[CAS-BHS] Letter to the Daily Planet Editor

[CAS at BHS: Current Students & Parents Mailing List]

Dear CAS Families: 
I thought you'd like to see this letter that I sent to the DP several days ago. The article is at:
http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-10-01/article/33836?headline=State-PG-E-Pick-Berkeley-High-for-Green-Energy-Program
Feel free to ask questions or offer suggestions at the All CAS Parent Meeting on Tuesday.
See you there,
Phil



Friday, October 2, 2009

Letter to the Editor

Dear Berkeley Daily Planet:
I am writing to correct an error in the otherwise accurate article in Riya Bhattacharjee’s, “State, PG&E Pick Berkeley High for Green Energy Program.” Ms. Bhattacharjee writes that the new small school that is scheduled to open next fall will be, “Berkeley High’s seventh small school.” This is inaccurate; it will be the fifth. Currently BHS students enroll in either a small school—Communication Arts and Sciences (CAS), Community Partnerships Academy (CPA), Arts and Humanities Academy (AHA) or School for Social Justice and Ecology (SSJE)—or one of two large programs, Academic Choice (AC), or Berkeley International High School (BIHS). 

As we move into the time of year that 8th grade families are considering their options for next year, it is especially important that they understand their choices. There are significant differences between small schools and large programs and size is perhaps foremost among them. AC and BIHS both serve over 1000 students while each of the small schools serve 240. Even the Berkeley High website is confusing; it refers to all six options as “small learning communities,” or SLC’s. In an effort to clarify the range of choices offered to incoming families, it would be helpful if we reserve the word, “small” for the schools within Berkeley High that truly are.

If you’d like to learn more about small schools at Berkeley High (including the ways in which our small student populations help us serve students), please feel free to contact me or any one of the Lead Teachers of the small schools at Berkeley High. Email addresses are:


Phil Halpern
CAS 
philiphalpern at mac.com

Ray Cagan
Miriam Stahl
AHA
rcagan at berkeley.k12.ca.us
mstahl at berkeley.k12.ca.us

Kate Trimmlet
Andy Peck
SSJE
ktrimlett at berkeley.k12.ca.us
andrew_peck at berkeley.k12.ca.us

Annie Johnston
CPA
ajohnston at berkeley.k12.ca.us

Sincerely,
Phil Halpern
Lead Teacher
Communication Arts and Sciences
Berkeley High School