BHUSD Opens 90th Year with 2026 Staff Opening Day

August 9th 2026

Beverly Hills, CA (August 9, 2026) – Beverly Hills Unified School District welcomed employees back from summer break for its annual Staff Opening Day, bringing the entire District workforce together to celebrate the start of the 2026-2027 school year and officially begin BHUSD’s 90th year.

One of the District’s most anticipated traditions, Opening Day serves as both a celebration and a keynote kickoff before students return to campus, providing an opportunity to reflect on the work of the past year, hear directly from students and community leaders, welcome new colleagues, and establish a shared vision for the year ahead.

The morning began by recognizing BHUSD’s 90-year legacy in Beverly Hills before Board of Education President Judith Manouchehri, Beverly Hills High School Class of 1998, welcomed employees back and reflected on her own journey from BHUSD student to Board President.

Manouchehri spoke about the profound and often lasting influence educators have on the lives of their students.

“A child’s future is never defined by where they begin, but by the people who believe in them, who challenge them, who encourage them, and who inspire them to become more than they ever imagined possible,” Manouchehri said.

Her remarks also highlighted the District’s recent academic progress, including a 4% increase in English achievement, 5% increase in mathematics, 9% increase in science, all California Dashboard performance measures meeting standards, and a 37% increase in applications to four-year universities.

Beverly Hills Mayor Craig Corman, Beverly Hills High School Class of 1977, followed Manouchehri and reflected on his own experience attending Beverly Hills schools from kindergarten through graduation.

Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss then reflected on the programs, facilities and student opportunities expanded during the previous school year, including the Dual Language Academy, High-Impact Tutoring, expanded athletics and arts opportunities, Unified Physical Education through Special Olympics, and newly completed District facilities.

“We focus on the work. Winning takes care of itself,” Cherniss said. “This is our goal each and every year. When more kids are at grade level, when more kids are learning, when more kids are challenged, this will happen.”

With that momentum as the foundation, Cherniss turned the focus toward what comes next for BHUSD. Employees were introduced to several priorities and initiatives for the new school year, including the introduction of Beverly Hills Preschool, continued expansion of the Dual Language Academy and High-Impact Tutoring, development of the Prime Ambassador Program to create employment opportunities for Prime graduates, and exploration of an artificial intelligence graduation requirement focused on skills such as AI literacy and prompt engineering.

The District will also begin implementing the Board of Education’s new technology and screen-time policy and closed-campus policy, continuing an approach that pairs innovation with greater opportunities for focused instruction, student engagement and campus safety.

Opening Day then shifted from keynote speeches to the voices at the center of the District’s work: its students.

In one of the morning’s most memorable moments, Bravo became BHUSD as Assistant Superintendent Dr. Dustin Seemann stepped into the role of Andy Cohen for “The Real Students of Beverly Hills.” In the reunion-style segment, Seemann interviewed 11 BHUSD students about what teachers and staff can do to better support them in the classroom and throughout their educational experience.

The format brought plenty of humor and energy to Opening Day, but its purpose was meaningful. Before educators returned to their classrooms, BHUSD gave students the opportunity to speak directly to the adults who serve them about what helps them feel supported, challenged, understood, and successful.

The program also welcomed BHUSD’s newest employees to the District before concluding with a celebration of longtime staff members whose service spans decades. In total, over 65 employees were recognized for milestones ranging from 10 to 40 years of service, underscoring the generations of educators and employees who have contributed to Beverly Hills schools.

2026 BHUSD Service Award Honorees

10 Years of Service: Sandra Arredondo, Jose Celis Bautista, Sajun Bibbs, Michelle Bonavida, Clark Dikeman, Natalie Dyer, Eliza Essakhar, Elizabeth Federman, Marilyn Gallup, Kelly Gibbs, Elisa Gomez, Shayan Hemmati, Carlos Ibarra, Gregory Jackson, Marshall McCullough, Michelle Morales, Jessica Telles and Lisa Tonley.

15 Years of Service: Candace Hemphill, Bruce Orr, Joanne Park, Stacy Varela, Adam Verdi and Shady Zahirpour.

20 Years of Service: Kevin Bowers, Alexander Breitman, Timothy Briggs, Edna Broukhim, Rebecca Castrapel, Jung Hwan Chang, Jumi Conway, Fidel Coronel, Joshua Glass, Kentasha Holley, Joseph Isaac, Preston Joseph, Ryan Lisko, Sergio Lopez Alarcon, Cherryne Lue-Sang, Mark Mead, Iliana Medina, Alyssa Para, Catherine Pincu, Verlisa Walker, Suzan Yovetich and Mina Zargar.

25 Years of Service: Christopher Anderson, Andrea Barron, Claudia Bushee, Judith Chan, Roel Hinojosa, Colleen Lynch, Kari Marlowe, Efua Paul and April Silva.

30 Years of Service: Petrina Arth, Dana Findley, Christina Fuhrer, Karen Garland, Daniela Kamp-Taylor, Rachel Pearce, Ellen Poltorak, Joshua Schmidt and Reiona Smith-Ysaguirre.

35 Years of Service: Rich Waters.

40 Years of Service: Luis Mercado.

As BHUSD begins its 90th year, Opening Day reflected both the history behind the District and the work still ahead. From employees who have dedicated four decades to Beverly Hills schools to the newest members of the BHUSD team, the morning brought generations of the District together around one shared purpose: ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

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