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The Berkeley Unified School District thanked parents, teachers, students and community members for supporting Measure A at the School Board meeting on Wednesday. 

“It would not have been possible without all of you,” said BUSD superintendent Michele Lawrence in her address to the audience. 

School board director Nancy Riddle called the passing of Measure A “a victory for honesty and integrity” and “a victory against deception and misinformation.” 

“We had an amazing list of supporters, a great steering committee and a great treasurer, Larry Gordon, who kept the campaign truly transparent,” she said. “It was a campaign that was honest, genuine and open to the whole public.” 

Board president Terry Doran—who retired after the meeting—congratulated the new and re-elected board members and pointed out that there would be a female majority on the board for the first time in ten years.  

“I don’t think the public has to worry that I am stepping away,” he said. “I am confident board member Karen Hemphill will more than fill my seat.” 

The board unanimously voted to approve four additional counseling positions in grades 7-12 with new targeted state grants. 

The state has funded a new Supplemental School Counseling Program to provide extra counseling services to pupils. This program sets minimum requirements for service to all secondary students but focuses particularly on those students who are at risk of not graduating with the rest of their class. 

The board needed to approve accepting funding provided by the state for the program. The passage of Measure A assures additional funding for counseling services for middle schools, a plan for which will be presented to the board at a later date.