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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dear BHS Families and Staff:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>This week has seen a jump in energy in response to our
cancellation of Spirit Week/Rally Day. We stand by that decision as an absolute
necessity in the wake of last year's numerous safety issues.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>We have had some ad hoc costume/theme days emerge this week,
events that we assume were organized or encouraged by students through social
media, etc, and while those things have thus far been peaceful and good
spirited, we have to reiterate that there are no official or school-sanctioned
events scheduled this week. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>This is an important distinction since any events planned on
or off campus for tomorrow through social media or other channels have
obviously not been shared with the administrative team and therefore have not
been subject to staff review. As a result they have not been subject to the
sort of safety considerations, resource allocations, and general vetting that
we would provide for official school-sponsored events. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Our expectations around tomorrow are that all students
attend class, participate, and demonstrate appropriate behavior throughout the
day. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Any students who appear to be under the influence, or who
are found to be in possession of alcohol or drugs will, like on any other day,
be subject to a full five day suspension. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Moving forward, we are again interested in new,
student-driven ideas on how to create school spirit and build community in a
re-imagined way.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>There is still some consideration of conducting a senior
class photo/senior spell out next semester, but those and other possibilities
will require further discussion with student leadership representatives and
student groups moving forward. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>For those families who may not have received or caught our previous
explanation for why the spirit events were cancelled this year, we have copied
the section from our August 27th email that deals with the subject below.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Respectfully,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Pasquale Scuderi<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Principal<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Berkeley</span></font></st1:PlaceName><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">High School</st1:PlaceType></span></font></st1:place><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dear BHS Families:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Many have characterized the indefinite cancellation of Rally
Day as a controversial decision of sorts. For myself, and the team of
administrators and teacher leaders who made the decision, characterizing the
decision as "controversial" is, to us, confirmation of a perspective
uninformed of just how negative, divisive, inappropriate, and in many respects
dangerous last year's event became. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>It's certainly not my preference to dot this opening letter
with a litany of graphic details regarding the event, but some are, I believe,
necessary, so that students, staff, and parents can discuss this decision with
some honest perspectives and simple facts.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>An event that has historically been justified as a
"unifying" school-spirit experience has over the past several years
looked far more mean-spirited and divisive. Last year saw the usual groups of
students shouting at each other representing their classes (juniors v. seniors,
sophomores v. juniors, all v. frosh) actually result in multiple physical
altercations and suspensions. Elsewhere groups of older kids chanted and
shouted insults and obscenities at groups of younger students. I'll spare you
some of the chants and their uncreative and demeaning specifics.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Physical safety was another massive concern last year and
the number of students we sent home and/or suspended for intoxication on that
day reached double digits. Some groups of students were so brazen that we
confiscated open containers on campus. Groups of zealous kids created massive
and volatile congestion throughout the building and in hallways often blocking
doorways and creating unsafe situations without outlets for those students who
simply wanted to move on. Police were called by neighbors and local businesses
to deal with students who were walking on cars, some occupied and some parked,
while traffic backed up after school at Milvia and Kittredge and the
possibility that staff and police officers might need to physically and
forcefully remove kids from the street nearly became a reality.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Administrators and security staff spent hours monitoring
bathrooms (a deployment of instructional leadership resources that is in my
view ridiculous) and yet, having to respond to constant radio calls in all
areas of the campus all day, custodial staff still had to deal with the unpleasant
biological aftermath of a number of students who made bad decisions, drank too
much, and got sick. Again, if this all sounds over the top we agree, and I'm
not simply being graphic just to be graphic, but rather in an effort to be very
honest and open about the facts so that the merits of this decision and the
actual culture of this event can be understood and evaluated in the context of
school climate and student safety.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>To debunk rumors, the event is not being cancelled simply or
exclusively because significant members of last year's sophomore class
disrupted performances and caused huge delays by running on the field during
the rally. That incident was actually one of many individual and collective
behaviors that required staff to evaluate and ultimately decide to cancel the
event indefinitely.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>During my time here we have seen helpful efforts and
attempts by student leadership to reframe the event. I personally went to
several classes the year I got here as principal to discuss concerns with
students that I had been hearing since I first came to BHS as a Vice Principal
in 2006. Yet despite these types of efforts, and despite significant
expenditures on added security, administrative time, and on logistics and
planning, things have simply gotten worse and in our estimation have become
increasingly inappropriate for a school setting and unsafe in general. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Each year we have attempted to increase positive messaging,
and coupled that with tighter enforcement and guidelines, and yet each year we
have been proven to have underestimated how deeply embedded the "party at
school all day" culture of the event is and so, by continuing to support
it, we would be offering our tacit and indirect approval of several behaviors
that we in fact do not feel are even remotely appropriate at school.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>It is not a decision we make lightly, and while it may be
unpopular, it is one that we are very, very happy to be making before rather
than after even a single student gets hurt. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Pasquale Scuderi<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Principal<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Berkeley</span></font></st1:PlaceName><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">High School</st1:PlaceType></span></font></st1:place><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<div>
<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'>_________________</span></font><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'>Marguerite Fa-Kaji and Catherine Ference
are the parent-volunteer facilitators of the etree; please direct any questions
to them at </span></font><font color=black><span style='color:black'><a
href="mailto:bhs-owner@lmi.net" title="mailto:bhs-owner@lmi.net"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>bhs-owner@lmi.net</span></font></a></span></font><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>. To post a message, send to: </span></font><font
color=black><span style='color:black'><a href="mailto:bhs@lmi.net"
target="_blank" title="mailto:bhs@lmi.net"><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>bhs@lmi.net</span></font></a></span></font><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>; BHS etree archives: </span></font><font color=black><span
style='color:black'><a href="http://lists.lmi.net/pipermail/bhs/"
target="_blank" title="http://lists.lmi.net/pipermail/bhs/"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>http://lists.lmi.<wbr>net/pipermail/bhs/</span></font></a>; </span></font><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>BHS website:</span></font><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> </span></font><font
color=black><span style='color:black'><a href="http://bhs.berkeleyschools.net/"
target="_blank"><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>http://bhs.berkeleyschools.<wbr>net/</span></font></a></span></font><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'>To <u>unsubscribe</u> from the etree, send
an email to </span></font><font color=black><span style='color:black'><a
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