Well, summer was fun while it lasted. Tomorrow, scores of students throughout Benicia will be heading back to class. No matter which school they are attending, every Benicia Unified School District site will have something different, whether it is new teachers, new administrators or new construction. The Herald caught up with the principals at the majority of BUSD schools to let students know what they can expect in the new year. (Note: Liberty High School and Mary Farmar Elementary School’s principals did not respond by deadline.)

Benicia High School
Projected student enrollment: 1,550.

Benicia High will see a variety of new educators this year, including math teacher Ken Knight, medical careers teacher Anouk Dorrance, digital media teacher Larry Kurnarsky, visual arts teacher Katelynn Burmark, world language teacher Jose Martinez Mejia, special education teacher Charli O’Malley, and college & career counselor Gina Marwick. New courses include medical science and terminology, advanced welding and fabrication, advanced construction technology, alternative energy: wind, water and solar; and scientific research.

Joining Brianna Kleinschmidt in her third full year as principal and fellow vice principals Kathrine Cole and Sean Thompson is new VP Yadira Zapata. Zapata was a Spanish teacher at Alhambra High School in Martinez where she served on the WASC Leadership Team and received an administrative credential from California State University East Bay.

With the stadium renovation and solar panel construction in the parking lots finished, Kleinschmidt said the school is focusing this year on updating the library and media center with new paint and carpet. The Parent Teacher Student Association is currently raising money to fund further library updates in the future.

“Currently, our library collection of books is an average of 28 years old,” Kleinschmidt said. “We hope to update our collection and provide programs for students, such as book clubs, Poetry Out Loud, and more.”

Donations will be accepted through the BHS Webstore, in donation cans at student events or in the main office.

New this year for sports fans is the All-Sports Pass, a discounted pass for students and families to attend football, basketball and volleyball games. The passes will be available in the Finance Office during business hours 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Students who buy an Associated Student Body Card for $50 will get into games for free.

Kleinschmidt said a major goal this year is to prepare for a visiting team from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in March to determine the school’s accreditation status.

“We are looking for participation from parents and students to have a voice in creating a self-study report for our accreditation,” she said.

Other goals include continuing to build a school community, continuing to add to its hands-on courses in the Career Technical Education department and building capacity in technology as part of the learning experience.

Benicia Middle School
Projected student enrollment: 1,070 (approximately)

Principal Damian Scott said there are 11 new teachers this year and a new vice principal: Vanessa Fortney. She previously served as the VP for Jesse Bethel High School in Vallejo for the last three years.

“She has a wealth of experience in Solano County as she has also worked with students in juvenile hall, foster students and homeless students,” Scott said.

New elective courses at BMS include Viking TV, service learning, history of photography, and healthy living.

The school is also set to begin construction as part of the Measure S bond. The project will include three new classrooms, exterior upgrades including fencing and remodels of the lunchroom, library and performing arts classroom.

“This is an exciting project that will update and enhance our campus,” Scott said.

Scott’s main goal for the year is to provide a community that “learns and grows together academically, socially and emotionally.”

Joe Henderson Elementary School
Projected student enrollment: 550

New Henderson staff this year includes first-grade teacher Ann Heuschel and speech pathologist Gina Laurich. Additionally, Renata Twamley will be moving from teaching third to second grade, and Tiffany Anderson will move from teaching fourth to fifth grade.

Principal Melanie Buck said the school will be utilizing a new science program, Mystery Science, which deals with hands-on inquiry.

Events this year include a first-day-of-school coffee social on Aug. 20, Back to School Night on Aug. 30, the County Fair on Oct. 20, the Henderson/Semple Auction on March 9 and Open House on May 20.

Buck said Henderson’s goals for the year include increased academic success for all students and continuing “a culture of excellence while embracing our loving, Henderson community.”

Robert Semple Elementary School
Projected student enrollment: 450

New this year is fifth-grade teacher Joanna Osmanski, a Benicia resident who had previously been commuting to Stockton.

“We are happy to have her be a part of our team,” Principal Christina Moore said.

Semple also adopted Mystery Science, is working to increase its support for English Language Learner students both in and outside the classroom and will hold Kindness Month in November again.

Moore said a big theme this year is safety. The school will be holding emergency drills, including its first active shooter drill at a date to be determined.

“At the elementary level, we call it ‘Dangerous Someone,’” Moore said. “It will be comprehensive and will include first responders (and) district level personnel.”

“We will keep parents informed all throughout this process,” she added.

Additionally, Bryan Stow— a San Francisco Giants fan who was severely beaten at a Los Angeles Dodgers game seven years ago— will speak to Semple students about combating bullying. Stow spoke at Henderson last year.

Other goals for Moore include increasing the attendance rate to 100 percent, working more closely with Liberty High School students, increasing community involvement and having herself become a bigger part of the classroom environment “so that students see me as an integral part of their learning, not just their principal.”

Matthew Turner Elementary School
Projected student enrollment: 500

New staff this year include resource specialist Jeffrey Bouschet, first-grade teacher Dora Tang and second-grade teacher Kathleen Wynn.

Over the summer, Turner received its first new paint job in the school’s 25-year existence by BUSD’s maintenance and operations department.

“We are very proud of the professional job they did,” Principal Stephen Slater said.

Additionally, Slater said the remodel of the library and media center is now complete.

“We are looking forward to continuing to build this 21st century learning space and provide excellent cutting-edge learning experiences for our children,” he said. “Our PTA did a phenomenal with this project!”

Turner will be continuing its annual events, such as STEAM Week, the annual Runathon, Multicultural Night and monthly character assemblies. This Friday, the school will be hosting its first Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) assembly, where staff will also celebrate completion of the solar panel construction in the parking lots and honor the school’s 25-year history.

Slater said Turner’s goals are to continue to ”provide a safe and welcoming school community where students are wild about learning” and “collaborate and build strong partnerships with the city of Benicia and our families to build.”

Slater noted that Turner was honored this month with a Silver Award for its PBIS practices after one year of implementation.

Furthermore, he said, “l continue to strive to maximize the learning potential of all our students and to teach our outstanding Reader’s and Writer’s Project and math programs with great fidelity. We have amazing teachers and support staff at Matthew Turner!”