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 Community,
We hope you enjoyed a safe Labor Day weekend and managed the Bay Area heatwave. We certainly have no storage of challenges. Despite all that is going on, I am thankful for our community and was happy to remind students what makes Emerson special last week during our All School Meeting. At the conclusion of the meeting, I invited students to create and send me a poem, video, or picture with their interpretation of the 5 B’s and The Emerson Way. I have already received several videos and drawings, which I plan to share with you and the Emerson staff. When we hear how our school positively affects and motivates our students, it gives us all the inspiration to continue to do our best. Your student can still participate by emailing me their creation at janaholmes@berkeley.net. We love our students and want them to thrive!
Please carve out the time to visit Emerson this week to pick up your student’s materials and art supplies. School staff and volunteers spent many hours packing bags with student workbooks, school supplies, and art kits to support distance learning. You will need/want these bags to enhance your student’s school experience. Come to the school today, Thursday, Sept 10, between 2- 4 pm or tomorrow (last day) between 3- 5 pm. As always, be sure to social distance and wear your PPE.
Now is the time to sign up to be a volunteer. We need Room Parents for the Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 4th Grade classrooms. Room Parents are key to the effective functioning of our school- especially this year when the emphasis is on communication and community building. If you can help, please email Ms. Crystal Goldsmith at cluetters09@gmail.com or sign up here.
We are also seeking School Site Council members. This committee meets monthly and is the governing body that works with the Principal to oversee and create the School Site Plan. This team also reviews and approves the allocation of state funding for Emerson. Please nominate yourself here. Nominations close tomorrow and are followed by the elections later this month.
As mentioned in last week’s Message, students will be taking literacy, math, and reading assessments starting September 14 through September 25. Students will need headphones, speakers, or audio on their device because test questions are read out loud by the computer. Parents may help students get online, through the Renaissance Link found on the Library website. Once students begin they should not receive assistance from family members, devices, or any other resources. It is important that teachers have an accurate understanding of student’s knowledge as we begin the school year.
I want to give you an update about what the school is doing to prepare for a return to on-site instruction. I recently participated in a facility walk with the district’s Risk Manager Mr. John Ortega. The district has installed touchless faucets, is preparing to install additional handwashing stations, HEPA air filters for the classrooms, additional hand sanitizer stations, and markings for one-way hallways and enter and exit doors. Working with Alameda County and Berkeley Health officials, when the county moves from widespread COVID-19 cases, appropriate steps will be taken to return to on-campus learning. I encourage you to tune into the School Board meeting on Wednesday nights, to stay updated about district decisions. You may also email concerns to the district at covidconcerns@berkeley.net.
As a school community, we recognize the mental and emotional strain of this pandemic and its effects. In response, Ms. Marlies Rosmark, School-based Therapist, is offering a free virtual parent group. The group will be supporting each other and managing anxiety, both your own and your child’s. If you are interested, please contact mrosmark@bacr.org.
Thank you for your support and take good care,
Jana Holmes
The 4 B’s, created by Bediz and Ayse Lostuvali
Upcoming Events & Key Dates
Thursday, September 10, 7:00PM - Back-to-School Night (zoom links to follow)
Find more dates/details: emerson.berkeleypta.org/calendar
Where's Waldo moves online!
In an effort to expedite our Where's Waldo PTA School Directory this year, we have moved to an online version. We know how important communication is for this school year and this should allow us to compile a complete directory as quickly as possible.
By now you should have received an email with a link to our new directory (if not, please visit this site to create an account: https://emersonberkeleypta.membershiptoolkit.com/). Please log in using the email at which you received the email and create a free account. Once you're in, you can update or verify your contact details and find contact details for other Emerson families. There is also an option to opt out, or to choose what information you'd like to appear.
You will only be able to view this year's directory if you log in to this site, so please take a few minutes to set up your account now.
Any questions, please let us know. For specific directory inquiries, email Elizabeth Harvey (ejaharvey@gmail.com) and for general communication inquiries, email Jen Petrucelli (jenpetrucelli@gmail.com).
How to Stay Connected
This year we will be relying more than ever on Remind messaging. If you are not receiving Remind messages - or would like to adjust your settings - please see this Remind Cheat Sheet: http://bit.ly/EmersonRemind
Each Thursday, BearFacts will be posted to the Emerson website here: https://emerson.berkeleypta.org/news.
We will send out a Remind notice when the newsletter is up on the website.
Seeking Room Parent Volunteers
Would you like to be part of a Room Parent team for your child’s classroom?
Room Parents play an important role in shaping the experience of students and families at Emerson. Support the classroom teacher, build community, and foster equity and inclusion. Room parents get to know classroom families and reach out to them on behalf of the classroom teacher (e.g., coordinating class parties, identifying field trip chaperones) and the PTA (e.g., inviting families to attend community events or helping find volunteers). We are currently asking for multiple volunteers per grade level, so that once classroom assignments are posted, we can mobilize quickly to share the work among many families in each classroom. We encourage families of color and those who speak other languages to join teams to make sure that everyone's voices are represented.
If interested in joining a room parent team, email Crystal Goldsmith (cluetters09@gmail.com) or sign up here.
Parent Group
Marlies Rosmark, the school-based therapist, is offering a free virtual parent group. The group will be about managing anxiety, both your own and your child's.
If interested please contact: mrosmark@bacr.org
Find Emerson Online
Website: emerson.berkeleypta.org
Remind: Text @7f6hb to 81010; or go to www.remind.com/join/7f6hb
Email: Someone in your family not getting BearFacts via email? Email us to subscribe: emersonschoolnews@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/emersonpta (or follow @emersonPTA)
About BearFacts News:
BearFacts News is a weekly publication created by parent volunteers. It is distributed each Thursday in students' Look Folders and via email.
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 © 2020. Emerson Elementary PTA. All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
2800 Forest Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94705