Berkley Beat: February 10, 2023
Berkley Beat: February 10, 2023
- Kindergarten Information for All: Registration and Schools of Choice
- Pattengill Students Celebrate the 100th Day of School
- Angell Students Compete in Battle of the Books
- Pattengill Students Learn African American History at Interactive Assembly
- Rogers Students Learn Writing Tips from Visiting Author
- Building Blocks Teacher Wins Community Award
- Berkley Middle School Swimmers Excel at State Meet, Capturing Three Titles
- Caring & Sharing Raised Over $20,000 in 2022
- Black History Month Resources for Families
- Oakland County Invites Stakeholders to Complete Health Survey
- African American Read-In, Open to Students in Oakland County
- Berkley Schools Seeks Input - Community Survey Now Open
- BAAPN Black History Essay Contest
- Kids’ Zone Mid-Winter Break Opportunities
- Tickets on Sale for Off to the Races 2023
- Join the Berkley Schools Family - Now Hiring!
- Sign Up for Text Alerts
Kindergarten Information for All: Registration and Schools of Choice
Kindergarten Registration for Berkley School District Residents
Berkley School District resident registration for both Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten begins February 6 and runs through February 17, 2023. Registration takes place entirely online, including the required document uploads. Visit the enrollment webpage to begin your registration, verify your residency through our District boundaries document and see what paperwork you need to upload to complete your registration. We can’t wait to meet our new students!
Schools of Choice Window for TK-Grade 5
The Berkley School District Board of Education has approved limited Schools of Choice (Section 105) openings (up to 120 slots) in Kindergarten through 5th grade for Oakland County residents for the 2023-24 school year. Those who are interested in attending the Berkley School District, but who do not live within District boundaries may apply.
Important Schools of Choice details include:
- Schools of Choice application period is February 13 - March 3, 2023
- Completed applications must be submitted online
- No applications will be accepted after the deadline of 5:00 pm, March 3, 2023
- Applicants will receive email notification of their student's Schools of Choice status mid to late April following the lottery
- On the application, families will select which school they’d prefer to attend: Angell, Burton, Norup, Pattengill or Rogers
- For current Schools of Choice families, if you have an incoming TK or Kindergarten student, please be sure to fill out this year’s application as well. Priority is given to siblings.
Questions
- If you have any questions regarding the enrollment process, please contact the Enrollment Office at 248-837-8026 or visit the Enrollment website.
- If you have any questions regarding Schools of Choice, please contact Stephanie Helterbran, Pupil Accounting and Central Enrollment Supervisor, at 248-837-8045 or visit the Schools of Choice website.
Pattengill Students Celebrate the 100th Day of School
February 10, 2023 marked the 100th day of school! The Kindergarten classes at Pattengill Elementary have a long standing tradition of celebrating this special day. Pattengill Kindergarten teacher, Stacey McConnell shared, “...young students transform themselves into 100 year old senior citizens, write about what we wish we had 100 of, what we would eat a 100 of and what we would do with $100 dollars.” Students also worked together to build structures with 100 LEGO, blocks and dominoes.
Angell Students Compete in Battle of the Books
Angell Elementary held their annual Battle of the Books competition on February 8, 2023. Battle of the Books is a reading challenge for 4th and 5th grade students in which participants are placed on a team, read from a selected list of books, and then compete against other teams by answering questions about those books.
Angell Media Specialist Julie Mckeeman shared, “I am so proud of all 45 students who participated. This reading challenge is above and beyond the normal expectations of the classroom. The teams worked diligently to become experts in their books and it showed during the Battle. This was a very close ending score, with a difference of one point between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.”
Angell students read the following books:
- The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan
- Exploring the White House by Kate Andersen Brower
- Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston
- Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Gabriela Epstein
- Ancestor Approved by Cynthia L. Smith
- A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
Congratulations to Angell’s winning team, The Sus Tigers!
Pattengill Students Learn African American History at Interactive Assembly
Pattengill students spent time learning about African American History at a fun-filled and interactive assembly from Midwest School Show. The show is called African American Artists, Inventors and Musicians.
Students learned through storytelling, games, music and a little bit of magic about inventors Garrett Morgan and George Washington Carver, artists Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden and musicians Muddy Waters and Stevie Wonder.
- Garrett Morgan invented, among other things, first automatic three-way traffic signal system - the traffic light
- George Washington Carver invented, among other things, 300 uses for the peanut
- Jacob Lawrence was an painter best known for his ‘migration series’
- Romare Bearden was an artist who was best known for his cubist style art depicting Black culture
- Muddy Waters was a blues singer and songwriter
- Stevie Wonder is a Michigan native and musician who is well known for his hit music and advocacy to solidify Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a National holiday.
Students learned facts about these historical figures and enjoyed participating in the presentation.
