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<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Dear BHS Families:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>We returned to school Monday after two
very different weeks. We finished spirit week in grand fashion with a positive
and energetic rally coordinated by our student leadership and Chris Young, our
Director of Student Activities. Our administrators and safety staff also worked
overtime to prepare for and then manage the week. Special thanks should go out
to Vernon Walton, Vice-Principal, and Billy Keys, Lead Safety Officer, who put
in many hours towards the less glitzy end of the planning- crafting supervision
plans, revising exit and entry plans, coordinating first-aid, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>I also must personally thank the huge
number of parents who gave their time to help us supervise and support the
rally. Your presence was a significant support and the administrative team and
I are deeply appreciative of a parent community that can marshal that sort of
presence for an event that is indeed a logistical challenge. Thank you very
very much for the support. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Your kids were generally incredible
during spirit week. The overwhelming majority of our students were enthusiastic,
incomparably energetic, and quite responsible during all of spirit week.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Last week, the tone shifted to grief and
our community suffered a now well-publicized loss when one of our 9th graders,
Malik Grayson, passed away from a gunshot wound. The details surrounding
Malik's passing are still under investigation and we will defer to the public
information Berkeley P.D. provides when it becomes available and as it is
appropriate. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>The other student involved in the
incident was a Berkeley High School student but is no longer attending Berkeley
High School.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>We remain in contact with Malik's family
and, depending on their preferences, will make announcements about services
when they are scheduled if they ask us to share that information. We ask that
all members of our community keep good thoughts for Malik's family and his friends
as they face the deep pain that accompanies the premature passing of a loved
one. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>A violent incident on Sacramento Street
not long before Malik's passing, an incident that claimed the life of the
father of a BHS student, also contributed to a number of students and staff
members experiencing the anxiety, grief, anger and loss that violence and
tragedy often generate. I am deeply committed to the proposition that the
massive energy and collective spirit this school produced during spirit week
can in fact be harnessed and used to get us through times that are not
celebratory, times that require us to support each other through things like
sadness and loss. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>I am meeting with some staff and
community members tomorrow to consider how BHS might best honor and remember
Malik.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Through it all we will continue to work
to create safe and empowering spaces where students can learn; spaces where
they can create, analyze, interpret, critique, grow, and eventually help
reinvent our world in a way that phases out incidents like these from the human
experience. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><o:p> </o:p></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Respectfully, <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Pasquale Scuderi<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Principal<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Berkeley High School<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>________________<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Diane Douglas, Marguerite Fa-Kaji and Pat
Anderson are the parent-volunteer facilitators of the etree; please direct any
questions to them at <a href="mailto:bhs-owner@lmi.net"
title="mailto:bhs-owner@lmi.net"><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'>bhs-owner@lmi.net</span></font></a>. </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>BHS etree archives: <a
href="http://lists.lmi.net/pipermail/bhs/"
title="http://lists.lmi.net/pipermail/bhs/"><font color=navy><span
style='color:navy'>http://lists.lmi.net/pipermail/bhs/</span></font></a>; BHS
PTSA website: <a href="http://www.bhs.berkeleypta.org/"
title="http://www.bhs.berkeleypta.org/"><font color=navy><span
style='color:navy'>http://www.bhs.berkeleypta.org/</span></font></a>. To
unsubscribe from the etree, send an email to <a
href="mailto:bhs-request@lmi.net" title="mailto:bhs-request@lmi.net"><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'>bhs-request@lmi.net</span></font></a> with
one word only in the subject line: 'unsubscribe'. To post a
message, send to: <a href="mailto:bhs@lmi.net" title="mailto:bhs@lmi.net"><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'>bhs@lmi.net</span></font></a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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