Berkley Beat October 11, 2024

What's Inside

• Berkley Building Blocks Hosts Fall Festival
• Burton Students Enjoy Their Fun Run
• AMS Students Enjoy Viking Fest
• The BHS Spectator - September 2024 Edition
• School Resource Officer Visits Rogers to Share Fire Safety Tips
• Norup 6th Grade Spends Day Connecting
• Berkley Schools Announces Varsity Tutors - Free for All Students
• Food Truck Fridays
• BHS Students Invited to Future Fair
• Have a Cool Job? Tell Our Students About It!
• Travel to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in Summer 2025
• Calling All Golfers - Save the Date for The BEF Open
• Autism Alliance of Michigan Partners with Berkley Schools
• Introducing the Little Bears Book Club
• What is the Oakland County Parent Advisory Committee?
• October Calendar Highlights - LGBTQ+ History Month, National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Rosh Hashanah, National Custodial Worker’s Recognition Day, Yom Kippur, Indigenous People’s Day, Sukkot, Boss’s Day
• How to Subscribe to the District Calendar
• Join the Berkley Schools Family - Now Hiring

The BHS Spectator - September 2024 Edition

The Berkley High School student newspaper, The Spectator, is a monthly online publication where student journalists share their work. Students write feature, news, opinion and sports articles all about BHS, the Berkley community and things happening around the nation.

Check out this month’s September issue online.

To see links to each new article for September, visit this Google Doc.

Berkley Schools Announces Varsity Tutors - Free for All Students

Berkley Schools has partnered with Varsity Tutors for Schools, an online platform with access to free learning tools.

The Varsity Tutors Platform gives students more opportunities to learn at their own pace, to get support on subjects they might be struggling with, to explore subjects they are learning in class and to support their curiosities. The platform includes the following:

• 24/7 on-demand chat tutoring and on-demand essay review to help students with any questions about homework, classwork or test prep.
• Live group classes, recorded classes and celebrity-led StarCourses allow students to learn more about the subjects they’re interested in and add a touch of fun.
• Assessments and self study practice problems provide opportunities to drill skills towards mastery.
• College prep & admissions resources ensure that students have the best resources available.

How to Access Varsity Tutors

Sign into the Varsity Tutors platform through the student Clever portal. To learn how to log into Clever with your child’s Berkley Schools Google account, follow these directions.

Learn More & Get Started!

• Varsity Tutors Berkley Schools Launchpad
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Varsity Tutors video overview

Food Truck Fridays are Back

Mark your calendar for upcoming Food Truck Fridays at ArtSpace!

All Food Truck Fridays will take place from 12-1:30 pm.

• October 18: House of Mac. Learn more about House of Mac on their website.

ArtSpace is located on Coolidge at the corner of Coolidge and Catalpa south of the gas station.

BHS Students Invited to Future Fair

On Wednesday, October 23, from 4:30-6:30 pm, Berkley High School students and their families are invited to a Future Fair! This combined event for Berkley, Royal Oak and Clawson high school students will be held at Royal Oak High school. Students and families will be able to speak to representatives from colleges, trades, military and beyond. Register online to receive additional information.

Have a Cool Job? Tell Our Students About It!

Berkley Schools is seeking community members willing to share their time and expertise in their career fields with our students! There are a variety of ways to share your journey and knowledge:

• Speak with a group of students or class about your job/career field (in-person or virtual)
• Serve on an Advisory Committee (ex. BHS Marketing Program, etc.)
• Host a student tour/field trip of your workplace
• Host a student job shadow experience at your workplace
• Conduct a student informational interview at your workplace
• Present at Career Fairs and/or Parent Nights
• Participate in other career-related activities (mock interviews, judging career-based projects, etc.)
• Receive emails about any future opportunities or needs
• Participate in an audio and/or video recorded interview with students

Counselors and select teachers will have access to this database of Berkley community contacts from a variety of different professional backgrounds to plan career exploration and readiness experiences with Berkley students.

Share your cool job with us by filling out this form.

Travel to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in Summer 2025

Students in grades 6-12 (during the time of travel), and family members are invited to join an educational travel experience to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in June 2025! View the itinerary on the EF Tours website.

Join an informational meeting on October 17 at 6:30 pm on Zoom to learn more:

• What travelers will see and experience on the trip
• How this opportunity will benefit travelers
• Why now is the right time to start planning
• How the investment will be protected
• How the trip is kept safe and affordable

Register for the meeting online.

If you have any questions, contact Athena Troher at athena.troher@berkleyschools.org

Calling All Golfers: Tickets on Sale for The BEF Open

Save the Date for the Berkley Education Foundation’s (BEF) annual BEF Open, an X-Golf Tournament, Friday, November 8, 7-10 pm. Guests will have the chance to support the BEF by playing a round of golf, being a spectator, playing golf-related games for prizes and/or sponsoring the event.