Rogers Students Learn Writing Tips from Visiting Author
Author Lindsey Stoddard met with Rogers third, fourth and fifth graders on Wednesday, February 8 for a writer’s workshop called Tiny Moments. Big Emotions: How to Use Your Own Experiences to Craft a Story. Ms. Stoddard led Rogers students through a process on how to take a moment, a feeling, in their lives and turn them into stories.
First she had students share words that describe emotions. Then, she asked each student to find a word that they connected to and think of one moment in their life they could connect to that word. As the students brainstormed, Ms. Stoddard challenged them to write a six word story that summed up their story, or draw a photo that illustrated their story idea. Lastly, she challenged them to complete this sentence, “I could write a story about…” This activity encouraged the students to realize their own potential with creating stories about what they know and what they’ve felt. “You have stories in your heart,” Ms. Stoddard shared with the students.
Once the lesson was over, students had the opportunity to ask the author questions. Students asked, “What was the first book you wrote,” “How old were you when you first started writing, and when you published your first book,” “How do you come up with names of your characters,” and “What was your favorite book to write?”
Learn more about Lindsey Stoddard on her website.
Building Blocks Teacher Wins Community Award
On Monday, February 6, Berkley Building Blocks (BBB) teacher Ms. Ieisha received a surprise award from Live Generously. A BBB family nominated Ms. Ieisha for the award as a teacher who lives generously. Dianne Eklov came to class to surprise Ms. Ieisha with a $250 gift card to spend in her classroom as well as a $150 gift card for her to spend on personal items. In addition, all of Ms. Ieisha’s students made a special book about what they love about her.
Berkley Middle School Swimmers Excel at State Meet, Capturing Three Titles
Congratulations to the Berkley Middle School Swim Team members who traveled to the MISCA (Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association) State Meet on January 27 and 28, 2023. Eight swimmers from both Anderson and Norup qualified for States. Their outstanding results included a first place finish for a relay team and two individual state champion finishes. See the details, below. Congratulations, swimmers!
Relay Results
200 Yard Medley Relay
Isabella Roddis, Mia Mracna, Charlotte Gray, Ava Guerra: 1st place in the State.
The first time in girls MS swim history that a relay team placed first at the state meet.
200 Yard Freestyle Relay
Brigette Krauskoff, Ava Guerra, Isabella Roddis, Mia Mracna: 6th place
400 Yard Freestyle Relay
Sabrina Lippo, Tatum Saltsman, Brigette Krauskoff, Charlotte Gray: 8th place
Individual Results
Charlotte Gray, 8th grade
200 Yard Freestyle: 20th Place
100 Yard Breaststroke: 5th Place
Ava Guerra, 8th grade
100 Yard Individual Medley: 13th Place
50 Yard Butterfly: 12th Place
Brigette Krauskoff, 8th Grade
100 Yard Freestyle: 17th Place
Sabrina Lippo, 8th Grade
100 Yard Freestyle: 6th Place
Maggie Loree, 7th Grade
50 Yard Freestyle: 13th Place
Mia Mracna, 8th Grade
100 Yard Individual Medley: 1st Place
100 Yard Breaststroke: 1st Place
Isabella Roddis, 8th grade
100 Yard Individual Medley: 10th Place
100 Yard Backstroke: 11th Place
Caring & Sharing Raised Over $20,000 in 2022
The Berkley Area PTSA Council’s Caring & Sharing program in November and December 2022 was a success. The community came together to raise $19,580 to support 89 local families, 325 pairs of gloves were donated to families in need, and $1,743 was donated to the American Legion. In total, the Caring & Sharing program was able to feed 371 District residents.
The PTSA Council would like to hear from the community about the Caring & Sharing program so they can continue to grow the program and make an impact on the Berkley Schools community. Share your thoughts in their survey: https://forms.gle/nD6yh62r6qKB5nMy7
Black History Month Resources for Families
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.
This week we are featuring resources about Detroit’s Black History.
- Ultimate Guide to Black History Month in Detroit (Visit Detroit)
- African American Civil Rights Sites Bike Tour (MiPlace)
- Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History -Exhibitions
- Encyclopedia of Detroit: Dr. Ossian Sweet (Detroit Historical Society)
- The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 visit to Detroit (Michigan Radio)
Oakland County Invites Stakeholders to Complete Health Survey
Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) and Energizing Connections for a Healthier Oakland (ECHO) is launching a countywide community survey to gather residents’ views on key issues that affect health and wellness. Survey results will help prioritize and respond to important health concerns in Oakland County. The survey is available online at www.oakgov.com/echo.
“We want to hear what the most important health and quality of life issues are for Oakland County residents,” said Calandra Green, Health Officer.
African American Read-In, Open to Students in Oakland County
Oakland Schools is proud to host author Derrick Barnes and illustrator/author Vanessa Brantley Newton as guests for this year's African American Read-In. These award winning authors have a vast collection of books for readers of all ages. The first 500 Oakland County students who register will receive one of their books.
