On February 6, five student-athletes from Berkeley Preparatory School committed to compete in their collegiate sport of choice in a joint ceremony in front of a standing-room-only crowd of classmates, faculty, and family members. Those committing to compete for a Division 1 program signed the National Letter of Intent.

The Buccaneer Bee Company was an idea born when school administrators brainstormed ideas for creating a unique school gift as a takeaway for school visitors. They asked, “what is unique to Berkeley that we can share with others?” After several unsuccessful attempts at various creations, our science department began “buzzing” over the potential of the Berkeley bee hives, located on campus.

The Berkeley Preparatory School Buccaneers won the 2019 Headmasters’ Challenge between Berkeley and cross-town rival Tampa Preparatory School in convincing fashion on Saturday, January 12 as the Buccaneers won 15.5 to 5.5 in combined totaled points. This year’s victory follows another exciting win after last year’s victory over Tampa Prep. This marks the seventh consecutive Headmasters’ Cup title for Berkeley.

When Berkeley Preparatory School hosts the annual Headmasters’ Challenge on January 12, the school will showcase a new state-of-the-art turf field that will be the centerpiece for much of day’s action. Dickey Field began the transformation to turf in November, and is now complete featuring a synthetic surface and infill unlike any other school in Florida, according to the installation contractor 1st Turf, Inc.

Following the devastating aftermath left by Hurricane Michael in north Florida on October 10, many kind-hearted people stepped forward to help those in need. Without hesitation, our own Berkeley faculty and staff generously donated a variety of school supplies to one particular school who reached out for help. Over the Thanksgiving break, 12 large boxes of desperately-needed school supplies were delivered to Holy Nativity Episcopal School in Panama City.

Berkeley Preparatory School science and mathematics teachers Verla Strain and Carmen Raterman have been recognized as recipients of the Excellence in Science/Mathematics Teacher Award by the Barrett Family Foundation. They were two of six recipients of a $10,000 cash award given to outstanding math and science teachers from private high schools in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. They join their colleagues Martha DeWeese and David Ide who were previously recognized for their excellence in teaching by the Barrett Foundation.

On October 3, Berkeley Preparatory School officially recognized the successful completion of what is among the largest capital campaign efforts in the country for an independent day school. With more than 250 supporters in attendance at the “Power of Community” campaign celebration, the outcome of Berkeley’s $65 million capital campaign, Above & Beyond: The Campaign for Berkeley Preparatory School, was on full display in the form of beautiful new buildings and renovated space

Please join Advanced Theatre Ensemble for their first Main Stage production of the 2018-2019 season! Museum, by Tina Howe, is a hilarious look at the characters and personalities that collide in a modern art exhibit (all art on display is being created by our own Visual Arts Department). Watch our actors take on multiple characters, up close, in a new, unique stage configuration. You won’t recognize the Maureen Smith Stage in the Lykes Center for the Arts. Run time is 1 hour 10 minutes, with no intermission.

Spearheaded by a $2 million lead gift by Tampa business leader and philanthropist Bob Gries, Jr., the Seivold Center for Early Childhood Education at Berkeley Preparatory School is a site to behold. The expansive 30,000-square-foot learning center provides an inspirational setting for Berkeley’s youngest students as they embark on the path of lifelong learning. Other key donors, including Tate and Blake Casper, the MacKechnie (Fraser ’93 and Tracy) family and Goldsmith family, stepped forward with their support to join Gries to make the Seivold Center for Early Childhood Education a reality. It officially opened its doors to students and their families on the first day of the school year, August 21.

We know how important it is to keep you engaged in your student’s experience at Berkeley. Therefore, we have recently launched a new source of information for our families to provide you with quick access to the type of information you need to know on the go. Need an important date? Want to know who to contact in your child’s division? Want to learn more about Parents’ Club? It’s all on the New Parent Resource page…and it’s not just for new parents. This resource, located in the upper, right-hand corner of Berkeley’s homepage, quickly connects you to several important links and resources that will help you navigate your way throughout the school year. We plan to add to this page throughout the year and encourage you to check back as your first point of reference when visiting our website. If you can’t find what you are looking for, please contact your child’s division office for more information.

While most students revel in their precious time off during the summer, a select group of highly motivated students (known as scholars) who attend the Berkeley Academy spent six weeks on campus filling their brains full of knowledge so that they can attain their dream of going to college.

