Compass Family Update
September 19, 2016
Upcoming Important Dates and Events
Monday, September 19th
- Mark Morris Dance Classes for Chestnut (3rd Grade) and Elm (2nd Grade)
Tuesday, September 13th
- Mark Morris Dance Classes for Tulip (3rd Grade) and Pine (2nd Grade)
Wednesday, September 14th
- 8:20AM: Second Community Gathering of the school year (Students and Compass Staff Only)
- Wednesday Half Day for Professional Development (1:00PM Dismissal)
Thursday, October 6th
- 6:00PM-7:30PM: First Family School Collaborative Meeting of the school year (Dinner and babysitting provided, more info below)
Thursday, October 13th
- 6:00PM-8:00PM: Curriculum Night
FROM THE CO-DIRECTORS
Dear Families,
It's week three! Please take a few minutes to read through the information below.
This week our dance residency with Mark Morris begins, we will begin fall literacy and math assessments, and our staff will be trained in our new Student Information System. Please see more detailed information below regarding our social emotional curriculum and this week's community gathering.
Social Emotional Learning
This week classes are continuing to establish routines and build community as we implement our social emotional curriculum, Caring School Community. Each class will spend some time this week focusing on the following social emotional concepts:
- Playground routines and safety
- Including others in our play
- Creating and following classroom norms
- Fairness and equity in the classrooms
Community Gathering
We had our first Community Gathering of the school year last Wednesday morning. We officially opened the school year with our tradition of ringing bells with the youngest student in the school and one of the co-directors. We then had a small dance party and sang a few of our familiar favorite songs. It felt great to be back on one space together and to welcome our new friends into our community.
Our tradition since our founding year has been to have students and Compass staff at the first two Community Gatherings. We invite you all to join us for our weekly community building ritual beginning Wednesday, September 28th. Community Gathering lasts from 8:20AM-9:00AM each week and takes place in the gym on the first floor of the school building.
Enjoy the week and please reach out if you have any questions!
Sincerely,
Brooke, Michelle, and Todd
Save the Date: First Family School Collaborative Meeting
Join us on October 6th at 6pm for this year's first Family School Collaborative meeting! We'll be discussing our goals for this year and forming committees for our upcoming fall events. Dinner will be served and babysitting will be provided. We're looking forward to it and hope to see all of you there!
Thursday, Oct 6, 2016, 06:00 PM
Cafeteia
Save the Date: Curriculum Night
Compass Curriculum Night is an evening dedicated to sharing our approach to teaching and learning at our school. Our teachers will provide an outline of our curricular plans for the year as well as reflections from the first few weeks of school. There will also be time to ask questions.
Curriculum Night is an important event and we request to have at least one person from each child's family present to learn more about our curriculum and expectations for the children at our school. Please let us know if you have any questions.
We will meet in the auditorium from 6:00-6:30 as an entire school community and then families will disperse to the classrooms for curriculum presentations by the teachers.
Childcare will be provided. Children can be dropped off for childcare beginning at 5:45pm.
Thursday, Oct 13, 2016, 06:00 PM
300 Adelphi Street, Brooklyn, NY, United States
This Week's Morning Snack Menu
Today's snack was replaced with Ginger Orange Muffins instead of Cinnamon Pita Crisps.
Indoor and Outdoor Recess Policy
Please send your child to school with clothing that will protect them during recess. Also, please let us know if you need help securing wet or warm weather gear for your child.
We believe that it is crucial for children to be physically active during their day. Opportunities to play and exercise help all people to stretch their muscles, clear their heads, and better focus on the many tasks they are given each day.
With these beliefs in mind and a commitment to putting your child’s safety first, we use our discretion when deciding whether to have outdoor recess or not. There are numerous factors that impact our decision to hold indoor recess including: heavy rain, blizzard, ice on the playground or play yard, and severe wind chill. Barring these conditions, or any other that is similarly dangerous, we will be going outside for recess.
As with every policy, there are exceptions to the rule. If your child has specific health conditions (e.g. severe asthma), we will provide coverage indoors during recess. A doctor’s note explaining the need for a child to stay indoors for recess is required for such coverage. The doctor’s note should state the specific environment (e.g. above freezing) in which your child cannot go outside to ensure that we have complete clarity and that your child has access to as much outdoor time as possible.
Children should come dressed in appropriate clothing for the weather. Such attire includes jacket, scarf, hat, boots, snow pants (or a second pair of pants) for the winter and rain boots, lighter jackets, etc for other weather. Children and families should feel free to utilize the baskets in their cubbies for their gear and can leave them at school. Please let us know if you need help securing warm weather gear for your child.
No Double Parking in Front of Open Spots
Please do not park in or next to teachers' parking spots on Carlton and Adelphi when you are dropping kids off in the morning. We have noticed an increase in this activity of late. Taking these spots makes it very hard for the teachers of the two schools downstairs to find a parking spot and show up to work on time. Please double park in front of parked cars. When you see numerous, available spots, know that the spots fill up quickly between 7:30 and 7:50, so even if you think you will be back downstairs promptly, taking a parking spot really puts the teachers in a bind. As we continue to try our best to be good neighbors with our two co-located schools, we ask that you help us out.
Last week, a number of cars were ticketed, and we think this municipal attention will increase in the future.
Update Your Family's Information
Please take the time to fill out this form so that we can update your child's records and plans for this school year.
This form serves as an annual check-in regarding important information (medical, emergency contacts, bussing) that we would like to update every year. You have all filled some of this information out for enrollment and may have even occasionally updated this information verbally or via email. This form will allow us to more easily maintain and input your child's records in our new student information system, PowerSchool.
Food Services
Every year, the DoE asks us to ask our families to fill out the Food Services application even if you have no intention of using Food Services. Please take five minutes to fill out this form, as this information about our community's demographics could help us with raising money for the school.
Administering Medication at School - Original Documentation Required
Important Reminder that medication of any kind can only be administered once an ORIGINAL COPY OF the DOE's Medical Administration Form (MAF) has been completed and accepted by the school nurse each year. Until that document is accepted by the nurse, Compass, nor the nurse will not administer medication. You can get a copy of the appropriate form (options 1, 2, or, 3 depending on the need) here.
No DoE-Bussing on Columbus and Veterans Day
Looking ahead to October and November, please mark your calendars and plan for the fact that there are no DoE yellow busses provided on Monday, October 10 and Friday, November 11. Unfortunately, you will be expected to get your child to school through other means. We apologize for this inconvenience.
2016-2017 School Year Calendar
Click HERE to access our public Compass calendar.
Compass Charter School
Follow us on Instagram @brooklyn_compass
Feel free to reach out anytime with questions or to catch up. Our contact info is listed below.
Brooke Peters, Co-Director of Curriculum and Instruction
718-310-3588, extension 503
Michelle Healy, Co-Director of Curriculum and Instruction
718-310-3588, extension 504
Todd Sutler, Co-Director of Strategic Development
718-310-3588, extension 501
Email: info@brooklyncompass.org
Website: brooklyncompass.org
Location: 300 Adelphi Street, Brooklyn, NY, United States
Phone: (718) 310-3588
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CompassCharterSchool
Twitter: @compasscharter