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The Berkeley Board of Education voted to eliminate sixth grade from Berkeley Arts Magnet (BAM) Wednesday. BAM was the only elementary school in the Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) that offered sixth grade to its students. 

A group of current and former parents of BAM students requested that the board not eliminate the sixth grade, saying that it provided a smoother transition to students specializing in the arts. 

“The sixth grade at BAM has several advantages,” said David Schweidel, a Berkeley resident. “The sixth graders often act as mentors to the younger children; they are a model of mastery. Also, many children are not ready to go on to the middle school level from fifth grade.” 

Diane Douglas, a parent who has had two sixth graders at BAM, said that the permanent loss of the sixth grade would not have a positive impact on the school. 

“BAM has been recognized several times for its various arts programs,” she said. “Careful consideration should be given before we dismantle some of these important programs and take away the sixth grade.” 

School Board Vice President John Selawsky told the group that the decision to eliminate the sixth grade from BAM was not something the district was doing “gladly or happily.” 

“It has been several years in the making. There has been a decline in the number of students picking the sixth grade at BAM over the last three or four years,” he said. “This is not something I relish doing.” 

According to a staff report, the number of students requesting the sixth grade at BAM has fallen from twenty-two (43 percent) in 2003 to six (12 percent) in 2007. The school had fifty-one fifth graders in 2003; the current number is 50. 

“There is need for the school to come together to look at what BAM is,” said School Board Director Karen Hemphill. “I would urge the parents to come together to look at what Arts Magnet would look like without a sixth grade and develop a curriculum. More of a community feeling would help the school evolve toward a successful future.” 

Superintendent Michele Lawrence said that students needed to have a variety of exposure at the sixth grade level. 

“When students are eleven years old they need exposure to different kinds of arts. It’s not in their best interest to choose a part of the program,” said assistant superintendent Neil Smith. 

Students who chose to stay at BAM for the sixth grade have been offered spaces at Longfellow or their respective zone middle school. 

Architect Approved for King CDC, FPN 

The board approved the hiring of WLC Architects—one of the four firms in Berkeley Unified’s architect pool—at a cost of $500,000 for remodeling the King Child Development Center (CDC) and Franklin Parent Nursery (FPN). 

Temporary classrooms throughout the district have been planned and staff have supported the idea, despite the fact that they will be displaced for over a year. 

The board also approved advertisements to solicit bids for the King dining equipment; modernization of the King Gym; heating, ventilation and air conditioning at Oxford and Berkeley Arts Magnet (BAM) Elementary schools and Jefferson kitchen phase II.  

The King Gym modernization project is part of BUSD’s Long Range Development Plan. The campus itself was recently remodeled for $20 million. 

Peanut Policy 

The board unanimously approved its policy on Peanuts/Nuts/Nut-Derivative Products in School Lunch Menus at Elementary, Middle Schools and High School. 

The new policy states that “there will be no nuts or nut-derivative products in any of the food items prepared or available in any form at the elementary school level. Nuts or nut-derivatives will not be used in menu items at middle or high school unless they are clearly labeled and students are informed of the ingredients in such dishes. Peanuts may be available in vending machines or sold as packaged, separate items.” 

Lawrence added that although peanut/ nut products would not be included in the school menus, parents whose children had nut allergies had to be educated about it for awareness outside school. 

Re-enrollment 

The board took a first look at a proposal to re-enroll Berkeley Unified students at the sixth and ninth grade levels. 

The recent board elections and the parcel tax campaign led to an increase in discussions about out-of-district students who enroll in Berkeley schools illegally. 

A committee comprising central office administrators and secondary level school staff met to address the logistics, implications, and feasibility of re-registering all or specific grade levels of students to give further verification of residency. 

“The current policy states that a student is returned to his/her district of residency if it is determined that the parent has submitted false information of residency. That’s pretty harsh and in practice not enforced,” said director Shirley Issel. 

“This is primarily because we like our kids and our inclination is to work with our kids. We should offer amnesty to those who are willing to ’fess up and provide them with ample opportunity to provide the correct information. As long as we have room in our schools, we want to welcome everybody.” 

Lawrence suggested that a change of policy would require extensive parent outreach which would need a minimum of a year. 

“We give careful consideration to each case. We do not follow up on anonymous phone calls. We are not the immigration office,” she said. 

“We consider the grade level and the time of the school year. To remove a student in the middle of the school year is outrageous. We then give the student a permit and evaluate their behavior. If attendance and grades are satisfactory they are automatically granted a chance to remain.” 

The board decided that more work was needed to improve the report and sent to the policy subcommittee for review. 

Grant approval 

The board approved the Adult Education Grant which consists of the Workforce Investment Act, Adult Education and Family Literacy funds. They also approved the participation in the NSF Grant on Teaching Energy in grade 4-8 Science, the 21st Century Grants ($1,245,000 per year for five years)—which provide funds for after-school programs—and the Neil Soto Grant ($7,500 per year for 2007-08 and 2008-09) which provides funds for parent/teacher involvement. 

Deferred Maintenance Plan 

The board voted to approve the Five-year Deferred Maintenance Plan in order to be eligible for deferred maintenance funds from the state. This year, slightly over $400,000 was allocated by the State and $400,000 was allocated from the Bond for the fund. Carryover funds also exist.