Family & Student Weekly News
January 15, 2019
Dear Brooklyn Collaborative Families & Students
With the fall semester coming to a close this Friday, 1/18, it’s important that students take the time to reflect upon their academic performance. As students look ahead and prepare for spring semester, they should assess the areas in which they demonstrated mastery and their areas in need of continued growth.
It’s critical that students demonstrate habits of scholarship of being persistent and responsible in their effort to achieve academic success and demonstrate mastery of their learning targets. It's important that students do not give up when work is challenging and ask questions when they are confused. It's equally important that students are collaborative and contribute to the academic and intellectual classroom environment. Being persistent, responsible, and collaborative are habits of scholarship that are foundational for students as they seek to promote to the next grade.
Families play a vital role in supporting their child’s success! We encourage you to establish a routine of looking at Pupil Path and discussing with your child their academic successes and their academic challenges and coming up with strategies for growth. Remind your child to attend Mastery Support on Tuesdays from 3:15 p.m.-4:00 p.m. to get extra support from their teachers.
We look forward to your continued partnership in making sure that our children come to school daily and on time and in cultivating work habits, behavior, and values that are important for their life-long success.
In partnership,
Scill, Amanda, Imani (BCS School Leaders)
Tracey (BCS Parent Coordinator)
UPCOMING DATES
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
- EVERY TUESDAY: Mastery Support -3:15 - 4:00 p.m.
- 1/18/19: Fall Semester Ends
- 1/21/19: Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Day (No School)
- 1/22/19 - 1/25/19 - UG PBAT Week
- 1/30 Spring Semester Begins
- 2/5: Lunar New Year (No School)
- 2/9 - BCS Mid-winter Gala and Auction (7:00 - 10:00 p.m.)
- 2/12 - SLT meeting from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.
- 2/12 - PTA meeting from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
- 2/18 - 2/22: Midwinter Recess
Check this link for weekly highlights:
of what's going at the school, in the classroom, in after school clubs, an at sports events.
Check this link for important dates: http://www.bcs448.org/monthly-calendar/
Contact Information: To sign up for our parent mailing list, please email scill@bcs448.org with your name, your child’s name and grade level. Note: if you are receiving this email, you are already on our parent mailing list.
If you have any additional questions, please email imani@bcs448.org and tracey@bcs448.org
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Family Breakfast on Friday, January 18th: Talking Math with your Child at 8:15 a.m.
- Join school leaders Scill, Amanda, and Imani and math teacher/Instructional Guide (IG) Adam in a conversation about how to talk to your child about math.
- Adam will facilitate an interactive workshop with families about math and how to best support and encourage math learning at home and to make it accessible, including supporting your child with using IXL.
- RSVP to Imani at imani@bcs448.org
Reading in the Round BCS Parent Book Club - Tuesday, January 29th
- Calling all parents to kick off our Brooklyn Collaborative Parent Book Club on Tuesday, January 29th from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
- If you enjoy reading, this is a wonderful opportunity to meet other parents, read some of the ‘hottest’ Young Adult (YA) authors that our students are reading, use fiction to explore, address, and discuss issues our students may face around race, gender, class, sexuality, equality, immigration, etc.
- We will kick off this year's book club by reading Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. This compelling, inspiring, and comically sublime story of one man’s coming-of-age, is set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed.
- Born a Crime is available at your local library and through Amazon. If you have any difficulty getting the book, please email Imani at imani@bcs448.org and school librarian Amanda Clarke at amandac@bcs448.org ASAP.
- Check out links to two interviews with Trevor Noah about his book Born a Crime.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hfMNTnBM4I
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEsWOZjjVt8
COMMUNITY CORNER
Winter Coat Giveaway to Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- WHAT: In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day the Red Hook Justice Center’s Neighborhood Restitution Crew (community service) and the Red Hook Community Resilience Corps will be hosting a Coat Giveaway c/o NEW YORK CARES. We will have coats, hot cocoa and cookies to give away.
- WHEN: Friday, January 18th
- TIME: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- WHERE: Red Hook Justice Center (front of 88 Visitation Place, Brooklyn, NY 11231)
- FOR MORE INFORMATION: Email Jackie (Jsoto@nycourts.gov) and Leslie (Lgonzaga@nycourts.gov) or call 718-923-8204 or 718-923-8242
Why School Diversity Matters: Hear from the Students Themselves - Thursday, 1/17
- WHAT: "Why School Diversity Matters: Hear from the Students Themselves". PS 321 Diversity Committee has put together an event that promises an evening to hear from students about why school diversity matters. The evening will kick off with performances from Teens Take Charge and testimonials from Integrate NYC, both youth-led organizations. Matt Gonzales, founder of Appleseed and ASID, will facilitate a panel discussion of equity experts who will discuss why diversity matters in the classroom and how it benefits students.
- WHEN: Thursday, January 17
- TIME: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
- WHERE: P.S. 321 Auditorium; 180 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215
PTA CORNER
"Get your tickets for the BCS Mid-Winter Gala!
- It's time for BCS's annual gala and Silent Auction!
- Escape the mid-winter blues at one of Carroll Gardens last great social clubs; The Luso-American. Make new friends and dance the night away!
- At this year's gala, we'll be celebrating our very own Parent Coordinator Tracey Pinkard- an outstanding administrator, friend and community leader. She's touched so many of our lives and it's time to show how much we care about her.