On June 3, hundreds of proud parents, guests and faculty came together to celebrate the Commencement ceremony in recognition of the Class of 2018. The Doyle Gymnasium in the Straz Family Field House played host to the 133 graduates of the Class of 2018. This impressive group of seniors was accepted to a combined total of 183 colleges and universities in 33 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and China. The Class earned over $9.5 million in scholarships, and 85 percent of the class qualified for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Class includes 23 National Merit honorees. Congratulations Class of 2018!

On May 10, Berkeley recognized seven students as the newest 50th Anniversary Service Scholar Award winners. All of the scholars, Tori Ramakrishnan ’20, Anuksha Wickramasinghe’20, Bailie Schock ’19, Iris Casey ’19, Dev Kapadia ’19, Isabella Schlact ’19, and Charvi Sharma ’20, have proven through their application process that they are serving their communities to make a positive difference in the world.

Berkeley Preparatory School would like to congratulate and recognize Theo Diamandis '14 for earning the Frederick Emmons Terman Engineering Scholastic Award, presented annually by Stanford University to only the top five percent of the undergraduate senior engineering class. Terman scholars attend a celebratory luncheon and invite the most influential secondary school or other pre-college teacher who guided them during the formative stages of their academic career. Diamandis invited none other than Berkeley biology teacher Martha DeWeese as his honored guest to the Stanford campus for the award presentation. He credits Mrs. DeWeese’s guidance at Berkeley for much of the success he has garnered as an outstanding undergraduate engineering student.

On April 18, we were pleased to welcome David Osterweil ’95, Founder and CEO of Fitlife Foods, who addressed the newest inductees into the Cum Laude Society. Berkeley is one of approximately 350 schools in the country that has been granted a Cum Laude Society charter. The national organization of scholars was founded in the tradition of Phi Beta Kappa to recognize academic excellence. Congratulations to the newest 2018 Cum Laude Society inductees!

On April 11, seven student-athletes from Berkeley Preparatory School committed to compete in their collegiate sport of choice in a joint ceremony in front of a standing-room-only crowd of classmates, faculty and family members. Those committing to compete for a Division 1 program signed the National Letter of Intent. At the conclusion of Berkeley’s final signing ceremony of the year, 23 of 133 members of the Class of 2018 have now made their commitments to participate in collegiate athletics next year.  That is 17.3 percent, more than triple the national average.

The Berkeley Preparatory School chapters of the National Honor Society (NHS) and the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) recognized its newest members in two separate convocation ceremonies. Proud parents, family members and fellow classmates packed the Lykes Center for the Arts to recognize and honor the hard work of these outstanding students.

In September of 2012, Berkeley embarked on a strategic planning journey that would lead us to our most transformational and innovative period in more than 50 years of providing excellence in independent school education. Our goals and expectations to achieve national prominence may have seemed ambitious at that time. However, led by our visionary Berkeley Board of Trustees and the thoughtful input of the entire school community, we crafted a blueprint for the school that has guided us to where we are today and well prepared us for our future.

Performed entirely by students. 

A musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg.
Based on the novel by Victor Hugo Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg

In nineteenth century France, Jean Valjean is released from 19 years
of imprisonment, but finds nothing in store for him but mistrust and mistreatment. He breaks his parole in hopes of starting a new life, initiating a lifelong struggle for redemption as he is relentlessly pursued by Inspector Javert, who refuses to believe Valjean can change his ways. After his release, Valjean meets Fantine, a factory worker who sent her child, Cosette, to live with the innkeepers, M. and Mme. Thénardier in another town. The Thénardiers have another daughter, Eponine, whom they treat much better than Cosette. The women of the factory insist that Fantine be fired because of her loose morals. After Fantine dies of tuberculosis, Valjean adopts Cosette from the Thénardiers.

On February 7, five student-athletes from Berkeley Preparatory School committed to compete in their collegiate sport of choice in a joint ceremony in front of a standing-room-only crowd of classmates, faculty and family members. The event was also broadcast live on the ESPN network. Those committing to compete for a Division 1 program signed the National Letter of Intent.

Since 1984, Berkeley Preparatory School has claimed hundreds of awards and accolades as part of the regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards hosted annually by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers for grades 7-12. This year was no different for the talented group of fine arts students. In all, 42 Berkeley students were recognized in one or more of three award categories.

On December 4, more than 1,600 members of the Berkeley Preparatory School community came together to wrap gifts and write letters of holiday wishes to those less fortunate in our community. That means more than 1,600 children at Redlands Christian Migrant Association, the Head Start Programs at Jackson Springs, McCloud, and Town and Country Commons, and the Willis Peters Exceptional Center will have at least one gift under the tree this holiday season. Children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation will receive the hundreds of letters, well wishes and cards courtesy of the Berkeley students representing grades Pre-K through 12.