- Date: Thursday, February 16, 2023
- Time: 6:00 - 8 pm
- Location: Virtual via Zoom
- Register online
After families register, you'll receive a confirmation email that includes the event's Zoom link -- keep an eye out for that information in your email inbox.
You can find more information about the National African American Read-In on the National Council of Teachers of English website.
Questions? Contact Stacey Lamb at Oakland Schools.
Berkley Schools Seeks Input - Community Survey Now Open
Last spring the Board of Education approved the Berkley Schools new Strategic Plan, the guiding document for the work as a District. As part of that plan, the District updated its Vision, Mission and Tagline, created a Portrait of a Learner and established new goals for the next five years. In order to know if the plan is successful, the District will be seeking community feedback and input twice this year through surveys.
The surveys will address 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 focused on in the survey today. Community feedback will help inform programs, learning and investment for this school year and beyond.
This survey should take no longer than 10-15 minutes and has both multiple choice and open response questions. The survey is online here. The survey will remain open until February 10, 2023.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
BAAPN Black History Essay Contest
The Berkley African American Parent Network is hosting a Black History Month essay contest, open to all Berkley Schools middle and high school students.
Students are being asked to answer the following question in their essay: What is an example of African American influence on American culture, and how does that impact you as a youth?
Essay contest details:
- The essay contest is open to all Berkley middle and high school students.
- The essay should be typed and double-spaced using Microsoft Word. The essay does not have a minimum number of words. The essay should be submitted using either a Microsoft Word or pdf format only.
- Interested students may individually submit their essay and completed contact form by emailing baapninfo@gmail.com between Wednesday, February 1, 2023 through Friday, February 17, 2023. (Students, please do not use your school Google email account to email the essay and contact form.)
- The BAAPN will select three middle school and three high school winners from the submitted entries.
- The first-place prize is $100, second-place $50, and third-place $25.
- Winners may be referenced in a future BAAPN email blast in February 2023 highlighting the BAAPN Black History Month essay contest and winners.
For more information please contact: baapninfo@gmail.com
Kids’ Zone Mid-Winter Break Opportunities
Kids’ Zone Latchkey is offering Mid-Winter Break (February 20-24, 2023) care for current Kids’ Zone families. The program will run at Norup International School, 14450 Manhattan, Oak Park, Monday-Friday from 7 am - 6 pm. Students must already be registered in the Kids' Zone program to attend.
Fees
- $260 for the week
- $65 per day
Program Details
Students will need to bring a bag lunch and snack daily. Students will have options for STEM activities, art and games everyday.
- Tuesday 2/21 - Bring pajamas and a blanket for movie day!
- Wednesday 2/22 - Slurpee day (Bring $2)
How to Register
Pre-registration is required. To register, call Building Blocks at 248-837-8904 or email Andrea Megroet, andrea.megroet@berkleyschools.org.
Tickets on Sale for Off to the Races 2023
The Berkley Education Foundation is excited to announce the date and new location for the 2023 Off to the Races fundraiser. Mark your calendar for the 14th annual Off to the Races, taking place on Saturday, March 11, 2023, from 6-10 pm at The Kingsley Hotel in Bloomfield Hills.
What is Off to the Races?
Off to the Races is an annual fundraiser for the Berkley Education Foundation. This fun social event and party is centered around simulated horse racing. Guests watch races, "bet" on the horses running in the races and win prizes. The event also includes an expansive silent auction (powered by mobile bidding), vacation give-away (the winner of the Golden Race will take home a $2,500 vacation), connecting with friends and colleagues, and most importantly, funding the #BerkleyDifference. You can even “buy” and name a horse!
Buy Tickets, Horses, Sponsorships online!
Visit the BEF’s new Off to the Races website to buy tickets, horses, OTTR Bucks, sponsorships and Golden Tickets. Tickets are $40 per person.
Buy tickets today: https://my.onecause.com/event/organizations/sf-001C000001dlvdzIAA/events/vevt:a48411c7-5789-4514-8b56-f1252505d520/home/story
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!
Now Hiring:
- Berkley Building Blocks Assistant Teachers
- Custodians
- Early Childhood Special Education Paraeducator
- GSRP/Head Start Associate Teacher
- Lunch Aides
- Learning Specialist
- Long Term Substitute Teacher
- Special Education Paraeducator
- Varsity Head Volleyball Coach
- Middle School Football Coach
- 8th Grade Girls Basketball Head Coach
- 8th Grade Boys Basketball Head Coach
- Varsity Girls Swim and Dive Head Coach
Sign Up for Text Alerts
Quick Steps to Receive Text Alerts from Berkley Schools
In order to receive text messages from the District or your school, you must opt-in. Text messages will be sent out when the District closes or there is an emergency situation. Texts may also be sent from the District and schools for reminder messages during the day that are not urgent.
In order to receive text messages, every parent/guardian must opt-in each cell phone listed in MISTAR.
Steps to Opt-In
Text the word YES (in the message field) to the phone number 67587 (in the To field). Then you are all set!
