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MacArthur students present school values and improvement plan to Berkeley SD 87 board
Summary
Students and staff from MacArthur School presented their school improvement plan, described restorative circles and community-building activities, and shared interim academic and social-emotional metrics with the Board of Education.
MacArthur School leaders and four student council officers presented the school’s improvement plan and described classroom and whole-school practices they say are improving belonging and engagement. The presentation opened with the school’s "five-star" values, introduced multilingual resource teacher Jessica Bujeman and four student officers, and included student reflections on leadership and school events.
The presentation highlighted community-building practices such as restorative circles, which staff said place everyone "on an equal playing ground" and use a talking piece to ensure each person’s voice is heard. A staff member walked board members through a light, guided circle exercise for students in the audience to demonstrate the practice in action.
Presenters reviewed recent school events used to build belonging—including Hispanic Heritage Month displays, assemblies and advisory-created flags—and described recognition systems such as "5-star assemblies" and advisory trophies. On academics, the team shared benchmark reading data: "currently, 60% of our scholars are reading at or above grade level as of January," a presenter said, and noted additional months of instruction remain before final assessments.
Math leaders described curriculum changes called "fusion" in middle school and reported progress from a September proficiency level in the high teens to mid-20s percent, with a goal range around 40–42.5% by year’s end. Staff described weekly collaborative planning and targeted special-education coaching as strategies to build foundational skills.
Board members asked the student council officers questions about supports and what tools students need; students offered classroom-level suggestions. Board members thanked the students for participating and noted the educational value of seeing student governance work in public. The board signaled appreciation and encouraged continued student involvement in future meetings.
The board returned to other agenda items after the presentation; there were no formal board actions tied directly to the student council segment.
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