Ashoka Cheryl Davia

Ashoka Partnership

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In 2015, The Berkeley School was nominated to join an international network of changemaker organizations called Ashoka. A rigorous interview process led to our confirmation, and in June 2016, our school joined the Changemaker Schools Network. In doing so, we engaged with a global community of leading elementary, middle and high schools that prioritize empathy, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and changemaking as student outcomes.

Ashoka defines “changemakers” as people and organizations who have both the will and the skill to make positive change, and who put empathy in action for the good of all. Being a changemaker is central to our vision – to create citizens of the world – and aligned with our mission to ignite curious minds, awaken generous hearts, and engage a changing world.

The student Ashoka Leadership Team meets weekly to direct changemaking initiatives that are schoolwide and action-oriented. This year, the students are thinking of ways they can make an impact on homelessness in our community. The older team (made up of 16 5th-8th graders) have spent their time together learning to advocate for homeless communities struggling to get their trash picked up. They’re preparing to join TBS administrators, who, earlier this year, started their support of the Sea Breeze encampment (near the Berkeley marina down the road from us) with trash pick-ups and meal drop-offs. The students’ goal this year is to bring greater awareness to the issue of homelessness in Berkeley and to show the humanity of the people directly affected by it.

Team members met with with several advocates and city officials including District 2 Councilmember Cheryl Davila (pictured above) to learn how they can partner with her to support the Sea Breeze encampment.

Our Ashoka Jr. team (made up of 17 K-2nd graders and facilitated by 3 middle schoolers) has launched a can and bottle drive to fundraise for the folks living at the Sea Breeze encampment as well as for the People’s Breakfast Oakland. After some Ashoka Jr. members visited the local recycling center with their class, they noticed that recycled items yield money and got the idea to bring in cans and bottles to raise money.

Thank you for supporting Ashoka’s efforts to improve the lives of those living in homelessness!

 

 

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TBS Talks: Allison Briscoe Smith on Talking With Children About Race

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At TBS we believe that an inclusive culture flourishes when we make time and space for adults in our school community to connect with others who are walking similar paths. Over the course of the academic year, we schedule various events that allow our entire community to connect in the context of our mission and core values: Math Night, the Art Show, Spring Sings, Fall Fest, and the Middle School Plays are only a few. In addition, we create opportunities for parenting adults to learn frameworks, language, and practices that our teachers use to understand and meet the needs of diverse student groups.

Last spring we welcomed child psychologist and Wright Institute professor Allison Briscoe-Smith to the University Avenue Campus to share research about childrens’ awareness of race. On Tuesday, April 17, we’re welcoming Allison back to TBS to continue the conversation. We will be deepening our understanding of anti-racist versus non-racist as well as building skills and strategies for how to talk to our kids about race. Complimentary childcare is available for TBS-enrolled children. Allison will work with our teachers that afternoon before this event. Thank you to our 2017 Count Me In contributors! Your support of last year’s Seen & Celebrated: Supporting Diversity, Identity, and a Culture of Belonging campaign has made this event possible!

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Welcoming the Kenyan Boys Choir to TBS

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The WE Day organization has organized a performance of the Kenyan Boys Choir for our students and our community. Families are welcome to join us Thursday, March 29, at the Realm Charter Middle School (1222 University Avenue), 9:30-10:15a to enjoy the concert with our students! The Kenyan Boys Choir performed at the inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama. All 12 choir members will perform a series of traditional songs from Kenya and a blend of popular covers of the songs we know and love today. From the WE Day organization: “We would love to honor the awesome work that The Berkeley School community has done over the years by offering an opportunity for you to host a show with the Kenyan Boys Choir at your school!” No need to RSVP; just join us over at Realm if you can!

Student Walkout

TBS Joins National School Walkout

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On Wednesday, March 14, students from The Berkeley School joined the National School Walkout to honor the Parkland school shooting victims and demonstrate that high schoolers aren’t the only ones speaking up and taking action for school safety.

Students (3rd-8th grade) observed 17 minutes of silence in honor of the 17 victims of the Marjorie Stonemen Douglas High School shooting exactly one month ago before participating in the nationwide walkout at 10:00a.

In conversations with their teachers, students from The Berkeley School expressed a desire to show solidarity with the #NationalSchoolWalkout campaign and represent TBS as a part of this important movement. 8th grader Leeam Levy: “We are hoping to communicate our sorrow and disappointment that something like this could happen in school, a place where children should feel safe. The purpose of the walkout is to honor the victims, and show that young people can have a voice in their community.”

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Bobcats Win East Bay Basketball Championship

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Our TBS basketball team clinched the East Bay Independent Schools Championship with their 59-45 win on Tuesday against French American. With still two more games to go, they’ve already accomplished their goal to win the championship! Coach Craig says this season has been his most rewarding coaching experience yet. No offense Bobcat alumni! Coach Jared points out that “resilience has been a major theme this season. The players really understand what it means to show resilience in the face of pressure.” And resilience (one of our Portrait of a Graduate qualities) they showed! Kudos to the team! Catch them in action at Strawberry Creek Park for their last home game, next Tuesday, March 6 at 4:15p.

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TBS Talks: Steve Silberman on Neurodiversity

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At TBS we believe that an inclusive culture flourishes when we make time and space for adults in our school community to connect with others who are walking similar paths. Over the course of the academic year, we schedule various events that allow our entire community to connect in the context of our mission and core values: Math Night, the Art Show, Spring Sings, Fall Fest, and the Middle School Plays are only a few. In addition, we create opportunities for parenting adults to learn frameworks, language, and practices that our teachers use to understand and meet the needs of diverse student groups.

On Thursday, January 25, we’ll host the latest of these events when we welcome Steve Silberman, award-winning science writer and New York Times bestselling author of NeuroTribes, to the University Avenue Campus to talk about neurodiversity. Steve Silberman will be in conversation with TBS learning support expert Stephen Cahill to unpack the insights his historical, sociological, and groundbreaking book provides for the future of neurodiversity in education.

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TBS Talks: Social Media Wellness

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In today’s always-on digital culture, many of today’s students face a challenging paradox: the tools they need to use to get their work done – tablets and computers – often provide their biggest distraction from getting work done. Students can become overwhelmed and stressed out trying to manage the daily confluence of online interactions with schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and family life. “Social Media Wellness” author and educator Ana Homayoun joined us for a TBS Talk with our community to help us translate the new language of social media, and provide pragmatic, prescriptive advice on how to help students manage distractions, become more organized, improve time-management, boost productivity, and relieve stress.

With fresh insights and a solutions-oriented perspective, Homayoun explained how social media has created a new language of communication, and shows how parents, educators, and students can work together to promote healthy socialization, effective self-regulation, and overall safety and wellness.

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Middle School Olympics – A Tradition is Born

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The birth of a new tradition indeed! The heaps of good will, camaraderie and middle school spirit that were generated was matched only by the generous displays of citizenship and teamwork. Mixed grade level teams competed against one another in four challenges: Group Game, Relay, Cognitive Challenge, and Building Challenge. Each challenge required a different set of skills to complete successfully and every member of every team had a chance to contribute. The Blue Otters came out on top for their winning combination of victories, citizenship, and team spirit. It’s safe to say though that this was a day where everybody won.