Tag Archives: Berkeley Unified School District
Berkeley school officials say gun incident handled properly
Despite the concern of some parents that Berkeley school officials let the 15-year old who brought a gun to Berkeley High flee before he could be detained by police, that was the best way to handle the situation, according to Superintendent Bill Huyett.
School security officers don’t have the authority to physically detain kids, tackle them, or lock them in a room, he said. The only time they intervene physically is when there is a fight going on, he said.
“We are not law enforcement agents, so we don’t lock kids in rooms, ever,” Huyett said on Friday. “The thing that is most important is to ensure safety for all students. We do secure the suspected contraband. I’ve had kids flee on me [when he was a principal] and my advice is to not physically intervene with them. I’ve always said, ‘Don’t give chase. Don’t physically entail. Turn it over to police.’”
The student was still at large Thursday evening, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss of the Berkeley police department.
On Monday, the 15-year old freshman allegedly brought a gun to school in his backpack. School started at 10 am, and by 11 am school officials had heard from multiple sources that the student had gotten a gun.
While safety officials were looking inside the backpack, the student fled. By the time Berkeley police arrived, the student was no longer on school premises. … Continue reading »
City supports public education with Measures H and I
As we reported last night, the results on Berkeley Unified School District’s Measures H and I proved thoroughly undramatic throughout the evening. Measure H, which approved a parcel tax to fund maintenance, required a two-thirds majority to pass. It actually surpassed 80%. Measure I, which allows for up to $210 million in bonds to be issued to fund a number of capital projects, needed a 55% majority. It received nearly 77%. Contrast those resounding results with neighboring Oakland, … Continue reading »
School board candidates respond to key questions
Berkeleyside recently sent all the candidates for the School Board a set of questions, partly based on the suggestions our readers provided. Six candidates are running for three positions on the board: Josh Daniels, Norma Harrison, Karen Hemphill, Julie Holcomb, Priscilla Myrick and Leah Wilson. All except for Harrison responded to our questions. (If we hear from Harrison we will, of course, publish her responses.)
Berkeleyans who want to find out more about the school board candidates can attend a forum in the Community Theater at Berkeley High School tonight from 7 p.m. The forum is being held by the Berkeley High PTSA together with the League of Women Voters. The discussion will be moderated by BHS Principal Pasquale Scuderi and students from BHS Leadership.
These were our questions to the candidates:
- What do you think needs to be done about the achievement gap at Berkeley High?
- Do you think more charter schools should be allowed in Berkeley?
- What do you think can be achieved through the 2020 Vision process?
- What do you see as the most important issue today for Berkeley’s schools?
We didn’t give candidates a word count, but for those who asked, the answer was that space on the Internet isn’t limited, but readers’ attention spans are. We haven’t edited the responses in any way. We’ve listed the answers in alphabetical order of the candidates. Read the candidates’ answers below the fold. … Continue reading »
Berkeley schools improve in statewide tests
For the fourth year in a row, schools in the Berkeley Unified School District showed improved results in California’s Academic Performance Index (API). API scores are calculated by the state Department of Education based on results in a variety of standardized tests across multiple subjects in grades 2 through 11.
The school district’s API improved to 784 in 2010 from 767 in 2009. In a district where the achievement gap in a diverse student population has been a major issue, … Continue reading »
Berkeley High on Newsweek’s list of top high schools
Berkeley High School once again made Newsweek magazine’s list of the top American public high schools, but for the first time in four years its rating went down rather than up.
BHS was ranked 446 out of 1,600 schools in the 2010 report. In 2009, the high school was ranked 271, up from the 2008 ranking of 286.
The slip is interesting. Newsweek calculates its scores by taking the number of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests taken … Continue reading »
On eve of retirement the Mayor of Malcolm X reflects
Next week, Malcolm X principal Cheryl Chinn will preside over her final “promotion” — think elementary school graduation — after 38 years working for the Berkeley Unified School District, 27 of those at Malcolm X Arts & Academics Elementary School. (Full disclosure: My son will be among that group of 5th grade graduates.)
Chinn has been in the district for so long she has former students, now parents themselves, bringing their children to the K-5 school. One former student, Tara Easly-Fouche, teaches in the 4th grade at Malcolm X.
Chinn started teaching at the South Berkeley school when it was what was then called an intermediate school, for grades 4 through 6, serving mostly children from the flatland communities.