The Berkeley Preparatory School Girls Volleyball team won the Class 5A State Championship in thrilling fashion on November 16, beating Lake Highland Prep in a grueling five sets (24-26, 25-21, 25-17, 23-25, 15-10) at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, FL. The achievement in itself is impressive; the Buccaneers have now captured 16 state volleyball titles in the school’s illustrious history in the sport, accounting for the second most in the state.

On November 8, 11 student-athletes from Berkeley Preparatory School committed to compete in their collegiate sport of choice in a joint ceremony in front of a standing-room-only crowd of classmates, faculty and family members. Those committing to compete for a Division 1 program signed the National Letter of Intent.

Berkeley Preparatory School mathematics teacher Mike Van Treese was recently recognized as a recipient of the Excellence in Science/Mathematics Teacher Award by the Barrett Family Foundation. He is one of 12 recipients of a $10,000 cash award given to outstanding math and science teachers from select private high schools in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties for the 2017-18 academic school year. This is the third year in a row that a Berkeley teacher has been recognized by the Barrett Foundation. In 2015, Martha DeWeese won the same award as she was recognized for her outstanding work as a science teacher. Last year, math teacher David Ide was also recognized for this distinguished honor.

Berkeley Preparatory School welcomes Lindsay Squeglia, Ph.D., to campus to speak with students in both the Middle and Upper Divisions. She is a leading researcher and speaker on adolescent brain development and the effects of drug and alcohol use on the adolescent brain. All Berkeley parents are invited to a special evening presentation, and we strongly encourage at least one parent from each family to join us. This important topic is worth your time. Please mark your calendars for Monday, October 23, at 7:00 p.m. in the Lykes Center for the Arts. Dr. Squeglia is a newly appointed Assistant Professor at the Center for Drug and Alcohol Programs in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina in 2004, and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in 2012. Her current work focuses on understanding brain circuitry disruptions in adolescent heavy alcohol and marijuana users and utilizing this information to inform substance use treatments.

Berkeley Preparatory School is honored to recognize 10 students who have been named as National Merit Semifinalists among approximately 16,000 students from across the country as part of the 63rd National Merit Scholarship Program. A total of 12 students have been recognized as Commended Students.

It is with beaming pride and great excitement that I welcome you to the 2017-2018 school year at Berkeley Preparatory School. After yet another busy summer preparing for the year that is to come, our entire staff is eager and ready to engage each of our students in extraordinary ways.

The 2017-2018 Berkeley Preparatory School academic year will be here before you know it. Classes begin on Tuesday, August 22, 2017, and there is much to be done between now and then. There are school supplies and uniforms to purchase, summer reading to complete and various school forms and information to submit.

Berkeley Preparatory School has opened its doors to local students to launch the second year of the Berkeley Academy. The Berkeley Academy is a free summer and Saturday educational program aimed at ending summer learning loss for low-income students in Tampa Bay while helping them achieve their dream of going to college. The Berkeley Academy welcomed its returning class as well as a new class of rising seventh grade students for this rigorous and engaging college preparatory program. The Berkeley Academy has experienced a 30% application increase since its inaugural year.

A rainy Sunday afternoon certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of hundreds of family members, friends and alumni from celebrating the 127 newest Berkeley Preparatory School graduates of the Class of 2017 on June 4. This amazing group of young men and women were accepted to a combined total of 175 colleges and universities in 33 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. The class earned over $9 million in scholarships and 87 percent of the class qualified for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The class includes an impressive 23 National Merit honorees.

Berkeley Preparatory School has announced the hiring of the Reverend Brandon Peete to assume the duties of the Berkeley Chaplain, beginning July 2017. Reverend Peete will be leaving St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, where he has served as Associate Rector since 2013, and also as Director of Spiritual Life at their parish day school since 2016. Prior to that appointment, he served as School Chaplain of All Saints Episcopal School in Tyler, Texas (2011-2013).

The Berkeley Preparatory School Board of Trustees announced this week that they are excited to name the school’s future home for early childhood education in honor of Headmaster Joseph W. Seivold and his wife, Joan. The surprise announcement was made at the Board’s end-of-year meeting to honor Mr. Seivold’s hard work, dedication and leadership in guiding Berkeley through one of the most transformative periods in the school’s history.

