March 5th
Brooks News to Know
PARCC Testing Begins Tuesday, March 6th
During the testing window in March, you can help your student do his/her best by:
1) Making sure, if possible, that your student attends school on the days of testing
2) Making sure your student gets a good night’s sleep before testing
3) Providing breakfast on the morning of testing
4) Reminding your student to ask the teacher questions if he/she does not understand the test directions
5) Letting your student know that you have confidence in his/her ability to do his/her best
6) Advising your student not to worry about the test—just do the best he/she can.
7) Reminding your student to bring ear buds for testing
8) Reminding your student to make sure their chromebook is charged each night
As in years past, students will again be participating in the PARCC (Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) Assessment this Spring. The PARCC Assessment will be administered to all students during the first two weeks of March. We will begin PARCC testing on Tuesday, March 6th and are scheduled to end testing on Monday, March 19th with make-up testing to be completed during week of March 19th.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your student’s teacher or one of our Assistant Principals who are responsible for coordinating the PARCC testing: Angelica Kamysz (akamysz@op97.org) or Michelle Reed (mreed@op97.org)
Brooks Spirit/Respect Week March 5 - March 9
March 6 - Sports Day - We are all part of the same team.
March 7 - Golden Days - Wear yellow or Gold to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Special Olympics.
March 8 - Animal Print Day - Because we are wildly crazy about respecting people.
March 9 - Kind Eagles day - Wear your Brooks wear.
International Baccalaureate Video
HERO encourages positive student behavior choices.
Brooks continues to place an emphasis on reinforcing positive student behaviors in the classroom and across school spaces. In order to teach and reinforce these learning behaviors Brooks teachers continue to use our digital reinforcement system, HERO. Each team has a specific goal they are working towards over a period of six weeks. Students will celebrate their successes in demonstrating positive behaviors by engaging in team celebrations during one period on March 23rd.
Want to support your student in working towards their team's goal? See the list below and log into HERO (directions to create an account) to see how your student is being reinforced during the day.
6.1- Being prepared for class with materials and assignments
6.2- Being prepared for class with materials and assignments
6.3- Being prepared for class with materials and assignments
7.1 -Remaining "on task" for the entire class period.
7.2- Demonstrating positive classroom behavior (defined explicitly by each teacher)
7.3- Being prepared for class with materials and assignments
8.1- Using technology appropriately and only for learning.
8.2- Remaining "on task" for the entire class period.
8.3- Be prepared for class with materials and assignments
Brooks Recycling Challenge
If you have any spare recyclable cans or bottles, please donate them to team 7.1’s collection bins. Remember, Floor 3, Wing C. Let’s meet our goal of adding 5,000 cans and bottles to Ryan Recycles Challenge of 300,000! Follow @ChicagoStrawless on Instagram for more information.
We are currently at 3,324 in Week 6. We are in 5th place in the nation. Only 4 weeks to go with a goal of 5,000.
7th grade trip to Springfield
There's still time to register for the 7th grade trip to Springfield!
Date: Friday, April 20, 2018
Cost: $115
Registration Deadline: March 15, 2018 (after the 3/15 deadline, a 10% late fee will be added for late registrants)
Trip ID: 149246
Easy ways to sign-up for the trip:
- Online: worldstrides.com/signup
- Phone: (800) 468-5899
Questions: contact Janorisè Robinson at brooksspringfieldtrip@gmail.com
PTO Trivia Night, March 15
Brooks/ Julian PTO Trivia Night on Thursday, March 15th at Fitzgerald’s.
https://d97pto.wufoo.com/forms/2018-brooksjulian-trivia-night/
Signup genius, volunteers
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b4eaba92dabf94-trivia
District 97 Summer Math Program
Movie Showing: Angst-Raising Awareness Around Anxiety
Sunday, March 18th at Music Box Theatre in Chicago. Movie starts at 4:30pm with discussion at 5:30pm. Tickets are $10 and the link to purchase tickets can be found in the this link to flyer that contains more details.
8th Grade Family High School Transition Information
Here is link to OPRFHS Transition PowerPoint shared at their January meeting with 8th grade families.
Yearbook Orders
Recognizing Staff who Make a Difference
Thank you to those who have completed this form to recognize a GBMS staff member. All individuals receive a printed certificate highlighting your appreciation for their contributions!
Please be sure your background check has been completed if you'd like to volunteer to chaperone Field Trips
Breakfast and Lunch Menus for February
Sports and Club Information
Service Club - Penny Challenge
Each advisory class will earn a point for every penny in its collection box. However, other classes can put in their silver and green money to deduct points from the total! (i.e. If you have 100 pennies and one quarter, your total is $ .75. At the end of the challenge, the advisory with the most points wins! We will have a winning advisory from each grade level and the prize is lunch from Olive Garden!! Please help us raise more than our goal of $750!! If you have any questions please email Ms Walsh at swalsh@op97.org. Don't forget to send your students to school with their pockets full of all the extra change you have laying around! Thank you for all of your continued support.
