PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS

The BUSD has three kinds of preschool programs, each with limited enrollment:

• The Child Development Program operates full-day, year-round programs at various sites throughout the city, welcoming children 2.9 to 5 years of age. Both subsidized and full-fee programs are available. Montessori programs are also available. For more information, including sliding-scale fees and availability of space, call the Office of Child Development at 644-6358.
  
• The Parent Nursery School is a three-hour preschool session during the regular school year. Children must be three to four years old and parent participation is required. This program is bilingual. For more information, including fees and space availability, call the Office of Child Development at 644-6339.
  
• Special Education offers two preschool programs, one special day class and one full inclusion, at 1810 Hopkins Street. For more information, please call the Office of Special Education at 644-6210.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

According to state and federal law, all children, regardless of physical and mental ability, are entitled to a free and appropriate public education. To ensure that this right is protected, special instructional and support services are available to children with physical and mental disabilities. This is known as Special Education.

The overriding mandate in assessing need and delivering services is that the child should be taught in the "least restrictive environment." Therefore, when a child is referred for Special Education every effort is made to keep the child in the regular classroom.

The process by which a child is referred and evaluated is established by federal and state law and District policy, and potentially involves a series of steps. For a full and detailed description, please contact the Office of Special Education office at 644-6210.

A full continuum of placement options is available to Special Education students, ranging from fully included members of regular classrooms to the more restrictive settings of special day class:

• Inclusive education is available to students with severe disabilities so that, when possible, they may attend school with their age and grade peers, and to the maximum extent possible receive their in-school educational services in the general education classroom with appropriate in-class support.

• The largest majority of Special Education students are placed in regular classrooms with age-appropriate peers, and receive special services within the classroom or in individual or group sessions with a resource specialist.

• Roughly one third of Special Education Students are placed in small Special Day Classes of 10-15 pupils each and are "mainstreamed" into the regular program, as appropriate, for various portions of the school day. Placement in these classes is determined by age and by type and severity of handicap. Bussing is available, if appropriate, to students in Special Day classes. Related services such as speech therapy, adapted physical education, counseling, occupational and physical therapy, etc., are also provided by specialists when the Individualized Education Plan team and assessments determine they are necessary for the student to benefit from his or her education.

For more information, contact Joann Biondi, Director of Special Education, at 644-6210.

BILINGUAL/BICULTURAL/ILP PROGRAMS

In 1995/96 1,679 Berkeley students spoke a language other than English at home. Spanish was spoken by 857 students. Sizable numbers spoke Cantonese, Vietnamese and Laotian. The rest spoke 60 different languages, including Croatian, Farsi, Hebrew, French, German and Japanese. To help these children succeed in school, Berkeley offers an Individual Learning Program (ILP) and Bilingual/Bicultural Programs.

Under the ILP, limited English proficient (LEP) students are given special small-group instruction in English language by specially trained English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers. The student spends most of the day in a regular English-speaking classroom with a teacher specially trained to teach limited English speaking students.

Bilingual education in Berkeley serves the district's Spanish-speaking students. The Spanish Bilingual Program provides academic instruction through the primary language. The program uses a variety of instructional strategies, in combination with core curricula and materials, to provide literacy and content area instruction for limited English proficient (LEP) students.

In 1997-98 the Spanish Bilingual Program will be offered at Columbus, Cragmont and Thousand Oaks Schools. Both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking students may enroll in bilingual classes.

The district offers a Chinese Bicultural Program in grades kindergarten through third at Jefferson School. The teachers for these bicultural classes speak English and Cantonese or Mandarin. English is the primary language used in teaching all subjects in all grades. The Chinese culture is integrated into the curriculum. Beginning Cantonese, spoken and written, is taught to all students. The Chinese-speaking students who are limited English-proficient receive more extensive instruction in Chinese oral and written skills, and Chinese is used to explain and support the English instruction. These classes are also available to English-speaking students of all races and ethnic groups.

