Berkley Beat

Bond Work & Sinking Fund Project Update: February 2026

With the passing of the August 2023 Bond, and the 2018 Sinking Fund, Berkley Schools teams are busy planning for upcoming construction projects and monitoring current construction projects. Because both Bond and Sinking Fund projects are ongoing, these monthly updates will include details on both. The February update includes construction updates on Angell, Pattengill, Rogers, Berkley High School’s Performing Arts Center, Black Box Theatre and The BEAR Complex project. It also includes photos from Pattengill’s Multi-Purpose addition grand opening  and a few timeline updates. These monthly Bond & Sinking Fund updates will be maintained on the District’s website. See below for updates on the projects that are taking place in 2026.

Bond & Sinking Fund Projects - Phase I & II Timeline

The following is an estimated timeline. These dates may change due to the nature of construction including weather delays, supply chain delays, etc. 

• Complete: BHS Pool Construction, Phase I
• Complete: BHS Science Wing Construction
• Complete: Burton Multi-Purpose Addition and Gym
• Complete: Robotics Spaces at The Den
• Complete: Pattengill Multi-Purpose Addition and Gym
• Underway: BHS Performing Arts Center (Auditorium, Black Box Theatre, Instrument Commons)
• Underway: The BEAR Complex
• Underway: The Den Construction for Adult Transition
• Underway: Angell & Rogers New Additions and Sitework
• Underway: Burton Field Renovation 
• Underway: Tyler Park Project
• Spring & Summer 2026: Anderson, Norup, BBB & BHS Gyms, Locker Rooms & Team Rooms at Anderson and Norup, AMS Foods Classroom, Hurley Field Phase II, AMS Parking Lot Expansion, BHS Pool Phase II
• Winter 2026-27: The BEAR Complex Grand Opening

Project Updates

Phase I: Burton & Pattengill Multi-Purpose Additions - Bond

Burton

Burton has a few punch list items left for the outside, but otherwise is complete.

Phase I: BHS Performing Arts Wing - Bond

Phase II: Norup, AMS, BHS, BBB & Hurley Field - Spring/Summer 2026

The Norup, AMS, BHS, BBB and Hurley Field work has been bid out and the projects were approved by the Board of Education. The project includes updating the school gym floors, paint and equipment at AMS, Norup and BHS as well as renovating the locker rooms and team rooms at Norup and AMS. Hurley Field work includes updating team rooms, restrooms, field lighting, replacing the visitor bleachers, adjusting flow and fence lines, a new scoreboard and expanding the parking lot to improve available spaces as well as traffic flow. In addition, the work includes replacing the gym floor at Berkley Building Blocks, and upgrading the BHS West Gym with air conditioning, lighting and new paint and a renovation of the kitchen space in the AMS Foods Room. The BHS Pool will undergo mechanical work, too. Construction Update

• Work is being done to prepare space at Anderson for trucks to be able to deliver materials for the Hurley Field work.

Roofing Projects - Sinking Fund

The District hired a roofing contractor to evaluate all roofs across the District and created a timeline to repair the most urgent needs first. The Board of Education approved roofing work for Norup, The Den and the Administrative Offices. The Den work will begin in the spring and with the other projects happening this summer. In addition, smaller roofing projects are taking place soon at Berkley High School to repair a few issues. 

Field Projects - Sinking Fund

Burton Field

The District project to improve Burton’s field with its professional partners is nearly complete. The work includes fixing the ponding, replacing the dirt infields with grass infields and preparing the site to have a multi-purpose use as well as include two diamonds to host t-ball games.  Construction Update:

• Dugout structures were delivered this week.
• The construction fencing will remain in place until the spring and the sod has had time to take hold in the ground.

Tyler Park - Sinking Fund

Plans are complete for Tyler Park with City of Oak Park officials. On the District side, a new Varsity softball field will be built with lights, permanent fence, dugouts, stands, scoreboard, bullpens and batting cages. The District property will also have a practice softball/baseball field for middle school students. On the City of Oak Park side, a multipurpose field will be updated to improve the drainage issues. A walking path will also be added to both properties to allow for a full path connecting the parking lots to the fields and for the community to enjoy. On the District side of the property a small restroom facility will be built as well. Construction Update:

• Construction materials were delivered during Mid-Winter Break.
• The construction fence installation began on February 24.
• Tyler Park neighbors received a joint letter from Berkley Schools and the City of Oak Park with details of the project as well as expectations for construction.

