Dear Berryessa Community,

On behalf of the BUSD Board of Trustees and leadership team, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for the fantastic start to the new school year. Our students are fully engaged in their learning, and our dedicated staff have been working tirelessly and creatively to ensure this year is an incredible one.

A special thank you to our parents and guardians, who play a vital role in encouraging regular school attendance, fostering active classroom participation, and supporting students in completing their studies. Your involvement is essential, and we invite you to participate in special district and community events, such as Back to School Nights, the Project Cornerstone for Parents workshop series, and the upcoming District 4 Mid-Autumn Festival at the Berryessa Branch Library.



Every effort counts as we work together to improve student achievement. Thank you for your continued support and collaboration in guiding your students toward success!

With BUSD Pride,

Dr. Roxane Fuentes

Superintendent

Watch this video about the start of the school year at BUSD!

Recently, BUSD has hosted a series of Town Hall meetings as part of our ongoing effort to keep the community informed and engaged in a process that has been underway for over two years. We are grateful to everyone who attended and took the time to learn about the budget challenges we face due to declining enrollment. 

We also want to acknowledge the invaluable work of the School Consolidation Advisory Committee, a group of dedicated volunteers from across our District. In their advisory capacity, these individuals have invested countless hours in discussions, reviewing data, and collaborating to develop recommendations for the Board of Trustees to consider. Their dedication and service to our community are deeply appreciated.

Despite our efforts to be as transparent as possible about this process, we are aware of misinformation that has been circulating. It’s important to note, no decisions have been made at this time regarding any particular school closure. Committee discussions continue, and the Board of Trustees is not expected to make a decision on this critical matter until December. 

Both the School Consolidation Advisory Committee and BUSD Board of Trustee meetings are open to the public, and meeting details, along with presentations, are available on our BUSD website.

If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to contact us at school-consolidation@busd.net. We appreciate your partnership as we navigate this challenging time together.

We are excited to invite our school community to our Back to School events! Save the date! This is a great opportunity to meet with your student’s teacher, principal, and support team, while learning more about what is planned for this school year. Check with your school site for more details. We hope to see you there!

Safety is a community effort! We are committed to expanding awareness and promoting safety. It is important for parents and guardians to plan ahead and establish safe routes to school while being cautious of the rules and regulations.

Did you know that Berryessa is a Walk & Roll school district? We encourage walking or biking to school on Wednesdays and following the best safety practices, including: 

• Being aware of your surroundings all the time. 
• Being incredibly careful when crossing the street. 
• Avoiding distractions like using a phone or other technology. 
• Slowing down. 
• Paying attention to one another, pedestrians, and drivers.  
• Following the speed limit.  
• Leaving early to give yourself plenty of time to arrive at your destination.  

Together, we can make our community safer!

Congratulations Summerdale Elementary, for being recognized as an Educational Results Partnership (ERP) Honor Roll School for high academic achievement and student success.

The ERP Honor Roll program, sponsored by the Campaign for Business and Education Excellence (CBEE), is part of a national effort to identify higher-performing schools and districts that are improving student outcomes and preparing students with the skills employer's value and demand. Summerdale is one of 1,430 eligible public schools in California to be recognized.

The ERP Honor Roll utilizes public school student achievement data from 2023 to identify successful schools and districts. Summerdale stands above others in the state because of its demonstrated ability to get students to grade-level success and beyond, and a reduction in achievement gaps among student populations.

We are thankful for the hard work of our students and teachers at Summerdale and all schools throughout our school district!

Jaria Jaug, a Trustee of the Berryessa Union School District (BUSD), was recently honored with the Emerging Leader Award by the San Jose State University (SJSU) Filipino Alumni Network. This award recognizes her outstanding contributions to education and her commitment to empowering the community.



Trustee Jaug’s leadership and dedication to fostering educational excellence have made a significant impact in her role as Trustee. Her recognition as an Emerging Leader highlights her growing influence and commitment to creating positive change within the Filipino-American and broader educational communities. Congratulations, Trustee Jaug! 

Congratulations Dr. Roxane Fuentes! State Assemblymember Alex Lee shared that our Superintendent has been selected as one of State Assembly District 24's Latino Heritage Month honorees. Dr. Fuentes will be recognized on Monday, September 23, 2024.

As a public school educator for over 27 years, Dr. Roxane Fuentes has served as an elementary teacher, instructional coach, school principal, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, and Interim Superintendent, before becoming the first Latina Superintendent of the Berryessa Union School District in San Jose, CA in 2017.

As a district committed to a safe, innovative and inclusive student-centered learning environment, honoring equity, diversity, and collaboration, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and the invaluable contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans in the history and achievements of our nation.

Learn more with the following educational resources.

School meals will continue to be FREE for ALL students thanks to California’s Universal Meals program. Each student may receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day. Meals include fruit, vegetables, and milk. Milk taken separately from a meal costs $0.75 (covered by Universal Meals program if taken with a school meal).



Please note that families are strongly encouraged to apply for Free and Reduced Price meals in 2024-25 in order to increase funding for school programs and possibly qualify for discounts on after school programs, utilities, and internet.

To access our online free and reduced price meal application, click here.

The application may also be downloaded from the Student Nutrition Services (SNS) Meal Applications webpage and dropped off at the Student Nutrition Services office. Printed applications are available at the SNS office as well.

Please call 408-923-1875 or 408-923-1879 if you need any assistance.

Student Nutrition Services needs your help! We hire substitutes throughout the year, but especially at the start of the school year! Substitute food service staff are needed in our school kitchens almost daily to cover staff absences. Hours are typically 2-3 hours during mid-day (late morning/early afternoon). If interested, please apply at edjoin.org/berryessausd. For questions about this on-call position, please contact our office at 408-923-1875.

Our next Board meeting will be on September 11, 2024.

To better serve you, board meetings are now being live streamed! You can stay informed and watch these meetings from the comfort of your home. Please note that to participate in the meeting or make comments, you must attend in person. 

For more information about the BUSD Board Meetings, please click here.