The bilingual/bicultural program has three major goals:

1. that students achieve high levels of English proficiency,
2. that students achieve high levels of academic growth, and
3. that students achieve positive psychosocial adjustment.

Grouping is a critical part of the process of teaching LEP students. Student-to-student interaction is essential to linguistic and cognitive growth, and techniques such as cooperative learning have proven to work better for students who are acquiring language and content area skills simultaneously.

For more information about any of the above programs please call Carolyn Slater, at 644-6202.

GIFTED AND TALENTED (GATE)

The District receives some $88,000 for the 1,012 children who have been identified as qualifying for the Gifted and Talented program. A test is given to children at the end of third grade, and performance on that test, as well as the recommendation of the classroom teacher, determines a child's placement in the GATE program. At the elementary level, children may be bussed to a GATE center for two hours of enrichment programs each week. In addition, classroom teachers and resource teachers provide enrichment for GATE students, as needed. Many of these enrichment activities are offered for the benefit of all students in the classroom. At the middle schools GATE funds are used for mini-courses which are also open to the rest of the student body. The GATE program will be reviewed and possibly revised for 1997-98. For more information call Nancy Spaeth at 644-6257.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Our elementary schools offer many before and after school programs for enrichment, child care, and academic assistance. Listed below is a brief overview of the kinds of programs available. Please check with each school for their specific offerings. Please note, all elementary schools offer after-school child care either on site or through a direct bus connection.

BUSD Extended Child Care. Before and after school child care operated by the District. Sliding fee scale is available to income-eligible families. Full-fee program is also available. Call 644-6358.

Fun Club. An after-school program for older elementary children. Operated by the District both on a sliding a fee scale, and as a full-fee program. Call 644-6358.

Kids Club. Before and after school child care operated by the Albany Berkeley YMCA. Call 525-1130.

Counseling, Tutoring, and Mentoring. Senior citizens, university students, parents, peers, and professionals participate in programs to help students after school. Please contact the individual schools for information.

PTA Enrichment Classes. Art, Flute, Ice Skating, Spanish, Ballet, Carpentry, Sports, Singing, and French are only some of the after-school classes that PTA's organize. Offerings change each year. Most programs are fee-based, with scholarships available. Check with each school.

Berkeley Chess School. Offered at all sites after school. Call 843-0150.

Recreation Programs. Offered through PTA, nonprofit organizations, U.C., as well as the City's Recreation Department. Some of the programs are onsite, some at neighboring parks and recreation centers, and some at the University.

The middle schools offer many of the same programs, in addition to team sports, band and orchestra, drama, student interest clubs, Homework Club, and enrichment classes through GATE. GATE classes are open on a first come, first served basis and range from The Art of Arguing to Solar Powered Model Cars. Check with the school to find out what programs are offered.

As this Guide demonstrates, all of our schools are not only grounded in a strong basic curriculum, but are rich in special programs designed to encourage and support student achievement. Parents in BUSD have many opportunities to participate in designing, guiding and reviewing these programs through service on planning, advisory and oversight boards at their child's school. Many of these programs are funded by state, federal or local money, thus the resources exist to make ideas reality. The following is a brief description of sources of school funding, and how parents can participate in insuring that the program at their child's school continues to set and achieve high academic goals.

The BUSD General Fund is budgeted by the district administration, with the approval of the School Board. The General Fund comes from the annual state budget and is based upon a per-pupil amount established by the Legislature each year. Most of the General Fund budget (85%) is spent on staff salaries and benefits -- teachers, principals, administrators and support staff. The rest goes for instructional materials, supplies, and operating costs -- utilities, insurance, maintenance, transportation, etc.

There are other sources of funding that come directly to the individual schools and are dispersed by advisory boards made up of elected members of the school's community, staff and parents. They include:

Berkeley Schools Excellence Project (BSEP). BSEP is a special local property tax which supplements the General Fund. BSEP reduces class size and supplements the budgets for materials, books, technology, enrichment, and maintenance. Each school site decides annually how its share of BSEP enrichment money will be spent.