District Facilities Assessments

The District Bond Team is planning a wide-scope assessment of many systems and spaces over the next couple of months. This will allow the team to understand the highest facility needs outside of the current Bond and Sinking Fund scope, to be paid for with Bond savings and projects coming in under estimates. The team will focus on maximizing the remaining budget to have the highest impact on system efficiencies and student and staff experiences.

Furniture and Fixture Upgrades

• Design meetings continued in February for the final phase of furniture work to upgrade smaller spaces, desks for ancillary staff, middle school computer science classrooms, as well as Norup, Anderson and Rogers offices. 
• The new BHS school store showroom area was installed during Mid-Winter Break - see photo, above.
• New music shelves have been purchased.

Technology

Additional call switches were installed in non-classroom spaces at Angell, AMS, Pattengill, BHS and Rogers. Norup, Burton and BBB additional call switches are in progress. Burton and Pattengill’s PA upgrade pre-tests are complete and the switch over is being scheduled. The Board of Education approved a contract to update the sound systems in gymnasiums and media centers across the District. This system upgrade will begin in the spring and be completed before the first day of school.

Berkley High School DECA Recognized for Outstanding School-Based Enterprise

The Bear Necessities, the school-based enterprise (school store) at Berkley High School, was among 989 school-based enterprises that achieved a gold level certification (the highest level) for the 2025-26 school year. The BHS DECA team will be recognized during DECA’s International Career Development Conference this April 25-28, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. A school-based enterprise (SBE) is an entrepreneurial operation in a school setting that provides goods and services to meet the needs of the market. SBEs are managed and operated by students as hands-on learning laboratories that integrate National Curriculum Standards in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. The BHS DECA members who contributed to the certification were Salman Abdella, Lola Burns, Leif Schoof and Alex Sims with the assistance of their DECA chapter advisor and Marketing Teacher Joel Hunt. The Bear Necessities has operated for 56 years! “DECA’s School-based Enterprise Certification Program is a rigorous process designed to help DECA members demonstrate their classroom learning in a practical, learning laboratory, and then translate that into meaningful outcomes,” said Christopher Young, CAE, Chief Program Officer at DECA Inc. “These DECA members are practicing important workplace readiness skills while preparing for college and careers.” In order to apply for the certification, The Bear Necessities team submitted extensive documentation that explains how their SBE demonstrates the practice of various marketing and retail standards.  You can support The Bear Necessities by purchasing spirit wear on their website.

BHS Herstory Club Invites the Community to a Walk for Women

The Berkley High School Herstory Club meets every other week to learn and talk about women’s history and women’s empowerment. The Herstory Club invites the community to a Walk for Women on Sunday, March 8 at Hurley Field from 11 am - 2 pm.  Guests are invited to participate in a one-mile walk around the track, and the club will also have games, raffles and food. A portion of the proceeds from The Walk for Women will be donated to The Malala Fund and local women's shelters. Donations will be accepted at the event or through Venmo (@isabellaroddis) ahead of time. Questions can be sent to herstorybhs@gmail.com.

BHS Spring Flower Sale

The Berkley High School Senior All Night Party committee invites the community to order from their annual Spring Flower Sale. All proceeds support the Senior All Night Party, which will be held off-site this year due to construction. The sale begins online February 27th and runs through March 20th. Flowers will be available for pick up on Wednesday, May 20 at Berkley High School. Visit the flower sale website to place your order.

Berkley Building Blocks Now Registering for Three Year Old Preschool Options

Berkley Building Blocks Preschool 3 and Sunshine Club registration window takes place March 16-20. Applications will be accepted throughout the week, and if more families apply than space allows, a lottery will take place on Monday, March 23. Families who register will be notified of their child's admittance and placement during the last week of March. Learn more about each program, below.

Preschool 3

Sunshine Club is a program designed to promote learning and socialization skills in a relaxed environment. Children are encouraged to explore language arts, science, fine arts, and large and small motor activities in concrete hands-on ways.

• Ages 3-4
• 4-day or 5-day options
• Hours: 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
• Year-round or school-year enrollment available

Sunshine Club

The Preschool 3 hands-on curriculum follows the State of Michigan Early Childhood Standards of Quality. The curriculum is devoted to all areas of development including physical, cognitive (including math and science), language/literacy/communication, interpersonal skills and relationships, creative arts, dramatic play, and construction.

• Ages 3-4
• Half-day program
• Choose Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday option
• School-year program only

Pricing details can be found on the BBB website.