Enjoy:
- Live Music from BCS Teacher John Schmit!
- DJ and Dancing!
- Open Bar, Appetizers from Sahadi’s, Empanadas from BCS parent Sylvia Vega and Dinner Buffet from Gina’s Cultural Catering All included!
- Bid on Summer programs, Tutoring, Fashion, Spa Treatments, Art, Home Services and more!
- Gala Tickets available here
- Can't attend the gala but want to contribute?
- You and your friends can still make a donation of goods and/or services to our silent auction. Fill out this form: https://www.bcspta.org/gala on the BCS PTA website.
STUDENT CLUBS
BCS Student Council Updates
- On Friday, January 11th, Student Council had its weekly meeting (Grades 6-12). Grade representatives continued to engage in team building activities to build community.
- Student Council also reviewed, reflected upon, and discussed the feedback from the grade wide town halls and tentatively formed committees to break into to tackle the topics raised by their peers.
- Student Council meets weekly periods 5 & 6.
Reel Works Documentary Filmmaking Club @ Brooklyn Collaborative
- WHAT: Create films of your own: Tell your stories and have your voices heard. Use digital camcorders, tripods, and microphones to film.
- WHEN: Meets Mondays & Wednesdays, January through June
- TIME: 3:15-5:15 pm
- WHERE: Art Room 514
- FOR MORE INFORMATION: Email Imani@bcs448.org
STUDENT CORNER: RESOURCES, EVENTS, & OPPORTUNITIES
Weekly Mastery Support: Every Tuesday, 3:15 - 4:00 p.m.
- EVERY Tuesday after school is mastery support time from 3:15-4pm.
- This is a chance for you to get extra help from your teachers.You are encouraged to stay for this time if there are any assignments they would like to work on or extra help they would like from teachers. All teachers are available during this time.
- We look forward to you remaining after school for support on Tuesdays!
- You are the leader of your own learning. Seize the Master Support opportunities!
Segue Program: Make Art & Create Change in Your Community
- WHAT: Segue Program introduces students to Groundswell's mission to use art as a tool for social justice. Students will learn different skills and techniques to make art and connect with the Gowanus, Brooklyn community. Art making may include photography, drawings, painting, scupture, printmaking and more! Students receive all art materials, field trip opportunities and snacks!
- WHEN: Every Thursday beginning in January
- TIME: 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
- WHERE: Groundsell, 540 President Street #1A, Brooklyn, NY 11215. Take the R train to Union Street
- APPLY ONLINE: Go to www.groundswell.nyc or email studioprograms@groundswell.nyc
FAMILY CORNER: RESOURCES, EVENTS, & OPPORTUNITIES
How Children Learn About Race: Tuesday, January 22nd
- WHAT: How Children Learn About Race: A Conversation with Professors Margaret Hagerman and Erin Winkler
- WHEN: Tuesday, January 22nd
- TIME: 8:30 p.m.
- REGISTER TO JOIN this free, hour-long, online conversation with your EmbraceRace community. Link to register: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LW8hSaYZSVedp8mZznQRZw
Margaret A. Hagerman is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Mississippi State University and is a Faculty Affiliate in both the African American Studies and Gender Studies programs. She received her Ph.D. from Emory University in 2014. Her qualitative research focuses on racial socialization, or how kids learn about race, racism, inequality, and privilege. Dr. Hagerman’s newly published book, White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America (NYU Press) explores how white children learn about race in the context of their everyday lives.
Erin N. Winkler is a professor of African & African Diaspora Studies and Urban Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she also serves on the advisory boards of Childhood and Adolescent Studies; Ethnic Studies; and Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latino/a Studies; and is affiliated faculty in Women's Studies. She earned her Ph.D at the University of California-Berkeley and was a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University. She is author of the book, Learning Race, Learning Place: Shaping Racial Identities and Ideas in African American Childhoods.
CLASSROOM, COLLABORATION, & CURRICULUM SPOTLIGHT
Model Job Fair
- Our bi-annual Model Job Fair on Friday, 1/11 was an incredible event!
- 11th grade students who completed their fall internships presented their internship sites and interviewed 9th and 10th graders.
- We are so proud of our interns and Tanisha and Jesse!
- As part of the Model Job Fair, we held a competition with prizes for the 'best professionally dressed' 9th and 10th graders on the day. This year piloted a staff competition -- the 'Best Professionally Dressed Crew Leaders', as voted on by our interns via the pictures we take!
LIBRARY CORNER
2017 Caldecott Medal Winner Javaka Steptoe Meets with 6th Graders in ELA!
- This week 6th graders will have the opportunity to see 2017 Caldecott Medal winner Javaka Steptoe!
- Steptoe will be discussing his book Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
- His visit ties in beautifully with the 6th grade ELA project that has students creating their own picture books.
FUNDRAISING CORNER
Brooklyn Collaborative Wish List
- We greatly appreciate you taking a look at our wish list and supporting us in whatever ways you can.
- Link: http://a.co/bb5yXoj
Box Tops for Education
- BCS participates in the Box Tops for Education program. This program provides schools with a way to raise funds by turning in cut-out box tops from specially marked General Mills products.
- Each collected box top can be redeemed for ten cents.
- Please collect your box tops and submit them to Tracey in Rm 410