Berkley Beat June 6, 2025

What's Inside

  • Board of Education Recognizes Scholars, Athletes, Engineers, Scientists and a Teacher
  • AMS Visits Angell TK & K for Board Game Lesson
  • District Community Survey: Share Your Thoughts on Equity & Inclusion Progress
  • Elementary Students Visit Bowers School Farm
  • Norup Carnival Celebrates the End of the Year
  • Angell Community Enjoys Ice Cream Social
  • Building Blocks Students Enjoy Ice Cream Social
  • Pattengill Families Enjoy Ice Cream Social
  • Rogers Hosts Annual Ice Cream Social
  • Unified Bocce Plays Last Match Against District Administrators
  • Burton Hosts Field Day Ceremony & Games
  • Pattengill Students Enjoy Field Day
  • Summer Drama Camp Registration is Open
  • High School Summer Difference Program Registration
  • Berkley Schools Announces Varsity Tutors - Free for Students
  • Have a Cool Job? Tell Our Students About It!
  • What is the Oakland County Parent Advisory Committee?
  • June Calendar Highlights - Pride Month
  • How to Subscribe to the District Calendar
  • Join the Berkley Schools Family - Now Hiring

Board of Education Recognizes Scholars, Athletes, Engineers, Scientists and a Teacher

At the June 2 Board of Education Study Session, the Board recognized many students for their accomplishments and one teacher as well. Congratulations to the following individuals on their recognition.

Shared Time Teacher of the Year

The Board honored Linda Riley-Hathorne, a Kindergarten teacher at Christ the King Catholic School, Detroit as the Berkley Schools Shared Time Teacher of the Year. Shared Time is a State of Michigan Program that allows for public and non-public schools to partner on eligible non-core elective classes such as art, music, PE, modern language, media, computers, as well as Kindergarten which is not a required grade. Linda’s principal shared, “Her classroom is a place of warmth, joy, and curiosity, where every student feels seen and supported. Ms. Riley brings creativity, patience, and a deep love for learning to everything she does.”

Maxfield Science Symposium

Students who received scholarships for the BHS Maxfield Science Symposium were honored at the Board meeting. Students explored a different scientific topic and created their own experiment to present In front of a panel of current and former Science teachers. Students were awarded scholarships from the Berkley Education Foundation.

Gold Scholarship

  • Lucas Carter, junior, Lasers, a Better way to Grow Popcorn?
  • Jo Lagerstrom, sophomore, Ladybird Beetle Food Choice Chambers

Silver Scholarship

  • Mia Mracna, sophomore, The Effects of Different Solutions on Tooth Enamel
  • Lydia Binelli, junior, The Effects of Caffeine on Memory

Bronze Scholarship

  • Vincent Holder, sophomore, Organic vs Inorganic Soil
  • Victoria DeMarzio, sophomore, Effect of Social Media on Sleep for Teens

Honorable Mention

  • Giulliana Dao, freshman, How Different Sounds Affect the Quality of a Person's Sleep
  • Hannah Schueler, senior, Water Bottle Bacteria Levels

Berkley Robotics Team 247, Da Bears

The Board honored the Berkley High School Robotics Team 247, Da Bears. The team, comprised of 7-12 grade students, competed at the State Robotics Championship at Saginaw Valley University on April 3-5, 2025. This was the first time in over a decade that Da Bears competed at states, and they finished 39th overall with a 3-9 record. The team faced tough competition, yet consistently scored points and demonstrated growth across all three phases of gameplay. Season highlights include earning the prestigious Judges Award, team alliance captains, and qualifying for States.

World of 8 Billion Video Contest State Winner

BHS Senior, Luke Anthony Demerre was recognized by the Board for receiving the State Honor for Michigan in the international World of 8 Billion student video contest for his video, “Digital Detoxes [A Retreat from the Virtual World].” Luke Anthony’s video was selected as the best video in Michigan.