Unified Basketball to Play at Little Caesars Arena

Support the Team through Donations or Ticket Purchase

On Friday, March 20, 2026, the Berkley High School Unified basketball team is playing at Little Caesars Arena as part of the Unified Showcase. Berkley High School plays at 12 pm against Royal Oak and tickets include admission for the March 25th Pistons game vs the Atlanta Hawks. 

All tickets include:

• Access to the Pistons game
• Access to Unified game
• A donation to the Berkley High School Unified Program
• A Unified Showcase t-shirt

Ticket Pricing: (Sections below are for the Pistons game)

• Section 201 (All you can eat and drink): $40.65 per ticket
• Section 103: $40.65
• Section 217: $25.66

Buy tickets and learn more on the ticketing website. 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.

Dispose of Unused & Expired Medications

In this free class, an Oakland County Health Division Health Educator will share how to dispose of medications safely and properly. Learn what local stores in Oakland County accept medications and provide safe medication disposal kiosks. This class is open to adults. Various training dates are available:

• Wednesday, March 18 from 12 - 1:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 22 from 12 - 1:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 19 from 12 - 1:30 p.m.

Register on the Oakland County Health Division website. The training link will be sent out 1 day before the event. Contact Nadli Arabo, arabon@oakgov.com, with any questions.

Berkley Education Foundation’s 17th Annual Off to the Races Tickets On Sale

• March 21, 2026
• 7-10:30 pm
• Red Run Golf Club, Royal Oak
• Tickets on sale now

The Berkley Schools community is invited to the Berkley Education Foundation’s 17th annual fundraising event Off to the Races to support the Berkley School District and fund the #BerkleyDifference. Off to the Races will take place on Saturday, March 21, from 7-10:30 pm at Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak. Join the BEF for all the fun: simulated horse racing, owning & naming horses, silent auction (powered by mobile bidding), vacation give-away, connecting with friends, and most importantly, funding the #BerkleyDifference. This year food offerings will include heavy hors d’oeuvres, dessert and late night snacks. The Berkley Education Foundation (BEF) is a non-profit organization that raises funds to support all students in the Berkley Schools. Their purpose is to maintain and enhance educational opportunities and programs for Berkley Schools students. Every dollar the BEF raises during Off to the Races supports teacher innovation-grants, free enrichment programs, student scholarships and the 8th grade college + career tour program.

Tickets on sale.

Don’t miss out on all the fun. Tickets are on sale now: $50/person through February 6 - increased to $60/person on February 7.

• Bundle event tickets with Off to the Races (OTTR) Bucks for a discount.
• OTTR Bucks pay for horse “betting” and beverages at the event.
• Buy 10 Bucks for $40 at the event, or add them on to an event ticket for a $10 discount.

Horses on sale now.

Buy and name a horse that will race during Off to the Races! 100 regular horses ($30) and 10 golden horses ($300) are available. Horses can be purchased through the ticket section of the website. For those who can’t attend the event, buying a horse is an easy way to support the BEF.

Tables on sale for reserved seating.

Buy a table for 10 to guarantee the best seats of the night.

• VIP Tables: Includes 10 event tickets, $200 worth of OTTR Bucks, two bottles of wine at the table and reserved seating in a prime location. $1,200
• Reserved Table: Includes 10 event tickets and a reserved table to have guaranteed seating together. $800

Win a vacation.

Don’t miss the Golden Race - the last race of the night. The winner will take home a  $3,000 vacation, courtesy of the BEF.

• The prize is bigger so the stakes are higher: guests can “bet” on this race with a Golden Ticket!
• $50 Golden Tickets can be added to event tickets or at the door.
• Must be present to win.

Sponsorships available!

Event sponsorships, race sponsorships and prize sponsorships available for all budgets, ranging from $500 - $10,000. Investing in Off to the Races includes a variety of incentives from social media shoutouts to tickets to the event. Visit the BEF’s Sponsorship Booklet for details. Interested in sponsoring? Buy sponsorships online or Email berkleyfoundation@berkleyschools.org

• Event Sponsorship Form
• Race Sponsorship Form
• Buy Sponsorships online!

Ask Me Anything - Superintendent Francis Edition

Scott Francis is in the middle of his 5th school year as Superintendent. He's a dad, husband and District resident. This school year, the District is launching an Ask Me Anything series, Superintendent Francis Edition. What questions might you have for Superintendent Francis?  Submit your questions in this Google Form and he'll choose a few every couple of months to answer via video. Follow the District on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to see the answers, or see them in the Berkley Beat.

