Superintendent March Newsletter

Superintendent’s Message

Dear BUSD Families,

Benicia is a small community. Small enough that when someone sneezes on 1st Street, someone blesses them from the top of Rose Drive. So, one can imagine the noise within the echo chamber when grievances play out publicly. What concerns me more is that much of the information communicated through social media channels is inaccurate and unsubstantiated. The educators on the receiving end of these public grievances may live in the community, may have ties to the community, and, in some cases, have children in our school system watching disagreements play out publicly. As students watch adults tussle over various media channels, they watch the same behavior we encourage them not to engage in with their peers. So, let’s be mindful of how we, as adults, handle concerns. Social media is a valuable tool. However, posting a narrative that does not include all the information and attempting to put pieces of a puzzle together with inaccurate information can be reckless, it doesn’t solve the issue, and may create further divisiveness. For issues regarding BUSD employees, please follow the proper procedures. 

• Policy 1312.1: Complaints Concerning District Employees
• Regulation 1312.1: Complaints Concerning District Employees
• District Complaints

These are my thoughts, and I share them out of care and concern for our community.  

Respectfully,

Damon J. Wright, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Benicia Unified School District

Women’s History Month

The Benicia Unified School District observes Women’s History Month to honor the contributions women from all races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds have made to our great nation. It is also a time to recognize those who advocated for gender equality and acknowledge there is work still to be done. To women across the globe, we appreciate you!

Women in Construction

The Benicia Unified School District Maintenance and Operations Department celebrates women in Construction. Please review the slideshow linked here.

Fentanyl Awareness Assembly

The Solano County District Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Benicia Unified School District, will conduct school assemblies to discuss the dangers of fentanyl. The assembly schedule is listed below:

Water Explorer Field Trip

BUSD third-grade students participated in a Water Explorer field trip sponsored by the Solano County RCD. Solano County RCD and the City of Benicia provided transportation. The onsite pre-work was informative, and the hike and exploration of our waterways along the strait, coupled with learning the importance of keeping our areas clean for our waterways and even learning how to plant native plants, was amazing! This trip is the beginning of our students’ trips through Solano RCD. This grant allows us to continue the water study with our fourth graders learning about our wastewater treatment in town, fifth-grade learning about our water plant, and sixth-grade going to Rush Ranch. To hear our third graders share their water knowledge was AMAZING!

Night of Stars Event Highlight

On Friday, February 16, 2024, BUSD celebrated our employees of the year and all BUSD staff at the annual Night of the Stars event. While we extend our heartfelt congratulations to our award recipients listed below, we also express our deep gratitude to the following:

• Ms. Chelsea Whitney, for organizing this event,
• Northgate for their partnership and sharing their venue, 
• Kiwanis Club of Benicia for their collaboration, 
• School site PTG/ PTSA and District staff setting up tables and sponsoring our honorees.
• Elvaritias for catering the event,
• DJ Groove Tonight for adding the entertainment factor 
• BUSD District staff for supporting the event

Spinning Salmon Project

Liberty High School has partnered with UC Davis for their Spinning Salmon Project. Students, alongside UC Davis researchers, conducted lab and field tests to understand the declining salmon population.

Solano County Biomonitoring Program: The AP Environmental Science class at Benicia High School  has a unique and exciting opportunity to collaborate with the Solano County Biomonitoring Program. They will embark on a class visit this March, followed by a thrilling field trip in April. The Biomonitoring Program, renowned for its work in stream ecology, will guide our students in a comprehensive study of a single creek. They will evaluate the health of the watershed through physical, chemical, and biological assessments, a truly enriching experience.

Math Steeplechase: We are excited to announce that BHS is sending a record-breaking number of students, approximately fifty, to the highly competitive Math Steeplechase competition. The JV and Varsity teams are all set to showcase their mathematical prowess, a testament to our school’s academic excellence.

Community Service: BHS is proud to initiate a new annual tradition,’ Seniors Giving Back,’ a day dedicated to community service. This year, we are starting small but with a big heart. We are partnering with the City of Benicia to provide a special St. Patrick’s-themed lunch at the Senior Center. We plan to expand this event to include a larger community service project each February. This event could involve cleaning up Community Park before Opening Day weekends for softball and baseball, and possibly Cemetery Clean-up. This initiative will provide an excellent opportunity for over 150 Seniors to give back to their community each year, a testament to the strong community spirit at BHS.