Sponsored by Population Education, the contest invites young people to explore the challenges of population growth and propose sustainable solutions. Luke Anthony’s video production teacher Caye Matthews shared, “I am so proud of his hardwork and dedication.”

Business Professionals of America (BPA) State Champion

BHS junior, and Oakland Schools Technical Campus student, Owen Church was honored for finishing in first place at the Business Professionals of America State Leadership Competition in Grand Rapids. Owen competed in the Computer Programming division and took first in Fundamentals of Web Design. This qualified him to compete at the National Leadership Conference in Orlando, FL where he took the stage and placed 7th overall in the Nation for Fundamentals of Web Design.

Male Soccer Player of the Year Candidate

Kai Nielsen, BHS Senior, was recognized by the Board for being nominated as one of the candidates for the Detroit Free Press 2024-25 Male Soccer Player of the Year. Kai, a forward for the BHS Soccer team, is one of 12 male players nominated for this award, which will be announced in June at the Detroit High School Sports Awards show.

Class of 2025, Top 5%

Congratulations to the top 5% of the Class of 2025. The Board honored the following students for their academic accomplishments, and students shared their plans for next year.

  • Kai Nielsen, University of Michigan
  • Emile Jenkins, MIT - Mathematics
  • Ann Redman, University of Wisconsin Madison - Biomedical Engineering
  • Luke Anthony Demerre, University of Michigan
  • Ava Cohen, University of Michigan - Chemistry
  • Jack Saltsman, Georgia Tech - Mechanical Engineering
  • Jacob Carter, Michigan Technological University - Software Engineering
  • Lucy Pugh, University of Michigan - Environment
  • Samuel George, University of Michigan - Economics, Political Science
  • Ella Francis, University of Michigan - Neuroscience
  • Violet Karp, University of Michigan - Philosophy, Politics & Economics
  • Noreen Sleeman, University of Michigan - Biology
  • Delaney Reed, Grand Valley State University Frederick Meijer Honors College - Pre-Med
  • Lucy Cohen, DePaul University - Communications
  • Hannah Schueler, Michigan Tech - Biological Sciences

AMS Visits Angell TK & K for Board Game Lesson

On May 29, Anderson 8th grade students in Laura Russell’s classes visited Angell kindergarten classrooms as part of a project-based learning science assignment. Anderson students spent three weeks learning about light, color and how filters affect the way we see an object's color. Then, students created team-designed board games that utilized concepts of filters and light and wanted the opinions of their younger peers prior to finalizing their designs.

Before this visit, Anderson students went through their Engineering and Design Processes to create their game prototypes. The students researched board games for young children (5-6 year olds), created the designs and collaborated to make their final prototypes. Students utilized materials brought in from home to build their games. The designs also included directions as well as an insert about the science of their “magic” revealers to show their understanding of light and filters.

At Angell, the kindergarten students had a chance to try the games and share their thoughts.

After the visit to Angell, 8th graders took feedback from their kindergarten peers to create a final presentation about their prototype to present in their science classes at Anderson.

District Community Survey: Share Your Thoughts on Equity & Inclusion Progress

In 2022, the Board of Education approved our new Strategic Plan, the guiding document for our work as a District. As part of that plan, we updated our Vision, Mission and Tagline, created a Portrait of a Learner and established new goals for the next five years. In order for us to know if we are being successful with our work, we will be seeking your feedback and input through this annual survey.

The survey addresses components of the Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan includes five goal areas. Embedded throughout the goal areas are a focus on culture and equity. Those are the areas we're focusing our survey on today. Your feedback will help inform programs, learning and investment.

In addition, District administrators are working on revising the Student Code of Conduct through an equity lens. Your feedback on three questions related to the Code of Conduct will help guide our work.

This survey should take no longer than 10-15 minutes and has both multiple choice and open response questions. Many of the questions may look familiar to you and that is purposeful. It allows the District to monitor progress on the related topics. You can take the survey online here. The survey will remain open until June 20, 2025.