Berkeley has been named the overall FHSAA Academic Team Champion for Class 5A in 2016-2017. This marks the seventh consecutive year that Berkeley has achieved this honor.

Berkeley Preparatory School students in Tampa are using a new virtual reality program to get hands-on experience. Students have been using the new program at the school to do everything from explore ancient ruins to travel to faraway places. Students from 7th grade to 12th grade have been using the school's virtual reality program this school year.

On April 12, nine student-athletes from Berkeley Preparatory School committed to compete in their collegiate sport of choice in a joint ceremony in front of a standing-room-only crowd of classmates, faculty and family members. Those committing to compete for a Division 1 program signed the National Letter of Intent.

The Berkeley Preparatory School chapters of the National Honor Society (NHS) and the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) recently recognized its newest members in two separate convocation ceremonies. Proud parents, family members and fellow classmates packed the Lykes Center for the Arts to recognize and honor the hard work of these outstanding students.

During the Berkeley spring break, the Tampa Bay Lightning honored Carson Eckhard ’17 as the ninth Lightning Community Hero of Tomorrow following the first period of a game versus the Washington Capitals. Eckhard, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Heroes program, will donate half of the money to the Redlands Christian Migrant Association and the Berkeley Academy, while the remainder of the money will go to a scholarship for her future education.

Berkeley Preparatory School has now secured funding to break ground on two transformative construction projects - the building of a state-of-the-art Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC), and the complete renovation of the Merluzzi Administration building and Jean Ann Cone Library, including the installation of the Frederick Learning Commons. Just recently, Gabby and Tom Frederick and Francesca and Richard Forsyth each made significant pledges to the Above & Beyond campaign, as the Rothman/Atwood family did back in late January. These gifts, added to other leadership–level gifts recently made by the MacKechnie Family Foundation, Ella and Anatolii Zhukovskyi, Kathy and Scott Fink, Barbara and Aydin Keskiner, Kimberly and Chris Calkin, Sandhya and Suren Ajjarapu, and Emily and Andrew Wright, will allow the school to get these two exciting projects started.

Ten Berkeley Preparatory School eighth graders recently returned from the Bahamas where they helped dedicate a new library at Sandilands Primary School in Nassau. The 4,000-plus books donated to the library were the result of Berkeley’s “Share the Love of Reading” book drive held in the fall. Once again, the Berkeley community stepped forward to make a positive difference in the world. Read more: http://www.thebahamasweekly.com/…/Sandilands_Primary_School…

On Super Bowl Sunday, February 5, more than 300 members of the Berkeley community, of all ages, generously gave part of their morning to come together in the Dimmitt Gymnasium to make a positive difference for others throughout the Tampa Bay community.

Six student-athletes from Berkeley Preparatory School signed national Letters of Intent in a joint ceremony on February 1, 2017, in a special convocation in front of family and friends the Lykes Center for the Arts. National Signing Day has become an annual tradition at Berkeley honoring the hard work and dedication of our senior Buccaneers who will continue their academic and athletic endeavors at some of the country’s top colleges and universities.

For the third year in a row, students from Berkeley Preparatory School took the top prize in the Central Florida Region Future City competition. The win allows the Berkeley Future City Club to advance to the national finals in February.

The 2017 Headmasters’ Challenge between Berkeley Preparatory School and Tampa Prep will be held on Berkeley's campus on Saturday, January 7, 2017. The competition, with events scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., will feature 16 winter sports from Middle Division, junior varsity, and varsity teams. Winning points will be tallied throughout the day and the school with the most points at the end of the day will be presented with the coveted Headmasters’ Cup. The Buccaneers hope to defend their 2016 victory in capturing the cup over their cross-town rival Tampa Prep. This marks the 14th year of the annual Headmasters’ Challenge.

Berkeley’s vision to put people in the world who make a positive difference will be on full display in the coming weeks as our entire school community does its part to help others during the holiday season – and beyond.

On November 9, 2016, two student-athletes from Berkeley Preparatory School announced their intentions to play collegiate athletics in a special Upper Division convocation ceremony in the Lykes Center for the Arts. Berkeley has 50 alumni currently participating in collegiate athletics, and on Wednesday, two more Berkeley Buccaneers took the next step to join them: Spencer Myers ’17 signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at the University of Notre Dame; and Zoe Gries ’17 committed to participate as a preferred walk on to play volleyball at the University of Southern California.

