Si tiene alguna duda sobre esta nota debido a la traduccion,
por favor comuniquese con Rafael Friedmann via email: rfriedmann@aol.com

UPCOMING KEY DATES

Happening Now Through Friday, November 6: Día de los Muertos Ofrenda (Emerson Library) - NEW!

Friday, November 6, 8:00am: Coffee On The Yard

Friday, November 6, 8:30am: All School Meeting (Multipurpose Room)

Tuesday, November 10, 5:30pm: Emerson PTA Meeting (Emerson Library)

Wednesday, November 11: NO SCHOOL (Veteran’s Day Holiday)

Saturday, November 14, 10am: 🍂 Fall Festival! 🍁

Tuesday, November 17: School Site Council, 6:30 pm, join Google Meet Here

Saturday, November 21: Cal Football Parking Fundraiser

Monday, Nov. 23- Friday, Nov. 27: Thanksgiving Break

Saturday, November 28: Cal Football Parking Fundraiser

Thursday, Dec. 3: Picture Retakes

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.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear Emerson Families,

It’s been a great first trimester here at Emerson! We enjoyed celebrating together during our Halloween parade and Día de los Muertos ofrenda, as well as connecting during our collaborative Parent-Teacher conferences. I am grateful for our generous and dedicated Emerson community—we thrive when we work as a team.

Safety remains a top priority, and Emerson is a secure campus; classroom visits can be arranged with at least 24 hours' notice. Please reach out directly to your child’s teacher. A full directory of teacher email addresses can be found on our website: https://emersonelementary.org/teachers-staff.

TK and Kindergarten Tours

Our TK and Kindergarten tours begin this month on Thursday, November 12th, and will run through Thursday, January 14th. If you or someone you know is a parent of an incoming student, please have them contact the front office to schedule an in-person tour. Additionally, first-round registration for elementary and middle school for the 2026 school year opens in January. Visit the district website for complete enrollment details: https://www.berkeleyschools.net/admissions/.

"Heart of Emerson" Fundraising Campaign

As the holiday season approaches, please consider supporting our "Heart of Emerson" campaign. Community contributions are essential for sustaining our school’s comprehensive programming, including P.E. instruction for every student, front office support, field trips, family events, and essential classroom materials. We encourage each family to contribute $600, or whatever amount is possible for your family. Donations are tax-deductible for the end of the year and can be made at https://emersonelementary.org/heart-of-emerson. Thank you for your continued support!

Fall Festival

Join us for our upcoming Fall Festival on Saturday, November 14th, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM—a free, joyful celebration for our entire Emerson community! A huge thank you to Elise Kneram and Stephanie Yolish for all their hard work in organizing this event. To make the day a success, we need volunteer help. Please sign up for a shift here.

With Gratitude,

Principal Holmes

HEART OF EMERSON FUNDRAISER

We are 37% of the way there with $67,274 raised toward our Heart of Emerson goal. Let’s keep it going!

Every dollar funds the things that make Emerson great:

🧷 Essential office and campus supervision support

🎪 School-wide events for students and their families at no cost (like the upcoming Latinx Storytelling Night on 10/29)

☕️ Coffee and treats at every All School Meeting (next one on 11/6)

📚 Books and programming for Emerson’s awesome library

A gift of $650 covers the cost for one student. Give today and watch our progress thermometer climb: emersonelementary.org/heart-of-emerson

IMPORTANT MORNING AND AFTERNOON PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF REMINDERS

Morning Entrances (open at 8:00 AM):

Lower Forest Avenue Sliding Gate: Principal Holmes and school staff supervise. Students may walk their bicycles onto campus from here and secure them under the breezeway.
Forest Avenue Front Doors: Chaperoned by Ms. Michelle, Attendance Clerk.

Drop-Off & Traffic Guidelines:

Rolling Drop-Offs: Designated for Piedmont Avenue, assisted by our long-time volunteer, Mr. Bob.
Intersection Crossing: Our crossing guard will guide families safely across Forest and Piedmont Avenues.
School Bus Zone: Buses drop off students on Piedmont Avenue at 8:00 AM.

Safety & Courtesy: Please adhere to posted speed limits and traffic signs.

Avoid double parking or making illegal U-turns, and extend courtesy to others during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE EMERSON PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION MEETING ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10!

