What's Inside
- Angell Fun Run Led by Captain America
- Rogers Students Enjoy Their Fun(d) Run
- October Bond + Sinking Fund Project Update (with new renderings!)
- Norup Guest Speaker Shares About Indigenous Peoples' Day
- Comfort Crew Update
- Board of Education Recognizes Students and School Resource Officer
- Berkley Teachers Learn New Technology Tools During Workshop
- Berkley Schools Communications Department Wins State Award
- Petting Zoo Fun for Berkley Schools Families
- Berkley High School Dance Team to Perform at Pistons Game
- Register Today for Saturdays for Success
- Berkley Schools PTAs Sponsoring Reflections Art Contest
- Berkley Schools Announces Varsity Tutors - Free for All Students
- BHS Students Invited to Future Fair
- Have a Cool Job? Tell Our Students About It!
- Calling All Golfers - Tickets on Sale for The BEF Open
- Autism Alliance of Michigan Partners with Berkley Schools
- 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 Peoples' Day, Sukkot, Boss’s Day
- How to Subscribe to the District Calendar
- Join the Berkley Schools Family - Now Hiring
Angell Fun Run Led by Captain America
On Friday, October 11, Angell students enjoyed their annual Fun Run. Students lined up under the starting line banner and were sent off by Principal Vince Gigliotti (Mr. G), who was dressed up as Captain America! They then ran around the block and were greeted by friends and family cheering them on.
Students raise funds leading up to the Fun Run, to earn prizes for the top fundraisers and classrooms. One big prize this year was Mr. G dressing up as a character for the day, and he chose the Fun Run day for the prize! The Fun Run is the largest fundraiser that the PTA holds all year.
Rogers Students Enjoy Their Fun(d) Run
On Friday, October 11, Rogers students participated in their annual Fun(d) Run! Before taking off on their run students warmed up with group exercises led by staff members. Students then ran around the block and were greeted by Roger the Racoon, ZZ the mascot for ZapZone and Bubbles the mascot for Goldfish Swim School.
Students raise funds leading up to the Fun(d) Run, to earn prizes for the top fundraisers and classrooms.
October Bond + Sinking Fund Project Update
With the passing of the August 2023 Bond, Berkley Schools teams are busy planning for upcoming construction projects. In addition to the Bond projects, the District has a list of Sinking Fund projects that are also in the works to improve and update our facilities. The Sinking Fund was approved by voters in 2018. Because both Bond and Sinking Fund projects are ongoing, these monthly updates will include details on both.
The October update includes construction updates on the new maintenance building, new renderings for Burton and Pattengill additions, construction start dates for Burton and Pattengill, Bond Groundbreaking Ceremony, renderings and plans for The BEAR Complex, timelines for BHS and the ATP & Robotics space, exciting news about the Community Field #1 baseball field and technology updates.
These monthly Bond & Sinking Fund updates will be maintained on the District’s website. See below for updates on the Phase I projects that are taking place in 2024 and 2025.
Bond Groundbreaking Ceremony - October 28, 2024
Join the Berkley School District Board of Education, Bond team, building principals and professional partners to celebrate the kick-off of the Bond projects. The event will take place at Pattengill Elementary School, 3540 Morrison Ave, on October 28 at 5 pm. The public is invited to celebrate the Bond work with the District.
Project Updates
Maintenance Building - Sinking Fund
The new Maintenance building is located at the Administrative Offices site in Oak Park, at the end of the parking lot, just north of the Norup playground. Construction is moving along on schedule. The outside structure is complete along with the roof panels. Drywall is up inside, garage doors are being installed, fence posts are going in, HVAC system is being installed along with plumbing work. The crew will be finishing the outside concrete work soon and move to finish the interior. Construction is currently following the timeline and the building is anticipated to be completed by the end of December 2024.
District-wide Furniture Purchase - Bond - Phase II
Phase I of the furniture project is complete with a few punch list items to complete for the all new classroom furniture. Phase II(A) of the furniture project will receive their new furniture soon. This phase is for additional kindergarten sections, specialized classrooms, and the Early Intervention program at BBB. Phase II(B) (art rooms, media centers, music rooms, science labs, etc.) will begin the design process in October. The design development phase will continue through January 2025 to allow for installation to begin in June.