Congratulations to Berkeley Preparatory School students James Langley ’17, Elizabeth Sage ’19 and Sam Bennett ’18 for having their photography accepted for display in the Tampa Museum of Art Fall Art Exhibition. The exhibition opened to the public on Friday, October 28, and runs through the month of November. The Tampa Museum of Art Youth Council’s Fall High School Art Exhibition accepts a limited number of works to hang in the Museum. The works on display are critiqued and the best photos receive 1st through 3rd place awards. Langley’s photo earned a 3rd place award in the exhibition.

Berkeley Varsity Head Football coach Dominick Ciao earned his 200th career win when his Buccaneers defeated Lake Highland Prep on October 21. The win is one of many significant milestones in Ciao’s illustrious coaching career that began in 1986. Those who know him describe “Dom” Ciao as a quiet leader who prefers to stay out of the limelight; however, his humble demeanor is easily overshadowed by the huge impact he has on his players, students and colleagues.

Berkeley Preparatory School mathematics teacher David Ide has been recognized as a recipient of the Excellence in Science/Mathematics Teacher Award by the Barrett Family Foundation. He is a recipient of a $10,000 cash award given to outstanding math and science teachers from select private high schools in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties for the 2016-17 academic school year. This is the second year in a row that a Berkeley teacher has been recognized by the Barrett Foundation. In 2015, Martha DeWeese won the same award as she was recognized for her outstanding work as a science teacher.

As Berkeley Preparatory School begins a new school year, it does so having moved well past the $50 million mark during its current capital campaign, Above & Beyond: The Campaign for Berkeley Preparatory School. The vital resources generously donated by hundreds of donors have already been used to transform the campus at 4811 Kelly Road to create over 150,000 additional square feet under roof, and, most recently, resulting in an ambitious renovation effort of existing spaces, ready in time for the beginning of school.

Greetings from 4811 Kelly Road! It gives me great pleasure to write this letter welcoming all of you to Berkeley Preparatory School’s 2016-2017 school year. So many people have been working so hard for a long time now in preparation for all that is to come; my gratitude extends to our entire professional community. I hope all of you will take great comfort in knowing that we have planned carefully, upgraded significantly, and in every way developed what will surely be a tremendous learning and growing experience for each one of our students.

The opportunity to be a Berkeley Academy scholar would be an honor for any student seeking guidance in preparation for college. However, for 39 rising seventh grade scholars from Hillsborough County, the opportunity to spend six weeks on Berkeley’s campus with a team of teachers and mentors was the experience of a lifetime that will continue to pay dividends for years to come. These highly talented, yet economically challenged, students each share a passion to go to college - Berkeley Preparatory School wants to make sure they get there while preventing the summer learning slide so common in their communities.

This summer, Berkeley Preparatory School welcomes Melissa Davis, who begins her role as our Lower Division Director. Davis, a former Lower School Director at Alexandria Country Day School (ACDS) in Alexandria, Virginia, is excited to get started.

A rain-soaked Sunday, was not enough to keep hundreds of family members, friends and alumni from recognizing and celebrating the 155 newest Berkeley Preparatory School graduates of the Class of 2016 on June 5. This amazing group of young men and women (the largest class in school history) were accepted to a combined total of 182 colleges and universities in 36 states and the District of Columbia. The class earned over $9 million in scholarships, and 80 percent of the class qualified for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The class includes an impressive 31 National Merit honorees.

Berkeley Preparatory School has been named the overall FHSAA Academic Team Champion for Class 4A after six athletic teams earned individual Academic Team Champion honors throughout the 2015-16 year. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Berkeley has achieved this honor.

Berkeley Preparatory School is proud to recognize five members from the Class of 2016 for being awarded the prestigious National Merit Scholarship, valued at $2,500 each. Seniors Alan Armero, Nick Diaco, Zach Diamandis, Jack Graham and Gabe Villasana were among 2,500 Finalists across the nation selected for the scholarship. The National Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program.

The Berkeley Preparatory School chapters of the National Honor Society (NHS) and the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) recognized its newest members in two separate convocation ceremonies. Proud parents, family members and fellow classmates packed the Lykes Center for the Arts to recognize and honor the hard work of these outstanding students.

Berkeley Preparatory School would like to recognize and congratulate Mira Rajani '17 for being selected by the Athena Society as a 2016 Dr. Sylvia Richardson Young Woman of Promise award recipient.  Mira is one of 10 young women from Hillsborough County public and private schools to receive the distinction this year.

Berkeley Preparatory School is honored to recognize 11 students who have been named as National Merit Finalists among approximately 15,000 students from across the country as part of the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Approximately 250 volunteers from the Berkeley Preparatory School community dedicated their Sunday morning on February 21, 2016, to pack 40,000 meals to benefit families in need throughout the Tampa Bay area.