Elementary Students Visit Bowers School Farm

Elementary students who work with Ms. Metz, Ms. Carroll, and Ms. McIntosh visited Bowers School Farm to learn about the animals and gardens. Farmers led the student groups through the different barns, where they met chickens, horses, cows, sheep, pigs, rabbits and baby goats! Students enjoyed learning about and interacting with the different animals. After the trip, students worked on creating a guide book about the farm to share with other classes.

Norup Carnival Celebrates the End of the Year

On Friday, May 30, Norup International School’s PTA pulled out all the stops to celebrate the end of another successful academic year. The Norup Carnival welcomed students and families to enjoy a wide range of exciting activities, including a petting zoo, inflatable attractions, tie-dye stations, a dunk tank, food trucks, a cake walk and even a video game truck.

Angell Community Enjoys Ice Cream Social

On Friday, May 30, 2025, the Angell community gathered for their annual Ice Cream Social. Angell fish and their families enjoyed a basket raffle, the Dad’s Club serving hot dogs, ice cream to purchase and a buy one get one free book fair!

Building Blocks Students Enjoy Ice Cream Social

On Thursday, May 29, Berkley Building Blocks students enjoyed their annual Ice Cream Social. At the event students enjoyed a dance party, drew with sidewalk chalk and played on the playground. Building Blocks teachers handed out ice cream to families as they enjoyed a warm spring evening.

Pattengill Families Enjoy Ice Cream Social

On May 28, 2025, Pattengill held its annual ice cream social featuring a variety of activities and treats. The PTA pivoted to an inside event due to the rain, but students still had a great time. Students enjoyed carnival games like Scoop n Score, Patty’s Ball Toss, Penguin Plinko, and more, alongside an inflatable obstacle course.

Students also enjoyed face painting, balloon animals, raffle baskets and cotton candy for everyone to enjoy. Outside, an ice cream truck served treats to attendees.

The event was a fun celebration of another great school year for the entire Pattengill community.

Rogers Hosts Annual Ice Cream Social

The Rogers community gathered for the annual Ice Cream Social on Thursday, May 29, 2025. The event was packed with families and students. Families watched kids play in the gaga ball pit and on the playground and students enjoyed a foam machine while music filled the air.

Rogers PTA members served ice cream and pizza to attendees. The event celebrated the end of another successful school year.

Unified Bocce Plays Last Match Against District Administrators

On Tuesday, May 27, the BHS Unified Bocce team ended their season taking on District administrators. Teams all played one game and the students came out victorious after some very close games! Congratulations to the Unified Bocce team on a great season!

Unified sports joins people with and without disabilities on the same team. It is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experience. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

Burton Hosts Field Day Ceremony & Games

Burton’s Field Day on Friday, May 30 began with a ceremony. Student “torch bearers” ran around the track to kick off the event before the games began. Classes spread out on the field and playground and enjoyed water balloon toss, sponge games, relay races, noodle tag, limbo and more!

Pattengill Students Enjoy Field Day

Pattengill Field Day took place on Friday, May 30, with activities set up on the front lawn and playground area. 5th grade students led the event, giving instructions and demonstrating each activity for the younger students.

Students took part in a variety of fun relay races, including running with soaked sponges and racing to hang wet clothing on clotheslines. In addition to the relays, students enjoyed time on the playground, created colorful chalk art on the sidewalks and played lawn games.

The day was filled with teamwork, laughter, and leadership, making it a memorable way to close out the school year.

Summer Drama Camp Registration is Open

Summer Drama Camp, led by Berkley High School Drama Coordinator John Hopkins, consists of multiple classes in different dramatic and performance techniques. The focus of the camps will be on musical theater and acting. Cost is $175 per session or $150 per session if you book more than one session in one transaction. Drama Camp will be held in the Berkley High School Little Theatre/Choir Room, 2325 Catalpa, Berkley, MI 48072.