School Based Coordinated Programs (SBCP). Schools with an educational improvemeet plan are eligible to receive and disburse state School Improvement Program (SIP) funds. An elected school site council sets school goals and designs the program, which is approved by the Board of Education and periodically reviewed by the state during a Program Quality Review (PQR).

Title 1/State Compensatory Education (SCE). Title 1/SCE are, respectively, federal and state money assigned to schools based upon the number of low income families. An elected site committee advises on how this money should be spent at the school -- most often to fund resource teachers, classroom aides, tutors and home/school liaisons.

Schools with 20 or more Limited English Proficient children also receive state and federal funds to support these children in succeeding both in learning English and their other studies, as well. Again, an advisory committee participates in planning and reviewing the school's programs for these children.

While the funds described above may be spent separately on Distinct goals, they may also be coordinated to meet common objectives, so long as those objectives fulfill each source's requirements. Either way, they provide school communities with significant opportunities to better serve their students in all areas, from artistic enrichment, to language and reading skills.

To offer an example of what those funds might be, in 1996/7 Thousand Oaks, with just over 300 students, received the following:

• $42,600 in BSEP site enrichment funds,
• $36,200 in SIP funds,
• $77,800 in Title I funds.

Thousand Oaks was also fortunate to have a five-year state restructuring grant, which added $62,000 to its annual budget.

Thus, in 1996, Thousand Oaks, a small school, had a site-managed budget of $218,600.

As another example, in 1995, King Middle School, with 838 students, coordinated its funds with special grants to come up with a site-managed budget of $

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATIONS (PTA)

In addition to the committees described above, each school site has a parent organization which comes under the umbrella of the state PTA. The PTA usually sponsors several fundraising events or efforts annually and then spends the money on assemblies, field trips, teacher grants, etc. The PTA also coordinates after school classes, room parents and volunteers, publishes school newsletters and directories, organizes teacher lunches and serves a forum for parental concerns. At Berkeley High School, the PTSA includes students as members.

BERKELEY PUBLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Founded in 1983 to link community resources to the schools, the BPEF has raised and distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars, all of which has been dedicated to creating excellence in Berkeley public schools. This Fall the BPEF awarded 129 mini-grants in amounts ranging from $89 to $1,500, funding projects from a "stir-fry" vegetable garden at Whittier/Arts to Recombinant DNA supplies for the High School Biology Department. The Foundation annually funds the purchase of books in every academic area, as well as art, music, and field trips to destinations from Angel Island to the Gold Country to enhance the California history curriculum. In addition to its mini-grant program, the BPEF funds the Berkeley School Volunteers program, and provides leadership and technical assistance to special fundraising projects such as the Columbus School Capital Campaign. For more information call 644-6244.

BERKELEY SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS

One of the many ways in which the Berkeley community shows its support for its public schools is through the countless hours it gives to volunteering in the schools. Parents often volunteer in classrooms or serve in other ways at their child's school, but many people from the broader community also volunteer. Berkeley School Volunteers, funded by the Public Education Foundation, recruits, trains and places over one thousand volunteers a year in programs that range from classroom tutoring, to Literacy Pals (corresponding with middle school students), to DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) Day, to mentoring and school beautification. Volunteers come from all walks of life and range in age from teenagers to seniors. For more information, contact Barbara Bowman at 644-8833.

IN DULCI JUBILO

Since its founding in 1978, In Dulci Jubilo (IDJ) has been working to spark the "sweet Joy" of learning in Berkeley's school children. IDJ annually awards dozens of mini-grants to BUSD teachers for classroom and extracurricular projects. Last year, more than $10,000 was distributed to teachers in amounts of $100 to $500 to fund 29 proposals. In addition, IDJ sponsors a number of district-wide contests to encourage excellence, stimulate creativity and generate pride in artistic and academic accomplishment. For more information about IDJ, please call 843-3318.

