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<p class="gmail-p1" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(255,37,0)"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">PLEASE do not reply to this email. </span></p>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">Good morning everyone,</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">My heart is heavier than usual this morning as we shared with you the news last night that our district has put a pause on the usage of Zoom conferencing to connect with our students. I know that for some reason some of you did not receive the Superintendent's email about this, so I am copying it below.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">I want you all to know that while we expected to deal with negative student behaviors, and in fact were already doing so beginning on Monday, the incident that prompted this decision was a naked adult male using racial slurs who appeared in a BHS Zoom meeting that was password protected and waiting room enabled. It is deeply concerning to me that even when our staff member did everything the district had asked in terms of online safety, Zoom was still not a safe environment for our kids.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">We will take this time to evaluate how to safely proceed, as well as to work out some of the issues that we were already working on having to do with office hours and scheduling. I also want you to know how many staff members have expressed genuine heartbreak that they cannot connect with their students as much this week as they had hoped. We all want this to be better, and safer, and I will keep you informed every step of the way.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">Thank you,</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">Erin</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px"><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">April 7, 2020</span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">Dear Berkeley Unified Community,</span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px"><esta información estará disponible en nuestro sitio web en español en la mañana></span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">Today Alameda County Superintendent of Schools L. Karen Monroe <a href="http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/I3TnPiJoTOUfMwvVx7w-wA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRgbnvTP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly9tYWlsY2hpLm1wL2Fjb2Uvc2l4LWJheS1hcmVhLWNvdW50aWVzLWFsaWduLW9uLWV4dGVuc2lvbi1vZi1zY2hvb2wtY2FtcHVzLWNsb3N1cmVzLWZvci1yZW1haW5kZXItb2YtdGhlLXNjaG9vbC15ZWFyVwdzY2hvb2xtQgoAAFNIjV4WcwI7UhFobWluYXNzQHlhaG9vLmNvbVgEAAAAAQ~~"><span class="gmail-s2" style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(4,51,255)">announced</span></a> a regional agreement that school facilities should remain closed for the remainder of the school year. The joint statement was made by County Superintendents from Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco, after consultation with County Health Officers from the six counties as well as City of Berkeley Health Officer Dr. Lisa B. Hernandez. </span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">"Closing schools limits the spread of the virus among families, but to make that decision meaningful, families and children need to continue to stay home, except for essential activities," said Dr. Lisa B. Hernandez, the City of Berkeley Health Officer. "I urge parents to avoid playdates and social gatherings. Our community depends on you."</span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">This is a disappointing but not unexpected announcement, and it does help us clarify that our plans are likely to be for a longer term. Given today’s announcement, at the April 15 School Board meeting I will recommend that the Board take formal action to keep our campuses closed and that we plan for distance learning for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. I will also ask that the Board commit to revisiting this decision if Public Health guidance changes. </span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s3" style="text-decoration-line:underline;letter-spacing:0px">Town Hall</span></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">On Thursday, April 9 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, we will hold an online Town Hall to provide further updates on school district operations, including distance learning and support for families, and we will have district leadership available to answer questions. Please join us at: <a href="http://track.spe.schoolmessenger.com/f/a/YYHnbkzLbbskKBVxFxXj5w~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRgbnvTP0QbaHR0cHM6Ly96b29tLnVzL2ovNDQwNzA5NDEyVwdzY2hvb2xtQgoAAFNIjV4WcwI7UhFobWluYXNzQHlhaG9vLmNvbVgEAAAAAQ~~"><span class="gmail-s2" style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;line-height:normal;letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(4,51,255)">https://zoom.us/j/440709412</span></a>. </span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s3" style="text-decoration-line:underline;letter-spacing:0px">Temporary Suspension of Zoom and Google Meet for Student Instruction</span></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">You may have heard that school districts across the country are dealing with issues of “Zoom bombing” in which people join public meetings and say or do inappropriate things. We put many controls in place that we had thought would protect our online sessions, but I am dismayed to report several incidents of inappropriate behavior during our teachers’ office hours yesterday and today. In two incidents, students behaved inappropriately, forcing teachers to end instructional sessions. The third incident involved illegal activity from an adult who appeared on screen during a Zoom instructional session at Berkeley High School. Berkeley Police are investigating this incident. I am asking our teachers to stop using Zoom and Google Meet for online meetings while we look into whether we can truly assure student safety in this context. Teachers will continue providing instruction this week using tools such as Google Classroom and recorded lectures which do not have a live interaction component. We will keep you posted as we work toward a solution.</span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">Sincerely,</span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p><p class="gmail-p3" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">Brent Stephens, Superintendent</span></p></blockquote>