District-wide Furniture Donation
When the District emptied classrooms last summer in preparation for the new furniture, the items were collected and shipped to schools in need by the Reuse Network. The Reuse Network recently shared a report on where all the District furniture was repurposed. 7,551 pieces of surplus furniture, totaling 205,016 pounds, were shipped to recipients in the United States and in Lusaka, Zambia.
Phase 1: Burton & Pattengill Multi-Purpose Additions - Bond - Fall 2024
Burton & Pattengill multi-purpose/cafeteria additions plans are complete, construction fences are in place and work has begun. Messages were delivered to the Burton and Pattengill families and neighboring houses. The following details include the current construction status and future plans for both schools.
Burton
- Burton’s new multi-purpose/cafeteria addition will be attached to the building at the northeast corner of the playground by the gym. It will house a new lunchroom, a new kitchen, storage rooms, restrooms and will be a wonderful space for collaboration.
- Construction fencing was installed on October 17-18 and will be closed to the public on Monday, October 21 to block off the area for construction as well as the construction staging area. Half of Burton’s playground (east side) and parking lot will be fenced off to prepare for construction. The playground doors will remain open with the construction fence just to the east.
- Construction fencing will also go up on the south east section of the field inside the track, to prepare for a new, smaller playground area.
- Due to the location of the addition, some Burton playground equipment (swings, monkey bars, tubes, shade sails) will move to inside the track permanently.
- The street-side parking on Nadine plus the sidewalk will remain open through November/December.
- Once the new playground area is completed in the field, the Nadine parking lot and sidewalk adjacent to the parking lot will be closed to the public through the end of August 2025. At that time, Burton families and students will use a gate near the field for drop off and pick up.
Pattengill
- Pattengill’s new multi-purpose/cafeteria addition will be attached to the building at the north doors, in the current concrete area. It will house a new lunchroom, a new kitchen, storage rooms, restrooms and will be a wonderful space for collaboration.
- Construction fencing was installed on Wednesday, October 9 to block off the area for construction as well as the construction staging area. The fencing was closed off on Friday, October 11 at the end of the day. Pattengill’s construction fencing will encompass the concrete area outside of the north doors through the baseball field. In addition, the construction fencing will hug the sidewalk in the grassy area between the playground and building for work on the new underground water drainage system.
- Pattengill students will access the playground through the 5th grade doors only.
- A large portion of the field will be blocked off for construction staging, however, students will have access to a portion of the field for recess.
- A new concrete area will be poured to the south of the playground as part of the later construction plans.
- In addition to the multi-purpose addition, the District is adding parking spaces near the baseball field on Royal as part of the construction.
- The overhang outside of the north doors was removed off school hours before construction began to abate asbestos.
- During construction, both Royal and Oakshire will have short time periods where the streets will have construction to tie into the building projects. We will notify the community ahead of time when these projects are slated to begin.
- As construction dates get solidified, we will share them with the Pattengill community so everyone is prepared for the full construction season.
Phase 1: BHS Performing Arts Wing - Bond - Spring 2025
Berkley High School’s Performing Arts Bond team details are finalized and the work is out to bid. Bids are due on October 22. The Performing Arts wing updates include the Auditorium complete renovation, Auditorium lobby addition, the Black Box Theatre/Choir Classroom addition, a new instrument commons and upgrades to both the Band and Orchestra rooms as well as upgrading practice rooms. This work will begin in the Spring 2025 (Black Box in March, Auditorium in May) and is scheduled for completion in early 2026.
Phase 1: BHS Science Wing - Bond - Summer 2025
The BHS Science Wing planning and drawings are complete. The science work includes a complete renovation and redesign for the lab spaces, updates to chemical storage rooms, and creating new lab spaces. The Science Wing will be packaged along with the rest of the BHS projects and is currently out to bid. The Science Wing project timeline includes work beginning once school is complete in June 2025 and the labs reopening in September 2025.