On February 3, 2016, student-athletes from Berkeley signed National Letters of Intent in a special Upper Division convocation ceremony in the Lykes Center for the Arts. Berkeley has 49 alumni currently participating in varsity collegiate athletics, and three more Berkeley Buccaneers took the next step to join them on Wednesday: Addison Grams will play football at Davidson College; Jon Turkel will join Grams in playing football at Davidson College; and Jacob Mathis has committed to play football at the University of Mississippi.

Downtown Tampa business leaders wooing a corporate headquarters to town could benefit from a chat with Joe Seivold. The headmaster at one of Florida’s most prestigious private schools, Berkeley Preparatory in Tampa, Seivold leads a closely connected mission: to transform Berkeley, with a pre-K-12th grade, Episcopal-affiliated curriculum, into a nationally known name in prep schools.

The Berkeley Preparatory School Buccaneers won the 2016 Headmasters’ Challenge between Berkeley and Tampa Preparatory School in convincing fashion on Saturday, January 9 as the Buccaneers won the Challenge 19-1 in combined totaled points. The Terps only point was earned as a result of a tie in boys soccer following a weather-related game cancellation where the two teams had to split the points. This year’s victory follows another convincing win after last year’s 13-6 victory over Tampa Prep in the annual contest that features 14 winter sports from middle division, junior varsity and varsity teams. Two points were awarded to varsity winners and one point was awarded to sub-varsity winners. The points were tallied throughout the day, and the winning school needed at least 10.5 points out of a possible 20 points to win the coveted Headmasters’ Cup. This was the first time in cup history that a school won every completed competition.

On December 5, 150 volunteers from the Berkeley Preparatory School community spent their Saturday morning volunteering at The Children’s Home in Tampa as part of their annual Family Community Service Day. Volunteers of all ages helped to wrap presents, string lights, decorate trees and campus buildings, hang candy canes, and draw holiday pictures and cards to bring some holiday joy to the children who live at The Children’s Home and to the staff who care for them.

We recently sat down with Berkeley’s own Christine Ortega Gaurkee, Upper Division Religious Studies teacher and the school’s Diversity Coordinator, who is serving as a conference co-chair of the 28th annual NAIS People of Color conference and the 22nd Annual Student Diversity Leadership conference being held at the Tampa Convention Center on December 2-5. Berkeley will host a site visit for this prestigious event that has an anticipated attendance of 6,000 people.  We asked her a few questions to find out more about this important event for our city and school and what it means to her to be a part of it all.

Long-time Berkeley Preparatory School science teacher Martha DeWeese has been recognized as a recipient of the Excellence in Science/Mathematics Teacher Award by the Barrett Family Foundation. She is one of six recipients of a $10,000 cash award given to outstanding math and science teachers from select private high schools in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties for the 2015-16 academic school year.

Congratulations to Chris Marshall and the Advanced Theatre Ensemble on their stellar production of Alice vs. Wonderland.

Alice vs. Wonderland begins as angst-ridden adolescent Alice accidentally trades places with Mary Ann, the Wonderland version of herself. Alice travels through a fantastical teenage dreamscape, and is challenged by several characters along the way. Transforming every time she eats or drinks, Alice consistently changes and develops as she continues her trip through Wonderland. Alice is played by six different actresses during her turbulent adventure, and ultimately experiences her own journey of self discovery and triumph.

Berkeley Preparatory School is proud to announce that the school will host its first TEDxBerkeleyPrep event on Saturday, September 26, 2015. The theme for the TEDxBerkeleyPrep event is “Communities of Practice,” featuring 12 dynamic speakers, representing local and international leaders of businesses and non-profits, as well as Berkeley faculty and students, who will convey a passion for a particular area of expertise and will focus on the issue of making something in their community better.

Berkeley Preparatory School is honored to recognize 11 students who have been named as National Merit Semifinalists among approximately 16,000 students from across the country as part of the 61st National Merit Scholarship Program.

Berkeley’s global reach and influence continued this summer as five of our teachers traveled to Ghana in July for a one-week visit to our sister school in that country. They visited the Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast to continue to build Berkeley’s relationship with this highly-regarded Ghanaian school.

The Class of 2015 included 141 recent graduates. They were accepted to a combined total of 162 colleges and universities in 36 states, Canada, and Scotland. The Class of 2015 earned over $8 million in scholarships, and 86 percent of the class qualified for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Class included 15 National Merit honorees.

