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
Monday, September 7: NO SCHOOL, Labor Day
Friday, September 4: PTA coffee on the yard, 8:00 am
Friday, September 4: All School Meeting, 8:30 am - 9:30 am (Multi-purpose Room)
Saturday, Sep. 12: Black to School Event at Willard Middle 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.
MONTHLY LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Emerson Families,
Welcome back! Thank you all for making the beginning of this school year so successful. We are proud of our skilled educators and supportive family community, and we look forward to a wonderful year ahead.
Upcoming Events & Reminders
All-School Meeting & Parent Coffee: Join us tomorrow, Friday, September 4, at 8:30 AM in the Multipurpose Room for our first All-School Meeting of the year. The PTA will serve morning coffee on the blacktop starting at 8:00 AM.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: Please mark your calendars for parent-teacher conferences during the last week of October. This is an important opportunity to discuss your child’s academic progress, and we strongly encourage your active participation.
Back to School Night Success: Thank you to everyone who joined us for Back to School Night! It was wonderful seeing so many families connect with staff and discuss our core priorities for the year: strengthening Math and ELA instruction, improving attendance, and fostering an equitable, welcoming environment for every student.
PTA Updates & Volunteer Opportunities: We also had a great turnout at our PTA Association meeting, where President Rachel Terp outlined our event and affinity group calendar across the Fall, Winter, and Spring terms. The PTA is currently looking for volunteers to assist with events, with immediate needs for room parents and Cal Football Parking Fundraising helpers. If you can assist, please reach out to rachel.terp@emersonelementary.org.
We are actively seeking parent and community members to fill key leadership roles for the 2026–2027 school year. Nominations close on Friday, September 11, 2026.
School Site Council (SSC): Oversees and approves the Single Plan for Student Achievement while managing state and federal fund allocations. SSC meets monthly via Google Meet, with a mandatory district-wide committee training scheduled for Thursday, October 8, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Planning & Oversight (P&O) Committee Representative: We need one representative to review district plans and budgets for over $33 million in BSEP local tax funding, as well as revenue generated by the BERRA tax supporting BUSD educator recruitment and retention.
To submit a nomination or learn more, please complete the at bit.ly/EmersonSSCNom
With gratitude,
Principal Holmes
Apply for School Meal Benefits by Sep. 30th
We need your help! Every year we ask all students to complete the free and reduced lunch application form even if you believe that you do not qualify. The funds we receive from the state and federal government help support school interventions. The application is due by September 30th. Apply Online for School Meal Benefits by scanning the QR code or going to https://secure.ezmealapp.com/ApplicationScreen.aspx.
CAL FOOTBALL PARKING FUNDRAISER IS HERE!
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 on Saturday, September 19, as well as other days throughout the fall.
PTA ANNOUNCEMENTS
Emerson Families Old and New:
It was wonderful to see so many of you at the PTA's First Association Meeting after Back to School Night. If you are interested in Volunteering with the PTA, fill out: Our Back to School Questionnaire or just get in touch.
And remember you can also connect by signing up for:
● Family Directory: emerson-family-directory.web.app
● Your grade's WhatsApp group - Ask around!
● BearFacts Newsletter - emersonelementary.org/bearfacts-signup
● Emerson PTA calendar and sync it to your own - emersonelementary.org/calendar
● SignUp Genius volunteering app -signupgenius.com/register#/registration
Yours,
Rachel Terp
Emerson PTA President
president@emersonelementary.org
Equity Shelf Book Club!
Join us on Wednesday, September 30th for the first meeting of the 2nd annual Equity Shelf, Emerson’s PTA-Sponsored Book Club! We’ll explore books that inspire conversations about equity and community. Participating in Equity Shelf is a great way to meet fellow Emerson caregivers and build community!
Our first read is The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee.
First Meeting: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM (Dinner at 5:30 PM; Book Club starts at 6:00 PM)
Location: Emerson Elementary, Library Room
Dinner and Childcare will be provided!
Please RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/September-Equity-Shelf
Take a look at the Office of Family Engagement and Equity Newsletter:
Save the Date: Willard Middle School Black to School
You are invited to the Black to School Event at Willard Middle School
Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Location: Willard Middle School
2425 Stuart Street
Update your student's emergency information in the district Infinite Campus Portal
Each year we ask all parents to complete the Annual Update process in IC to ensure that we have the most up-to-date emergency contact and health information.
We also distribute important notices and collect important documents through this process.
While we have been sending weekly reminders to all parents who have not yet completed it, as of today, only about 60% of parents districtwide have started or completed this process.
Here are the directions to update your information: bit.ly/4y6W7g6
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/
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.
Copyright © 2026. Emerson Elementary PTA. All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
2800 Forest Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94705