Dear BUSD Community,
With great pleasure, I welcome you to the 2022 -2023 school year. I hope you had an opportunity to spend quality time with your children, and they are rested, recharged, and prepared for a journey filled with promise.
As the new Superintendent of Schools, I am excited to join and serve a community that prioritizes students, values staff, and supports programs. I understand that this Superintendency comes with great responsibility, and I assure you that the BUSD team and I are committed to developing and maintaining positive working relationships and serving students, our community, and our programs.
I believe “education is the great equalizer,” and I have advocated for public education and have served in various capacities over a twenty-five-year span. I began my public education career supporting elementary students as a Guidance Assistant before working as School Counselor and School Psychologist at the secondary level. I also served as a school site administrator for eight years and a district-level administrator for five.
I am very excited for this school year and hope you share the same optimism and enthusiasm. BUSD has identified LCAP goals focused on Equity, Social-Emotional Learning, Literacy, and Mathematics. As we enter the school year, we will remain grounded in progressing in our focus areas. We will also collaboratively evaluate our implementation plan to ensure we are utilizing effective strategies for growth. This year, we will prioritize establishing and developing relationships, evaluating professional practices, and creating structures to improve student learning outcomes. As part of my 100-day plan, I will facilitate a listening and learning campaign to understand our culture better and gather your input so that we move our District forward together.
Students will report to school on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. Your site administrator will be sending communication welcoming you to the new school year specific to your sites.
Here are some important updates regarding the 2022-2023 school year:
Parent Data Confirmation (Online Registration): BUSD is facilitating online registration. You will receive additional communication via email when the process opens on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.
COVID Health and Safety Protocols: The Benicia Unified School District will continue following the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines regarding COVID 19 practices. While Governor Newsome and CDPH removed the mask requirement in public schools on March 14, 2022, CDPH strongly recommends that staff and students wear them. You can find additional information regarding our safety protocols on the BUSD website and linked here: COVID Health & Safety Protocols.
School Calendar and Bell Schedule: As a reminder, elementary school begins at 8:00 a.m., middle school at 8:15 a.m., and high school at 8:30 a.m. You can find the school calendar and bell schedule information on the BUSD website and linked here: 2022-2023 School Year Calendar and Bell Schedule.
California Universal Meals Program: California will become the first state to implement a statewide Universal Meals Program for school children. Under this program, BUSD will provide every student with two free meals every day; complimentary breakfast and lunch during the 2022-2023 school year. You can find more information on the Universal Meals Program linked here: California Universal Meals Program.
Once again, welcome back! Let’s embark on an outstanding school year.
Sincerely,
Damon J. Wright, Ed.D.
Superintendent