Have you ever wondered how someone starts a company like Amazon – the actual nuts-and-bolts of it? Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Larry Page, co-founder of Google, and Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks – and thousands like them – are entrepreneurs who overcame the logistical hurdles of a start-up company to achieve huge success in business.

On April 15, student-athletes from Berkeley Preparatory School signed National Letters of Intent in a special Upper Division convocation ceremony in the Lykes Center for the Arts in front of a standing room only crowd of classmates, faculty and family members.

On April 9, the Berkeley Preparatory School chapters of the National Honor Society (NHS) and the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) recognized its newest members in two separate convocation ceremonies. Proud parents, family members and fellow classmates packed the Lykes Center for the Arts to recognize and honor the hard work of these outstanding students.

Since 1984, Berkeley Preparatory School has garnered numerous awards and accolades as a part of the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards hosted, annually by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. This year was no different for the talented group of fine arts students from the school’s Middle and Upper Divisions. In all, 79 Berkeley students were recognized in one of four award categories ranging from “Honorable Mention” to “American Visions Nominee” in the visual arts competition.

On February 4, student-athletes from Berkeley Preparatory School signed National Letters of Intent in a special upper division convocation ceremony in the Lykes Center for the Arts. Berkeley has 41 alumni currently participating in varsity collegiate athletics, and four more Berkeley Buccaneers took the next step to join them: Dana Manning will play soccer at Wake Forest University; Brad Mayes will play football at Lehigh University; Aidan O’Carroll will join Mayes in playing football at Lehigh University; and Joe Schiano will play football at Bucknell University.

For the second time in three years, students from Berkeley Preparatory School took the top prize in the Tampa Bay Region Future City competition. The win allows the Berkeley Future City Club to advance to the national finals in February.

On January 23, Berkeley’s 6th grade students were recognized as the Outstanding Group in the category of “Treasure of Tampa Bay Awards” at the Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful awards breakfast presented by Mosaic. This is the 26th year of the annual awards breakfast attended by 300 community members, elected officials, volunteers and community partners who gather to honor those who have made a positive impact in our environment and the community. This is the first time Berkeley students have won the award for their outstanding community service.

Berkeley Preparatory School is undergoing the most transformational period in its history. The breadth, depth and quality of a Berkeley education has never been better, our admissions inquiries are at an all-time high while enrollment remains at capacity, and our bricks and mortar projects are rapidly bringing our campus Master Plan to life.

Berkeley Preparatory School is hosting the 12th Annual Headmasters' Challenge versus Tampa Prep on Saturday, January 10. The competition, which takes place on Berkeley’s campus with events scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., will feature 14 winter sports from middle division, junior varsity and varsity teams. Winning points will be tallied throughout the day, and the school with the most points at the end of the day will be presented with the coveted Headmasters’ Cup.

Coming off an impressive win against previously unbeaten Wharton 41-39 to be crowned champions of the Northeast Holiday Tournament, the Berkeley Boys Basketball team carries momentum into their own holiday tournament January 2-3 at the 2015 Berkeley Basketball Invitational. Now in its 12th year, the Invitational will host 10 of the state’s top basketball programs in the Straz Family Field House on the Berkeley campus. The action gets underway at 3:00 p.m. on Friday and concludes at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday when the Buccaneers take on Lake Highland in a televised game on Bright House Sports Network.

Congratulations to Jack Koch ’15 who was awarded the Youth in Philanthropy award on November 12 as part of the National Philanthropy Day ceremony hosted by the Suncoast Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals! Jack has an amazing story of helping others and is an excellent ambassador for our school! To learn more about how Jack earned this well-deserved recognition, click here.

Berkeley Preparatory School is the recipient of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School award. The award champions safety and recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes. The award reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment. An astounding 80 percent of Berkeley students participate for Buccaneers sports teams and clubs.

The Berkeley Preparatory School Alumni Association presented its inaugural Alumni Service Award to Elizabeth Davis Dearborn Hughes ’02, CEO and Co-founder of the Akilah Institute for Women, on September 24 as part of a special Upper Division convocation.

Mrs. Betty Djokoto, headmistress of Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast, Ghana, visited Berkeley Preparatory School, September 9 – 11. The purpose of her visit was to establish a Berkeley-Wesley exchange program for Upper Division faculty and students. A boarding school, Wesley is Ghana’s premier academy, founded in 1837 by Methodist missionaries. Mrs. Djokoto, a graduate of the school, has served as Wesley’s headmistress for 10 years. Under her leadership, Wesley was the recipient of West Africa’s best-secondary-school award.

