BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
RESOLUTION No. 12-31 MARKING
MARCH 20 to April 23rd, 2012
THE CESAR ESTRADA CHAVEZ COMMEMORATIVE PERIOD
IN
THE BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
WHEREAS, in 1998, the Berkeley School Board voted unanimously on a resolution to support the development of the Chavez Memorial Solar Calendar Project; and
WHEREAS, in 1999 the Berkeley School Board passed a resolution supporting State Senator Richard Polanco’s efforts to establish a Cesar Chavez state holiday; and
WHEREAS, this board resolution included support for an annual commemoration of Cesar Chavez in public schools, colleges and universities beginning March 20 and ending April 23rd; and
WHEREAS, in 2000, the State of California declared Cesar Chavez’s birthday an official state holiday for state workers (March 31st); and
WHEREAS, the Berkeley School District and City now honor Martin Luther King and Malcolm X as school holidays; and
WHEREAS, César Chávez Day is not a district holiday in Berkeley;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the district will mark March 20 (Spring Equinox – the traditional beginning of the planting season) through April 23th (the anniversary of César’s passing) as a Commemorative Period honoring Cesar Estrada Chavez in the Berkeley Unified School District and put this on all official publications of the district; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that the district also supports schoolbased service learning honoring the life and legacy of Cesar E. Chavez, which will include, but not be limited to:
- Distribute information on the availability of curricula and resources developed by the state and locally for teachers,
- Encourage teachers, through announcements and publications, to incorporate the curricula into their lesson plans during the commemorative period,
- Encourage the principal of each school to have school-wide activities on March 30st to honor the legacy of Cesar Chavez,
- Encourage the sponsorship of school-based service learning during the commemorative period as an alternative to a school holiday,
- Rotate the coordination and chair the citywide Chavez Commemoration Planning Committee with the COB and Community to support existing efforts to celebrate Cesar Chavez, and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that the commemorative period is a joint effort of the BUSD, COB and community to support a citywide framework for celebration that includes Berkeley’s memorial to Chávez, the César Chávez Memorial Solar Calendar located at Cesar Chavez Park; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that the BUSD explore the feasibility of developing a large district-wide Chavez-based service learning effort and apply to the Governor¹s Office on Service and Volunteerism to carry out such an effort. This will engage students in service to their community on March 30th and during the commemorative period as the State’s recommended way of best honoring the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez.
AND FINALLY BE IT RESOLVED that the district will follow the Implementation Plan that was approved on October 9, 2002.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 25th day of January, 2012 by the Board of Education
John T. Selawsky, President
Beatriz Leyva-Cutler, Clerk
