BUSD Reopening Update / (La Traducción En Español Estará Disponible Sábado)

Press release from Berkeley Public Schools:

October 30, 2020

Dear BUSD Community,

On October 13, the state of California adjusted the COVID-19 tier for Alameda County to orange, and this week County and City Health Officers granted permission to middle and high schools to reopen as early as November 9, provided these schools satisfy a rigorous set of safety measures. These safety measures include social distancing, face coverings, COVID-19 testing, and contact tracing, among other strategies.

This coming week, the Berkeley Board of Education will discuss these public health developments, and consider how and when to reopen our middle and high schools. Also at this meeting, BUSD staff will provide an update on efforts to reopen Pre-K and Elementary schools, which are targeted to open on January 13 for PK-2, and January 20 for Grades 3-5.

The Board meets at 7:00 on Wednesday, November 4, and parents and guardians are encouraged to attend.

As we move towards reopening our pre-k and elementary schools in a hybrid model, we have completed this BUSD Pre-K and Elementary School Campus Safety Plan. This comprehensive plan describes the many safety practices that Berkeley Unified will have in place for our pre-k and elementary students and staff when they return. The plan reflects a thorough reading of the most recent public health guidance, as well as extensive deliberations with the district’s labor partners and will be the structure the District uses to detail middle school and high school reopening safety steps as well. The plan will be updated as further guidance is issued from the federal, state, county, and local levels.

Please visit this link on our Berkeley Unified website to see updates to the Campus Safety Plan as well as other important information about reopening our campuses, including target dates for the phased reopening of our pre-k and elementary schools and COVID-19 student instructional videos. This page will be updated with additional information, including information about middle school and high school target reopening dates, as it becomes available.

The election this coming week represents a significant moment for our country and for many of our students and families. Some students may experience a sense of anxiety, stress, or disappointment about the November 3rd elections. Please know that BUSD staff are available to support your child, and we encourage you or your child to reach out to a member of your community if this is the case.

My continued best wishes to you and your family.

Sincerely,

Brent Stephens
Superintendent

This press release was produced by Berkeley Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.