Byron USD Monthly Newsletter
February 2021
Superintendent's Message
I hope everyone is doing well. Last week, we shared information regarding the new guidance from Public Health and Governor Newsom’s Safe Schools for All proposal. We worked through the details of the guidelines to ensure that we follow all new regulations and safety protocols. To that end, we have completed all the necessary updated steps to be ready to open our schools when it is safe to do so. Once we enter the Red Tier, we will promptly notify our families and staff of next steps.
Have a beautiful month!!
Respectfully,
Superintendent Gauna
IMPORTANT DATES
- February 10: Climate Committee Meeting
- February 11: Board Meeting
- February 12 & 15: President's Day Holiday (NO SCHOOL)
- February 16: Board Governance Workshop/Retreat
- February 25: Board Meeting
- March 17-19: Conferences/Minimum Days
- March 22-26: Spring Break
Black History Month
During February, we celebrate Black History Month. It is a special opportunity to focus on and celebrate the contributors and contributions to our history and to explore African American heritage. Black History is American history, it is the shared and everyday experiences of African Americans that have influenced our history and have shaped our present.
Resources and Information
- Parent Network- Family Social Night: Celebrating our Diversity and Black History Month
- Library of Congress
- 22 Exciting Books for Young Kids Learning about Black History
- National Geographic Kids Black History Month
- Bay Area Parent magazine Black History Month Celebrations
- African American History Month
- History.com (The History Channel) Black History Month
Coffee with the Superintendent
9:00 am - 10:00 am
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86082593351?pwd=cUx5cmhBWGN5UjZyWVBtNFlqSGo5dz09
Meeting ID: 860 8259 3351
Passcode: 041982
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85890081517?pwd=WUpjS1VIbnE1MHFpdVRjUElUMFkzZz09
Meeting ID: 858 9008 1517
Passcode: 002869
Curriculum and Instruction
To Register please CLICK HERE.
2020-2021 California School Parent Survey
Thank you for taking time to complete this important survey. The California Healthy Kid’s Survey is an opportunity to communicate your perceptions about your child’s school while providing data to aid in improving the educational climate for your child. This letter explains the survey and, at the bottom of the page provides your URL and access instructions. If you have any questions about this survey, contact Patricia Pedersen ppedersen@byron.k12.ca.us .
The purpose of this survey is to obtain parent perceptions about the school and is sponsored by the California Dept. of Education.
- Your participation is voluntary. It is also very important. The information you provide will help guide district and school efforts to promote safety, enhance learning supports, and improve student achievement.
- This is an anonymous survey. It is designed so that no one can be identified from the data. You do not have to respond to any questions that you feel could be used to identify you. Simply skip any such questions.
- All questions apply to this school only.
- The results are for the use of your district. The California Department of Education and WestEd will preserve data confidentiality and refer any data requests to the district.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESSING THE SURVEY
If you have more than one child at this school, you will only need to complete one survey for this school. Please fill out just one survey about the school using your oldest child as a reference.
Access the survey using the following URL:
Parent Survey
Byron Institute for Independent Study
https://wested.ugam-apps.com/wed/ts/mLSI
Parent Survey
Discovery Bay Elementary
https://wested.ugam-apps.com/wed/ts/k3wU
Parent Survey
Excelsior Middle
https://wested.ugam-apps.com/wed/ts/Wf8S
Parent Survey
Timber Point Elementary
https://wested.ugam-apps.com/wed/ts/9Ybe
Troubleshooting
If you are having trouble taking the survey, check the following:
· Make sure you are entering the web site address correctly.
· Does the survey welcome page show the correct name of your school?
· Make sure you have entered the URL (in the URL bar, NOT THE SEARCH BAR)
· Still having trouble? Contact your survey coordinator.
Thank you for taking this important survey!
Special Education
This has been an incredibly difficult year for most families. Resources are being stretched thin as parents have had to juggle the demands of distance learning with other responsibilities, whether it be parenting, running a household, working, caring for elderly or sick family members, and so on. In addition, we face other stressors including fears about COVID-19 and the impact it might have on loved ones. It is easy to understand why many of us are feeling burnt out and why our children are struggling with emotional challenges right now. One of the modules of the Choose Love Social and Emotional curriculum taught in Byron's schools covers gratitude, an area of focus for the State of California's Department of Education this quarter as well. Gratitude helps us recognize and appreciate the little, but positive, things that happen throughout our day, turning our attention away from stress and negativity toward appreciation. I encourage you to watch the video in the following link and talk with your family about what you have to be grateful for today (https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/video/item/why_gratitude_works1).
In addition, there is a lot of great information and free resources available in the Parent and Child Emotional Toolkit, which can be found at https://sel4ca.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2020/06/BigEQ-ParentKit-CA-0613.pdf.
COVID-19 Information:
Contra Costa County Office of Education COVID-19 Information and Resources
CDPH COVID-19 Reopening Framework and Guidance for K-12 Schools
CCHS COVID-19 Vaccination Homepage
To access Byron Union School Districts COVID-19 Page, please click here .
Family Resources and Support
COPE - Counseling Options and Parent Education
Contra Costa Crises Center - Dial 211 from any phone to get information on health, human, and social service organizations
BUSD Employment Opportunities
Are you interested in working for The Byron Union School District?
If so, please visit our EdJoin page to see all available opportunities: https://www.edjoin.org/byron
If you have additional questions regarding employment,
please contact Desiree Lopez at DLopez@byron.k12.ca.us
Contact Information
Superintendent Reyes Gauna
Email: RGauna@byron.k12.ca.us
Website: https://www.byronunionschooldistrict.us/
Phone: 925-809-7501
Nicole Sample, Curriculum Coordinator
Email: NSample@byron.k12.ca.us
Phone: 925-809-7506
Lara Robinson, Special Education Coordinator
Email: LRobinson@byron.k12.ca.us
Phone: 925-809-7513