Math Club
SPORTING EVENTS
Monday, 3/5 at 7:30am
BOYS and GIRLSVARSITY ONLY
Tuesday, 3/6 at 7:30am
BOYS VARSITY
GIRLS JV
Wednesday, 3/7
BOYS VARSITY 7:30am
GIRLS HOME GAME vs IRVING 4pm
Thursday, 3/8
GIRLS HOME GAME vs LINCOLN 4pm
Friday, 3/9
BOYS VARSITY 7:30am
CLUB OPPORTUNITIES (can join anytime)
Each club meets weekly, unless otherwise notated below.
- ORFF Ensemble from 8:00am to 8:50am in D104 (first meeting was on 9/18). Participation is open to all students - no audition required, but enrollment is limited to 40 students. Interested students can sign-up and pick up permission slips outside of the music room (D104). For additional information contact Mr. Carrillo - fcarrillo@op97.org. Still opportunity to join.
- Ultimate Frisbee We will only meet on Mondays for the second trimester. Still 3:30-4:40 and meeting in the third floor gym. We plan on playing different types of frisbee activities in the third floor gym or the main gym when available. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Dajani at rdajani@op97.org or Mr. Gillespie at mgillespie@op97.org. (Weather Permitting)
- Math Team from 3:30-4:30 in room B204 . The club will meet each week. Students of all interest levels are welcome. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Kahn at skahn@op97.org.
- Spoken Word from 3:30pm to 5:30 pm in room B205. If you have any questions, please email Mr. Lee at mlee@op97.org
Tuesdays
- EcoEagles from 3:30pm to 4:30pm in room C302. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Stamp at lstamp@op97.org.
- Chess Club from 3:30 to 4:45 in room B305. If you have any questions, please email Mr. Hausfeld at mhausfeld@op97.org.
- Vex Robotics In-House League from 3:30 to 5 pm in room B302, 1/9/18 to 3/13/18 with Robot Rumble on 3/10/18. You can learn more by viewing flyer or OPEF VexRobotics website. or if you have any questions, please email Ms. Pena at tpena@op97.org
- Rainbow Tribe after school until 4:30 in 2nd floor conference room next to PE classroom. Permission slip found here. Here are the dates club will meet: March: 6, 13, April: 10,24 and May: 8, 22, 29
If you have any questions, please email Ms. Olsen at jolsen@op97.org
Wednesdays
Best Buddies If you have any questions, please email Ms. Beauprez or Ms. Touchette. Here is calendar of dates for all Best Buddies meetings.
Thursdays
- Spanish Club from 3:30 to 4:30pm in room B308. Here are all the Spanish club meeting dates for the year: 3/8, 3/22, 4/12, 4/26, 5/10, 5/24. If you have any questions please contact Mr. Lagioia at vlagioia@op97.org or Ms. Villalobos at cvillalobos@op97.org.
- Yearbook Club meeting from 3:30 to 4:30pm in room B202. We will meet every Thursday afternoon until the yearbook has been “put to bed." The yearbook goes to the publisher on April 25. We welcome all shutterbugs! If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Marsha Turner-Reid at mturnerreid@op97.org or Ms. Meaghan Pabellon at mpabellon@op97.org
Fridays
- Service Club from 8am to 8:45am in room B209. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Walsh at swalsh@op97.org or Ms. Martinez at bmartiez@op97.org .
BRAVO News
BRAVO Opportunities
- Guitar Club & Dance Studio are ongoing - registration forms are due to the BRAVO Office (D103). Open to ALL Brooks Students and is FREE to join! For more info visit: bravoperformingarts.org
- BRAVO Summer Auditions are coming up March 5-8. Learn more about the shows and sign-up for an audition through the BRAVO website!
- NEEDED: Pizza lunch volunteers on Friday. Keep an eye out for sign-ups on the BRAVO website!days from 10:55am-1:15pm. E-mail bravo@op97.org if you are available and interested!
Get connected to PTO
PTO Information
Earn money for the Brooks PTO: When you shop at Amazon, begin your shopping through the link here and our PTO will earn 0.5% of your total sale, at no expense to you. First time Amazon Smile shoppers will find our organization by typing Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School Parent-Teacher Organization. Thank you for your continued support.
Subscribe to PTO Bulletin:
- The link to subscribe for families is http://eepurl.com/cgOObT
Next Community meeting is Monday, March 5th, 2018 at 7pm in the media center.
Next Coffee with Capuder is Friday, March 9th, 2018 at 8:30am to 9:30am in the Commons. Topic for conversation - IB
Next DIVCO meeting is Tuesday, March 20th at 7pm in the commons.
Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School
Email: acapuder@op97.org
Website: op97.org/brooks
Location: 325 S Kenilworth Ave, Oak Park, IL, United States
Phone: (708) 524-3050
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/108994473138309/
Twitter: @brooksop97