LCAP Town Hall Meeting: February 19, 7pm
Please join Superintendent Evans, district leaders, and members of the Parent Advisory, District English Learner Advisory, and Educational Advisory Committees for Town Hall on Thursday, February 19th at Longfellow Middle School in the Theater at 7:00pm.

This is a chance for those in the larger school community to learn about key District initiatives as seen in the implementation of Berkeley's Local Control & Accountability Plan (LCAP), and to ask questions and offer thoughts for moving forward. You can learn more about our plan by starting here.
Music Alive in Berkeley Schools
Music in the Schools
Over 140 music lovers gathered for the annual Berkeley Symphony Music in the Schools (MITS) Luncheon last week at the Bancroft Hotel, one of the main fundraising events that helps keep Music in the Berkeley Schools program going strong. This year the Berkeley Public Schools Fund and Executive Director Erin Rhoades were honored for their support of the MITS program. 
 
MITS is a partnership of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, BUSD Visual and Performing Arts, and the Berkeley Public Schools Fund that ensures our students experience rich musical exchanges with Berkeley Symphony's musicians. A fine example of the partnership is the "I am a Performer" concert series, bringing Berkeley Symphony musicians into our schools to train and perform with elementary school students. This year the concerts will take place at Thousand Oaks, Rosa Parks, Washington, Cragmont, Emerson, and John Muir during the first week of March, with students in all grades participating. (The whole family can enjoy these "I am a Performer" concerts; keep an eye out for announcements of the day and time at your child's school.) 

New funding available through the Berkeley Public Schools Fund is making it possible to expand the MITS program into Longfellow and Willard Middle Schools in the form of workshops and residencies. 

  

Upcoming student musical performances:
  • Longfellow Chamber Music Concert, Wed., March 4 at 7:00pm. Longfellow Theater (Free)
  • Annual Performing Arts Showcase, Sunday, March 22, 1:00-3:45, with rehearsals on Saturday, March 21. Students must attend their rehearsals to participate in the Showcase, which is free to parents, families and community members.
  • BHS Jazz plays at Yoshi's on Monday, March 16 at 7:00 and 9:00pm.
Middle School Musicians Performed at Freight & Salvage 
Hats off to the students, music teachers, guest artists/alumni (on stage and in the classroom), and parents, who all had a hand in making middle school night at Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse a big hit. Special thanks goes to great community partners Freight and Salvage and the Berkeley Public Schools Fund, as well as to Berkeley voters for supporting music education through the Berkeley Schools Excellence Program (BSEP). You can view the performances on vimeo: 
Willard Middle School Jazz at Freight & Salvage  
Berkeley's Young Artists at the Berkeley Art Center 

Young Artists: An Exhibition featuring Berkeley Unified School District Students  

Come out to the Berkeley Art Center for an exhibition featuring work by Berkeley's K-8 students! 

  

Opening Reception: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 5-7 pm
Exhibition Dates: Feb. 18 - March 14

Location: Live Oak Park, 1275 Walnut St. 

  

Family art days will be held Feb 21 and March 14 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. All events are free.
Gourmet Ghetto Wine Walk Benefits Cooking and Gardening Program! 
Join us on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 for a leisurely love-filled evening of treats, sweets, and wine in full Berkeley spirit. The Gardening & Cooking Program is partnering with the North Berkeley Gourmet Ghetto and many generous wineries, restaurants, eateries, and boutiques along Shattuck and Vine in for a taste-sational stroll from 4-8 pm. Get your commemorative wine glass and event tickets.
Locally-developed Academic Support Index (ASI) Recognized
The California Educational Research Association's 2014 Outstanding Paper was awarded to Dave Stevens, Teacher on Special Assignment for the Berkeley Research Evaluation and Assessment department, for his work on developing the Academic Support Index (ASI). One application of the ASI is to identify students who might benefit from academic and/or other available supports. Having been used at Berkeley High over the past three years to connect students with programs and services, the ASI is now being considered for use district-wide.

Dave Stevens will be sharing a brief overview of how the tool is being used as part of the LCAP Town Hall on Feb. 19th. To better understand the ASI, you can read the award-winning paper that outlines the research and thinking behind the use of this tool to help students.