Phase 1: BHS BEAR Complex - Bond - Spring 2025
The District Field House is now named The BEAR Complex (The Berkley Education, Athletics and Recreation Complex). The BEAR Complex includes a 60-yard indoor fieldhouse that includes a new weight room, team room and trainer room, an outdoor 120-yard turf performance field with lights, parking lot expansion and new configuration, and a grass field north of the turf field. The project came back from the bid process under budget and the Board of Education approved the contractors, minus landscaping and sports flooring, at the October 14th Regular meeting. Asbestos abatement will begin in tunnels near the current Maintenance Annex on October 21. Now that the bids and work have been solidified, the District is excited to share the renderings and the plans with the community. Work will begin during the month of April 2025.
Phase 1: BHS Pool - Bond - Spring/Summer 2025
The professional teams are working on finalizing plans for the space to prepare the work for the bid documents. Pool updates include a new HVAC system, new starting blocks, new diving board, updating tile areas, redoing the pool office and restroom and updates to the chemical system. The pool bids were delayed for the District team to review the scope of work one last time to see if additional projects can be added. As soon as the details are finalized this project will go out to bid. Pool updates will take place starting as soon as the boys swim season is complete in March 2025.
ATP & Robotics at former Cana Lutheran Church - Sinking Fund - Spring 2025
The Bond and Sinking Fund team is working with the District’s architects and construction management team to plan the construction for the new Adult Transition Program (ATP) and Robotics spaces. The team has refined the plans, selected finishes and the scope of work. The work for both of these projects was bundled with the BHS Bond projects which are due back from bid on October 22. The goal is to have ATP in their new space by August 2025 for the start of the school year and Robotics soon after and prior to their 2025 build season. Asbestos abatement will take place in some of the building starting on November 4 and will take approximately four weeks to complete.
Baseball & Softball Fields - District Funds & Sinking Fund
The City of Berkley, Berkley School District (BSD), and Berkley Dads' Club are excited to share news about Community Field #1 renovations. Community Field #1 is the City of Berkley’s high school-sized baseball field that’s seen countless games played and memories made over generations.
The three entities are working together to improve and maintain the field for years to come. The City of Berkley, BSD, and the Dads’ Club have collaborated with the goal of refurbishing the field including new infield and outfield with sod and irrigation, fix drainage issues, and renovate the concession area and bathrooms. These improvements will make the field more enjoyable and functional for everyone.
The City is creating a special enterprise fund dedicated to the field's renovation and upkeep. The Berkley School District and Dads’ Club have each agreed to a five-year term to pay $35,000 in permit fees annually to support the field renovation and maintenance. The City is conducting a facility study to assess the restrooms and concession area. The City commits to updating these spaces once the study is complete.
The agreement also includes details about field access. The Berkley School District will have Community Field #1 priority for the high school and middle school baseball season. The Berkley Dads' Club will have Community Field #1 priority to support their summer and fall seasons. The City may issue permits to additional groups to use the field at times throughout the year, allowing for maximum community benefit. The BSD and Dads’ Club will retain first right of refusal during their usage period in these cases.
The work on the field improvements has already begun, with the goal of having everything ready for the spring 2025 season. This agreement has been approved by the City of Berkley and Berkley School District and now will be presented to the Berkley Dads’ Club for final approval.
In addition, the Berkley School District is committed to building a new field for the high school softball program on its property in the coming years.
Phase 2: Angell & Rogers Multi-Purpose Additions - Bond - Fall 2025
Design team meetings have begun to plan and shape the Bond work for Angell and Rogers multi-purpose/cafeteria additions, gym updates and any resulting playground adjustments. Design teams consist of building staff, District staff, architects and construction management team. These teams are led by Stantec, the District’s architects, and a core team of Berkley Schools Administrative staff.
Technology - Bond
New interactive flat panels and new classroom sound systems have been approved by the Board of Education for Berkley High School. In addition, the Board approved purchasing new devices for all teachers in the District. The staff device roll out will take place this school year and in similar fashion to the interactive flat panels, one building at a time.
