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

Monthly Message from the Principal

Dear Emerson Families,

Happy New Year! What a joy to return to our wonderful community after Winter Break. We have several special events planned for January. This Friday, Jan. 9, Caregivers are invited to socialize during morning drop-off while enjoying PTA-hosted coffee and treats on the blacktop. The January All-School Meeting, in the Multi-Purpose Room, will follow, featuring Student Shout-Out recognitions. Caregivers are also invited to join our annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr community march on Friday, Jan. 16, at 8:30 am.

We hope you will attend the PTA Association meeting on Thursday, Jan. 29 in the Emerson Library at 5:30 pm. We are proud to feature a presentation by School Therapist, Jo Ann Gong. The topic will be “Managing Your Child’s Anxiety & Stress”.

It’s time to sign up for the free Winter Equity Circle. We invite you to create lasting bonds and friendships with parents committed to building a welcoming and inclusive school for all. We will meet for six sessions, with a kick-off on Wednesday, Jan. 28th, from 6 to 8 pm, in the Emerson Library. Subsequent meetings will be held every other Wednesday evening through the Spring. Dinner and childcare provided. You can learn more by visiting our site at https://emersonelementary.org/equity and sign up Here.

It’s time to register for the 2026 - 2027 school year! If you have an incoming TK, Kindergartner, or outgoing 5th-grade student, be sure to enroll your child before Feb. 6, 2026. The last Emerson School Tour is Thursday, Jan. 15th, at 8:30 am - call the front office to reserve your spot. You may also want to attend the Incoming TK/ Kindergarten Night, also on Thursday, Jan. 15th, at 6 pm in the Emerson Library. The Middle School Information Nights are in January- please visit the district website for exact times, dates, locations, and registration information for each school: https://www.berkeleyschools.net/admissions/.

I am very pleased to announce that we have met our Heart of Emerson fundraising goal! With your help, we raised the needed funds to ensure PE, Field Trips, Materials and Supplies, Special Events, and more continue at Emerson for the 2026 - 2027 school year! A special thank you to our amazing Fundraising Co-Chairs who worked tirelessly to help us meet this goal. Please join me in expressing appreciation for Stephanie Boys (Harrison and Parker’s mom) and Elizabeth Valley (Nolan and Anya’s mom) for everything they have done to support our school! We also thank Amy Fire (Phoenix’s mom) for keeping track of the numbers as our PTA Treasurer. In addition, the Emerson Faculty also thanks you for your generous holiday staff gift - we appreciate you!

Thank you for your continued care and support of Emerson.

Sincerely,

Principal Holmes

UPCOMING EVENTS AND KEY DATES

Friday, January 9: PTA Coffee on the Yard, 8:00 am

Friday, January 9: All School Meeting, 8:30 am - 9:30 am (Multi-purpose Room)

Thursday, January 15: Multi-Lingual Family Meeting, 8:30 am (Emerson Library)

Thursday, January 15: TK/ Kindergarten Caregiver Information Night, 6:00 pm (Emerson Library)

Friday, January 16: MLK Jr. Assembly and March (8:30 am), caregivers invited to participate

Monday, January 19: MLK Jr. Holiday, NO SCHOOL

Tuesday, January 20: Hearing Screening

Monday, January 26: Professional Development Day for Staff, NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, January 28: Winter Equity Circle Kick Off, 6:00 - 8:00 pm (Emerson Library)

Thursday, January 29: PTA Association Meeting, 5:30 - 7:00 pm, Guest Speaker, Jo Ann Gong: “Managing Your Child’s Anxiety & Stress”.

Monday, February 2: BUSD Math Adoption Information and Input Meeting, 530pm (Washington Elementary 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.

ART CORNER

Kindergarten Mixed Media Snow People

I would be lying if I didn't acknowledge that this is one of my all-time favorite projects to teach! When you give kids buttons and yarn and fabric and more, the possibilities truly are endless. The kids come up with the greatest accessories for their snow people! This year we saw pig tails of yarn, top hats, skirts that matched the artist's own skirt, and some snow people so bundled up that they could surely handle sub-zero weather!

Emerson’s Winter 2026 ELAC Meeting

Please RSVP to karencarter@berkeley.net if you plan to attend so we know how much food to order.

Thank you!

Winter Equity Circle: Jan. 28 - April 8, 2026

The PTA Equity Team invites you to participate in the 2026 Equity Circle.

Join Emerson's Equity Circle, a space where families, caregivers, and staff come together every two weeks to learn, listen, and take action toward equity in education. These sessions are facilitated by Ms. Pamela Harrison-Small, a Racial Justice and Educational Equity Strategist, and former executive director of the Berkeley Alliance. With her facilitation, we will:

Explore and celebrate identity—our own and others’—to deepen understanding and connection.
Learn about academic gaps by race at our school and within the district, and work collectively to close them.
Build community-driven solutions that promote fairness, inclusion, and opportunity for all students.
Continue our shared commitment to anti-racism and creating a safe, supportive environment for every child to thrive.

Everyone is welcome. Bring your questions, your curiosity, and your ideas as we grow and learn together.

Dates & Times: Kick off Session: Wednesday, January 28 from 6 - 8 pm
Subsequent Sessions: Wednesdays, Feb 11th; Feb 25th, March 11th, March 26th, April 8th
Location: Emerson Elementary; Library Room

You can learn more by visiting our site at https://emersonelementary.org/equity and sign up for the Winter Equity Circle HERE.

TK-5 Math Adoption Community Info & Input Session

Click HERE to RSVP

Have you checked out our new EMERSON FAMILY DIRECTORY?

You can access the new ONLINE Family Directory here:

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/

Remind: Text @7f6hb to 81010; or go to www.remind.com/join/7f6hb

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 - 1.08.2026