<p class="gmail-p2" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:15px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;min-height:17px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p4" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:14px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">_____________________________</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p5" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173)"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">Nicole Chee, Jenny Fosket, and Chaghig Walker are the parent-volunteer facilitators of the E-tree; please direct any questions about the E-tree to them at <a href="mailto:bhs-owner@lmi.net?subject="><span class="gmail-s4" style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(87,124,173)">bhs-owner@lmi.net</span></a>.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p6" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173);min-height:14px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p5" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173)"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">BHS E-tree archives: <a href="http://lists.lmi.net/pipermail/bhs/"><span class="gmail-s4" style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(87,124,173)">http://lists.lmi.net/pipermail/bhs/</span></a></span></p>
<p class="gmail-p5" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173)"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">BHS website: <a href="http://bhs.berkeleyschools.net/"><span class="gmail-s4" style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(87,124,173)">http://bhs.berkeleyschools.net/</span></a></span></p>
<p class="gmail-p5" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173)"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">BUSD 2019-2020 Calendar: <a href="https://www.berkeleyschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/BerkeleyUSDCalendar-K12-2019-20-v6.pdf"><span class="gmail-s4" style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(87,124,173)">http://bit.ly/BUSDCalendar1920</span></a></span></p>
<p class="gmail-p5" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173)"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">BUSD Non-Discrimination Statement / la Política de No Discriminación: <a href="http://bit.ly/BUSDNDPolicy"><span class="gmail-s4" style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(87,124,173)">http://bit.ly/BUSDNDPolicy</span></a></span></p>
<p class="gmail-p6" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173);min-height:14px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p5" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173)"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">To post a message, send to:<a href="mailto:bhs@lmi.net?subject="><span class="gmail-s4" style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(87,124,173)"> bhs@lmi.net</span></a>.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p6" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173);min-height:14px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p5" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173)"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">To </span><span class="gmail-s5" style="text-decoration-line:underline;letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(255,38,0)">unsubscribe</span><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px"> from the E-tree, send an email to <a href="mailto:bhs-request@lmi.net?subject="><span class="gmail-s4" style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(87,124,173)">bhs-request@lmi.net</span></a> with one word only in the subject line: <b>unsubscribe</b>. The request must be sent from the email address that is subscribed to the list. If that does not work, visit the URL at the bottom of each message, or put your email address at the end of this URL: <a href="http://lists.lmi.net/mailman/options/bhs/"><span class="gmail-s4" style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(87,124,173)">http://lists.lmi.net/mailman/options/bhs/</span></a>, or contact the e-tree moderators at <a href="mailto:bhs-owner@lmi.net?subject="><span class="gmail-s4" style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(87,124,173)">bhs-owner@lmi.net</span></a>.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-p6" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173);min-height:14px"><br></p>
<p class="gmail-p5" style="margin:0px;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(87,124,173)"><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px">To </span><span class="gmail-s3" style="text-decoration-line:underline;letter-spacing:0px">subscribe</span><span class="gmail-s1" style="letter-spacing:0px"> to the E-tree, send an email to <a href="mailto:bhs-request@lmi.net?subject="><span class="gmail-s4" style="letter-spacing:0px;color:rgb(87,124,173)">bhs-request@lmi.net</span></a> with one word only in the subject line: <b>subscribe</b></span></p></div>