BECS PARENT NEWSLETTER
How we do excellence on purpose: April, 2024
Women's History Month Highlights!
Lego Robotic's Club Showcase!
Mr. Lay hosted a Lego Robotics showcase for all parents on Wednesday, March 27th at 4:00 PM.
Students showcased the coding they learned, the robots they built, and modeled moving their robots using the tools and features that they coded.
Check out the highlights below!
Voice of the Parent Survey!
Your Opinion Matters!
At Brooklyn Excelsior, we deeply value the insights and experiences of our parents, as they play a crucial role in shaping our students' educational journey.
In our continuous effort to enhance our school community, we invite you to participate in our Voice of Parent Survey. Your input is invaluable, and it will contribute to our ongoing commitment to providing the best possible education for your child.
You can find your survey link in the email invitation, a text reminder, or within your NHA Parent Portal. Your responses will remain confidential, and the survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.
We genuinely appreciate your time and effort in helping us better understand your perspectives and expectations. Thank you for your continued support and partnership with Brooklyn Excelsior. Together, we can create an even more enriching and positive learning environment for our students. If you have questions or need assistance with the survey please get in touch with the school office.
BECS Girl Boss Brunch HIGHLIGHTS!
Girls Boss Brunch 😊
Our Kinder to 5th Grade girls had a blast at their BOSS BRUNCH! Members of our staff gave presentations that focused on friendships, finishing what you start, self- esteem, and more! A student led us in a chant, another scholar read us a poem, we dined and listened to all of our favorite Girl Boss Tunes. See photos of our awesome event below!
K-2 Reading Month Celebration!
To celebrate Reading Month, our K-2 and 3-5 students dressed up as their favorite characters! Check out some of our awesome character costumes below!
The Lovely Teacher's Lounge!
A big THANK YOU to the 1st and 5th grade teams, our current Sunshine Committee members! Thank you for bringing some brightness and joy to the teacher's lounge on this rainy Monday morning. Make sure to stop by for some popcorn! There are also new questions posted on the Phoenix Focus whiteboard!
ESSER Updates & Collaboration Meeting Details
Dear Brooklyn Excelsior Parents / Stakeholders:
You are cordially invited to attend our ESSER III Stakeholder Collaboration Meeting to learn more about this federal grant-funded programs. Our Title 1 allocations and wellness policy will also be shared and input will be gathered!
We will hold this meeting in the library during Parent Teacher Conferences.
We will be explaining what ESSER III funds are, as well as sharing some recommendations of how we may spend our funds through September 30th, 2024. The meeting will provide you with an opportunity to ask questions and give us input on how to spend our ESSER III funds here at Brooklyn Excelsior Charter School and how to revise our ESSER III LEA Plan of Use.
I hope you will take this opportunity to meet with us and learn more about our COVID grant opportunities, and to provide input on our recommendations for spending our allocated funds and ESSER III LEA Plan of Use.
We look forward to seeing you at our ESSER III Stakeholder Collaboration Meeting!
Feel free to contact me with any questions at 47.sgirouard@Nhaschools.com or call the school at 718-246-5681.
Sincerely,
Sally Girouard,
Principal
Important State Test Information
It's Testing Season: Standardized Tests in New York
Standardized Tests in New York
New York students in grades 3-8 take a variety of state and local exams. Some NY Standardized Tests relate to information they learned in elementary school. Others reflect the additional skills they’re currently learning. These assessments provide valuable information about where your child stands academically versus in previous years. Over time, you’ll also be able to see how much progress your child made or subjects that need more work.
OFFICIAL STATE TEST DATES:
April 8th and 9th: NY State English Language Arts (ELA) Test for Grades 5 & 8
The 5th and 8th grade ELA test is a 2-day, untimed exam that features multiple-choice questions based on short passages they read. Students must also provide written responses about stories or articles from books, newspapers, or poetry. Students in grades 3-8 take this test every spring. Students in grades 5 and 8 will take the test on the computer. These are the only grades taking the computer-based assessments.
April 11th and 12th: NY State English Language Arts (ELA) Test for Grades 3, 4, 6, and 7
The 5th and 8th grade ELA test is a 2-day, untimed exam that features multiple-choice questions based on short passages they read. Students must also provide written responses about stories or articles from books, newspapers, or poetry. Students in grades 3-8 take this test every spring. Students in grades 3, 4, 6 and 7 will take the paper-based ELA assessment.
- May 6th and 7th: NY State Math Test for Grades 5 and 8
The NY State Math assessment is also a 2-day untimed test. It requires students to use their math skills in various ways. Some questions are multiple-choice, while others are open-ended. These are the only grades taking the computer-based assessments.
May 8th and 9th: NY State Math Test for Grades 3, 4, 6, and 7
The NY State Math assessment is also a 2-day untimed test. It requires students to use their math skills in various ways. Some questions are multiple-choice, while others are open-ended. Students in grades 3, 4, 6 and 7 will take the paper-based ELA assessment.
May 15: NY State Science Test, Grades 5 and 8 ONLY
The NY State Science assessment tests a student’s understanding of scientific concepts and inquiry techniques. Students take this test in 5th grade and 8th grade. This test will also be computer based.
Take a Sneak Peak inside our Classrooms . . .
Kindergarten Small Group Instruction!
Kindergarten working in small groups and independently!
Kinder tackles targeted reading instruction!
3 Small Support Groups in Kindergarten!
Awesome Student Work Displays in Middle School Social Studies! Go, Lambert!
Stay Connected with School Connect
Look HERE for BECS April Breakfast and Lunch Menus
Smart Minds start with Healthy Bodies
We'd like to remind you of all the benefits that come along with your child participating in their school meal program:
- Your child has the power to choose from a variety of flavorful, daily menu options.
- Meals are prepared fresh on-site, removing the risk in keeping packed lunches cold or hot.
- Each meal is nutritionally balanced to give students what they need to succeed at school.
- There is always a hot meal option offered that includes a side, fruit/veggies, and milk.
Our meal programs are designed around offering freshly prepared, nutrition-rich options that keep bellies full and brains alert and ready to learn. We feed our students as if they were extensions of our own SLA Family, providing the best meal service possible to help them succeed.
Check out our menus below!
Breakfast Menu
Lunch Menu
Snack Options
April Calendar!
Upcoming Events
Attendance Matters!
There is a clear link between attendance and punctuality and achievement. The more time students spend in school the more likely they are to improve their opportunity to fulfill their full potential.
How can you help!
Ensure your child is at school and ready to learn each day
Students should be in their classrooms by 7:50am
Make sure school bags are packed the night before
Being late doesn’t only affect your child, it disrupts other children in the class as well as the teachers trying to teach a lesson. However, if you do think you are going to be late, please do not keep your child home. Being late and in school is better than being absent and missing out. "Miss a minute...miss a lot!"
BECS 2023-2024 Calendar!
BECS ❤️ Back-to-School
Principal's Email: 47.sgirouard@nhaschools.com
Website: https://www.nhaschools.com/schools/brooklyn-excelsior-charter-school/en
Location: 856 Quincy Street, Brooklyn NY 11221
Virtual Tour: https://vimeo.com/444879279