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,
We have one week under our belt and we are off to a great start! The students are happy to be back on campus and are quickly adjusting to the new routines and structures. Thank you for all your support and for bringing them back to school! We love having them on campus!
It is true that this year will be extremely challenging. We continue to face the dual threats of COVID and the wildfires that affect our air quality. We will do our best to keep your children safe under all circumstances. Our goal is to provide a top-notch, caring and safe environment. No doubt our ability to communicate, pivot, and adjust to changing circumstances will be paramount. I ask that you continue to be patient with school staff as we support your students in this unprecedented time.
If you are not receiving the Remind messages please sign up by:
going to www.remind.com/join/7f6hb OR text @7f6hb to 81010
Please join us tonight, Thursday, August 26 for our Virtual Back to School Night. The first hour, from 5:30- 6:30, will be a time for the School Administration and the PTA Co-Presidents to introduce the school and the PTA and to review COVID procedures/policies. We also will leave time for a question and answer forum. From 6:30 to 7:30, you will visit your student’s grade level Teacher Zoom. The evening will be recorded. Join us on Zoom: Meeting ID: 882 7097 7372, Passcode: 335252.
Next week we will begin on site COVID testing for students and staff. We strongly encourage you to enroll for this free testing service: https://my.primary.health/l/berkeley_usd. Emerson will test on Friday mornings.
After you complete this registration your student can be tested every week by Vestra Labs. The consent covers both rapid antigen testing and PCR testing. If you need assistance with registration, you can contact a call center representative Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm PST at 650-275-5419. For more information about COVID on site testing for staff and students visit: https://www.berkeleyschools.net/busd-covid-19-student-testing-2021-2022/. Keep in mind, we do not accept home testing kits as proof of testing. For more information about where to get tested outside of school you can visit: https://www.cityofberkeley.info/covid19-testing/.
Let us continue to work together to keep the school safe. Please encourage your child to wear a mask, wash their hands with soap and water frequently and vaccinate everyone in your household as soon as they are eligible. Each family should use the Daily Student Health Screener to monitor for symptoms and do not send your child to school if they are sick. We are all in this together!
We are now in Wildfire Season and poor air quality remains a threat. In order to keep students safe from COVID, we eat breakfast and lunch outside most days. However, if we have a poor air quality day and the Air Quality Index reaches 101 (Orange Color Tier), we will bring the students inside to eat and teachers may choose whether or not to close their classroom windows. If we reach 151 or higher, the doors and the windows will be closed and students will continue to eat inside. If we reach 201 or higher, district officials will meet to determine whether or not school should be closed. In addition, if we experience a power outage, which would mean that we can not run our air filters, district office staff will make a decision whether or not to close schools. If you want to come take your child home under any of these circumstances, please call the front office to let us know. We will also do our best to communicate with you through our usual tools of Remind, email and/or an automated phone call home. To learn more about the BUSD Air Quality Policy read here.
As you can see, there are many factors to consider this year. There are also many ways to get involved to support your child and our school. Now is the time for School Site Council Nominations. The School Site Council meets once a month, and reviews and approves the Safety Plan, and the School Site Plan, which includes much of the budget. If you are interested in joining this important committee, made up of parents, school staff, and community members, please complete this nomination form before Thursday, Sept. 16th. An electronic election will take place after the nominations are in. Here is the form.
Thank you so much for standing by Emerson! We appreciate your support, your collaboration and your dedication to our community.
Respectfully,
Jana Holmes
Message from the PTA
We hope your school year is off to a strong start! We’re so grateful for our Emerson community!
Get Involved! We know many of you are looking for ways to get involved. PTA Signups and a Contact Form will be sent home with students on Friday. Please review, sign up for whatever feels right, and return with your student on Monday.
Grade Parents! Formerly known as Room Parents, Grade Parents volunteer to help teachers and classrooms in a range of needs, from collecting materials, coordinating events, connecting families to resources. During the pandemic, Grade Parents are THE person-to-person connection we rely on. This is a relationship role, more than a time commitment. Please get in touch with Rose Lynn Abesamis-Bell (Parent of Nora, 4th grade - Grzanowski, roselynn20@gmail.com).
Join the PTA. Simply signing up helps Emerson! Each year your membership must be renewed, and, if needed, we will gladly cover your $10 fee: https://emerson.berkeleypta.org/pta-membership
Please update your contact information in Where’s Waldo, our opt-in directory: https://emersonberkeleypta.membershiptoolkit.com/
In service,
Tyler Black - PTA Co-President (Nina, 3rd Grade - Barnes)
Rana Cho - PTA Co-President (Haedan, 3rd Grade - Barnes)
Upcoming Events and Key Dates
Thursday, August 26: Back to School Night, 5:30 p.m. | Join Zoom Meeting | Meeting ID: 882 7097 7372 | Passcode: 335252
Friday, September 3: First All School Meeting, 8:20 a.m.
Friday, September 3: Student Reward, Little Explorers Petting Zoo on Campus during lunch
Saturday, September 4: Cal Football Parking by 5th Graders (to volunteer, reach out to Steve Wilson: soccerfan311@gmail.com)
Monday, September 6: Labor Day (No School)
Saturday, September 18: Cal Football Parking by 4th Graders (to volunteer, reach out to Steve Wilson: soccerfan311@gmail.com)
Find more dates/details: emerson.berkeleypta.org/calendar
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.
Communications Volunteers Needed
Seeking several enthusiastic volunteers to help manage some key systems that keep us all connected! If you are interested, please call/text Rose Lynn (626.695.0687) and Bruk (510.944.5972) or email emersonschoolnews@gmail.com.
Where’s Waldo Directory - Manage updates to our online directory
Grade Parents - Connect grade cohort families with each other and coordinate support for teachers/classrooms
City of Berkeley Testing Sites
The City of Berkeley coordinates several COVID-19 testing sites, which are available to all, whether you have insurance or not. Please click this link to learn about locations and appointments. Translation is provided directly on the site along the left-hand side.
La ciudad de Berkeley coordina varios sitios de prueba COVID-19, que están disponibles para todos, si tenga seguro médico o no. Haga clic en este enlace para obtener información sobre ubicaciones y citas. La traducción se proporciona directamente en el sitio a lo largo del lado izquierdo.
Screen shot of City of Berkeley COVID-19 testing site with an arrow pointing to the language box.
Start Your Year with Emerson Gear
Live link here
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 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. 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