Email chain to and from Susan Craig, BUSD Director of Student Services

[Heather Wood]

**Please take note that Dr. Craig has not responded to the last email
I sent asking for clarification. This is the same lack of response
I've gotten everytime I ask questions that the District doen't seem to
want to answer. FYI -- OCR (On Campus Referral) is a program at
Berkeley High which was mentioned by on the School Board members. I
knew what it was when I wrote Dr. Craig, but wanted to see if she
would actually discuss it. Apparently, she didn't want to. **

Dear Dr. Craig,

I am writing to ask you to clarify the "alternative" or other
classroom(s) held on the top floor(s) of the Berkeley High School "C"
Building from at least 2007 - 2009, if not currently. My understanding
is that this grew from 1 to 3 classrooms. Is this true?

I understand that this/these were classroom(s) were designed to
contain the most problematic students, or those at highest risk in the
Berkeley High Community. Is this true?

Was/is this program part of OCR?

If no, what does OCR mean, and where do these referrals go?

Were or are students on suspended and/or stipulated expulsions placed
in this program.

I would like YOUR clarification of this program and how it worked out,
and why it isn't being continued (if it has been discontinued).

Further, I would like to know why the students were warehoused in this
program and where they are now.

I understand that I may not have all the correct words to describe
what was housed in the C buildling, but I have it on very good
authority that it did exist at least from 2007 - 2009. I will hold you
to a sense of honorable accountability that even in the case that I
have inaccurately described the program that you will clarify it for
me and answer these questions.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Heather Wood




Reply
Susan Craig to me, Beatriz_Leyva-., john_selawsky, Leah_Wilson,
karenhemphill, Josh_Daniels, william_huyett, bguthrie, nsmith, lmaio,
bas-accountable
show details May 18 (11 days ago)
Dear Ms. Wood,

I am fairly new to BUSD and was not here in 2007-2009 so I have
checked
with several administrators who worked at or with BHS during that time
period. There was no community day school in the C Building of the BHS
campus, which would have been illegal. You may be referring to a
counseling enriched program for Special Eduction students with IEPs
for
Emotional Disturbance.

OCR generally refers to the Office of Civil Rights. I believe you mean
OCI
which is the On Campus Intervention at BHS where students are sent
when
they receive a referral or have had a behavior problem on or near
campus
that is being investigated.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.
Sincerely,

Susan Craig, Ed.D., Director of Student Services
Berkeley Unified School District
1835 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone: 510.644.6316
FAX: 510.644.7712
- z_Leyva-., john_selawsky, Leah_Wilson, karenhemphill, Josh_Daniels,
bguthrie, nsmith, lmaio, bas-accountable, william_huyett
show details May 18 (10 days ago)

Dear Ms. Craig:

Thank you for your prompt response. I understand that you have not
been with the district for long, that you are very busy, and
appreciate that you have gone through the trouble to inquire on my
behalf.

I feel it is necessary to ask further questions, in clarification:

OCR = On-Campus Referral, not Office of Civil Rights. This is noted in
several available data resources. That said, is OCR a system in which
students with behavioral problems can be referred to special classes,
rather than face expulsion -- such as the one I mentioned being housed
in the C building at Berkeley High School. I am aware of what OCI is;
and am aware that it includes a 'chill room' or area for students who
have a variety of problems -- including one student who was detained
and still had a gun at his waist when the police arrived because of
Berkeley High's "hand's off" policy (this was in March, 2011, I
believe).

I may be referring to some Special Ed students with IEP's and
behavioral problems, but respectfully submit that what my question was
meant to be -- and now stands as: Where have the students who exhibit
behaviors that preclude them from regular BHS classes, other than
special ed students, being educated? There are only 3 expelled
students at the Hayward CDS site, and many more students are NOT
expelled, but likely should be. Some of them have been at Berkeley
High, and again -- I want to know what those 1 - 3 classrooms in the C
building were and what the criteria for being placed in those
classrooms were.

I did not say I thought they were CDS classrooms, nor suggested the
same. I am aware of the legalities surrounding CDS site placement.

Although I would prefer to be asking someone in your position who had
been at Berkeley High during the 2007 - 2009 school years, those
people are no longer there. Thus, I am asking you as the current
Director of Student Services.

Sincerely,
Heather Wood