May 1, 2014 – Berkeley Unified School District announced that Pasquale Scuderi has been appointed Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services, to replace Neil Smith who is retiring after 25 years in the Berkeley public schools. Over the past four years, Pasquale has served as the principal at Berkeley High School. During his tenure attendance rates increased, assessments of students’ academic writing abilities happened on an unprecedented scale, suspension rates dropped, the Academic Performance Index (API) steadily improved, teaching capacity was enhanced, and coherent instructional language is now being used across the vast and diverse faculty. Prior to that he served for three years as Director of Certificated Personnel at the Central Office, and before that for two years as a vice principal at BHS.
Superintendent Donald Evans commented, “This is very good for our community, because Pasquale Scuderi is a great addition to the District team. He will bring passion, dedication, innovation and a commitment that will bring us closer to becoming a “World Class” school district.”
Principal Scuderi made the following announcement to the Berkeley High community:
Date: Thu, May 1, 2014
Subject: Message from Principal Scuderi
Dear BHS Families:
One week after our annual report to the Board of Education on Berkeley High School, we have received extremely positive news regarding our graduation rates, and preliminarily we can report that for the 2012-2013 school year we have collectively generated one of the highest graduation rates in the history of our school; in addition, we have raised graduation rates for African-American students, Latino students, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities. The district office will release the precise numbers in the coming days.
We have raised attendance rates across the school, assessed our students’ academic writing abilities on an unprecedented scale, dropped suspension rates, steadily grown our academic performance index over the last four years, and strengthened teaching capacity as well as developed coherent instructional language across our vast and diverse faculty.
While there are still many proverbial rivers to cross, our work has moved us in the right direction.
This work will continue as a core group of administrators, teachers, counselors, and classified staff continues to expand their contributions to the improving outcomes we have engineered together for our students.
As this work continues, I write tonight to inform you that my role in that work will be shifting in the fall.
At the close of this school year, I will be given the tremendous opportunity to join Superintendent Evans’ cabinet and to expand my leadership role in public education by assuming the post of Assistant Superintendent for the Berkeley Unified School District.
Superintendent Evans’ vision of a world-class education system is one that I believe in deeply, and one that I am eager to support at the district level working on strategies, systems, curriculum, and instruction. I will continue to support the effective work BUSD is doing now and will work to develop even stronger connectivity and creativity in pursuit of that vision from pre-K through high school.
An absolute priority for me will be to continue to support the leadership and learning outcomes at BHS and to ensure that our upward trajectory continues.
I care deeply about the kids, the families, and the staff at BHS; it has thus far been the centerpiece of my career. That concern will remain, and these new developments represent an opportunity for me to grow as an individual professionally while also staying very much connected to the professional family and community that have prepared me for my next endeavor.
We have another few months to get through the home stretch of another school year and yet another class to graduate. During that time I will be as immersed in my work as I have been over the past four years and will communicate openly about relevant details regarding the transition.
As always, I offer you sincere thanks for the opportunity to work with your kids and look forward to continuing that work from a new platform this fall.
Respectfully,
Pasquale Scuderi
Principal, Berkeley High School