Now that the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports PBIS) system is in place at all seven of Benicia Unified School District’s sites, Special Services Director Dr. Carolyn Patton will be providing an update at Thursday’s Governing Board meeting. According to a Power Point by Patton, PBIS is a framework aimed at helping schools organize and […]
Benicia Middle School campus modernization dominates school board meeting Thursday
A quarterly bond update was delivered at Thursday’s school board meeting. The biggest item discussed was the modernization of Benicia Middle School’s campus. BMS modernization One of the largest remaining items to be funded by Measure S is new construction at BMS to give the school more of a 21st century look. Lee Pollard of […]
School board to hear quarterly bond update at Thursday’s meeting
As Measure S bond projects continue to move along, attendees of this Thursday’s school board meeting can get a greater understanding of which projects have been completed, which ones are nearing completion and which projects will be taken on next. The discussion will be presented by Bond Director Roxanne Egan. Measure S was a ballot […]
Teachers rally for higher funding priorities
Several Benicia Unified School District teachers rallied outside City Park an hour before Thursday’s school board meeting to raise awareness of ongoing negotiations between the Benicia Teachers Association (BTA) and BUSD. On Jan. 24, BUSD and BTA held a negotiations meeting one day after a budget workshop which focused on providing information related to school […]
BUSD business chief: $800K needed for balanced budget
Benicia Unified School District would need to make $800,000 in ongoing adjustments for its budget to break even, Chief Business Official Tim Rahill reported at Thursday’s school board meeting. On Jan. 10, Gov. Jerry Brown announced his final January budget proposal. After gathering information from the proposal, Rahill said BUSD would need to make $800,000 […]
BUSD trustees to vote on resolution requesting more money for California public schools
The superintendent of the Benicia Unified School District is asking school board trustees to support a resolution by the California School Boards Association (CSBA) requesting more money for state schools at Thursday’s BUSD Governing Board meeting. According to the resolution, “California has the sixth largest economy in the world and the largest Gross Domestic Product […]
Mary Farmar students taking part in kindness challenge all week
Elementary schoolers already have a tendency to be kind, but this week at Mary Farmar Elementary School, students are taking it to a whole new level. For the second year in a row, Farmar is taking part in the Great Kindness Challenge, an international bullying prevention initiative in which students spend the last week of […]
Arts Benicia to host After School Art program at Farmar in February
While a school day is not always enough time to learn the basics of art, Arts Benicia is here to make sure creatively inclined students have additional opportunities to hone their craft. After School sessions will be held at Mary Farmar Elementary School throughout February. Arts Benicia’s After School program, sponsored by Benicia Unified School […]
BHS principal reviews bell schedule, next steps at school board meeting
After one semester of a new bell schedule at Benicia High School, Principal Brianna Kleinschmidt delivered a presentation on how the schedule was going and potential next steps for modification at Thursday’s school board meeting. In 2015, BHS formed a Schedule Advisory Committee made up of parents, students, teachers and administrators to discuss a possible […]
Andrew Kelly: Graduation requirement discussion leaves students, parents with more questions than answers
By Andrew Kelly Special to the Herald With the recent crop of school meetings last month pertaining to the pending graduation requirement shakeup, Benicia Unified School District Superintendent Charles Young and Benicia High School Principal Brianna Kleinschmidt have left Benicia High students with more questions than answers and failed to address their fears about one […]