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 is that time of year when we ask you to inform us of your plans for the 2023-2024 school year. In order to create class lists we need to know if your child is returning. We ask that you kindly complete this Emerson 2023- 2024 Returning Student Form today, or by Monday, May 1st at the latest. If your plans change after the completion of this survey, please reach out to School Secretary, Gabriellaparra@berkeley.net to let us know.

The April All-School Meeting last Friday was a blast! If you missed it, you can check it out here: https://youtu.be/4sg61DLl8yE. We enjoyed recognizing many students who participated in our Cesar Chavez Day of Community Service. The third-grade class raised over $160 for art supplies for students affected by the floods in Pajaro. The first-grade students cleaned up in Willard Park and fifth-grade students wrote letters to elderly adults in a nearby facility. We are so proud of our Emerson students!

The Read-a-Thon winner was also announced at the April All-School Meeting. The Emerson students are so impressive—they love to read and we had 100% student participation! We exceeded our goal of 300,000 hours school-wide. Our top 3 readers in each grade level will receive Target gift cards. The class with the most total minutes in each grade will get treated to an It’s Its ice cream party! We look forward to celebrating with a school-wide reward in May—stay tuned for more exciting information. Big Shout-Out to Ms. Jeannie, Ms. Ashleigh Kanat, and Ms. Tessa Rexroat, our amazing Read-A-Thon staff and parent team!

It is the season of Field Trips! Last week the 3rd-grade students visited the UC Berkeley campus to enjoy a performance by the legendary and world-renowned Alvin Ailey Dance Troupe. The kindergartners took a walking tour to learn about safety and fire prevention at the Berkeley Fire House. This week, the fourth-grade students will head to Angel Island to learn more about immigration and the shameful history of Japanese internment by the US Army. The 5th Graders are looking forward to their rescheduled Camping Trip coming up on May 8-10. Spring is in the air and we are happy to be able to get out to learn by doing.

Mark your calendars for the Saturday, May 6th Move-a-Thon. The PTA is planning another fun event that will be a good time for the entire family. Be prepared to get some light exercise, while socializing with our community. We will need some volunteers to pull off this big event, so stay tuned for a signup sheet with specifically designated roles. Many hands make light work and we need your help!

The PTA-sponsored Equity Circle with Educational Consultant Ms. Pam has provided an engaging forum for the exploration of inclusion and belonging from a variety of perspectives. We are happy to be joined by Trustee Babbit, along with parents from Emerson, Cragmont, and Rosa Parks. A handful of Emerson staff is also participating. We have examined many topics, including, for example, the history of categorizing people according to skin tone, starting with the US census in the 1700s. Our engaging and energizing discussions around race, class, equity, and inclusion demonstrate our community’s commitment to this important work.

It is time to register for Summer School. The elementary-age summer program is offered from June 5-August 11. You can see the attached link for information regarding the Summer LEARNS program here: Oxford Summer Learns Program. To register click here: https://berkeleylearns.asapconnected.com/#ProgramID=7488.

Take care,

Jana Holmes

UPCOMING EVENTS AND KEY DATES

Saturday, May 6: Emerson Move-A-Thon

Monday, May 8 - Friday, May 12: Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week

Monday, May 15: No School - Malcolm X Holiday

Tuesday, May 16: PTA Association Meeting #3 evening - Board Election (Zoom, in-person TBD)

Friday, May 26: Last day of PTA After-School Classes

Monday, May 29: No School - Memorial Day

Friday, June 2: Last Day of School

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.

Student Shout OUts

PTA UPDATE

API Heritage Month - May 1- 31. Contact rana@ranacho.com to volunteer.

Moveathon - May 6 - To volunteer, contact Elise Kneram kneram.elise@gmail.com

Tech Talk Series - Digital citizenship, videogames, online best practices with kids! - Matt Small, Kaolin Fire - smaulio@gmail.com

PTA Association Meeting #3 (RESCHEDULED) - 6p Tuesday May 23rd via Zoom. This is our Election Meeting, with a presentation by the Nominating Committee.

The Emerson PTA Board is a group of volunteers who meet monthly to support the Emerson community through fundraising, events, and programs. Consider joining us to collaborate on building an inclusive culture and modeling service for our Emerson students. Nominate yourself or another person, and find out more about through Emerson PTA Board Interest Form:https://forms.gle/qXCjqiASb6BjzekR7

COMMUNITY EVENTS:

Berkeley School’s Fund Block Party: Come Join the Party on Saturday, April 29th! Berkeley’s Civic Center Park next to the Farmers’ Market, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

See our mission come to life through performances and exhibits by Pre-K to 12th grade students, showcasing the talent and brilliance fostered by more equitable public schools.

RSVPs are encouraged to help the Schools Fund prepare for the event, but it is free for everyone regardless of RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/berkeley-public-schools-fund-community-block-party-tickets-588213792287

FREE Outdoor Movie Night of The Sandlot on Sat. April 29nd @ 7:30pm

Grab your movie dinner special from an Elmwood restaurant & watch “The Sandlot”. Bring a blanket or chairs to sit on. Movie to start at 8pm.

In the parking lot behind Vintage Berkeley: 2949 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA, 94705

Get your free tickets here : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-outdoor-movie-night-in-the-elmwood-tickets-617425274617

JOIN THE PTA BUDGET SUB-COMMITTEE

Want a voice in how the Emerson PTA plans its programs and budget? We're
looking for people to join the budget sub-committee to help us plan for
next year. There will be a Zoom meeting April 26 at 8:15pm to work on
the budget, and then the budget will be presented at the final Emerson
PTA Association Meeting for approval. Everyone is welcome and anyone may
join.

To RSVP email: treasurer@emersonelementary.org

Save the Date! Move-a-thon, Saturday, May 6

Save the Date! The Move-a-thon is on Saturday May 6, with the friendly competition starting at 9am. Please volunteer through your Grade Parents who'll be reaching out for help soon!

Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week

May 8-12 is our community-wide celebration of our Emerson teachers and staff! Start thinking about how your family might show your love and appreciation. This is our annual celebration, and we are looking for enthusiastic individuals to assist in planning for this week of thanks. If that is you, please contact Carol Wang at carol.wang@gmail.com or Rose Lynn at roselynnabesamisbell@emersonelementary.org. Stay tuned for more details!

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.