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
Saturday, September 19: Cal Football Parking Fundraiser (sign up!)
Wednesday, September 23: School Site Council Ballot closes at Noon
Friday, September 25: Cal Football Parking Fundraiser (sign up!)
Saturday, September 26: Emerson Fall Garden Beautification, 10am-Noon
Monday, September 28: School Site Council Board Announced via Parent Square
Wednesday, September 30: Equity Shelf Book Club 5:30-7:30, Library (RSVP!)
Friday, October 2: PTA Coffee on the Yard, 8:00 am
Friday, October 2: All-School Meeting 8:30 am - 9:30 am (Multi-purpose Room)
Monday, October 5: No School, Staff Professional Development Day
Monday, October 12: No School, Indigenous Peoples' Day
Friday, October 23: Picture Day
October 26- October 29: Parent Teacher Conferences and Minimum Day ALL WEEK
Friday, October 30: No 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.
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
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 on Saturday, September 19, as well as other days throughout the fall.
EMERSON FALL BEUTIFICATION FAMILY PROJECT
Come join Gardening Teacher Ms. Jeannette to spruce up the Emerson garden area and playground. Feel free to bring gardening gloves and shovels.
Meet on Saturday, September 26, to spread mulch in the garden area.
Time: 10 am - Noon
Who: Emerson Families
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.
SEPTEMBER IS ATTENDANCE AWARENESS MONTH
Do your best to have your child to school on time each day by 8:00 am.
The gate closes at 8:10 am and breakfast is served.
Instruction begins promptly at 8:20 am each day.
Check out this infographic that shows data to support the importance of each day of schooling, especially important in the foundational early elementary years
If your child needs to miss school, call or email the attendance clerk at Leahlopez@berkeley.net
It's time to vote for the 2026- 2027 School Site Council!
The SSC works with the Principal to review the school’s academic goals and evaluates how well those goals are being met.
The SSC approves the annual School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), the school’s Safety Plan, and also has a voice in approving the ELAC’s plan for teaching English-language learners.
Please vote for parent/guardian representatives to the Emerson School Site Council. Votes will be accepted until noon on Wednesday, September 23.
To avoid over-counting individual responses, please enter your email address.
Votes will be counted by your Principal and District staff to maintain anonymity. Vote here: 2026- 2027 School Site Council Ballot
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
Take a look at the Office of Family Engagement and Equity Newsletter:
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/
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