Session One: Musical Theatre

  • For students entering 6-8 grade
  • June 23-27, 2025
  • Mon-Fri, 10 am - 3 pm including a 45 minute “brown-bag” lunch

Session Two: Acting Camp

  • For middle and high school students entering grades 6-12
  • August 4-8, 2025
  • Mon-Fri, 10 am - 3 pm including a 45 minute “brown-bag” lunch or off-campus lunch for high school students only

Session Three: Advanced Musical Theatre

  • For middle and high school students entering grades 6-12
  • August 11-15, 2025
  • Mon-Fri, 10 am - 3 pm including a 45 minute “brown-bag” lunch or off-campus lunch for high school students only

Questions? Contact District Drama Coordinator, John Hopkins at john.hopkins@berkleyschools.org

For additional information and to register visit this link.

High School Summer Program Registration Information

At this time the elementary and middle school summer programs are closed. Below is the information for the high school summer program.

High School Program: Credit Recovery

The high school summer program will be focused on Credit Recovery Courses. Credit Recovery Courses should be selected in consultation with each student’s school counselor. Credit Recovery coursework will be delivered through the APEX online learning system, assisted, facilitated, and overseen by certified teachers. Students will complete the coursework in person. These courses are tailored to each student and are mastery-based, which means the length of time students must spend in Credit Recovery will vary and is dependent upon mastery of course objectives.

Program Details for Credit Recovery

Registration

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!

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.

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

Calendar Highlights: June

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.

Pride Month

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month in the United States. During this month, many pride events are held to recognize the impact LGBTQ+ people have had in the world. Pride Month is also celebrated annually in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots, and works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Americans.

To learn more about Pride Month, and to see resources to share with your children, check out the list of resources below.

  • Affirmations Detroit Affirmations LGBTQ+ community center has been the hub for southeast Michigan LGBTQ+ communities and its allies for the last 30 years. Affirmations provides a welcoming space where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities & expressions, and cultures can learn, grow, socialize and access the vital support they need.
  • Celebrate Pride with Us - Human Rights Campaign The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) strives to end discrimination against LGBTQ people and realize a world that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all. HRC envisions a world where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people are ensured equality and embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community. The HRC has developed a website full of Pride month activities, videos and resources.
  • GLSEN: Terms and Concepts This collection of Key Concepts and Terms is designed to provide a basic understanding of words, phrases and ideas related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their experiences. All language is constantly evolving; new terms are introduced, while others fade from use or change their meaning over time.
  • It Gets Better Project The It Gets Better Project’s mission is to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth around the globe.
  • PFLAG: OUR CHILDREN OUR CHILDREN offers a fresh eye for families and others about what to do when a loved one comes out. Full of useful knowledge, helpful tips, expert opinions and first-person stories, OUR CHILDREN--which has a focus on sexual orientation and gender expression--is a must read for anyone looking to learn more about how to support LGBTQ loved ones...or looking for support for themselves.
  • Trevor Support Center A place where LGBTQ youth and their allies can find answers to frequently asked questions, and explore resources related to sexual orientation, gender identity and more!

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

  • Full Time Elementary Teachers - Multiple Positions
  • Middle School English Teacher - Norup
  • Early Childhood Special Education Teacher - BBB
  • Lead Teacher - GSRP Extended Program Teacher - BBB
  • School Psychologist - 2025-26 School Year
  • School Social Worker - Early Childhood Education
  • Permanent Substitute Custodian - District
  • Head Custodian - Angell
  • Kids’ Zone Assistant Teachers (3 positions) - Angell, Pattengill, Rogers
  • Lunch Aides - Angell, Burton, Pattengill
  • Middle School Football Coach - Anderson
  • JV Girls Golf Coach - BHS
  • Sideline Cheer JV Coach - BHS

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