The Enrichment Team has rolled out an incredible program, with over $6,000 for 17 scholarships (and counting!) provided by our generous instructors, and $1,800 by the Emerson community, including $1,000 from 5th grade teacher Katie Campbell Lewis in honor of her late husband, Timothy. Kids may remember him as “Mr. Campbell” - he was a PhD student at Cal and his family has set up the Timothy B. Campbell Memorial Scholarship Foundation in his memory in order to provide scholarships and educational grants. Thank you for your generosity!
SPRING EVENTS
Coming soon: Read-a-thon, Art Night, and Spring Special! Please volunteer when Grade Parents reach out for help for these community events: volunteer@emersonelementary.org
SCHOOL BEAUTIFICATION
Thanks to Lucy Ames, Michelle Falise, Rose Lynn, and so many others who volunteered to put up the Rainbow Wall as a school beautification project. Find your student’s name in the rainbow!
Where’s Waldo – Emerson’s School Directory
Did you know our school directory can be found on our school PTA website? Playdates, ride shares, resource sharing, and more can be possible when Where’s Waldo is complete! It’s all available securely online. If you have not done so already, please create an account to access the directory, make your own updates, and adjust your preferences by using the email you provided. Click here for the steps to join Where's Waldo online.
We are working on a published hard copy of Where’s Waldo. To help make this possible, please update your preferences and information online or through the paper form coming home in your child’s Look Folder. The due date to share your updates and preferences is Friday, February 10.
Questions or want help getting started? Please email whereswaldo@emersonelementary.org
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FEBRUARY SHOUT OUTS
ART CORNER
Kindergartners through 4th graders learned about various artists who use hearts in their work. Many of the first and second graders happened to have art on the 100th day of school and took on the challenge of trying to draw at least 100 hearts on their paper (inspired by J Goldcrown). 4th graders focused on negative and positive shapes and made an artwork in four sections, like Jim Dine. Third graders, not pictured, added emoji faces to their hearts in the style of Chris Uphues. Kindergartners made colorful hearts inspired by Etta Vee (Jessi Raulet). Lots of love in the Art Room!
EQUITY CORNER
On Sacramento Street, at Ashby, there is a sculpture of a very important man who helped shape Berkeley and impacted the lives of many people all over the country.
Have you seen it?
William Byron Rumford (1908-1986) was a trailblazer, he owned Rumford Pharmacy (today the building houses his namesake medical clinic at 2960 Sacramento St.), and eventually became the first Black state assembly member elected in California in 1948. Mr. Rumford is best remembered for three important pieces of legislation: the California Fair Employment Practices Act of 1959 (to reduce the impact of race in hiring decisions), the Good Samaritan Act of 1959 (the first law to protect professionals in emergency situations), and the Rumford Fair Housing Act of 1963. The Fair Housing Act was a very important piece of legislation that gave California important authority against race-based housing discrimination until the passage of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1968. Mr. Rumford understood the impacts of redlining first hand because of Berkeley’s racially discriminatory housing practices that kept Black, Asian, and Latinx community from purchasing housing outside of South and West Berkeley through HOLC mapping. Mr. Rumford’s leadership, activism, civil rights championship, and care for the community has had an incredible impact, and not just on Berkeley.
To learn more about him and his legacy, please read this article and please also try and join the walking tour this weekend with Author Tina Jones Williams who will share about the many Black leaders and pioneers who lived in the community. RSVP details in the CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH section below.
Equity Event: Meeting on the Bridge, Thursday February 23, 2023
We are happy to share the third Meeting on the Bridge for the Emerson Community where we will continue our discussion about Interventions on Microaggressions. This next workshop will be held on February 23rd at 5:30pm with free (and yummy!) dinner and free childcare with Mr. John. We are shifting this meeting to start a little earlier based on community feedback. Please RSVP here (for food + childcare counts!) to join our community in learning practical skills on how to heal and disrupt the harmful practices and effects of microaggressions so we can continue working towards a more equitable school for the benefit of our children and community!
As always, please reach out to the equity team, equity@emersonelementary.org to connect!
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORY WALKING TOUR
Join the South Berkeley Legacy Project at its Neighborhood History Walking Tour for #BlackHistoryMonth, led by Tina Jones Williams!
Saturday, February 11, 10am - 12pm
RSVP: 510-821-0821 or zach@twcmih.org
BUSD ETHNIC STUDIES BLACK HISTORY MONTH RESOURCES
Please enjoy the BUSD February Ethnic Studies Newsletter, which features an interview with a brilliant educator from Malcolm X Elementary, Ms. Felicia Gray! She shares about her experiences of being a part of the first kindergarten classes to integrate BUSD schools and so much more.
In this month's newsletter you'll also find links to all of the Black History Month resources, other teaching resources for cultural celebrations throughout the month, a link to the school board presentation for ethnic studies in our elementary schools, the 7 C's of Ethnic Studies, as well as other resources.
Music Connection at UC Berkeley
The Spring 2023 application period is now open for private tutoring from Music Connection, a student-run volunteer organization that aims to provide free one-on-one music tutoring for students of the Berkeley Unified School District. Instrumental, piano and vocal tutoring are available, however, this is dependent on tutor availability. All students in the private tutoring program will have the opportunity to participate in an end-of-the-semester recital.
If you have signed up before, you will need to fill out the application form each semester you are interested in being matched with a tutor. Lessons will be offered either virtually or in-person depending on which format both students and tutors feel to be most comfortable, effective, and safe.
Private music tutoring applications are due Wednesday, February 22nd, at 11:59 pm PST. Here is the link to the form:https://forms.gle/gPM9x1xNvQDb4STu7
Find Emerson Online
Website: https://emersonelementary.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 emersonelementary.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 bearfacts@emersonelementary.org. 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 and include alt-text. The deadline is each Monday at 6 p.m.
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