Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year at Malcolm X Arts and Academics Elementary School!
August 5th, 2022
Dear Malcolm X Families,
A big welcome to new and returning families! Our exceptional staff is looking forward to continuing to work with all our families to provide an excellent, arts-focused academic program to our students. Please welcome Kesha Jenkins in kindergarten, Jasmine Junsay Boone and Sarah Stricherz in second grade, Georgia Martin in Music and Felicia Gray as an Instructional Assistant.
The Malcolm X school community depends on strong collaboration between families, students and staff. All of our academic and arts programs are supported by our active PTA chapter, and parents help make the school a hub for our community. Our PTA organizes community events such as the Read-a-Thon, Movie night, Spring Picnic, and Teacher/Staff Appreciation events. It coordinates the MX News, the MX etree, and the School Directory. PTA fundraisers such as the Malcolm X Fund make it possible for the school to fund many of the hallmark programs that make Malcolm X unique. The PTA funds literacy and intervention support during and after school, and also makes enrichment programs like drama, dance, and music possible. The PTA also raises funds to support Malcolm X families via the Berkeley Public Schools Fund (BPSF). Ensuring that Malcolm X families can access critical resources through BPSF is a PTA goal again this year.
Besides organizing and participating in events, parents volunteer in a variety of ways. Parents lead a variety of on-campus affinity groups, such as Rainbow Families, FUSE and Inclusion Families. Parent volunteers also support the efforts of our Family Engagement Specialist Jocelyn Foreman to help families access community resources and keep our parent resource room running in room 105a. Room parents organize our rolling-drop off in the morning, and tutor students in the classroom. Parents also serve as members of school committees like the School Site Council (SSC) and the English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC).
Your engagement helps make the school a better place for your child (and all students!) For information about how you can get involved, please consult the Quick Facts below, and come to our first general PTA meeting on Tuesday August 30th, at 6:30p.m. It will be held in-person in the Malcolm X yard, and dinner will be provided.
Together we can!
Sincerely,
Alexander Marcos Hunt, Principal
Linda Morgan, Assistant Principal
Heather Ball, MX PTA President
What will the day-to-day look like?
For those of you who had students at Malcolm, this year will be a return to a more familiar schedule.
Parents, volunteers and visitors are once again allowed on campus. Breakfast will be eaten in the classrooms, so teachers will be taking kids into class promptly at 8:10. Please be on time to set your child up for a successful day!
Lunch will continue to be eaten outdoors, in class groups. Not because we aren’t allowed to use the cafeteria, but because it is more pleasant.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF SCHOOL ARE ON THE WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE. All students dismiss at 1:30.
Masking continues to be highly recommended indoors.
Parents are still responsible for checking their children for COVID symptoms prior to coming to school. If your child has symptoms of COVID, please test them to make sure they are negative prior to bringing them to school, and send negative results to mxcovid@berkeley.net. Testing is available at the Berkeley Adult School if you don’t have a test at home.
Home COVID tests will be distributed at school every other Friday. There will only be in-school testing if there is a cluster of cases. For information about how to get a COVID test before school starts, check HERE.
Malcolm X Quick Facts
First Days of School:
The school year begins Monday, Aug. 15th, at 8:10 a.m. Breakfast will be served in the classrooms, so teachers will bring students in at 8:10. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF SCHOOL ARE ON THE WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE, and students dismiss at 1:30. Pardon the repetition, just wanted to make sure it is on your calendar. All students who are not in BEARS or LEARNS need to be picked up at 1:30 from Aug. 15th- 17th. Buses will run on the Wednesday schedule.
Class Assignments:
Room assignments for Grades 1-5 will be posted on the windows by the King Street entrance on Friday, Aug. 12th, at around 4:00 p.m. Kindergarten and TK groups for Gentle Beginnings will also be posted, and announced by email. Please pick up a COVID test when you come to check the class list!
Parent Teacher Association (PTA):
We encourage all parents and caregivers to join the PTA! Our first meeting is Tuesday, Aug 30th. Join us for dinner and an opportunity to connect with other families. Learn about school events and ways to support the MX community. There are lots of ways to get involved - sign up here. Stay in touch and informed by joining the etree, consulting the (weekly) MX News, checking out the PTA bulletin board at the front entrance of the school.
School Calendar: Visit or subscribe to the updated school calendar of events on the PTA web site at: http://malcolmxelementary.org/calendar
Malcolm X etree and Directory:
Please sign up for the MX etree to connect to our school community & receive important email updates.
Subscribe to the etree here: www.mxpta.org/etree
Be sure your contact information is correct and complete in the Malcolm X 2022-2023 Directory. You can do this at Back to School Night on August 25th at 7:00 (in person). None of this information is shared with other persons or entities; it is distributed only within the school community.
The School Day:
Throughout the school year, the gates open at 8:00 a.m. and the first line-up bell rings at 8:08 a.m. See below for entry and exit gates for your child. Using the correct gate is important to balance traffic and maintain safe physical distance while entering, but siblings are welcome to come in the same gate. Please do not send students to school before 8:00 a.m.; there is no supervision. All play yard gates are locked by 8:30 a.m. After that, the only open entrance is the main door on Prince Street. Being at school on time is important for learning and social integration! Students arriving after 8:10 a.m. are considered tardy.
Dismissal Times and Designated Gates:
TK and Kindergarteners are dismissed at 1:30 p.m. Kindergartens dismiss from the Ellis St. gate, and TK students dismiss from the classroom doors.
1st, 2nd and 5th grades are dismissed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 2:20 p.m. and 1:30 on Wednesdays. They will be released from the Ellis St. gates.
3rd, and 4th grades are dismissed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 2:20 p.m. and will be released from the King St.
Getting to School:
Walking or biking to school is strongly encouraged. There are bike racks on both sides of the play yard. When walking or biking to school, please use crosswalks and cross streets safely. If driving or carpooling, please make use of the rolling drop off zones on Ellis and King St. (Drop-off info here) Bus assignments are made by the District Transportation Office (644-6182). Bus drop off and pick up is on the Ellis Street side of the school (near the corner of Ellis and Prince). Please pay attention to signs and curb markings. The Berkeley Police Department issues tickets to cars that are double parked, parked in bus zones, or parked/left unattended for longer than the permitted amount of time, and to drivers who drop off children in an unsafe manner. The safety of our children, families, staff and neighbors depends on all of us.
Welcome Reception Monday August 15th, 8:15 – 9:00 am Auditorium
Ease those first-day-of-school jitters, meet new friends or catch up with old ones. Join MX families in the auditorium for coffee and breakfast treats! For new families, find out how you can get involved, learn about after school programs, PTA events and more. Masks are recommended.
Want more information? https://www.malcolmxelementary.org/#about