Team Meetings
The District teams participate in Steering Committee meetings twice a month with Stantec (architecture, engineering, design), McCarthy & Smith (construction management), and SES (engineering and mechanical systems) to plan timelines of construction, prepare bid documents, as well as pour over details of the scopes of work. Each project has a standard sequence of work: design phase, project cost estimating, bidding for contractors, awarding contracts, construction phase (demolition and building) and finally, project completion.
Norup Guest Speaker Shares About Indigenous Peoples Day
Jeremy Macdonald is a member of the Ojibwe tribe (Chipewea) and husband to Norup 3rd grade teacher Julie Macdonald. Mr. Macdonald was invited to Norup on Indigenous Peoples Day to speak to the third graders to expose students to information and resources that they might not have known about. Norup teachers hoped his presentation would also spark student interest and understanding that Native Americans are not just a historical group, but that they are present in communities today.
During his presentation, Mr. Macdonald shared about the Rocky Boy Reservation in Montana, where he is from. He also shared facts and information about Native Americans. He touched on the history of the shrinking land ownership of Native Americans, popular traditions and ceremonies of Native Americans, historical influence of Native Americans and traditional foods that came from Native populations that we may think come from other nationalities. The students were interested in the various children's books he brought and the topics they highlighted - traditional foods, the meaning and importance of long hair for Natives, and celebrations such as the Pow Wow. Students had a chance to see artifacts and ask questions as well.
Mr. Macdonald has a Bachelor's Degree in Native American Studies from The University of Montana and a Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Arizona State University. He has been an educator for 21 years, having taught 5th grade, 3rd grade, Elementary School Dean, High School Principal and Superintendent. He is currently managing a grant for language immersion to preserve the language of his tribe in Montana and bring the language and culture into the schools.
Board of Education Recognizes Students and School Resource Officer
National Merit Scholarship Program
Over 1.5 million juniors entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT/NMSQT in 2023.
The Board recognized seniors Ava Cohen and Lucy Pugh for receiving a Letter of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Scholars students are selected in recognition of their outstanding academic promise among the top 34,000 students nationwide who took the PSAT/NMSQT exam, representing the top 2-3% of the nation’s high school graduating seniors.
The Board recognized seniors Madeline Gold and Emile Jenkins who were named Semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Semifinalist students are selected in recognition of their outstanding academic promise among the top 16,000 students nationwide who took the PSAT/NMSQT exam, representing less than 1% of the nation’s high school graduating seniors.
School Resource Officer
The Board recognized Sgt. Dave Arney, Berkley School District’s School Resource Officer (SRO), for his unwavering dedication to our students and staff. Through a partnership with the City of Berkley, Sgt. Arney is stationed at Berkley High School during the school year to provide support for all our schools. Sgt. Arney sits on the District’s Safety Advisory Committee, supports Behavior Threat Assessment Management, presents to students on safety topics from fire safety in kindergarten to online safety for teenagers, attends large District events and continues to form relationships with our students, staff and administrators. His work is deeply important to the District’s safety plans.
Berkley Teachers Learn New Technology Tools During Workshop
On September 26, Berkley Schools teachers had the opportunity to join a Make and Take workshop with Oakland Schools. This workshop titled, “Playful Learning with Microbit” was available for any 3rd-8th grade educator interested in exploring a tool for hands-on learning that integrates computer science and curriculum.
During the workshop, the educators learned what a Microbit is and how it uses features like temperature sensors, LED displays, an accelerometer, and a radio network to accomplish different tasks connecting computational thinking and computer science skills to curriculum.
For attending the workshop, teachers received a Microbit to take home, access to a class set of Microbits housed in their building and walked away with at least one ready to use Microbit lesson connected to the content/grade level of their choice.
Funds for the Microbits were provided by the MDE Implementing Effective Use of Technology in Computer Science Grant awarded to Berkley School District supporting the goal of building ongoing opportunities for all students to engage in computer science learning K-12.
Berkley Schools Communications Department Wins State Award
The Berkley Schools Communications Team received a Gold Medallion award from the Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA) for the 2023 Bond communications plan, “What If Berkley Schools Facilities Matched Our Award-Winning Programming?”
