News

ADL files federal complaint against BUSD, alleging anti-Semitism on campuses

On Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, the Anti-Defamation League and the Brandeis Center released a complaint alleging that BUSD has failed to sufficiently address harassment and discrimination against Jewish-identifying students at elementary, middle, and high schools in the district.

Illustration of a teenager standing on a road splitting into to three different paths, each being a different small school

Freshman choose small schools following  SLC presentations

On Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, Berkeley High School freshmen selected their Small Learning Communities after a month of in-class SLC presentations, which began in mid-January.

Multiple clocks and two people and a computer with the text FAFSA

FAFSA updates cause delays and concerns

This year, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid has attempted to implement a new method for calculating the amount of financial aid each student will receive, resulting in unanticipated delays in the financial aid process and by extension, the college decision process.

Joseph Smith helped organize AC Speaks!.

Teachers develop new AC leadership group  

Formed at the beginning of the fall semester, AC Speaks! is a new student leadership group for students in Academic Choice to be more active in their small learning community.

Authors Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham speak at BHS library  

On Friday, Feb. 9 2024, Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham came to Berkeley High School to discuss their new book, “Lunar New Year Love Story.”  “Lunar New Year Love Story” is a young adult romance novel, centered around the traditions of the Lunar New Year and the importance of love.

BHS Sunrise organizes protest in SF, calls Biden to climate action

“Climate justice is the biggest issue of our time and it can no longer be ignored. And because of that, we must be too young, too radical, and too impractical to ignore.” These were words said by youth climate activist Finn Does in a speech given at a protest on Monday, Feb.

Jenn Hartman teaches a class about Black history.

BHS classes celebrate Black History Month

Since 1976, Black History Month has been celebrated every February across the U.S. During this month, many Berkeley High School teachers cover topics related to Black history in the country.  Dawn Williams, co-chair of the African Studies Department, as well as a teacher for both Spanish in the African Diaspora and African Diaspora Dance, shared

Xochitl Duenas is a teacher for the BHS Puente Program, which works to support Latinx students.

School board speakers express concern over the BHS safety plan

During the Berkeley Unified School District School Board meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, the BUSD School Board allowed for public comments, board member comments, union comments, the approval of the consent calendar, and discussion of the governor’s budget update.

BHS junior Joaquin Cohen solos on the alto saxophone.

BHS Jazz visits Cuba, collaborates with Escuela Nacional de Arte

During the week of Jan. 21, to Jan. 28, 2024, Berkeley High School’s juniors and seniors from BHS’s jazz program participated in a biannual week-long trip to Cuba where they had an opportunity to learn from students in the Escuela Nacional de Arte and engage with Cuban culture, according to BHS Jazz Co-Director Roberto

Drawing of a covid virus (not to scale), masked person, and a covid test.

BUSD updates COVID-19 policies

On Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, the Berkeley Unified School District sent a newsletter to families regarding the new COVID-19 response policies. The email discussed the updated protocol, which now allows students to continue attending school after testing positive as long as they are not experiencing symptoms.

Jenn Hartman teaches a class about Black history.

Recipe submissions for Black History Month

Lane-Scott Fried Chicken For Manny Lane-Scott, a BHS junior, a special family recipe is fried chicken. He and his family pan-fry the chicken, season it with some salt and pepper, and serve it with Louisiana hot sauce.

Group of people discussing future plans future plans.

LCAP committee discusses three year plan for Berkeley schools

Every three years, school districts across California create a three-year Local Community Accountability Plan which is reviewed annually and establishes district priorities with the hope of serving school communities.

The construction proposal would also add two dozen new parking spots for BHS.

BUSD likely to drop staff parking lot plan following criticism

In Nov. 2020, Berkeley Unified School District revealed plans to build a three-story staff parking garage with rooftop tennis courts. The funds for the $27 million project would have come from Measure G, a $380 million bond for school construction that was passed in March of the same year.

Illustration of California and Florida with speech bubbles coming off of them. There are black lives matter fists in each bubble, but in Florida

African American studies stays strong at BHS amidst bans in U.S.

In 18 U.S. states, including Arkansas, Texas, and Florida, various bills and legislations have been passed to restrict or ban certain high school courses, such as AP African American Studies.

Raygoza returned to BHS from paternity leave in December.

Principal Juan Raygoza returns from leave

“I’m just really happy to be back,” said Juan Raygoza, Berkeley High School’s principal, who returned to BHS on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, after spending July to December of 2023 on paternity leave.  According to Raygoza, he had an amazing opportunity to spend time at home with his wife and two kids, a six-and-a-half-year-old and

Teachers consider AI, ChatGPT policies

Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, artificial intelligence has become much more easily accessible to students and a way for many to generate essays, codes, and other types of assignments artificially.

NEWS BRIEF: Berkeley Copwatch releases new report

On Tuesday Jan. 16 2023, Berkeley Copwatch released a report entitled “Purging the Poor: Arrest Quotas, Racist Texts, and the Role of City Leadership in the ‘Textgate’ Scandal” outlining the results of Copwatch’s investigation into misconduct by Berkeley Police Department Bike Force officers.

Illustration of a watering can labeled BSEP watering a flower.

Berkeley Unified District BSEP renewal to be on March ballot

On Tuesday March 5, 2024, Berkeley citizens will vote on the renewal of the Berkeley Student Excellence Program. BSEP has played a crucial role in providing resources to the Berkeley Unified School District over the past 30 years.  “BSEP is a voter-approved source of locally controlled funding that BUSD can count on to keep