Dear Berryessa Community, 

This month is recognized as Staff Appreciation Month and we are celebrating our incredible BUSD teachers, support staff and administrators that support our daily efforts to make our schools and district departments an amazing place to learn and thrive. Please join me and our BUSD Board of Trustees in expressing our gratitude throughout the month of May! 

We are also celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a tribute to

generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have been instrumental in the progress of our nation and our own community throughout history. We celebrate their accomplishments and contributions, as part of our district’s values of inclusivity and diversity, which are pillars at Berryessa Union School District. 

Lastly, please join us at the Berryessa Art Festival, on Saturday, May 13th. It is a wonderful community event that showcases local talent, where you can enjoy

great food and fun activities. All the proceeds benefit our students and

teachers. Thank you for your support! 

Sincerely, 

Dr. Roxane Fuentes 

Superintendent

We are so thankful to our amazing educators, support staff, administrators and everyone who is part of the BUSD team!

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and we are so proud to recognize the many cultures and languages represented in our BUSD community, among our staff, students and community members. We celebrate their culture, traditions and history! Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are an integral part of the fabric of our nation - making tremendous contributions to our society. 

To learn more about this important cultural celebration, we are pleased to share the following resources:  

Library of Congress: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage and History in the U.S 

Common Sense Media: Movies & TV That Celebrate Asian, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage & Culture 

We are excited to share that the new Berryessa Union School District Office will soon be ready. Our new facility will be located at: 

981 Ridder Park Drive 

San Jose, CA 95131 

The move will occur in two phases. The Business Division will be there effective Monday, May 8, 2023 followed by Education Services, Human Resources, and Superintendent's Office on Monday, May 15, 2023. All phone numbers and contact information for all district office personnel and departments remain the same.

We look forward to seeing you at the new facility! 

The artwork titled “Reach My Dream” created by 2nd grader Ellaine Kim, at Ruskin Elementary, won the People’s Choice Award from the Santa Clara County Office of Education Young Artist Showcase.

The Young Artist Showcase seeks to highlight youth art in our county. The theme this year is "Hope in a New Era: Arts and Creativity in Our Time," and it encourages youth to reimagine, through the arts and creativity, a new era of creation, freedom and expression. What a wonderful initiative! 

Upon learning that she won this award, Ellaine said: “I felt proud of myself." Principal Lakeisha Blackshire and all of Ruskin Elementary are proud of this accomplishment! Congratulations!  

You can see below Ellaine’s winning artwork “Reach My Dream.”  

World Math Day is an international celebration of mathematics! Sierramont’s 8th grader Nolan Phan, along with his class, participated in this online event. Over 296,000 students in grades K-8 took part. Nolan was the 8th grade Top Scorer in the United States! Congratulations on this achievement! 

On World Math Day, the goal is to make mathematics exciting and engaging for all school-aged children from all over the world. World Math Day disregards the notion that you are either a “math person” or not, and demonstrates how math can be fun and achievable by all! (In the picture: Nolan Phan and Principal Carol Mar.)

On March 27th, Cherrywood Elementary was represented for the first time at the Association of Northern California Chinese Schools' (ANCCS) annual academic competition. Thanks to our Mandarin Immersion Parent Advisory Committee (MIPAC) board, teachers, and parent volunteers, 27 students received exceptional results, with 7 of them winning top honors in their respective categories against 480 students from 32 different schools. 

Congratulations to our students for making Cherrywood proud: 

Sarah G. - 1st Place Winner, CFL Mandarin Read-Aloud 

Emily Z. - Honorable Mention, Mandarin Read-Aloud 

Amber L. - 2nd Place Winner, Writing 

Qifei Z. - 3rd Place Winner, Writing 

Lydia C. - 3rd Place Winner, Reading Comprehension 

Timothy L. - Honorable Mention, Western Drawing 

Jaycie M. - Honorable Mention, Pencil Calligraphy 

The Berryessa Art Festival is a tradition that has brought our community together for decades! This amazing celebration of art and community will take place at Penitencia Creek Park on Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 10 am to 4 pm. Come and enjoy local artists, musicians, food trucks, entertainment, and activities for the whole family. Volunteers are still needed. If you are interested, please sign up here. 

Admission is free, and all event proceeds will directly support student and teacher classroom activities.  

We look forward to seeing you! Thank you for supporting us!