MSPRA's Gold Medallion Award recognizes outstanding programs or projects that advance education through responsible communication using the four-step public relations process known as RPIE: Research, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation.
Communications Director Jessica Stilger said, “I am honored to receive this award from MSPRA and proud of the work our team did to communicate the Bond proposal to the community. I appreciate the time the judges put in to read through the 20+ page award submissions and share feedback with all applicants.”
The team also received a Golden Achievement Award from the National School Public Relations Association for the same project earlier this year.
Petting Zoo Fun for Berkley Schools Families
The Berkley Schools Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) held a Special Services Petting Zoo on Sunday, September 29. PAC representatives Natasha Hamilton and Carolyn Durant-Blair organized the event which was held at Rogers Elementary. About 25 families and children attended.
Berkley High School Dance Team to Perform at Pistons Game
The Berkley High School Dance Team will perform on the court at Little Caesars Arena before the Pistons game on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 7 pm. The Dance Team invites the Berkley Schools community to support their program while also enjoying a Detroit Pistons game vs the Toronto Raptors.
Dancers, parents, family and friends receive exclusive ticket savings for the game if tickets are purchased through the Dance Team’s ticket website. Ticket includes: Access to the performance, a free Pistons item and post-game free throw on the Pistons court!
Section 101 tickets are $60 each, and section 208 tickets are $35 each.
Tickets are mobile tickets and details will be emailed to you immediately after purchase.
To access mobile tickets you must log into the Pistons App.
Register Today for Saturdays for Success
The Saturdays for Success Program (S4S) is sponsored by the Berkley African American Parent Network (BAAPN) in partnership with the Berkley School District. The purpose of S4S is to help all Berkley students have a successful K-12 academic experience by providing educational opportunities in literacy and math, and developing study skills that will ensure long-term success. The S4S Program builds on concepts students are currently learning in their classes.
S4S Schedule
- October 19, 26
- November 2, 9, 16, 23
- 9:30-11:00 am
- Berkley High School
The cost of the program is $20 per child (fee covers all 6 sessions). If your family is eligible for free and/or reduced meals the cost is $10 per child.
Berkley Schools PTAs Sponsoring Reflections Art Contest
All Berkley Schools PTAs are participating in the 2024-25 National PTA Reflections art contest. The Reflections program was founded in 1969 and since its founding, millions of students have participated in the program. The goal of the program is participation in and appreciation for the arts.
This year’s Reflections theme is “Accepting Imperfections” Students of all ages are invited to create visual art, dance, photography or literature connected to the theme. Berkley PTAs will judge all entries and choose up to four winners in each age range and category. Those winners then move on to be judged at the state level. Top winners at the state level go on to national judging.
General Rules
- Only new pieces of artwork inspired by the theme may be submitted.
- Students may only submit one entry per category.
- Each entry may only be submitted by one student. For example, if more than one student appears in an entry (like for dance choreography), only the person who is responsible for creating the concept and leading the project can enter their name on the entry form.
- The work must be the child’s. Parents or other grown-ups may not help. (Exceptions apply for the Accessible Arts division.)
- To keep the judging anonymous, do not include the student’s full name on the work. That means no signatures on visual arts pieces and no full names written or spoken in other pieces.
- Use of copyrighted material is prohibited, except for background music in dance choreography and specific exceptions in visual arts entries. See category guidelines for details.
- Digital technology and/or software can be used to develop, enhance and/or present an entry but may not provide the primary design and/or concept.
- Each entry must have an entry form. This form will include an artist statement, which tells the judges how the project fits with the theme of “Accepting Imperfection”
- Artists must include a consent form for any person whose face or voice is included in an entry.
Artist Statements
Artist statements must be between 10 and 100 words and must describe what the work is and how it relates to the theme. Artists can share how they got the idea for the project or what “Accepting Imperfection” means to them. Artist statements are an important part of the judging - make sure they are student words – not grown-up words.
How to Enter - Due November 6
Use the Reflections Entry Form.
Learn more details on the PTA Reflections Information Sheet.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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