When: 5:30- 7:00 pm

Where: Emerson Library

Join us to hear about the plans for Fall/ Winter, Vote on Important Budget Items, and more!

Featured special Guests:

Kim Shevelson, Intervention Teacher & Coach

Lauren Quock, Literacy Teacher & Coach

Jana Holmes, School Principal

Presentation & Discussion: Guide to Your Child’s School Assessments (STAR & DIBELS) and Latest Report Card Updates

Dinner and Childcare for Emerson students will be provided- hope to see you there!

CAL FOOTBALL PARKING FUNDRAISER

Emerson is in the unique position that we can open our blacktop and charge cars to park for Cal Football games!

We have a dedicated list of annual patrons who give back to our school by parking here, instead of elsewhere.

Our football parking fundraiser should earn $15,000+ for the school, which goes toward field trips, materials and supplies, and much more. We need volunteers to work the fundraiser on game days.

Please sign up for a block of time, and you will receive directions before the event.

If you have questions, you can direct them to: anna.thanukos@emersonelementary.org

We need your help to make this happen!

Sign up here: bit.ly/EmersonParkingFun

We need help with The Big Game parking on Saturday, November 21 and Saturday, November 28.

BERKELEY SYMPHONY FREE FAMILY CONCERTS!

Saturday, November 7, 2026

10 AM and 11:30 AM

Oxford Elementary Auditorium

1222 University Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94702

Join Berkeley Symphony and Education Director Ming Luke for a fun-filled orchestral adventure for the whole family! Berkeley Symphony's award-winning Music in the Schools program is now open to everyone, regardless of age or school district.

Bring along a percussion instrument – or even a noisemaking toy – to play along! This concert is FREE for everyone, though we encourage you to RSVP at this link.

OFEE FOOD BANK

MRS. DALLOWAY’S FUNDRAISER

EMERSON FUNDRAISER - Shop at Five Little Monkeys November 1-15!

The Five Little Monkeys fundraiser kicks off next week! Shop between November 1-15 and they will donate 15% of the pre-tax total back to Emerson. Shop in person or online using EMERSON2026.

Take advantage of free delivery over $100 and free in-store pick-up when shopping online.

Five Little Monkeys offers free gift wrapping and a unique selection of educational toys, games and books for children. Stock up on birthday gifts, holiday gifts, and more!

Support Emerson and a local business at the same time - see flier for details:

HOLIDAY GIFT CARD FUND: SUPPORT BUSD FAMILIES

Holiday Gift Card Fund: Support BUSD Families

BUSD's Office of Family Engagement & Equity (OFEE) asks for your support of our annual Holiday Gift Card Campaign. Help us raise $25,000 to provide $50 gift cards to district families facing added financial strain and the loss of school meals during winter break. Every dollar directly supports BUSD students and their families. Thank you for considering!

"The holiday gift card program brings me a tremendous sense of relief and comfort during some of the most challenging times of the year. Knowing that my family is valued and included reminds me that we truly belong to a community built on compassion and generosity."

- BUSD Parent & Holiday Gift Card Recipient

We ask for your generous support of this year's Gift Card fund. Donations can be made HERE.

The Berkeley Public Schools Fund is proud to be the fiscal sponsor for this program.

check out our new EMERSON FAMILY DIRECTORY!

You can access the new ONLINE Family Directory at: https://emersonelementary.org/directory

Anyone who is in the directory can log in via Google or Yahoo to access. Note that anyone, not just Gmail users, can create a Google account with their existing email address to access.

Families can submit their information or updates via the "Update Your Information" link. Responses are manually reviewed by our webmaster before access is provided.

This is a new platform and a work in progress. Please email us with any questions or concerns at communications@emersonelementary.org

The Family Directory is organized by the Emerson Parent Teacher Association (PTA). The Emerson Elementary Family Directory is a tool for families to coordinate and communicate. For example, families have used the Family Directory to coordinate carpools and playdates outside of school hours.

The Family Directory is not used by Emerson Elementary School administration to contact families; School Administration communications are sent using the Remind Application

FIND EMERSON ONLINE

Website: https://emersonelementary.org/

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 submission deadline is each Monday at 6 p.m.

BearFacts News - 11.5.2026