FOOD SERVICES

All elementary schools serve a hot, nutritious lunch for $1.75 a day. The middle schools sell a variety of foods and snacks. Free and reduced price lunches are available for income eligible families, and all meals can be paid for in advance. A breakfast program is also available at a number of schools. Contact individual school offices for forms and information.

SCHOOL SAFETY

The safety and security of all students is a primary concern of Berkeley Unified School District staff. The district has written policies on student behavior and discipline, which are sent to parents each year. At the elementary schools the following procedures are standard:

• Gates are locked and the campus secured during school hours.
• All visitors are asked to sign in at the office before they visit any classrooms.
• No child is allowed off campus without the agreement of the child's parents or guardians.
• Children are not allowed outside without adult supervision.
• All schools are required to have an emergency safety plan in place and regular safety drills. Public schools must meet state Field Act standards for seismic safety. Many Berkeley schools have had recent upgrading to safety standards that exceed the Field Act.

We believe that in order for all students to learn, all students must follow rules that create an orderly classroom and safe campus.

TRANSPORTATION

Home to school bus transportation is provided within their attendance zones to all elementary school children who live beyond the one mile walking distance. It is also provided to certain special education and Limited English Proficient students . Parents who wish to enroll their children in a school outside of their attendance zone must provide their own transportation. The district does not provide transportation for the middle school students attending King or Willard, who generally walk to school or use public transportation. However, the district does provide transportation to students attending Longfellow Middle School.

During the 1997/98 school year, with two new schools, Cragmont and Columbus, being formed, and a third, Thousand Oaks, moving to the Franklin site, the district is making every effort to minimize disruption to students and families. Toward this goal, priority for enrollment will be provided to those students who already attend a Berkeley school, as well as to families who live within the school's attendance zone.

Continuing students at Franklin School will have the opportunity to choose Cragmont or Columbus Schools and will be assigned according to the listed enrollment priorities, within available space and racial integration guidelines. Franklin North Zone students will have first priority at Columbus and second at Cragmont; Franklin Central Zone students will have first priority at Cragmont and second at Columbus. Franklin South Zone students will have second priority at both schools. All other Berkeley students will have third, fourth or fifth priority at those schools. Franklin students who do not submit preference forms will be assigned by computer lottery.

Home to school transportation will be provided only within the attendance zone in which the school is located. Current students who live in another zone will have to provide their own transportation if they wish to remain in the school. (There will continue to be inter-zone bussing for certain special education students and for LEP students enrolled in bilingual or bicultural programs).

Students will be admitted to schools in accordance with six district-established priorities. When there are more applicants than space at a given school, the district will fill those spaces through a random computer selection -- a lottery -- of those applicants. Priorities may be limited by racial integration guidelines.

Priority One: Berkeley residents currently attending the school and living in that attendance zone.

Priority Two: Berkeley residents currently attending the school and living out of the attendance zone.

Priority Three: Berkeley residents who are siblings of any student currently in attendance on the basis of priority one or two above, and who will continue to be in attendance for the 1997-98 school year. Where space is limited, in any given grade level at any given school all siblings of priority one students will be taken before any siblings of priority two students.

Priority Four: Berkeley residents not currently attending the school and who live in the attendance zone.

Priority Five: Berkeley residents not currently attending the school and who live out of the attendance zone.

Priority Six: All non-Berkeley residents requesting interdistrict transfers.

For Berkeley residents who are enrolling students going into grades K-5:
If your student is already enrolled at a BUSD school, you do not need to fill out a preference form unless you wish to change your student's school, or unless your student is currently attending Franklin School. In those cases you must complete and submit a form.
Review the section in this guide entitled "Understanding the New Enrollment Process."
Check the map on page to find your zone and study the information in this booklet about the schools in your area.
Visit the schools (please call first) and attend the Kindergarten Nights.
Fill out an enrollment preference form, indicating your first, second and third preferences.
Review the Transportation discussion on page .
If you wish to attend a school outside your zone, you can indicate that, but be aware that you must provide transportation for your student.
Submit your preference form by February 13, 1997. Current BUSD students may bring or send their forms to the BUSD Attendance Office, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. If your child is not currently enrolled at a BUSD school, you must bring your form to the Attendance Office so that your address can be verified.
You will be notified on or about March 17, 1997 as to which school your student is assigned.