Golfers, in teams of four, will have the chance to play 18 holes at X-Golf on a world-renowned course. Teams will play an alternate ball scramble and enjoy hot dogs at the turn. Only 10 teams are available. Teams can utilize mulligans and sabotages to help their scores.

Golfers can also enter the Longest Drive contest, Closest to the Pin contest and Putting Challenge. Winners of the contests and the overall tournament will take home big prizes.

Not a golfer? Come for a Friday night out!

Enjoy an evening out, courtesy of the BEF, as a spectator. For those who are not golfers, don't want to commit to playing 18, or have never swung a club, stop in and enjoy the party. Spectator tickets are $25/person and include appetizers & hot dogs and an opportunity to play in the individual golf competitions.

Mark Your Calendar

• Friday, November 8
• 7-10 pm
• X-Golf, Royal Oak

Price

• $500/team
• $25/spectator

Support the Event

Businesses and organizations have several opportunities to underwrite the event costs - there are many ways to be involved:

• Sponsor the Event: $1,500
• Sponsor Hot Dogs at the Turn: $1,000
• Sponsor Longest Drive: $500
• Sponsor Closest to the Pin: $500
• Sponsor Putting Challenge: $500
• Sponsor a Team: $500

Interested in sponsoring? Email berkleyfoundation@berkleyschools.org.

Every dollar the BEF raises supports teacher innovation-grants, the enrichment program, student scholarships and the 8th grade college tour.

Autism Alliance of Michigan Partners with Berkley Schools

Berkley Schools and Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAOM) are pleased to announce a 2024-25 partnership! This partnership strives to elevate neurodivergent students' experiences and increase opportunities across the spectrum. Both groups are committed to continuing to better their resources and experience to best serve the Berkley Schools community.

To learn more about the Autism Alliance of Michigan and the services they provide, visit the AAOM website.

Introducing the Little Bears Book Club

Berkley School District is excited to announce the Little Bears Book Club - a way for the District to connect with our youngest District residents and provide them books for their home library.

Four times per year the Berkley School District will mail Little Bears Book Club (LBBC) members an age-appropriate book plus a bonus book for their birthday.

Children who live in the Berkley School District, ages 0-5, who are not yet enrolled in TK/Kindergarten are eligible to participate.

To register, fill out the LBBC Google Form.

Any questions? Call the Berkley Schools Communications Office at 248-837-8095.

We hope our future Book Club members love reading just as much as we do!

What is the Oakland County Parent Advisory Committee?

The Oakland County Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) is comprised of parents of students with an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individualized Education Program (IEP) within Oakland County. The Oakland Schools PAC typically meets on the first Wednesday of the following months: October, November, December, February, March, May and June at Oakland Schools or Virtually from 7-9 pm. Meetings include membership work, legal updates, and training on various topics related to special education, and are open to the public.

Two Berkley Schools parents serve on the Oakland County PAC and are available to support Berkley Schools families with questions or to collaborate in celebrating and advocating for all students with IEPs. Reach out to the Berkley Schools PAC reps, below.

• Natasha Hamilton: natashakhamilton@gmail.com
• Carolyn Durant-Blair: cnaomidb@gmail.com

October Calendar Highlights

The Berkley Schools printed calendar highlights heritage months, holidays, days of observances and recognition days. In the Berkley Beat, we’ll highlight these days with more information for community learning to help us achieve the District goal of creating an environment where all staff, students and community members feel a sense of belonging.

Down Syndrome Awareness Month

October was first designated as Down Syndrome Awareness Month in the 1980s by the National Down Syndrome Society and has been recognized every October since. It is a time to celebrate people with Down syndrome and make others aware of their abilities and accomplishments and to promote advocacy and foster inclusion through community.

Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Typically, a baby is born with 46 chromosomes. Babies with Down syndrome have an extra copy of one of these chromosomes, chromosome 21. According to the CDC, even though people with Down syndrome might act and look similar, each person has different abilities. Learn more on the National Down Syndrome Society website.

LGBTQ+ History Month

LGBTQ+ History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was started in 1994 by high school teacher Rodney Wilson of Missouri along with his fellow community members and was endorsed by GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Education Association and other national organizations. October was chosen for history month because October 11 is National Coming Out Day.

The LGBT History Month website https://bit.ly/3LJbTrU celebrates the achievements of 31 lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender icons. Each day in October, a new LGBT Icon is featured with a video, bio, bibliography, downloadable images and other resources.

National Custodian Worker's Day - October 2

National Custodial Worker's Recognition Day is celebrated annually on October 2 in honor of our custodial and maintenance teams!