We would like to welcome the entire Berkeley community back to school for the 2014-2015 school year. Berkeley will open the year with more than 1,300 students, 27 new faculty and staff and countless opportunities throughout the year to create lifetime memories for all.

On June 1, 142 new graduates received their diplomas at Berkeley's 52nd Commencement among family and friends in the Straz Family Field House. Graduates from the Class of 2014 were accepted to a combined total of 164 colleges and universities in 36 states, Canada, Italy and Switzerland. All graduates were accepted to a college or university; 16 were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program; and 90 will attend out-of-state schools (63 percent of the class). The Class of 2014 earned $9 million in scholarship money, and 71 percent of the class qualified for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship program.

We want to congratulate Kelley Sheets ’14 for being named this year’s recipient of the Headmaster’s Trophy. Sheets received the distinguished award at this year’s Recognition of Excellence convocation, held annually to recognize faculty and students who excelled in the classroom and in the community throughout the school year.

On April 9, the Berkeley Preparatory School community lost a beloved former member of the faculty and staff in Mr. Alfred “Al” Pisano. For 27 years, Pisano served the school in countless ways, most notably as a coach and Upper Division Dean of Students. It has been said that his breadth of personality and good-natured humor were well known to all who had the pleasure of knowing him. He first came to Berkeley in 1983 to be the head football coach. During his tenure, he rightfully earned the titles of teacher, mentor and friend to countless people who had the honor of learning from him, working with him and knowing him. Upon his retirement from Berkeley in June 2010, Pisano was unanimously selected as an honorary alumnus of the Class of 2010 by the Alumni Association, making him one of only two people to receive this honor. Al Pisano embodied the Berkeley spirit and, along with his loving wife Peg and son Fred ’87, loved this place as his own. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him and loved him.

For more than 30 years, Berkeley Summer Programs has been providing children and adolescents exciting summers filled with fun and learning. The programs now are bigger and better than ever…and are quickly filling up! Now is the time to start scheduling your summer plans with Berkeley Summer Programs. With over 100 unique camps and classes, Berkeley Summer Programs has something for everyone.

News Update: The entire Berkeley community would like to extend a big “Congratulations” to Declan Farmer ’16 on winning the gold medal in sled hockey at the Winter Paralympics in Sochi! We are so proud of you!

The entire Berkeley community came together today to wish Declan Farmer ’16 “good luck” on his pursuit to claim Olympic gold as a member of the U.S. sled hockey team at the upcoming Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia. All divisions showed their school spirit and pride by wearing red, white and blue in honor of their classmate. A special upper division convocation, attended by a standing-room-only crowd of classmates, teachers, administrators and the media, served as a special tribute to Declan. An inspiring singing of the national anthem was performed by the Mello Divas; a student-produced tribute video highlighting Declan’s accomplishments in sled hockey was debuted; and good luck banners with hundreds of well-wishes were proudly displayed to add to the exciting atmosphere.

Hundreds of grandparents were honored today as Berkeley students, faculty and volunteers celebrated the school's 33rd annual Grandparents' Day. Lower division children showed off their latest classroom projects and sang songs in honor of their grandparents, while assorted treats and coffee were served outside the classrooms. Inside of the Lykes Center for the Arts, grandparents were treated to special performances by each division, including an appearance by the Pipe and Drum Corps who concluded the show with much applause.

Today, student-athletes from Berkeley Preparatory School signed National Letters of Intent in a special upper division convocation ceremony in the Lykes Center for the Arts. Berkeley has 46 alumni participating in varsity collegiate athletics, and today five more Berkeley Buccaneers took the next step to join them: Daniel Felman , soccer, Lafayette College;  Addison Harden, track , University of Arizona; Austin Iglehart, football, Wake Forest; Hayden Johnson, basketball, Washington and Lee University; and Jared Shimberg, football, Brown University.

Berkeley Preparatory School Headmaster Joseph W. Seivold and Berkeley’s Board of Trustees are proud to announce that the effort to transform the school’s academic core has resulted in a tremendous show of support from dozens of leadership donors. The school is now ready to take the Above & Beyond Campaign to the wider school community. An ambitious fundraising effort to support a multi-phase school Master Plan has already produced profound results benefiting the entire Berkeley family, and now we are thrilled to be publicly launching this initiative to build a state-of-the-art center for the Arts and Sciences.