Calendar Highlights: February

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.

Black History Month

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.  Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history. Read more on the origins of Black History Month on the History Channel website. Take time to learn more about Black History and attend events by visiting the following resources:

• Check out the Oakland County blog for a number of programs, film screenings, and more taking place in person and virtually to explore Black history and culture
• PBS: Teaching Your Child About Black History
• Common Sense Education: Free Learning Resources for Black History Month (and beyond)

Groundhog Day - Feb 2

Groundhog Day is a tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. Since 1887 a groundhog in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, has been the center of a staged appearance each February 2. In what has become a media event, the groundhog “Punxsutawney Phil” is the center of attention of television weathermen and newspaper photographers.

Valentine's Day - February 14, 2026

Valentine’s Day occurs every February 14. Across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine.

Lunar New Year - February 17, 2026

Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, falls on February 17, 2026, and celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival on March 3, 2026. Lunar New Year is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. It is the most important holiday in China, and it is also widely celebrated in South Korea, Vietnam, and countries with a significant overseas Chinese population. While the official dates encompassing the holiday vary by culture, those celebrating consider it the time of the year to reunite with immediate and extended family. Commonly known as the Spring Festival in China, Lunar New Year is a fifteen-day celebration marked by many traditions. At home, families decorate windows with red paper cuttings and adorn doors with couplets expressing auspicious wishes for the new year. Shopping for holiday sundries in open-air markets and cleaning the house are also beloved traditions. The Lunar New Year’s Eve reunion dinner is the highlight that kicks off the holiday, a feast with a spread of symbolic dishes, such as a whole fish representing abundance, that bring good luck and fortune. The fifteenth and final day of the holiday is the Lantern Festival, during which people have tangyuan, or sweet glutinous rice balls, and children carry lanterns around the neighborhood at night to mark the end of the celebration. In the Chinese zodiac, 2026 is the year of the fire horse. Source: The National Museum of Asian Art

Ramadan - Begins February 17

Ramadan, in Islam, is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting. It begins and ends with the appearance of the crescent moon. Because the Muslim calendar year is shorter than the Gregorian calendar year, Ramadan begins 10–12 days earlier each year, allowing it to fall in every season throughout a 33-year cycle. Islamic tradition states that it was during Ramadan, on the “Night of Power” (Laylat al-Qadr)—commemorated on one of the last 10 nights of Ramadan, usually the 27th night—that God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad the Qurʾān, Islam’s holy book, “as a guidance for the people.” For Muslims, Ramadan is a period of introspection, communal prayer (ṣalāt) in the mosque, and reading of the Qurʾān. Source: Britannica      Here’s a helpful resource to learn more about the facts and traditions of Ramadan:

• Visit the Britannica article about Ramadan to learn more

Mardi Gras - February 17, 2026

Mardi Gras (also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the final day of Carnival or Shrovetide before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday," reflecting the practice of the last night of consuming rich, fatty foods in preparation for the fasting season of Lent. In countries such as the United Kingdom, Mardi Gras is more usually known as Pancake Day or (traditionally) Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday). In the United States the principal Carnival celebration is in New Orleans, Louisiana. This period is filled with elaborate parades, both day and night, building up to Mardi Gras. Beads of yellow, gold, green, and purple are commonly distributed, and the eating of king cake is an iconic part of the celebration. Source: Britannica

Ash Wednesday - February 18, 2026

Ash Wednesday, in Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent, occurring six and a half weeks before Easter. For those who observe the Christian faith, Ash Wednesday is a solemn reminder of human mortality and the need for reconciliation with God and marks the beginning of the penitential Lenten season. It is commonly observed with the distribution of ashes and with fasting. Eastern Orthodox churches begin Lent on Clean Monday and therefore do not observe Ash Wednesday. It was the practice in Rome for penitents and grievous sinners to begin their period of public penance on the first day of Lent in preparation for their restoration to the sacrament of the Eucharist. They were sprinkled with ashes, dressed in sackcloth, and obliged to remain apart until they were reconciled with the Christian community on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter. When these practices fell into disuse (8th–10th century), the beginning of the penitential season of Lent was symbolized by placing ashes on the heads of the entire congregation. Today, in the Roman Catholic Church, the ashes are applied in the shape of a cross on the forehead of each worshiper on Ash Wednesday. These ashes are obtained by burning the palms used in the previous year’s Palm Sunday service.  Source: Britannica