Did you know...

• Berkey Schools has 33 members of the maintenance and custodial team
• On average, each custodians cleans 33,000 sq ft every night each
• The Head Custodians take care of the HVAC systems, the outside grounds including weed whipping, hedge trimming and flower bed care, snow removal of all sidewalks, and general maintenance in each of their buildings (plumbing, painting, drywall repair, lunchroom clean up)
• The 4-member Maintenance team is responsible for parking lot snow removal, mowing all District properties as well as adding field lines where needed for sporting events, and taking care of any needs at Hurley Field
• The custodial team sets up for and takes down events in every building

All of this while developing and maintaining relationships with their school families.

Rosh Hashanah - October 2 -4

Rosh Hashanah, a Jewish High Holiday, begins at sundown on Wednesday, October 2, and ends at sundown on Friday, October 4, 2024.

This two-day Jewish celebration of the New Year literally translates to “head of the year” in Hebrew and is the beginning of the Jewish New Year. It is observed on the first and second days of the Jewish month of Tishrei, the first month in the civil calendar and is marked by the blowing of the shofar (ram's horn).

Rosh Hashanah is a religious and festive time when family and friends gather together for meals and worship. It’s a time for looking forward to a new year with anticipation and reflecting on the past year to improve for the next. A traditional greeting for Rosh Hashanah is "Happy New Year" or "Shanah Tovah."

Yom Kippur - October 11-12

Yom Kippur, a Jewish High Holiday, begins on the evening of Friday, October 11 and ends at sundown on Saturday, October 12. Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish faith. This Day of Atonement takes place on the 10th day of Tishrei and is a time to atone for the sins of the past year. Yom Kippur traditions include fasting, refraining from work and attending services at a synagogue.

National Coming Out Day - October 11

October 11th is National Coming Out Day, an annual LGBTQ awareness day observed on October 11, to support anyone "coming out of the closet."

According to the Human Rights Campaign, the first National Coming Out Day was organized by Jean O’Leary and Dr. Robert Eichberg. It was first observed on October 11, 1988, the first anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.

For more information and resources, visit the American Psychological Association website on National Coming Out Day and the Human Rights Campaign website

Indigenous Peoples’ Day - October 14

Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honors indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October, and is an official city and state holiday in various localities. In 2021, President Biden formally commemorated the holiday with a presidential proclamation, becoming the first U.S. President to do so.

Learn more on how to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the Smithsonian website.

Sukkot: October 16 - October 23

Sukkot is a weeklong Jewish holiday that comes five days after Yom Kippur. Sukkot celebrates the gathering of the harvest. Sukkot is named after the booths or huts in which those who observe Judaism are supposed to dwell and/or eat during this week-long celebration. According to rabbinic tradition, the sukkot represent the huts in which the Israelites dwelt after the exodus from Egypt.

Boss’s Day - October 16

National Boss’s Day is celebrated in the United States each year on October 16. Patricia Bays Haroski registered "National Boss' Day" with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1958. The holiday began as a chance for employees to express their gratitude to their employers or managers. It’s also seen as a way for the relationship between managers and employees to be strengthened. Indeed shared an article on How to (and How Not to) Celebrate Boss’s Day. This celebration day has also come under criticism for celebrating management instead of celebrating the workforce. Whether you choose to celebrate or not, Berkley School District is grateful for our District and school administrators who set the tone and vision for the District.

Subscribe to the District and School Calendars

Did you know you can subscribe to our school and District online calendars?

Sync the online calendar to your personal device to ensure you won’t miss a thing!

The District’s online calendar system uses iCal Feeds. To access all the iCal links, visit the District’s Calendar page, and click on the red and white calendar link to the top right of the calendar that’s displayed on the page.

Use this Foxbright tutorial to walk you through connecting our calendars to yours.

Be sure to subscribe to both the District AND your school calendar to ensure you have all important dates in your device.

Join the Berkley Schools Family - Now Hiring!

The Berkley School District is hiring! We are looking for talented individuals to fill a variety of positions. Visit our website to apply and share our postings with your networks!

Open Positions

• High School Assistant Principal - BHS
• Special Education Teacher - Autism Spectrum Disorders - BHS
• Permanent Building Substitute Teacher - Norup
• Long-Term Substitute Teacher - High School Spanish - BHS
• Community Education Secretary - BBB
• Paraeducator - Seven positions (BHS, Norup, Anderson, ATP, Burton, BBB, Pattengill)
• Afternoon Custodian Shift Leader - Norup
• Permanent Substitute Custodian - District
• Assistant Teachers - BBB
• Food Service Workers - 5 Open Positions
• Varsity Competitive Cheer Coach - BHS
• JV Wrestling Head Coach - BHS

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