Berkeley Unified School District Welcomes Students to a Year of Growth and Clarity

As the new academic year approaches, the Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) is preparing to welcome students back on August 12, 2026. Superintendent Ford Morthel recently shared a message with the BUSD community, outlining key initiatives and a renewed commitment to student success and clear communication for the 2026-27 school year. The district's theme for the year, #BerkeleyRISING!, encapsulates both a celebration of past achievements and a dedication to ongoing progress for every student, school, and the entire district.

According to Superintendent Morthel, the focus for the upcoming year is built upon two core commitments established four years ago: continuous improvement and organizational clarity. These guiding principles are reflected in several practical changes designed to make information more accessible and actionable for families and staff.

Enhancing Family Communication with ParentSquare

A significant improvement for the 2026-27 school year is BUSD's transition to ParentSquare, a new district-wide platform for school and classroom communications. This unified system aims to streamline how families receive important information from their child's school, teachers, and the district.

• Centralized Information: ParentSquare will consolidate direct messaging, announcements, calendars, and other vital communications into one convenient location.
• Customizable Notifications: Families will have the ability to tailor their notification preferences, including opting for a daily digest, ensuring they receive information in a way that best suits their needs.
• Two-Way Translation: Recognizing Berkeley's diverse community, ParentSquare features automatic two-way translation, allowing families to send and receive messages in their home language. This is a crucial step in fostering inclusive communication and ensuring all families feel connected and informed.

The district encourages all families to sign up for ParentSquare promptly to ensure they don't miss out on important updates as the school year begins.

An Updated Student and Family Handbook for Clarity

In response to feedback from families seeking easier-to-find and understand information, BUSD is introducing an updated Student and Family Handbook. Moving away from the previous Google document format, the district is adopting a more accessible flipbook format.

This new handbook, according to BUSD, will more clearly outline important expectations, policies, rights, responsibilities, resources, and support systems available to students and families. The district plans to make the handbook available before the first day of school, encouraging families to utilize it as a comprehensive resource throughout the year.

Fostering Focused Learning Environments: Technology Use and Mobile Devices

The district is also emphasizing responsible technology use and addressing the impact of personal mobile devices on learning environments. This year, the previous Student Acceptable Use Policy for Electronic Resources and the Internet has been replaced with the new Student Technology Responsible Use Requirements, which are integrated into the updated Student and Family Handbook.

These requirements, BUSD states, clarify how the district uses technology to support learning and outline expectations for students when using district-provided devices, accounts, networks, and digital resources. Families are encouraged to review these guidelines to understand the shared responsibilities for safe, responsible, ethical, and respectful technology use.

Furthermore, building on a policy adopted by the Board of Education last November, Superintendent Morthel reiterated clear expectations regarding mobile communication devices across BUSD schools. The policy extends beyond cell phones to include smartwatches, headphones, and other personal communication devices that can create distractions in the classroom.

The district highlights that creating focused learning environments is a shared responsibility among schools, students, and families. The most impactful step families can take, according to the district, is to avoid sending students to school with personal mobile devices when they are not essential. This proactive approach aims to minimize potential distractions, conflicts, and the risk of loss or damage to personal items.

For students who might need extra support with academic concepts or homework, free resources like COSMIQ, a free voice-driven AI tutor, can be a valuable tool, offering immediate, personalized help without the need for additional personal devices during school hours. Families can explore resources for various subjects and grade levels at the COSMIQ practice hub.

A Community United in Purpose

Superintendent Morthel's message concludes with an expression of pride in the community's accomplishments and optimism for the possibilities ahead. The district remains motivated by its mission to enable and inspire its diverse student body to achieve academic excellence and contribute positively to the world.

As Berkeley Unified School District embarks on the 2026-27 school year, the emphasis on clear communication, accessible resources, and supportive learning environments reflects a commitment to every student's growth and success. The district looks forward to welcoming students back and rising together as a community.