For Berkeley residents who are enrolling students going into grades 6-8:
Study the information about the three middle schools in this booklet.
Attend the Information Nights at King, Longfellow and Willard.
If your child is already enrolled at King, Willard or Longfellow Middle School you do not have to fill out a form unless you wish to change schools.
Review the priority criteria in this guide (see page ).
Middle school students generally use public transportation. However, transportation is provided to Longfellow School.
Submit your preference form by February 13, 1997. Current BUSD students may bring or send their forms to the BUSD Attendance Office, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. If your child is not currently enrolled at a BUSD school, you must bring your form to the Attendance Office so that your address can be verified.
You will be notified on or about March 17, 1997 as to which school your student is assigned.

For non-Berkeley residents enrolling students going into grades 1-8 who are currently enrolled in Berkeley schools:
Follow the procedures above, but BUSD must receive a permit renewal before your student will be placed. Continuing interdistrict students will be assigned after Berkeley residents have been placed, depending on space availability and ethnic balance.
You will be notified of your child's assigned school by September 2, 1997.

For non-Berkeley residents who would like to enroll their students in Berkeley schools for the first time in fall of 1997:
Follow the procedures above and turn in your paperwork to the BUSD Attendance Office, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Be aware that new interdistrict permit students may not be notified as to their assignments until the second week of school in September, 1997, or even later, and that at that time they may be notified that no space is available. New interdistrict transfer students will be accepted and assigned based on space availability and ethnic balance, after all Berkeley residents and other continuing students are placed.

JANUARY 1997

Parent information guides distributed,

SCHOOL VISITATION NIGHTS

Kindergarten Nights

January 14	John Muir, Arts Magnet
January 16	Oxford, Malcolm X, Jefferson
January 21	Thousand Oaks
January 22	Washington
January 23	Emerson
January 30	LeConte
February 5	Columbus
February 6	Cragmont

Middle School Information Nights:

January 22	Longfellow
January 29	King
February 5	Willard

FEBRUARY 13, 1997

Parents submit school preference forms to Attendance Office at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, if forms required according to checklist on page .

MARCH 17, 1997

Berkeley residents who have submitted forms are notified of student assignments.

APRIL THROUGH SEPTEMBER

Berkeley residents who did not submit a preference form by February 13 are assigned as their applications are received.

SEPTEMBER 2, 1997

Last date by which continuing interdistrict permit students notified of student assignment.

Note: Non-Berkeley residents who wish to place their students in Berkeley schools for the first time may submit applications at any time. We will do our best to respond promptly but we must save space for Berkeley residents first. New interdistrict transfers may not be approved and notified of placement until the first or second week of school. If space is not available, permit requests will be denied.

Superintendent	Jack McLaughlin	644-6147
Associate Superintendent, Instruction	Nancy Spaeth	644-6257
Associate Superintendent, Business	Catherine James	644-6674
Child Welfare and Attendance	Bob Tryon	644-6315
Parent Access Office	Nancy Greenman	644-6504
BSEP	Monica Thyberg	644-8717
Berkeley School Volunteers	Barbara Bowman	644-8833
Special Education	Joann Biondi	644-6210
Elementary Education	Carolyn Slater	644-6202
Curriculum/Assessment	Diane Pico	644-7764
State and Federal Projects (Compensatory Education, Bilingual)	Carolyn Slater	644-6202
Food Services	Elsie Lee-Szeto	644-6200
Transportation	Elaine Pecot	644-6182
School Board Directors
	Miriam Topel, President Lloyd Lee, Vice President Pamela Doolan Joaquin Rivera Ted Schultz Tom Hughes, Student Director
School Board Voice Mail		644-6550

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