Today, largely due to her efforts — and that of a loyal and steadfast staff — as well as a boost several years ago from federal magnet program funds and support for the arts from The Hills Project, Malcolm X is a sought-after, award-winning public school, with a playground that reflects the true socio-economic diversity of this city.
In the past three decades Chinn has faced challenges ranging from major construction and flood damage, to the H1N1 virus (Malcolm X was the only BUSD school closed due to swine flu) and the constant struggle over public education budget cuts. She has also dealt with the ramifications of the No Child Left Behind Act and increased pressure to close the academic achievement gap.
The Mayor of Malcolm X, as I’ve come to think of her, deals with crisis situations on a regular basis. Last year, while holding a before-school meeting with teachers regarding audience behavior at a performance the previous night (a scuffle had broken out between two adults — a school first – the police were called, and the show went on), a student was hit by a car, and seriously injured, at a crossing in front of Malcolm X. And this year, when a purse snatcher tried to make a getaway with a staff member’s bag, Chinn took off after the robber herself. She retrieved the stolen belongings without incident. As always, she handled these incidents in her trademark unflappable manner.
Mostly, though, Chinn spends her time focused on the routine administrative duties of running an elementary school. The 61-year-old, who is married but lives alone in North Berkeley, comes from a family of Bay Area educators — one sister was a superintendent, another is a vice principal.
Chinn is known for running a tight ship and her no-nonsense disciplinary style — as well as a passion for fashion and rather flash cars.
Last week, I waited somewhat nervously outside the principal’s office before sitting down for a chat with Chinn, whom I found in an uncharacteristically reflective and expansive mood.
Are you retiring now because of the latest round of school budget cuts?
Oh, gosh, no, it would take more than budget cuts for me to consider retirement. This has been — is — a very difficult decision for me. This school is my life, the staff and students are my family. I love my job. I still feel the passion and commitment I did on my first day as a new principal.
But it’s time. That’s all I can tell you. I spent a lot of time mulling over this decision. And it’s time. … Continue reading »
Berkeley Bites: Tanya Henderson
Tanya Henderson is a cooking instructor for the Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD). During the day she cooks with teens at Willard Middle School. Once a week she whips up dishes with kids in the after-school program at Malcolm X Elementary. She also teaches evening nutrition classes to parents at several BUSD locations.
A former New Yorker who worked in television — including directing a season of MTV’s Real World – Henderson moved to Berkeley to attend Continue reading »
Huyett: Sadness and shock over need for BUSD cuts
Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent Bill Huyett sent an email to families today outlining the cuts proposed by his Budget Advisory Committee. The proposed cuts will be considered by the school board which needs to pass a balanced budget by the end of June.
Among the cuts proposed are over $1 million in non-salary items, the elimination of six positions, and major cuts and fee increases at the Adult School. The cuts total $3.1 million from the General Fund budget, and come after $11 million in cuts over the last two years.
Huyett writes, “It is with a real sense of sadness that I watch the continuing economic crisis being compounded by a lack of resolve in Sacramento to prevent the financial collapse of school districts across the state.” Berkeley schools are spared some of the worst consequences of the state cuts, Huyett notes, because of Measure A (BSEP) and Measure BB (Facility Maintenance) funding, which provide additional local resources.
Huyett also describes his “shock” at Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger’s proposal to eliminate almost all funding for pre-school programs. About $3.6 million of the $5 million spent in Berkeley on these programs would be cut if the governor’s proposals are passed.
The full text of Huyett’s statement comes after the jump: … Continue reading »
District reopens search for high school principal
Berkeley school officials are reopening their hunt for a new high school principal after a two-month search failed to turn up a suitable candidate.
More than 40 people sent in their resumes for the job, but only six were asked to interview, said Mark Coplan, the district spokesman. Of those, only three bothered to show up.
So the district is going to hire a consultant to reach out and encourage qualified principals around the state to consider applying for the … Continue reading »
Inside Berkeley’s School Kitchen: Ed Bruske
An ex-Washington Post reporter, who now blogs about food, recently spent a week embedded in the central kitchen of the Berkeley Unified School District.
Ed Bruske’s mission: To find out how one school community manages to cook food from scratch for its students.
Earlier this year, Bruske embarked on a similar reporting project. He wanted to know just what gets dished up for lunch at his daughter’s elementary school in D.C. He detailed his culinary misadventures with school cafeteria … Continue reading »
